An Officer but No Gentleman(76)

“And you don’t mind his face?”

Charlie would have like to have told him how handsome he was to her and how she barely noticed the scars, but she knew her friend didn’t want to hear it.

“No.”

The barmaid brought Morty’s food and Charlie ordered another ale for Morty and a double measure of brandy for herself.

“Morty, when you walked out tonight, I went to the waterfront trying to find you. What the hell happened to my ship? Everything was dirty and out of place.”

Charlie finished her ale in time to hand the tankard to the barmaid when she brought her brandy and Morty’s next ale.

Morty shoveled in a couple of bites of stew and washed them down with ale before answering.

“When they let me out of the brig, Byron told me we had been attacked by the British and your father was killed. But he told me you had been taken by the British with the others. It was after he went below deck that the others filled me in on the truth. Everyone knew what Byron had done was wrong. We mutinied against him and hung him from yard for his piracy. Unfortunately, none of us thought to get his keys before we tossed his body overboard so we couldn’t get into the boatswain’s locker.”

It saddened her to think her men would have to live with the guilt of killing a man on her behalf. It made her sick to think about so she changed the subject.

“You weren’t fooled by the body they gave you?”

“Not for a second,” Morty said with a proud smile. “I picked up the body and knew it wasn’t you. He was a good twenty pounds heavier. I cut open the shroud and everyone was debating whether it was you or not. But the corpse was obviously male and that’s when I spilled the beans. No one believed me either, so I had to cut open the sleeves to show them that there was no scar on his arm.”

“I didn’t think you’d figure it out. I thought the Arcadia would be lost to me forever.”

Morty smiled proudly at her. “We just stayed with the corsair ‘cause we knew the privateer would have to come back to get his crew at some point.”

“Thank you, Morty. You don’t know how much it means that you came for me and brought my ship back.”

Charlie took a couple of sips from her brandy and made a face at the taste of the cheap stuff. She tipped up the glass and swallowed the rest in a couple of burning gulps.

“What do you say we go find some seedy tavern on the docks and go start a fight?”

“Charlie, you’re a girl.”

“I’ve always been a girl,” she said with a roguish grin.

Morty took a drink of his ale. “You only want to fight when something is upsetting you.”

He knew her well. “Jaxon and I had a fight.”

“Over me?”

“Aye,” she admitted. “It’s my fault. We had a disagreement after we met and I may have led him to believe there was more between us than there really was.”

“You used me to make him jealous?”

“Aye,” she admitted sheepishly. “I didn’t exactly lie. He asked me if I love you—I just didn’t tell him I love you like a brother.” Charlie was beginning to feel her alcohol. “Come on, let’s go find a fight.” She stood up, placed enough coins on the table to cover everything she hadn’t already paid for and headed out the door not waiting for him to object again.

Morty gulped down his ale and followed, catching up to her quickly.

She walked backwards in front of him and began feigning karate moves in his direction. When she slowly kicked at his chest, he grabbed her foot and wouldn’t let go.

“Whatcha going to do now?”

Charlie laughed as she hopped backwards. “Let go. You know I can get free, but I’d have to hurt you to do it.”

Morty released her foot.

“I’ve missed our nights on the town,” Charlie confessed.

“Me, too,” Morty said, solemnly knowing this was the last time.

“Are you sure about this man of yours?” he asked.

“Oh, Morty, I didn’t know I could love someone so much.” She looked up through her lashes at him. “He makes my knees weak,” she said shyly knowing he would remember their conversation.

He saw the blush on her cheeks and although it hurt, he wanted her to know love even if it wasn’t with him.

“I’m happy for you, Charlie, I really am. But if that’s the way you feel, why aren’t you with him?”

“Things were said tonight. I think we may have broken off our engagement.”

Charlie cast her eyes around at their surroundings. They were at the docks with its warehouses and disreputable taverns.

“Let’s go in here. This place could use the excitement of a little brawl.”