Page 33 of Valour

“Five gold coins say you do,” Septimus murmured, a smirk on his face, which vanished as soon as Anders turned his head to them.

Anders opened a door and led them inside another room. “Here is the kitchen. As you can see, it is well appointed.”

Hester clapped her hands together. “How wonderful.”

“Of course, you should have that gold tooth removed before the wedding,” Anders said, peering at Hester’s face.

Hester flapped her hands behind her back and gritted her teeth. Good God, this man! “Naturally.”

Septimus coughed, covering his mouth with a hand, then turning fully away, shoulders shaking.

Anders ushered them from the kitchen. “I shall next show you to the room that would be perfect for the nursery.”

“Oh, her hips—very good child-bearing hips,” Septimus said, pointing to Hester’s pelvis. She bit her lip, her eyes welling with tears of laughter. Septimus was funny? What a revelation.

Anders led them upstairs and into an empty bedroom which overlooked the harbour, the Valour and the Intrepid moored alongside the quay in the distance.

“It’s perfect,” Hester squealed. “I can just imagine our crooked-nosed children racing around in here.”

Septimus coughed again, hiding his grin with a surreptitious stroke of his moustache. He marched across the room to stand by the window, his back to them.

Cheat.

His Lordship turned from the window and fixed Hester with a wicked grin. Her pulse rose. “Before you wed her, Anders, perhaps it would be pertinent to enquire as to the status of her…purity.”

Hester clamped her mouth shut, almost snorting through her nose. Where on Earth had Septimus found a sense of humour?

She faced Anders, whose brow had furrowed.

“Well?” he asked.

“Sir, my purity is—” She coughed, pressing her hand to her mouth. She took a deep breath and squeaked, “—one hundred percent intact.”

Septimus broke down, holding the windowsill and roaring so hard that Hester broke into peals of laughter. She punched the air in triumph and held out a hand. Septimus fished in a pocket and dropped five gold coins into it.

“You stitched yourself up there, my lord,” Hester said as she pocketed the coins and left the room, Anders’ confused face sending her into further fits of laughter.

“It was hard to resist.”

She hopped down the stairs, the Pirate Lord close behind, and shrugged her coat on at the door. Septimus opened it for her, bowing low, white teeth flashing in a smile that made his eyes crinkle at the corners.

“Smiling suits you,” Hester said, nodding her approval. “When has our most serious Pirate Lord ever laughed so hard? I have not seen it, that’s for sure.”

“I don’t normally have much to laugh about,” he said, closing the door behind them and walking beside her towards the ships.

Hester raised her brows. Surely life couldn’t be so bad, especially if you had money.

“What do you make of their claim about the pack ice?” she asked.

“I did not think you would care about my opinion.”

“Of course I do. You are experienced, are you not?”

“I think it would be wise to wait a month and attempt it when the weather is warmer. Will you pay any heed to that?”

Of course she would pay heed. She wasn’t stupid. “I will discuss it with my crew and inform you of our decision in the morning.”

He nodded. They had reached the wooden quay, and Hester turned to step on board the Valour.