New Storm Rising

43. Vow at the Prow

With an innocent smile, I slung one arm around his shoulder and the other around Ambrose Junior's neck.

"Why, of course...a group hug!"

It was amazing how fast the brave beast of a man who had fought to defend me with his life on the line yesterday could run. In roughly half a second he had crossed the deck of the ship to the other side. I gazed up at Ambrose Junior with a forlorn look in my eyes.

"He has forsaken me!"

"Blaaaaaawwwk?"

"Yes, I know. Tragic, isn't it?"

"Bleeaaawwwk!"

So kind. So considerate. It was really amazing how well I got along with this chap. I couldn't wait to introduce him to my friends.

Just then, a dock worker appeared at the end of the wharf and, untying the rope that connected the ship to land, hurled it at a sailor who stood at the Tresoro's railway. "All ready ta go?"

"Aye aye! Ready and set!"

"Good ta hear. Fair winds ta ya!"

Mr Rikkard Ambrose's figure reappeared on the upper deck. Black coat tails fluttering in the sea breeze, he zeroed in on the sailor below.

"Ready?"

"Aye aye, Sir!"

"Then pull up the gangplank! Raise the anchor!"

"Ya heard him, mates! Let's get to it!"

The Tresoro's anchor chain rose from the water, creaking and clanking. A moment later, with a resounding thwump, the first sail came down and was gripped by the wind in an instant.

"Make all sail!" Mr Ambrose shouted his command. "Make all sail back to England!"

"Bleeeaaaawk?"

"And you be quiet!"

I grinned. This cruise homewards was already shaping up to be a lot better than my last journey across the seas. Not in small part due to the little fact that we were travelling on a very, very different kind of ship.

And speaking of this ship...

Strolling over to a nearby deck chair, I sank into the soft cushions and snapped my fingers.

"Garçon!" I called, causing a Hispanic waiter in a white tailcoat, who was hovering some distance away, to snap to attention.

"Si, Señora? How may I help you, Señora?" Rushing over, the young man bowed low enough to nearly polish the planks with his nose. He seemed quite anxious for some reason. I wondered why that would be? We hadn't really done anything to him, except maybe stealing the ship he worked on, throwing his former employers into prison and setting them on fir—

All right, maybe we had done quite a bit.

But look at the result! Wasn't it fabulous?

Smiling at the poor, trembling waiter, I gestured across the deck towards various paraphernalia. "Be a dear and fetch me that parasol, won't you? And a drink with a slice of lemon. Oh, and a Kashmir blanket."

"Si, Señora! Right away, Señora!"

And the waiter raced away. Smiling broadly, I leaned back and closed my eyes, ready to enjoy my luxury cruise. And if it happened to be on a misappropriated ship with waiters pressed into service by the threats of lawsuits, that was a minor detail I was more than willing to leave for my husband to deal with.