Winds of Change

Excerpt:
“Let’s go inspect the hull again. We need to talk without worrying about anyone sneaking up on us.”

“Yes.” Will wanted very much to be alone with Davy, if only for a few moments. “But I’d like to do it differently this time. You go in from the forward access, I’ll go aft—we can meet in the middle. I’ll watch and see if anyone follows you.”

“Very good. I’ll get a lantern, no need for both of us to carry one. You come forward in the dark. If someone does follow me, you follow him and we’ll catch him between us. Is your pistol charged?”

“Ever since that first note. And I should dearly love the chance to use it.”

But he really could not tell whether anyone was watching Davy as they went back up on deck, observed the sky, spoke to a few of the men on duty. There were too many men on deck, men who had every right to be there—Dr. Curran had come above to extract a small splinter from the purser’s thumb, the light being so much better on deck. Half a dozen of the younger midshipmen were skylarking in the rigging, the usual Marine guard was standing at attention beside the ladders to the quarterdeck, the sailmaker was supervising repair to a topgallant sail that had unaccountably been found slashed when it was put back up after the storm…their phantom could have been any of these men, or none of them.

Will counted two minutes after Davy left the deck, then went down the nearest hatch and headed aft. He made his way through the maze of levels and ladders and ducked into the access to the carpenter’s walk, stepping carefully in the dark, one hand just touching the wall. He heard nothing but the sound of the sea, and as he came around the curve of the hull he saw the glimmer of Davy’s dark lantern. “Ahoy, shipmate!” he called softly.

Light glinted on Davy’s hair as he raised the lantern. “Any luck?”

“No. Six hundred souls…even with half them cleared, there are too many possibilities. I would swear no one followed you, but—”

“Hush!” With a single movement, Davy shuttered the lantern and held it low, behind his body. Barely breathing, they faced back the way Will had come, senses alert for the slightest sound.

There! A scrape, a footstep—and then a dim light came swinging around the curve, and Davy opened the dark-lantern again.

“Mr. Marshall, is that you?”

“Klingler?”

The Captain’s steward stepped forward hesitantly, his tanned face squinting as he raised his own lantern. “Yessir.”

Of all the ratings aboard, Klingler and Barrow were thankfully above suspicion. “What the devil are you doing down here?”

“Well, sir, I noticed you hared off like you was after someone, and seein’ as the Captain told me to keep my eyes open and keep an eye on the both of you—I thought you might need a hand, so here I am.”

“I see.” Will met Davy’s glance. “Thank you for your good intentions. Mr. Archer and I are doing much the same as you—also by the Captain’s orders. We’re hunting the vandal who damaged our topsail and we were hoping we might be followed; we had not expected a friendly face. But since you’re here, can you tell us if you’ve noticed anything suspicious in the past few days?”

“Among the ratings, sir, that’s one thing I have not seen, unless you’d say two left thumbs on each hand’s suspicious. This poor barky’s got a couple of sawdust-for-brains grass-combers aboard who might as well have been left ashore for all the good they do.”

“Always a few of those, aren’t there?” Davy said. “But we’ll turn them into seamen yet.”

“Aye, sir,” the steward said, in a tone that made it clear he was making allowances for Mr. Archer’s rank and excessive optimism.

Will looked down the dim corridor the steward had just traversed. “Well, you’ve proved one thing, anyway,” he said, keeping his voice low. “No one else followed me. If you would, Klingler, take your lantern and go on through. If you meet anyone, call out, ask him if he’s seen either of us... and remember his face.”

“Aye, sir. And if I don’t see anyone?”

“Stay near the access, if you can do it without anyone getting curious as to why you’re there, and make a bit of noise if anyone starts down. I’d like to see whether our ship’s ghost means to pay us a visit; we’re going to move back toward the stern and lie in wait.”

The seaman nodded, touched his forehead, and started down the corridor. Davy shut his lantern’s flap again, putting them into near-total darkness. In less than a minute Klingler’s light was gone, with only a reflected glow bouncing off the hull, and soon that disappeared as well.

“Set the lantern down for a moment, Davy,” Will said. He heard the muffled clank as Davy did so.

“How long do you want to wait here?”

“Not long,” Will said quietly. “Only long enough to hold you for a moment.”

“What? Will, that’s mad, we—” His whispered protest was muffled by Will’s lips, but he joined in eagerly, pulling Will close.

It probably was a little mad. This was not a safe place. But there was no safe place on this damned ship, and here at least they would have a few moments’ warning if anyone came creeping along; at worst, they could say they were trying to lure in the phantom.

But that was not what drove Marshall. He had been intensely furious with that damned he-whore Gannon, for making advances toward his lover. Ever since Davy had told him of Gannon’s proposition, he had been aflame with jealousy. Even the thought that the transgressor might now be dead did not quench the fire. He desperately needed to reassure himself that Davy was his, only his, needed to taste that beautiful mouth, feel their bodies move together. Here in the darkness, with the whispering sea just outside, he leaned against his lover, pinning Davy against the inner wall of the ship.

Davy resisted for a moment, but then his hands dropped to Will’s arse, kneading and squeezing as their cocks ground together through their clothing. Only for a moment—and then he whispered, “Will, we can’t—it would show, if Klingler’s waiting when we—”

“Shh.” Will slid to his knees, appalled at his own recklessness even as he was working at Davy’s trouser buttons. Stupid, stupid and dangerous, but Davy was shivering so beautifully as Will licked and sucked and brought his lover to a quick, silent release. He stayed there for a few seconds, resting his face against Davy’s thigh, then slid up to hold him once more.

Davy’s voice was shaky. “Will—shall I—”

“No. You’re right, it was mad. I—I’m not sure what came over me. Just button your trousers, Davy. I’ll take care of myself later.” It would be madness to go any further, and in any event he certainly deserved a little frustration for putting Davy at such risk.

He held his lover close until their breathing slowed, until he could convince his own excited cock to calm down at least a little. A good thing they were in undress uniform, with dark trousers that were looser than the more formal breeches

Davy kissed him one last time, then picked up the lantern. “Mr. Marshall, that was the most idiotic thing I have ever known you to do. Why, in the name of sanity?”

Will shook his head, equally flummoxed at his own recklessness. “I’m not sure. Not something I’ll do again, I promise you.”

“Not under these circumstances, at any rate—I hope you do not mean forever!”

“Of course not.” Will was already regretting his rash behavior—and yet not regretting it at all.