Chapter Ten

"Cat got your tongue, Kennedy?" He asked. His voice was soft but Emma noticed the menacing tone. Archie's fingers were digging almost painfully into her side.

"My name is Emma, Sir." She extended her hand cautiously. The man took it and raised it to his lips. Emma was surprised at the instinctive shudder of revulsion she felt at the feel of this man's mouth on her skin.

"Horatio's wife." Archie finally said. His cheerful eyes were now cold and hard as they met the other man's eyes.

"Snotty's got himself a bride?" He asked in surprise.

"Snotty?" Emma asked, bristling.

"Aye, miss. Just a nickname is all."

"Sounds more like an insult, Sir and I must say I don't care for it." Emma said. He bowed with what Emma was sure was blatant mockery.

"My apologies, ma'm. Good evening to you." He smirked and pushed past them so that Archie was forced to relinquish his grip on Emma.

"Who was that man?" Emma asked with a shudder, staring at his retreating form.

""Jack Simpson." Archie replied, his voice slightly choked.

"Not a friend of yours, I take it?" Emma asked.

"Of anyone's ma'm. You'd do well to steer clear of him if you can. Here we are then." Archie said, stopping in front of a door. He turned the knob and ushered her inside.

Emma took a step back, assaulted by the sharp scents of blood, alcohol and waste.

"Goodness!" She said turning her head to take a deep breath from the air in the corridor.

"If there's nothing else, ma'm?" Archie asked. She looked back at him and felt a twinge of disappointment that the cheerful light seemed to have gone from his eyes, replaced by an almost.....haunted look.

"When you get a chance, Mr. Kennedy could you have my trunk brought in? I left it on deck."

"Of course." He nodded.

"Oh and Mr. Kennedy?" She called out when he turned to leave.

"Ma'm?"

"You may call me Emma if we are to be shipmates." She gave him a small smile, which she was glad he returned.

"Archie." He said with a final nod and then she was left alone.

At least this room was larger than Captain Pellew's, Emma noted. Due, for the most part, she guessed, to the large rectangular table in the center of the room. Black leather straps hung off the ends for the body's four limbs. Two convalescent beds, stained with blood and missing linens took up the left wall. A small bookcase with various medical texts ran along the bottom half of the right wall. On top of the bookcase were various labeled vials, beakers and bottles. Next to the door was an elegant looking apothecary table with more vials, powders and bandage cloths of different sizes. Emma was glad for the supplies and the books, a few of which she currently possessed as well. Inside the bottom drawer of the apothecary table, Emma spotted a few thin journals. Flipping through one of them she read medical notes on various crewmembers. Definitely something to catch up on later. She hugged the journal to her chest and took another look around the room. The room was filthy and stunk to high heaven. It would have to be cleaned and disinfected before it could once again be fit for use but Emma felt that it was hers. Her very own medical office and despite the daunting task ahead of her, she smiled.

"Alright Mr. Hornblower, please explain to me where exactly you left your senses when you decided to bring that child on board my ship?" Captain Pellew demanded. Though the two men shared a warm ease with each other, they still retained formality out of habit. "And for that matter, how did young Emma come to be your wife? I'd heard no mention of any intended even if you had the time, which you did not." Horatio fought the urge to squirm under the captain's pointed gaze. He seriously debated telling the captain the truth. His captain was a good man but he was also an officer in his majesty's navy. Captain Pellew would be required by law to report any illegal activity.

"She is the daughter of a dear friend and was entrusted to my care. That is all I can tell you, Sir without betraying his trust." Horatio said.

"Is it indeed?" Captain Pellew asked, his brown eyes widening in incredulity. "And you think that paltry explanation is sufficient?"

"No, Sir. I know it is not but as a gentleman it is all I can tell you without compromising, Emma or her father." Horatio replied.

"You bring a stranger onto my ship without my prior consent and ask me to take your word that she isn't a danger to my crew?" Captain Pellew asked.

"Captain, if I may speak freely?" After a nod, Horatio continued on "Have you seen the woman? She's a danger to no one. Indeed I brought her with me to protect her."

"A marriage of convenience?" The captain asked.

"In the most technical sense, yes." Horatio confirmed.

"While she seems harmless enough, experience has taught me that appearances can be deceiving, especially in matters pertaining to the fairer sex. Mr. Hornblower, I will be keeping a very close eye on your little wife. If I even suspect that she is out to endanger my ship or my crew I will personally toss her overboard and hang you up by the appendage you used in your judgment of the situation. Is that understood?" Captain Pellew asked, his face inches from his young officer.

"Perfectly, Sir." Horatio said, his voice cracking slightly.

"Alright then you are dismissed."

"Sir, there is one more thing."

"And what is that, Mr. Hornblower?" Captain Pellew asked turning away from Horatio to straighten some documents on his desk.

"The matter of sleeping arrangements, Sir." Horatio said, glad that the captain couldn't see his flushed face.

"Oh, is that so?" Captain Pellew asked, hiding a smile. He cleared his throat to stop the laughter that threatened to bubble forth. "Well, Mr. Hornblower, since you decided to bring young Emma on board for her protection I suppose you must keep her with you, shouldn't you?"

"Aye, Sir. It's only....that..w.w.w.well seeing a..as she's a f...fe.....female-" Horatio stammered.

"You knew that when you brought her here. We have no room for squeamishness; Mr. Hornblower so if your young wife cannot be at ease here than I suppose that she's not to continue on with us is she?" Captain Pellew challenged, finally turning around to face Horatio. It was almost his undoing. The poor young man looked so dejected that Edward Pellew nearly lost his composure and dissolved into a fit of laughter. "Now is there anything else?" He forced himself to ask.

"No, Sir." Horatio said taking a deep breath.

"Then you are dismissed." Horatio saluted his captain and then walked stiffly back out of the room.

"Well, one must amuse one's self somehow." Captain Pellew said to the empty room before pouring himself a drink and shaking his head as he laughed.