Page 39 of The Swan Syndicate
It was torture watching the boat’s slow progress as the three men rowed quickly against the tide. She glanced behind her and then up. The sails were slowly lifting.
The ship began to move, but instead of moving toward sea, it moved toward shore. She glanced over the railing, her focus going beyond the water in an attempt to gauge its depth. She couldn’t see anything past its dark surface. That was probably for the best.
Then the ship stopped. Heaved to as Michelson had called it. Jamie had moved the ship closer so the men wouldn’t have to row as far. And it had made a difference.
She could see Beckworth’s face. His expression was focused. He didn’t look back, and only occasionally glanced up. When she looked at Fitz and Lando, they were equally grim at their task. Suddenly, Jamie was next to her.
“I need you to stand farther forward. We need the men here to help with the lines.”
“Of course.” It took her a moment as she considered which way was forward, then took several steps toward the front of the ship until Jamie nodded for her to stop. She immediately returned her sight to the jolly boat that was coming alongside. Lando and Beckworth used the oars to keep the boat in place as Fitz stood. With the grace of a dancer, he caught the lines and anchored the jolly boat to the ship. One of the crew threw a rope ladder over the side.
Within minutes, all three men were onboard, and they turned to help the men lift the jolly boat onto the deck. Once the boat was tied down, Fitz turned to Jamie.
“The ship was preparing for sail, but they were still loading crates.”
Jamie nodded and turned to Stella. “Get these men breakfast and tell Cook to get up here.” Then he was off shouting orders again.
Stella grabbed Fitz’s shirt when he started to follow Jamie. “You heard the order. Breakfast, then you can help.”
She’d expected Lando to argue, but he took Fitz by the shoulder and turned him around. Fitz growled, but it seemed good-natured as he marched toward the door leading to the lower decks.
Stella put an arm around Beckworth’s waist and gave him a swift kiss. His heart was still racing. “Fitz mentioned crates.”
He nodded. “We’ll give a full report once we’re far enough away from the other ship. We can’t be sure what’s in them, but they appear the right size for flintlocks.”
Once the men were fed and rushed back up to help Jamie, Stella turned her focus to the galley. Cook didn’t want to leave her with everything, but an order was an order. She was okay with that.
The more she stayed busy, the less she thought about the ship or being seasick. The herbs helped, but she was running low. She’d been taking more than necessary, but better safe than sorry was a motto she could agree with. And she didn’t want to waste the motion sickness pills if she didn’t have to. With any luck, there would be an apothecary at the next port.
She’d take half a pill later and conserve what herbs were left. Her concerns resolved for the moment, she rolled up her sleeves and got to work. She was comfortable in the galley, and it didn’t take long to have dishes and pots cleaned and stowed.
She cleaned off the tables, swept the floor, and then scanned the area, searching for anything out of place or forgotten. Satisfied with a job well done, she considered putting coffee onfor Jamie’s meeting. Before she had a chance, Cook raced down the steps and pulled up short. He glanced around the room.
“You put me to shame,” he said. “I don’t think the galley has ever looked so clean.”
She grinned. “I think you’ve been around the Irish too long with that silver tongue.”
“I was just coming down to start the coffee and prepare something for the meeting. Jamie says he’ll be ready in an hour. Then I’ll need to start preparing something more substantial for lunch.”
“I was just thinking about coffee.”
He donned an apron that could use a good cleaning around his waist. “You should get some rest. You’ve been on your feet since you woke.”
She was going to argue, but he was right, and it had little to do with how much she worked. The bed was calling her name. She wasn’t used to getting up before dawn. “I’ll agree as long as you don’t argue when it’s time to help with lunch.”
He just waved her away, but she caught his grin. The closer she got to the cabin, the heavier her legs grew. With the earlier excitement and then the cleaning, the last bits of her adrenaline were fading.
When she opened the cabin door, she was surprised to find Beckworth on the bed. He was fully clothed, lying on his back with a pillow stuffed under his head and a book resting on his chest. He’d fallen asleep while reading.
She loved these moments when she could just look at him. He was such a handsome man, and sometimes she wanted to pinch herself whenever she was reminded how much he loved her and how much she loved him. She removed her shirt and pants but left on her undergarments.
She carefully removed the book and checked the title—Tales of an Uneventful Voyage—before laying it on the side table.No wonder he fell asleep. She crept onto the bed and lay next to him, her head resting on his shoulder. His steady breathing never changed, and for the first time since they’d left the cove, she noted the movements of the ship. The gentle rocking in combination with Beckworth’s rhythmic heartbeat lulled her toward sleep.
“I love you, Teddy,” slipped out as the world morphed into a dream.
Warm hands stroked her body. They started along her thighs and worked their way over her hips and belly, lightly squeezing a nipple before sliding back down again. A hard chest nestled along her back, and tender kisses touched her shoulder before sliding to her neck, creating heat in her lower belly as the hand roamed lower.
An eye popped open.
