father would not die.
“Come,” he said. “Let’s get out of this storm.”
He jogged back to the stairs and disappeared inside. She ran after him, a wave slapped her. Her feet slipped and she fell onto her knees.
“Doc,” she cried, but thunder and pelting rain masked her voice.
The ship lurched and Hannah rolled across the deck, smashing into the mast. Pain jolted her hip. The ship rocked and she slid on her bottom towards the portside railing. A bucket rolled past her, bounced onto the railing, and fell into the ocean.
Her stomach tightened. She screamed, but thunder masked her cries.
Her feet slammed into the railing, jolting her . She rolled onto all fours and crawled towards the doorway, the ship tilting high on a wave. She slid into the bulwark. Her heart pounding, her fingernails dug into the wet wood and she pulled herself onto her feet. Rain stabbed Hannah’s face, blurring her vision. Her soaking clothes clung to her. She tossed her head and stared at the doorway leading to the dry deck below, but her hands refused to let go of the mast. She wanted to be with her father, to make sure he wasn’t sinking into delirium or going into convulsions.
“Flatten the sails and hoist the jib,” the captain commanded.
She turned. The captain’s strong voice slowed her pounding heart. He stood on the deck. A wave splashed onto him, staggering, he shook his head, but he flipped his head back and put his hands on his hips, his feet shoulder length apart. His fierce face reminded her of John—another man willing to face the elements.
Men scrambled up rope ladders and grabbed bow lines to comply with his orders. A large foresail reached half past the mast, overlapping the mainsail. As the wind blew, the rising triangular foresail rippled.
Taking over the helm, Kane steered the Phoenix , through the swirling sea and hammering rain. He braced himself against the deck, his hands gripping the wheel. Could he steer them through this?
The captain’ s fierce face fueled her determination. She released the mast. Using her arm as a shield to cover her face, she fought to get to the doorway against the sleeting rain. She was about to enter the doorway when a wave smashed onto her. Screaming, choking on seawater, she somersaulted down the stairs, rolling around like a runaway barrel, hitting every hard blasted step. Her head slammed onto the bottom of the stairs. Her vision blurred. She put her hand on her splitting head, wetness covered her hand.
She tried to stand, but her arms slipped. Her right eye refused to open.
“Bloody hell,” harsh voice growled. The captain? Was he here?
A firm hand clutched her shoulder and rolled her to the side. “Mother of Mercy, lassie.”
Dark green eyes glowered at her. She moved her head, pain shot through her head, blinding her and she groaned, closing her eyes.
“Hannah,” a male voice cried. “My daughter, my daughter. You hurt her, you bastard.”
The captain growled, “What? You’re bl…”
The captain jerked and swore. She opened her left eye and tried to focus. Was the captain rubbing his chin?
“Doc, take this fool to the brig.”
“But Capt'n…”
“Now,” th e captain demanded.
Pain blinded her. “No, my father,” she whispered. “He’s delirious. He needs help.”
“Doc’s with him ,” the captain murmured. Strong arms wrapped around her, lifting her off the wet floor. She curled against his wet chest. His thumping heart matched hers. His masculine scent mixed with salt air. His body warmed her through his wet shirt and she wished she could lean against his naked skin and bathe in his heat. He carried her down the hall and kicked in a door. Where was he taking her?
Chapter Six
Lightning crashed outside. Hannah trembled and her fingers clutched someone’s wet shirt, but ’twasn’t hers. Rain pelted against a window or was it against the
“Come,” he said. “Let’s get out of this storm.”
He jogged back to the stairs and disappeared inside. She ran after him, a wave slapped her. Her feet slipped and she fell onto her knees.
“Doc,” she cried, but thunder and pelting rain masked her voice.
The ship lurched and Hannah rolled across the deck, smashing into the mast. Pain jolted her hip. The ship rocked and she slid on her bottom towards the portside railing. A bucket rolled past her, bounced onto the railing, and fell into the ocean.
Her stomach tightened. She screamed, but thunder masked her cries.
Her feet slammed into the railing, jolting her . She rolled onto all fours and crawled towards the doorway, the ship tilting high on a wave. She slid into the bulwark. Her heart pounding, her fingernails dug into the wet wood and she pulled herself onto her feet. Rain stabbed Hannah’s face, blurring her vision. Her soaking clothes clung to her. She tossed her head and stared at the doorway leading to the dry deck below, but her hands refused to let go of the mast. She wanted to be with her father, to make sure he wasn’t sinking into delirium or going into convulsions.
“Flatten the sails and hoist the jib,” the captain commanded.
She turned. The captain’s strong voice slowed her pounding heart. He stood on the deck. A wave splashed onto him, staggering, he shook his head, but he flipped his head back and put his hands on his hips, his feet shoulder length apart. His fierce face reminded her of John—another man willing to face the elements.
Men scrambled up rope ladders and grabbed bow lines to comply with his orders. A large foresail reached half past the mast, overlapping the mainsail. As the wind blew, the rising triangular foresail rippled.
Taking over the helm, Kane steered the Phoenix , through the swirling sea and hammering rain. He braced himself against the deck, his hands gripping the wheel. Could he steer them through this?
The captain’ s fierce face fueled her determination. She released the mast. Using her arm as a shield to cover her face, she fought to get to the doorway against the sleeting rain. She was about to enter the doorway when a wave smashed onto her. Screaming, choking on seawater, she somersaulted down the stairs, rolling around like a runaway barrel, hitting every hard blasted step. Her head slammed onto the bottom of the stairs. Her vision blurred. She put her hand on her splitting head, wetness covered her hand.
She tried to stand, but her arms slipped. Her right eye refused to open.
“Bloody hell,” harsh voice growled. The captain? Was he here?
A firm hand clutched her shoulder and rolled her to the side. “Mother of Mercy, lassie.”
Dark green eyes glowered at her. She moved her head, pain shot through her head, blinding her and she groaned, closing her eyes.
“Hannah,” a male voice cried. “My daughter, my daughter. You hurt her, you bastard.”
The captain growled, “What? You’re bl…”
The captain jerked and swore. She opened her left eye and tried to focus. Was the captain rubbing his chin?
“Doc, take this fool to the brig.”
“But Capt'n…”
“Now,” th e captain demanded.
Pain blinded her. “No, my father,” she whispered. “He’s delirious. He needs help.”
“Doc’s with him ,” the captain murmured. Strong arms wrapped around her, lifting her off the wet floor. She curled against his wet chest. His thumping heart matched hers. His masculine scent mixed with salt air. His body warmed her through his wet shirt and she wished she could lean against his naked skin and bathe in his heat. He carried her down the hall and kicked in a door. Where was he taking her?
Chapter Six
Lightning crashed outside. Hannah trembled and her fingers clutched someone’s wet shirt, but ’twasn’t hers. Rain pelted against a window or was it against the
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