Page 82 of The Tempest
Then they’d all be in trouble.
“Where does Astria think her son is?” Francis asked, reading his brother’s mind.
Payne was precluded from answering when Bowie threw up his arms in his excitement, clipping his father in the mouth. Payne had to rub his bruised lip before continuing.
“She thinks he’s with the nurse that tends the other children during the day,” he said. “The best thing we ever did was bring on that nurse. She tends Tay and Fox and Sinclair’s children along with mine, and it gives the wives time they need tae do chores or other things. The woman had the children over by the gatehouse, where they were playing on the grass, and I just took him.”
“Let’s hope Astria doesna realize he’s missing.”
Payne shook his head. “After this, I’ll take him back tae the nurse and she’ll never know.”
“You hope.”
“She’s just given birth,” Payne reminded him. “She’ll be with our new lad, who looks exactly like me, I might add.”
“Aye, he does,” Francis agreed. “But his name? Maximilian? ’Tis a big name for a wee bairn, Payne.”
Payne grinned. “That was Astria’s choice,” he said. “She wanted tae name him Sancho, but no son of mine is going tae be named Sancho. Then she wanted Maximilian, a terribly grand name, and I couldna deny her. Max Matheson it is.”
Francis merely chuckled.
The water at the northern end of the lake always tended to be choppier because of the shape of the lake at that end, so the boat was doing great dips in the waves, splashing water as it moved. Spray ended up on Bowie and Payne, and the little boy squealed in delight because his face was getting wet.
“Papa, faster!” he demanded. “Go faster!”
Payne grinned. “I canna make it go faster, lad,” he said. “Tell Uncle Francis. Mayhap he can.”
“Fanny!” the boy yelled. He couldn’t pronounce Francis, so it came out as “Fanny.” “Faster!”
Francis nodded quickly. “I will, lad,” he said. “I’ll go blow on the sails. Will ye blow with me?”
Bowie wanted to blow. Francis took him in his arms, rushing back along the deck as Payne followed to make sure Francis had a good hold on the boy. Together, Francis and Bowie blew at the sails, which were already billowing from the strong breeze. They blew and blew. Soon enough, the Blackchurch cog came closer and the time for boarding would soon be upon them. Francis handed Bowie back to his father.
“Hang tight tae the lad,” he told Payne. “This shouldna take long. Ye should bring him up front so he can see his victorious uncle.”
Gripping his son, who still wanted to blow on the sails, Payne followed his brother to the bow, where Francis’ men were preparing to lash the ships together. The Blackchurch cog came close and the ropes began to fly, pulling the ships against one another. The men from both ships began shouting at each other, waving their swords threateningly, but the men on the Blackchurch cog suddenly grew terribly subdued. That caused the men on theBloody Maudeto grow quiet purely out of confusion.
But Payne soon saw why.
Mounting the railing, with a rope in hand that was tethered to the sail above, was none other than Lady Lismore.
The Sea God had made an appearance.
The former Sea God, anyway, but no matter. Payne knew what her appearance meant. God help him. He was in so much trouble that he couldn’t even fathom it. He would be in trouble for the rest of his life. He watched, with apprehension, as his wife swung from her deck to his, releasing the rope and focusing on her husband and son. Bowie screamed when he saw his mother, and Payne was forced to put down the boy, who ran gleefully to her. Astria, looking like a goddess in a fitted tunic, hose, and boots, picked her child up.
But she didn’t have a word for her husband.
Only a glare.
“Francis?” she said.
Feeling as if he were somehow responsible for this situation, Francis jumped at the sound of her voice.
“My lady?”
Sword in hand, Astria pointed to the starboard rail midships. “Install the plank.”
Everyone knew that that meant. As Francis ordered his men to produce the plank that would extend from the railing over the water, usually used for boarding, Astria slowly made her way over to her husband.
