Page 42 of The Swan Syndicate
The lower deck contained cargo holds, extra stores for the galley, and the crew’s quarters that included a network of hammocks. When they worked their way up to the top deck, he walked her past the line of guns.
She pulled away from him, set her fists on her hips, and narrowed her eyes. “We’re not going to just walk through here without you explaining how the cannons work.”
He sighed. She’d probably been waiting through the entire tour for this moment. He’d understood when two days after they met she’d demanded to learn about flintlocks. They’d been running for their lives, and she required a way to defend herself,especially if something happened to him. But guns were a different matter entirely.
He quirked a patient smile. “Is this just general curiosity, or do you imagine Jamie asking you to run down here in the middle of a sea battle to help the master gunner?”
She smirked. “General curiosity. AJ says it’s pretty loud when they’re fired.”
It hadn’t taken him long to learn that it was easier to satisfy her curiosity or else she’d nag him to death. Or, as he’d discovered on other occasions, rather than bargain or fight with him, she’d find someone else to answer her questions. That didn’t always work in his favor.
“First, they’re called guns, not cannons.” He stepped next to the first one in the line of four port-side guns. “These appear to be what they call twelve-pound guns, which is the weight of the shot—or balls. The process is the same as loading a rifle—load the gunpowder, add the ball, tamp it down, add wadding, then add serpentine powder to the gunlock on top, which is nothing more than another term for a flintlock. Once they fire the gun, it will recoil backward—and if anyone is behind it, serious injuries can occur. They use the rope to run the gun forward when it’s time to fire again.”
“What’s serpentine powder?”
“A finer grade of gunpowder. It ignites quickly.” He nodded to a flask hanging on a nail in a post.
She nodded. “I understand. So, this is all like loading my flintlock times a hundred.”
“Exactly.” He took her arm and guided her out of the room and back toward the galley. “Shall we see if they left us anything for lunch?”
“Perhaps a picnic in our cabin?”
“Do you need to help in the galley?”
She shook her head. “I arranged to take care of dinner and clean up.”
“Then a picnic it is.” He stopped her in the hallway. “Whatever shall we do with the rest of our afternoon?”
She leaned in for a kiss then ran a hand up his thigh and squeezed his ass. “I have a thought or two.”
The next morning, Stella rolled over and ran a hand along Beckworth’s chest. “Morning, Teddy.”
He groaned but managed to grab her hand before it reached his lower extremities. “It can’t be.”
She raised up to an elbow and stared down at him. His eyes were closed, and she marveled at the length of his lashes. Something she’d never paid that much attention to. When his eyes were open, his sultry blue gaze always took her breath away.
It wasn’t often she woke before him. He’d always been an early riser, even in Baywood.
“I told you not to drink any more whiskey. You shouldn’t let Fitz encourage you.”
He threw an arm across his forehead. “I think I have—what do you call it? A drunk over?”
She chuckled. “A hangover. And fortunately for you, I have something that might help.” She shoved the covers off her, and without bothering to grab her robe, dug through her duffel and pulled out the first aid kit. “I blame it on Jamie and Lando for starting the game of hazards in the first place.”
“It was a way to burn off our frustration. Four hours of pubs and inns and not a single sighting or mention of either MacDuff or Cheval.” He pushed himself up and grabbed his head.
She pulled out a single tablet and poured a glass of water from the pitcher. She handed him both before climbing back into bed.
“This should relieve your headache.”
He stared at the pill.
She sighed. “It’s just an aspirin.”
“Bart usually crushed up his pills and put them in water.”
“I’m afraid I left my pestle and mortar back in Baywood. Just put the pill on your tongue and swallow it down with water. All the grown men from my time do it.”
