Page 30 of Devil of the High Seas
She and Olive gossiped about the ship’s crew while Josephine ate. When she simply couldn’t eat another bite, she thanked her new friend and resumed her exploration of theCornish Pixie. When she reached the upper decks and felt the bracing wind race across the deck to fill the sails that billowed out above her, her breath caught in her throat. The sight of fresh white canvas against deep clear blue skies waseverythingshe’d ever dreamed of, and yet somehow even more magical than she could have imagined.
“Nothing like seeing the wind in the sails, eh?” an old sailor near the railing said as he set to work repairing the loose ends of the thick rope that lay around him in messy coils. He appeared to be in his late sixties but was still lean with muscle. His skin was weathered beneath his white beard, and his blue eyes were bright with gentle mischief.
“Yes, it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Josephine joined the man by the railing. She nodded at the ropes he was holding. “My name is Josephine. May I help you with that?”
“No, I’ve got it, but you can keep me company. An old man still likes to look at a pretty lass when he has the chance. My name’s Bartholomew.” He winked at her and grinned, which made her laugh.
“Oh all right, I can’t refuse you. What shall we talk about?”
“Well, you can settle an old man’s curiosity,” he said as he continued his work on the ropes.
“Oh? How so?”
“Your husband, the captain.”
It seemed everyone on board had guessed she was the captain’s wife. Josephine waited for the old sailor to ask his question.
“Yes, what about him?” When she’d come aboard last night, there had only been a handful of crew members who had seen her. Gavin had rushed her down belowdecks so hastily she’d barely seen any of them, yet they all knew she was supposedly Gavin’s wife.
“What sort of man is he?”
She was confused by the question. “What do you mean, what sort of man?”
“Er, he looks... Well, let’s just say I’ve seen men with his look before,” the old sailor said seriously.
“I’m afraid I still don’t understand what you mean.”
The sailor sighed. “He attracts danger, that one. I’d bet my life on it.”
Josephine couldn’t disagree with that.
“Should we be worried, lassie?” the man asked in a softer voice. “Does he have a temper?”
“I... well, he doesn’t... I don’t think so.”
“What I mean is, will he flog a man to death for disobeying orders?”
“Oh, heavens, no, I would hope not.” Josephine couldn’t picture Gavin whipping a man or even ordering that. But the truth was, she’d only known him a handful of days and she couldn’t swear to anything when it came to his behavior. He was certainly mercurial in his moods, but that wasn’t the same thing as having a temper.
Before she could speak further, her “husband” emerged from belowdecks, his gaze dark and foreboding. It seemed someone had finally freed him.
“I think we’re about to find out about that temper,” she muttered to herself.
The sailor looked between her and the captain and put two and two together. “Can you climb?”
“Yes,” she replied at once.
“Then head for the lookout on the topsail. There’s a large bucket of sorts at the middle of the crossbeams. He may not catch sight of you if you move fast.”
Josephine ducked down behind the guns along the deck and headed straight for the mainmast while doing her best to keep out of sight. She gripped the ropes and darted up the rigging with a speed that surprised even herself. She passed a few men on the way up as they worked to adjust the sails. She nodded at them and continued up without stopping.
When she finally reached the lookout spot and climbed over the wooden sides, she kept out of sight. Her heart pounded as she waited a long while before chancing a peek over the side. Gavin was standing on the quarterdeck, talking to his first mate. She blew out a breath of relief. He didn’t appear to be searching for her. They both knew she was on the ship and couldn’t escape. Not that she wanted to.
Down below, the men began to sing sea shanties while they worked. Josephine smiled as she hummed along. The warmth of the sun soon put her to sleep, and as so often of late, she fell headlong into exciting dreams that made her smile.
* * *
“There’sno sign of her anywhere, Cap’n,” Ronnie said in a low voice on the quarterdeck. Only fifteen minutes ago, Ronnie had released him from confinement in the captain’s cabin. They had searched the ship discreetly, not wanting to alarm the crew. If the men on board discovered that Gavin was not in fact the man hired to captain theCornish Pixie, he and Ronnie could be overpowered and manacled in the hold.
