Page 58 of Blow Me Down
“Before I knew I loved you!” he bellowed, slapping his hands down on the table.
Everyone in the room stopped, turning to look at our corner. I smiled weakly and gave a quick wave. “Little argument, nothing serious. Go back to your carousing and wenching and… er… vomiting.”
I looked away from the man ralphing into a slops bucket and gave Corbin my most patient look. “Corbin, I don’t want anyone hurt—not you or the people on Turtle’s Back; not even Bart.”
“No. There’s got to be another way.”
“Fine. Give me another option.”
His jaw tightened.
I put my hand on his, giving it a little squeeze. “I don’t think we have any other choice, Corbin.”
“Dammit!” He cursed profanely under his breath. I felt for him, I really did, but there just didn’t seem to be any other way around it—I was going to have to go to war against him.
“Good-bye, Corbin. I don’t want to go, but I don’t really have a choice—not if we want to bring an end to this. You’ll be hearing from me. I will hold you to your word about supplies for Turtle’s Back, by the way.” I stood up, gathering my things.
“You’re just going to up and leave me?” Corbin stayed seated, as if he didn’t take me leaving seriously.
“I’m not leaving you—not really. Bas and I are going home. I’d like to be home before morning since I have a feeling there’s going to be a lot to do before the blockade.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, the mulish look back. “And just how do you plan on getting there? Whisking on a convenient bit of wind, perhaps?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” I lifted my chin, stung by the fact that he didn’t seem to understand how badly I was feeling about the whole thing. “I’ll find someone to sail us there if you’re not inclined to help your own wife.”
“My wifewould not abandon me for another man,” Corbin growled, getting to his feet at last.
“Now, that isn’t fair at all. Dammit, Corbin, give me an alternative!”
“I’ve given you one. You won’t take it,” he said, anger visible in his eyes.
“You’re not the only one who has a shred of pride,” I pointed out, angry, hurt, and sad all at the same time. “If the game calls for me to be true to my crew, then I’m going to be true. Especially since I think I can help bring about the end of the war.”
“You just don’t like conflict,” he snapped.
“Not when it concerns people I care about, no. I don’t suppose there’s a mechanism in the game for divorce?” I asked sweetly.
“No.”
I smiled. “Then we’re still married, husband mine. Good night. I’ll be in contact about the supplies we need on Turtle’s Back.”
“Amy!”
I turned on my heel and marched out of the inn, hoping against hope that Corbin either would come up with another plan that wouldn’t screw us up as far as the scenario went, or would at the very least understand why I had to go to war.
“Good luck findin‘ yer way to Turtle, lass,” Corbin called after me in a voice loud enough to be heard across the entire lower half of the island. “There’ll not be a soul here who’ll take ye against me wishes. When ye’ve had enough of yer high-and-mighty act, let me know.”
I sighed. Hope is such a fickle thing.
Chapter 15
Ah, leave me not to pine
Alone and desolate…
—Ibid, Act I
“Holder, can you—”
