Page 178 of Storm over the Caribbean
“Ehem…” I cleared my throat hurriedly. All right, time to change the subject. “So, what are we going to do now?”
“Now?” He cocked his head, and gestured at the bank we’d just left. “Now we wait.”
I blinked. That was all?
“But as you know,” he continued before I could protest, “I am not a man who likes to remain idle. Especially not when I have a job to do.” Patting the briefcase full of money in his hand, he sent me a chilling look. “We’ve been paid to take care of our employer’s fleet, have we not? Well, then…” His hand slid under his tailcoat, coming to rest on the pistol hidden there. “Let’stake careof them.”
I didn’t even try and suppress the grin spreading over my face. “Oh yes. Let’s.”
***
When we got back to the ship, the whole crew was waiting for us, arrayed on the deck. Their eyes went wide as they caught sight of the large, tinkling briefcase clutched under Mr Ambrose’s arms. Seems like our bodyguards hadn’t shared recent events with their fellow sailors.
“Holy smoke, Captain!” Jackal gestured at the briefcase. “Is that filled with what I think?”
In answer, Mr Ambrose merely shook the briefcase, eliciting a tinkling of coins. Alotof coins.
“Bloody frigging…! Where did you get that, Captain?”
Cocking his head, Mr Ambrose gave him a level look. “I went to a bank.”
There was a moment of silence—then cheers broke out all across the deck.
I covered my face with one hand.
“Atta boy, Captain!” someone shouted.
“All alone! He went for a bank robbery all alone?”
“Our captain is a real tough guy!”
“And little Freddy, too! So manly!”
Behind my hand, I felt my eyebrows twitch. Manly? I should probably have been flattered that my disguise was working this well, but, come on! Calling a pregnant ladymanly?
Enough was enough. The first thing I was going to do when I got back to England was get a dress decorated in nice, cheerfully-coloured ? symbols.
“What next, Captain?” someone asked eagerly. “What are we gonna do?”
“Not here.” Shaking his head, Mr Ambrose jabbed a thumb at the docks, where people were gathering and whispering. Perhaps our oh-so-intelligent pirate friends shouldn’t have loudly shouted about bank robberies. “Raise the anchor. Set sail immediately.”
“Aye aye, Captain!” Grinning like a Cheshire cat with a pot of cream, the first mate raced off. Moments later, the sails unfolded, and the ship jerked forward, moving away from the pier and out onto the open ocean. Not a moment too soon, either. Out of the corner of my eyes, I noticed a man in uniform rush onto the pier, gesticulating wildly.
“I think we should go faster.”
“Indeed.” Mr Ambrose gave a nod. “There’s just one problem with that. This shipruns on wind.”
Jabbing his ribs, I gestured at the sails. “Then take a deep breath and blow!”
Half-turning towards me, he sent me an intense look. “I shall leave blowing to you.”
Did he…?
Did Mr Rikkard Ambrose just make a dirty…?
He did. Oh boy, he did. Suddenly, I felt my mouth dry, and couldn’t keep my eyes from roaming up and down his body. We were only feet away from the captain’s cabin, where we had “changed” earlier today. Hm…I felt pretty sweaty. Maybe the both of us should “change” again?
Boom!
