by Lucy Langton
Maria lowered the lamp light overhead before climbing into James’ bed. She pulled the pillow close to her, inhaling deeply James’ scent as she thought again and again how wonderful it felt to be in James’ arms, to feel his warm skin under her hands, and to taste his kiss upon her lips. Though she was afraid to fall asleep, to be pulled back into the darkness of her mind, she at least felt safe knowing that this small room was James’ and that he’d return for her. Surely a man who kissed her so fervently would never cause her any harm.
~*~
When the next morning came, Captain Maidus sat eating oranges at his desk, reviewing his sailing maps as he tried to understand how they’d sailed into a reef. He made details on all his newest maps, hoping to avoid the same occurrence in the future. It was in this manner that Horus came into his quarters.
“I’ve come to deliver the morning report,” Horus said, stopping in front of his desk. The Captain gestured for him to continue as he kept his eyes on his maps. “The crew has been divided into two squads, sir. One is working on moving the ship safely out of the reef while the other is resting. Then they’ll switch till the ship is out of the reef. It is expected to take a few days for the repairs to be made.”
“Good. And what about the girl?” Captain Maidus asked, looking up at Horus.
“The girl, sir?” Horus wondered, his brows furrowing.
“Yes, Horus. Miss Maria. What is her condition? Something must have happened to her after James pulled her from the sea,” the Captain said, irritated at having to explain his question.
“Ah, yes. James is seeing to her recovery. He explained that she suffered much shock over the experience and now she’s resting in his quarters,” Horus explained, mildly fearful about the way his Captain would react.
Captain Maidus reined in his temper as he glared at Horus. “And no one has said a word about this? How are the men taking to the idea of a young woman in James’ quarters?” the Captain asked, having a difficult time understanding how there wasn’t a current commotion amongst the crew members since he never allowed them to enjoy women upon the ship.
“Everyone trusts James, sir. He’s the most reliable pirate we have on board, and perhaps one of the most loyal. This crew knows that James always puts the needs of his Captain first,” Horus explained honestly. Though he too was loyal to Captain Maidus, he also wouldn’t have risked his own life to save a slave even if it meant a high profit for his Captain. It went to show what type of loyal pirate James really was.
Captain Maidus leaned heavily back in his chair as he placed his fingers together in front of him and thought about the situation. He was truly grateful to James for both kidnapping the young lady and then rescuing her when she fell overboard because he was working hard on arranging a buyer for her. He had a few clients in mind already but wouldn’t be able to make a handsome profit until they reached Tripoli. In the meantime, he needed Maria alive, but also pure. Could he trust James to not take advantage of the young lady he was taking care of?
As Captain Maidus dismissed Horus with a flick of his hand, he knew he needed to tread lightly. He wouldn’t be able to accuse James of deflowering Maria without solid proof. The morale of his crew was important to him, and since he knew how well-respected James was amongst the men, he couldn’t make a hasty decision until he knew more. A wrong move could lead to groveling amongst the men, or worse, mutiny. Captain Maidus knew that James possessed all the skills necessary to lead his own ship one day, but he wasn’t willing to let the man take his position either.
Deciding to let the matter go for the time being, Captain Maidus turned his focus back on his maps, sinking his mouth into a freshly peeled orange.
~*~
James walked with heavy footsteps down the stairs, being careful not to drop the contents of the cup or the bowl of food as he made his way towards his room. Though he had no intentions of resting there after a full night’s work, he wanted to make sure Maria had gotten some rest and perhaps could eat a bit of food as well.
James reached his room and pushed the door open, peering inside the dimly light room to see Maria resting soundly on the bed. His coming into the room hadn’t woken her, so he moved quietly, setting the water and bowl on the floor next to the bed.
He moved to leave the room again, not wanting to disturb her, but he couldn’t help looking over his shoulder at her as she slept. Her golden hair was sprawled out over the pillow, her hands resting above her head. The clothes she’d changed into were too large for her small frame, but he could still make out the rise and fall of her chest. He thought for a moment about how he’d like to lock his door and climb on top of her, straddling her legs as he kissed her awake. He wanted to feel her bare skin against his, and…
James forced himself to look away as he moved quietly out of the door and shut it carefully behind him. Perhaps it was the weeks at sea that caused him to yearn for the comforts of a woman. He couldn’t deny that Maria was beautiful and could easily tempt any man, but he felt something stronger pulling him towards her. He often thought about her, how brave she was to endure everything she’d been through, and even have the bravery to stand up to pirates. There was more to Maria than just beauty. It was truly her fierce nature that called to him.
As James made his way back onto the top deck so he could make it to the other set of stairs that led to the bunk rooms, he wondered if what he was feeling for Maria was just more than lust and admiration. Could Maria ever mean more to him than just merchandise for his Captain?
Chapter 15
Maria recognized a familiar sound as her mind pulled away from the nightmares she’d been plagued with all night. She knew it was the sound of a bird, and as she sat up in James’ bed, she realised that it was a gull. She listened to its call for a few minutes, realising that the sway of the ship wasn’t as rough as it normally was. Maria leaned over the side of the bed and picked up her stockings, thankfully now dry, and then her boots, which were still wet. Deciding to simply wear the stockings for now to cover her feet, Maria stood and walked slowly to the porthole, not wanting to get a splinter from the wooden planks.
Maria peeked outside the hole, seeing that the ship wasn’t moving at all besides the light sways caused by the waves crashing against the hull. She saw pirates in the skiffs moving around the front of the ship while they passed materials and tools to the men repairing the damage. It appeared that the ship wouldn’t be moving again until the damage was repaired. As she watched them work, she wondered how close to shore they were if the ship had collided with something in the shallows. It made her wonder if she would be able to escape.
As Maria looked around the room, wondering if there was anything else there that she could use to escape, she noticed a small cup and bowl resting on the floor at the side of the bed. She knelt down and picked them up, wondering when someone had come by to place them there, and if that someone had been James. She quickly drank the water and started to tear apart the two oranges that had been placed in the bowl. They tasted sweet and juicy in her mouth, and though she’d enjoyed oranges before, she felt like she’d never tasted ones so sweet.
Setting the cup and bowl aside, Maria sat on the edge of the bed, a feeling of fatigue washing over her even though she’d been asleep for many hours. She tried to fight the feeling, but it came over her again, encouraging her to lay her down once again on the pillow that smelled so familiarly of James. She placed a hand to her head as she closed her eyes, fright filling her as she realised she was quite warm. As she took several deep breaths, sleep taking hold of her, she prayed she wasn’t coming down with a fever.
~*~
James felt like it had been only a few minutes since his eyes had fallen shut when he heard the call for his squad to assemble and begin work on the hull. James grumbled to himself as he rolled out of his bunk, his body sore from the stiff bed that wasn’t more than a few planks of wood and light padding. He already missed his bed back in his room, but at least he could rest assured that Maria was s
afer there than she was working alongside the other men on this particular job. As James shuffled to his feet and followed the others out of the bunk room, he cast his eyes round about as they moved to the top deck.
The sun was set in the sky at a position that James read to be about three o’clock in the afternoon. It confirmed his suspicion that indeed he’d had plenty of time to sleep, but the rest he’d gotten wasn’t the kind he needed. He looked forward to the time when his shift would cease, and he could sleep again during the dark hours.
“I haven’t seen ye this exhausted in a long time, my boy,” Leonardo said cheerfully as he walked up to James with his afternoon ration. He would have to eat quickly as his squad was already making it to the skiffs which would lower them into the sea and allow them to commence their work.
“It’s been a while since we’ve had to work through the night to save the ship. It’s not like Captain Maidus to steer the ship into a reef,” James reasoned as he took the salted meat Leonardo handed him and quickly ate, washing it down with a swig from his water skin.
“I’ve been thinking the same thing me self,” Leonardo agreed as he shook his head.
“Makes me wonder how many others are thinking the same thing,” James said softly as he looked around at his fellow pirates. “We wouldn’t want a mutiny on our hands. Not this far out at sea, anyways.”
Leonardo nodded his head in agreement as he continued to pass out the rations to the men that were walking by. “For now, just keep your head low till this hull gets repaired. From there it will be to the nearest port to get fresh supplies,” Leonardo said softly, averting his eyes as he spoke. James understood Leonardo well enough to know that he wanted James to keep quiet about all of this. So, without saying another word, he followed his fellow pirates to the next empty skiff and climbed in as it was lowered to the sea. For now, he’d simply focus on the task in front of him.
~*~
Maria’s mind was foggy when she heard the door open. She opened her eyes, the action requiring more effort than she thought it should need. Her vision took a minute to clear, and once it did, she found herself looking into Leonardo’s eyes.
“I’ve come to bring ye something to eat, miss. My, you don’t look so well,” Leonardo said as he knelt down and felt Maria’s forehead with the back of his hand. He whistled then as he passed her a cup of water as Maria sat up on the bed. “Seems ye’ve come down with a fever. No wonder when you fell into the sea and was there for a long time. Food, water, and rest, and you’ll be right as rain in no time.”
Maria sighed, her fears becoming reality. “Thank you, Leonardo, for the food and water,” Maria said as she took small bites of the salted meat.
“Tis just me duty, Miss Maria. You know well enough now what they have an old man like me doing on a ship like this,” Leonardo said with a wink.
Maria simply offered him a kind smile as she listened to the sounds outside the porthole. “I saw earlier that the ship wasn’t moving,” Maria spoke up, hoping to learn more of what was happening around her.
“Aye, the ship took a bit of a hit when it skidded across the reef below. We’re free of the reef now but have to repair the hull before she can sail again. We’ll have to stop at the nearest port in order to finish the repairs,” Leonardo explained as he took the empty cup from Maria, along with her morning dishes.
“Do you think Captain Maidus will allow me on shore?” Maria asked, watching Leonardo carefully though her head pounded from the pain of the fever.
Leonardo shrugged as he considered the young lady. “He might have deemed ye one of the crew, miss, but you have to prove your loyalty to the Captain. And that will come with much time,” Leonardo said honestly.
Maria sighed, knowing that escaping this ship could be harder than she had thought. “Well, thank you for the conversation, Leonardo, but I know you’re a busy man,” Maria said, trying to give him a kind smile. If she could win his trust, then perhaps she could have some more leeway with the other pirates since Leonardo was an experienced pirate.
“Indeed, miss, there is always more to do. Take care and rest a bit. Let that fever come and go on its way,” Leonardo said with another wink before he left, closing the door behind him.
Maria lay back down on the bed, her eyes facing the closed door. She knew that if she wanted to, she could leave this room, sneak down the hallway, and perhaps off the ship while everyone on board was focused on repairs. But without knowing where the closest shore was, she doubted she could swim to safety or get an entire skiff to herself to make the journey. No, she would have to continue waiting for the best opportunity to escape. And right now, she needed this fever to break and leave so she could regain her strength.
Maria closed her eyes and began to think of ways to escape once the ship docked at the next port. No matter where in the world they were, she knew that getting away from the ship would allow her to seek help with local officials. Her knowledge of the modern languages would aid her in seeking assistance back to England, or at least posting a letter to her father. But the more Maria thought of escaping, the more she wondered if she could ever truly forget James.
~*~
James had felt the heat of the day pressing against him as he worked with the crew to make the necessary repairs. The wind was very little, causing the sun to feel hotter than normal. And with being in the skiff for the rest of the day, the sun seemed to reflect off the sea’s surface, almost blinding him.
By the time he made it back aboard the Emerald, his water skin was empty. He made quick work of refilling it from one of the barrels of water stored near the ship’s kitchen. Then, not feeling very hungry, he made his way to his room as the darkness of night settled in.
He didn’t bother knocking as he opened the door to his room and stepped in. Shutting the door behind him, he watched as Maria sat up on the bed and gave him a weak smile. He was surprised to find her still resting, and as he studied her features closely, he noticed sweat on her brow.
“You have a fever,” James said as he moved to the bed and placed the back of his hand on her forehead. She laughed lightly as she moved away from his touch. She made room for him to join her on the bed, allowing him to sit beside her.
“It will pass after a little while. But for now, it has left me rather weak,” Maria admitted as she watched James. He looked tanned from the sun as he wore nothing but trousers, his chest bare, and from where she sat next to him, she could almost feel the sun’s heat radiating from him. She reasoned that perhaps the fever was starting to scramble her thoughts, yet she liked the view that James presented her of his toned body.
When Maria started to giggle, James knew that the fever was making her delusional. Yet there was something about her laugh that made him join in with her. For the first time since they’d spoken last, James felt he could relax and simply enjoy being around this young lady he’d plucked from the English shores.
They sat in mutual silence for a while, simply regarding each other. Maria thought that James seemed different with her now, more open and kinder. She had watched him being tough and dedicated around the other pirates, and especially in front of Captain Maidus, but with her she felt that James was showing her a gentler side of himself. She deemed it rather ironic considering this was the man she was supposed to loathe with every fiber of her body because he was her kidnapper. But as she gazed into his eyes, she knew that she felt something entirely different with this man.
“Here, let me help you feel more comfortable,” James said, an idea coming to his mind. He moved from the bed and to the chest on the floor, lifting it and withdrawing another water skin that contained a bit of brandy. He handed it to Maria after uncorking it. “It will help with the pain of the fever.”
Maria had never tasted brandy before and was surprised by the way it burned as she drank it. She gasped when she was done, handing it back to James as she wiped her mouth on the back of her shirt sleeve. It was a very unladylike thing to do, but she’d stopped worrying about
being ladylike the moment she’d been brought on the ship.
James chuckled as he watched her, seeing the reaction on her face as the liquor burned going down. “It has a bit of a bite, but I promise you that it will help,” James said as he then found a strip of fresh linen from the chest and a small bucket.