Carried Home (12 page)

 

Ivy pushed loose hair from her face. His side seemed all right. He had lost a lot of blood, but it was only a stab wound, and whatever had cut him had not touched any major body parts. She hoped.

Ivy chewed on her lip. She highly doubted her abilities as a nurse, but she was the only person available to help Gage.

The blood flowing from his side had slowed nearly to a stop. Unfortunately, the red liquid had stained all of his sheets and his coverlet. These were probably his only bed things, but there was nothing she could do about it. His safety was far more important.
Now, she was left to determine the state of his unconsciousness. True, he had lost a large quantity of blood, but…oh, yes. Mr. Douglas had said Gage hit his head.

She ran her fingers through his hairline, checking for bumps. A round area protruded from the surface of his scalp like a chicken egg. Some blood pooled around it. The poor man. That surely felt terrible.

She ran over to the table in the cabin and snatched the pitcher of water from it. He could get an infection if she didn't clean his stab wound. A doctor who had treated little William after he had scraped his arms and legs up playing outside had told her as much as that. So many terrible things could happen to him if she did not tend to him properly. God help her, she needed to stop thinking about that and get to work.

Ivy tore off a strip of the coverlet and dipped it in the water. She gingerly dabbed at the wound on his side. A wave of nausea washed over her when the sharp smell of blood bit her nose. Her hand shook. Her vision doubled.
Give me strength, Lord.
The cloth jerked in her hand and bumped into his wound much harder than she intended. Still, he didn't stir.

Ivy let out a sharp hiss of breath and gritted her teeth. The poor, dear man. She cleaned the rest of the wound and wrapped it with the cleanest bit of cloth she could find.

She glanced around the room for something that could further cleanse the gap in his flesh. No alcohol in sight. She would have to ask for some when he woke. If he did wake.
Please, God, let him wake up.

The bump on his head was just that—a bump. What could she do to treat it? She supposed the most she could do was to sit here and wait with him until the horrible battle outside the cabin door quieted. An agonizing scream pierced through the thick oak door. Panic tore through Ivy. People were being
murdered
just feet away from her.

Ivy buried her face in her hands. If something happened to Gage…if he…

She could not think of it. She would not think of it.

Ivy glanced at Emma. She slept soundly. How could the child be so calm in the midst of this horrible battle? Oh, she would give anything to be asleep right now rather than hearing the men screaming, the swords clinking, and the guns shooting. Gage moved slightly, and Ivy's heart leapt. Her hand found his and she held it. It was cold. Oh, that was a terrible feeling. It was unnaturally chilled. His face was pale. Gray-toned and pale.

Ivy bit her lip. Where was Adam? Maybe he would know what to do. It seemed as if the very life was flowing out of Gage, and yet she had no clue what to do to stop it. She brushed a lock of dark hair out of his face. His forehead was cold, too. After a moment's hesitation, she leaned forward to press a kiss against his forehead. He smelled of cedar and salty sweat, but the mixture was a pleasant scent. Her lips lingered against his skin for a moment before his arm snaked around her waist. His grip was loose, but he had moved nonetheless.

Ivy pulled back. His chocolate brown eyes were half open, staring at her face. One side of his mouth tipped upwards in an attempt at a smile. He coughed. “At least kiss me on my lips, milady.”

Her face heated, but a chuckle escaped her mouth. His eyes slid closed as she brushed her lips against his. He did not respond. Ivy sighed. The man had slipped back into unconsciousness. But surely it was a good sign he had opened his eyes and teased her.

Something pounded on the door. Ivy shot up from the bed. She prayed it was not one of the pirates, or someone like Rogers.

“Lady Shaw, it is Mr. Douglas. Please grant me entrance for a moment.”

Ivy sped to the door and unbolted it. Mr. Douglas shut it behind him before Ivy could see what was going on outside. “How is he?”

“I-I don't know. He woke up for a second and spoke, but his skin is cold to the touch. I cleaned his wounds, but he lost a lot of blood. I-I'm…afraid.”

Adam glanced over her shoulder at his captain, his forehead creased. “I fear for him also, milady, but I am afraid there is nothing I can do for him right now. The battle is over—we managed to fend the pirates off.”

“Oh, thank God,” Ivy sighed.

“However, milady, we face a new issue. That's why I came to you.”

Ivy tensed. “What is that?”

“The crew…they are unhappy. They say we should have raided the pirates rather than just fend them off. They feel that right now, while Captain Thompson indisposed, they should take full control.”

****

Adam fumbled with his hat as he stood before the lady. He noticed a fresh scratch on his hand from which blood trailed down. He did not remember getting scratched. Silence stretched through the room for a moment, and finally Adam glanced up.

Lady Shaw's face had faded to a chalky color. She swayed and then caught her balance on the table beside to her. “M-mutiny, Mr. Douglas?”

“Yes, milady. Mutiny.”

“What are we to do?” Her voice emerged from her lips as a whisper.

“I do not know, milady. This is a tricky situation.”

“May I go up on the main deck with you?”

Adam glanced at his captain's still body. The man would definitely not approve of him taking the woman up to the crew when they were in such a disagreeable state, but on the other hand, Adam did not want to deal with the riotous crew alone. Captain Thompson seemed to be doing all right. Lady Shaw was a bright woman. He was certain she could help.

“Do not let Captain Thompson know I let you go above. And for goodness' sake, please be careful. But yes. Hurry. I fear we have little time.”

Lady Shaw blinked rapidly. Finally, she faced Emma once more, who slept soundly on an armchair. “She should be all right by herself, sleeping. I'm ready.”

Adam ran a hand through his hair and prayed he was doing the right thing, before opening the door and motioning for the woman to exit first.

****

Addie heaved out a sigh as she sprawled across her cot in the millinery shop. Her back ached. Her fingers ached. Her neck ached.
Everything
ached. Apparently, sewing and mending used different muscles in her body than gardening because this occupation took a toll on her. Her eyes had grown bleary from staring at the tiny needle all day long. All week long. Over and over and over.

Where was Gage? Would he really come to help her, or would her beloved brother prove to be like all the other men in her life? Their father had left them with no prospects. Then her adopted father had sold her to the highest bidder. Her husband had been useless with his constant drinking and gambling and left her deep in debt after he died. And now, would Gage fail her too? If only women could live on their own without relying on men. It was a struggle to purchase even her necessities with the small payments Mr. Faulke gave her.

When would this end?

****

Ivy blinked against the glare of the sun. When her eyes finally adjusted to the light, she wished to close them again. A large majority of the crew was utterly battered. Blood drenched everything, soaked their clothing, and pooled on the wood. The deck seemed divided into two sections, with groups of men standing on either side. They did not look at all pleased with each other.

Rogers stood at the head of the men on the left. Ivy's stomach sank. Of course that wretched man would be leading a mutiny against Gage.
Oh, what were they to do?

Mr. Douglas stepped with a hand behind his back to keep Ivy a step behind. She liked to think of herself as brave, but she was glad to stay back. These men were vicious and not in a mood to be polite. “Brought the cap'n's little lady friend to protect you, didja?” Rogers sneered.

Indignation shot through Ivy's veins. How dare the man? She lunged forward. “It is not right to speak that way and you will do well to change your tone, mister.”

After a moment of painful silence, the majority of the men burst out in laughter.

Heat flooded Ivy's face.

“The little lamb does have a bite!”

“Hey, I didn't know she could speak fer herself!”

“That's just 'cause her girl-friend, the
cap'n,
ain't here.”

Ivy's hands balled into fists at her waist.

Adam stepped forward. “Silence!” Ivy had never heard such a sharp tone come from the soft-spoken man. “What is your position, men?”

Voices roared on both sides of the ship.

“Order, please!” Adam proclaimed. After a moment, both sides quieted. “Now, you first. What say you?” He motioned to the right half of the crew.

A man with golden-red hair that glistened with sweat cleared his throat. “We are standin' behind Captain Thompson. He's been fair to us and was good to a lot of us when we was on Captain Archer's ship, too.”

“Aye!” Some of the men near him shouted. Ivy's knees nearly buckled. There were more men on that side than on the other side. However, she dreaded to hear what Rogers had to say.

Nonetheless, Mr. Douglas faced the other side of the deck. “And you?”

Rogers jerked forward and jutted his chest out. He spat on the deck, and many of the men on his side of the ship did the same. “That sissy will not be my captain any longer—he never deserved the title and he doesn't now, that's for sure. He can't even command us successfully during a battle. He can't even
survive
a battle—he's hidden away in his little cabin with whate'er injury he claims to 'ave gotten. 'E's like a dog hiding under the table with his tail between its legs.”

Ivy clenched her fists tight. Oh, how she wanted to speak her mind and put this horrid man in his place once and for all and somehow remove him from this ship. But that would be a foolish idea. She was a woman. A small woman. Who was she to attack a man? If she did, she would certainly not fare well. However, before Ivy could do anything at all, both groups of men began to roar. They seemed to be having a conversation, but their words sped too fast for Ivy to understand what they said.

Adam's gaze shifted to Ivy. She shrugged and glanced back and forth between the two sides. They would not be silent. A headache pounding at her temples, Ivy stood up straight. “Silence! Everyone be quiet right now!”

To her shock, the men stopped their racket. They all stared at her with their mouths gaping open. Well…she had not expected the men to even hear her, much less obey her. Now what? Ivy's face heated until she was certain it must be vibrant violet color.

She opened and closed her mouth a few times before some noise finally came out. Noise that seemed like stumbling nonsense. But she kept talking. “I-I uh…y-you men are acting ridiculously. H-how can you be so cruel to your own captain? You have barely given Ga—Captain Thompson a chance. Please, remain loyal to this good man, and I guarantee you will be reaping the benefits.”

“We've given that jackal time!”

“Aye, an' he sent us straight into a hurricane, he did!”

“And he can't even hold his own in a battle!”

“We won't stand fer it any longer!”

Ivy moved to Adam, but he no longer seemed to be paying the crew any mind. What on earth was the matter with him? She needed his help now, and he seemed to be staring off into nothingness.

****

Adam tried to react. But his mind was elsewhere. If these men ended up mutinying, they would either lock Gage up or kill him. And that consequence would largely be his fault. He could not cope with sitting by while something terrible happened to one of his only friends. He had already failed James. He could not fail his current captain.

And yet, somehow, he stood there dumbfounded as the crew insulted Captain Thompson. Finally, Lady Shaw stepped forward, a stern look darkening her face. “How dare you talk like that? Captain Thompson has been good to you. I do not know exactly how this works for you, but I am certain he pays you well, and he has kept you safe despite the hurricane and the pirates. Please, just…leave him be.”

“He didn't keep us safe! We've hardly been safe since we set foot on this ship with that man!”

“Yeah, the wench is just confused, that's all!”

Lady Shaw pressed a hand to her forehead. “Please, men. Please.”

One of the men—from the side of the deck that supported Gage—nodded. “What state
is
our cap'n in?”

“Yeah, how's he doin'?”

Lady Shaw nibbled on her bottom lip. “He seems to be stable; however, I do not think he will be able to do much on the ship for at least another week. He has been injured fairly badly.”

“What a child,” sneered one of the men.

Adam sighed. He wondered how these men would react if it were
they
who had sustained the injuries.

“I'm sure it wasn't Captain Thompson's fault, and I am certain he will be back up on his feet as soon as he can be. This could have happened to any one of you. You should be thankful you are well and able to stand on your own feet.” The woman's tone sharpened slightly and most of the men fell silent. Their mouths gaped open.

Adam had to hold back a chuckle. She was proving she could hold her own among this group of wild scalawags.

Lady Shaw crossed her arms across her body. “You all should be ashamed of yourselves for your behavior. You are acting quite unreasonably.”

Most of the crew grumbled for a few moments. Finally, one stepped up. “Well, even if we want that man to remain our captain, we don't have any leader right now. What if something happens to Cap'n Thompson and he doesn't heal? We need somebody to lead us right now, while our cap'n is indisposed.”

The men on the left side of the ship groaned.

“Mr. Douglas would be our reasonable answer,” piped up Mr. Francis, a man who still supported Gage.

Adam's blood slowed its journey throughout his body. Was it possible for it to simply inch through his veins, rather than flow? His breathing altered to a shallower intake of air. He did not want to be responsible for the lives of so many men after he had so miserably failed in preserving the life of his closest friend. However, one glance at Lady Shaw restored some strength to his body.

The woman's eyes bore through him, determination lighting a fire behind their gray depths. She stood tall, her head tilted at a confident angle. This woman—an English-bred
lady—
possessed more strength than he did. And yet she did not seem cocky about it. No, instead she grabbed his hand with both of hers and stared straight into his eyes. In a low voice, she whispered, “I'll help you. I'll stand by you. Please. Gage needs this. We must keep everything in order for him.”

Adam felt his forehead constrict into a frown. This lady was an angel. Gage should be happy someone as strong and brave and compassionate as her felt so strongly for him. Adam could only hope that someday a woman so resilient and kind would fall for him. Finally, he nodded. “I will step into Captain Thompson's place only until he feels well enough to return to his position.”

Half the men groaned.

Ivy held her head high. “And you will respect Mr. Douglas. I do not expect to hear about any unhappiness among you. It would serve you well to be cooperative. If you please.”

The men watched her with open jaws and stayed silent.

Adam's eyes widened. What on earth had gotten into the lady? Whatever she was doing, he would not complain. These men obeyed her better than they had obeyed Captain Thompson.