The Charlotte Series: Book 3: The Pretender's Gold

22

Chapter 22

"Freddie's cabin is the first one around the corner, on the other side of that wall there. I'll move my things later and you can stay here in my cabin." He stood started toward the wardrobe to fetch a clean shirt. "I've got to finish getting dressed. There's a lot of work yet to be done before I can rest."

He held up a hand to stop her protest.

"It's the way of the sea. There is no time to put it off. We need to make the ship safe again before another storm comes."

"I understand." She tipped her head and studied his face a moment.

"At least take time to eat a bit before you go?" she paused half a heartbeat before she reached out and touched his hand. "Please."

She sure sounded like a wife.

"Yes, dear." He chuckled as he patted her hand.

"Oh Stu-" she called out as she tossed the covers aside and reached out. "Your back!"

"What?" he twisted his head to see. It was a statement of their mutual distraction that neither had noticed the injury before, "Oh. It's nothing. I tripped on a stray coal and bumped into the furnace door."

"Nothing!" she scolded. "Sit down near the light and let me take a better look."

"I don't have time for-"

"Stuart Windes, you'll sit down and let me look at that shoulder or so help me-"

He held his hands up in surrender and straddled the chair backward so he could lean against the chair back while she looked at his back. He knew she'd see several scratches, a nice bruise and maybe a bit of a burn. It had hurt like the devil for the first ten minutes or so, but working two furnaces, he didn't have time to tend to it then and he'd forgotten all about it.

"I need more light." Her hand rested gently on his shoulder, "Move the chair near the lamp?"

A moment later he was settled again and crossed his arms over the back of the chair. As she worked he felt the gentle touch of her hands and decided that he liked the attentions. With a yawn he set his cheek against his hands and drifted off under her care.

He awoke two hours later to a dark room and he felt fabric brush his back as he sat up fully. He picked up the blanket and smiled.

Summer.

He turned to see her form curled up in his bed. Standing he carefully stretched and winced. He rolled his shoulder and hissed as he felt the tug.

"Be careful."

Turning he smiled. Her hair was down and she rubbed her eyes as she spoke.

You've a bad burn. It's blistering. I put some salve on it but I couldn't bandage it properly while you were asleep." Reaching to the ceiling she yawned before tossing aside the covers and swinging her feet to the floor. "Let me take a minute and do it now before you put your shirt on. Otherwise the fabric will rub."

"Thank you."

---

Stu was glad for the salve and the bandages two hours later as he made his way back to his cabin. He thought of Summer and frowned as he turned on his heel and went back to the captain.

"I beg your pardon, but I wonder if you might help me with a personal matter."

"Of course, Mr. Windes, if I can."

"Thank you, Captain." He followed the captain into his cabin and waited until the door was closed. "My wife surprised me with her presence."

"You've a wife?"