Stowaway (A Pirate Novel) (Completed)

Chapter 15 A Bath

"How many people know you're alive, Elle?" The captain demanded.  His arms were crossed over his chest, his eyebrows were drawn together making him look displeased.

"A few but most are people I trust with my life." she told him as she walked over to sit on Zaras bed.

Miles looked at her no longer hostel.

"How many?" the captain said clearly irritated. "Every person that knows you're alive is a risk to your life."

"I told you I trust them. Non of them would betray me. Most of them have their own grievances with Sir Travis." she told him adamantly.

He shoved a hand through his hair. "You hope they won't betray you. But you can't be sure." He moved around the room as he spoke.

"You're the one who told the whole bloody ship." She said then glanced at Miles who had been excluded from that Announcement. She turned and glared back at the captain.

He walked around the room shoving his hand through his hair and alternating with rubbing his stubbly chin as if he were deep in thought.

"Almost Half the crew voted for me to be left behind. They don't want me there, so what's the point, what's the probability of some of them betraying me?" she demanded as she leaned back against the headboard and crossed her arms over her chest defensively.

"They're pirates, Elle. Pirates don't walk in the same social circles as the elite. A good number of them have there own reasons for staying away from Travis and his crowd." he had stopped pacing and now stood facing her.

"Twelve." she said. "Twelve People know that I'm alive not including the ship's crew and the people standing in this room."

Captain Talbot resumed pacing nodding his head as he moved. Miles, Harv, and Zara just remain still and watched. Talbot moved like a caged panther. He paced about part of the room, Occasionally he would nod his head a shake his it. Agreeing or disagreeing with one of his thoughts.

He stopped pacing and turned and looked at her. His eyes bored into her making her uncomfortable. It was like he was trying to look at her soul and she hated it. Her hand in her lap twiched. Finally she was so uncomfortable she leaned forward off the headboard. She attempted to look nonchalant. She rested her elbows on her knees and watched him back.

Harv shifted his weight. uncomfortable. That shift seemed to break a spell. Zara sighed.

"There's a place in France that you can be safe. A place for one women. You'll have to change your name and your appearance again. Your hair is almost long enough for a girl so in a few months you should be able to pass through one again. I can take you there after the runs."

Elle was so focused on Captain Talbot she didn't noticed Zara giving Miles a desperate look and motioning towards the door.

Vaguely, from the corner of her eye, she saw him stand and move. They quietly exited the room whenever she ask her question.

"What do you mean a place for women?"

"A convent. The priest there owes me a favor or two."

Elle jumped off the bed. Her shock and rage had her shaking.

Harv was now making his way quickly out the door.

"A convent!?" she screamed at him.

"It's for your own good, Elle. You ne-"

"My own good? My own good?" Are you crazy? I'm not going to a bloody convent." She said as she walked toward him.

"It is for your own good. You need a life, a husband and baby."