Hawkins, also well aware of how much Charlotte meant to the big corsair, smiled as she reached up to throw her arms around his neck, uncaring that the furs once more no longer covered her upper body. “All right, all right,” he admonished. “There will be plenty of time for that later. Now we need to talk about a ship. These damned Mediterranean galleys will be no use in the Bay of Biscay. Wouldn’t last more than five minutes in a half-decent blow. ”
Fletcher coughed apologetically. “I’m afraid my ship will be no good either. We were badly holed in our last engagement with the Spanish. She would never last the journey. ”
“There is a captured Inglése ship in the harbour, Khalif,” said Zamil. “I saw her when we rowed out to the Cristobal. She is still seaworthy by the look of her. Called the Triumph, I think. ”
Charlotte’s eyes brimmed with tears. “Uncle James’s ship,” she whispered.
Khalif held her close. “Yes, your uncle’s,” he agreed softly. “And what better to take you to your Queen? ”Finally, he disengaged himself from her clutching arms. “Now it is time for you to rest! ” he asserted. “I leave you in Meylissah’s care while we make plans for the coming journey. Try to get some sleep if you can! ”
The men stood up to take their brief farewells of the English girl. As Khalif ushered them out through the cabin door, Meylissah leaned forward. “The Rais loves you very much,” she whispered. “Lord Jack said he would have died for you had it been necessary! ”
The door closed behind the others and Charlotte looked up questioningly at her friend. “Lord Jack? You mean Captain Fletcher? Is this how you call him? ”
“He is very nice, Mistress. ”Somewhat uncharacteristically, Meylissah was blushing a fine shade of red.
Charlotte smiled and tried to sit up, then groaned and sank back as the throbbing muscles and tendons in her neck and shoulders made themselves felt once more.
“Mistress still hurt? ” asked Meylissah anxiously.
Charlotte nodded breathlessly. “My neck and shoulders where they hung me on the cross. ”She shuddered. “I remember the nails going through my wrists and that was bad enough . . . but when they lifted me up and I was just hanging there . . . ! Oh Meylissah, it was agony. I couldn’t even breathe properly. Never have I felt such pain. Then they nailed my feet as well and I don’t remember much more. ”
“Mistress not remember the Rais bringing you to ship? ”
“I vaguely remember being carried, I don’t know by who, and I remember hurting very much . . . here. ”She indicated the bandaged place between her thighs. “But not much more than that. ”
“My Lady really means to journey to England? ” asked Meylissah.
Charlotte nodded. “Yes, as soon as I am strong enough. I will come back, though. ”A thought struck her and she looked pensively at the other girl. “Would you like to come with me? I shall need a nurse for a while. ”
Meylissah’s face lit up. “Oh yes, Mistress. ”She hesitated for a moment then continued:“Er . . . perhaps my Lady will not mind if . . . er . . . maybe . . . I also serve sometimes the Lord Jack. ”
“Fletcher? A glint of understanding showed in Charlotte’s eyes. “I see,” she smiled. “Well I suppose he is quite handsome in a way. But what about . . . the . . . er . . . Lord Jack? Does he feel the same way? ”
Meylissah even managed to blush and looked away. “It seems so, Mistress,” she said shyly.
Charlotte reached out a hand and laid it gently on the other’s arm. “I am pleased, Meylissah. Captain Fletcher has been a good friend, despite his occupation, and you I love as if you were my own sister. ”She frowned. “Although it was not always so. I can remember a time when you were Mistress and I slave . . . and you taught me the slave dances. ”She grimaced. “That little whip of yours was awful. ”
Meylissah had an innocent look on her face. “My Lady holds it not against me? ” she asked. “Of course, she will remember that I was but obeying our Master’s command when I kissed her flesh with it. ”
“Kissed? Kissed? ”Charlotte looked wrathfully at her companion. “I don’t remember it as being kissed. ”She faked a glare. “It hurt like the devil! I feel the sting still! ”
For one tiny moment Meylissah looked apprehensive but then, as the English girl began to chuckle, she too began to smile.
Charlotte held out her bandaged arms and the other girl fell readily into her embrace. “Oh Meylissah, we have been through so much together,” she whispered. “Now we are as sisters. ”
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