So, Gus wasthe ship’s Quarter Master. I knew that was, like, assistantmanager, or something. I wondered what Finn’s job was. They werealways together with the captain, so it was of some sort ofimportance. If I were to survive and try to fix the mistake Icreated, then I had to win over these two men. Finn was easy, and Iknew his secret. However, Gus was a mystery.
Finn came backwith two bowls of a pale, lumpy slop and two lobs of stalebread.
“Eat,”he ordered and slid one serving in front of me.
I glanced downinto the bowl and stirred the questionable substance with thesilver spoon.
“What isthis?”
“What’sthe matter?” Finn blurted out between chews. “Ye ain’t never seenporridge where ye come from?”
My eyeswidened in surprise. “Oh, no, I’ve seen porridge. I make adelicious one, actually, with brown sugar and raisins and asprinkle of chopped walnuts.” I licked my lips and then glanceddown. “But this is not porridge. This is… watery goo. I can’tbelieve you eat this.”
The two menexchanged curious glances.
“Wheredid you say you were from, again?” asked Gus.
Startled, Ifought to find words. “The mainland?”
“Whereon the mainland?” Finn added.
Just then, thecook came over to our table and laid a tray down next to us. “Goodmorning.”
My handlerssmiled and tipped their heads. I copied them.
“I trustyou slept well, miss?”
“Yes,thank you,” I replied and cast a sideways look to Finn who wasgrinning behind his chunk of bread.
“What’sour course?” Alfred asked the two pirates.
“Thecaptain thinks we may find the Cobhams by week’s end, if they bewhere he thinks,” Finn told him. “Then I reckon blood will beshed.”
Alfred lookeddistraught, but I saw how he quickly hid his expression, masking itwith a fake smile. “Would you gentlemen be so kind as to bring thecaptain his breakfast? He refuses to leave his quarters againtoday.”
Now I was thecurious one. “Why won’t he leave? Is he okay?”
Finn openedhis mouth to speak but Gus cut him off. “Now, that be none of yerbusiness, wench.”
“Look,my name is not wench. It’s Dianna,” I yelled at the pirate. Helooked taken aback at my sudden forwardness. But I’d had enough.Seriously. These were all rough and tough pirates, they were beingridiculous. “I know about goodporridge,” I risked a quick sideways glance at Alfred,“because I am an exceptional cook. And yes, I am a woman. On yourship. But that doesn’t mean I’m bad luck. Get over yourselves,you’re supposed to be a bunch of men. Not a bunch of sissies.” Istood to leave and swiped my stale bun. Better to have something inmy stomach, and there was no way I’d even try that slop.
But Finngrabbed my arm. “Not so fast, lassie.” He stood to meet me andscooped up the tray of food that Alfred brought over. “The captainawaits.”
“Noneed, Finn,” a deep, raspy voice spoke from behind us.
I cranked myneck to find Captain Devil Eyed Barrett standing at the base of theladder, all decked out in his black leather, and he started towardus. Now that my brain had a chance to settle and process my newreality, I could look at him with a clearer view. The dark,terrifying eyes, the intimidating outfit, and the way he carriedhimself… he was everything I dreamed a ruthless pirate wouldbe.
But he wasalso unbelievably handsome. My eyes scanned the jagged line of hisjaw and admired the beastly broadness of his shoulders. Devil Eyeswas the epitome of a Harlequin Romance novel hero. Only… he was nohero. He was a monster. The very monster who’d killed sweetHenry.
Everyone stoodin respect as their captain made his way over to our table. “Sit,”he ordered, and they obeyed. He stopped next to Finn and lookeddown at the food tray he held, a look of pure disappointment clearacross his face. He hated the slop just as much as I did.
“Captain,” Alfred hastily butt in and grabbed the tray fromFinn, “Let me warm this up for you.”
Devil Eyesforced a smile and a curt nod. “Yes, that would be wonderful, thankyou.”
As Alfredscuttled off back behind his counter, the captain took a seat nextto Gus, refusing to even throw a glance my way. Was I thatterrifying? What threat could a single woman possibly pose on aship? I played along like a child, not looking at him, either.
Instead,I cast my eyes over to Alfred who appeared to be acting strangely.Only a few men remained down on the mess deck, the rest were up topand tending to their duties, so no one really paid attention to thestrange cook and he didn’t notice me as I watched him fiddle withthe captain’s food; scooping the porridge back into a warmpot, his eyes flittingaround the room nervously.
Then, to mysurprise, I saw him pull a small vial from his apron pocket. Themanner in which he handled it, with care and secrecy, told me itwas something bad. Alfred grabbed the steaming pot and dumped theslop back into the bowl, then quickly poured the contents of thevial in with it. I realized, then, what he was doing.
He waspoisoning the captain.
Panic filledmy veins and threw my heart into overdrive. I had two options infront of me. Sit back and say nothing, allowing this man to commitmurder in front of my eyes. It would save the Cobhams and, byextension, save my entire lineage.
Or I couldstop him.
I argued withmyself as Alfred carefully carried the tray back over to our table.He set it down in front of Devil Eyes and slowly backed away, anevil grin smeared across his face. I couldn’t believe what I waswitnessing. But the good person inside me took over my body and Ithrew myself across the table, knocking the tray and the spoon fullof slop right out of the captain’s hands.
Withinseconds, the pirates in the room had me surrounded and Gus grabbeda hold of my arms, securing them tightly behind my back. Devil Eyesstood and
