Maxwell’s frigate docked late into the next afternoon without any further complications. Sandra pondered if the crew behaved themselves because she had the power to poison them or if they were worried that Hodari might discard them overboard as chum. While she served them, the brunette paid attention. They were drinking as they played a card game that she was unfamiliar with. The sailors gambled chores like scrubbing the deck.
The boy with long hair and orange eyes sat on a barrel, watching the card game. Half of his hair was white. The other half of his hair was black. Sandra studied his bandaged arms. His bandaged arms didn’t seem to stop him from holding the bowl or the spoon.80Please respect copyright.PENANA7mLvuQonb1
“Would you like me to treat your injury?” Sandra asked.80Please respect copyright.PENANAXXuNGiB5oV
The child jumped in his seat, fear showing in his wide eyes.80Please respect copyright.PENANAfrudEgDb8p
“I don’t mean any harm, young man. What’s your name?”80Please respect copyright.PENANAqG4Et55tGM
“Sh-Sheldon.”80Please respect copyright.PENANAU0Auke3XnK
“Sheldon? That’s a handsome name. My name is Sandra.” She tiptoed closer. “Does it hurt?”80Please respect copyright.PENANA7QShVxevNY
He blinked in confusion.80Please respect copyright.PENANA1iSN1KZhUL
“Pain does not make you weak. You can trust me. I promise that I won’t tell anyone.”80Please respect copyright.PENANA5g8cR304UB
“S-sometimes?”80Please respect copyright.PENANAHpCILjJw0t
“How did you get hurt?”80Please respect copyright.PENANAzYssDpv5w6
He glanced around the gathering of crew mates.80Please respect copyright.PENANAnIxbJRwFVx
“Did someone hurt you?” She asked in a gentle voice. “Where you used to live.”80Please respect copyright.PENANAnXxVR6HLbm
He nodded.80Please respect copyright.PENANAW9aI41e1dO
“No one can hear us. They’re too busy a hootin’ and a hollerin’.” Goodness! Were the crew’s accents rubbing off on her? “Would you feel better if we spoke somewhere else?” Sheldon nodded quickly. She offered her hand to the child who was no older than her Master’s children. Has it really been over two months? It felt like yesterday that she stood transfixed by those blue eyes while the blonde man disappeared into the tavern.80Please respect copyright.PENANAyUTbSVo6ha
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Once they were at the railing, Sandra looked out across the harbour and then back at Sheldon. Part of her hoped to see the Featherstone estate looming over the village.80Please respect copyright.PENANALbTFuLqoLn
“One of the Misters who shows up a lot and asks for me instead of the pretty women, he showed up with a guy in a curly wig and one of those navy uniforms. Mister got angry when I told him what I saw. He…punished me.” Sheldon explained unprompted, unravelling the bandage covering the deep slashes in the soft, pale flesh of his upper arm; as if he was assaulted by the claws of a ferocious monster. That was startling enough, but the hairs prickled on the back of her neck. These were no ordinary claw marks. They radiated with energy that could only come from one creature. Her father had told her stories about a Nymph that humans called the Kelpie. Though Kelpies were often bound to protect freshwater and brackish lochs, there were Kelpies who behaved like Sirens of the land due to their ability to transform parts of themselves on a whim.80Please respect copyright.PENANAXDLcu9Nysp
“Where did you work before?”80Please respect copyright.PENANAYBNtcYtBBK
“With the ladies of the night.”80Please respect copyright.PENANAaE09AxSxRj
Does he mean…Prostitutes? “Where are your parents?”80Please respect copyright.PENANAt0Tl457Hiw
“I don’t know, miss.” He replied as he picked up the bandage.80Please respect copyright.PENANAeJZr2MJkaF
“May I?” Sandra offered. “I’ll refresh your bandage.”80Please respect copyright.PENANAMHBEMPNEYG
“Ya will? Gee wilikers, thanks miss!” Sheldon’s eyes lit up as if she promised him candy.80Please respect copyright.PENANAPxyUSfRWpa
“How did they end up so dirty and torn?”80Please respect copyright.PENANA0uLCvvUIdO
“From climbing the rigging, miss. It don’t hurt, I promise.”80Please respect copyright.PENANAFA7K6BJSTd
“I’ll speak with the Captain about that.”80Please respect copyright.PENANALRRhZZlws3
“You’ll do what now?” A male voice interjected. Sandra and Sheldon whirled around.80Please respect copyright.PENANAv6CAlAQS9Y
“Cap’tain, sir.” The boy saluted.80Please respect copyright.PENANAkYmPZKYiGP
“Don’t worry, kid. You’re not in trouble.”80Please respect copyright.PENANAjQCwv5SqRw
“Please don’t punish the miss, cause ‘o me.”80Please respect copyright.PENANArtjq24DW3j
“She’s not in any trouble either.” Maxwell grinned, ruffling the child’s hair. “I’ll keep an eye on you while she grabs those bandages. How does that sound to you?”80Please respect copyright.PENANAHybIh7tRay
“I think that sounds like a wonderful idea! I’ll grab them. Stay out of trouble won’t you?” No point arguing with a man-child. Oh, and she didn’t want to make the literal child anxious. Sandra pivoted and marched to Maxwell’s quarters to grab the bandages. Where does he find these people? 80Please respect copyright.PENANAoOzH0Ay0tQ
If only gathering her thoughts was as easy as stuffing everything into the medical bag.
It didn’t take long for her to address Sheldon’s bandage situation. Maxwell sent him back to the others with a small metal tin in hand.80Please respect copyright.PENANAgjVdEQt2Kn
“What’s in the tin, Maxwell?” Sandra asked, waving back to the kid as he waved to her before disappearing back into the galley.80Please respect copyright.PENANAaw970wOonX
“Candies.”80Please respect copyright.PENANAcCsRbGZf7G
“What kind of candies?” She tapped her foot impatiently and folded her arms.80Please respect copyright.PENANAAzXMhAprXm
“Sorghum drops. My personal favourite. Would you like to try some?” The blonde dug into the lining of his coat. He held out a handful of individually wrapped hard candies.80Please respect copyright.PENANAE278ihm1uW
“He’s a kid, Miss Swift. Don’t be too harsh on him.”80Please respect copyright.PENANA1fQ0NHfOho
“You’re being too soft. He could get hurt. Or worse.”80Please respect copyright.PENANAMziWX9aMqq
“Nah. He won’t.”80Please respect copyright.PENANAoZnTrBe13i
“How do you know that?”80Please respect copyright.PENANA3cmH3m6wTZ
“I don’t. What I do know is the saying ‘one ship’s cabin boy is another ship’s captain’.”80Please respect copyright.PENANAbXnhdsv5TS
“What does a silly figure of speech have to do with this?”80Please respect copyright.PENANAtBzLxV2Ie4
“It means that you shouldn’t think the boy is weak and feeble. Sheldon’s given you no reason to think such a thing. That saying is made for you of all people, Miss Swift. Change ‘cabin boy’ to maid and ‘captain’ to ship’s cook. Think about it. Yer no halfwit.”80Please respect copyright.PENANAwmaBquA6Lx
The brunette frowned, her brows knitting together. Her unflinching lips pursed tightly.80Please respect copyright.PENANALBZGXsgarn
“I’ll assume that is a compliment. Shouldn’t you discipline your crew, Captain?”80Please respect copyright.PENANAVe4I64ESDf
“What for?”80Please respect copyright.PENANAFJQ33kC37L
“They’re gambling in front of a child.”80Please respect copyright.PENANA7NRgmXgyUq
“He’s not playing. He’s watching.” The blonde shrugged his shoulders.80Please respect copyright.PENANAZgnks0t1HN
“I rest my case. You’re too soft.”80Please respect copyright.PENANABRmPsoz0iK
He laughed loudly. He wanted to pinch her cheek. She was captivating like the ocean.80Please respect copyright.PENANAvDIgMmgSA8
“No one has EVER described me as ‘soft’. The cheek of you, Miss Swift.”80Please respect copyright.PENANAYJrLGDjFrx
“You are still young, there is time yet, Mister Bayne.” Her palm patted his cheek.80Please respect copyright.PENANA2RVK0JQpqu
“That may be the most backhanded compliment you have ever given me, Miss Swift.”80Please respect copyright.PENANAEhNCCe3HoD
He leaned in close to her, his grinning lips inches from kissing her on the cheek. Sandra’s heart raced as fast as his ship had when fleeing from the Duchess’s canons.80Please respect copyright.PENANAHoFfzNk1pr
“If my crew prevents you from sleeping, inform me immediately. Then I’ll discipline them.” He stepped back and turned his gaze from her doe-eyes to the stillness of the harbour. The ex-maid moved her hand to hitch a skirt she wasn’t wearing before bowing her head. When the blonde snickered in acknowledgement, Sandra turned to leave.