Once Upon a Midnight Sea by Ava Bradley

if you encounter other inmates? Do you think they will simply stand aside and let you remove your father? I may not be as knowledgeable as an experienced thief in the ways of other thieves, but I do not believe these men will simply let you walk away without giving them a thing."
    "You forget, heiress, my father was first a thief but is foremost a political prisoner. He is kept with other non-aggressive prisoners like himself who are mostly old men. The inmates who survive six years in the main penitentiary are released to the island and forced to remain as colonists for the duration of their sentences."
    "And are forbidden from ever returning to France," Adriana's gaze slipped away. "Yes, I know of the legend of Devil's Island."
    Christian surged forward and braced his hands on the table, trapping her in between. Mere inches from her lips, he heard the slip of breath she caught.
    "Believe me, Miss Montague, for the men imprisoned there, Devil's Island is no legend."

 
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Eight
     
    Christian emerged from the hatch to a breeze like a velvet caress on his face. Henri and Ollie had sailed them through the night again. Christian had felt warm, balmy air like this once before, in the south of France.
    The water was a lighter shade of aquamarine, reaching out in front of him in gradually darkening bands of turquoise and sapphire until they finally matched the color of Adriana's eyes. Deep, impossibly vivid, heaven-sent blue.
    She stepped in front of him wearing a frigid scowl.
    "Miss Montague. Good morning."
    She was angry with him again. Blast it all, what have I done wrong now ?
    "Mr. Dupree was up most of the night again. I beg of you, put our differences aside and help me."
    "What would you have me do?" He glanced down at her hand on his forearm. As though she only now realized she'd clutched him, she snatched it away and stepped back.
    "We shall arrive at Hutchison's Island by midday. Convince Mr. Dupree to put up there until tomorrow. It is a full day's sail to Grand Bahama and I worry he may try to set out tonight. We are ahead of schedule, it will be in our best interest to rest."
    "Perhaps he does not want to rest." Christian crossed his arms over his chest. The feel of her delicate grasp resonated in his arm. "Perhaps he wishes to arrive in French Guiana as quickly as possible. Did you ever think of that? Perhaps he cares as much about rescuing my father as I."
    Adriana narrowed her eyes. "You are a selfish brute." She turned and stalked across the deck. "Good morning, Mr. Dupree. May I help you draw the anchor?"
    "She's stuck again," he replied simply. As he glanced up, Christian saw the fatigue in his eyes. Adriana was right; the old man was dead tired.
    Adriana delivered Henri a smile Christian would have paid a million franc for. "It is a wonderful morning for a swim." She turned around and that smile turned mocking as it landed on him. "And this time it is only twenty-two feet. Would you care to do the honors?"
    Ollie shot through the hatch. "I'll do it! I'll do it!" He waved both hands in the air as he ran over.
    The muscles in Christian's neck grew uncomfortably tight. "Why don't you let out the mizzen topsail as you did yesterday?"
    Adriana seemed unimpressed with his recollection of the sail name. Had he gotten it wrong?
    "The water is too shallow to risk that," Henri answered. "We're in the reef."
    "Let me do it," Ollie persisted.
    "Now Ollie, you know you don't swim very well," Adriana said, wearing that warm smile she reserved only for him.
    "But I can do it."
    "You have already done more than your fair share of the work, Ollie. You should be below right now, sleeping."
    "Let Adriana do it," Henri agreed. "You know she likes to swim."
    Adriana tossed an accusing glare Christian's way as she yanked off her boots. "For someone who claims to resent the upper classes, you are more of a dandy than practically anyone I have ever met. You act as though we are all here to serve you." She