[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.A few tears escaped down my cheeks.“Oh, Charlie,” he said.“I’m not going to hit you.Have you seen any violence from me so far?” He scratched at his beard as he regarded me, then Daniel.“Love isn’t an easy thing to find or… hold on to.” His jaw tensed then he drew in a huge breath and let it leak through his teeth.“Well, you fooled me, Miss Charlotte, but you are everything else you claimed to be on that first day on the beach.You cleaned, cooked, fished, trimmed, and repaired sails.You did a first rate job in the crow’s nest aboard the Rose.You were definitely a hard worker and took orders better than some of my more senior crew.”“I never got sick either,” I added.“No, indeed, you didn’t.” Captain Finley ran a hand over his face.“When did you find out she was a girl?” he asked Daniel.“When I was sick.”“You knew all this time and didn’t tell me?”“What difference does it make, Uncle Samuel?” Daniel said.“She did the job she promised to do.”“Seems as if she’s cured you too.”“Better than any medicine.”I glanced back at Daniel and my love for him grew tenfold.“In that case,” the captain began, “you both have my blessing.”“Really, Uncle?”“She’s made you into a new person, Daniel.The person your parents wanted you to be.The person I knew was inside you.I can’t let one lie undo the good she’s done for you.”My eyes filled again as everything I had been holding in for months came crashing down on me.I rushed forward before I could stop myself and threw my arms around the captain.“Oh,” he said stiffly, but it only took him a second to relax into the hug.“Thank you,” I choked out.“For everything.”“It is I who should be thanking you, Miss Charlotte.” Captain Finley peeled me away a bit.“I’ve only wanted Daniel to be happy and look at him now.I’ve never seen him happier.”Daniel turned me around to face him.He lifted my hand to his lips as he had done on so many secret encounters.“Now that we don’t have to hide…” He brushed a quick kiss across the back of my hand.As he did so, Tizoc reappeared from behind the curtained doorway.Our eyes connected for a moment then he looked to the captain.“A girl among us,” Captain Finley said.“You were right.We were protecting her.Is that going to be a problem?”“Not at all.” Tizoc smiled diplomatically but not amicably.I think he had enjoyed knowing something the captain had not.Now the secret was out.All the wrinkles ironed away.He didn’t look pleased.“My father will see you now.” He ushered us beyond the curtain, giving me a cool glance as I brushed past him.I was overjoyed that Captain Finley had accepted me and wasn’t angry with us.Displeasing Tizoc, however, was another matter.Chapter Twenty-oneAn older man with silvery hair hanging past his shoulders sat in the center of the spacious room.He wore a long, colorful cloak decorated with red feathers around the sleeves and a wide silver collar about his neck.His features were similar to Tizoc’s but creased with age.His eyes were black pools like the other Sunal, and as we approached, the man stood.“Yaoti Metztli, my tahtli, father,” Tizoc said.The captain extended his hand.“Captain Samuel Finley of the Rose.”Tizoc’s father shook the captain’s outstretched hand.He glanced behind the captain at me, then at Daniel.The captain took a step back and laid a hand on Daniel’s shoulder.“This is my nephew, Daniel Connor.”Daniel bowed his head at Yaoti who returned the gesture.“And this,” Captain Finley said, standing behind me and resting both of his hands on my shoulders, “is Miss Charlotte Denham.”Yaoti looked at me then to the captain.“She dresses as a man?”“Aye.She’s among the best members of my crew.”“Women are gifts,” Yaoti said, bowing his head toward me.“I have four daughters of my own.Each is a rare gem.” He came to stand before me.“Welcome, Miss Denham.”“Thank you,” I managed, though I was a little awestruck at the majesty of Tizoc’s father.He stood at eye level to me, but a radiance exuded from him—the same energy I had felt from Tizoc.Yaoti turned back to the captain.“My son tells me you are Englishmen, here only to observe and learn.”“Yes, that’s right,” Captain Finley agreed.“We want only to see your culture.”“Then see it you shall,” Yaoti replied.“Tizoc has sent one of our men with one of your own to retrieve the rest of your crew and guide them back here.The men you have brought with you now will be seen to their accommodations nearby.I would be honored if the three of you came to our home where my family can give you a proper Sunal welcome.”“We appreciate your hospitality,” the captain said.“Part of the invitation is hospitality, Captain,” Yaoti said.“Another part is strategy.Others like you have come before.Not all of them have been honorable men.By having you stay at my home—”“You have me under your watch,” the captain finished.“Of course.” The lines in Yaoti’s face deepened around his mouth as he smiled.“Fair enough,” Captain Finley said.“I assure you, we do not wish your people harm, but I understand your caution.”Yaoti’s face softened.“There will be a feast tonight.You must come.”“Tahtli,” Tizoc said, with a warning look.“Father, do you think it wise for our guests to attend that feast?”“The feast only, my pilli, my son,” Yaoti responded.“We are aware that a sacrifice is planned for this evening,” Captain Finley said.“We do not wish to interfere with your ceremony.”I let out the breath I had been holding.I did not want to be near their sacrifice tonight.“After the feast, we will allow you to retire to your rooms as we continue with our ritual.You must all be hungry.A feast is the perfect way to introduce you to our culture,” Yaoti said.Tizoc’s jaw stiffened.He didn’t agree with his father’s invitation, but said no more against it.“Thank you,” Captain Finley said.“We shall accept your dinner invitation and happily stay out of your way for the rest of your evening.”“Pilli,” Yaoti called to Tizoc.“Take them home [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl matkasanepid.xlx.pl
.A few tears escaped down my cheeks.“Oh, Charlie,” he said.“I’m not going to hit you.Have you seen any violence from me so far?” He scratched at his beard as he regarded me, then Daniel.“Love isn’t an easy thing to find or… hold on to.” His jaw tensed then he drew in a huge breath and let it leak through his teeth.“Well, you fooled me, Miss Charlotte, but you are everything else you claimed to be on that first day on the beach.You cleaned, cooked, fished, trimmed, and repaired sails.You did a first rate job in the crow’s nest aboard the Rose.You were definitely a hard worker and took orders better than some of my more senior crew.”“I never got sick either,” I added.“No, indeed, you didn’t.” Captain Finley ran a hand over his face.“When did you find out she was a girl?” he asked Daniel.“When I was sick.”“You knew all this time and didn’t tell me?”“What difference does it make, Uncle Samuel?” Daniel said.“She did the job she promised to do.”“Seems as if she’s cured you too.”“Better than any medicine.”I glanced back at Daniel and my love for him grew tenfold.“In that case,” the captain began, “you both have my blessing.”“Really, Uncle?”“She’s made you into a new person, Daniel.The person your parents wanted you to be.The person I knew was inside you.I can’t let one lie undo the good she’s done for you.”My eyes filled again as everything I had been holding in for months came crashing down on me.I rushed forward before I could stop myself and threw my arms around the captain.“Oh,” he said stiffly, but it only took him a second to relax into the hug.“Thank you,” I choked out.“For everything.”“It is I who should be thanking you, Miss Charlotte.” Captain Finley peeled me away a bit.“I’ve only wanted Daniel to be happy and look at him now.I’ve never seen him happier.”Daniel turned me around to face him.He lifted my hand to his lips as he had done on so many secret encounters.“Now that we don’t have to hide…” He brushed a quick kiss across the back of my hand.As he did so, Tizoc reappeared from behind the curtained doorway.Our eyes connected for a moment then he looked to the captain.“A girl among us,” Captain Finley said.“You were right.We were protecting her.Is that going to be a problem?”“Not at all.” Tizoc smiled diplomatically but not amicably.I think he had enjoyed knowing something the captain had not.Now the secret was out.All the wrinkles ironed away.He didn’t look pleased.“My father will see you now.” He ushered us beyond the curtain, giving me a cool glance as I brushed past him.I was overjoyed that Captain Finley had accepted me and wasn’t angry with us.Displeasing Tizoc, however, was another matter.Chapter Twenty-oneAn older man with silvery hair hanging past his shoulders sat in the center of the spacious room.He wore a long, colorful cloak decorated with red feathers around the sleeves and a wide silver collar about his neck.His features were similar to Tizoc’s but creased with age.His eyes were black pools like the other Sunal, and as we approached, the man stood.“Yaoti Metztli, my tahtli, father,” Tizoc said.The captain extended his hand.“Captain Samuel Finley of the Rose.”Tizoc’s father shook the captain’s outstretched hand.He glanced behind the captain at me, then at Daniel.The captain took a step back and laid a hand on Daniel’s shoulder.“This is my nephew, Daniel Connor.”Daniel bowed his head at Yaoti who returned the gesture.“And this,” Captain Finley said, standing behind me and resting both of his hands on my shoulders, “is Miss Charlotte Denham.”Yaoti looked at me then to the captain.“She dresses as a man?”“Aye.She’s among the best members of my crew.”“Women are gifts,” Yaoti said, bowing his head toward me.“I have four daughters of my own.Each is a rare gem.” He came to stand before me.“Welcome, Miss Denham.”“Thank you,” I managed, though I was a little awestruck at the majesty of Tizoc’s father.He stood at eye level to me, but a radiance exuded from him—the same energy I had felt from Tizoc.Yaoti turned back to the captain.“My son tells me you are Englishmen, here only to observe and learn.”“Yes, that’s right,” Captain Finley agreed.“We want only to see your culture.”“Then see it you shall,” Yaoti replied.“Tizoc has sent one of our men with one of your own to retrieve the rest of your crew and guide them back here.The men you have brought with you now will be seen to their accommodations nearby.I would be honored if the three of you came to our home where my family can give you a proper Sunal welcome.”“We appreciate your hospitality,” the captain said.“Part of the invitation is hospitality, Captain,” Yaoti said.“Another part is strategy.Others like you have come before.Not all of them have been honorable men.By having you stay at my home—”“You have me under your watch,” the captain finished.“Of course.” The lines in Yaoti’s face deepened around his mouth as he smiled.“Fair enough,” Captain Finley said.“I assure you, we do not wish your people harm, but I understand your caution.”Yaoti’s face softened.“There will be a feast tonight.You must come.”“Tahtli,” Tizoc said, with a warning look.“Father, do you think it wise for our guests to attend that feast?”“The feast only, my pilli, my son,” Yaoti responded.“We are aware that a sacrifice is planned for this evening,” Captain Finley said.“We do not wish to interfere with your ceremony.”I let out the breath I had been holding.I did not want to be near their sacrifice tonight.“After the feast, we will allow you to retire to your rooms as we continue with our ritual.You must all be hungry.A feast is the perfect way to introduce you to our culture,” Yaoti said.Tizoc’s jaw stiffened.He didn’t agree with his father’s invitation, but said no more against it.“Thank you,” Captain Finley said.“We shall accept your dinner invitation and happily stay out of your way for the rest of your evening.”“Pilli,” Yaoti called to Tizoc.“Take them home [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]