the two vessels.
Heart pounding so hard she could hear it, she locked her legs around the yardarm and held on for all she was worth. The ship rolled to starboard, and Silver’s grasp held.
I made it! God in heaven, I made it!
Fighting to slow her heartbeat, shaking all over, Silver inched along the yardarm. There were only seconds to spare before the crew of the
Rival
would be climbing into the rigging to unfurl the sails and speed their departure. She needed to descend the ratline and blend in unnoticed. Then she’d find someplace to hide.
She could hardly believe she’d made it this far.
Please God
, she prayed,
you’ve got to set me free
.
Chapter 6
Morgan didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath until he released a sigh of relief. Silver was still in danger, but the crucial moment had passed. Besides, he silently swore, if she didn’t fall and break her neck, he was going to strangle her himself!
“Signal the
Rival
to come about and heave to,” Morgan commanded. “Then lower a shore boat.”
“Aye, Cap’n.” Wilson Demming turned to one of the crew, gave the order, and waited as colored flags were unfurled and the signal flashed across the water.
By now every man on the ship had his eyes fastened on the tiny figure descending the ratline of the rapidly departing
Rival
. There wasn’t a sailor aboard who hadn’t heard by now who it was and exactly how she got there. And there wasn’t one who didn’t admire her courage, even if he figured she must be at least half crazy.
“Get Benson and Gordon on the oars,” Morgan said to Jeremy Flagg, striding toward the starboard rail as the shore boat descended and splashed intothe sea. He climbed the rail along with the others, descended the rope ladder, and they set off in the shore boat to bridge the distance between the two ships. By the time Morgan reached the
Rival
, he was in such a blinding rage he could barely speak.
“What’s the problem?” Call McWhorter asked as Morgan climbed over the rail. The big sea captain stood a little shorter than Trask, with a stocky build and curly brown hair. He was keen-eyed and jovial, a man well liked among his men. Morgan had known him for years. There wasn’t a finer man to sail the seas.
“You’ve got something of mine,” Morgan said, though he could barely grind out the words with his jaw clamped tight.
“How’s that?”
“She climbed across the yardarm.”
“She?” he repeated, incredulous.
Morgan just grunted.
“Where is she?” Call pressed.
“Got to be here someplace, probably down in the hold.”
And I hope the damned thing’s full of rats!
he added to himself.
“I’ll have my men comb the ship.”
In minutes a surprisingly docile Salena was escorted up on deck by three brawny sailors. Morgan recognized her bitter expression as one of resignation. She stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted him standing next to the captain.
“How did you—what have I done to make you hate me so much?”
“What have you done?” he repeated. “What haven’t you done?”
Silver turned to McWhorter, her big brown eyes huge and pleading. “Captain, I beg of you. This manhas kidnapped me. He is holding me against my will. I beseech you to help me.”
McWhorter chuckled, a heavy rumble in his chest. His eyes roamed over Silver’s snug-fitting breeches, moved to the piece of frayed line that marked her tiny waist, then upward to the swell of her breast, barely concealed by the looseness of the tattered homespun shirt.
“I might believe you, gal, if it were any man but this one. He likes his ladies sweet and gentle. You’re hardly his cup o’ tea.” He chuckled again. “Course, that ripe little body o’ yours’d suit just about any man well enough.”
“I’m returning her to her father,” Morgan explained. “As soon as we reach Katonga, I’ll be rid of the willful little baggage once and for all.” He grabbed Silver’s arm and jerked her so hard her hat flew off. Wild
Heart pounding so hard she could hear it, she locked her legs around the yardarm and held on for all she was worth. The ship rolled to starboard, and Silver’s grasp held.
I made it! God in heaven, I made it!
Fighting to slow her heartbeat, shaking all over, Silver inched along the yardarm. There were only seconds to spare before the crew of the
Rival
would be climbing into the rigging to unfurl the sails and speed their departure. She needed to descend the ratline and blend in unnoticed. Then she’d find someplace to hide.
She could hardly believe she’d made it this far.
Please God
, she prayed,
you’ve got to set me free
.
Chapter 6
Morgan didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath until he released a sigh of relief. Silver was still in danger, but the crucial moment had passed. Besides, he silently swore, if she didn’t fall and break her neck, he was going to strangle her himself!
“Signal the
Rival
to come about and heave to,” Morgan commanded. “Then lower a shore boat.”
“Aye, Cap’n.” Wilson Demming turned to one of the crew, gave the order, and waited as colored flags were unfurled and the signal flashed across the water.
By now every man on the ship had his eyes fastened on the tiny figure descending the ratline of the rapidly departing
Rival
. There wasn’t a sailor aboard who hadn’t heard by now who it was and exactly how she got there. And there wasn’t one who didn’t admire her courage, even if he figured she must be at least half crazy.
“Get Benson and Gordon on the oars,” Morgan said to Jeremy Flagg, striding toward the starboard rail as the shore boat descended and splashed intothe sea. He climbed the rail along with the others, descended the rope ladder, and they set off in the shore boat to bridge the distance between the two ships. By the time Morgan reached the
Rival
, he was in such a blinding rage he could barely speak.
“What’s the problem?” Call McWhorter asked as Morgan climbed over the rail. The big sea captain stood a little shorter than Trask, with a stocky build and curly brown hair. He was keen-eyed and jovial, a man well liked among his men. Morgan had known him for years. There wasn’t a finer man to sail the seas.
“You’ve got something of mine,” Morgan said, though he could barely grind out the words with his jaw clamped tight.
“How’s that?”
“She climbed across the yardarm.”
“She?” he repeated, incredulous.
Morgan just grunted.
“Where is she?” Call pressed.
“Got to be here someplace, probably down in the hold.”
And I hope the damned thing’s full of rats!
he added to himself.
“I’ll have my men comb the ship.”
In minutes a surprisingly docile Salena was escorted up on deck by three brawny sailors. Morgan recognized her bitter expression as one of resignation. She stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted him standing next to the captain.
“How did you—what have I done to make you hate me so much?”
“What have you done?” he repeated. “What haven’t you done?”
Silver turned to McWhorter, her big brown eyes huge and pleading. “Captain, I beg of you. This manhas kidnapped me. He is holding me against my will. I beseech you to help me.”
McWhorter chuckled, a heavy rumble in his chest. His eyes roamed over Silver’s snug-fitting breeches, moved to the piece of frayed line that marked her tiny waist, then upward to the swell of her breast, barely concealed by the looseness of the tattered homespun shirt.
“I might believe you, gal, if it were any man but this one. He likes his ladies sweet and gentle. You’re hardly his cup o’ tea.” He chuckled again. “Course, that ripe little body o’ yours’d suit just about any man well enough.”
“I’m returning her to her father,” Morgan explained. “As soon as we reach Katonga, I’ll be rid of the willful little baggage once and for all.” He grabbed Silver’s arm and jerked her so hard her hat flew off. Wild
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