She pulled her hand free of his and folded her arms across her chest.
“Lead the way,” he said to Daniel.
As they walked, Jaxon leaned towards Charlie. “I’ve missed you,” he said quietly into her ear.
“You knew where I was,” she said peevishly. “All you had to do was come to the ship.”
“You were pretty mad at me.”
“It doesn’t take three days for me to calm down,” she said coolly.
“Really? Because it seems to me you’re still mad.”
“I’m mad because you came to your ship every day, and you couldn’t walk a few more feet to mine to say hello. And when you finally do, you ask me to go eat...” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “…with them.”
They walked another block before Jaxon tried to talk to her again.
“Not having any luck in your search for a captain?”
“I’ve interviewed three men. As soon as I corrected them that I’m Miss Sinclair not Mister they change completely. One, the only one who deserves any respect, told me outright that he wouldn’t work for a woman. The next one treated me like I was an imbecile or a child and started explaining the shipping business to me. The third tried to swindle me. According to him, the owner’s percentage is only twenty percent. I’m supposed to let him use my ship, front the money for the cargo, pay him a wage and a percentage and Dr. Kirk and I are going to split twenty percent. Can you imagine?”
“Well, the man I have in mind already knows you’re a member of the fairer sex. He’s an honest and moral man.”
“Does he have references?”
“I’ll vouch for him.”
“Experience?”
“Like you, he has family ties to the shipping industry. He spent his summers as a child on his grandfather’s ship and went to sea after completing school. The only drawback is this will be his first captaincy.”
He saw Charlie’s shoulders drop in disappointment. “I was really hoping for someone with experience.”
“He’s ready.”
“This is a big decision, Jax. Would you trust this man with your ship?”
“He just spent the last two weeks in charge of my ship and he’s been in charge of our captured vessels before as well.”
“Daniel? You’re talking about Daniel?”
The man in question turned and flashed his dimples at her. “I really need this job. I just got fired.”
Charlie looked at Jaxon in astonishment. “You fired your own brother?”
“Both his brothers,” Levi interrupted.
“And me,” Romy said.
Charlie looked at Jaxon wide-eyed. She mouthed the words ‘thank you’ to him, unfolded her arms and slipped her hand into his. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
“Daniel? Hmm. Well, at least I would know my ship will always come back here.”
“Aye.”
As they arrived at the hotel, the men stopped at the slate menu board just outside the entrance. Written in chalk was the day’s fare.
“I can’t decide between the steak and the chicken,” Daniel said.
“I was thinking the flounder or the sea bass sound good,” Levi said.
“Well, I had the pot roast a couple of days ago so I don’t want that. I’m leaning toward either the sausages or the meat pie.”
It wasn’t until the three brothers all ordered different things, she realized that they were trying to be subtle about what was on the board so that Romy would not be embarrassed over the fact that he could not read the board himself.
They had barely been seated when a familiar female voice called out to Captain Bloodworthy. Jaxon immediately turned to find the dressmaker’s assistant, Mabel, approaching the table.
“I’m sorry to interrupt. I saw you come in from down the street,” Mabel said quietly. “It’s just that Miss Sinclair missed her fitting and I’m not going to be able to get the wedding dress finished in time if I can’t get back to work on it.”
Charlie realized Mabel had not recognized her sitting next to Jaxon dressed in her uniform.
“I’m here, Mabel.”
“Oh my. I-I didn’t see you.”
Charlie knew Mabel had never seen her dressed in breeches before and was rather rattled by it.
“I’m sorry. I’ve been so busy with my ship, I completely forgot.”
“She’ll be there after lunch,” Jaxon promised. “Would you care to join us?”
“Oh, no, sir. I just saw you come in.”
“Yes, Mabel, please stay. I never get to talk to women,” Charlie said hoping she could avoid talking to any of the men from Jaxon’s ship.
“Levi, slide down so Miss Mabel can sit across from Charlie.”