DOGS. Legacy Saga II

28

Alma's voice gave away her fear. "That one too?"

Marina nodded, smiling to Jean, who offered tortillas in the best Spanish she'd ever heard from him.

"Holy Mother of God! You have enough men to take the city!"

"You've only seen a dozen. There are seventy more onboard." Marina chuckled when the woman crossed herself. "And I'm not here to take the city, Alma."

"God spare us! And I chided you over your ribbons!"

Marina let out a heartfelt laughter while they strolled around the market. Her men's impatience and concern was a balm for her spirit after those weeks surrounded by Spaniards around the clock. One way or the other, the end of that risky adventure drew near. She could almost savor the salty wind and the foam drops. And her breeches. She would go all the way back to Tortuga in her breeches, and barefoot. And laughing. At the maintop. Even if that meant locking Castillano up in the hold.

They would get the hell out of there. She, Dolores. And Castillano. Well, and Alma too. She and Dolores didn't want to leave her behind, exposed to the consequences of Castillano breaking out. The former nanny was shock at the idea of following them in what she called madness. But Dolores had forecast such horrors for her if she stayed behind that she'd ended up agreeing to join them.

Now Marina only needed to convince him, of course. The hardest bone. Even if she was determined to honor her word and kick his butt away from Campeche, she still hoped he would follow her out of his own will.

"A bird to entertain the child?"

Marina spun around with a thrilled grin, and she needed a good deal of self-control to keep from throwing her arms around Morris' neck. The young man had a huge papagayo of a bright red, with blue and yellow wings, perched on his forearm, and showed it to her, mirroring her grin. She forced herself to look down from her friend to praise the bird. He let her touch it, still grinning, as happy as she was about that meeting.

"You left my ship alone?" she whispered, scolding him not to laugh out loud.

"Don't worry, Alonso has it."

"You didn't leave my ship alone: you left it to a Spaniard Master & Commander! I should flog you!"

"You need to come back to us to do so, pearl."

"Soon," she promised.

Alma went on to the nearest stand to give them some privacy to talk. But they hardly had a chance to exchange a few words when Marina saw Morris looked up past her and his smile faltered.

"Soldiers," he mouthed.

Marina glanced back from over her shoulder. A coach with two soldiers on the back step had stopped at the corner. She spotted the tall slim man stepping down and growled under her breath. Segovia offered his hand for somebody to climb down.

"Keep calm," she whispered to her friend. "There comes Dolores."

The lady had no choice but accept the arm the general offered her to walk into the market, her bulky dress about to cause a catastrophe among the stands every few steps. And her bright green eyes fixed on Morris.

Marina tugged at his sash to get his attention. "Don't stare!"

"Who's the bastard?"

"An old suitor. Never mind him."

Morris set his jaw and pretended to praise the bird on his arm, like convincing Marina to buy it. Dolores and Segovia joined them a moment later.

"Marina! I didn't know you were coming to the market!" said Dolores, fighting back a grin.