“We don’t want any favors from you,” the younger man snarled back at him.
“A little too late for that, when I asked my first mate to give up his cabin for you. He wasn’t at all pleased about it, so other accommodations can be arranged if you’d prefer, though I doubt you’ll like sleeping with the livestock, which would of course require some chains, too, since we can’t have you doing damage down there. You might have noticed you aren’t restrained in here?”
“Appreciate it,” the other man said. “?’Deed I do. But I insist you return us to London.”
“My friend speaks for himself. I’m staying right here as long as Jack is here.”
“You both are, but restrained or unrestrained is the question. Did you miss that it was a question?”
“If you think I’m asking for bloody chains, I’m not.”
“Excellent,” Damon replied. “I agree that wouldn’t be a pleasant way to spend the next month. All that is required to keep these accommodations is that you don’t try to vacate them. If you can restrain yourselves, then you won’t be restrained—no pun intended. Now then, it’s time for you to tell me who you are.”
“Who did Jack say I am?”
Damon laughed at the cautious reply. The man was making it hard for Damon to humor him with answers like that. But he didn’t need confirmation when neither of these two would come to further harm on his ship.
“I’d still like an actual name, but Jeremy will do if you’re hesitant to give one. She says you look like her older brother. Do you?”
“From a distance, I suppose I do. That name is fine, if you have to call me anything.”
“And you?” Damon asked the other.
“Lord Percival—”
“Percy talks too much,” Jeremy interrupted in a warning tone.
“So a couple of destitute lords, after all?”
“Eh?” Percival said quite indignantly.
“We’re not all rich like the Malorys,” Jeremy said quickly.
Before Damon could reply, the man elbowing his way past the guards poked his head in the cabin, then complained bitterly, “That’s the toff who nearly broke me jaw. Why’s ’e being treated so royally when ’e ought to be in chains down in the ’old, eh?”
Damon walked the intruder backward by not giving him any choice but to move or get knocked over. “Did I ask for your opinion?”
“No, but—”
“Tolerated but silent, that was the deal. Stay out of my way or you will find out just how unnecessary you are to the completion of this mission.”
“That goes both ways—Captain,” the man sneered before he scurried up the stairs.
Damon closed his eyes for a moment. It was telling by the pirate’s answer that he was confident he and his cutthroat friends still held the upper hand. Damon couldn’t protect Jack if he gave in to his rage and failed to rid his ship of its infestation. He turned back to the open door, but his eyes passed over the two guards. One looked indignant on his behalf, the other looked uneasy. It was still too soon to try. And considering what had just happened, the key to this room probably shouldn’t be left where anyone could grab it.
“Trouble with your pirates, Captain?” Jeremy asked, nodding toward the bandage on Damon’s side.
A logical assumption after what the hostages had just overheard. “No, that’s Jack’s handiwork. Quite the hellcat she is.”
“Did you hurt her?” Jeremy tried to get up again.
“Be easy, man, I told you she’s fine. And you mistake the situation. She’s very precious cargo. She won’t be hurt no matter how many times she tries to kill me.”
“Then we’ll hope she has better luck next time,” Jeremy sneered.
“I’m sure you will.”
“You mentioned a month,” Jeremy said next. “Where are you sailing to?”
