William entered his cabin and slammed the door behind him. He’d come aboard the Nemesis with Quincy, Edmund and a few of his tars who’d been present at the wedding. The other sailors had remained onboard to guard the ship and keep it on course.
William now regretted inviting even a few of his men, for they’d witnessed his return to ship without his wife. He’d made it clear to them she was staying aboard the Bonny Meg with the rest of the women for reasons of safety, as they were about to embark on the raid of the pirate camp, and while the excuse was wholly sound, he couldn’t explain the early departure from the Bonny Meg—before the wedding night was over. He had remained silent on that matter, and the wise sailors knew not to make any remarks.
The moment William was inside the privacy of his quarters, he thrashed what was left of the table and chair, reducing the furniture to splinters.
His energy spent, he dropped on the edge of the bed and stared at the ring on his middle finger, his father’s ring. He could suddenly hear the sands of time passing through the hourglass of his life, and the noise grated on his ears.
He had never been so aware of his mortality, not even in the heat of battle or when he’d struggled to survive after being shot. He was more aware of it than ever before because of Maddie, because of the time he wouldn’t have to be with her—or their child. If she was pregnant, the babe would grow up without any memory of him, without any essence he’d had a father.
William knew his brothers would step in and help raise the boy into a man. If a daughter was born, there would be plenty of uncles to protect her from harm, like fortunes hunters.
But he fisted his hands at the thought of others doing his duty, and not just because it was his duty, but because he wanted to be there for his family.
William suddenly wondered why his sister had given him the ring: to torture him? He knew she still resented him for leaving England without revealing the truth about his illness, for wanting to perish off shore without saying a proper farewell.
He tugged on the ring, but the damned thing was wedged firmly on his finger. He twisted and yanked it without success, then finally realized there was only one way to remove it: chop off his finger.
A pert voice then suggested, “Try butter.”
William glared at the impudent tar with his scruffy knee breeches and wrinkled shirt. A cap concealed his tousled hair, the brim low, covering his eyes.
For a moment, William was stunned by the boy’s audacity at entering the captain’s cabin without knocking, much less waiting for an invitation, but he quickly replaced his confusion with rage and bounded to feet, prepared to toss the boy into the brig for his insolence.
But before William scruffed the him, the lad removed his cap and long ginger locks tumbled over his—her—shoulders.
Maddie.
He staggered backward. She looked like an urchin. What was she doing in his room? How had she come aboard ship?”
As the flurry of thoughts distracted him, she closed the space between them—and slapped him.
“That was for taking so long to tell me the truth.” She smacked his other cheek. “And that was for ruining my wedding night.”
After she’d released her upset, she kicked about the pieces of broken furniture. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner, William?”
“I never intended to marry you.”
“What?”
“When I first met you,” he clarified. “I intended to rescue your grandfather and send you both home to England with the letter to my sister.”
“The letter mentioned your father’s illness.”
A stiff nod.
“And you’re sick? Like him?”
“Aye.”
“I see.” She then crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. “Well?”
His cheeks still smarting, his ears still ringing, he wondered, bemused, “Well what?”
“What are you going to do to make it up to me?”
“Maddie—”
“I’ll tell you what you’re going to do.” She huffed. “First, I want my wedding night—and it’d better be an attentive one. Second, I want a child. In that order,” she emphasized.
He was still too dazed to breathe, much less respond.
“How?” he finally rasped. “How did you get on board the Nemesis?”
“Do you like the disguise?” She stretched the breeches at the hips, much too large for her figure and tied with rope. “Quincy and Eddie helped me fashion it, then bundled me into the row boat.”
“Why the hell would they do that?”
Had his younger brothers accosted her? Forced her aboard his ship, trying to make things right between the newlyweds? It was just the sort of asinine—
“Because I asked them to,” she quipped.
His breath hitched. “What?”
“Your sister was kind enough to pin my hair beneath the cap. She’s rather good at making a woman look like a man.”
“They all know?”
“That I came aboard the Nemesis? Aye, so don’t fret. No one thinks I’m missing, that I had an accident and fell overboard.”
“Why?” was his next query; the hardest question he’d ever asked her. After dropping the letter on the ground and grinding it with her heel, she had made her sentiments toward him clear—she loathed him.
“Because I want to be with you,” she said softly.
“Then why stow away? Why not just come to me?”
“I knew you were angry with me.”
“No.” He shook his head, resisting the temptation to believe her. “You left the room without a look or a word. You left.”
“I was overwhelmed.”
“You stomped on the letter.”
“I wasn’t watching my step. I just wanted to run away from the truth. But I couldn’t run away from it . . . I love you, William.”
He had never heard those words from a woman not his kin. He had never opened his heart to any woman, and if he was honest, not even Maddie, for she’d reached into his chest and stolen his heart. He couldn’t breathe after her declaration.
She nestled against him, pressing her body into his, molding herself to him—and setting his blood on fire.
“I want to be with you, however much time remains. And I want a child—your child.” Her voice cracked. “If you can’t be with me forever, I want a part of you with me always.”
William remained stone hard, resisting the reckless proposal, then he remembered his father’s ring and its meaning: time getting away. And he realized his sister hadn’t given him the ring to torment him, but to remind him time was precious. He should spend it wisely. He should spend it in love.
A peace settled over him, and he curled his fingers around the back of his wife’s neck, pulling her in for a tender kiss.
He tasted the briny tears on her lips, and his primal instincts were aroused: to protect her, to take away her pain, and to make her happy.