Page 6 of New Storm Rising
“I vote we go and investigate,” I said.
“Indeed?” Stepping up beside me, Mr Ambrose raised an eyebrow about half a millimetre. “How fortunate that women still do not have the right to vote, then.”
I was very tempted to tell him all about the upcoming announcement revealing the imminent establishment of the Rikkard Ambrose Foundation for the Support of the Women’s Vote, but in the end, decided against it. After all, I still need something with which to surprise him on his birthday.
“But something interesting might be happening over there!” I protested.
“Shouts and screams echoing over the water? Gunpowder smoke rising in the air? Oh yes, very interesting, I’m sure.”
“See?” Beaming, I reached out and patted his cheeks. “You agree with me, Dicky Darling.”
“Mr Linton?”
“Yes?”
“If you call me that again, you may wake up one day to find all your male clothes replaced with nun habits.”
I shuddered. I had to admit, he was good.
“But we have to go over!”
“Why?”
Why?Why?
I wanted to grab him by the neck and shake him. What sort of person, when seeing a ship in distress at sea, askedwhythey should help?
“On the one hand, is there any profit from going?” he briefly and ruthlessly summarized. “On the other hand, there is a certainty of unknown danger, with combat still ongoing. Risks include damage to the ship and cargo, loss of life to the crew that by the way, unlike the cargo, is not insured, diplomatic conflict with unknown foreign parties, delays in cargo delivery, et cetera, et cetera.”
The person I’d married, apparently.
“And lastly,” he added, bending down towards me and caressing my cheek with a move too swift for anyone to see, “going there would put you in danger.”
Oh.
My heart made a leap as he pulled me behind the nearest mast and, out of sight of everyone, put a kiss on me that made my knees buckle. Heat surged up inside me, and I clutched him tightly.
“Now…do you still have any objections to my smart and logical decision to ignore this mess?”
“Wrgsfgl.”
“Adequate.” Immediately letting go, he stepped out from behind the mast and gestured to the first mate. “Make all sail!”[3]
***
“Blockhead! I’m going to kill you!”
“Now, now, don’t do anything rash.” Kojo raised two shovel-sized hands.
“Rash? Rash? We’re on a bloody sailing boat, and you got the bright idea to kill off every single person on this miserable wreck that happens to be able to sail? Why, Kojo? Why?”
“Well…” The big man cocked his head. “’cause they deserved it?”
Itoro’s hands flexed. Judging by the murderous gaze he sent towards Kojo, he did not agree with this argument.
The big man seemed to have noticed. “Now, don’t do anything hasty, Itoro. After all, we are brothers in arms, fighting for freedom! There never should be any quarrel between brothers! Besides…” Smiling a broad smile, he struck a pose, flexing his biceps. “I’d squash you to a pulp anyway.”
“Someone! Get me some chains to strangle this idiot with!”
