The candle was burning low when Will leaned back in the chair, arms stretching languidly over his head as he groaned softly. It had taken him hours to scour the three hidden books and then compare them to what was supposed to be the legitimate entries. In truth, what lay hidden in the desk was the real thing, the other, doctored to let those who would dare question, see what Charles Hyde wanted them to see.
Many of the entries were in some sort of code. But there were a few he managed to decipher and from the looks of things, Charles Hyde was non-discriminate in who he swindled and even more loose with who he made dealings with.
It was also while reading the ledgers that something Will, and most others who knew of Charles Hyde, had always heard and suspected, was proven to be correct. "Damn him," Will muttered under his breath, glancing over to see Catherine sleeping peacefully atop the bunk. The book she had been reading slipped through her hands to land upon the floor nearly an hour ago.
Standing, stretching tired and abused muscles, the handsome man took the leather from his hair and then combed his fingers through it, brushing it back. With one last deep breath, he knew that his decision had been wrong and he'd have to tell her everything, but how could he? How could he cause her such pain?
Blowing out the nub of a candle upon the desk, the soft, familiar sounds of the ship were soothing to him and he briefly closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of it as it wrapped about him like a warm embrace. He had missed life aboard ship more than he dared imagine. Oh, how he'd missed this life.
Quietly, he made his way across quarters, grabbing an apple left over from dinner as he passed the table and went to check on happenings aboard ship before retiring for the night.
It was odd really, Will felt as if he were standing amidst a raging storm with the way his mind and emotions were battling with one another. After checking on the ship, he headed down below and straight to the Captain's quarters where Catherine had been staying. There was no thought involved with his ending up there, it just happened.
Not until Will sat at the edge of the bunk to take off his boots did he realize what he'd unconsciously done and it startled him. However, on the opposite hand, it gave him great comfort.
Stopping what he was doing, he leaned forward, elbows braced upon his knees while lowly bowing his head, his hands raking roughly through his hair. He'd not thought twice about being by this woman's side-it wasn't right. Or was it?
The soft murmur and the teasing touch of fingertips upon his bare back made him hang his head lower while sighing softly. "That feels good," he confessed, her touch upon his skin soothing and enchanting.
"You look tired. Are you just getting through with the ledgers?" Catherine asked sleepily, pushing herself up, leaning upon an elbow to glance around him, hoping to see his face.
Turning, the weary smile he gave her warmed her heart. "Come to bed."
"I should really go back to my..."
"Propriety was tossed out the window a while back," she smiled, earning her a raised brow. "Stay here, please."
Thinking momentarily about her request, Will slowly stood, stripped out of his remaining clothes and boots and slipped under the covers.
"Just rest," Catherine urged, her hair spilling across his chest as they snuggled together in the small bunk.
The feel of her hand gently grazing across his belly calmed something deep within his soul, as he couldn't resist the urge to close his eyes and breathe in her nearness.
"Shhh..." she whispered against his skin, kissing his chest.
Even as the embrace of sleep eased Will to peaceful dreams, he leaned down and placed a kiss upon the crown of her golden head.
Sadly, he never saw the flicker of pain that crossed her eyes before she took a soft breath and went to sleep herself.
The Isle of Kinset was like an emerald glowing in the midst of warm, blue, tropical waters. From a distance, it looked clearly as if it was uninhabited from the denseness of the palm trees. But the closer the ship approached, there could be seen docks and a small coastal town.
Anchoring the ship just off harbor, not wanting to get too close for many reasons, Will ordered the long boat over the side and was calling Stout and Bevins over to him when Catherine approached.
"Don't even think it, William Turner," Catherine threatened, standing her ground.
"Think what?" he asked, the tone of his voice displaying his irritation.
"You know bloody well what you were planning to do because you left right after we made...you left without a word. You were going to leave me here and make a deal with Barnaby yourself, weren't you?"
Stout at first looked rather embarrassed, while Bevins found his tattered boots most interesting. Then Stout grinned a big jowly grin of pride at how this woman was standing up to the captain.
Placing his hands on her shoulders, Will took a deep, calming breath. "You do not need to go into town. I'll make the deal with Barnaby. You agreed to this earlier this morning before we..." he insisted, lowering his voice on that last remark.
Catherine looked to Stout who quickly turned away and whistled while glancing at the pristine sky while Bevins still stared at his boots. "I know what I said this morning," she answered back in a soft voice. "I said you could do the dealing with Barnaby. But that didn't mean you were going to leave me on this ship."
"Catherine, it's too dangerous. You don't know what type of man Barnaby is, he's ruthless and from what I read in those ledgers, he's probably a damned partner of your damned husband. Plus, near as I can figure, your bloody husband was stealing from Barnaby," Will said with irritation.
Green eyes narrowed upon the dark-haired man as she shrugged out of his grasp. "You're not leaving me behind," was all she stated while crossing her arms over her chest, but there was a determination to her voice and in her stance that made Will Turner take notice.
Grunting in dissatisfaction, Will held up his hands in surrender and shook his head. "Fine, do what you will. Obviously you won't listen to reason...or you wouldn't even be here in the Caribbean, you'd be back in the Carolina's or London or some bloody other place," he snapped, storming away from her, Bevins, and Stout.
Catherine watched as Will gathered a few items, all the while he grumped and muttered to himself. "The lad is right, Miss Catherine. Barnaby is a dangerous man-if you forgive me for overhearin' that little conversation."
Taking a deep breath, Catherine nodded her head. "I know," she confessed, watching as Bevins went to join the captain.
"He's only trying to keep ye safe."
"I know that too," she whispered, never taking her eyes off the man in question.
"He don't want to lose ye like he did...well, he just don't."
"Sometimes, Stout...nevermind," she stumbled, choking back the words. In her heart, she didn't want to lose Will either, but they'd made the pact. No emotions, no feelings allowed, they were to part ways upon the delivery of goods to the Isle of Kinset-and here sat Kinset.
"Best be gettin' your traveling gear, Miss," Stout urged as Catherine looked at him suspiciously.
Groaning deeply, Stout held up his hand. "Swear to ye, Miss Catherine, I won't let the lad leave without you," he vowed, watching as she nodded her head in understanding before hurriedly heading below to grab a few things.