Page 50 of The Lord's Compass
“I will pay for our passage on the next ship out, no matter what it is,” he said. “We will go wherever it takes us – as long as it is staying on the Continent or headed toward England – and then we will find our way back.”
“Very well.”
He looked down at her, surprise in his eyes.
“Do you trust me?”
Her first smile since they’d been scared out of their room that morning lit her face.
“Actually,” she said, nearly as surprised as he was, “I do.”
CHAPTER16
Her faith in him bolstered his spirits.
He only hoped that she wouldn’t be upset when she realized just what, exactly, his idea was.
“I do not see any ships,” she said, peering up and down the port. “What are we going to do? Should we return to the inn? We could?—”
“There,” he said, pointing down the wharf.
“Where?”
“The merchant ship.”
She squinted. “That looks more like a fishing boat to me.”
“It might be,” he said, thrusting more confidence than he felt into his words.
“How are we going to?—”
“It will not be for long,” he promised. “Just until the next town.”
She sighed. “Very well,” she said, waving him forward. “Do as you think is best.”
He practically beamed at her before continuing, finding the captain — he supposed one could call the man that, for it was his ship — and exchanging a few words.
“Didn’t catch much this morning so returning to the sea,” the man said, rubbing his beard as he looked Eric up and down. “No time to take you anywhere.”
“I’ll pay you double what you would make off your daily haul to take us just as far as Bilibao,” Eric promised, and the man quickly agreed.
Faith said nothing until they had found a seat among smelly fishing nets and bait. Faith had her eyes closed and a handkerchief over her nose, although Eric could tell that she was trying not to draw much notice to her response.
“I do not mean to be rude,” she hissed toward him, “but this is something else. What if we do not make it to the next town? We would be lost along with the treasure map. And then what? It would all be for nothing.”
“That is what you are concerned about? The treasure? Faith, I am sure everyone would be far more concerned about the loss of our lives than that of a treasure.”
She shrugged. “Would they, though? This is a legacy. One that Abello’s family has held onto for generations. What was he waiting for?”
“He must have been waiting for someone to return, looking for the clue.”
“But why us? How did he know who we were? And why didn’t he just say something to us instead of going through all the trouble of switching the painting and pointing us in the right direction? And was he trying to scare us away or was thatDonRaphael?”
Eric sighed. “I wish I knew, Faith. Perhaps Ashford and his sister will. Until then, we keep this clue – and ourselves – safe.”
She nodded absently.
“Very well.”
