Read Online Through the Maelstrom by Rebekah Lewis - Free Book Online
Authors: Rebekah Lewis
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much rather listen to her talk in her strange American accent. "Your odd phrasing mixed with tone imply this is an unsatisfactory revelation." He leaned back in his chair. "I came from good stock. My circumstances over the past year or so were unwanted, but should you have come to me instead, you would have wanted for nothing."
If she'd have come to him, he would have been in a precarious situation in trying to return home without being apprehended by more pirates. Her life would have been in peril until they hit the mainland, away from ruffians of the high seas, and still would if she walked around dressed like she was... Christ, there would be rioting in the streets in an attempt to reach her, and not to court her. Shame struck him. They'd have assumed no different than he had last night. Women's fashion was much different in his time.
"Starting over—again—is unfortunate, but in time things shall sort themselves out." They had to.
She cocked her head to the side and studied him. "What are you talking about?"
"Serena, I—"
"He's from the past, sugar." Mrs. Baker leaned both hands on her cane beside the table. She was dressed in a long black dress with short sleeves, and a blue wavy pattern streaked from neck to hem in a thick, vertical band. He had been so engrossed with his thoughts and Serena that he'd not noticed her approach. She slid into a chair and waved at someone for service.
Serena glanced at her and then back to him. "What's going on?"
Mrs. Baker answered for him before he could come up with an explanation. "Christophe is a pirate from the eighteenth century. You're his soulmate, and something you did brought him through a vortex to be with you."
***
S erena stared into the kindly, wrinkled face of the woman who'd joined them and couldn't decide if the lady truly believed what she said or if she was playing an elaborate joke. "Excuse me?" What the heck is a vortex? Like a science fiction portal? And he didn't know who Yoda was? Please.
Christophe looked back and forth with wide eyes before sputtering, "Ah, Mrs. Baker. It's good of you to join us. Where is your son?" He tugged at the collar of his polo shirt and shifted in his seat. It should amuse her that he was uncomfortable for a change, but instead it irritated her more.
Mrs. Baker, it seemed her name was, waved him off. "Josiah will be along shortly. He's working on gaining your clearance back on the ship. You'll find it is much harder to board than disembark. He's adding you to the manifest and will report your passport and ID as stolen after."
Glancing back and forth between them, the words sank in. Serena laughed. "Are you implying he's a stowaway?" When neither of them joined her laughter—nervous or otherwise—she sobered fast. "Truly?" Did people still do that? And why were they telling her about it? She could be charged as their accomplice if the cruise line found out and pressed charges against him. No wonder he'd tried to seduce his way into her room.
Christophe shrugged. "Not by choice, love. The way I arrived aboard yon vessel will not be easily proven."
Heh. Yon vessel. Inwardly, she rolled her eyes while fighting to keep her face blank. "Right. Because I summoned you here with my witch's grimoire and now you have three days for me to give you true love's kiss before you sprout a fish tail and poof back to whence you came?"
Mrs. Baker clucked her tongue. "Sarcasm is not becoming, dear. Do not joke about such things. He's here, but the legends never tell if the travelers remain. These things do work in sets of three, and we must pass through the vortex again on his third night during the trip home." She picked up a knife and started buttering a roll she'd swiped from the basket in the center of the table. "There's no telling what will happen when we do, or what would guarantee his stay."
"Vortex?" Serena hated that she was responding in all questions. It drove her crazy when people did that. "Don't tell me... The Bermuda
If she'd have come to him, he would have been in a precarious situation in trying to return home without being apprehended by more pirates. Her life would have been in peril until they hit the mainland, away from ruffians of the high seas, and still would if she walked around dressed like she was... Christ, there would be rioting in the streets in an attempt to reach her, and not to court her. Shame struck him. They'd have assumed no different than he had last night. Women's fashion was much different in his time.
"Starting over—again—is unfortunate, but in time things shall sort themselves out." They had to.
She cocked her head to the side and studied him. "What are you talking about?"
"Serena, I—"
"He's from the past, sugar." Mrs. Baker leaned both hands on her cane beside the table. She was dressed in a long black dress with short sleeves, and a blue wavy pattern streaked from neck to hem in a thick, vertical band. He had been so engrossed with his thoughts and Serena that he'd not noticed her approach. She slid into a chair and waved at someone for service.
Serena glanced at her and then back to him. "What's going on?"
Mrs. Baker answered for him before he could come up with an explanation. "Christophe is a pirate from the eighteenth century. You're his soulmate, and something you did brought him through a vortex to be with you."
***
S erena stared into the kindly, wrinkled face of the woman who'd joined them and couldn't decide if the lady truly believed what she said or if she was playing an elaborate joke. "Excuse me?" What the heck is a vortex? Like a science fiction portal? And he didn't know who Yoda was? Please.
Christophe looked back and forth with wide eyes before sputtering, "Ah, Mrs. Baker. It's good of you to join us. Where is your son?" He tugged at the collar of his polo shirt and shifted in his seat. It should amuse her that he was uncomfortable for a change, but instead it irritated her more.
Mrs. Baker, it seemed her name was, waved him off. "Josiah will be along shortly. He's working on gaining your clearance back on the ship. You'll find it is much harder to board than disembark. He's adding you to the manifest and will report your passport and ID as stolen after."
Glancing back and forth between them, the words sank in. Serena laughed. "Are you implying he's a stowaway?" When neither of them joined her laughter—nervous or otherwise—she sobered fast. "Truly?" Did people still do that? And why were they telling her about it? She could be charged as their accomplice if the cruise line found out and pressed charges against him. No wonder he'd tried to seduce his way into her room.
Christophe shrugged. "Not by choice, love. The way I arrived aboard yon vessel will not be easily proven."
Heh. Yon vessel. Inwardly, she rolled her eyes while fighting to keep her face blank. "Right. Because I summoned you here with my witch's grimoire and now you have three days for me to give you true love's kiss before you sprout a fish tail and poof back to whence you came?"
Mrs. Baker clucked her tongue. "Sarcasm is not becoming, dear. Do not joke about such things. He's here, but the legends never tell if the travelers remain. These things do work in sets of three, and we must pass through the vortex again on his third night during the trip home." She picked up a knife and started buttering a roll she'd swiped from the basket in the center of the table. "There's no telling what will happen when we do, or what would guarantee his stay."
"Vortex?" Serena hated that she was responding in all questions. It drove her crazy when people did that. "Don't tell me... The Bermuda
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