Unexpected Treasure: A High Seas Adventure by Tammy Andresen Page B

angel had just been.  Her golden hair had tickled his nose and her body had fit just right against him when he had pulled her close. He ran his fingers through his hair. He’d been at sea too long.
    The captain dropped down from the hatch and landed next to Rex. “What is the hold up?”
    “Perhaps I should have sent you down here, I frightened the only passenger I came across.” Rex held up his hand.
    A grimace flitted across the captain’s face, “Which one?”
    “I don’t know her name, blond hair, large blue eyes, a body―”
    “Sarah,” the captain supplied. “Keeps to herself. Which is smart. She didn’t happen to say if the baby has come?”
    “It came.” Rex frowned. A baby made this so much more complicated. He was beginning to regret his decision to collect these people. He ran a hand thorough his hair again. He didn’t mean that. He had missed an opportunity to save an innocent women and it weighed heavily on his thoughts. But time was of the essence and moving a woman who had just given birth and a baby made this much more difficult.
    “I’ll go get Cook. I’ll join you to move the women in two shakes of a stick. Thank you again. You’ve undoubtedly saved our lives.”
    Rex gave a single nod. The captain was right, of course. But under normal circumstances the captain should have been suspicious of a strange boat pulling up and offering passage. It was a testament to how desperate the man was that he was willing to trust a complete stranger. Of course, Rex would deliver them safely back to England but for all the man knew, Rex could be selling them into slavery.
    He marched down the hall and stood in front of the door where the angel had disappeared. “Sarah,” he repeated the name whispering off his lips. Didn’t seem right, her having a regular name. He gave a knock on the door, then opened it.
    A matronly woman stood in his path.  “Yes,” her sharp voice cut over the noise of the storm.
    “I’m here to bring you to safety. The captain has ordered everyone to abandon ship.”
    “How do we know the captain has actually given that order?” Sarah called from in the room.
    “He will be on deck to assure you himself. Please, ladies, we must hurry.” He tried not to simply throw open the door and snatch the woman up. Did she not understand this vessel was in immediate danger?
    The matron, as he now thought of her, looked him up and down. He glanced over her shoulder to see Sarah holding a baby swaddled in blankets. Her face was near euphoric. It made her look even more angelic and he sucked in his breath. His entire body tightened at the sight.
    Tearing his eyes from her, he looked at the woman on the bed. Her eyes were half closed and she lay limply against the pillows. She looked like she had been through hell. “Bloody bullocks,” he whispered to himself.
    “Excuse me,” the older woman’s voice demanded.
    “Ma’am, we have to go now. This ship could sink at any moment.” He pushed past her. “Can you carry the baby?” He looked at Sarah. She eyed him warily.
    “Ladies, please. The captain’s voice boomed down the hall. We must not tarry.”
    Without delaying another minute, Rex picked up the woman on the bed. She was limp in his arms. His doubts were replaced with sympathy.
    “Where is your husband? We will collect him―”
    “Her husband is dead.” Sarah’s voice caught.
    He gave a single nod and then turned for the door. The captain and Cook were there, the captain whispering to the matron. She looked defiant but started out of the room.
    The boat gave another lurch, and he watched Sarah grab for the wall to keep from falling with the baby. “We have to go now.” His voice boomed over the rushing waves.
    This time, everyone scrambled to follow his command. The captain led the way with Cook and the matron behind him. Sarah was just in front of him and his eyes wandered over her long blond hair, half falling out of its bun, then down to her tiny waist and the