Lady in the Mist - Laurie Alice Eakes [140]
“But of course.” Avery spoke to the men around them, then turned back. “We’re lowering a bosun’s chair.”
The canvas sling landed on the fishing boat’s deck. Dominick settled Tabitha into it, brushed her cheek with his thumb, then grabbed for the mooring line and began to climb. Tabitha wanted to watch, to admire his strength and agility, but the tug on the rope of her makeshift chair sent her spinning around and up. Lanterns flashed one second, starlight the next. Nausea struck. She closed her eyes. When the motion of the chair stopped, her head kept spinning.
“You look a bit green, my dear.” Dominick’s hands steadied her. “Didn’t you enjoy the ride?”
“Next time I climb.” She resisted the urge to collapse against him.
Dominick chuckled, held her for a moment until she nodded that she was steady on her feet, then tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. “Take us to the captain, Mr. Avery.”
“Aye, sir . . . er . . . my lord.” Avery raised his hand. For a moment, Tabitha thought he would salute. But he dropped it to his side and headed aft.
Dominick led her after the lieutenant. Men fell into step behind them, lining the deck on either side of them. On the far side of the men, guns hulked against the rails. She counted thirty-six. Thirty-six guns that could destroy an American vessel in minutes, that had damaged American shipping. War would bring disaster to the country.
The knowledge that she and Dominick were doing what they could to prevent it kept her feet moving, her head high. She knew the men stared, wondering what sort of female she might be, speculating she was the type to be out at night with a man. If they failed in their mission, everyone would believe Wilkins in the end and her reputation would be irredeemable.
If they failed in their mission, Dominick would suffer even more.
Lord, please be with us, she found herself praying. Please don’t abandon us now.
They walked toward a man in a smart blue coat with gold epaulets and white breeches. He stood at the head of a ladder, his hand on the hilt of a sword, with two marines flanking him behind, their hands on their muskets. God and two of His archangels? On a British man-of-war, she knew she wasn’t far off. She and Dominick were in his power now that they stood on his deck.
She kept her smile in place as they reached the captain. The captain didn’t smile back. He frowned at Dominick. “Who are you and what do you want?”
“You know who I am,” Dominick returned. “Who are you?”
The marine beside Dominick punched him in the back. “You be respectful when you address Captain Roscoe.”
Dominick said nothing. He stared at Roscoe, who stared back. Tabitha held her breath, wondering who would blink first. Around them, the ship and crew seemed to hold their breath too. Even the wind seemed to have ceased whispering through the rigging. Not a spar or timber creaked. Only the sea hissed, a snake coiled around the hull.
Tabitha’s heart began to pound hard enough to make her throat hurt.
Then Roscoe relaxed. His shoulders remained straight, but his face lost its rigidity and he smiled. “I do believe you speak the truth. Now, how may I help you?”
“We’ve come to inquire about a local man named Raleigh Trower.” Dominick glanced around, as though expecting Raleigh to step from the shadows between the great guns. “He was once in the British Navy, and we thought perhaps he . . . rejoined the service.”
“Indeed.” Roscoe sighed. “Then I regret to tell you, you have come on a fruitless journey. No one has joined our service for months. We are not on British soil, after all.”
“How odd.” Dominick glanced at Tabitha. “Didn’t Donald Parks say it was the Nemesis where he left Raleigh?”
Tabitha swallowed against a dry throat but still couldn’t speak. She kept her gaze on Roscoe, watched him pale beneath his sun-darkened skin. If he chose, he could forget Dominick’s class rank and do away with both of them. Donald was, of course, their insurance of safety. She must cling to that.
She wanted something more substantial than a man so exhausted he couldn’t stay awake for more