“All of this has come from the British. We actually had to stop confiscation several frigates ago. We don’t sell the weapons and we couldn’t carry any more safely.”
“I wonder that you carry all this safely,” replied Cloud.
“Captain Danty had the sides reinforced to protect against fire and misguided cannonballs. It causes us to ride a little lower in the water but it gives the impression we always have a full cargo.”
“Why so much? I was under the impression Captain Danty did not use weapons.”
“She doesn’t—or rather she hasn’t—yet. We have been able to stop the frigates with our ruses, and by the time they really understand what we want they are at a disadvantage. Officers are always the hardest to convince, but the crews don’t put up much of a fight once they realize Captain Danty is their excuse to return home. Now with war on both sides of the ocean I expect this particular cargo will be used frequently.”
“I’m afraid you’re right,” he agreed grimly. “When did you join her crew?”
Jordan and Cloud moved out of the room. “I was on board the very first ship she took. I’ve been with her about two years now. First mate—about a year and a half ago.”
Cloud noted Jordan said these statements with a sense of pride and respect for Alexis and himself. When he was introduced to the rest of the crew he found these qualities common to all her men. They were sure of themselves, their purpose, and their commander.
Jordan found suitable clothing for Cloud who changed into bell trousers and pullover shirt, then discarded his boots in favor of no shoes at all and went about his work. He accepted his duties with such simple pleasure that Jordan wondered if he really missed his command.
Cloud did miss it, but he considered the situation temporary and he gladly accepted the work as a balm. He used it to heal the wounds Howe had inflicted. He could go about his work without concentrating on it and still know it was well done. While he scrubbed decks and mended sails he mentally composed the letters that would return him to theConcordand see Howe finished. He ate lunch and dinner with the men, enjoying the time to trade stories and answer, as well as ask, questions. They accepted him as if he had always been among them.
He watched Peach observe all this with his suspicious gaze. Attempts at conversation on Cloud’s part were met with short answers and apparently no interest. Cloud noticed though, the boy’s resistance was slowly fading and his mien was forced to some degree. He was glad Peach was the only one who set himself up as Alexis’s guardian.
Throughout the day he was aware of Alexis’s presence although he never talked to her after their conversation with Jordan. Occasionally he caught her looking at him while he was doing some menial task. At first she would turn away quickly, but not before he had time to glimpse the openly pained expression on her face. No matter how easily she had accepted his decision to fall under her command it was still cutting her deeply. Later she did not turn away, but continued to stare, gathering reassurance from him until the muscles of her face relaxed and her placid features signaled her acceptance. When he last saw her covertly studying him, he was descending the rigging. Even the distance separating them was not enough to dim the desire that replaced all her previous expressions. When he reached the deck Alexis had disappeared, and Ned Allison was urging him toward some new task before he had a chance to decide if he had imagined the golden fire in his captain’s eyes.
Cloud drew an early watch, much to his pleasure and Jordan’s amusement.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you rigged the lottery.” Jordan grinned. His arms were folded across his chest and he leaned against the rail while Cloud took his turn at the wheel. A breeze ruffled his sun-bleached hair.
“But you do know better.” Cloud eyed the first mate skeptically.
“Of course,” Jordan answered lightly. What he left unsaid was: “Because I took care of it for you.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?” Jordan appeared truly amazed at this gratitude.
Cloud laughed. “For what you’ll never admit to doing.”
“That’s right.” He fell silent while he observed Cloud’s stance at the wheel. It was a pleasure to see a man who was so much in control of his every movement and yet seemingly unware of the effort involved. His legs were braced apart, the muscles taut and firm but at the same time yielding to the greater rolling motion of the ship beneath his feet. His hands gripped the wheel in a manner that suddenly brought a woman to Jordan’s mind. He chuckled.
“Something wrong?” asked Cloud. He had been oblivious to everything but the feel of the ship until Jordan’s laughter reached him.
“Nothing wrong. I was just making an observation.”
“Care to share it?”
“You love her very much, don’t you?” Jordan surprised himself with his question. He was hardly aware of the separate thoughts that joined to make that statement possible.
Cloud raised his eyebrows. He did not try to hide the fact he was greatly amused. A slanted grin crossed his face. “That is not much of an observation, Mr. Jordan. I’m surprised you phrased it as a question since I have never made it any secret. Sometimes I think the words must be branded on my forehead.” He turned to the wheel and kept his eyes ahead, distinguishing between the subtle variations in the dark blue of the sky, the water, and the shoreline. “Does my answer confirm your observation?”
“Absolutely.”
Out of sight, but within hearing distance, Peach was thinking Cloud had no more tests to pass.
Cloud entered Alexis’s quarters after knocking lightly and receiving a perfunctory reply. She did not look up from her work when he closed the door. He watched her, her head bent over the long, slim fingers holding a quill which crossed the page in a fluid motion. Several minutes passed and she seemed to have forgotten she had allowed someone to enter. Finally she put the quill down and examined what she had written. Eyes still on the page she asked, “What is it?”
“Sorry to disturb you, Captain Danty, but there is a small matter of the British bearing down on us, a storm gathering to the south, mutiny among the men…” At the sound of his voice Alexis’s head jerked up and she could only half listen to the list of calamities he was presenting. Her eyes followed his as he sat down on the bunk and removed his shirt. “…Redland has thrown Wilkes to the sharks, the hull’s rotted in two places, we are taking in water and”—he tossed the shirt aside and lay back on the bunk with a small groan—“I am exhausted.”
Smiling, Alexis walked over and sat beside him. She placed her hands on his shoulders, massaging them lightly. “Is that all? There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong I can’t take care of.”
