Carats and Carnivores by Joe Vermillion

Author:Joe Vermillion [Vermillion, Joe]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing
Published: 2023-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 9

DECLARATIONS

Adelaide was having the loveliest dream, and then an acrid smell filled her nostrils and at once she was wide awake.

Someone was waving smelling salts underneath her nose. The pungent odor of ammonia was unmistakable .

She was back in bed, the baby asleep at her side, and wearing the Captain’s jacket. As soon as her eyes would focus his was the first face she could make out as he sat closely by the side of the bed.

Immediately, as their eyes met, she knew an unspeakable truth.

“They killed Lily,” she choked out, “I knew they did, because she would never have surrendered her son to anyone willingly!”

“Aye ,” the Captain confirmed, with a weary sadness in his voice, “And nearly yourself Adelaide….

If I had been even a minute later than I was, I would have arrived just in time to see you HANG!”

There was a tremble at the end of his statement, and she felt that he was close to tears, barely holding them in. She found herself overwhelmed by this rare show of emotion from the usually stoic Captain Horne.

And just as she was wondering about his feelings for her, he reached for her hand and blurted,

“I LOVE you Adelaide Brennan!”

His confession hung in the air between them. Gently she sat up, making sure not to disturb the sleeping infant.

“I will need something to feed the baby,” she told him, her thoughts diverted as she realized that Lily’s death meant that the baby had no teat to suck.

“I know there are few animals left, but a few pigs and the nanny goat and her kids.

I beg you get Cooky to milk the Nanny goat and place the milk in a horn with a small opening bored into the tip!

I believe the goat’s milk will suffice to keep Lily’s son alive, if we can keep the crew from eating her!”

The Captain sighed and nodded.

If we get desperate, I will have Cooky sacrifice the pig and piglets first. In fact I will have him prepare two of the piglets for a unity feast tomorrow after Quartermaster Williams and I have spoken to the crew, ALL of them, and figure out who should be punished!

There is protocol, strict protocol involved in the aftermath of an attempted mutiny, and I am obligated to follow it to the letter, although I must confess Adelaide I first aimed for Wilton’s heart, and were it not for my fear that the bullet might go through his carcass and strike YOU, I would not have lowered the barrel and gone for his kneecap!

He will no longer be an officer under my command, and depending on what our committee decides he may well end up hanging from the very yardarm that he attempted to hand YOU on!”

Adelaide dropped her eyes for a moment, her chest heaving and Wesley perceived that she was struggling with something.

When she met his gaze once more she bit her lip before asking.

“Captain Horne-Wesley-do YOU think me a witch?”

He laughed, his laughter partly in

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