Page 25 of Mardon

“Sister, the first thing you’ll need to learn when you’re on any ship, is that you never, and I repeat never, question the captain’s orders.”

“All right,” she said, gripping on to the wooden railing, feeling like it might not be a bad idea to get back to the cabin.

“Tell Nairnie that I want her inside the cabin as well. I know she’ll object. So when she does, remind her that I won’t fish her out of the sea again.”

“I’ll tell her,” said Emmaline, gripping the dish in one hand and the railing in the other and heading back down the stairs.

“There ye are, lassie. What took ye so long?” asked Nairnie, quickly packing the bowls inside a large wooden box with a lid that was fastened down to the deck.

“Nairnie, Mardon wants us in the cabin right away. He said we should stay there until after the storm.”

“Nonsense,” she spat, grabbing the dish from her and throwing it into the box. “We’ll wash these later.” She slammed closed the lid, picking up her ladle. She wiped it with a rag, leaning against the box so she wouldn’t fall. “I have work to do, and I willna lose what little supplies I have to the storm.”

“Mardon said he won’t fish you out of the sea again.”

“Oh,” she said, looking over her shoulder at the waves crashing over the sidewall now.

“Go, Nairnie. I’ll pack up the rest of the things,” said Ramble, jumping in to help.

“Batten down the cargo,” yelled Aaron from up in the lookout basket. The ship leaned and Emmaline held on to Nairnie with one hand and the lines with the other. She looked up in astonishment to see Aaron, with bare feet, untangling the lines, holding on with just his legs.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” she told Nairnie.

“Ye’ll get used to it after a while. But for now, I agree with Mardon. Ye need to stay in the cabin before ye’re washed overboard the way I was.”

“What are you saying, Nairnie? Did you really fall overboard at one time?”

“How do ye think I ended up on a pirate ship? Now, come on. Ye need to get to the cabin and stay there, just like yer captain ordered.”

An hour later, Emmaline sat on the floor of Mardon’s cabin with her back against the wall and a bucket between her legs, feeling as if she were going to die. Nairnie had lit a lantern, and stood on a box to get into Tristan’s old hammock. She had actually fallen asleep! It amazed Emmaline that anyone could sleep when the ship was about to be smashed to pieces by the crashing waves. She couldn’t even imagine how the crew kept from being washed overboard.

The damned blanket had fallen off the painting in the storm. Her naked image stared her in the face, mocking her, haunting her, making her feel hot. So hot. She ripped the wimple off her head and threw it down. Then she took the rosary from around her neck and placed it on the floor. If she could, she would rip off this damned robe and sit here naked, but that was never going to happen. Her eyes closed and she tried to pretend she was anywhere but on a pirate ship right now. Mayhap if she was lucky, the sea would claim her and she wouldn’t have to worry about her reputation, the painting, Mardon, or anything ever again.

* * *

The storm finally ended, and Mardon handed the helm over to Stitch, feeling too anxious to even think about sleeping.

“Aaron,” he called to his brother.

Aaron dropped down from the lines, his long, blond hair soaked from the rain and sticking to his body just like his clothes. All the men were wet and tired. The storm had proved to be worse than he’d thought. “Report,” he said, heading down the stairs with Aaron right behind him.

“Everyone is accounted for,” said Aaron. “We have a few rips in the sails and the galley is flooded, or where the galley used to be, but besides that, we fared well. Ow!”

Mardon heard the stair squeak just as Aaron cried out. He turned around to see Aaron holding his bare foot, hopping up and down.

“I cut myself on a nail,” said Aaron. “It’s that stupid step that Peg Leg never fixed.”

“Damn it,” spat Mardon. “If you wore shoes this wouldn’t happen.” He came back and bent down to examine the stair. That’s when he noticed that the board was sticking up farther than usual. He pulled up the plank, seeing something inside. “Get me a lantern. Quick.”

“Hold on,” said Aaron, running over and removing one from the railing. He hurried back and held it up. “What is it?”

“I think there’s something in here.” Mardon reached in and pulled out a small bottle filled with liquid. Stuck on the neck of the bottle was a ring. “What the hell?”

“I’ve never seen that bottle before,” said Aaron, holding the lantern closer.

“Nay, but this ring certainly looks familiar.” Mardon removed the ring and held it up in two fingers. “I stole this from that French ship. From the naked woman.”

“The what?” asked Aaron.