“That’s so very kind of you. You’re a darling man. Now please, I need to get him home as quick as I can to start scrubbing him up for the morning.”
Hearing the guard coming down the hall, I quickly pulled my shirt collar askew, messed up my hair, and leaned clumsily against the wall. I had just enough time to yank at my bottom lashes so my eyes would appear glassy, an old trick my former Captain had taught me. Playing a drunkard was the easiest role for such a situation.
The guard dashed to the door, his hands shaking as he worked the key. Over his shoulder, I saw Flora looking positively radiant. She flashed me a brilliant grin and a wink, then her pretty little face clenched in a scowl.
“You rat bastard,” she hissed. “You know what your mother will do to you if you’re not in church tomorrow.”
“Darlin’,” I drawled drunkenly. “You asked the nice man to let me out?”
The second the guard had the door open, she grabbed my ear, leading me roughly down the hall, cussing me out the entire time. She’d obviously heard every single word that Davy and Teeth had used last week when they were repairing the rigging.
The guard wasn’t able to get a word in as we passed the desk, where she stumbled for a second, then hauled me out the front door.
“You be quiet and not wake the neighbors,” she said angrily as she led me up the path.
She released my ear, but didn’t stop walking as quickly as possible. “Don’t look back,” she whispered. “Larry and Davy are right behind us, and the Fortune’s ready to sail the second we’re on deck.”
The farther we were from the jail, the faster Flora moved, until she was practically running down the path with her skirts hitched up to her knees. I heard two men behind us, one with a quick light step, and one with a heavy thump. “Lads,” I murmured, keeping pace with Flora as they came up right behind us.
“Cap’n,” they both said quietly.
Flora was glorious. Her delicate face was slightly flushed from nearly running. Her tidy hair was now messed up and rippling behind her. The skirts of her pretty new dress were clenched in her fists as she hoisted them out of the way.
I loved this woman. I knew it already, but now it was even more clear. We were meant to be, sure as the stars.
The second The Fortune’s Favor was in view, I saw the sails were already half raised, and only one rope held the ship steady. We raced along the dock and up the plank. As soon as the four of us were on deck, Teeth slipped the rope and we glided away. Once the sails were up and the ship was headed out of the channel, the crew all gathered on deck.
We stood in silence for a few minutes, waiting until we were safely away from the town.
Then O’Doule laughed. “By crikey, it worked!”
Tossing Flora into the air in joy, watching her flaxen hair float around her in the moonlight, I was dazzled by my sweet girl. Catching her in my arms, I gave her a swift kiss on the forehead. I knew it was inappropriate in front of the men, but I couldn’t help it.
“Flora, lass, you were magnificent,” I said, unabashedly filled with awe. I knew if I paused another heartbeat I wouldn’t be able to keep myself from kissing her, so I hugged her to my side. “Lads, I think after that we all need a drink.”
“Ale or rum, Captain?” McGee asked. I shot him a look. “Sorry. Rum it is.”
~ Chapter 21 ~ Flora ~
* Round Table with Rum *
We settled around the table in the galley, each of the men with a mug of rum in his hand. McGee had given me a mug as well, with a splash of rum and a few splashes of water. I noticed that the Captain had pulled his barrel right next to mine.
I took a tentative sip, trying not to flinch at the odd sensation. It really did warm me straight through, then seemed to calm me down. My heart was still racing from our adventure.
“How did you get that much money?” the Captain asked with a wide grin. “Did you boys all pool your savings?”
“It was Miss Flora,” O’Doule said warmly. “The clever girl had been saving every cent from her necklace sales. She didn’t even know how much she had, since she’d never thought of spending it.”
Looking over to the older man with pride sparkling in his eyes, I realized that this was how a father should speak about his daughter. Tears prickled as I blinked them away quickly.
O’Doule grinned. “Most of it was in gold, and we traded out the rest to make a tidy sum that no man could resist.”
I was shocked when the Captain wrapped his arms around me in front of the men. “Little lass, I’m sorry you had to spend all of your money on me. I swear, I’ll–”
He paused when he heard a sharp jangle. Reaching into the hidden pocket in my dress, I pulled out the tiny sack. “I might have, purely accidentally mind you, picked up my purse from the desk as we rushed out.”
Six rugged, tanned faces stared at me, utterly shocked. Then Davy and Teeth burst into laughter, and the rest joined in.