by Jo Goodman
He approached the small group of men standing on the quarterdeck. “Mr. Landis said you have a question for me. What is it?”
“You probably already know, Captain,” said Harry. “We want to go after Travers. He couldn’t have got much of a head start on us. We could take him.”
Mike cut in, his square jaw tightened with purpose. “There’s not a man here who won’t stand behind you if that’s what you decide to do.”
“I appreciate that, Mike. I only hope you will understand why we can’t do it. We’ve lost two good men to Travers’s insanity and we have a young woman below who may die because of his cruelty. We’re not at war with the British and we may not be for some time. To initiate an attack against Travers’s ship would be to invite catastrophe. We can’t start a war on the basis of one man’s actions.” He examined the men’s faces. They were unhappy with his decision but they knew he was right. They had known his answer just as he had known the question, but he admired them for asking it anyway. It never hurt to take an extra chance, even if the outcome was changed little by the effort. “Washington may open its eyes when we return and inform them there will be no ships from Quinton. It’s going to put a heavier load on our ship builders. Until then we can do nothing but get there as quickly as possible.”
The men nodded their agreement. When Cloud left they went back to their stations, each silently hoping Mr. Madison would finally realize what they had known for several years: No American ship was safe in the open water until American vessels were allowed to prove they were a match for England’s sea power.
Chapter 4
Cloud slept very little during the next three nights. He stayed by Alexis’s side, changing her bandages and wiping her head as a fever set in. Landis relieved him occasionally so he could catch a quick nap, but when he heard Alexis moan or cry out he invariably woke up.
The second evening was the hardest. Her fever grew worse and Landis warned Cloud she might not survive the night. The crew also grew restless, waiting for word of her condition. If she died, Cloud was going to have his hands full trying to keep the men from doing anything foolish.
She talked in her sleep, crying out for George and Francine. He thought it was strange that she called her parents by their first names. Landis, who had known George years ago, was at a loss to explain it. Her most despairing cries were for Pauley. She would try to sit up, would reach out for him, and when she could not find him, would collapse into anguished sobs.
It was on the fourth night of their vigil, when Landis had stepped out of the cabin for some fresh air and Cloud had finally succumbed to his need for sleep, that Alexis woke.
She sat up peering through the darkness at the man sprawled in a chair near her bunk. Still feverish, it took her several minutes to remember who he was. When she did, she could not stop all the other images that flashed, unbidden, in front of her eyes.
She recalled every detail of the day vividly until the moment she fainted. After that she could not remember anything. She despised the weakness that had caused her to faint, but as pain gnawed at her back she understood why it had happened. She fought the urge to moan, biting her lip instead and causing tears to spring to her eyes.
She wondered how long she had been out. Not more than a few hours surely. It was night now. It couldn’t be too late. She tried to identify her surroundings. Her own room didn’t roll—Oh dear God! She was on a ship and the sound of water breaking against the hull outside told her she was not in port. What had these men done? How could they have taken her away from the island?
The man in the chair was still sleeping soundly. She tried to think back. Hadn’t the other man called him captain? Then this was his ship and he would have made the decision to bring her here. She started to move, only one overwhelming thought in her mind: to get away. She stopped abruptly when she heard him stir. She remained motionless until he was quiet, then she got out of bed, looking down at her body in dismay when she felt a chill. Where were her clothes? Silently she cursed the captain in a rapid burst of French, almost sorry the object of her anger couldn’t hear her.
She wrapped the sheet around her body and quietly searched the large wardrobe for something to wear. She was more than a little astonished to find her own things folded neatly away among the clothing that could only belong to the captain. She dropped the sheet to the deck and pulled on a chemise. She winced at the pain as the material pulled against the bandages and she could feel the bleeding start again. She was lifting a dress out of the wardrobe when the door to the cabin swung open. She recognized the man who entered as the same one who had been with the captain. When he did not notice her immediately, she slid into the shadows:
Landis walked over to Cloud and woke him roughly. “Your turn for some air. I’ll watch the—Christ, Tanner! Where did she go?”
Cloud jumped to his feet. It wasn’t possible. He had just dozed off for a few minutes. She couldn’t have gone anywhere. He turned when he heard a small movement coming from the corner of the cabin. Alexis was standing against the wall, holding a dress in front of her. Her eyes shone like a cat’s in the dim light, and Cloud wondered if she could see them more easily than they could see her. He lighted a lamp and walked toward her.
As Alexis watched the captain’s approach she pushed herself against the wall. It was not fear that made her seem to back away, but pain. She thought she was going to faint again and the wall was the only thing offering her support in the wildly spinning cabin. It would never do to faint before she had a chance to tell them to take her back to Tortola.
Cloud stopped a few feet in front of her and placed the lamp on a commode. “Ma’am, you’re not well enough to be moving yet. Let me help you get back to bed. You’re ready to faint again.”
What a nice voice he had, she thought as she shook her head. It was clear and deep, blanketed with anxiousness. He did not appear to want to harm her. His liquid green eyes told her that. His outstretched arms were an extension of the things she saw in his eyes and heard in his voice. They looked inviting for their strength as well as the comfort they could provide. His body was lean and firm, and she remembered being held against it. He must have been the one who caught her when she fainted. Now the pain was almost unbearable. She wanted to be held in those arms again, but she remembered her purpose and fought the urge to submit. She recalled this was the man who had taken her away from Roadtown. She had to tell him that he must return her. She had to make him understand.
Her eyes returned to his face, and she could not help thinking what a truly beautiful face it was. Even with his dark eyebrows pulled down in worry and his face etched with lines of weariness he was the most handsome man she had ever seen. His eyes, framed by long heavy lashes, never wavered from hers, and they were as green as the dark moss that clung to the breakwaters. His nose was long and straight. Aristocratic, she thought. Quietly arrogant. His lips were full, their line sensuous and his skin was as bronzed as her own from the sun. His beard was unkempt and darker than the thick copper hair curling at his collar.
Her eyes opened wide in horror. His beard! He hadn’t had one before. No man’s beard grew so thickly in a few hours. She cried out at the full realization of her worst fears. It was true. She was out to sea.
Alexis dropped her dress and let the pain overtake her. She slid down the wall to the deck.
Cloud reached her quickly and lifted her gently, carrying her back to his bunk. He laid her down and pulled the blankets close about her before he faced Landis. “What do you suppose happened?” he asked. “I thought she was going to say something, but she just stared at me and fainted.”
Landis laughed. “You obviously haven’t looked at yourself lately. You’re a sight, Tanner. You probably scared her into fainting. God knows, you’re scaring me now.”
Cloud set his jaw firmly and glowered at his officer. “Get out of here, John, and tell the men she is going to recover; then send me some fresh water so I can clean up and get rid of this damnable growth on my c
hin.”
Landis left the cabin, chuckling to himself. He told the men the news and then brought back the water to Cloud’s quarters, trying to hide his amusement as the captain went through his drawers to find a fresh shirt and trousers but only succeeded in pulling out lacy slips and shifts.
After he finished bathing and felt reasonably presentable for his guest, Cloud decided to go on deck and get some fresh air. He was still exhausted from lack of sleep and worry; he knew he was not doing himself or his crew any good in his present condition. He walked to the starboard side of the ship and gripped the railing tightly. There was a full moon out and his ship cast shadows onto the water. He watched the shadows, not minding the salt spray hitting his face, and thought about the girl.
Had he done the right thing by bringing her along? he wondered for the hundredth time. And what was his motive really? He could have taken her to town. She had to have friends there who would have seen to her. Perhaps she would have been better left in her servants’ care. She was beautiful, but that was only a small part of his attraction to her. She was not merely lovely because of the way she looked, but also for the way she moved, the way she fought, and the way her very presence demanded that others embrace life in the same manner she did. Those eyes. Those catlike amber eyes had held him captive below deck for a few moments while they bored holes into his flesh. He had never seen so much revealed in someone’s eyes before. He knew she had examined him as any trapped animal examines the hunter, looking for weaknesses, considering the danger and the risks. But he also knew she had discovered she was in no danger. She’d revealed a momentary sense of relief not only in her eyes but in her limbs as well. Then her expression had changed so quickly. He could not fathom the reason. She had been ready to tell him something; he was certain of it. Then he’d seen her tense again, looking more like a trapped animal than earlier. The horrified expression on her face signaled anger, frustration, and, a moment later, defeat. She had given up. For a brief space of time she had thought she was helpless, and he had done something to cause it.
Cloud turned as he heard soft steps nearing him from behind. “What is it, Mr. Landis?”
“I thought I’d go look in on the girl. Her bandages probably need changing. She really needs fresh air for those wounds, but I don’t think she can very well walk around on deck without a gown.”
Cloud smiled, white even teeth outlined in the darkness. “No, I don’t think she’ll want to do that. Go ahead. You go to her. In fact, stay with her until she’s ready to talk. I don’t think she wants to see me for a while.”
“It will be morning before she’s going to make much sense. She tried to move too early and caused herself more discomfort than she had to.”
“I know,” Cloud replied, shaking his head. “What do you suppose made her do it?”
“I think she wanted to get off this ship, Captain.”
“We’ll find out soon enough, won’t we?”
Landis said nothing as he turned and headed for the captain’s cabin.
Alexis felt warm fingers tugging at her bandages and she tried to move away. She just wanted to be left alone. To think. To plan. She turned her head and opened her eyes. After the hazy mist cleared she saw it wasn’t the captain, but his friend, who was gently removing the bandages.
“You’d better lie still, ma’am,” he said. “I don’t want to hurt you more than you’ve already been hurt.”
“Where is the captain?” She tried to be still but it was hard. He was as gentle as possible, and the only reason she didn’t wince was because she knew it would be harder for him. “I must see him,” she added, her voice muffled in the pillow.
“Later. He wants to talk to you, too, but not until you feel better.”
Alexis sighed as Landis rubbed a cool ointment on her back. It seemed to take away most of the burning and she felt drowsy again. When he was finished she turned her face to him. “What’s your name?”
“John Landis.”
“And your captain?”
“Cloud. Tanner Frederick Cloud.”
“A formidable name. Is he a good man, your captain?”
Landis laughed. “You’ll be able to form your own opinion, if you haven’t already, in the morning. But I’ll tell you now, there isn’t another man I’d rather serve.” He saw a small smile form on her lips. “And your name? We don’t know what to call you except Miss Quinton and that can’t be right since you’re married.” He sat back, tensing, when he saw the surprised look on her face. He wanted to kick himself for mentioning her dead husband. He hadn’t meant to upset her.
“What gave you that idea?”
Landis relaxed when he realized she was only confused, not distressed, by his information. “Captain Cloud said he heard something about an anniversary. We just assumed—” He stopped. Now he knew he had said the wrong thing. Her eyes narrowed sharply and her jaw was tightly clenched.
“You assumed wrong,” she said, equal emphasis on each word she spit out. “Will you please leave me now?”
“I have to wrap you again,” he protested although he wanted nothing more than to go.
“No,” she said forcefully. “I don’t need bandages. I need fresh air. Tomorrow I will have to get out of this bed. Just leave me for now, Mr. Landis.”
Landis thought better of arguing with her. He took away the strips of cloth and removed the basin of water by her side, then he left her alone.
Alexis watched the door shut behind him. When she heard him walk down the companionway she sat up and was pleased to discover the move was not as painful as her earlier attempt had been. In another day or so, she thought, she would be ready to leave. She had to get away. She realized she had been hasty in dismissing Landis. She still did not know where she was, or how long she had been away from Tortola.
The anniversary. Why had he mentioned it? How had he known? Alexis brought her legs over the side of the bunk and rested her elbows on her knees, cradling her head in her hands. She vowed no one would ever see the invisible wounds she had acquired from the loss of the people she loved. She could only share that pain with someone she loved, and that was something she would never allow herself to do again.
It had been easy to dismiss London and her childhood. Humorlessly, she laughed, wondering if she had ever really been a child. She had left nothing behind when she’d boarded the Constellation. Then Pauley had changed that. He had understood her, respected her, and that had made her love him. When he’d left she had known a bitter ache that had only been relieved by the promise of his return. George and Francine were different and she’d loved them differently. They had always wanted what was best for her. She’d known she loved them the moment they had realized that she knew what was best for herself.
She would never see them again. Oh God, how it hurt. She had meant what she said when she had made her oaths on the cliff. Travers would pay for what he had done. She would live to avenge their deaths.
Alexis sat up, straightening her spine. There was nothing more to be gained by reflection now. The future. She had to look ahead the way she always had. Quinton Shipping would have to wait. Whatever Travers had destroyed could be rebuilt later. George had taught her well. Now she had to get off this ship and back to Roadtown. She would raise a crew and take whatever had been left behind and start her search. The future. Every moment Captain Cloud kept her from the island was wasted time. In the morning she would talk to him and explain what she wanted to do, and then he would take her back. Landis said he was a good man; she believed he was. Cloud had apparently tried to stop Travers and he had certainly saved her. She would thank him, then tell him he simply had to take her back. He would listen to reason.
She lay back on the bunk, covering herself, and buried her head in the pillow. Sleep followed quickly.
Cloud opened the door quietly. When he saw she was sleeping he moved as quietly as he could so as not to wake her. Landis told him she was distraught over something he had said and Cloud was too tired now to de
al with her anger.
He took blankets and an extra pillow from the chest. He had decided to sleep in the adjacent cabin now that she was out of danger. He stopped moving when she stirred in her sleep.
She kicked at the sheet covering her body until it slid to the deck. Her chemise had ridden up to her thighs and the moonlight provided him with a view of her long, firm calves. She moved again, turning her head slightly. Her slim fingers brushed at the golden strands of hair covering her face. Her lips parted as she took a breath and expelled the air in a sigh. Cloud wanted to capture that sigh. It was the most comforting, soothing sound he had ever heard. He wanted to protect her and never let her feel anything but what she felt at that moment. He would have to make her understand that she could not go back to the island. Roadtown would be torture for her after what had happened and he couldn’t allow her to punish herself like that. He would not let her go. She must listen to reason.
He replaced the sheet and hurried out of the room. His own breath was ragged, but not from exertion. His body cried out to be touched by her. Not yet, he thought. Not so soon. He wanted this woman, but he knew he would wait. He would wait until she wanted him as well.
Alexis awoke to the sound of light tapping on the door of her cabin. She rubbed her eyes and got out of bed. “Just one minute,” she called to the man behind the barrier. She found a fresh chemise to replace the one she had stained with her blood and slipped it on. She located other undergarments and put them on also. A dress was another matter, she realized. She needed something more loose fitting for her back. She found one of the captain’s shirts. Not caring if he minded, she put her arms into the long sleeves and buttoned it. The cuffs came to her fingertips and the hem of the shirt covered her hips. She looked down at herself and laughed at her appearance. Her feet were bare and her petticoat did not reach her calves. It was an old one but then she could not have expected whoever brought it along to know that. She sat back down on the bunk, her feet curled under her, and told the person who’d knocked to come in.
