by Sea Fires
There was barely room in the cabin to move around.
Miranda slid from the chair and allowed a pirate named No Thumb—for obvious reasons— to take her place. She hadn’t counted how many men crowded the pirate captain’s cabin, but she imagined it was near a dozen.
They’d come to talk about how fast light traveled. Actually they’d come to listen to her explain Olaus Roemer’s conclusions about how fast it traveled. Miranda had mentioned to Phin yesterday the Danish astronomer’s sightings of Jupiter’s satellites and how he came to realize it took longer for light to travel from Jupiter to Earth the farther apart the two planets were. He’d started to question her then, but there hadn’t been time for her to answer him completely.
They had agreed she would explain it more fully this morning. But when Phin arrived, he was trailed by a multitude of pirates. “They wants to know, too,” Phin said in way of an explanation.
But one of them—No Thumb—had yet to see the animalcules in water, so Miranda set up the microscope for him.
“What’s this Phin’s saying about light travelin’? It’s just there or it ain’t,” Scar announced once No Thumb finished expressing his amazement at the little animals swimming around in the water.
“It does seem that way,” Miranda explained. “But only because it moves so incredibly fast—faster than you and I can even imagine.”
“The Sea Hawk is a mighty fast ship. When she’s sailin’ all her canvas, she can outrun any other vessel on the seas. And had to more’n once,” Scar added with a laugh.
“Yes, I’m sure it has,” Miranda said with a smile. “But the kind of speed I’m talking about is faster than we can see.” Miranda held up her hands, palms out, when a general grumble of disbelief broke out in the cabin. “Now, I know what you’re thinking,” she said, and the men quieted. “if you can’t see it, it doesn’t exist. However, we all know that isn’t true. We couldn’t see the animalcules without the microscope, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there.”
“Her ladyship’s got the right of it there,” Phin said, and several others mumbled their agreement.
“Now, the fact that light does travel is very hard to prove. Galileo tried, but—”
“Who’s this Gallo fellow?”
“Galileo. He was an astronomer who lived over fifty years ago. Anyway, he tried to measure the speed of light using lanterns. He and a friend stood on two different hills, and... Well, anyway, it didn’t work. But in 1675 Olaus Roemer made a discovery that not only proves light travels, but measures it.”
Every eye was on Miranda as she chronicled the Danish astronomer’s surprise discovery made while checking Cassini’s timed observations of the eclipses of Jupiter’s satellites as they passed behind the planet.
“What is them satellite things?”
“It’s like our moon. The moon orbits around the Earth. Jupiter’s satellites orbit around it.” Watching Phin’s expression, Miranda wasn’t sure he understood, but she continued. “The point is that Roemer found the eclipses came progressively earlier as the Earth approached Jupiter and later as we went farther away.” Miranda finished with a flourish, happy that she could explain this exciting bit of science to the pirates.
For a moment a hush blanketed the cabin. Miranda looked from one face to the next, hoping, to see some sort of understanding. Just about the time she realized there was none, a general questioning broke out.
“I don’t get it.”
“What’s she talkin’ bout?”
“That don’t prove a damn thing.”
They were all talking at once, and Miranda tried to regain their attention, but without success. Their complaining grew louder, and Miranda tried again to quiet them. She was close to giving up when the cabin door slammed open and a bellowed question silenced everyone.
“What in the hell is going on in here?”
Miranda looked up into the angry face of the pirate captain. His tall stature and wide shoulders filled the doorway. And he seemed very wild and savage with his billowy white shirt open to the waist and tucked into tight black breeches.
Miranda chanced a quick glance around her. To a man the pirates stood, gape faced, staring back at their captain. It was almost comedic.
Phin stepped forward, and Miranda saw his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. “We was just gettin’ ready to leave, Cap’n.”
“You were, were you?” Jack’s even tempered question belied his stormy expression.
“Aye, Cap’n, we was. Me and the lads were just—”
“Who do you suppose was sailing the Sea Hawk while you and the lads were down here having tea?”
“Oh, we ain’t had no tea, Cap’n,” Scar injected, and Miranda couldn’t help cringing. The pirate captain’s scowl became even more thunderous.
“What Scar means is...” Phin hesitated, then realized he couldn’t explain Scar’s statement or why they were all here. “We weren’t exactly thinkin’ right, Cap’n. It won’t happen again.”
“I should say it won’t.” Jack let his gaze shift around the room, meeting every pair of eyes, waiting until they glanced away. That is he met every pair of eyes except the deep blue set that watched him wide-eyed. Those he skipped over.
Stepping into the room, Jack took a deep breath. “It’s only good fortune that kept us from running into a Spanish galleon or French privateer while you were all down here socializing.
You’re all guilty of dereliction of duty, and I should have each and every one of you flogged.”
“Can he do that?” Miranda meant to whisper her query to Phin, but in the silence that followed the captain’s outburst, her voice sounded unusually loud and easily carried to his ears.
He couldn’t ignore her any longer. Jack drilled his captive with a searing look. “And you. I should have known you’d be behind this.”
“Cap’n, she didn’t do nothin’—”
“Thank you, Phin.” Miranda lifted her shoulders. “But I can speak for myself. You see, Captain,
“Oh, we’ll talk, all right. But in private. The rest of you, get above. There are to be no more visits to this cabin... by any of you. And I want this ship shining like a Spanish gold piece.”
“Aye, sir.”
“Right you be, Cap’n. Like a jewel.”
The pirates scurried to follow their captain’s orders. All except Phin. He stopped in the doorway, his wizened face more wrinkled than ever. “You ain’t gonna hurt her none, now are ye, Cap’n?”
Jack shut his eyes and tried to rein in his temper. What did Phin think? He’d never seen Jack deliberately hurt anyone except in battle. And he never harmed women—not even Spanish women. But for some reason Phin thought he had to protect this particular sea witch from Jack. The woman was coming between him and his crew!
“I won’t harm her.”
“Ye givin’ me yer word as a pirate?”
“Phin!” Jack turned on the wiry first mate, and he hurried out the door.
“You didn’t have to yell at him. He was only trying to—”
“I know exactly what he was trying to do. And I don’t need your advice in how I discipline my men.” God’s blood, he couldn’t seem to keep from yelling when he was around her.
“If you say so, Captain.”
She managed to intone the word captain with enough contempt that Jack narrowed his eyes. But he kept his voice calm— with difficulty. “Would you mind telling me what my men were doing down here?”
“Not at all.” Miranda folded her hands. “We were discussing the speed of light.”
“The what?”
“The speed of light. I was explaining Olaus Roemer’s observations of Jupiter’s moon and how they showed that... oh, Jupiter is a planet.”
“I know what Jupiter is.”
“Well, anyway Roemer discovered that the farther away the Earth was from Jupiter, the later the eclipse of the moon by Jupiter occurred. Conversely the closer the Earth was, the—”
“Wait a minute.” Jack
held up his hand. The damn woman was trying to befuddle him “You’re trying to tell me that Scar and No Thumb and Phin were down here talking about this Roemer’s theory about light traveling from Jupiter?”
“Actually they weren’t talking; they were listening.” And though it appeared the captain could grasp the significance of Roemer’s discovery, she wasn’t sure about his men. “Truthfully, I can’t attest to their understanding of the principals.”
Jack couldn’t help it. He threw back his head and laughed. When he regained his composure, he realized it was the first good laugh he’d had since this ill-advised kidnapping. He also realized Miranda Chadwick was smiling at him. God, but she was beautiful when she smiled. The thought sobered his expression immediately. What did he care what she looked like. The effect she had on his crew was something else, though.
Jack advanced on her. “You don’t really expect me to believe this mess of bilge water you’re feeding me, do you?”
Miranda raised her chin, but to her chagrin she retreated a step. “I can assure you it’s the truth. Though not all of it.”
“Aha!” Now he’d hear what they had really been doing. Though in truth, he couldn’t imagine what it was.
“Sometimes your men like to look through my microscope.”
Jack’s anger flared. She had to be lying. These were pirates she spoke of. Cutthroat scourges of the sea. They had no interest in—
“They especially enjoy observing the animalcules and maggots.”
Jack felt the color drain from his face. “What did you say?”
“I said, they are curious about—”
“No.” Jack took another step toward her. “The maggots. What did you say about maggots?”
“They’re quite interested in them.”
“But not in eating them.” Jack rubbed his chin. It bristled with whiskers that he hadn’t been able to adequately shave since giving up his cabin... and his looking glass.
“I doubt anyone would harbor a desire to eat a maggot after seeing one under a microscope. They hatch into flies, you know.”
Jack let out a sigh of frustration. “Did you tell them that, too?”
Cocking her head, Miranda thought back over her conversations with the pirates. “No, I don’t believe so. But I’m sure they’d find it fascinating.”
“And refuse to eat altogether,” Jack added. “Do you have any idea the chaos you’re causing?” Her wide-eyed innocent stare only incensed Jack more. How could she not know the effect she had on his men... on him? This last thought made him angrier still.
Hands on hips, he paced the cabin, glancing her way occasionally as he passed. “Phin, King, Scar, hell all of them are crumbling apart their hardtack trying to pick out the maggots. Dead maggots, I might add,” he said, turning to face her.
“Well, it’s completely understandable. Would you like to see a sketch I did of a maggot?”
“Hell no, I don’t want to see a sketch! And I don’t want to see one under that damn microscope of yours.” He bent down till he was almost nose to nose with her. “I don’t even want to think about maggots.”
His words faded away, and still he stood, staring down at her. Close enough to smell the soft, intoxicating scent of her. Close enough to feel her breath against his chin.
“God’s blood!” Straightening, Jack strode to the transom windows and looked out at the endless sea. When he was near her, looking into those blue eyes that reminded him of the Caribbean sky just before sunset, he forgot all about maggots and what she’d done to his crew. Now, with some distance between them, he could try and recapture some of his anger. But even that seemed impossible.
Glancing over his shoulder, he said, “Do you think I enjoy eating food infested with vermin? I don’t. But on a ship there’s no choice. You eat it or you starve.” His voice gentled. “I’m not interested in seeing my men starve.”
Miranda didn’t know what to say. A flush of heat swept over her as she stared at him. He looked the same, gloriously bronze and golden with a body that made her itch to sketch his musculature; he even still had that arrogant lift to his square jaw, and slight scowl shadowing his green eyes. But in that one moment when he spoke of his men, he seemed different to her... more human and definitely less ignorant.
He’d pointed out something to her that she hadn’t considered. Though she was smart enough to know there were many things beyond her knowledge—she missed terribly the explanations her grandfather or some other member of the Royal Society gave her—Miranda never expected to be taught anything by the pirate captain.
And he was right. She hadn’t thought about the consequences of showing the maggots or the animalcules to the pirates. She’d known about them for years, and so it didn’t really bother her. But these men... Apparently this smattering of knowledge she gave them about their food and water wasn’t a good idea.
“I’m sorry.”
Jack pivoted around. “What did you say?”
“I, apologize for causing trouble with your men. It wasn’t my purpose to alter their eating habits, and I am sorry.” Miranda’s gaze fell to the floor or she would have noticed the surprised expression on the pirate captain’s handsome face.
He’d never expected her to apologize... to act so reasonable. He also hadn’t expected her to look so defeated with her down-turned face and rounded shoulders. Jack resisted the urge to brush a lock of shiny black hair from her face. He balled his fingers into a fist and headed for the door. Then, because he had to admit that she really wasn’t that bad, despite her attempt to have him hanged; he hesitated. “I’m sure they’ll stop worrying about the maggots and start eating again.”
Miranda glanced up. “I do hope so.”
Jack watched as she tucked the wayward curl behind a perfect, shell-shaped ear, then reached for the latch.
“Captain... Blackstone, is it?”
“Aye.” Jack hadn’t realized she knew his name.
“I was wondering...” She hesitated, and Jack urged her to continue. “Well, you said that none of the crew was allowed in here again.” Her head tilted slightly. “Who is to bring my food?”
For an instant Jack was speechless. Then he wished for a bulwark to slam his fist into. He hadn’t thought of that when he’d ordered his men to stay away from the cabin. But apparently she had. That alone was enough to gall him. Add to that the choice of changing an order. Gritting his teeth, Jack barked out his response. “I’ll see that you get fed.” Now he was going to have to come below and be around her.
“Thank you. And, Captain.” Miranda tried not to cringe when he turned back. The understanding glint had definitely left his eyes. Taking a breath she continued. “Am I still to be allowed on deck?”
“I’ll see to that, too,” Jack snapped. Now he had to accompany her above deck. God’s blood, he wished being near her didn’t bother him so.
“I shan’t speak to the crew,” she offered because he seemed so annoyed with her
“You can talk to the damn crew. Just not about—”
“Maggots, yes, I know.”
“Or those little invisible animals that swim around in water.”
“I wouldn’t think of mentioning animalcules.”
“We’re agreed, then?”
“Oh, yes, we’re agreed.” Miranda smiled, and Jack nearly jerked the door off its iron hinges getting out of the cabin. As soon as he did, he slammed the heel of his hand against a rafter.
Chapter Six
They’d shifted direction.
From the first time she was allowed on deck, Miranda knew the Sea Hawk headed north. Now, as she climbed through the hatch and felt the sun on the back of her head, she realized they sailed east.
She took the captain’s offered hand and allowed him to help her on deck. Since that afternoon two days ago, there was a quasi-truce between them. He allowed her the freedom to roam the ship—after he escorted her above deck—and she uttered not a syllable about maggots or animalcules.
Captain Black
stone could be charming. Miranda didn’t like acknowledging it, but it was nonetheless true. Phin confided that the captain was known as Gentleman Jack because of his courtly manners. And Miranda could believe it. He smiled at her now, and she had to force herself to remember he was the pirate who kidnapped her. But remember she did.
“Are we heading toward land, Captain?”
Jack paused and turned back. He had just deposited her near the rail. He had things to do, and he never doubted she could keep herself occupied. She seemed to always be doing something, whether it was sketching on parchment or conversing with his crew.
What she talked to them about, he didn’t know. But there was no more trouble with eating hardtack or drinking the water. There’d been no more trouble at all. Obviously refusing to allow any of them to go to her cabin and keeping everything out in the open had solved the problem.
“Aye, we’re heading for land. We should spot it before nightfall.” He didn’t question how she knew.
“Is it a town?”
“Nay, only a small inlet I know of.” Jack had decided to follow Henry’s advice and have his crew careen the Sea Hawk’s hull while he waited to return his captive to Charles Town. Scraping the barnacles was a job that needed done, and this way he’d not lose any more valuable time when he could be hunting for de Segovia.
“Is that where you will collect the ransom?”
“What... ? Oh, the ransom.” How could he have forgotten the rest of Henry’s scheme? He was supposed to be holding the little lady for ransom. “Aye, your father will deliver the money there.”
“Will I be able to see him? Go home with him?”
“No.” Damn, she asked a lot of annoying questions. “He’ll just send a messenger.”
“Can I leave with him?”
“No, dammit, you can’t.” Jack felt the grip on his temper slipping away.