Within a Captain's Power by Lisa A. Olech

Author:Lisa A. Olech [Olech, Lisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

James crossed paths with Ducky on his way back to his quarters. He was anxious to check on Samantha. The laudanum should have kept her sleeping, but his business in the brig had taken longer than he anticipated.

“Processing go well?” Ducky fell into step with James.

“Too bloody long.” James repositioned the parchments and logs he carried under his arm. “I know more about the lot of them now than I ever wanted—or needed—to know. One of them told me the reason he became a pirate was to get away from his nagging wife. Another had a name longer than my arm.”

“And the lovely Captain Quinn? Did ye learn anything new about her?”

“Only that she can speak to the deaf and is determined to die.”

Ducky struggled to keep pace. “What has you in such a rush?”

James could dodge Ducky. Make some excuse, but in that instant he couldn’t think of a plausible one. Better to come clean. He stopped short and turned to his startled friend. “There’s something I need to confess, and I need your utmost discretion.”

Ducky’s eyes widened. “Should I be calling for the priest?”

James righted the shifting parchments and moved past. “I’d hoped you could behave seriously for once.”

“James, old man, what is it? I realize having Captain Quinn turn out to be—”

Juggling his armload, James freed a hand to wipe at the sweat rolling into his eyes. “It’s not about Captain Quinn.”

“Everything appears right with our crew?”

“The crew is more efficient than even I’d hoped. I doubt if they’d miss me if I fell overboard.” He began walking toward his quarters and stopped again. “Perhaps tossing myself over the rail wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

Ducky grabbed at his arm. “Tell me your confidence, for goodness’ sakes.”

“It might be best to show you.”

James beat Ducky to his quarters by several strides. He fiddled with the key to his door.

“Since when do you lock your door?” Ducky panted. He scooped the items out of James’s arms.

“Since now.” James looked over Ducky’s shoulder to make sure they were alone. He released the lock and pushed into his quarters. “Dear God!”

Samantha was on the floor, tangled in a bloody blanket. He rushed to her. The stitches holding her wound had torn, explaining the blood, but how had she gotten on the floor?

“What in the hell? Who—”

“Get Stitch Taylor. Now.” He disentangled her from the ruined blanket. Heat radiated from her. She was limp in his arms. “She’s burning up with fever.”

“She? But who?”

“Get him now!”

Ducky scrambled out, slamming the door behind him. James lifted Samantha back into his bed. Her blood stained his uniform. He rushed to gather water and drying cloths, threw them into a basin, and doused them in water from the pitcher on his washstand. After wringing the water from them, he laid cooling towels along her skin.

The shock of the chilled clothes brought her around with a start. She began thrashing wildly, flailing against him and shoving at his chest.

“Samantha, lie still, please…”

“Stop.” she screamed. “Get your hands off me.

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