Captain Merric

by Rebecca Cohen

  “It’s been a long time since I’ve let anyone shave me.”

  Edward started to apply the lather to Daniel’s jaw. “I’d have thought, as captain, you’d have had someone to do it for you on board your ship.”

  “You’d let your men shave you?”

  Edward snorted. “No, but they’re all pirates.”

  “And mine cast me adrift hoping I would die. So it appears I was correct not to trust them with direct access to my throat.” Daniel tilted his head to give Edward a better angle to work with. “I used to go to a barber when I was back on land but fell out of the habit, and it is more convenient to be able to do it myself.”

  Edward put the brush down and picked up the razor. He wouldn’t press Daniel further, but he was sure there was more to Daniel’s reluctance than the need for convenience. Gently, using just his fingertips, he guided Daniel to move his head to one side so he could begin to shave. Being this close to him was a mix of torture and delight, and Edward had to concentrate so not to get distracted as he applied the blade to Daniel’s cheek.

  “Despite all appearances, I enjoy being shaved,” Edward said casually. “I do shave the beard off from time to time, and it’s often one of the things I do when I’m on shore and the weather means sailing around the Caribbean is not a sensible choice. The barber at Plesmaya has the steadiest hand I’ve ever seen.”

  “If I were a barber who shaved pirates, I would make sure my hand would never slip either.”

  Edward chuckled. “You may have a point.”

  “I remember you always liked to look your best, quite a peacock, you were. I see that has not changed, despite the additional hair on your chin and head.”

  He’d wondered what Daniel thought of him, and even though it was a veiled compliment, Edward couldn’t stop himself being pleased by it. “Why, I am flattered that you have taken the time to notice. The years have been kind to you. But then I always loved the shape of your jaw, and that was never going to change.”

  “I think you will find you are in the minority with those thoughts.”

  Edward frowned. Daniel surely could not think himself undesirable. Daniel’s attractiveness had not waned, and while not being the most self-confident, he had never voiced concerns over his appearance. “That I doubt.”

  “As I have said before, I am not the boy you knew. My disposition keeps even the most ardent of suitors in check.”

  “You are a bit prickly, perhaps. No one would expect different from a British captain.”

  “I am a cold-hearted, boorish pedant. And you would be wise to remember it.”

  Edward took special care as he shaved under Daniel’s nose. “I will not be so easy to dissuade.”

  Daniel levelled a cold stare at him. “You are wasting your time. Captain Merric can have his pick of the Caribbean. If you had the sense you were born with, you would realize that is a far better option than chasing after ghosts.”

  Using a cloth dipped in water, Edward cleaned away the remnants of the soap. “But Edward Merriston wants Daniel Horton.”

  “Edward Merriston is dead, and the Daniel Horton he would remember died with him.”

  Edward’s brow furrowed further at the words. Daniel’s pain and grief still raw and worn in his features. “No. I will not accept that.”

  “You should, Edward. You have a life many men would envy. Once you set me down at Jamaica, forget me.”

  “I cannot.” He moved closer, bringing is hand to cup Daniel’s jaw.

  “You managed it once, you can do so again.”

  He’d known Daniel was angry over what had happened, but Edward hadn’t realised until now the depth of his hurt. “I never forgot you.”

  “Nor I you.”

  Edward moved closer, their lips barely touching. He wanted Daniel, and not as a temporary measure but forever.

  The ringing of the ship’s bell broke the enchantment, and Daniel jerked backwards. Edward was on feet—he needed to get to the deck. The ship’s bell only sounded when they were in danger or there was plunder for the taking. The dull thuds in the corridor told him the crew were heading to the deck. Without a second thought, Edward was out of the cabin and on his way topside, aware Daniel was on his heels.

  He emerged onto the main deck into a mêlée of men heading towards the rigging and shouts of staccato orders from Brillack.

  The sky was clear, the weather calm, and there was no sign of damage to the ship or any other vessel on the horizon. Edward was at a loss to understand what had whipped the crew into such a frantic state. He peered out to sea, turning a full three hundred and sixty degrees, but he couldn’t identify anything that could be a ship worth pursuing or an enemy on the brink of boarding.

  Edward called up to Brillack on the wheel deck. “What’s going on?”

  “We’re too close to the reef, Captain. We were farther along the coast than I thought we’d be, and we’re in danger of running aground.”

  The men in the rigging were trimming the sails on the orders of the boatswain, who in turn was now looking to Edward for direction.

  “You need to get her starboard,” insisted Daniel, tugging on his arm. “It’s clear from the break patterns of the waves that if we go any farther port she’ll hit the outlying rocks.”

  Edward didn’t know what Daniel meant. “What outlying rocks? If we turn too fast we could tear the ship in two.”

  “For God’s sake, Edward, you used to trust me over anyone else on something like this—I’m not trying to wreck your ship. I want to survive tonight without having to swim to land. Now turn the damn ship to starboard—hard!”

  Daniel had always had a talent for such things, and Edward would be an idiot to ignore him. He ran up to the wheel house and took the wheel from Brillack, pulling with all he had to get the ship to obey him. Edward glanced at the sails, relieved to see the wind was in the right direction and strong enough to propel the ship. The Opal lurched violently with the sudden turn. The ship fought him. Daniel raced to his side, and they steadied the wheel, pressed close together as they battled for control. There was a cry from the rigging as a man lost his footing and crashed downwards but was saved from hitting the deck by a coil of rope that had caught around his foot.

  The ship heaved again, and she began to move.

  “The rocks here extend out farther than you think—we need to go the long way ’round if you want your keel in one piece,” Daniel said to Edward as both clung to the wheel.

  Edward called out to his men, shouting a torrent of orders to make sure they could capitalize on the direction of the wind. The Opal protested with a loud creak of her rigging, but she was responding, moving away from the dangerous rocks. Minutes ticked slowly by as, inch by inch, the ship turned to a safe direction.

  “We should be fine now,” said Daniel, releasing the wheel and stepping away from Edward. “You’ll need to adjust your course.”

  Edward missed the warmth from Daniel’s body almost immediately and stared at Daniel with a new-found awe. Daniel had saved his ship. “How did you know?”

  “Know?”

  “The rocks—they’re not on the charts.” He paid good money to keep his charts as up to date as possible, not caring where the information came from.

  “I know these waters better than anyone, and the corrected charts I made for this area are in my cabin on Expedience. They’re one of the reasons I’m in the Caribbean; I’m not just here to chase pirates and kill Frenchmen.”

  With the danger past, Edward ordered Brillack to take the wheel and sent additional lookouts up to the crow’s nest as a precaution. What he wanted now was to make sure it wouldn’t happen again.

  “Come with me.”

  He strode away, Daniel following, and headed back to his cabin. On the desk were stacks of rolled up charts. He searched through a couple until finding the one he wanted. Unfurling it fully across the desk, he showed it to Daniel.

  “How accurate is this?”

  Daniel leant over and examined t
he map. “Compared to some of the versions I’ve seen, this is fairly detailed. I mean there are several places which are outdated, you’re missing a few reefs, but in general it’s not so bad.”

  “Then it wouldn’t take too much effort on your part to update it?”

  Daniel’s eyes narrowed. “Why should I help? I could be considered as colluding with enemies of the Crown.”

  “To stop us all from being killed.”

  “I’ll be off this ship in a few days; what do I care what happens to a bunch of pirates?” He raised an eyebrow in defiance, an expression he’d perfected in his teens that had Edward never knowing if he wanted to kiss him or punch him “What’s in it for me? You haven’t even thanked me for saving your ship from the reef.”

  Edward glowered at him, but he realised Daniel wasn’t intimidated. “What do you want?”

  “Stop treating me like your pet amongst the crew, including locking me in the cabin. I won’t cause any trouble and will keep to myself.”

  “The crew expects me to treat you like a prisoner. It is as much for your protection that the door is locked. I would not want for you to receive unwanted attention.” He knew his men, had seen the way at least two of them had looked at Daniel as if he was good enough to eat.

  “I can handle myself. And you can pass it off as a gesture of goodwill since I did save all the souls on board.”

  Edward considered it, but he was still not convinced leaving the door unlocked was a good idea. “I can tone down my actions. The crew will it see that as a sign of respect, but I think the door should remain locked.”

  “But if this ship were to sink I have no way out—there’s not even a window I could escape through.”

  “I would not leave you to die.”

  Daniel huffed. “I could even lock it from the inside if you are truly concerned for my virtue.”

  “Virtue?” scoffed Edward. “You are no virgin—I can attest to that myself.”

  The dark expression on Daniel’s face told Edward he had misjudged his comment once again. “It is the price for updating the charts. If you do not wish to pay it then I suggest you and your ship enjoy the hidden reefs and outcrops.”

  He wanted the charts updated but he also wanted Daniel safe. Edward knew he would need to make it known some other way that Daniel and his cabin were off limits, yet offer something to Daniel to begin to make amends.

  Edward thought back on the memories of his own pain from his shattered heart, seeing Edward must have triggered something similar for Daniel. If only Edward had known the truth sooner—for both their sakes. Somehow, he would need to make this right, and earlier he’d thought he was on track, but now he was not so sure. He removed the key from his pocket and handed it to Daniel. “Fine. You have my word.”

  “For what that’s worth.” Daniel took the key and with little care rolled up the chart. “I will update this for you tomorrow—don’t expect me to leave my cabin until it’s finished.”

  Edward watched him go. If only the ship’s bell hadn’t sounded when it had, he was positive Daniel would have let him kiss him. They’d been so close, he’d been able to feel the warmth of Daniel’s breath on his cheek, but fate was a cruel mistress, and she was intent on making this difficult for him. What was worse were Daniel’s words, bitter reminders that Daniel was hurt deeply by Edward’s actions, believing himself undesirable, and even unlovable. He had only limited knowledge of Daniel’s life. Once he’d heard that a Captain Horton was patrolling the Caribbean, he’d made inquiries to check it was the same man, but beyond that he’d taken precautions not to run into Daniel and his ship. First, because no matter how well armed the Opal was she was no match for a British frigate, but secondly, he’d not wanted to stir up the foul memories from the past that had left him heartsore. For all the lovers he’d taken, they’d never filled the emptiness from losing Daniel. He’d have laughed in the face of anyone who’d have accused him of being lonely, but he couldn’t lie to himself.

  Chapter Five

  Daniel had always enjoyed mapmaking. The art of ensuring a chart was detailed and correct was time-consuming work, but there was a certain satisfaction about it that he couldn’t get from his other duties. Aboard the Opal, it had the added benefit that he had an excuse to avoid the rest of the crew for most of the day.

  Blot arrived with another invitation to dinner, although this time it was less of a demand and more of a request. He still tried to decline, but Blot had made it clear that if Daniel wanted to eat, he needed to come. Edward was only going to let him get away with so much.

  His chart-correcting skills had proven him to be an excellent navigator, with a comprehensive knowledge of the region and the ability to decode the mysteries of even the sparsest of maps, but it didn’t mean the men were going to think of him as anything more than Edward’s bed warmer. All he could hope for was a better reception at dinner than the previous time.

  He was intercepted by Edward before he could reach the galley. “Have you finished the chart?”

  Daniel held up the rolled-up parchment he was carrying. “I was going to give it to you over dinner.”

  “Dinner can wait. Let’s see it.”

  Edward called out to Blot to have Carlos and Brillack come to his cabin. Edward was something of a force of nature, and when he was in full Captain Merric mode, Daniel could understand why people would blindly follow or think they owed him an allegiance despite him being a bloody pirate.

  With no chance to argue, Daniel found himself in Edward’s cabin. They were not alone for long, and he tried to stand to the side to show the three pirates the adaptions he had made. Unfortunately, he had no such joy and was stuck between Edward and Carlos, both men standing closer than he would have liked. A hand ghosted over his arse, and he had no idea which one was the culprit.

  It barely took any time for Daniel to explain the new regions on the map, but the hungry looks Carlos was sending his way had nothing to do with the impending meal and left him feeling disconcerted.

  “I must say, I’m very impressed,” said Edward as Daniel pointed out the last reef. “You’re a marvel.”

  Edward winked at him and Daniel smiled weakly. “Perhaps it is time to eat?”

  “Do you have a moment, Captain? I’d like to run through a couple of things for the supplies when we get to Plesmaya.” Brillack was already removing a list from his jerkin.

  “Very well. I’m sure Carlos can take care of the good Captain Horton in a fitting manner.”

  Daniel wished Edward had been more circumspect with his choice of words as Carlos’s answering grin was as predatory as they came. “Aye, aye, Captain.”

  Escaping from Edward’s cabin, Daniel tried to put some distance between himself and Carlos, but as he rounded a corner, he was shoved forwards. He stumbled and landed on the floor. Carlos grinned as he stood over him.

  Carlos helped him to his feet, crowding Daniel’s personal space. “You should be less clumsy. We would not want you to get damaged.”

  “It wouldn’t be a problem if you kept your distance.” He was acutely aware that Carlos had a dagger within easy reach.

  Carlos rested his hand on Daniel’s waist. “You heard the captain, he said I should take care of you in a fitting manner.”

  “You should watch where you lay your hands,” said Daniel, trying and failing to move sideways to put some distance between them.

  “Merric may like you coy, but I don’t have his patience.”

  “I am not being coy. I have no desire to have you touch me. Now step away.”

  Carlos pressed closer—he leaned in so his mouth was at Daniel’s ear. “Make me.”

  Daniel was about to shove Carlos firmly in the chest when Edward reappeared. His glare of deep loathing when he saw how close Carlos was standing to Daniel was unmistakable.

  “What is going on here?”

  Carlos didn’t step away, his expression somewhere between confused and unrepentant. “I thought I’d show our English friend some o
f my famous Spanish hospitality. You said I should take care of him.”

  Edward grabbed Carlos by the collar and pushed him into the wall. “Hands off.”

  Carlos frowned. “You’re not one to be so protective of your whores.”

  “Don’t make me tell you again, Carlos, this one is out of bounds. And make sure the other men know that Captain Horton is not for general consumption.”

  Daniel was grateful for the interruption, not that he would consider himself a damsel in distress, but only Edward’s direct order would prevent a repeat of what had happened. He wasn’t comfortable with the sort of attention Carlos wanted to give him. Over the years he’d sated any desire mainly on his own, and on the rare occasions another person was involved, it was a paid transaction and never went beyond a hand or mouth. He wasn’t used to being touched in such a way, invited or not.

  The ship’s bell rang, and Blot came running down the corridor. All three of them turned to stare at the boy, whose cheeks were flushed with excitement.

  “It’s the Mirabelle, Captain, she’s in reach.”

  Their disagreement immediately forgotten, Carlos and Edward hurried topside, leaving Daniel to stare after them.

  He looked at the smiling Blot. “The Mirabelle?”

  “Trading vessel,” said Blot, racing away. “Captain’s been after her for weeks.”

  Daniel crinkled his brow in confusion, but only for a second as he realized what was about to happen. He emerged on deck minutes later to see Edward examining a sailing ship on the horizon through an ornate brass telescope.

  “You are not going to raid that ship,” said Daniel.

  Edward lowered the telescope. “That’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

  “I won’t let you.”

  “Daniel, I love your tenacity, but really, what can you do to stop us?”

  Daniel gaped a moment, staring around the deck for some sort of inspiration. “I—”

  “Either go below deck or keep out of the way—I don’t want you getting skewered.” Edward squeezed Daniel’s shoulder. “I, in particular, don’t want any harm to come to your attractive person.”