Part of me wanted to tell her that I was also a woman, but I couldn’t take that risk. Nadine had always disliked me, and I had no guarantee that if she survived, she would keep the information to herself. Mary’s words came back to me from my time in Nassau. How many women were dressed as men, living as pirates on the open water? Surely more than people realized.
Nadine was at the end of the miscarriage, and I assisted her as best as I could, fetching several buckets of water to help her clean herself and the room before the sun crested the horizon and the captain or Marcus woke up. Her nightshirt was ruined, so I went into the corner, out of her sight, and removed my vest and then my shirt. I put my vest on over my binding and helped her into the new shirt, which went down to her knees. After she tossed her ruined shirt over the side of the ship, I offered to help her back to the captain’s cabin, but she insisted she return alone. She was pale and weak and could hardly stand, but I couldn’t force her to accept my assistance.
I told her I’d see to everyone’s breakfast, and for once, she didn’t protest.
As I exited the head after Nadine had left, I found Marcus standing outside his cabin door. He frowned when he saw me without my undershirt, and a dozen emotions played across his face in a heartbeat. Surprise, confusion, anger, jealousy, and more.
Had he seen Nadine—who he thought was Ned—leave the head before me?
Without a word, he reentered his cabin, and I followed. I trusted Marcus to know the truth. I wanted him to know the truth. It was too much to keep to myself. Nadine could still be in danger. She needed medical help, preferably from a midwife. I knew of one in Charleston, but I wasn’t sure if Captain Zale would allow it.
I closed the door behind me and faced Marcus.
“I was surprised to find you out of your bed before me,” he said, confusion on his brow, “and then even more surprised to see Ned leave the head, half-dressed—only to have you follow, without your shirt.”
“I know.” I nodded, not wanting him to have any more reason to be upset. I quickly explained what had happened, sparing the gruesome details of the miscarriage but sharing the truth.
His mouth parted in shock and his eyes had widened. “Ned is—”
“The captain’s mistress.”
He blinked a few times and then slipped his hand behind his neck as he paced across the room. “I had no idea. All this time...”
“The mind really does see what it wants,” I said.
“There was a wee bairn?”
“She lost it less than thirty minutes ago. She’s heartsick and scared.”
“I can understand.”
“But she’ll need some medical attention, and I’m not sure how to approach Captain Zale about it, since we’re not supposed to know. And I don’t know if she’ll be willing to get the help, either.She wouldn’t let me send for Dr. Hartville.” I watched him, trying to gauge his thoughts. “It would be best to continue to Charleston and get her some treatment.”
“Dr. Hartville can’t help her?”
“I don’t think so. And even if he could, Captain Zale doesn’t want him to know she’s a woman.”
Marcus nodded, still in shock. “I had no idea.”
“Neither did I, but I think some of the men were starting to suspect her. Timothy told me as much yesterday.”
He rubbed his hand across his forehead. “If the captain learns she miscarried, and doesn’t realize she needs medical help, he might return to Florida and keep looking for the Queen’s Dowry.”
“Then I need to impress upon her how important it is for her to get help. She needs to go to Charleston.”
“Aye. We must make haste.” He glanced at my bare arms and then went to his chest of clothes and pulled out the shirt I’d borrowed in the past.
He left his cabin, and I quickly put on the shirt, trying to make it work, though it was so large, it was almost impossible. I was able to tuck it in and get my vest back on before I joined him outside the entrance to the captain’s outer room.
Nadine had not made it any farther than her cot. She was curled up in a ball on her side. She hadn’t even pulled the covers up around her body and was shaking violently from shock.
Marcus and I helped her get under the covers. His gentleness warmed me as he fetched another blanket from Hawk’s cot and tucked it around Nadine’s body.
“We need to get you to Charleston to see a midwife who can make sure you are safe,” I said to Nadine. “You lost a lot of blood.”
She shook her head. “Just leave me be.”
“Your health and safety are all that matter right now,” I told her. “At least let Dr. Hartville help you.”
