Page 66 of Mardon

Aaron opened one eye and then the other. He yawned and stretched before he answered. “I knew if I kept knocking, you’d eventually let me in. Now I can finally sleep in a hammock like I deserve.”

“Aye, I opened the door but not because of your knocking. It’s morning, Aaron. We need to figure out where to find the treasure and set a course. Time is of the essence. You’re the one who told me that.”

“Aye, of course. Right after I take a nap.” Aaron got up and headed to the hammock. As he raised his leg to get into it, Mardon yanked him away, making him stumble and lose his balance. He almost fell, and scowled at Mardon.

“There’s no time for sleeping,” Mardon told him. “We don’t even know where to find the treasure yet, and time is slipping away.”

“I think I know where to find it,” said Emmaline, fully dressed, running over to them. “Mardon, this is what I wanted to talk to you about. I thought about the clue Aaron told us about. I couldn’t stop thinking about it all night long.”

“You did?” he asked, surprised, since the treasure had been the last thing on his mind as they’d made love.

“Aye, and I think I figured it out.”

Ramble popped his head into the room. Today, he wore a wide woolen cloth belt trimmed in ermine that hung down to his knees. On his head was a different headscarf than yesterday. This one almost looked like a woman’s hairnet to Mardon. And if that wasn’t bad enough, when Mardon looked down at Ramble’s feet, he noticed him wearing dainty-looking side buckle shoes.

“Good God, Ramble, what are you wearing on your feet? Are those a pair of lady’s shoes?”

“They fit me perfectly, and are actually quite comfortable.” Ramble looked down and held out one foot, admiring it.

“They’re made for a wench!” shouted Mardon.

“True, but they are constructed of dark leather. I also took the ornate buckles off so they could be shoes for a man now as well.”

“What about that – that sash thing?” growled Mardon, pointing to his waist.

“Oh, Nairnie made that for me, as well as my new headpiece. How do you like them?” He flipped the sash around his waist, admiring it. “She made a silk vest for Coop, and a pair of fingerless gloves for Stitch from soft, Cordova leather. Now, she’s workin’ on a leather sock with a sole on it, to cover the bottom of Pate’s wooden leg so when he walks it’ll be quieter.”

Mardon had no words to respond to this. He felt a vein throbbing at the side of his neck. What the hell was going on here? What was happening to his crew? He no longer knew.

Aaron moaned and rubbed his eyes. “Mardon, I warned you something like this was going to happen. Can’t you see how things are changing?” He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a biscuit. “Oh, I saved one of Nairnie’s good biscuits for breakfast. Goldtooth almost took my hand off when I stole it from him.” He raised it up to his mouth and stopped, extending his arm and holding it out to Mardon. “Actually, I don’t think you got any. Would you like this one, Mardon?”

“Nay!” shouted Mardon, clenching his jaw. “I don’t want a damned biscuit.”

“How about a new vest, Mardon?” asked Emmaline. “I have a cape in that trunk with lots of brass buttons that would look sharp on you.” She walked over to him and fixed the neckline of his shirt. “I can even make you a red woolen sash to go with it from the tippets of my winter gown. It would keep you warm in the cold weather.”

“Nay!” he spat. “I don’t want any bloody clothes.” He noticed the disappointed look in Emmaline’s eyes and felt as if he’d hurt her feelings. He quickly reached out and put his hand on her shoulder. “But thank you, my lady. It was a kind gesture and appreciated.” She smiled again, and Mardon found himself releasing a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. God’s teeth! Now he was acting no better than the rest of his addlepated crew where these women were concerned.

“Did you take care of that . . . one part yet?” asked Aaron, shoving the whole biscuit in his mouth at once. His eyes darted over to Emmaline when he said it. Mardon knew exactly what he meant. He was talking about sending Emmaline away. It was something that needed to be done.

“Almost,” he answered from the side of his mouth, not daring to look at her right now.

“What one part?” asked Emmaline with a sweet smile, taking Mardon’s hand in hers and giving it a slight squeeze. The poor girl. She had no idea he was going to tell her she couldn’t stay on his ship. “What are you two talking about?” She batted her eyelashes, looking up innocently at Mardon. Damn, why did she have to do that? It made her look so cute.

“Nothing,” both Aaron and Mardon answered her together.

“Cap’n, Nairnie told me to wake ye,” said Ramble, removing the headpiece and playing with his hair. “So did Stitch, actually. It’s important.”

“What is?” asked Aaron.

“Well,” he said, a wide smile spreading across his face. “Nairnie made hot cooked oats with honey to break the fast,” said Ramble excitedly. As if on cue, Aaron’s stomach growled.

“She did?” Aaron swallowed down the rest of the biscuit. “Did she put dried currants in it, too?”

“Lots of them,” answered Ramble, his eyes growing wide. “She’s got a big pot of it that will feed us all, and we’ll even be able to go back for seconds.”

“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” Aaron jumped up and headed for the door.

“Wait,” Mardon called out. “Ramble, you said Stitch had a message for me as well. What is it?”