empty these past years without you, my dearest little Spaniard."
Magdalena swallowed, unable to speak, but the love in her eyes spoke for her as she continued to stand in the curve of his arm.
Geoffrey's expression changed as he caught sight of the scattering of pine-studded cays and islets directly off to starboard. Soon, he thought.
"Magdalena, go below and gather up any belongings you can carry. Ask Sir Basil to do the same, my dear. Then wait until I send for you. Master Davis, give Doña Magdalena a hand. Then take care of that list of supplies and see that they are stored in the boat," Geoffrey ordered his steward, who was standing nearby and anxiously watching the sails that seemed to loom closer astern with each passing minute. "Have Masters Waterston, Randall, and Lawson on the quarterdeck immediately."
"Geoffrey? What is this? I do not understand," Magdalena said, an uneasiness beginning to show on her face.
"My dear, if we can't lose them in the islands, then we've got to turn and fight. It is our only hope. I don't want you and Lily on board if it comes to that."
"No, Geoffrey, I won't leave you. I won't!" Magdalena cried.
"I will not have you aboard, Magdalena. If I have to tie you up and put you in that boat myself, I will see you off this ship when we go into battle. Do you understand? I had no choice before. I do now, and I will not further endanger your lives. My dear, I would worry too much if I knew you were on board. Please understand. Besides, the men are a superstitious lot, and as charming as you are, they've not rested easy knowing a woman was on board. They will feel luck is on their side if you and Lily are not aboard," he told her frankly.
"Geoffrey, what purpose is there in my surviving should . . . ? No, I will not leave your side. Don't ask this of me, Geoffrey. Please!" Magdalena pleaded, her nails cutting into his palm as she held on to his hand.
Geoffrey raised her hands to his lips. "I do not ask it of you. You will go ashore in the boat. You will take our daughter out of danger. Nothing must happen to you, and to the child you carry, Magdalena. Sir Basil will accompany you. Have faith, heartling! Was there ever a ship that could best the Arion ? They will regret crossing her bow, mark my words," Geoffrey Christian promised, sounding like the familiar, reckless captain of the Arion . " 'Sdeath, but I've not fired my last shot yet! Let them come, and we shall see who sails away with his colors still flying boldly for all to see. Ah, Master Waterson, and Masters Randall and Lawson, just the gentlemen I wished to see. We've got some business to attend to. My dear, please, do as I ask," Geoffrey told Magdalena, who continued to stand beside him, an obstinate look in her eye. With a last glance, which he ignored, she slowly turned away and followed the steward below.
"Master Lawson. When we get well into the islands, and if we can't shake the Spaniard, before our enemy gets within range, I want you to lower the boat and row my wife and daughter and Sir Basil Whitelaw ashore. Sir Basil is a very important gentleman with information vital to our country and the safety of the queen; we must protect him at all costs."
Master Lawson, who would gladly die for his captain, opened his mouth to protest having to leave the ship just before the battle. But he realized the crew would feel easier having the woman off the ship. Nothing good had ever come of having a woman on board ship. Bad luck, it was, he thought. And the gentleman, Sir Basil, would only be in the way. "Aye, Cap'n, ye can count on me to see them safely ashore."
"Thank you, Master Lawson. Now, John, let us plan our strategy," Geoffrey Christian said to his first mate, but before he could continue he was racked by a fit of coughing which left a trickle of blood dribbling down his chin from the corner of his mouth.
"Cap'n, sir, ye'd best sit down and let me or Master Davis have a look at that. That wound in your side looks bad,
Magdalena swallowed, unable to speak, but the love in her eyes spoke for her as she continued to stand in the curve of his arm.
Geoffrey's expression changed as he caught sight of the scattering of pine-studded cays and islets directly off to starboard. Soon, he thought.
"Magdalena, go below and gather up any belongings you can carry. Ask Sir Basil to do the same, my dear. Then wait until I send for you. Master Davis, give Doña Magdalena a hand. Then take care of that list of supplies and see that they are stored in the boat," Geoffrey ordered his steward, who was standing nearby and anxiously watching the sails that seemed to loom closer astern with each passing minute. "Have Masters Waterston, Randall, and Lawson on the quarterdeck immediately."
"Geoffrey? What is this? I do not understand," Magdalena said, an uneasiness beginning to show on her face.
"My dear, if we can't lose them in the islands, then we've got to turn and fight. It is our only hope. I don't want you and Lily on board if it comes to that."
"No, Geoffrey, I won't leave you. I won't!" Magdalena cried.
"I will not have you aboard, Magdalena. If I have to tie you up and put you in that boat myself, I will see you off this ship when we go into battle. Do you understand? I had no choice before. I do now, and I will not further endanger your lives. My dear, I would worry too much if I knew you were on board. Please understand. Besides, the men are a superstitious lot, and as charming as you are, they've not rested easy knowing a woman was on board. They will feel luck is on their side if you and Lily are not aboard," he told her frankly.
"Geoffrey, what purpose is there in my surviving should . . . ? No, I will not leave your side. Don't ask this of me, Geoffrey. Please!" Magdalena pleaded, her nails cutting into his palm as she held on to his hand.
Geoffrey raised her hands to his lips. "I do not ask it of you. You will go ashore in the boat. You will take our daughter out of danger. Nothing must happen to you, and to the child you carry, Magdalena. Sir Basil will accompany you. Have faith, heartling! Was there ever a ship that could best the Arion ? They will regret crossing her bow, mark my words," Geoffrey Christian promised, sounding like the familiar, reckless captain of the Arion . " 'Sdeath, but I've not fired my last shot yet! Let them come, and we shall see who sails away with his colors still flying boldly for all to see. Ah, Master Waterson, and Masters Randall and Lawson, just the gentlemen I wished to see. We've got some business to attend to. My dear, please, do as I ask," Geoffrey told Magdalena, who continued to stand beside him, an obstinate look in her eye. With a last glance, which he ignored, she slowly turned away and followed the steward below.
"Master Lawson. When we get well into the islands, and if we can't shake the Spaniard, before our enemy gets within range, I want you to lower the boat and row my wife and daughter and Sir Basil Whitelaw ashore. Sir Basil is a very important gentleman with information vital to our country and the safety of the queen; we must protect him at all costs."
Master Lawson, who would gladly die for his captain, opened his mouth to protest having to leave the ship just before the battle. But he realized the crew would feel easier having the woman off the ship. Nothing good had ever come of having a woman on board ship. Bad luck, it was, he thought. And the gentleman, Sir Basil, would only be in the way. "Aye, Cap'n, ye can count on me to see them safely ashore."
"Thank you, Master Lawson. Now, John, let us plan our strategy," Geoffrey Christian said to his first mate, but before he could continue he was racked by a fit of coughing which left a trickle of blood dribbling down his chin from the corner of his mouth.
"Cap'n, sir, ye'd best sit down and let me or Master Davis have a look at that. That wound in your side looks bad,
Similar Books
