VII.

Flint stalked back into his cabin, slamming the door behind him. Reaching for a bottle of whisky, he poured himself a stiff drink, then sat down at his desk. Hearing a knock on the door, he barked, "What now?"

The door cracked open, and John Silver peered into the room. "I was told you wished to speak with me?"

The Captain waved a hand at him irritably, and Silver shut the door behind him, making a cautious approach. When he finally stood in front of the desk, Flint downed his whisky in one gulp, then spoke, his voice controlled.

"We have a problem."

"We?" Silver echoed, his voice tentative.

"As in the Walrus. This crew," growled Flint. "Billy's Miss Davies. DeGroot has identified her as an associate of a man who has vowed to do everything he can to restore British rule on New Providence. A man who calls himself the voice of reason, of enlightenment-who says that pirates have corrupted the soul of Nassau. This man, Tobias Nelson, is a craven, lying bastard, who has made his fortune in just a few years by running a network of shipwreckers-men who lure ships to wreck on reefs by signalling them with false lights. He wants the waters off Nassau free of pirates alright-but not because of any sense of morality. It's so more big, fat merchant ships can sail by Nassau, ripe for the picking. But there's one big difference between us and him-we have the balls to fight for a prize face-to-face."

Silver eyed Flint, who had poured himself another drink. "And Miss Davies. Her presence affects us how?"

Flint's eyes darkened, and he stared moodily into the amber liquid in his glass. "Why is she really here?" he muttered. "And now that she is, what the hell do we do with her?"

xxxx

Billy had fallen into a troubled, restless sleep. He woke up at one point, and heard conversation in the room, with voices rising and falling in dizzying succession. He thought he heard Flint's rough voice at one point, but could not be sure.

He felt as if all the vitality and strength that he normally possessed had been siphoned out of his body by some malevolent force. A suffocating heat descended upon him, and he tossed and turned, trying to escape it. Underneath it all was the dull, steady ache in his thigh that had the ability turn in an instant into a searing jolt of agonizing pain.

Just when the temperature in the room became tolerable, he began to shiver. His clothes were damp with sweat, and this served only to intensify the cold that seemed to have penetrated into the very marrow of his bones. Turning on his side, he pulled the thin blanket around him, his teeth chattering

Some moments later, a lithe, warm body slid into bed next to him.

"I'm here, Billy...and I'm not leaving your side until you are strong and well." The sweet, reassuring voice washed over him like a gentle summer breeze.

A woman.

Billy swallowed, his mouth dry.

How long had it been since he had had a woman in his bed? Six months? Nine?

He knew that the men considered him odd due to his avoidance of the fuck tents that the brothels often set up on the beach for the pirate crews. There were several reasons he chose not to patronize the whores that were so readily available. In his mind, standing in line to wait his turn for a woman that had just serviced a dozen of his shipmates was less than appealing. He had also seen the ravages of venereal disease among the men he had sailed with, and had learned to be choosy about he women he chose to enjoy. Last, but not least, he still carried around the image of his father smiling fondly at his mother as she worked in the kitchen, singing in her pure, clear voice. "I'm a lucky man, Billy. I hope one day you find a woman who will make you as happy as your mother has made me."

When he had been new to pirate life, the men had been quick to guess that he was still a virgin. They had promptly declared that part of his initiation would be a visit to the largest brothel in Port Royal, Jamaica, which happened to be their next port of call. Once they hit shore, Billy, glad to have escaped the nightmare of life aboard a British Navy ship, had let his customary self-discipline slip.

After several hours of heavy drinking, he had been carried on the shoulders of his new mates to meet Molly, one of the more famous women at the establishment. The two hours he had spent with her had opened his eyes to the sort of pleasures that were possible in the arms of a skilled and eager woman.

As he had dressed, a naked Molly had reclined on the overstuffed pillows on the bed, her eyes following his every movement. As he reached for his pistol, she stood up, and approached him, her slim hips swaying gently as she walked.

"It's not often I get to service such a fine, manly specimen as yourself, Billy Bones." Blond, wavy hair cascading over her breasts, she gave him a tender smile as she placed her small hands on his broad shoulders. "Promise me you'll take care of yourself. I've seen far too many men who are content to fuck any woman that offers him a cut-rate price. Sure, they save a few coins, but they're often dead of the pox a few years later-or so miserable they're wishin' they were dead. A bit of advice-stay away from the cheap whores, even when you feel your balls are about to burst from the wantin'. Stick with the higher priced women that you know are clean. And if you ever come back to Port Royal, be sure to look me up."

Billy tried to open his eyes, but found that the weight of his eyelids made that near impossible.

"Are you clean?" he muttered, hoping desperately that the answer would be in the affirmative.

"Of course." Her hand slid across his chest. "I wouldn't come to you any other way."

Her scent, light and fragrant, reminded him of an English spring morning.

"God, you smell amazing," he rasped. "Tell me your name."

A musical laugh floated through the air. "Billy, don't you know me? It's Meg."

He struggled for a moment, and managed to open his eyes. A woman with long, dark hair that curled over her shoulders was lying next to him. Her slim fingers touched his cheek, which was rough with golden stubble. After tracing the line of his jaw, she tilted his head towards hers.

"It's not possible," he said hoarsely. "You're still a girl, playing dolls with my sister in the kitchen."

"I grew up, Billy." She was silent for a moment, then looked into his eyes. "And I can't help but think that fate has brought us together for a reason. My parents had been so certain that a match with Tobias-"

"The hell with Tobias!" Billy felt strength flow into his limbs for the first time in what seemed like days. In an instant, he had gathered her against his body. Once her soft breasts pressed against him, he was undone.

Stifling a groan, he rolled her underneath him. "I won't allow it," he muttered, running a hand through her silky hair.

She raised an eyebrow. "Do you have a claim over me that I am as yet unaware of?"

The corner of his mouth curved up in a confident grin. "Oh, I have a claim over you, alright."

"Really? As of when?"

"As of now," he murmured, and touched his lips to hers.

Meg was awakened by Billy muttering incoherently. He had thrown the covers off, and was shivering. As he shifted position, his shirt fell open, and the muscles of his abdomen rippled against her arm. She drew back, her cheeks flushing as she stared at his hard, lean body.

A light tap came on the door, and Silver entered a moment later, only to halt when he caught sight of Meg in bed with Billy. Immediately self-conscious, she sat up in bed, hugging her arms against her chest.

"Erm...sorry for the interruption." His eyes travelled over her, then rested on Billy. "I assume he's feeling better then?" He kept a straight face, but Meg could hear the laughter in his voice.

"He is still quite ill," she said coldly, and reached for the blanket, draping it around Billy in as dignified a way as possible.

"So I see," he replied. After a moment, he cleared his throat. "Is there anything I can do? Anything you need?"

Meg hesitated, then asked, "Do you have any sort of a medical kit? I had a small satchel with me that had some salve and bandages, but I lost it when the skiff sank." She bit her lip, and toyed with the cloth in her lap. "I wish to God I had kept my wits about me and hung on to it."

Silver sat on top of a small chest, and gave her a thoughtful look. "I wouldn't be too hard on yourself. When bullets are whizzing around your head and in you are in danger of drowning, that can happen. Even to experienced seamen. And I suppose you had no way of knowing you'd end up taking an extended holiday on a pirate ship."

She gave a short, bitter laugh. "Hardly." Turning to her charge, she placed her hand on his. "But Billy is the one who is paying the price for my foolishness," she said softly.

"I'd like to help, but I've no medical training-and unfortunately, we're between doctors at the moment."

She lifted her head, and gave him a look of amazement. "You usually have one? On board ship? Who on earth would volunteer for-" When Silver raised an eyebrow, she stopped and said slowly. "They don't volunteer, do they?"

He shook his head, and her eyes darkened. "For all Flint's talk of men taking an oath of loyalty-'of their own free will' were his words, I believe-he is just as guilty of conscripting men as the Royal Navy is."

"Perhaps you are right," replied Silver. "But at least here, every man has a say. When I first joined the crew, Billy-" his eyes swung to the man on the bed-"made that abundantly clear to me. No one gets special treatment from the cooks-not the first mate, not Flint, not anyone. We are all equals."

Meg thought otherwise, but decided that now was hardly the time to argue the point. Unlike his captain, Silver was at least courteous.

"Did the last doctor leave any supplies?" she asked, hardly daring to hope the answer would in the affirmative.

"I'm not sure what's down there. I'll send someone to check." He stood up, and made his way to the door.

As he put his hand on the door, he stopped, and turned to face her. "I can only imagine how difficult this is for you. I want you to know that Billy is respected by everyone on this ship. Please do let me know if there is anything you need. I'll be back with some food later." Giving her a brief nod, he left before she could thank him.

Billy's eyelids fluttered as the door closed. "They're going to worry," he said hoarsely.

Meg felt a stab of unease, and tried to distract him. "You're awake," she said softly, placing her hand gently on his forehead. "And your temperature seems to have come down a bit. That's a good sign."

"I don't want them to worry," he persisted, his blue eyes troubled. "It's not right to put them through all that."

"Who, Billy?"

"Your-" he moved his leg a fraction, and winced. "Your mother and father. We should have left a note."

"Billy, we thought I'd be gone for just a few minutes," she said, trying to soothe him. "We had no way of knowing this would happen."

"How will I explain it to them? Because I want them to know-that I had no intention-that I never would have-" his voice trailed off, and he turned away from her.

"Billy, I understand-and I don't blame you."

"But what will they think?" he burst out, his eyes meeting hers. "Meg, by bringing you here, I've ruined your reputation. That is no small thing..even on New Providence. I have to explain what happened. Perhaps-perhaps I can offer you and your family my share from the last few prizes. It's not much, but more may be coming if we are lucky." He took her hand. "I don't mean to insult you-I know money doesn't make up for ruining your life," he murmured. "You deserve a happy marriage with a good man-and your parents-"

Meg swallowed. "Billy, my parents-they are not on New Providence."

He stared at her. "But you said you're not married-and they would never let you come alone."

She blinked back the tears had appeared in her eyes at the mention of her parents.

"Two nights before I sailed for the Bahamas, Father-and Thomas-were killed by a mob that had assembled outside the church."

"A mob? But-why? Your father was one of the kindest men I've ever known."

"But he was a Dissenter-someone who had rejected the established Church. An easy target for reactionaries, be they disgruntled Tories, Jacobites, or anyone who is bitter that the House of Stuart no longer rules England."

"I'm so sorry," murmured Billy, squeezing her hand in sympathy. "If only I'd been there-"

She shook her head. "There was nothing you could have done. I can't even describe-" Her voice broke. "They were like a pack of rabid dogs, Billy. Mother and I had to run for our lives. If we hadn't run into Tobias when we did…"

He said nothing at the mention of Tobias, his thumb tracing soothing circles on the back of her hand. "And what of your mother?"

"Died a week later on the ship-a fever took her in less than a day. I think she just gave up, Billy. Father was her life."

"And your guardian now?"

She chose her words cautiously. "I live with Mr. David Semple, and his wife Agatha. They own the bakery where I work."

"And these people are legally responsible for you?"

She hesitated, and Billy's jaw tensed."Meg, what are you not telling me?"

"My guardian-my guardian is Tobias Nelson."

Thank you for all the follows and favorites! I hope you are all enjoying...

Next time-more conflict arises on the Walrus.