Page 208 of Storm over the Caribbean
It certainly was for me. The moment I’d laid eyes on the little twerp in the midst of a gaggle of bloodthirsty pirates, I knew what I would end up doing. He was so alone. So young. So vulnerable. A year or two ago, I might not even have noticed. Cabin boys being that young was just how things were done in navies all over the world. But now? Now that I was about to become a mother? To have a child of my own?
I just couldn’t do it. I just couldn’t send the boy off into such a harsh life. No little boy should—
My thoughts were abruptly interrupted as Liam’s posture stiffened. “So…it’s finally time, is it?”
“Yes.” I nodded. It was time for this little boy to get a real home. A place where he could grow up in play and—
“All right! What do I have to do for you to keep your mouth shut?”
My thoughts screeched to a halt.
Huh?
“What do you want?” he demanded. “Money? Are you trying to blackmail me, you fat bastard?”
This…wasn’t going the way I thought it would. So I decided to articulate my current thought process.
“Huh?”
“Don't play stupid!” Fuming, the little firecracker stabbed an accusing finger at me. “I heard the parrot!”
“Huh?”
“I heard it all! ‘Girl in disguise’! Ha! It was repeating you, wasn't it? You obviously saw through me! You…you know aboutit!”
“Err…?”
Lifting his chin, the little boy sent me a defiant glare. I, for my part, sent him a confused gawk, which only seemed to aggravate him further.
“You want to hear me say it? All right! I admit it! I am a girl! Satisfied now? I’m a girl! Female! Without bollocks! So what? Why should it be only men who can go sailing and have adventures and—”
“Um…”
“—don't care what you threaten me with! I don’t care about that nonsense superstition saying women are bad luck on ships! I won't give up on my dream! I will become the Queen of Pirates and—”
“Err…”
“—don't think for a moment that I'd buckle under your authority just because you are a man! If you try to throw me off the ship, you bloody macho, I’ll—”
“Wait just a minute, I don’t—”
“Shut up!” Stomping his foot, he…no,shemarched up to me and stabbed a finger into my face. “Shut up, you bloody chauvinist! I won’t let you trample on my dreams! Send me back to the others at once! No matter what you do or say, I’m gonna be the Queen of Pirates!”
I opened my mouth—then shut it again. I opened it once more, desperately looking for any fitting response—and, not finding any, closed it for the final time. Looking left and right, I desperately searched for a way to escape this situation. Instead, I only found Mr Rikkard Ambrose, watching me from a distance. His lips were most definitelynottwitching in amusement. No, not at all.
“Don’t!” I hissed. “Don’t you dare!”
“I don’t know what you could possibly mean, Mr Linton.”
“Don’t you dare laugh!”
“Me? Laugh?” he cocked his head. “I would never do such a thing.”
My eyes narrowed. “No. You wouldn’t. You’ll stay perfectly calm and composed, while somehow still managing to make it seem like you’re laughing your arse off inside!”
“Indeed?”
“How about some help?” I demanded, keeping my voice low so the little girl who was still ranting at me wouldn’t hear.
