by Rebecca Hart
“I said no such thing.” She flashed a grin. “In fact, I’d be willing to wager you’ll be boots up long before me.” He didn’t look like much of a drinker, and being half-seal, it seemed the scales would lean in her favor. The one thing Captain Harris had to have aboard The Surf Runner was rum. Here’s hoping he can hold his liquor.
“A wager, you say?” A devilish twinkle lit his eyes. “And what’s the prize?”
She drew up her shoulders. “What do you want?”
“If I win, you share my bed on the trip to Gibraltar instead of sleeping on that blasted chair you seem to favor.” His eyes narrowed. “And I mean share it, El, as my wife.”
Ripples of pleasure flowed through her. Her body remembered his touch, the delights that could be found in his arms. Ellie had to remind herself she was still angry with him for his deceit. “What makes you think I meant to sleep elsewhere? We haven’t discussed sleeping arrangements.”
Daniel rolled his eyes. “Like we haven’t met.”
Her cheeks burned hot. “Right…well, you’re mighty cocksure. What happens if I win the bet?”
“What do you think would be an equitable prize for what I’ve requested from you?”
It would have to be substantial. What he wanted certainly was. Ellie made a show of thinking, rubbing her chin, and squinting at the sky. “If I win…” She snapped her fingers, poked his chest. “You spill your guts about how you really know General McTavish.”
Daniel chuckled, shaking his head. “You never cease to amaze me.”
I’ve got him now. “Is that a wager, then?” She stuck out her hand to shake on it.
He bent over it and pressed warm lips to the back of her hand. Fire blazed from the point of contact and up along her arm. Daniel’s eyes found hers, drawing Ellie into their rich brown depths. “Deal.”
***
Ellie became aware of the world by way of an insistent throbbing in her skull, as if someone had bashed her head against the bulwark a dozen times before tucking her into bed. She groaned, rolling onto her back. Daniel’s cinnamon scent tickled her nostrils. She cracked open an eyelid.
Why am I in Daniel’s bed?
A quick search of her memory confirmed she’d won the wager last night. After a valiant fight, Daniel had lost Mama’s succulent roast chicken over the ship’s rail.
She chewed at her lip. Further mental foraging did nothing to reveal how she’d ended up in the bunk and not the chair she distinctly remembered retiring to the night before.
Ellie scrunched her eyes tight and sucked air through her nose as her stomach twisted in a tight cramp. She bit back a swell of nausea and curled up on her side.
It doesn’t feel like I won.
When the cramp eased, she dared face the world again. Papa’s desk came into focus, the round porthole, and the blue sky beyond it. Vision normal except for a foggy haze clinging to the edges, Ellie sat up and swung her feet to the floor. She regretted the foolish move instantly. The spasm seized hold of her belly once more, doubling her over. She swallowed down the saliva rushing into her mouth from beneath her tongue. Oh, no!
She rushed to the chamber pot and fell to her knees just in time to deposit last night’s dinner. When her stomach finished convulsing, Ellie wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and pushed to her feet. Her knees quivered beneath her as she fumbled back to the bed and collapsed into it with a sigh.
The hatch swung open and Daniel entered wearing nothing more than breeches and a smile. He carried a wooden tray in his hands. “Wake up, sleepyhead. Breakfast is ready.”
The smell of fresh baked bread wafted to her nose, sending Ellie’s stomach into another revolt. She jumped up from the bunk and scrambled back to the chamber pot.
When she finished heaving, Ellie let out a pathetic moan. Guess my stomach wasn’t empty after all.
Daniel set the tray on the desk, gave her a once-over. “You look like hell.”
“How polite of you to point that out.” She didn’t have the energy or desire to stand, so Ellie just crawled across the floorboards and pulled herself up into the bunk. She yanked the blankets over her head. “I’ll be skipping breakfast.”
His bare feet padded across the floor. The bed sagged under his weight as he sat on the edge of the bed. He pulled the covers down, exposing her pained face. “What about some watered mead? Would that help?”
“Maybe in a little while. I’m just going to lie here for a bit and pray that my head doesn’t split in two. How is it you’re so chipper? You drank just as much as I did.”
“Don’t let appearances fool you. My tongue is furry and my head is pounding. But I emptied my stomach of the rum poison last night, remember?”
“Aye, but I also recall going to sleep in the chair, yet I woke in the bunk, so I’m not sure my memory is the most reliable.”
His chuckle sent spikes of pleasure through her aching body. “You went to bed in the chair. I moved you when I woke this morning. I was worried you wouldn’t be able to move your head with the way your neck was all kinked up.”
“Neck soreness is the least of my ailments this morning.” She kneaded the muscles at the base of her skull. “So I really did win the wager and my recollection skills are relatively undamaged?”
Daniel nodded. “Aye.”
“Good.” Ellie pushed herself to a sitting position and tucked the blankets under her arms. “Tell me what you know about our friend General McTavish.”
***
Daniel knew the question was coming, he just hadn’t expected it quite so soon. He studied the stitching on the quilt draped over her legs, trying to buy himself a little time to come up with a response. How much could he reveal and still keep Ellie in the dark about her father’s occupation? Or without her suspicious nature kicking in? “Your father and I worked for McTavish before he was killed.”
Ellie’s eyebrows knitted together. “Worked for him how? Papa wasn’t in the naval service.”
He proceeded with caution, carefully considering each fact he gave her prior to speaking the words. “Before King Charles II declared war on the Dutch, he wanted intelligence on their operations. He knew they were building huge numbers of ships, buying stockpiles of guns, preparing for a confrontation with the royal fleet. The king thought if he could find out who held the purse strings, he could cut off the flow of money to the war coffers. He charged McTavish with the task of finding that out.”
“But what does any of that have to do with Papa?” Her head tilted as she worked at the tiny puzzle pieces he handed her.
This is where things get tricky. “McTavish decided the best way to ferret out the information the king wanted was to hire a privateer with the right contacts to do his work for him. I’m not sure if you noticed this about the general, but he isn’t one for getting his hands dirty.”
“So he hired Papa?”
More like blackmailed. “Aye. He convinced your father that he’d be helping England and the king’s noble cause by taking on the assignment.”
“What was the assignment?” Ellie asked.
Daniel warred with himself, still not convinced telling her all of this was the wisest course, but a bet was a bet. He dashed a hand through his hair. “To sell a large shipment of guns to an enemy sympathizer, track him, and find out who he delivered the arms to.”
Ellie’s sapphire orbs flew open as the cylinders of the lock fell into place. “Jashir. That’s who you mean, isn’t it?” Her fingers twisted around the blanket until her knuckles blanched.
“Aye. We were to meet with Jashir and sell him two hundred flintlock rifles McTavish supplied to us.” Daniel rose from the bed and started pacing the room, nervous energy making his limbs twitch.
“We set up the meet, but your father never made the final rendezvous to complete the trade.” He left off the part of the story where her father decided to postpone the meeting with Jashir and follow a rumor that Harris’s ship, the one Ellie sailed on, had departed from Gibraltar just a day earlier. He
couldn’t tell Ellie they’d been attacked because Captain Winters felt chasing after his daughter was more important than a mission he was being blackmailed to complete. Some truths were never meant to see daylight.
“Why didn’t he?”
Daniel stopped pacing the floor and settled his rump on the corner of the desk, folding his arms over his chest. He considered his words carefully. “Something important came up that your father decided to handle first. I’m certain that’s why Jashir came after us, why he shot your father. He’s a man who doesn’t take kindly to being disappointed.” Daniel released a harsh laugh. “I’d have given anything to have been conscious when Jashir learned those guns weren’t aboard.”
Confusion danced across Ellie’s features. “Why not? Where were they?”
“We hid them on an island near Gibraltar until we could get back to complete the trade. McTavish thinks the guns were stolen, that Jashir took them when he commandeered The Siren’s Call. I didn’t bother to tell him what your father did with them. Those guns are going to be our key to getting Jashir’s attention.”
Ellie arched a brow. “How’s that?”
“We collect the guns and bring them into Gibraltar, make it clear around town that we’re looking to sell them. Jashir is sure to hear about it. When he learns I’m captaining The Call and I have the flintlocks, he’ll come after what he considers his.”
Ellie sighed. “Why didn’t you just tell me the truth before, Daniel? Why the secrecy? I don’t understand. What was the point in hiding all this from me?”
“I swore an oath of secrecy, as did you father. I only break it now because one, you are my wife and I have no intention of hiding anything from you ever again, and two, because I’m a man of my word. I told you I would explain about McTavish if I lost the wager, and I have.”
Ellie rolled his explanations around in her head, nose wrinkled in concentration, and teeth gnawing her lip. “If McTavish thinks the guns are gone, what does he still want with you?”
“He wants me to finish what your father started and find out who Jashir is buying the weapons for.”
Ellie just stared at him. He could see her mind racing, watched with a sense of awe as dozens of different emotions flashed in her stormy eyes. “How exactly did you plan to do that, Daniel, when I have every intention of slitting the bastard’s miserable throat?”
The question was a sound one, but he had no answer for her. If he didn’t follow orders, McTavish would take great pleasure in ruining Captain Winters’ reputation and taking everything from Ellie in the name of restitution to the crown. Rather than try to paint the situation in a positive light, Daniel settled on the stark truth. “I really have absolutely no idea, El.”
Chapter Thirty
Ellie stood at the rail of The Siren’s Call clad in breeches, work shirt and boots, the only evidence she’d revealed her gender to the crew found in the curve of her breasts, no longer bound tightly to her chest. Alternating currents of fear and exhilaration coursed through her as she watched the port of Newquay shrink behind a blanket of white-tipped crests. The sun rose behind the distant hills, painting the horizon with a dazzling display of reds and pinks.
Red sky at morning, sailors take warning.
The age old sailor myth echoed in her mind, but Ellie was too eager to finally be on their way to let a silly legend affect her mood. It felt like she’d been waiting forever for the opportunity to avenge her father. She released her grip on the rail, her hand sliding down over her abdomen.
What will I look like round with child?
She had been sick each of the three mornings since the wedding. At first, Ellie had tried to convince herself she had a bug, or something she ate at the wedding hadn’t agreed with her. She might have believed it, if it weren’t for the tenderness in her breasts and the way the nausea disappeared a few hours after she woke each day.
Ellie turned from the breathtaking sunrise and wandered across the deck to the helm, where Daniel had stationed himself. The mere sight of him sent her heart rate soaring. Standing at the wheel, wind tousling his thick chestnut hair, he resembled a mythical sea god. What would he say if he knew?
I wouldn’t be on this ship because he’d have left me behind.
No. Telling Daniel she suspected she was pregnant was definitely not on her agenda. The first order of business was to sail to a tiny island off the Spanish coast and retrieve their guns. While the crew knew the island’s location, only Daniel knew where her father had hidden the crates.
“How long do you think it will take us to reach the island?” she asked Daniel when she reached him.
“A week, maybe two. I plan to stay as close to the coastline as possible, try to avoid the deeper waters and potential traffic. The less attention we bring to ourselves, the better.”
“Where would you have me report? I hope you don’t expect me to sit idle while the rest of the crew works.”
“Of course not, I know better.” Daniel pointed out ahead of the ship. “We’ve some foul weather in our path. As much as it pains me to say it, you’re the best we have in the rigging. I’d like to have you up tending the yards with Nelson.”
She felt a rush of pride at his praise. “Aye, Captain.” Ellie was anxious to get back to work. She welcomed the distraction and the fresh air could only do her ailing stomach good. She crossed the deck to the mainmast, swung her gaze upward.
Nelson worked in the canvas sheets overhead, fastening a coiled length of rope to the spar.
Ellie stuck her foot into a loop at the base of the mast and climbed hand over hand, catching the footholds on the way. Reaching Nelson, she offered him a teasing smile. “The captain sent me up to cover your arse. Said you can’t handle the rigging alone and you needed someone to show you how to do it.”
He rolled his eyes, a smile stretching his lips. “Yeah, I’m sure that’s what he said.” Nelson knotted the rope in his hands and shifted his attention to her. His brow scrunched. “You look like you haven’t slept in a week.”
She began gathering lengths of collapsed sail, twisting and tying them down to the spar. “I’ve had an upset stomach the past few days, so I haven’t been sleeping well. It’s probably just stress from having to wait so long to get underway. I’ll be fine.”
He didn’t look like he was taking the bait, but after a moment he shrugged. “If you say so.”
The ship lurched to port beneath the force of a large wave. Ellie grabbed hold of the lines, riding the roll of the swaying hull. Her gaze shot to Daniel, who pulled hard on the rudder, steering the ship into the walls of dark frothy water. Sea spray exploded upward as The Siren’s Call smashed into the next swell, chilling Ellie’s cheeks. Black clouds grumbled with dissatisfaction, threatening any who dared approach.
“It doesn’t look too pretty out there,” Nelson said.
Fastening the last tie on the sail she’d bundled, Ellie moved to the other side of the yard. Hanging tight to the rigging, she leaned against the wind and began to gather the sails on the other side. The less air caught in the canvas, the better. “Aye, but we’ve been through worse.”
Another mountain of water crashed into the ship, washing unprepared crewmen from one side of the deck to the other.
Ellie’s stomach twisted and lurched violently. Before she had time to react, it revolted, splattering her stomach contents onto the deck below. She swiped her hand across her lips and cast a meek glance at Nelson.
He studied her for a long moment, head tilted. His eyes narrowed. “Get your arse down from here right now, El. You’ve got no business being here in your condition.”
She prickled at his accusatory glare. “I told you, I’m fine.”
“You may be able to bat your lashes at Daniel and get him to believe anything you say, but I’m not falling for it. Your stomach condition has nothing at all to do with being sick.”
“I can still do my job. I’m not about to shirk my responsibilities and cry sick. I’m perfectly capable of working through a
little stomach ache.”
Nelson’s words hissed through clenched teeth. “We both know you aren’t sick. Get down. Now. I can’t believe you would risk your unborn child this way.”
Ellie blinked, panic climbing her throat. If Nelson could recognize the truth so easily, she had no chance of keeping the baby a secret from Daniel. “Don’t you dare say a word about this to Daniel. Do you understand? I’ll tell him. I just need some time.”
He sighed, shoulders dropping. “I won’t say anything, but you’ll not be able to hide this for long. He isn’t daft, El.”
“I know.”
The Siren’s Call swayed hard as Daniel navigated the harsh thirty-foot seas.
Ellie’s stomach responded to the motion, tightening into a ball. She swallowed hard, blood rushing from her face. “Gotta go.” She scrambled down the mast.
As soon as her feet hit the deck boards, Ellie sprinted for the captain’s cabin. She ignored the wide-eyed looks from the crewmen she passed, intent on her goal. There would be time to explain her strange actions later, when she wasn’t in danger of retching on the deck for all to see. It would be nearly impossible to convince Daniel she just got a little seasick in the storm.
Once within the private confines of the cabin, Ellie released a ragged sob and threw herself on the bunk. She drew her knees up to her chest and hugged herself tight. Eyes scrunched closed, she took deep breaths through her nose and blew them out with puffed cheeks, willing away her desire to vomit.
***
Daniel watched Ellie race across the deck and disappear into their cabin as if pursued by an angry mob with pitchforks. Even with the howling winds, he heard the portal slam shut behind her.
What the hell is going on?
With a storm bearing down on them, he didn’t have time to investigate his wife’s odd behavior. Daniel held tight to the wheel as wave after wave crashed against the ship. His biceps burned from the effort needed to keep on a steady course.
Lightning lit the sky, illuminating the men scrambling across the slick deck between giant swells. They worked furiously to secure lines whipped free by the wind, only to scurry back to more stable positions before the next barrage of water arrived.