An Indecent Voyage by Emily Tilton

Author:Emily Tilton [Tilton, Emily]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Stormy Night Publications
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Freda scheduled the pairing for 2100 hours, and left Alison in charge of preparing Cara for it and Linda and Fernando in charge of getting the girls and the guards to their places in the saloon by 2045. At 1900 hours Freda brought Ben to the bridge to meet Lord Andrew and the ships’ officers—the four men responsible for the navigation of the fabulously complex Aphrodite.

Ben had shaken Lord Andrew’s hand when he came aboard, but Freda hadn’t give him a moment’s leisure since then as she tried to bring him up to speed on the duties of a guard on this unique floating paradise. Things like his right and duty to discipline the girls, the location of various vital parts of the yacht, and above all the emergency procedures should they come under attack by pirates, had to be covered. Now the time had come to take a broader view: most new guards didn’t get that broader view the same night they would be paired, but Lord Andrew wasted no time in pointing out the appropriateness of the occasion for Ben’s high-level briefing.

“As you’ll also hear me mention at your pairing tonight, Ben,” the nobleman said after Ben had met the ship’s captain and officers, “our strange nautical life requires, I believe, complete honesty as to what we are about. Do you think you know what I mean?”

Freda, standing in her usual watchful position to the side of the bridge, saw Ben’s chin tilt up as he considered. Then he nodded, looking more handsome in the twilight streaming over the water from the Carolina banks than any man had the right to look. His blue eyes seemed to sparkle.

“I think so, my lord. I imagine unless the crew are all honest with one another rivalries could easily develop.”

“Exactly. As they might on a pirate ship.”

Ben chuckled and nodded. “With the pirate captain being the man who had shown himself most willing to kill whoever challenged him.”

Lord Andrew smiled and inclined his head. For a moment he looked out over the water, then he turned back to Ben. “At the pairing I’ll be giving my usual little speech about honesty in erotic matters. It’s important, though, that we discuss less pleasurable—though I would suggest no more essential—subjects as well, this evening, because of the unusual way you came aboard.”

“Unusual, my lord?” Ben tilted his head slightly to the side and frowned.

“Freda and I need to bring you up to speed. We’ll do that now, over supper. Suffice it to say that although I’m not sure I’ve ever met a man I’m happier to have on my crew, there was another factor involved in the precipitous manner in which I got Governor Bird’s permission to offer you a berth.”

They descended the steps to A deck, where a venison dinner awaited them on the twilit table. Freda hoped this was the last of meat they had taken aboard in Manhattan. Venison was nice for a change, but she looked forward to the fish they would get in Fort Lauderdale.

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