Chapter 25
Twenty-Five
WILLIAM
Consciousness eluded me no matter how many times I tried to force myself awake.
I heard Damon’s voice, Henry’s, and then voices I didn’t recognise.
I struggled to open my eyes, but I barely got a look at the captain all in black before I was being lowered over the side of the ship.
Pain ripped through me with each movement, and consciousness slipped away again.
When it came back, the world was quiet except for the quiet lap of the water against the sides of the longboat and the oars slicing through the surface.
My head was cushioned on Jane’s lap. I could hear her gentle cries as we rowed away from the ship.
My mind protested, I wasn’t supposed to get off with them, but my body wouldn’t cooperate and I faded again a moment later.
At one point, I woke to the sound of Governor Davenport’s voice. He sounded annoyed. I didn’t catch what he was complaining about, but I heard the girls arguing against him.
“He saved our lives multiple times, Father,” Jane protested. “He kept them away from us.”
“He stopped them from hurting Jane,” Daisy whispered. “They almost…”
Governor Davenport made an irritated sound. “It is his job to care for you. He gets no special commendations for that.”
For the first time I think ever, Henry joined his siblings in speaking against his father.
His voice was firm, borderline cold, and when I cracked my eyes open, he was toe to toe with the man.
“It wasn’t only their lives he saved. It was mine, too.
He’s going to get the best treatment available until he’s back on his feet.
You owe him at least that much for keeping your heir alive. ”
Governor Davenport’s brows snapped together.
He never expected his only son to argue with him.
Henry followed his father’s word like law and was always happy to go along with whatever his father asked of him.
He wasn’t backing down this time, though.
I’d be flattered if I didn’t worry what Henry would demand in return for getting me seen to. There was always a catch with him.
For a moment, they stared at each other, neither backing down, but it was Henry who came out the victor when Governor Davenport relented. “Fine. Move him to the servant’s quarters. He can rest there.”
“He can rest in a guest room,” Henry snapped. “And call in the best doctors in a hundred miles.”
He walked away without waiting for his father to disagree with him. Jane stood by, frowning at the staff as they moved me. Daisy held her hand, her tear-stained cheeks red in the fire's light. But her chin lifted, and she hid the emotions, following as they moved me to the guest room.
I was almost proud that Henry was growing a backbone. Jane was stronger now too, braver, not so timid. And Daisy spoke up for herself, despite fearing her father. Maybe being kidnapped by pirates wasn’t the worst thing in the world for any of them. It changed them. Just like it changed me.
It took weeks for me to fully heal. I wasn’t conscious for all of it.
An infection tried to set in at one point, and they had to move me somewhere to clean out the wound surgically.
I thought at one point I wouldn’t survive it.
It was painful and despite sleeping most of the day, I was always exhausted, my body just on the edge of giving out.
It was the little things that showed the passage of time.
Daisy coming to read to me. Jane sitting by my bedside, telling me about life in the port.
Even Henry stopped by a few times, though he said little to me.
He spoke to the doctor, who sat in my room, demanding updates.
Still a little shit, as usual. I’d say something if I could force my eyes open for more than a few minutes at a time.
When I finally felt strong enough to wake fully, I had no idea how much time had passed.
It was bright out, warm wind and sunlight spilling through the open balcony door.
The room I was in was obviously not for servants.
Thick mattress, expensive bedding, curtains that were tied to the posts of the bed.
I cleaned rooms like this when Henry had guests over.
The plush carpets on the floor were a bitch to clean, especially when stained with wine, like Henry’s guests were wont to do.
I felt uncomfortable even breathing in this room. I didn’t belong in a place like this.
Tossing the blankets off my legs, I sat up slowly.
The room was empty, which was a first. The few times I got my eyes open, there was always someone in here with me.
Swinging my legs over the edge of the bed, I flinched at the tug in my abdomen.
Lifting my tunic, I pulled the covering away to peek at the wound.
It was bigger than I expected, but well on its way to healing.
“An inch to the left, and you wouldn’t have survived that first night,” a voice said frankly. “It’s a miracle you survived at all.”
Turning to face the speaker, I frowned at the unfamiliar man.
“I never expected to survive,” I said honestly.
“I only wanted to protect my charges.” And Damon’s ship.
I was in the wrong place to say that, though.
If anyone here thought I was even remotely supportive of pirates, they’d have me hanged.
The man hummed, moving to stand in front of me.
“That’s why you were given the best care possible.
Your charges demanded it. As did your captor.
Kidnapped me from my own home to make sure you survived.
” His eyes narrowed, like he was calling my bluff.
My heart swelled at the thought of Damon going so far to make sure I was okay, but I masked my expression, giving away nothing.
Changing the subject, I asked, “Am I allowed to move around?”
Pressing his lips tightly together, he gave me a look that said he wasn’t pleased with my evasion. He wouldn’t get anything else from me, though, so if that was all he was here for, then he might as well leave. I’d figure things out myself.
“Does it still hurt?” he finally asked.
“It pulls a little,” I replied with a shrug. “I can manage.”
He nodded, lifting the tunic to check the wound himself. “A little pain is normal. It will fade with time. If the pain gets worse, you should inform me immediately. You survived one infection. I’m not confident you’ll survive another without immediate care.”
He was a cheery one, this doctor. But he left me alone after handing me a change of clothes, so at least he wasn’t going to interrogate me for hours.
I was pulling on my boots when Henry stormed in. His eyes scanned me and narrowed. “Should you be out of bed? You’re still injured.”
“Doc says I’m fine,” I replied, pushing to my feet. “How long have I been out of it?”
“Two weeks,” Henry growled. He marched up to me and grabbed a fistful of my tunic, trying to force it up and out of his way. I caught his hand and pushed him back, scowling at him.
“You’re not a doctor, Henry. Leave it be. I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine!” he bellowed. It surprised me. I was used to his tantrums, but this wasn’t a tantrum. He was truly angry with me. “I watched you get stabbed! I watched you bleed out! If I hadn’t forced that stupid pirate to let you come with us, you would have died!”
Drawing in a breath, I let it out slowly, summoning my patience. “It wasn’t as though I asked for this, Henry. Believe me, I could have gone my whole life without being stabbed. We were attacked. I–”
“We could have escaped at least a dozen times if you weren’t so busy bending over for the captain,” Henry hissed.
His hand was still fisted in my tunic, refusing to release me no matter how hard I pushed him away.
I couldn’t push him off without risking injury.
“We even stopped at a few ports. We could’ve gotten off the ship with your help.
Gotten away. You were the reason we were stuck there as long as we were. ”
My eyes rolled so hard, it almost gave me a headache. “You have no idea what kind of ports those were. The first one, at least, was so dangerous, I was attacked just walking down the road. You think it would’ve been safe to bring Daisy there? To bring Jane?”
His tirade wavered a little. Even if I thought about us escaping, I never would’ve let them set foot on Tortuga. At least on the Devil’s Revenge, they were unharmed. Two minutes in Tortuga and the consequences would have been deadly.
“And need I remind you, I am not your guard. I wasn’t even trained to hold a sword before the crew offered to show me.
How, exactly, could I have protected the three of you on an unknown island that the crew chose specifically because the royal navy didn’t bother to come there very often?
Sometimes it’s better to stick with the devil you know. ”
“That doesn’t change the fact that he was fucking you.” He sounded petulant, the wind taken out of his sails and a familiar whine in its place.
A few months ago, I would have been embarrassed to have my sex life thrown in my face. But I wasn’t that boy anymore. I was a man who liked sex with other men. There was nothing wrong with that. “Who I have sex with is none of your business, Henry.”
“Yes, it is!” he shouted. “You belong to me!”
Before I could open my mouth to argue, he used his grip on my tunic to tug me forward, slamming his lips against mine. It was hard to fight him off when each movement tugged on my wound, but I shoved him off when he attempted to stick his tongue in my mouth.
“Don’t fucking touch me,” I snarled. “I’m not yours. I was a manservant in your household. That’s it. I’m not interested in more. I never will be.”
His head jerked back hard. It was like I slapped him in the face.
I never knew Henry was interested in me.
It wouldn’t have mattered if I did. I would never stoop so low as to start a dalliance with someone like him.
He was a petulant man child who wouldn’t know the meaning of hard work if it was shoved in his face.
I would never be with someone like that.
We stared at each other for a moment, and a momentary passing of guilt flitted through my gut when I saw the hurt on his face.
“If I did something to make you think–”
“You didn’t,” he interrupted, his voice low and his expression dark.
“I figured you were too stupid to realise. I would have made it clearer after the trip was through. But he got to you first.” He clenched his fists at his sides, glaring at the floor.
“You saved my life the day we were taken. Then again, the night of the attack. I saved you when you were hurt and got you the best care out there. We’re even. ”
Spinning on his heel, he stomped to the door, pausing before he stepped out. “I could make you happy, you know. You could be happy.”
“I was happiest at sea, Henry. I never planned to come back with you. I don’t belong here.”
Pain and heartache were quickly masked by a deep scowl, and he glared at me once more before walking away. I sat heavily on the edge of my bed, my mind whirling. Where the hell had that come from?