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“What is this?” Devin yelled heading towards Grim who for all the guns trained on him looked not a bitconcerned.
“You there,” the man yelled pointing at Devin as he stormed over. “You, you’re the one what tore up my docks and left them in a wreck. I can’t get cargo moved because of you and this animal. Just who’s going to repair my docks, pay these damagesand—”
“Sir,” Devin yelled barely stopping himself from slapping the man. “You take your guns off my man this minute or you’ll be bemoaning more than a few broken boards.” He waited until the pistols dropped then signaled Grim to come stand behindhim.
“My docks,” the mansputtered.
“Your docks are a disaster,” Devin said clasping his hands together behind his back to hide how they fisted in anger. “How you’ve stayed dockmaster up to this minute I can’t speak to. That your incompetence is going to be known well and wide I’ll assureyou.”
“My incompetence?” Again, he sputtered at theinsult.
“Without doubt,yours.” Devin drew in a deep breath and pulled back his shoulders. Dock masters had some power, but they didn’t hold enough to cause him concern if he were to disparage one as he was about to. “Your docks are run worse than any I might find run by children in Sedgemoor.Even there I’d believe more confidently a ship would be seen safe to dock more fully then here. Not only did your bumbling allow a ship to be so loosely moored as to be pushed and pulled by a weak tide so all safety and caution was ignored, you also allowed the near collision of two fine ships. The loss of a few planks of wood to the recovery of a young boy andmywife is a small price to pay. For I assure you, had lives been lost this morning you’d be begging for death long before it came. Now get from my sight before I have my man here,” he jerked his head toward Grim, “snap you in two or morepieces.”
Devin saw the man pale and swallow before almost falling over in his attempt to escape. He turned to go back to his meal only to have Grim stop him. Looking up, he raised a brow. The giant man was smiling stupidly, and Devin knew he’d let himself be taken so the dockmaster got his aft chewed hard. With nothing but a hard pat on Devin’s shoulder, Grim sauntered out of the pub leaving Devin to shake hishead.
He was about to take the first bite when his name was called out again. “Captain…Winthrop?”
“God save me,” he muttered then raised his hand and called “Here.” He should have stayed in the room withMia.
“Popular, you are, Captain,” Mr. Quiggly remarked with a smirk. Devin glared athim.
“You’re Captain Winthrop?” one of the two men approaching asked. They weren’t navy men, so Devin shrugged off their importance and took a bite of the cold meal he’d been trying to eat. “It was you, sir, who pulled the little boy from thewater?”
Devin only nodded and continued to shove food in his mouth so he might take the second plate to Mia and be done with this tidal wave of people seeking his attention. Hushed whispers passed between the two before one dashed away. Devin sighed and set his fork aside. He’d wait and eat with Mia. Or perhaps eat Mia. The thought cheered him enough he didn’t choke the man when he spokenext.
“Sir, His Grace, Phillip Lovelace, Duke of Marshal wishes a word with you,” the man said. Devin followed his look to the door where a familiar man was coming inside. It took a minute for his eyes to adjust to the darker interior but as soon as he spotted Devin he came right forhim.
“Now what?” Devin saidrising.
“So much for not rubbing elbows,” Quiggly said with a snort and Devin only barely managed not to kickhim.
“Captain Winthrop?” Lovelace greeted, holding out his hand. “It took some work to track you down, few from the ship were willing to say anything about where you’dgone.”
“I’m sorry you were looking for me. But, why?” Devin couldn’t place where he’d seen the man. His crew could at least respect hisprivacy.
“To give you my heartfelt thanks. Mine and my sister’s. We can never repay what you did thismorning.”
It occurred to him then this man had been who’d taken the boy from Mr. Asher and fled the scene. “The boy is yourson?”
“Nephew,” he corrected. “My sister’s only child now with her husband dead,” he said. Devin didn’t miss the way he said it. Clearly his sister’s choice of husband hadn’t been wellliked.
“He, the boy, is well?” Mia would want toknow.
“He is coming round. Took a lump on his head.” The man touched his forehead. “But was already asking to go back and see theboats—”
“Ships,” several at the tablecorrected.
Devin rolled his eyes, but the man took being corrected by his lessers well enough. “Ships. I stand corrected. I understand that it was your… wife… who saw him fall in and went in to savehim.”
“Yes, Mrs. Winthrop saw him fall when the ship was pulled from dockside. She didn’t know both pilings on either side were blocked with rocks. I think she thought they’d be able to simply swimout.”
“I should like to personally extend my thanks to her as well. Surely Thomas would have been lost to us without her quick heroics.” The man sounded so sincerely grateful Devin was a little sad to disappointhim.
“Mrs. Winthrop is resting, but I’ll be sure to pass on your words. I know she’ll be very pleased to hear his young lordship is shaking outfine.”
“She’s not unwell herself, is she? I can send for my personal physician if you like. Surely it’d be theleast…”
Devin held his hand up to stop the man. “Mia is well, simply tired. It’s not the first time, I’m sure, that she’s gone in the drink and swallowed seawater. Rest and food.” He waved his hand over the table to indicate the meal he was trying to consume. “She’ll be right as thewinds.”
