33 - Titles that Lead to Trouble

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There was no avoiding the pirate captain

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There was no avoiding the pirate captain. A hasty escape from the divan would have only drawn his suspicion. He had seen me and begun his journey across the room, smiling as he approached. Jules groaned beside me when he noticed him.

"Mistress Hayes! This is a nice surprise." Duncan removed his hat and produced a polite bow. "Are you here as a guest? Or are you on official business? I hear you have been promoted." His smile failed to come across as anything but wicked now that I knew what he had done. Perception was everything.

"There is nothing so official about it. I will manage my life as I have been." I had a feeling I would be stretching the truth before this conversation came to an end.

"Ah, you have always been so modest." He said this like we had been acquainted all our lives, and Jules's annoyance radiated off him like a brewing storm. "May I join you?"

The couple who had been keeping to themselves, grabbed the hookah and vacated their space on the divan. They seemed to be rather eager to leave, and this created a large opening for Duncan. Instead of assuming their position, he motioned for Odette to take the opening so he could sit next to me.

"I do not believe I have formally met your captain, though I have a vague memory of our brief goodbye at port."

"If I recall, you had been quite intoxicated," I said. "This is Captain Jules Thompson of the royal navy, reining boxing champion of Chatham, and my fiancé."

My embellishment of Jules's designations had Duncan chuckling. "Ah, so Odette was not teasing me when she said you had become titled and engaged. It is good to meet the man who has managed to tame this special woman. She is a crowning jewel among treasures."

"I do not believe Rose could ever be tamed," Jules said, clenching his fists in his lap. "She is rare among her peers in that regard."

"I am glad to know you recognize this. I cannot imagine her choosing anyone who is not willing to let her bloom. Is that not a fitting metaphor for Rose?"

Jules did not reply, and in the silence that followed, Odette waved down a servant carrying a tray of food. "Ah, here is the boulek I was telling you about. Everyone, please enjoy. I promise you will not regret it."

The small squares were layered with flaky dough reminding me of parchment and stuffed with filling that smelled of game meat, perhaps wild boar. Jules appeared skeptical as he inspected the unfamiliar item, giving it a thorough investigation and a sniff before taking a bite. When I joined him, the robust flavour that hit my tongue could not be described in any terms I knew. Still, it was quite delightful, and while we busied ourselves with eating, I watched Odette and Duncan exchange an entire conversation using just their eyes.

It quickly became clear that they knew each other, and this troubled me. While Odette and I had always been cordial during our interactions out among society, we did not know each other terribly well. She tended to forward her own agenda whenever possible, as many with means did, but I never believed she would wish ill-intent on others. Of course, fear often forced people to make uncharacteristic choices. And pirates were skilled at striking fear into people.

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