are in command, sir. You need not apologize to anyone for your—”
“Davy! For the love of God—”
“—actions.”
Even furious, Davy was in control of himself enough to keep his voice down. Marshall was having trouble doing that. “For God’s sake, you know perfectly well that we cannot continue to lurk along the shore indefinitely. We’re bound to attract attention. We need information, and there’s no way to get that standing twenty miles out to sea.”
“Let me go instead. My French is better. Or let us go together.”
“No. I’ll not risk anyone but myself.”
“You are treating me as though I’m the merest grass-comber,” Davy said. “No, worse than that. You’re treating me like a damned mistress. Is that all I am to you now?”
“What?”
“Do you think I am weak? Helpless? Some fragile thing that wants protection?” Hurt and anger radiated from him; Marshall had never seen him in such distress—not over something he had done. “For God’s sake, Will, I was shot, not gelded!”
Marshall was startled into silence. Finally he said, “On my honor, Davy, I mean you no insult.”
Some of the tension went out of Davy’s posture, and he sighed heavily. “Yes, I know you didn’t mean it so. But, Will, you have been watchful as a hen with one chick. You are treating me like a child—a beloved child, but not a man. And making me stay aboard while you go ashore—do you find me that much of a hindrance?”
“No, of course not.” He wished that he had his lover’s knack for levity, but the best he could manage was, “Christ, Davy, do you think there is anyone else in the world I would trust with my ship?”
“You could leave Barrow in command. He’s forgotten more than I’ll ever know.”
“You’re right. I know he could sail her as well as we do, and likely better. But have you forgotten? You and I are the only ones who know our true purpose. I could trust Barrow with the ship—but I could not burden him with that responsibility.”
“You have an answer to every argument, Captain.” Davy dropped to the bench beneath the stern window. “I concede,” he said, and added ironically, “not that I had anything to say about it in the first place. What are your orders?”
Marshall sat beside him. He wanted very much to hold Davy before he went ashore, but with his lover in this prickly state it would be like embracing a hedgehog. “I don’t expect to be gone for more than a few hours. I’ll be sending the boat back purely as a precaution—a waste of time, I’m sure—but I want you to be ready to run if necessary. If you see any sign of the French navy, get as far away as you can, as fast as you can.”
“And what of you?”
“I’ll be out on that spit of land at the end of the cove, after it’s full dark. Or, if Beauchene is there and all is well, I’ll use the same signal we’ve been waiting for.”
Davy nodded. “Very well. And what if you do not?” He looked up, and Marshall saw the fear in his lover’s eyes, and thought his heart would break. “What if I never see you again?”
“I should only be ashore for a few hours,” he said, knowing how inadequate the words were.
“Of course,” Davy responded woodenly.
They both stood.
“Oh, by the way,” Davy said. “When I collected your things, I saw—truly, I did not mean to spy—but I noticed that the letters I sent from Jamaica had never been opened.”
Marshall was mortified, but oddly relieved. At last he had some idea why there had been such an undercurrent of unhappiness in Davy’s manner. “I’m sorry, truly I am. I could not bring myself—”
Davy waved his hand, a dismissive motion. “I understand, we’ve been through this. My letters might have persuaded you to come back. And there’s no need now, is there? Here you are. What I meant to say is, there is nothing so stupid or melodramatic as a letter sealed and posted and left to molder. May I have the damned things back, so I may
“Davy! For the love of God—”
“—actions.”
Even furious, Davy was in control of himself enough to keep his voice down. Marshall was having trouble doing that. “For God’s sake, you know perfectly well that we cannot continue to lurk along the shore indefinitely. We’re bound to attract attention. We need information, and there’s no way to get that standing twenty miles out to sea.”
“Let me go instead. My French is better. Or let us go together.”
“No. I’ll not risk anyone but myself.”
“You are treating me as though I’m the merest grass-comber,” Davy said. “No, worse than that. You’re treating me like a damned mistress. Is that all I am to you now?”
“What?”
“Do you think I am weak? Helpless? Some fragile thing that wants protection?” Hurt and anger radiated from him; Marshall had never seen him in such distress—not over something he had done. “For God’s sake, Will, I was shot, not gelded!”
Marshall was startled into silence. Finally he said, “On my honor, Davy, I mean you no insult.”
Some of the tension went out of Davy’s posture, and he sighed heavily. “Yes, I know you didn’t mean it so. But, Will, you have been watchful as a hen with one chick. You are treating me like a child—a beloved child, but not a man. And making me stay aboard while you go ashore—do you find me that much of a hindrance?”
“No, of course not.” He wished that he had his lover’s knack for levity, but the best he could manage was, “Christ, Davy, do you think there is anyone else in the world I would trust with my ship?”
“You could leave Barrow in command. He’s forgotten more than I’ll ever know.”
“You’re right. I know he could sail her as well as we do, and likely better. But have you forgotten? You and I are the only ones who know our true purpose. I could trust Barrow with the ship—but I could not burden him with that responsibility.”
“You have an answer to every argument, Captain.” Davy dropped to the bench beneath the stern window. “I concede,” he said, and added ironically, “not that I had anything to say about it in the first place. What are your orders?”
Marshall sat beside him. He wanted very much to hold Davy before he went ashore, but with his lover in this prickly state it would be like embracing a hedgehog. “I don’t expect to be gone for more than a few hours. I’ll be sending the boat back purely as a precaution—a waste of time, I’m sure—but I want you to be ready to run if necessary. If you see any sign of the French navy, get as far away as you can, as fast as you can.”
“And what of you?”
“I’ll be out on that spit of land at the end of the cove, after it’s full dark. Or, if Beauchene is there and all is well, I’ll use the same signal we’ve been waiting for.”
Davy nodded. “Very well. And what if you do not?” He looked up, and Marshall saw the fear in his lover’s eyes, and thought his heart would break. “What if I never see you again?”
“I should only be ashore for a few hours,” he said, knowing how inadequate the words were.
“Of course,” Davy responded woodenly.
They both stood.
“Oh, by the way,” Davy said. “When I collected your things, I saw—truly, I did not mean to spy—but I noticed that the letters I sent from Jamaica had never been opened.”
Marshall was mortified, but oddly relieved. At last he had some idea why there had been such an undercurrent of unhappiness in Davy’s manner. “I’m sorry, truly I am. I could not bring myself—”
Davy waved his hand, a dismissive motion. “I understand, we’ve been through this. My letters might have persuaded you to come back. And there’s no need now, is there? Here you are. What I meant to say is, there is nothing so stupid or melodramatic as a letter sealed and posted and left to molder. May I have the damned things back, so I may
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