Page 59 of A Flash of Golden Fire

Captain Martin rolled his eyes and backed off, pulling the sheet and blankets to cover me. I was so relaxed, so content, and so relieved that I wasn’t being tossed overboard that I remained on my back and watched him pull on a pair of breeches and walk to the door.

He opened it a crack.

“Well? What is this thoughtful token?” he asked. “Oh!”

The captain’s laughter rang out, but Hillier shushed him.

I went up on my elbow, but I couldn’t see past the captain’s broad back. What on earth had Hillier brought me? The captain opened the door wider and stepped back. My eyes went wide as Hillier came in with a chicken tucked under each arm. And they werenotdead.

“Your chooks were missin’ you, young Simon,” he said, coming in and putting them onto the bed with me. “The crew thought they might cheer you.”

“Frances!” I exclaimed, jerking upright and spreading my arms, feeling such a weight lift from me that I could barely keep from laughing with joy. “Elizabeth!”

“I thought you might like to see a couple of them.”

The chickens landed on the blankets, clucking and fussing as they wondered where they were. I saw the captain and Hillier exchange amused looks.

“Thank you, Hillier,” Captain Martin said. “Please tell the crew they were well-received.”

“You’re welcome, Captain. How is he?”

I didn’t listen to the captain’s answer, because I was too busy hugging and petting my pretty chickens. What a comfort to see them! I didn’t know when I’d become this attached to livestock, but I supposed once you’d named them, you were done for.

“Come here, my pretty things. Aren’t you gorgeous, Elizabeth? And Frances, your tail feathers are turning a lovely shade of russet!”

“I’ll leave you be,” Hillier said. “Only, the crew were wondering where we’re planning to sail to. They feel we need another conquest to replenish our stores.”

“Yes, I agree. Put our destination to a vote. See what they want to do, where they want to go. And we’ll abide by that.”

“Of course, Captain.”

“And please don’t disturb me again unless the situation is urgent.”

“Of course, sir,” Hillier said and left us.

“Oh, you are such a pretty girl,” I murmured to Frances, smoothing her ruffled feathers with my fingers. “What a good girl.”

The captain stood there in his breeches, his arms crossed over his chest, watching me talk to my girls. I praised them and cooed to them, like a proud parent, and did feel much recovered. The crew had provided me a welcome solace.

“So, who shall we have for our dinner, then?” the captain muttered.

“You’ll not touch a feather on them if you know what’s good for you. And neither shall anyone else,” I said, giving him a steely eyed glare. I was almost certain he was fooling, but just in case…

But he only smiled. “There’s my feisty rooster. He’s back, thank the Gods.”

I clutched Elizabeth and Frances to me. “Yes, I am, and you keep your bloody murder hands off my chooks.”

He held up his arms, trying not to laugh.

“I don’t want any part of your chickens. I won’t harm them. But they cannot stay here.”

I shrugged, indicating that I wasn’t in any rush to get rid of them.

“Well, I wager you’ve never had three such attractive guests in your bed at once, Captain Martin,” I said with some smugness.

He actually blushed. “I’ve never entertained animals below the level of humans; that’s a certain fact. However, there’s a reason I keep such a large bed in my quarters.”

I gasped. “Captain Martin! You fucking trollop.”

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