STOWAWAY (Pirate Series - Book 1) (BOOKS 1, 2, 3 COMPLETE)

Stowaway Chapter 28

On return to the bar I heard baby Michael cry and knew it was time for a feed so I went to fetch him.

"Here I'll take him," I said to Rosie. "I'll feed him upstairs"

My mother looked confused for a moment. I heard Rosie explaining about my wet nursing as I took Michael to my room to feed him and settle him down for a sleep.

Tom came back in as I was climbing the stairs. He had taken my younger siblings out to play in the sea with some of the crew and local boys. I could hear them squealing with joy.

He followed me up to our room.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Big, uncomfortable and tired," I admitted.

"Oh dear. Well let me help you with my nephew," he said and sat like we did yesterday, me between his legs, leaning against his chest. This time though he passed the baby under my arm pit and held his head against my breast so he didn't have to lie on my belly. It was much better as baby Michael could spread his little legs out and his round little belly was filling much quicker. He was so content he fell asleep and let out a little snore.

"He is snoring," I giggled.

"Yeah he's a good boy," Tom said.

"And you are a great man," I said putting my head back to kiss him. "I have been meaning to ask you something. Have you been in contact with my family all this time? Even before we were married?"

He shrugged. His face became solemn. Something I just said had affected his mood.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

"Nothing, here let me put him down to sleep," he said taking Michael from me and hopping off the bed to lie him in the crib. I watched him walk towards the door to leave the room.

"Come back here please," I said.

"I'm just going..."

"No you are avoiding the conversation. We need to talk," I said. "We need to get whatever was upsetting you out in the open and get answers to my questions so we can deal with it and not leave it to fester. You ask me not to get upset for the sake of the baby but how can I avoid it when you are all keeping secrets from me. You've all been living my old life, a life I chose to leave behind and you brought back into my 'new life' today so I'm entitled to some answers."

He looked up at me and I could see it again the pain in his eyes as he reluctantly walked towards me and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I was worried earlier about how you would take seeing your family again. I didn't ask you because I knew you would panic and put me off inviting them to our Island but I also knew how much you missed them. So I took a risk that you would be mad at me, like you are now, and not them," he explained.

"I'm not mad at you. You were in good spirit until I asked if you had met them before we were married. Why did my question upset you?" I asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," he said barely a whisper as he hung his head so he didn't have to look at me.

"Thomas I would prefer it if we did. You are obviously upset and I want to talk about it so it can't affect you like this in the future."

"It won't, so please just respect my decision. I don't want to talk about it. The past it the past," he said and got up off the bed to walk towards the door.

"Don't you walk out on me, Thomas," I said as fury rose within me. He continued to walk towards the door... he was testing me I thought, so I leapt up to stop him. "Don't you dare walk out that door!" I shouted.

He stopped and looked at me in shock as I yelled at him for the first time ever and his eyes dropped to my stomach.

"Please don't upset the baby. I'm just going for a walk to clear my head. I will back soon," he said.

"No your not! You are walking away from this discussion. Avoiding it! And me!"

He didn't say anything. He just took a deep breath and exhaled.

"We'll discuss it some other time," he said through gritted teeth.

"I don't see why we can't discuss it now," I said challenging him.

"Because we have company. You have been through enough upset today and I want you to get some rest...."

"I don't want to rest," I growled.

"And I don't want to talk about the past," he said. "Just leave it," he said reaching for the door.

"NO!" I yelled shoving him back from the door. "Talk to me!" I demanded facing off to him.

"I said NO!" he snapped.

"I not backing down on this Thomas. Tell me what happened when you met my family!" I yelled as I pushed him back further from the door.

"Stop pushing me," he growled, our faces an inch apart. A furious look in his eyes I had never seen before fixed me with a glare. There was the Captain everyone spoke about and were afraid of and I was yet to meet. The pirate Andrew had hoped I would fall prey too when he dumped me on his ship.

I was shocked and stumbled back towards the bed, my hand to my mouth to stifle a scream. He moved towards me, his expression changed back to the Tom I knew.

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you," he said regretting his out burst immediately, reaching forward to stroke my face, "Don't be scared, I would never hurt you," he whispered but it was too late. I was scared.

I turned and ran.