Call of the Sea (25 page)

“I wanted to make sure to see you before you sail to remind you of what is at stake should you fail in your mission a second time.” McTavish peeked back over his shoulder. “I don’t think I need to remind you of the consequences.”

Daniel’s hands balled at his sides. “That won’t be necessary. I know the stakes.” If he should fail to learn the name of the Dutchman who bought Jashir’s stockpile of guns, Ellie would find out her father had been a pirate and not the sanctioned privateer she believed him to be. Beyond destroying her image of her father, if the general decided to make waves it was possible she could lose everything her father left to her, his entire fleet. Charles II was known to seize the “ill-gotten gains” of those convicted of piracy. The Merry Monarch had a war to finance after all.

The muscle in his jaw twitched. “Was there anything else then, General?”

“Try not to screw this up like Winters did.” The general’s face grew red and spittle flew from his mouth. “This should’ve been taken care of months ago, and I should have been with the fleet for the rout at Lowestoft. I’m tired of this filthy little port and the flea-infested barn they call an inn. Find out who bought those damned guns, O’Roarke.”

Daniel took a step back from the foul man and wiped the spit from his eye. “Aye, sir. I will.” As had become routine when dealing with General McTavish, it wasn’t as if he’d been left with much of a choice.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Ellie continued to accept congratulations from the crew with a smile affixed to her lips, despite the tumultuous churning of her stomach. It took all her effort to remain rooted to the spot and not march over to where Daniel stood with the general to demand an explanation for the untimely interruption. What other secrets could Daniel be keeping?

With the intent of distracting herself from her maddening thoughts, Ellie sought out Nelson, waving him over when she caught his eye.

He weaved his way through the gathering, joining her. “What’s wrong, El? Are you ill?”

“I’m sick of the bloody general appearing at inopportune times. Does that count?”

“Not exactly. Did you have a remedy in mind?”

Ellie tapped her chin as she considered the options. “I’d like to know what he’s really doing here. Don’t you find it odd for someone of such a high rank to be spending so much of his time in our little port with a war on? It isn’t as if Newquay is a hub of naval activity.”

A gleam shone in his brown eyes. “You want me to follow him?”

She gave her head a quick shake. “No, but I’d like you to dig into his service record. Find out who he gets his orders from and maybe what his connection to Daniel is.”

“Not for nothing, but wouldn’t the wise course be to just ask your new husband what’s going on?”

Ellie smirked at her friend. “Since when have you known me to do the wise thing?”

“A fair point.” He nodded. “I’ll see what I can find out.”

“Thanks, Nelson. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

He winked. “Languish, of course.”

“Whenever I see the two of you with your heads bowed together like this, my protective instincts kick in.” Daniel slipped a possessive arm around Ellie’s waist and pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head. “What are you two scheming over here?”

Ellie stepped from his embrace, ignoring the surge of pleasure his touch ignited. “I could ask you the same. What did the general want with you this time?”

“He wanted to know how my meeting with the magistrate went.” Daniel reached out and pulled her back to his side. “And tell me how lucky I am to have a bride as lovely as you.”

She ached to believe him, but the tiny hairs at her nape tingled an undeniable warning. “He might have picked a better time.”

“Exactly what I told him, my love. But let’s not let his poor timing ruin our day. Your mother has gone out of her way to prepare us a feast and the men have tapped a keg of rum. We should be celebrating.” He lifted her chin with a knuckle until their eyes met. “Not brooding about stuffed shirts with no sense of etiquette.”

“Rum, you say?” Nelson perked up.”

Ellie shook off the cloak of worry weighing down her shoulders. “I’ll bet. The last time you drank rum it took me three hours to convince you to come down from the crow’s nest. You were certain if you stayed up there long enough, a winged angel would visit you. Remember?”

Nelson lifted a hand to his chest as if he’d been stabbed, staggering back a few steps. “You wound me, El, to imply I can’t hold my liquor. I’d like to see what you’re like after drinking as much as I did that night.”

The trio headed for the food table.

“You may just get a chance to find out.” Ellie made a beeline for the casks stacked beside the long wooden table laden with a wide assortment of meats and breads. The aroma of stewed beef tickled her nose and sent her belly into a fit of gurgles. She grabbed a mug, dipped it below the tap, filled it to just below the rim before she turned and offered it to Daniel.

When he took it, she poured another for Nelson, and finally one for herself. She raised the glass to her lips, but Daniel stopped her with a hand on her wrist.

“Hold on a minute. We need a toast first.” He snatched her free hand and pulled her up the stairs to the quarterdeck. At the top, he faced the gathering and called across the deck. “I have something I’d like to say!”

Voices quieted and all heads turned to face the captain and his new bride.

“Let me start by thanking you all for sharing in our celebration.” Daniel took a deep breath; his gaze swept over the assembled guests. “Ten years ago, I met the woman standing to my left. At the time, she was little more than a child, chock-full of adventure and far too much energy for one person. Ever since that first meeting, I’ve loved her.” He chuckled. “Of course, she loathed me in return, but I digress. I have spent my life trying to get her to give me her heart, her love, and her trust. Having you all here for this momentous occasion is proof of my success in that endeavor, as today she has become my wife.” He gave Ellie’s hand a squeeze. “I couldn’t be happier to have someone like her at my side.”

Daniel cleared his throat before continuing. “However, I feel it would be a terrible injustice if I didn’t take a moment to thank the one truly responsible for bringing her into my life.” Daniel raised his mug high. “If it hadn’t been for Captain Winters, Ellie and I would never have met; and while we can’t see him, I know he is here with us.” He turned his gaze skyward. “I’ll do everything I can to see her happy, sir, I promise.” He raised his mug high above his head. “To Captain Winters.”

A collective “To the captain” rose from the crowd.

Ellie blinked back the press of hot tears, raised her glass and whispered, “To Papa.”

Daniel took a long draught from his mug. “Now, we celebrate!”

A rowdy cheer rose from the assembly.

He pivoted to face Ellie. “Now what were you saying about getting sloppy drunk?”

“I said no such thing.” She flashed a grin. “In fact, I’d be willing to wager you’ll be boots up long before me.” He didn’t look like much of a drinker, and being half-seal, it seemed the scales would lean in her favor. The one thing Captain Harris had to have aboard
The Surf Runner
was rum.
Here’s hoping he can hold his liquor.

“A wager, you say?” A devilish twinkle lit his eyes. “And what’s the prize?”

She drew up her shoulders. “What do you want?”

“If I win, you share my bed on the trip to Gibraltar instead of sleeping on that blasted chair you seem to favor.” His eyes narrowed. “And I mean share it, El, as my wife.”

Ripples of pleasure flowed through her. Her body remembered his touch, the delights that could be found in his arms. Ellie had to remind herself she was still angry with him for his deceit. “What makes you think I meant to sleep elsewhere? We haven’t discussed sleeping arrangements.”

Daniel rolled his eyes. “Like we haven’t met.”

Her cheeks burned hot. “Right…well, you’re mighty cocksure. What happens if I win the bet?”

“What do you think would be an equitable prize for what I’ve requested from you?”

It would have to be substantial. What he wanted certainly was. Ellie made a show of thinking, rubbing her chin, and squinting at the sky. “If I win…” She snapped her fingers, poked his chest. “You spill your guts about how you really know General McTavish.”

Daniel chuckled, shaking his head. “You never cease to amaze me.”

I’ve got him now.
“Is that a wager, then?” She stuck out her hand to shake on it.

He bent over it and pressed warm lips to the back of her hand. Fire blazed from the point of contact and up along her arm. Daniel’s eyes found hers, drawing Ellie into their rich brown depths. “Deal.”

***

Ellie became aware of the world by way of an insistent throbbing in her skull, as if someone had bashed her head against the bulwark a dozen times before tucking her into bed. She groaned, rolling onto her back. Daniel’s cinnamon scent tickled her nostrils. She cracked open an eyelid.

Why am I in Daniel’s bed?

A quick search of her memory confirmed she’d won the wager last night. After a valiant fight, Daniel had lost Mama’s succulent roast chicken over the ship’s rail.

She chewed at her lip. Further mental foraging did nothing to reveal how she’d ended up in the bunk and not the chair she distinctly remembered retiring to the night before.

Ellie scrunched her eyes tight and sucked air through her nose as her stomach twisted in a tight cramp. She bit back a swell of nausea and curled up on her side.

It doesn’t feel like I won.

When the cramp eased, she dared face the world again. Papa’s desk came into focus, the round porthole, and the blue sky beyond it. Vision normal except for a foggy haze clinging to the edges, Ellie sat up and swung her feet to the floor. She regretted the foolish move instantly. The spasm seized hold of her belly once more, doubling her over. She swallowed down the saliva rushing into her mouth from beneath her tongue.
Oh, no!

She rushed to the chamber pot and fell to her knees just in time to deposit last night’s dinner. When her stomach finished convulsing, Ellie wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and pushed to her feet. Her knees quivered beneath her as she fumbled back to the bed and collapsed into it with a sigh.

The hatch swung open and Daniel entered wearing nothing more than breeches and a smile. He carried a wooden tray in his hands. “Wake up, sleepyhead. Breakfast is ready.”

The smell of fresh baked bread wafted to her nose, sending Ellie’s stomach into another revolt. She jumped up from the bunk and scrambled back to the chamber pot.

When she finished heaving, Ellie let out a pathetic moan.
Guess my stomach wasn’t empty after all.

Daniel set the tray on the desk, gave her a once-over. “You look like hell.”

“How polite of you to point that out.” She didn’t have the energy or desire to stand, so Ellie just crawled across the floorboards and pulled herself up into the bunk. She yanked the blankets over her head. “I’ll be skipping breakfast.”

His bare feet padded across the floor. The bed sagged under his weight as he sat on the edge of the bed. He pulled the covers down, exposing her pained face. “What about some watered mead? Would that help?”

“Maybe in a little while. I’m just going to lie here for a bit and pray that my head doesn’t split in two. How is it you’re so chipper? You drank just as much as I did.”

“Don’t let appearances fool you. My tongue is furry and my head is pounding. But I emptied my stomach of the rum poison last night, remember?”

“Aye, but I also recall going to sleep in the chair, yet I woke in the bunk, so I’m not sure my memory is the most reliable.”

His chuckle sent spikes of pleasure through her aching body. “You went to bed in the chair. I moved you when I woke this morning. I was worried you wouldn’t be able to move your head with the way your neck was all kinked up.”

“Neck soreness is the least of my ailments this morning.” She kneaded the muscles at the base of her skull. “So I really did win the wager and my recollection skills are relatively undamaged?”

Daniel nodded. “Aye.”

“Good.” Ellie pushed herself to a sitting position and tucked the blankets under her arms. “Tell me what you know about our friend General McTavish.”

***

Daniel knew the question was coming, he just hadn’t expected it quite so soon. He studied the stitching on the quilt draped over her legs, trying to buy himself a little time to come up with a response. How much could he reveal and still keep Ellie in the dark about her father’s occupation? Or without her suspicious nature kicking in? “Your father and I worked for McTavish before he was killed.”

Ellie’s eyebrows knitted together. “Worked for him how? Papa wasn’t in the naval service.”

He proceeded with caution, carefully considering each fact he gave her prior to speaking the words. “Before King Charles II declared war on the Dutch, he wanted intelligence on their operations. He knew they were building huge numbers of ships, buying stockpiles of guns, preparing for a confrontation with the royal fleet. The king thought if he could find out who held the purse strings, he could cut off the flow of money to the war coffers. He charged McTavish with the task of finding that out.”

“But what does any of that have to do with Papa?” Her head tilted as she worked at the tiny puzzle pieces he handed her.

This is where things get tricky.
“McTavish decided the best way to ferret out the information the king wanted was to hire a privateer with the right contacts to do his work for him. I’m not sure if you noticed this about the general, but he isn’t one for getting his hands dirty.”

“So he hired Papa?”

More like blackmailed.
“Aye. He convinced your father that he’d be helping England and the king’s noble cause by taking on the assignment.”

“What was the assignment?” Ellie asked.

Daniel warred with himself, still not convinced telling her all of this was the wisest course, but a bet was a bet. He dashed a hand through his hair. “To sell a large shipment of guns to an enemy sympathizer, track him, and find out who he delivered the arms to.”