Piracy

13. Back to Him

After Niall left, I scolded Hadley for her rude behavior. "He just helped me to get all of these supplies, and he brought more food than you've probably eaten the whole time you've been here. Why were you so rude?"

"He's a nasty pirate," she scoffed, but I could sense something in her voice that betrayed her outward hatred for all of his kind.

"He's quite a nice-looking young man who just happens to have chosen this profession," I commented. "And I believe he's got a heart of gold."

She ignored me and went to the table. She only hesitated for a moment before she started shoving food into her face as if she hadn't eaten in a year.

"Slow down," I said. "I don't want you to choke."

"Shut up," she snapped, pouring a cup of ale to wash down the bread in her mouth.

I sat across from her and helped myself to the food as well, only then realizing how hungry I was. And tired. I was so tired, physically and emotionally.

As soon as I was done eating, I went to my pile of blankets and laid down, pulling the wool blanket over myself, the one I was sure Harry had given me the night after I'd gotten sick over the railing.

"Why are you sleeping down there?" Hadley asked in dismay.

"Does it look like there's another cot in here?" I snapped back at her.

"No, but I thought the captain would have made sure you had everything you needed since he seems to favor you."

That was the last straw. My emotions were raw and my heart was broken. I stood up and shrieked at her, "Shut up! Just shut up! Yes, maybe the captain fancied me at one time, but you have no idea what I've been through since I got on this ship. I've been overboard, I've gotten pneumonia, I've been called a whore, and just last night I stabbed a man in the back to save Louis' daughter. Now Louis and Harry both think that I was to blame for her being captured in the first place when I was only trying to save her. So, yes, I had feelings for the captain that I shouldn't have had. Now I know he's just a selfish and cruel man who told me he's going to drop me at the next port and that he never wants to see me again." I fell back down to my bed, weeping bitterly.

After a long while, I sensed that Hadley had moved closer. I looked up and she was sitting down beside me. "I'm sorry," she said.

I nodded, accepting her apology.

"So did you save her? The little girl?" She asked.

"Yes, I rescued her and locked us into the captain's cabin. I saw Har, I mean Captain Styles get stabbed and then thrown overboard. I thought he was-" I stopped and took a deep breath. "For hours, I thought he was dead. But when his crew brought him back to cabin, they stitched up his knife wound and told me to look after him."

"Stitched? With needle and thread?" She asked, horrified.

"Yes. I've heard of some doctors using that method. But when he came to, the captain ordered me to leave and said he never wanted to see me again."

Something must have broken inside Hadley's rigid heart because she wrapped an arm around me, saying, "There, there. Things will all turn out."

I knew they wouldn't, but I was glad of her comfort.

Hadley and I both fell asleep for the rest of the afternoon and all the way through to the next morning, exhausted by our circumstances. Towards daylight, a knock sounded on our door.

I stood up slowly, still feeling the weight of my grief. I opened the door to find Louis standing there penitently.

"Come in," I said in a flat voice.

"Niall told me the whole story," Louis began. "Abigail told me, too, but I didn't believe her at first. Some father I am." He sighed deeply. "I just wanted to offer my sincerest apology for accusing you. And I wanted to thank you because if you hadn't done what you did, my little girl might be...gone." His voice cracked as he finished.

"I forgive you, Louis," I smiled. "I felt terrible that Abigail saw you and the captain on the other ship. I would have been right behind her, but that horrible man caught me as I went up the steps. I kicked at him to make him let me go, so Abigail was far ahead of me by the time I escaped."

Louis smiled a very deeply satisfying grin. "You saved my little girl and you killed the man who would have taken her from me. I owe you a debt of gratitude."

"Abigail is very special to me," I assured him. "I would do anything to protect her. In fact, I thought that you and Harry had perished when you fell overboard in the storm and I thought - I hope you don't mind - that I would gladly take care of her if such a thing ever happened. I mean, not that I ever hope it will."

Louis hugged me warmly. "I wouldn't have it any other way. She's very fond of you, too."

Hadley coughed a bit, signaling that she was waking up.

"Hello, Miss Hadley," Louis said kindly. "I see you've gotten a nicer room." She nodded politely. I was proud of her for holding her tongue.

"Oh, I hope you're not angry that I moved her," I said. "Her other quarters were filthy and dim. It wasn't fit for a woman or any human, for that matter."

Louis looked at me sincerely and said, "From now on, you can do just about anything you want on this ship."

"Except see Harry again." I was aware I hadn't called him Captain, but luckily Hadley made no comment.

"I will tell him everything once he comes around," Louis assured me. "But he's not doing so well. He's developed a fever in the night and he's very uncomfortable. I think he could use someone to care for him."

I frowned. "He said he never wants to see me again."

"I've known Harry most of my life. I know he didn't mean that."

"I...I don't know. I just need some time to think, all right?"

"Of course. You know where he is if you want to go to him, or when, rather," he said, winking at me. "Is there anything else the two of you need?"

I shook my head, and to my surprise, Hadley answered with a polite "No, thank you."

Louis left and Hadley stared at me uncomfortably for several minutes.

"What?" I asked.

"You have to go to him," she said, biting back a smile.

In my heart, I was ready to run to him, mostly because he was ill and I wanted to be there for him, but also because I couldn't stand the thought of never seeing his beautiful face again.

"Are you sure?" I asked her. "I thought you'd like having company after all this time."

She shrugged. "You've made the place a bit more bearable, I suppose. But I think I can fend for myself. I'd rather not have you here all the time, talking about your problems anyway. A woman needs her rest."

In the last of her words, I detected a bit of a teasing tone. This was a whole new side to her. I hugged her tightly and told her I'd visit more often, if I didn't get kicked out of Harry's cabin again. And I said I'd see about helping her to get more privileges as well.

Then I ran as fast as I could to Harry's bedside.