"Sarah Zettel - Miss Underwood and the Mermaid" - читать интересную книгу автора (Zettel Sarah)

tavern. "What say you, good women?"
 The storm of cheers, defiance and approval threatened to raise the Sloth's roof. In the midst of
it all, Miss Underwood sat and quietly smiled.
***
A fortnight later, Nancy's Pride was ready to sail. Miss Underwood arrived at dawn on the
appointed day. It took four of my crew to lift her sea chest and stow it for her. My first lieutenant, who
hated passengers, was for once not put out that her cabin was commandeered. Miss Underwood could
have had my cabin, if she'd desired it, as long as she took us to the mermaid, and the mermaid's riches.

So, with the breeze freshening from the southwest and an ebbing tide, I gave the order to weigh
anchor and make sail. Wind caught the canvas, filling it proudly. Ropes and timbers creaked and Nancy's
Pride slid forward from the bay toward the open sea. I turned to Miss Underwood, whom I allowed
beside me on the windward side of the quarter deck, as a courtesy. I saw, with a start, that she smiled
the same smile she had in the tavern when we had accepted her mission. Discomfort stirred in me,
overriding my greed for a moment. I wondered, was this really the proper reaction for a woman whose
love had been kidnapped by a mermaid? Then, I wondered why I had not thought of this before.

Miss Underwood turned to look at me, her eyes shining with gentle amusement. I feared that all
I thought was plain in my face, then I feared her speaking those magic words "she is rich," and chasing
my fears away.

"Would you care for a cup of coffee, Miss Underwood?" I blurted out. "It was an early start for
you this morning."

She inclined her head politely. "Thank you, Captain, but no."

"Tea then, if you prefer? Or wine against the chill?"

Her smile both broadened and gentled. "Again I thank you, but I believe I shall retire."

An important point reached my conscious thought. "You have not yet told me what our
destination is."

Miss Underwood looked forward and her eyes narrowed. "The course you are on will be
satisfactory at present, Captain." Without in the least minding the pitch and roll of the ship, she walked
down the quarterdeck ladder and disappeared through the hatch.

I blinked. In fact, I would swear I'd never even saw her sway the smallest bit, despite the
strange, weaving course she walked across the deck. The strange course, as if avoiding something only
she could see . . .

A captain must never collapse to her knees on the quarter deck, pounding the boards with her
fist and cursing herself for ten times worse than a fool. It is bad for her authority.

I settled for bellowing. "First!"

"Captain?" Miss Sherman bounded up the ladder and saluted smartly.

"Pass the word for the ship's carpenter." I did not say why. I did not wish it generally known I
wanted to find out how much cold iron we had on board.