Jaded Tides (The Razor's Adventures Pirate Tales) by P.S. Bartlett Page A

rival his own. It was far too much to carry, so he told me he’d have it delivered to the ship for me by nightfall. Bandages, a mortar and pestle, and even a saw for amputations were included, as well as some herbal remedies for everything from boils to pink eye. He’d even included a frightening looking instrument used for pulling bad teeth and told me sailors always needed a tooth pulled. Most importantly, he gifted me a copy of his personal medical instruction book which I did carry with me, as well as a sewing kit for my personal use—not that I certainly wasn’t well acquainted with pulling things together with a needle and thread.
    I paid him and thanked him, and as I made my way out the door of his home for the last time, he called me back with one final word of advice that had nothing to do with doctoring; stay out of the brothels. “You can catch the worst sort of diseases in those places. Find ye a nice girl, laddie.”
    If he only knew.
     
    After leaving Peppi at the stable and paying a boy to take her back home, I slung my duffle over my shoulder and walked the remaining hundred yards or so to the Jade. The ship was still being loaded with supplies, and Master Green was ordering the sailors about. When he caught my eye, he shook his head and waved me aboard.
    “Mister Razor, do you yet have your orders?” he asked me as I dropped my duffle at my feet.
    “Master Green, good evening. Yes, I’m to report to the surgery and set up my bunk there.”
    “You’ll have a small separate sleeping area for obvious reasons. You are also to report to the chef. The Captain has ordered that when you are not tending to the sick or injured, you will be assisting the chef in preparing meals and serving.”
    “I’m what? Why? I don’t know the first thing about cooking,” I said, raising my voice.
    “Mister Razor, a word with you please,” Master Green said. He tossed me my duffle and escorted me to the surgery. There was no one within a close enough distance to overhear our exchange of words. “You are fortunate that the Captain has even granted you the privilege of being on this ship. The first thing you will learn today is that you never, ever disobey an order from the Captain. I am his eyes and ears when he is not around; you should know that I am also his voice. Therefore, you shall not disobey an order I give you on his behalf. Do you understand?”
    Master Green leaned over me and conveyed his message through his glowing eyes as well as his words. I didn’t intend to cause any trouble on this voyage, and I backed down and obeyed my quartermaster. “Yes. I understand,” I said and lowered my eyes. “I’ll do whatever Rasmus orders me to do, whether it comes from you or from him.”
    “Good. Now, I’ve taken the liberty of having your medical supplies placed in here for you, and there is also everything that was left here from the previous man who occupied this position.”
    “Thank you. Doctor McGraw said he would have the chest he put together for me sent down. I’m pleased to know that it arrived.” I turned and surveyed the area that I’d be calling home while at sea. “I think I can manage this by myself, Master Green, and I don’t want to keep you from your work.”
    “Is everything all right in here?” I heard Rasmus say, and I spun around to face the doorway. My heart instantly raced, and the breath blew from my lungs at the sight of him.
    “Yes, Captain. Everything is fine. I was just showing Mister Razor the surgery and the adjoining cabin where he’d be bunking,” Master Green said and then excused himself back to his work.
    Rasmus’s blue eyes stared me down, his hands on his hips and his thumbs hooked in his belt. He wore a smoky gray surcoat trimmed with black embroidery at the cuffs. The curls and swirls of some tailor’s fine work weaved their way down the front of either side of the fine garment and then wrapped around the bottom hem. Underneath, he wore his black waistcoat,