“Some of them are taking sick, too,” he continued. “Fever, stomach troubles, and the like. They’re trying to figure out when all their bad luck started.” His voice was low. “Some have said it was the day they attacked theAdventurer. They already questioned me and one of the other men who came aboard that day. They told me to talk to you about it, since the captain and quartermaster don’t let you out of their sight too often.”
My palms began to sweat, and I ran them down my trousers. “I have work to do.”
“I’m only telling you because they’re watching us, Carl. But I’ll tell them you’re not a threat. You have my word.”
With a quick nod to acknowledge his comment, I moved across the deck to the stairs leading to the captain’s cabin, trying not to catch the eye of the other pirates. There was little else to occupymy time until supper, so I went into the outer room but paused when I saw Ned lying on his cot.
He had looked pale at breakfast, but I hadn’t thought to ask if he was sick.
“What do you want?” he asked me when I approached.
“Are you feeling poorly?”
“Why do you care? You probably made me sick.”
“Do you need Dr. Hartville?”
Ned moaned and turned his back to me. “Just leave me be.”
Was Ned sick with whatever was ailing the other crew members? Would they blame it on me and assume I was the Jonah? If so, Ned would be the first to call me out.
“I’ll take your chores until you’re better,” I told him.
“Sure you will,” he said. “You’ve been waiting for the perfect time to throw me over and move in on the captain.”
“Don’t be—” I paused. No matter how much I protested, Ned would believe what he wanted. “Let me know if you need anything,” I said instead.
A commotion outside the room made me step out onto the main deck. The captain was returning on the launch with Marcus and Hawk—and their boat was still full of the goods they’d brought to sell.
I went to the galley for their lunch and returned as they were just entering the outer room.
Captain Zale stopped near Ned’s cot and frowned down at the young man. “What ails you?”
Ned glared at me. “Carl has made all of us sick. Some of the others are complaining, too.”
All eyes turned to me, and my mouth slipped open to protest, but again, Marcus shook his head to keep me quiet.
“At least Carl recovered quickly,” Captain Zale said, but then he turned back to me. “You’ll take on Ned’s chores until he’s able to do them again.”
I nodded as Ned laid his head back on the pillow, clearly too ill to protest.
Captain Zale, Marcus, and Hawk entered the captain’s cabin, and I followed with their meal.
The captain tore off his black gloves and threw them onto the table as I set down the platters of pork and bread. I had to return to the galley for their stewed peas and ale, but when I returned, Jack and Dr. Hartville had joined the small party.
“We’ve been blacklisted in Cuba,” Captain Zale said to his men as I placed the peas and ale on the table. “I need to get rid of the plunder before we head back to Florida.”
“Mayhap Marcus’s idea to go to Nassau is wise after all,” Hawk said as he took the mug of ale I poured for him. “We haven’t been there in a long time.”
I quickly glanced at Marcus, my hope rising, but he had his gaze on the captain.
Ever since I’d learned that Captain Zale wasn’t his father, it had changed everything I thought about them. Their strained and complicated relationship made more sense. I’d noticed the lack of warmth and affection between them and wondered about it, but not anymore. It also explained their different accents. They weren’t blood related, so the differences in their looks were more obvious than before. It made me wonder how I hadn’t seen it, but the mind was a powerful thing, and when it believed something, it was hard to see something different. Perhaps that’s why so many people accepted that I was a boy.
I handed Marcus his mug and our fingers brushed, causing his gaze to flicker to mine for a heartbeat.
My pulse pounded hard, though I wasn’t sure if it was from Captain Zale’s decision about Nassau or the feel of Marcus’s skin against mine. I tried not to let my feelings show on my face—afraid that the men in the room might notice, but even more afraid that Marcus might.
“Mayhap you’re right,” the captain finally said. “I’m willing to risk the navy at Nassau to get rid of the plunder. ’Tis been in the hold too long.”
