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‘I’ll get it back for you,’ he promised. ‘I’ll spread the word through Gidley and the rest. Your rock is gone. We’re hours from sighting land—but the ship will not dock until the stone is found. You’ll have all the men hunting and one person who will be discovered. But, Melina, it’s only a broken arm.’
She reached a hand out, steadying herself against the wall. ‘But I have the rest of her hidden. I found her under the earth and then I covered her back up. I had lived always with shards of rock around me. The Frenchman made me want to look closer. I found the statue, which has a look of my mother’s face, and behind the eyes I see the thoughts she is trying to tell me. She is polytimos, priceless. When I return for it... If I could get her before Stephanos realised I didn’t intend to stay... And I could take my sisters...’ She shook her head. ‘But now it’s stolen.’
‘The men on Ascalon are good men. Not perfect, but they are loyal. Most have sailed with my brother for years. Ascalon was in those waters to meet with leaders and discuss the possibility of an uprising against the Turks. So, though these men are rough, they’ve been entrusted to an important voyage. They wouldn’t steal a rock that means nothing to them.’
She took the lantern from its hook. ‘I’ll search everywhere myself. I have to find it. I have no choice.’
Warrington followed her while she hunted, moving to each corner of the ship and looking in any space large enough to conceal even half the stone.
She examined the hold where the food stores were kept. Barrels pressed against her back.
‘Melina,’ Warrington said, ‘you’ll set the ship afire again if you aren’t more careful with the lantern. You must stop rummaging about.’
‘I’ll find it. It must be reunited with the statue.’
‘Think, Melina. The stone did not walk out alone. You’ve been throughout the whole ship. Nothing was kept from you. The only place you’ve not examined is Ben’s quarters.’
‘I was there when it disappeared, and besides, he can’t walk. He couldn’t have taken it.’ She put her hand to her head, pushing at a dampened tendril. ‘But that is where it must be. It must have been stored there when I left to look for the piece.’
Warrington took the lantern she held. ‘Not unless Ben was asleep. He would never let someone do that to you, Melina. He might send you about for an imagined stick, but he wouldn’t take your property.’ He guided her along the narrow opening and towards the stairway, to the light and fresher air. She took in a deep breath when she stepped on deck.
The men worked the sails, tugging ropes to tighten them. No one looked her way. No one paused. But their backs turned just a hair more from her. Their faces tensed. They knew quite well where she stood. The ship had little privacy, yet her stone had disappeared.
Warrington moved her into the cabin, hanging the lantern back in place and snuffing it. ‘Forget about the rock and think about how you will proceed without it.’
She stood on the sleeping pallet. Sliding the covers aside with her heels, she put her shoulder to the wall so she’d not stumble with the ship’s movements. Something had addled her. Because she wanted him to hold her like a child and tell her everything would be well. And he was speaking the words, but they would have meant so much more if he held her close.
‘I have no place to go forward without the stone,’ she said. ‘Only backwards.’ She touched over her heart. ‘I feel something for the stone woman. She is still hidden, buried. But I saw her eyes and knew she wanted to be in a place of honour again. And without the arm... I do not know. She was going to save us...’
‘I’ll discover what happened to your treasure, Melina.’ He brushed his knuckles against her cheek, leaving streaks of fire where his fingers trailed, and then he did take her into his arms. ‘Someone on this ship knows and I’ll get the men together and scare it out of them if I have to.’ His steps thumped as he left.
She touched her cheek. He would find it, for her. She knew.
* * *
When Gidley stood at the cabin door, summoning her, he looked at the wall over her shoulders. ‘Warrin’ton be wantin’ to speak with yer.’
Her stomach churned, even though the ship sailed smooth. ‘My stone?’ she asked, searching his face.
‘He’s thinkin’ he’s found out who took it.’ He raised a hand to silence her. ‘But he be wantin’ to tell yer hisself.’
