Chapter Ten #2
“You gave me a start, even knowing you’d still be dressed in that ridiculous boy clothing.” Abigail rubbed her eyes from where she stood in front of a plush armchair near the fireplace. “Thank heavens you’re alright. I’ve been worried sick.”
Relief rushed through Josephine and she strode forward. “I need your help.”
Her friend frowned. “Why do I have a bad feeling I’m not going to like what you’re about to ask me to do?”
Josephine waved a hand. “Oh, don’t worry, I just need you to watch Lola while I’m gone.”
“And where are you going?”
“I’m taking the place of Lieutenant Caldwell’s cabin boy.”
The gasp Abigail let out could have raised the dead. “Why?”
“Ever since I first moved to Tortuga, I’ve hoped for an adventure. Going on a pirate hunt would be the adventure of a lifetime. Samantha is going, so why shouldn’t I?”
“Samantha has Christian to protect her.” After a long pause, her friend’s eyes widened. “This is because of the lieutenant, isn’t it? You want to use it as an excuse to spend more time in his company.”
Josephine pulled her lip between her teeth.
Deep inside, her heart betrayed her, thudding in agreement to the accusation.
“I don’t know. Maybe. My father wants me to marry an old merchant.
One I’ve hardly ever even spoken to. When I met the lieutenant, I felt something. Something I’ve never felt before.”
“Just because you felt something doesn’t give you license to act so foolishly. It’s a terrible plan. You’re only going to make him mad at you. And then you’ll be stuck on a ship with him.” Abigail shuddered.
“I know, I know.” Josephine looked over her shoulder at the open window. “I can’t explain it, but I feel certain I’m meant to go.”
“Or, you could stay here with me until Lieutenant Caldwell returns and win his attention the traditional way.”
“If I wait, I might miss my chance entirely. He wrote to my father, which means I won’t have very long before I have to go back to Tortuga. Besides, didn’t you tell me about all the women who have tried and failed to catch his eye the traditional way?”
Her friend threw up her arms. “Why the lieutenant? You danced with several young men tonight that are infinitely better choices than him.”
Josephine paused. “If I go back to Tortuga, I’ll never know if something could have come from it. It will drive me mad.”
Abigail’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “Fine. But don’t make me say I told you so.”
With a squeal, Josephine rushed forward to embrace her friend. “Thank you.” She turned and headed to her room. “I must pack quickly, I haven’t much time to get down to the docks.”
Abigail nodded. “I’ll gather some things for you as well.”
Josephine made quick work of repacking her things. A pirate hunt. A shiver ran down her spine. She would be safe with the lieutenant. He had over a hundred well trained men and a heavily armed ship. Besides, Samantha had said Thorne would probably be long gone by the time they got there.
Abigail walked in with an armful of items. “Here, if you’re going to woo your lieutenant, these might help.
” She passed over a bundle of ribbons, a pretty yellow dress and a bottle of perfume before looking her up and down.
She shook her head. “How is it that I end up with all the unconventional friends?”
Josephine’s smile widened as she finished packing and slung the bag over her shoulder. “I hope I get to meet those friends.” She walked over to where Lola slept and stroked the soft feathers on her back. “You be good for Abigail.”
She hugged her friend. “Thank you. I look forward to telling you all about my adventures.”
Abigail gave an uneasy smile. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”
“I will.”
Moments later, she hopped to the ground. She waved to Abigail and slung the pack over her shoulder. The walk back into town took over an hour, and by the time the tall masts of the Tempest came into view, sweat dripped down Josephine’s back.
She pulled out the slip of paper and started down to the docks. Only a few men walked up the gangplank and she quickened her pace. Wouldn’t do to be late.
The man at the bottom was not the first officer who had discovered her ruse in Tortuga. Thank heavens. She hurried over and presented the paper to the sailor. He gave her a bored look. “Cabin boy, I suppose?”
She nodded and lowered her voice. “Jack Barlow.”
He grunted and waved her on. “Best hurry. We sail within the hour.”
Each step up the ramp sent her pulse racing faster. This was it. She was going on a pirate hunt. A thrill ran through her, even as a heavy weight settled within her. Somehow, she needed to convince all these men she knew what she was doing.
Another sailor who had boarded ahead of her headed down a hatch with a rucksack over his shoulder.
She followed, climbing down a ladder to the berth deck.
Men in uniform secured polished cannons with thick ropes.
One more hatch and ladder took her into the berth deck.
A whole slew of sailors wrapped their belongings into hammocks, conversing in loud voices.
She picked her way over trunks and rucksacks, until she found an unclaimed hammock in the middle.
“A cabin boy?” One of the nearby men approached her. “I thought the lieutenant didn’t run a boy on his ship?”
She began to roll her bag into the hammock. “He must have changed his mind.”
Another one joined in. “You don’t look like you belong on a navy ship.”
She shrugged, and they returned to their previous conversation.
“And then, she spread her legs and invited me over. Best night of my life.”
Good grief. She bent her head to hide her blush.
“I heard the taverns in Wilmington are full of good doxys.”
“Sure are. Plenty to go around for all.”
One of the men punched her shoulder. “What about you, lad? Have you put your rigging to good use yet, or are you still green?”
Josephine’s eyes widened at the crude question and heat flamed across her cheeks as his meaning hit her. The man laughed at her obvious discomfort. “That’s too bad. Mayhap we’ll take you to a brothel ashore and we can treat you to your first. It’s how most of us gained our experience.”
“And still do!” Another voice chimed in, prompting a chorus of laughter.
Good Lord. Men were pigs. Rutting pigs.
She did not—could not—answer and turned her back to them, pretending to unpack some things into the hammock.
As the sailors secured their own hammocks and left to start work on the decks above, Josephine stared at the wood boards beneath her feet.
Did Lieutenant Caldwell visit brothels like his men?
Her stomach gave an uncomfortable lurch as she pictured him with a busty woman who looked an awful lot like Colette.
She shook the image from her head. No, he was a respectable man.
Another image flashed. This time it was definitely Colette, standing with her arms crossed. Josephine could almost hear her voice. Oh, you poor naive thing.