“Good morrow to you and Sir Brayden.” The onyx hair ruffled as a gust slapped at them.
“Good morrow, my lady…?”
“Lady Fawnella.”
“Lady Fawnella ’tis an honor.” The captain inclined his brow.Charming. Then the Spaniard regarded Callum. “Sir Callum, I am so very pleased you were able to arrive in time before our leave upon the morrow.” What was he talking about?
“Captain Castellón, I am not certain what you speak of.”
“The missive.”
“Missive?”
“Yes, the missive I sent to you at the royal court in Stirling over a fortnight past.”
Callum’s jaw tightened as he glanced around, a pensiveness in his eyes. Had they just walked into a trap? She tilted her head more.
“I am telling you ’twas the damn ale!” A crewman swore below.No threat to them.
“Hell, if I retch again my stomach is going to burst.” Another ill one in the decks below. Definitely not a threat. What had made them all ill?
Squeak. Squeak.There were the rats in the lowest hold.Whoosh, slap.Wind and waves against the hull.
She leaned toward Callum’s ear. “Nae threats aboard.” His shoulders lowered as his fingers tightened a breath in hers as if to say silently,Thank you.
Captain Castellón must have seen the reaction as well. “Sir Callum, let us step toward the stern castle for a more private place to speak. Even the holds below have shadows and ears, and worse. Almost the whole crew partook on rancid ale and have fallen ill.”
They strode across the deck before reaching the stairs. Once atop the stern castle beside the abandoned helm, given the anchor was dropped, she heard Callum say, “Captain Castellón, I never received a missive.”
The captain scratched his beard. “The crewman who saw it there handed it to a guard at the gate. I warned him he was to see it to your hand directly, but the guard was most persistent it would be seen to.” There was a traitor at court.
“Would this crewman be present?” Callum questioned.
“Alas, no, he stepped off my ship at Inverness.”
“Then pray tell what was in this missive?”
“A warning of sorts. I am here to deliver a very large, sizable request for swords. The buyer was to be here upon the morrow to collect them. ’Twas the number which struck me at what he demanded, all at once, and all in haste for delivery directly onto your shores, my friend.”Friend? Huh, how long had Callum known this Spaniard?“I received word upon arrival yesterday that a wagon was to be acquired by me, the swords loaded, then driven to a valley east of here. Where we were to await his warriors and exchange of coin.” The captainraised his bushy brows. “If you have not received my missive, then do tell, why are you here on this deck?”
“A very delicate matter for the crown. If I had known of the missive a full guard would be upon the shore behind me. My purpose here was to find out if you have heard any whispers regarding a vast number of swords for a lone individual. You are the strongest trader in weaponry.”
The captain grinned. “Appreciated, my friend.” The lips then turned downward. “However, you will also find my crewmen are of no use going forth.”
“This ale.” Nella stepped forward. “What merchant had the crewman sought onshore?”
“There wasn’t any merchant; it arrived with a missive and compliments of the buyer.”It was the inn all over again!
Callum’s eyes snapped to hers as she gasped the words. “They are being poisoned.”
“Who drank?” Callum questioned. “And when?”
The captain darted his eyes nervously toward the deserted deck. “All, with exception of me and Tomas. Late eve the missive arrived, they drank then.”
Nella looked at Callum. “’Tis a different poison than the tavern.”
“Aye,” Callum concurred then suggested, “The ingredient is slow acting. Perchance it is only meant to delay any action upon the crewman if the acquisition tuned sour?”
Nella met the deep Spaniard’s eyes. “What has ailed them?”
