Page 46 of The Sea Witch
“You can’t win it.” She adjusted the wheel and the ship moved effortlessly beneath her guidance. “Other than their well-earneddislike of men, you’ve got something from speaking with my crew?”
After making certain he and Alys had a relative amount of privacy, Ben finally allowed himself to exhale. Only years of naval discipline kept his shoulders from slumping.
“I’ve learned exactly nothing,” he said grimly. “None of your crew knows anything about my father’s murder, not even scraps of anecdotes or tales told thirdhand. Nothing of Best, Dupont, or Sanchez. I’m no closer to knowing who’s responsible than I was the day it happened.”
“Ah, damn.” She shook her head. “I’d hoped...”
Her words trailed away, and in that silence, he heard something he hadn’t anticipated: genuine regret.
“My thanks.” His words came out gruff.
She lifted one shoulder. “I only gave you more sources of frustration.”
“It was helpful. In a way,” he added when she snorted in disbelief. “It’s as much about learning the dead ends as it is discovering the right way forward.”
A skeptical look crossed her face.
“Before,” he explained, “I had everyone in the whole of the Caribbean to question. In thanks to you and your company, my search has slightly narrowed. Andslightlyis better than nothing at all.”
“Sometimes,” she said lowly, “all we have is nothing.”
The weight of her grief pressed down, crushing the breath from him.
“There’s something I can do, though,” he said, “to show my gratitude for your assistance.”
She held his gaze and, in that moment when she looked into his eyes, something hot and living uncoiled low in his belly.
His heart beat thickly, and then she turned her attention back to the horizon.
“I’m curious what your gratitude looks like, Sailing Master.”
He drew himself up as tension continued to snap between them. “You’ve never been to the island where we’ll find the Weeping Princess.”
“But you have?”
“There’s only one safe anchorage where we can put in,” he stated, “and finding and negotiating it is difficult—for those who’ve never done so.”
“A sailing master, truly, to steer the ship that holds you captive.”
He followed the contours of her profile. There was the smallest dip beneath her lower lip, unexpectedly delicate. Where else might she be delicate?
The mystery of her... He couldn’t loosen its bond around him. Trying to extricate himself from it only made the strands wrap tighter around them.
“When we reach the island tomorrow morn,” he went on, “I can take the helm to navigate the anchorage.”
“Or youtellmy helmswoman how to pilot us through.”
“The safest option is for me to take the wheel.”
“How, exactly, does this show your gratitude?”
“Keeping us alive and your ship intact seems a fair means of expressing appreciation.”
After a moment, she gave a clipped nod. “Your place will be at the helm. Just for navigating the anchorage. Don’t expect or suggest more control over my ship. Until my company andonlymy company decides otherwise, theSea Witchis mine to command.”
Her tone assured him that there would be no further discussion on this matter. “I know when to yield.”
“If you did, you wouldn’t be captive on my ship.”
