Swept Away (The Swept Away Saga, Book One)

Chapter Sixteen

"Beautiful, ain't it?"

"Hmm?" I turned my view from the coastline to the man who'd spoken to me, finding him winding rope into its place, a grin on his face. It was one of the riggers, a man named John Butler. He was a small man, but surprisingly strong, as well as kind, though his few missing teeth gave him the appearance of a terror.

"Spain," he continued, nodding in the direction I'd been looking.

"Oh, yes. It's very pretty." We were far enough out that I couldn't really see La Coruña itself, but the coastline was gorgeous—green, like Maine—and I wondered if it would dim any as the year continued, the cold coming to sap us all of our strength. Then again, it was already pretty cool, so maybe it would keep its bright colors through the winter.

Pulling my cloak tighter, I resisted the urge to shiver, feeling both grateful to be so close to freedom from the captain and afraid to be left on my own. Tristan had spoken with me about his plans after helping Captain Rodrigues drink himself into a stupor the night before. Everything had been very business-like, which also made me feel sad for some reason.

"I have family outside the city," he'd said, cleaning up the mess of food. "Ye'll stay with them for a bit until ye can figure out a plan. I'll take ye myself, so there's no problems along the way. My cousin will be glad to have ye, I'm sure of it."

"Thank you," I'd replied stiffly, not wanting to plan my leaving of him, but not wanting to stay on the ship any longer. We'd done the unthinkable—keeping me from being raped or having to willingly sleep with the captain—and I didn't want to push my luck on the issue. I had a feeling if I stayed, it wouldn't be long before I was forced to do something I'd regret.

At the same time, though, I needed to get back across the Atlantic to Oak Isle. It seemed unlikely I would be able to buy passage on a ship, so while he was busy explaining everything about his cousin's house and how wonderful it would be for me, I was formulating a plan of my own.

"We'll be going ashore in two hours' time," Tristan said, coming beside me and interrupting my thoughts of the night before. "The captain wishes to see ye before then." There was a hint of warning in his voice, but I smiled warmly, not concerned. It was all part of the plan, after all.

"I'll go to him now, then," I answered conversationally, earning an eyebrow raise from him.

"I won't be joining you," he added under his breath, apparently trying to warn me once more of the dangers of being alone with the captain.

"I know." My voice was cheery as I turned and headed for the stairs to go below deck. "Bring us a bottle of whiskey, will you?" Nerves rifled through me as I walked, a tiny bit of fear cutting at me as I thought about what I was about to do. There was no going back now, though. If I didn't do this, I would never make it home. Reaching the captain's door, I knocked loudly, letting myself in at his command.

"Ah, Miss Greene!" His face lit up as he stared at me, hunger in his eyes. "Thank ye for joining me."

"It was my pleasure, Captain," I answered smoothly. "I hope you won't mind, but I asked for a bottle of whiskey to be brought to us, to toast a successful crossing and your good health."

"Wonderful!" He clapped his hands together, rising from his desk and coming around to meet me. "Perhaps we can toast to our final meeting together as well, hmm?"

Trying hard to not roll my eyes, I smiled, curtseying to him slightly. "That would be wonderful." The man had probably been so drunk the last two and a half months that he couldn't remember if we'd slept together already or not. Either way, it was going to work out for me.