Part 3 (1/2)
Dallas had gotten word concerning a load of tea in Tangier.
Since he had been in Spain, he'd set sail almost immediately, but as usual, a s.h.i.+p called the Aramis, and a captain known only as Smoke, beat him to it. It was a continuation of the familiar pattern of the last two years, but that was no comfort. His business was suffering as a result.
Dallas appeared to study the toe of his boot, his mind miles away. You wouldn'/ think that in an ocean the size of the Atlantic, one s.h.i.+p could cause me such trouble.
R was all too true. To Dallas it seemed that the Aramis, or lather her captain, had no rules. The s.h.i.+p did not seem to be governed by time or wind The Zephyr, Dallas' s.h.i.+p, had been on the losing end of the expertise of the Aramis' captain on many occasions. It never seemed to fail--if word aired that merchandise of great value was up for grabs, the captain and crew of the Aramis did the grabbing.
Dallas finally thanked Yusuf and returned to his s.h.i.+p.
Within minutes they were underway. He had one other stop.
Some miles down the coast, in Casablanca, a load of sugar awaited him. From there, he was forced to admit, he had no other leads.
”My immediate plans? Why would he ask such a thing?”
Smokey frowned at Da.r.s.ey where he stood framed in her cabin doorway.
”I think he's unhappy that you won't deal with him directly, but I think what he really wants is to get a look at Smoke.”
”Well, I don't deal that way. Tell him we'll take our business elsewhere.”
Da.r.s.ey, although tempted to argue, nodded and left, leaving the door open. Within minutes Smokey heard the voice of the merchant apologizing profusely. Smokey had not been making idle threats, she never did, but the man had obviously been bluffing over what he was willing to pay.
It would be so much simpler to handle some of these exchanges myself, Smokey thought to herself. Da.r.s.ey had told her on many occasions over the last year that she no longer needed to conceal her ident.i.ty; maybe now was the time to listen to him.
Smokey put her quill down, rose from the desk, and moved to the cabin door. Seconds later she walked calmly across the
32.
deck to where Da.r.s.ey stood d.i.c.kering with the most successful merchant in Greece.
Her men on deck stopped what they were doing at the sight of her. As was her custom, she was dressed in black knee-high boots, dark, baggy trousers and a long, full overs.h.i.+rt that completely hid her figure from neck to knee. Her hair, as usual, was completely concealed under a knit cap, pulled down to the bottom of her ears.
Smokey came forward, knowing that she had stopped the merchant in his tracks. She also knew that even though she was dressed like a boy, her face and hands would give her away. The skin of her cheeks was as smooth as a baby's, and her hands, although work-roughened, were slim, with long fingers and fine-boned wrists. She looked like a cabin boy, but she moved and spoke like a woman in command ”Is there some problem, Mr. Brennan?” Smokey addressed Da.r.s.ey properly as she stopped beside the two men.
”Yes, Captain. Nikos feels the price is a bit steep,” Da.r.s.ey told her and tried not to laugh at the stunned look on Nikos'
face.
”What did you have in mind, Nikos?” the young captain asked solicitously, although her voice held a hint of steel.
”You are Smoke?” the man nearly stammered.
”My friends call me Smokey,” she told him, ”but you may address me as Captain Simmons. Now please tell me, what price did you have in mind?”
The man's eyes flicked down the front of Smokey, but he hers when Da.r.s.ey made a sound in The man's eyes flicke quickly raised his face to the back of his throat.
Smokey sighed and reached for her hat. With the movement of her hand, a fall of black hair came down over her shoulders and back. The merchant blinked, and Smokey disovered great relief in having her ident.i.ty revealed ^, ”Now that you know for certain,” she spoke dryly, ”let us E down to business. Do you pay my price, or do we sail?”
IJBlpay,” he said without hesitation, agleam of respect, as BBP'fcething else, entering his eyes.
31.
Smokey allowed Da.r.s.ey to handle the transaction from that point, and the unloading proceeded shortly. She watched from the deck as the Greek merchant left the s.h.i.+p and then gestured wildly to some sailors on the dock. Seeing the word spread was like watching ants running around a mound-- Smoke was a woman! Smokey could almost hear them.
The Aramis finished her business in Greece and made four more stops in the next week. Each and every time, Smokey handled the negotiations and let herself be seen, and although she did not remove her hat again, the truth was being brought to light.
She was amazed at how quickly the word pa.s.sed The whole business began to wear on her, and she finally told her crew to head for home. Twenty days later they were back in port, and Da.r.s.ey and Smokey headed to Willa's.
Smokey was rescued from the usual letdown of leaving her s.h.i.+p by the arrival of a letter from Jenny Pemberton. She invited Smokey to come for a visit at her soonest possible convenience, and to stay for an indefinite period of time. Smokey sent an immediate note of acceptance, with plans to leave for Kennebunkport in three days' time.
33.
”Do you think she'll be here this morning or this afternoon?”
Jenny asked Tate for the second time that morning.
Tate chuckled and kissed her cheek He had finished with breakfast and needed to be out the door.
”I think she'll be here by noon.”
”Why do you think that?” Jenny's face was a mask of confusion.
Tate shouted with laughter. ”Honey, you asked me what I thought, so I just made a guess.”
”Oh, Tate,” Jenny laughed. ”Go to work so I can fret in peace.”
Tate kissed her again, this time on the mouth, and moved toward the door. Jenny watched him go and then did just as she'd predicted ”Go on with you, Smokey!” Willa put in. She never failed to see to every need when Da.r.s.ey and Smokey were in port, but she took care of them in a stern, yet loving way. ”If you were going to be an inconvenience in any way, they wouldn't have asked you.”