Page 8 of Hired by Pirates

Taking a deep breath, I nodded quickly, then looked around the doctor’s office. “I’ll need supplies.”

In minutes, I had filled two huge wicker shopping baskets with everything I could possibly need for the next month. Dr. Grenville was already in a bit of a stupor in the corner, as Captain Evans paid him.

I couldn’t help feeling a slight pang of glee knowing that the doctor would soon be made fully aware of just how much work I’d been doing. He’d likely have to hire two assistants to replace me, but there was nobody else in town who was remotely qualified.

The Captain’s huge hand fell to my shoulder. “Thank you, Astor. This means the world to me. More than you could ever know.”

Swallowing hard, I tried to ignore the effect of his giant, muscular body so close to mine. “It will be an adventure,” I said brightly, forcing a smile around my nearly chattering teeth.

Once we were outside, the Captain sent his men off ahead to bring the medical supplies on board and to prepare the ship for departure while I led him to Mrs. Franklin’s rooming house, the only place in town for a respectable young lady to live alone.

Men weren’t permitted upstairs, which was likely for the best. I didn’t want the Captain to see my bare bones little room with nothing but books and notebooks for decoration. The one piece of artwork I had, a painting my mother had done of clouds skimming over the sea, I’d taken to the doctor’s office to entertain the patients.

The Captain had said not to bring anything of great value, but I honestly didn’t have anything like that anyway. I packed a few dresses, a warm shawl, and a few medical textbooks and notebooks just in case. With a pillow and a spare blanket, I lugged my things down the stairs until the Captain could take them from me.

“Just a moment, please,” I said, as he turned for the door. “I’ll have to make arrangements–”

“Not necessary,” he said. “I’ve spoken to Mrs. Franklin. Your room is paid up for three months, and will be lightly cleaned once a week until you return.”

My mouth fell open but no sound came out. That was...incredibly thoughtful.

“It’s never nice to come back to a dusty home,” the Captain smiled. “At least, that’s what I’ve heard.”

We walked swiftly toward the dock, and I asked, “How long have you lived on the ship?”

“I’ve owned the Five Winds for nearly six years now. Before that, I was the first mate on the Dancing Fish , and before that, second mate on Devlin’s Revenge .” He flashed me a smile with surprisingly straight, bright teeth. “I’ve been on one ship or another since I was fifteen.”

I bid Mrs. Dorrow good morning as we passed her, as she gave me an incredibly strange look, likely because I didn’t introduce the huge stranger I was strolling along with.

I hadn’t had time to think about what the townsfolk would say about me shipping off with a pirate crew. When I came home, my reputation would be in tatters – if I’d really had one to begin with.

“How old are you, wee lassie?” the Captain asked.

“Nearly twenty,” I replied. To be honest, I was still six months away from twenty, but that word carried more weight than anything with a teen in it. Since I had to get patients to trust me, I always tried to appear a touch older.

“Good, then you’ll adapt to sea life quickly,” he chuckled. “It’s always easier to get a person on a real ship before the age of twenty-five or so. There’s a better chance of it getting into their blood.”

I wasn’t sure what he meant by that, but couldn’t mull on it further. We had reached the docks, where far too many of the townspeople were still crowded about, staring at the huge ship that looked quite out of place at the end of our little pier.

“And here’s your new home,” he said. He looked down to see my reaction, which was one of wide-eyed terror.

“Lass, if my hands weren’t full, I’d take your arm and escort you aboard properly. I’m sorry, this must be nerve-wracking for you. All I can do is swear to you that I’ll keep you safe, no matter what.”

“Thank you, Captain. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

Even though my head knew that a short trip at sea was relatively safe, and my heart was fairly certain I could trust him, my stomach was in knots.

“We’re here, raise the sails,” the Captain bellowed toward the ship. It made me jump.

He looked so horrified I nearly laughed out loud. “Sorry, Astor. We need to use loud voices to carry in the wind. I swear they will never be loud because they are angry.”

He walked up a small wooden bridge and I followed, lifting my skirts an inch so that I didn’t trip, but also so that I had something to do with my shaking hands.

“Here we are, Miss.” A mountain of a man, on his way to seven feet tall, reached his thick fingers out to take my hand. He wore a shirt with torn, short sleeves that showed off the detailed tattoos down both arms.

“Thank you,” I murmured.

“I’m Tobias. Please come this way.”

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