Page 21 of The Pirate's Daughter

The wide, flat and remarkably clean area still stretched out before him a good three hundred paces. It extended out over the ocean like a plank and Devin swore he could make out the line used to run from here to the end and off. It had to be at least a ten yard drop to the ocean. So maybe it wasn’t worse than jumping from the mizzen or main mast of the ship into the water as some young sailors did. Still, he didn’t want Mia doing it. If she hit the water wrong, if she slipped when jumping and hit her head before tumbling in… No, he might not have wanted her a week ago, but at this moment he didn’t think he could live withouther.

“She’s a very pretty vessel, Captain,” Mia said startling him as she stepped next tohim.

“Pardon?” He didn’t think she could read his thoughts, but he’d been thinking Mia was quite lovely. Beautiful and so much more. More he’d need todiscover.

“Your ship,” she said pointing downward. TheIron Roserocked gently in the early evening with a number of lights on. The glow from the lanterns caused her hull to seem more alive,warm.

“Aye, she’s a beauty.” Devin agreed. Mia snorted and slapped hisarm.

“Pretty, Captain. Pretty is as far as you get. She’s just a brig and Royal Navy at that. Now my frigate,thatis a beautifulship.”

“You can’t deduct from her beauty just because she’s navy,” Devin countered. Working to sound completely insulted but remain in the spirit of the teasing. “And brigs are perfect ships, not like those lumbering whales frigatesare.”

He heard Mia gasp and looked to see her mouth hanging open. “Lumbering whales,” she spluttered, “I’ll have you know I have easily made twenty knots in theMerry Lyn. That is hardlylumbering.”

“Twenty? And did you have cargo?” She frowned and shook her head. “A complete crewperhaps?”

“Minimal.” She was starting to lookpeeved.

“Guns even?” He held back his laugh until she threw up her hands. “See. Look at mybeautifulship. Fast and she can come round in under two,” heboasted.

“Well, we should get back to your beautiful ship before your crusty crew eats everything,” she said and he again laughed at the pout in her voice andexpression.

“I’ll agree there. The crew is crusty,” he said taking her hand as she led him back down the path. At the bottom, before he retrieved the basket, he pulled her against him. “And while I’ve not seen her myself, Mia, I’ll allow that yours is probably a most beautifulship.”

She leaned in and set her hands against his chest. “Prettier than yours?” she asked, looking at him a bit sideways and more than a bitcoquettishly.

“If she is anything like her owner, I might concede.” He bent his head intending to get one more taste of her until he could feasttonight.

“Captain? Mrs. Winthrop?” He heard the call. “Captain?”

“Ah well,” he sighed settling for nothing more than a quick peck. “All aboard, I suppose.” Taking her hand and the supplies, he tugged her along at a good clip. They broke from the grove and hit the beach. Mia, a little winded, bent and put her hands on herknees.

“It would have been faster and easier to jump,” she said with a laugh as she clutched herside.

“I’ll take your word, but I’m not going to find out,” Devin said pulling her along then helping her climb into the lastboat.

“Had a moment to worry about you, Captain,” Mr. Quiggly said, as the boat was shoved into the wave. “Thought maybe Mrs. Winthrop committed mutiny after all, drowned you in the pond.” A nervous chuckle went around as the men took up the oars and startedrowing.

Devin and Mia looked at each other and while he said it with humor and she said it with a pout, they both said at the same time. “Wasn’t deep enough.” The laughter was enough to disrupt the synchronized rowing. And everyone chuckled as they boarded the ship and made ready tosail.

Damn yes, and praise to God. He was a very luckyman.

Chapter 10

Mia nearly chokedat the comical look on Devin’s face as the man next to him finished his tale. She supposed maybe it was more some men’s nature to never throw caution to the wind and take risks, even small ones. Papa always said the greater the risk the greater the rewards, or the tragedies. But always somethinglearned.

Apparently, the men saw them at the cliffs and thought perhaps Devin changed his mind about jumping from them. Several men said they’d like to try it and a few stories about daring acts in the pursuit of fun and adventure were told. Her husband might know what her mother meant with those words chiseled into the stone, but he didn’t know what it meant to be footloose for even a moment. He wasn’t one to sail without every foot solidly attached to the boon. Cautious men though made for good sailors and even better captains. Papa was cautious, but he had his time as a younger man to chance the jibes and take risks. Mia herself still wanted to push against the currents. Marriage, especially to a man like Devin, meant staying the course. She wasn’t at all sure shecould.

“Pardon, Captain. Mrs.Winthrop?”

Mia looked up to see one of the topsmen standing by. She smiled up not yet familiar with every manaboard.

“Pardon, ma’am,” he said and she saw him color up. “We, ah, that is, these were had in the catch today and seeing as it was you that knew where the oysters were,” he stuttered, then thrust out a tincup.

Mia took the cup and looked inside. The entire bottom was at least two layers deep with pearls. Mia laughed and handed him back the bounty. “You keep them. I’ve no need. If I want, I’ll get mine from the Laccadive Sea, the Gulf of Mannar gives up beautifulones.”

“Ma’am?” the man asked reluctantly, taking back the cup. Devin snatched itaway.

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