by Marie Hall
“I think it best we excuse ourselves, Admiral Booker,” the general said turning to face Devin, who was only one man’s hold of getting free to beat the man to death before more stepped up to restrain him. “You and your wife have my sincerest apologies, Captain, for the behavior of the major. It is not a trait we aspire to include within our ranks and I’ll see to it neither your wife nor her crews are again upset or inconvenienced.” The man bowed a bit. “Jonathan,” the general said turning to bow at the admiral.
“Frank,” Booker replied still scowling hard at the major.
“Ladies, gentlemen, Your Grace, good evening,” the general finished and turning he snarled, “Major Bennet.” Then pointed towards the doors of the ballroom.
“Admiral,” Devin yelled having gotten no personal satisfaction from the man. He should at least be allowed to beat the man bloody if not to death. That he was still trying to get free of the men holding him annoyed him.
“Steady on, Captain,” Admiral Booker said and Devin knew he’d need to wait for his chance and take Bennet on not as men in service to the crown but just as men. Though Mia rightly pointed out he wasn’t a man at all.
“Mia?” Devin turned to find her standing, her back turned, with his crew and the Lady Alice.
“How completely like army to ruin good winds,” she said, turning to face everyone. “I do apologize, Admiral. It may have been prudent to haul in my sheets and ignore him but his very being made me want to drop an anchor on his head.”
“Had you but requested one, Mrs. Winthrop, I’d have fetched one from the docks,” Admiral Booker said taking both her hands in his. “Why didn’t either of you tell me you were being so persecuted?”
“I complained to his superiors directly,” Mia said, again looking at Mallory, who Devin knew had relatives in that arm of the military. “I do try not to create conflicts of interest, sir,” Mia said and Devin heard she tried to keep the navy out of her business. “The matter was being dealt with. It was simply a misfortune of time and place the man would show and dare make nice with my husband after he… well. I shouldn’t be the kind of wife to say who her husband might befriend but I wasn’t having that for tea in my home, I’ll tell you.”
“I would say. Unless you meant to boil him in the water, my dear,” the duke added, and everyone laughed as tensions eased.
Devin excused them and taking Mia’s arm dragged her outside to the gardens. “Why didn’t you say something to me sooner, Mia?” He couldn’t even begin to reason why if she was being threatened she’d not come to him. And he certainly was going to make sure she knew he expected her to, with no leeway on the matter.
“Devin, it was being handled. It’s common enough for ships to go through periods of harassment. He wasn’t going to find contraband on my ships and all our papers are always in order.”
“It wasn’t your ship being maligned, Mia,” Devin reminded her.
She took a deep breath and huffed. “Captain, even you must realize the hypocrisy of your discontent. It isn’t after all only army men who think women don’t belong on the sea and those who are to be less than… well bred.”
Devin felt heat rush to his face. Yes, he’d assumed wrongly, things about his wife when they first met, but she quickly corrected his course. Not so differently than she corrected that dog. “I’ll be told, Mia, when someone is trying to tangle the lines,” he said and then pulled her against him. “And tonight when we get home, I’ll make sure you don’t forget that,” he warned and bent his head to kiss her.
“I don’t suppose you mean to use actual ropes to demonstrate what you mean, Captain?” she asked, smiling at him with every bit of pirate she had in her.
“If you need to be tied down before I take the belt to you,” he said and smiled when he heard her little gasp. It wasn’t fear in the sound, “I can do that.”
“You are so good to me, Captain,” she purred.
“Say my name, Mia,” he said against her lips.
“Devin.”
Chapter 11
“Mia,” Devin yelled then laughed as he escaped out the door of the bedroom and down the stairs. “Stop being wicked, woman.”
“Come Captain,” Mia said, coming out of the room wearing only his shirt, and her stockings and garters. “Just let me straighten one more thing before I let those stupid children have you.”
“If I let you straighten that again, pirate, I’ll never get the chance to make those children sailors. Now shove off before I find myself sunk,” he said even as he waited for Mia to make her way down the stairs and into his arms.
“Ah, Captain I’d rather pump your—”
He didn’t let her finish as his lips closed over hers and he pushed his tongue in her mouth to taste her sweetness. For all he’d complained about her making lewd suggestions, the kiss had his cock twitching. Breaking contact he breathed deep, drawing in her scent, heavy with molasses and he almost groaned remembering how she’d sat on the bench and removed the hair from her body before getting in the tub of hot water and asking him to wash her back.
He’d washed more than her back and he’d explored every silky inch of her freshly depilated skin. Then he’d bent her over the bench and explored more than her skin. He groaned again then growled and pulled back, his cock aching.
“You’re going to make me late, and how would it look for the captain to step on deck last?” She only giggled and shrugged. “You’re why servicemen shouldn’t marry,” Devin scolded, and Mia giggled more, then dashed behind the parlor door when someone knocked on the front. “Ah, a line has been tossed,” he teased and blew a kiss at her when she frowned.
“A letter for Captain Cadley?” the boy at the door asked holding out an envelope.
“Captain Cadley,” Devin grumped reaching in his pocket for a shilling to give the boy.
“Thank you, sir,” the boy said, delighted with the payment. “Thank you, good day.” He tipped his hat and rushed off.
“For Captain Cadley,” Devin repeated as he stepped in enough to hand the letter to his wife. “Perhaps Mrs. Winthrop will meet me for lunch,” he suggested lifting his coat from the hook by the door.
“Perhaps she’ll eat you for lunch,” Mia said then smiled beautifully at him as he stepped out and closed the door.
Her suggestion stayed with him through the morning making it hard to concentrate on teaching the legal aspects of transboundary waters and maritime jurisdiction to the senior cadets as well as to tolerate the whining of the first year boys learning the names of the lines and sails. He was reaching his limit when the door opened, and Mia stepped in and took a seat. Devin barely caught the quick wave as the admiral closed the door.
“Mr. Parsons,” Devin called trying to refocus on the group of lads standing at the table nearest him. The model ship they were using to help identify the various parts of rigging seemed in danger of being smashed as their frustrations grew. There was little difference at the three other tables with the three other groups. “Have you managed to identify the lines making up the running rigging?”
“The stays, sir?” Mr. Parsons, who was all of fourteen didn’t sound sure.
“That would be standing, but go on and be more specific, man,” Devin said hoping he sounded encouraging. Aboard ship he knew he could do this lesson with some enjoyment, but it wasn’t the same when he couldn’t feel the wind and spray in his face.
“Running… stay?” the boy asked, and Devin squeezed his eyes shut.
“Running backstay, Mr. Parson. And its purpose?”
“I don’t know, sir,” the boy said clearly as frustrated as the rest of them with the complex workings that made up the rigging on a ship.
“Why must we learn this? We’ll be officers, won’t we? Isn’t it for the sailors to know this?” Mr. Jinkins whined. Or maybe he didn’t whine, maybe it was just his voice.
“All on board are sailors, man, and all on board have a responsibility to know the workings of the ship,” Devin said and tried to smile. This
was why boys needed to be put on a ship young and work their way up. Not given status because of a lesson in a building.
“No one can know all this. It’s impossible,” another boy complained.
“I know them,” Devin said.
“Yes sir, but you’re a hero and it makes it easy for you,” Parsons said, and Devin heard Mia snort. As for himself, he was becoming more used to the adoration his reputation brought even if he’d rather it not be there.
“Captain Cadley,” Devin called, and all the boys turned as Mia rose to her feet.
“Aye, Captain Winthrop,” Mia said and stepped towards the tables.
“Might you name rigging?” he asked and heard the boys in the room mumble.
“Running rigging, Captain, on a square rigged?” Her eyes went to one model ship on the table.
“Aye, if you please.”
“The main components, Captain, on the square sail are the halyard, braces, lifts, sheets, clewlines, buntlines, reef tackles, reef points, and bowlines.
“No.” Devin heard one of the boys gasp.
“And the purpose of the first two you named, Captain?”
“She’s a captain?” someone whispered.
“The halyard raises yard and sail, and braces are to trim the yard,” Mia answered, folding her hands in front of her.
“What of the standing rigging do you hold to be most important?” Devin asked to show it was important to know the multiple kinds of riggings used.
“The shrouds, Captain,” Mia answered quickly and Devin wouldn’t disagree though no one part was very much more important.
“And the purpose of the shrouds?”
“To hold the mast side to side. Should a ship be fired on and take a hit to the mast broadside it will be the shrouds which hold the mast and keep it from falling on deck or into the sea,” Mia said and nodded. Devin turned to see the boys working to identify the rigging she named and determine how it did as she suggested.
“Do you see lads, it is the duty of all aboard, even the officers, to know the riggings and their purpose. It is of the utmost responsibility of the captain to know the lines and to know they are in place as expected. The entire safety of the ship could depend on such knowledge.”
“Is she really a captain?” someone whispered.
“Aye she is,” Devin said as Mia stepped up beside him.
Some nervous laughter and more than a few lecherous looks from the boys. “Sail much ma’am?” Jinkins asked.
“As often as I can,” Mia said. “Though at the moment I’ve only a sloop in port. My frigate and two barque are likely docked either in Boston or in Bannock. I do know our fleet’s flagship, The Molly, is due in port. It’s an old galleon, one of the last made.”
“The commodore’s ship?” Devin asked, startled to hear Mia’s papa was coming to England. He certainly hoped it wasn’t to take care of the matter Devin was still unable to settle. Ending Bennet was a goal, but the man had vanished.
“It won’t be for another month or so but maybe you can bring them out and let them get a feel for a true sailing ship,” Mia said with a smile then she bumped against him. “You know, not one of those silly toy brigs like you sail in the navy.”
“Toy? Silly?” Devin spluttered and the boys rallied behind him with calls of how wonderful a brig was. Not that they had any idea of the facts.
“Avast, lubbers,” she said laughing and raising her hands. “I yield.”
“Good rally men. Now off with you. Class dismissed,” Devin said with a laugh and watched as they snapped to and saluted before rushing for the door in a great herd. “Study those lines men,” he shouted before the first could push out and vanish.
“How sweet they are, Devin,” Mia said and started helping straighten the class.
“Sweet, but not sailors,” Devin said with a shake of his head.
“You’ll get them there. It isn’t as if they must be ready to sail tomorrow and even so the waters aren’t what they were even ten years ago.”
“I knew these lines by name and purpose by age seven. The sea is a dangerous place Mia, and men sent out not ready won’t only kill themselves they’ll take a crew with them.” Devin lifted the model and examined it. “Though I’ve a feeling it won’t be these fine craft they’ll make home.”
“Oh, those awful steam ships. There’s no beauty in them. Hulking masses of iron. How they even float is beyond me,” Mia sulked.
“I fear our fine sails will soon be unfurled one last day, all too soon. The age of sail is passing into history.”
“Aye but what a history it’s been,” Mia sighed. “Discovery, conquest… romance.”
“Aye, romance,” Devin said and smiled at her as he turned down the lamps.
“You know, perhaps if you gave those boys a lesson in other ways ropes could be used, they might take to them better.”
“Mia,” Devin gasped like she’d scandalized him. “Have some decorum woman, they’re boys.”
“Really, and how old, sir, were you when you learned to tie a clove hitch?” Mia asked and smiled knowingly.
“Utterly irrelevant,” Devin told her as they exited the room and he shut the door behind them.
“Really? Then might I assume my stockings won’t need resupplying for some time?”
“You might assume that,” Devin said grabbing her around the waist and jerking her against him. “But it would be a poor assumption on your part.” He bit down on her shoulder and growled.
Mia’s laugher echoed in the halls and Devin hurried to make a quick getaway before they disrupted the other classes. He led her back to his offices knowing Porter would be ready to go to eat and Devin could lock the doors. Food wasn’t what he was hungry for. But as he ushered Mia through and made to tell Porter to get out, he noticed both his wife and secretary were looking in the same direction at the small group of people standing against the wall of his office. One man stood out and with twenty-three years between them, the man still made his stomach roll.
“Father,” Devin said and pulled Mia behind him.
The man looked him up and down then turned his head and snarled “About damn time.”
“Captain?” Porter called, even he was scared, though Colebert Winthrop couldn’t do anything to him.
“Go eat, Mr. Porter,” Devin ordered.
“Aye, Captain. Mrs. Winthrop… people,” he finished, and Devin manage to feel a little lightness. Porter’s less than formal address might be lack of training. He might not have been able to manage ladies and gentlemen with this group.
“Oh, Robert,” Beth Winthrop cried as she rushed up and flung her arms around his neck.
“Mother,” Devin said and took in the way she smelled of smoke. Father probably hadn’t replaced that nasty cook stove. His father probably didn’t replace anything but maybe his mistresses as they could leave him when they grew tired of him. He eased her back remembering how the woman’s fondness of him cost her when she was alone with her husband.
“Look at you, look,” she said stepping back and smoothing down the jacket he wore. “So handsome. And a Captain now?” she added, surprising Devin who didn’t know how she might know that. He stopped writing home years ago.
“Yes, a captain.” Richard, his older brother, stepped up and held out his hand. “Good to see you.”
Devin took the offered hand reluctantly. It was, after all, the constant fighting with this brother which lead to Devin being put to sea at the age of six. Devin often wondered why Richard hadn’t been tossed away like a bit of rubbish, and held their father’s favor. But looking at the man now Devin couldn’t say he was angry over the choice. Richard was slovenly dressed, unkempt much as their father always was.
That his family had money made no difference. If his father wasn’t wasting it on drink and women, he was gambling it away on horses. The small income should have served the family of five very well but his mother and siblings, the second of which, Ronald, was now stepping up, lived in near poverty.
“Of course, you were only three when I left home. I’d not expect you to remember me,” Devin said. It did look like his younger brother was faring better.
“Yes, of course,” Ronald said with a laugh. “Pleasure to meet you again.”
And a long awkward silence fell over the group, as they all took a moment to assess each other.
“Well,” Devin heard Mia shout. “Hello then. I’m Mia Cadley, Captain Winthrop’s wife. Such a pleasure to meet you. Devin has said nothing about you, so I look forward to hearing from your lips.”
“God save me,” Devin mumbled as he watched his mother gasp and cover her mouth.
“Married?” His father shouted, and Devin saw everyone, even those he didn’t know jump and flinch. “They let you marry? You can’t be at sea with a wife. If you think I’ll spend a shilling to support your—”
“I’ve been at sea with a wife. And you’ve never spent so much as a copper to support me. I’d hardly think anything has changed.” Devin stepped up even as his mother whimpered at the challenge. One that when he was a child would result in a severe beating. “I support me and mine more than well enough. But it’s not hard when drink and horses are not a priority.”
“You insolent little bugger,” his father yelled and stepped towards Devin with a raised arm and closed fist.
“Cole, please,” his mother begged at the same moment several others in the room spoke up.
“Father,” both his brothers shouted.
“Grandfather please, please sir.”
Devin turned towards that voice. The boy, of perhaps eight, stood trying to pull against the hold of the woman behind him. The distraction was enough his father stepped close enough to deliver the blow he intended.