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“Mia,” Devin warned, reminding her it wasn’t herplace.
“Thank you, Mrs. Winthrop. I’ll remember that,” Lieutenant Coventon said and smiled ather.
“See, he’ll make a fine captain, he knows how to go with the wind,” Mia told Devin as she winked at thelieutenant.
“Mia,” Devin warned again taking her hand and pulling her off the bridge. He led her portside and together they watched the smaller crafts working the large vessel up against thedocks.
Mia scanned the crowd again. She wasn’t used to such receptions. Merchant ships came and went with little acknowledgement from anyone. Lifting her hand to her collar she rubbed at the tightness. “There are a lot of people, Captain,” she said and stepped closer tohim.
“They’re not all here for us, Mia,” he said and squeezed her hand. “Other ships are in port. That one looks to have justdocked.”
Mia took a deep breath. “Not to spoil it for you, Captain, but I do hope they’re all here for them notus.”
“Stop thinking like a pirate, pirate,” Devin said and put his arm around her waist. “No one is going to leap from the crowd, clasp you in irons and drag you to thegallows.”
“Aye, only my husband puts me in chains and ties me up with ropes,” Mia replied knowing one was a complaint and the other praise. She yelped when Devin dropped his arm and delivered a smack to herstern.
“Careful pirate,” he said as he squeezed her left ass cheek. Mia pressed her lips together to stop the moan, but then her eyes caught sight of yet a third ship being shoved into thedocks.
“Captain,” she said and pointed. “Someone better call out or those ships are going tocollide.”
“God save us,” Devin swore and headed for the bow, “Look ahead and haul back,” he yelled and pointed to where the two ships were about to collide. “Haul back,” he yelled again, and Mia saw the men at the docks who’d been loosely holding the lines start looking at what was about to happen. They snapped to and soon ten men were on the lines pulling aft on the ship. The ship hit the docks but continued forward towards the ship in front. More men grabbed the lines andpulled.
“Heave, men,” one man called out. Mia assumed that was the dock master. “Heave.” And with a groan the ship came to a stop, its stem almost touching the stern on the other ship on which the crew were, standing and yelling curses at both the dock crew and the ship’scaptain.
Mia breathed a sigh of relief, turned to the man at their helm and yelled, “Don’t be like them, Lieutenant. Bad sailors the lot of them.” The warning made the entire crew of theIron Roselaugh.
They laughed more when Coventon snapped to attention, tossed her a salute, and yelled back, “Aye, aye, Mrs.Captain.”
“Mrs. Captain,” Mia pondered out loud as Devin came back to her. “I could likethat.”
“I couldn’t,” he growled, then shook his head and resumed his place at her side. “They almost put that stem right up the stern,” he complained, and Mia wondered if he was too accustomed to the smooth way the ports were handled in theCaribbean.
“Not at all pleasant to have happen when its two ships, but,” Mia lowered her voice and set her hand on his chest, “I think we might show them how that’s properly done.” She didn’t miss the wry smile on hisface.
A few minutes later their ship bumped against the docks and came to a standstill. The anchor was dropped and mooring lines tossed out. Devin waited until the last line was tied off before turning to look over the ship and crew. “Welcome home men. God kept us and savedus.”
The crew turned to face him saluted and then broke into cheers. Cups of rum were passed around and the men congratulated each other. Shouts about their good captain rang out and then the bell sounded and everyone turned to see Mr. Quiggly with his hand on the rope. “Our Captain,” the man said and raised a cup. “But also our heart—Mia.”
“Our heart—Mia,” the crew called out and raised theircups.
“Oh,” Miagasped.
“It’s a little late for mutiny, Mia,” Devin teased as he retrieved a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. “Unless you plan to commandeer my ship and run back toCartagena.”
Mia dabbed her eyes and shook her head. Becoming part of the crew took effort and she wasn’t always certain she gained their acceptance. Now, though, she knew. “Mr. Quiggly,” Mia called and snagging the old seadog, tossed her arms around his neck. “You gibfaced flapdoodle. I think I might loveyou.”
“Ah missus,” the man said, patting her back. “It was good sport having you on board, but I don’t have the captain’s fortitude to take yourlove.”
Mia pulled back and gasped then along with her husband and anyone close enough to hear the exchange burst outlaughing.
“Shall we go ashore, Mrs. Winthrop?” Devin asked, holding out hisarm.
“Aye, Captain Winthrop,” Mia said, hooking her arm through his and taking the first steps in this leg of thejourney.
Chapter 2
Devin shiftedand cleared his throat. Far more people were here to see his ship come in than he’d ever thought would be. A good number of high ranking officials including the very new Lord High Admiral His Royal Highness Prince William Henry, Duke of Clarence, and the Vice Admiral James Saumarez, first Baron de Saumarez were there. That they greeted him and his crew right on the docks was astounding. They seemed to think his taking of the pirate ship and its crew and revealing that a gang of pirates were posing as common ship captains to get control of ships they could then terrorize and rob was some greatfeat.
