Page 29 of Devil of the High Seas
Immensely pleased with herself, Josephine removed the spare ribbon she kept on her wrist and bound her hair back at the nape of her neck. She walked away from the cabin, humming a jaunty tune, ignoring Gavin’s cursing and pounding on the door.
She wondered why Dominic had a door on his ship that only locked from the outside. Then again, knowing Roberta and her temperament, if the ship was under attack, Dominic would quite literally have to lock his wife in their cabin to keep her safe. Josephine smirked at the thought thatshehad been the one to benefit from that unusually placed latch. Men were silly creatures, always locking women away and thinking it was the right thing to do.
She followed the aroma of food down the nearest gangway and stumbled into the galley almost by accident. A slender woman was tending a fire in what Josephine recognized was an iron galley stove. All around the woman were heating surfaces with pans and kettles surrounded by iron pipe railings. The stove and its equipment dwarfed the woman, but she worked her galley in a way that Josephine imagined a six-man crew would at their battle stations. She whirled about, checking pots full of boiling pork and beef, if the smells drifting beneath Josephine’s nose were to be trusted. Then the woman removed bread from the oven and replaced it with small sliced potatoes that smelled richly of butter and garlic.
“What will you be wanting, lad?” the cook began before she glanced up and gasped. “Ho there, you’re no lad!” the woman exclaimed.
“Yes, it is my one great failing to have the misfortune to be born female,” Josephine said with a dramatic sigh as she took in the deep scents of the food, her stomach grumbling.
The cook recovered herself and dried her hands on a clean rag. “That’s not what I meant. I was told the captain brought his wife aboard, but I was not told we hadotherladies as well.” She studied Josephine’s clothing with a curious sweep of her eyes before she focused on her cooking again.
Gavin had told the crew she was his wife? Josephine blinked and tried to think quickly.
“Er... Yes, well. I am, in fact, the captain’s wife,” she admitted, deciding to play along. She could demand answers from Gavin later. It was only a matter of time before someone heard him fussing about in the locked cabin and set him free. Until then, she was not going to waste her chance at freedom before he locked her up again.
“Youare the captain’s wife?” The cook stared at her, once more taking in the masculine clothing Josephine wore.
“Yes, my dress was... It was my wedding gown, and I didn’t wish to ruin it by wearing it while I explored the ship.”
“You’re exploring the ship?” The cook mouthed the words in shock. “Does the your husband know?”
Josephine grinned, unable to help herself. “Why yes. He is still sleeping in our cabin. He’sexhausted.”
At this, the cook giggled. “Oh, I wager he is. That is one handsome man you have, lass. But even the best of them always tire out after lovemaking. My Davy does too. He’ll be snoring away after a good tupping, and I have to get up and cook.” She rolled her eyes.
Josephine, rather than being scandalized by the cook’s frank words, was utterly delighted. She held out a hand to the cook.
“I’m Josephine.”
“Olive O’Malley. My husband is the ship’s carpenter.”
“It’s lovely to meet you, Mrs. O’Malley.”
“Olive, please, my lady.”
“Then you must call me Josie,” Josephine replied with a grin.
The cook set out a plate on the counter and began putting bits of cooked beef on it. The beef fell apart at the slightest touch of the fork that Olive used to spear it and set it on the plate. The sight of the tender meat made Josephine’s stomach grumble.
“I’m guessing the captain got your skirts up and got right to business and never gave you a chance to eat that chicken I sent with him?”
Blushing, Josephine nodded. She could certainly pretend to have been bedded by Gavin if it helped her win a friend... and some delicious cooking.
“I thought as much.” Olive filled the plate with more food and fresh bread before handing Josephine a fork. Josephine dug in, barely remembering to eat like a lady.
“Olive, what can you tell me about the ship? All I know about it is that my brother owns it.”
“Does he, now? Well, it’s a brigantine, and I believe it’s fitted with twelve guns and a crew of eighty or so men.”
“Were those swivel guns mounted to the rails I saw when I first came aboard?”
“Aye, they are,” Olive said. “You know your ships.” The cook looked approving rather than upset. But then again, Josephine guessed that the cook was a rarity too.
“My brother was a sailor for many years. I learned as much as I could from him.” That wasn’t quite a lie. She had been reading about pirates and ships all of her life while Dominic was away and she couldn’t help but learn something about ships. Her mother’s father had been the captain of a Spanish ship, and her father had been to sea quite a bit when he was younger. Seafaring was in her blood on both sides.
“Well, your brother commissioned a fine ship. My husband said we’re lucky to be working aboard her.”
Josephine agreed. The ship was beautiful. The wood was clean and polished, the surfaces freshly painted. It was rather like a fine English country house that had been given sails and set out on the water. She felt quite at home on it.
