“Damnation, woman,” Jax said releasing her.
“Don’t you curse at me. I have every right to be mad. And until I’ve cooled down, I don’t want to see you or talk to you.”
Charlie strode up the companionway to the deck, looking for a place where she could be alone. The ship was absolutely brimming with men, men who stared openly at her. She looked up to the crow’s nest and found two men in it. When she was a child, especially after a nightmare, she liked to go into the crow’s nest. Unless the moon was bright, it was pointless to man it, so it was usually empty. But his ship was so overstaffed it seemed anywhere she might look for privacy, there were men there.
After realizing there was no place for her to go on the ship, Charlie found herself knocking on the door to Daniel’s quarters.
“Charlie?” Daniel was genuinely surprised to see her there.
“I-I wanted to talk to you. May I come in?”
He hesitated, but eventually stepped back allowing her entrance. Charlie reached to close the door, but Daniel stopped her. “It wouldn’t be proper,” he said.
“It wouldn’t?” She seemed to have to analyze his statement. She had been alone with men in her cabin countless times and it had never occurred to her that had they known she was female, she would have needed to keep the door ajar.
“I see no chaperone.”
“Oh.” A confused expression crossed her countenance. “How’s your cheek?”
“Is that what you came here for?”
“No, not really. I mean I do care, it’s just that’s not what I’m here about.”
“Go on.”
She could tell he didn’t want her there. He was cordial enough, but his tone was also cold.
“First, I wanted to thank you for telling me about my ship coming back.” She didn’t give him a chance to say anything before she continued. “But I’m here because I wanted you to assign me to the starboard watch as crew. There’s not enough for me to do as loblolly boy—uh, girl. I’ve….”
Daniel interrupted shaking his head. He knew this was not Jaxon’s idea. The whole idea was preposterous. Even if she could do the work, she would be a distraction to the rest of the men.
“I don’t know….”
“Also, I was hoping you might let me sleep here. If I were on the second mate’s crew, we’d be on opposite shifts. We’d never be here at the same time.”
“What about your medical duties?”
“I can check on my patients before or after my shifts, and I’m sure your blower could excuse me for emergencies. If there’s a large demand for my services, I might be allowed to take off the dogwatch when necessary. I promise you, I can carry my weight on deck.”
Daniel eyed her speculatively. She had served aboard her ship long enough to know it was the first mate’s duty to staff the watches, but he’d never put her on one without the captain’s agreement.
“And what does Jaxon think of this arrangement?”
“I don’t know. I’m avoiding him,” she answered honestly.
“Are you intentionally trying to drive brothers further apart?”
“No, I swear.”
“He’ll never agree to it and you know it. That’s why you’re approaching me.”
“You’re probably right. He’ll never approve,” she said. “But I know if you gave me a chance, I could prove myself. No doubt everyone on this ship thinks I got where I did because my father was captain, but I earned it. I may not be as strong as most men, but I work hard and I’m smart and I can climb the riggings like a monkey.” When Daniel looked dubious she added, “Plus, I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to share his cabin.”
“Something we both agree on.”
“I didn’t ask for this to happen. I came here to help your crew after you saved us. Now, I can’t seem to get control of anything in my life. I’ve gone from an ordered life, to one where I don’t have clothing that fits and nothing to wear if I want to alter them.”
“I’ll see if I can’t find you an extra sailor suit or two,” Daniel said. “As a matter of fact, I know where there are some clothes. Take that hurricane lamp and follow me.”
Daniel led her into the bowels of the ship. The areas of the hold she saw were filled mostly with kegs of gunpowder, cannon balls and other munitions. A sailor’s sea chest was tucked into the corner. “Our cousin Jimmy was only a little bigger than you. His clothes should fit better than Jaxon’s.
“Oh, Daniel, I couldn’t.”
Did he not know it was bad luck to wear the clothing of someone who died on the same voyage they were lost? Every sailor knew that. Just like they knew having a woman aboard was bad luck.