the next morning, there were many more sounds to be heard. Colton was gone and so was the chicken, but she knew without a doubt that he had been there all night with her, holding her. From the large windows, she could see a dock and workmen busily moving crates back and forth. She jumped out of bed and quickly donned clean undergarments and dress. Returning to sit and watch all the commotion, she barely noticed when Willy entered and brought her some breakfast.
“ May I have some fresh water and a bowl?” she asked before he slipped away.
“ Certainly. I hope you were able to sleep well, Olivia. The storm tossed us a fair bit and rained a river down on us. Might ye be wanting a bath?”
Olivia turned to face him. “Is that possible?” She smiled delightfully. She had not washed her hair since the evening before stowing away on the ship. A bath sounded like pure heaven.
“ I can make it happen for you.” Willy tucked his thumbs in his pockets cockily.
“ Only if it isn't too much trouble, and the water isn't needed for the rest of the crew, and—”
“ The Cap'n has already left the ship, but Mr. Timms already said it would be all right.”
“ Then I would greatly appreciate a bath, Willy.” Olivia sighed as he left and snuggled under the blanket. She could still feel the heavy sated feeling in her bones, but she was even more confused today. He said he would only kiss her and then... Her cheeks flooded with heat. That was so much more than kissing and he said so many wonderful things like wanting and needing her. He was so impassioned and absorbed in the moment that it had to be more than just lust. Didn’t it? Perhaps she was being naive again. Perhaps that’s just how it was between any man and woman. It made her feel a little sick to think that Colton could be that way with any woman.
Willy came back with a hipbath and assured her that the water was heating in the galley. Then he returned carrying pale after pale of steaming water. Soon the bath was filled, and Willy returned with two more buckets. “Mr. Timms say you need extra for your hair.” Willy gestured to Olivia's wild mass of curls.
“ You are my hero, Willy, and Mr. Timms is correct. I wonder how he knows so much about women.”
The boy beamed under her flattery. “I don't rightly know. He used to be a vicar, but now he is first mate. I think he knows everything.”
“ He must indeed.” Olivia chuckled at the boy’s exuberance.
“ I'll let you get to it then. Just ring for me when you're ready to be rid of the tub.”
“ Thank you, Willy.”
Left alone, Olivia undressed and sunk into the blissfully hot water. How quickly she had forgotten the simple of joy of bathing in a tub rather than a simple cleansing with a cloth and basin. It was heaven. She washed quickly before the water cooled, her hair taking the longest. After toweling herself dry and dressing, she returned to the windows to watch the busy dock and brush out her hair. The sky was gray and dreary, the water murky and brown with floating debris crowding around the pilings. Everything her eyes touched upon looked filthy.
She hoped Devon could be found soon and prayed that he was safe.
She braided her hair and rang for Willy. He took the bath and water away and returned to inquire d if she would like to come to the deck.
She donned Colton’s cloak and followed him out to the main deck where many of the crew were resting and sipping from tin mugs. She followed Willy up onto the quarterdeck where Mr. Timms was waiting.
“ Are you going to tie me to the mast now?” She smiled at him.
“ I've been given leave to do so, Lady Olivia,” he said without emotion.
Olivia's smile wilted. “I hope you won't feel the need to.”
“ It all depends on you.”
Olivia looked to Willy and the boy shrugged.
“Well, I suppose I will just stand over here and see what dock life is like during the mornings.”
Willy and Mr. Timms did not respond.
Olivia looked out over the
“ May I have some fresh water and a bowl?” she asked before he slipped away.
“ Certainly. I hope you were able to sleep well, Olivia. The storm tossed us a fair bit and rained a river down on us. Might ye be wanting a bath?”
Olivia turned to face him. “Is that possible?” She smiled delightfully. She had not washed her hair since the evening before stowing away on the ship. A bath sounded like pure heaven.
“ I can make it happen for you.” Willy tucked his thumbs in his pockets cockily.
“ Only if it isn't too much trouble, and the water isn't needed for the rest of the crew, and—”
“ The Cap'n has already left the ship, but Mr. Timms already said it would be all right.”
“ Then I would greatly appreciate a bath, Willy.” Olivia sighed as he left and snuggled under the blanket. She could still feel the heavy sated feeling in her bones, but she was even more confused today. He said he would only kiss her and then... Her cheeks flooded with heat. That was so much more than kissing and he said so many wonderful things like wanting and needing her. He was so impassioned and absorbed in the moment that it had to be more than just lust. Didn’t it? Perhaps she was being naive again. Perhaps that’s just how it was between any man and woman. It made her feel a little sick to think that Colton could be that way with any woman.
Willy came back with a hipbath and assured her that the water was heating in the galley. Then he returned carrying pale after pale of steaming water. Soon the bath was filled, and Willy returned with two more buckets. “Mr. Timms say you need extra for your hair.” Willy gestured to Olivia's wild mass of curls.
“ You are my hero, Willy, and Mr. Timms is correct. I wonder how he knows so much about women.”
The boy beamed under her flattery. “I don't rightly know. He used to be a vicar, but now he is first mate. I think he knows everything.”
“ He must indeed.” Olivia chuckled at the boy’s exuberance.
“ I'll let you get to it then. Just ring for me when you're ready to be rid of the tub.”
“ Thank you, Willy.”
Left alone, Olivia undressed and sunk into the blissfully hot water. How quickly she had forgotten the simple of joy of bathing in a tub rather than a simple cleansing with a cloth and basin. It was heaven. She washed quickly before the water cooled, her hair taking the longest. After toweling herself dry and dressing, she returned to the windows to watch the busy dock and brush out her hair. The sky was gray and dreary, the water murky and brown with floating debris crowding around the pilings. Everything her eyes touched upon looked filthy.
She hoped Devon could be found soon and prayed that he was safe.
She braided her hair and rang for Willy. He took the bath and water away and returned to inquire d if she would like to come to the deck.
She donned Colton’s cloak and followed him out to the main deck where many of the crew were resting and sipping from tin mugs. She followed Willy up onto the quarterdeck where Mr. Timms was waiting.
“ Are you going to tie me to the mast now?” She smiled at him.
“ I've been given leave to do so, Lady Olivia,” he said without emotion.
Olivia's smile wilted. “I hope you won't feel the need to.”
“ It all depends on you.”
Olivia looked to Willy and the boy shrugged.
“Well, I suppose I will just stand over here and see what dock life is like during the mornings.”
Willy and Mr. Timms did not respond.
Olivia looked out over the
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