“I, if he’s done what ye state, then he should pay the price for that deed.”
Colin nodded. “He’ll pay with his life. That I swear.” He looked at the sky. Dusk was fast approaching. “The morrow should be a busy day if we catch up to them as planned.”
“Aye,” Sean sighed as if he bore the weight of the world on his shoulders.
“Dinna fash, lad.Hades Revengeposes no threat to us.”
Sean turned away from the water and looked Colin in the eye. “I know. I’m going to retire for the night if ye have nothing else for me to do?”
Colin could probably find some menial tasks for the lad to do, but he looked like he wanted to be left alone. “Nay, go to our room. I’ll be in later.”
Sean dipped his head in acquiescence and pushed off the rail and headed to the stairs that would take him below deck.
Colin watched as he walked away, the lad’s gait somewhat feminine. Colin rolled his eyes and laughed at his own daft thoughts. They’d been out to sea too long. And he’d been without a woman for even longer. His mind was running rampant seeing the fairer sex everywhere he looked.
The lad was a runt. Nothing more. But even as Colin thought that, he also thought that with his dainty features, he’d make a bonnie lass.
“Damn it,” Colin muttered to no one in particular. He checked in with Peggy one last time. “How’s the track looking?”
“They’ve sped up their pace a bit, but even so, we’re faster. We’ll meet up in the morn.”
“If anything changes, let me know at once. I’m off to find some whisky.”
“That bad?”
Colin laughed. “I canna even voice my thoughts aloud. Ye and the crew will deem me unfit to be captain and take overThe Hella.”
Peggy boomed with laughter. “It canna be as bad as ye think, Cap’n.”
“Easy for ye to say that now. Ye’ve no idea what is going on in my head.” He shook his head. “I dinna believe it myself.” He clapped Peggy on the shoulder. “Send for me if needed.”
“Aye, Cap’n.”
Colin made his way to the galley and the small closet they kept their supplies in. At the door, he fumbled for the key. Once opened, he surveyed the items they still had on hand. The shelves were getting bare. It was good that they’d locatedHades Revenge. Many more days on the water and they’d be scraping for food.
A situation they’d been in before, but it was one he’d rather not have to go through if needn’t be.
He grabbed the cask of whisky off the top shelf and tucked it under his arm while he closed the door, then grabbed a cup and took a seat in the corner of the galley. He wasn’t ready to go down to his quarters yet.
Sean was there, so he was conflicted. He could sense the lad wasn’t telling him everything. Even with their nights spent talking, reading, and going over numbers. Colin had let his guard down around the lad. Something he didn’t do often. It showed how much he trusted him, but there was still that thought that the lad was holding something back from him.
He poured himself a healthy cup of whisky and took a long swallow, savoring the burn as it wound its way down his throat and settled warmly in his chest.
Refilling his cup, he emptied it in another long swallow. As much as he’d like to drain the bottle and get totally lost in his cups before retiring to his quarters, he needed to keep his mind clear for the fight ahead.
Capping the flask, he stood and set the mug on the table before opening the closet and replaced the whisky and locked the door once again.
The whisky warmed his veins. He could feel it thrumming through his body. Nothing disconcerting, more like a warm, enveloping hug from an old friend.
He left the galley and started to slowly make his way to his cabin. He passed Sweeney in the hall.
“Cap’n,” he acknowledged Colin, not stopping and keeping his eyes downcast.
Colin thought that the next time they were on land he might have to talk to Sweeney and let him go. There was something slimy about the man. He reminded Colin of an eel. Slippery and wily. He did his work, but never all that well and he didn’t take any initiative on his own. He wasn’t the type of worker Colin needed on his crew.
In his room, the lantern cast a soft glow on Sean laying in bed, facing the wall as always. In the nights they’d shared the room, Colin had never seen Sean face the bed when he slept, only the wall.
He stood in the doorway for a long moment, just watching the figure.
