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She sat up on the bed abruptly, her face mottled red and white, her cheeks shining with smeared tears.

Then she swung. He saw her clenched fist coming, and almost managed to evade the punch.

It clipped the point of his chin, clacking his teeth together and jolting stars into his eyes.

He recoiled, his hand going to his jaw as he stood.

‘What was that for?’ he demanded, shocked.

‘For being stupid. For being blind, as they say only women are blind. You are an idiot, Wintrow Vestrit! I don’t know why I ever wasted my time on you.

You know so much, but you learn nothing at all.

Nothing!’ Her face suddenly crumpled again.

She dropped her face to her knees and rocked back and forth like a disconsolate child.

‘How could I have ever been so stupid?’ she moaned. Sitting up, she reached for him.

Hesitantly, he sat down on the bed beside her.

When he tried to pat her on the shoulder, she came into his arms instead.

She put her face against his shoulder and sobbed, her shoulders shaking.

He held her, gingerly at first, and then more firmly.

He had never held a woman in his arms before.

‘Etta,’ he said softly. ‘Etta, my dear.’ He dared to stroke her shining hair.

The door opened. Wintrow startled, but did not release her. He had nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to be guilty about. ‘Etta is not herself,’ he told Kennit hastily.

‘Indeed. That may be a relief, if whoever she is can behave better than the real Etta,’ he returned churlishly.

‘Brawling in the corridor like a common guttersnipe.’ When Etta did not lift her head from Wintrow’s shoulder, he went on sarcastically, ‘I do hope I’m not interrupting you two.

A small matter like my face bleeding or my clothes being filthy should not distress either of you. ’

To Wintrow’s amazement, Etta slowly lifted her head.

She looked at Kennit as if she had never seen him before.

Something passed between them in that look, something Wintrow was not privy to.

It seemed to break the woman, but she wept no more.

‘I’m finished,’ she said brokenly. ‘I’ll get up and find… ’

‘Don’t bother,’ Kennit snarled as she stood. ‘I can see to my own needs. Go to Jola instead. Tell him to signal Captain Sorcor to send a boat for you. I think it will be better if you stay aboard the Marietta for a time.’

Wintrow expected an outburst at those words, but Etta stood silent.

She looked different. Slowly he realized the change in her.

Usually, when she looked at Kennit, her eyes shone and a glow of love suffused her.

Now she stared at him, and it was as if her life were draining out of her.

When she spoke, her capitulation was complete.

‘You are right. Yes. That would be best.’ She lifted her hands and rubbed her face as if awakening from the long dream.

Then, without another word or glance, she left the room.

Wintrow stared after her. This could not be happening. None of it made sense to him. Then, ‘Well?’ Kennit demanded icily. His cold blue stare swept Wintrow head to foot.

Wintrow came to his feet. His mouth was dry.

‘Sir, I don’t think you should send Etta away, not even for her own safety.

Instead, as soon as possible, we should remove Althea from the ship.

Her mind is turned. Please sir, take pity on the poor woman and let me send her home.

We are only a few days from Divvytown. I can pay her passage home on one of the trading vessels that comes to Divvytown now.

The sooner she is gone, the better for all of us. ’

‘Really?’ Kennit asked dryly. ‘And what makes you think you have any say at all in what I do with Althea?’

Wintrow stood silent, numbed by Kennit’s words.

‘She is mine, Wintrow. To do with as I will.’ Kennit turned away from him and began to disrobe.

‘Now. Fetch me a shirt. That is all I require of you just now. Not thinking, not deciding, not even begging. Fetch me a clean shirt and lay out trousers for me. And get me something to clean this cut.’ As Kennit spoke, he was unbuttoning his soiled shirt.

His jacket already lay on the floor. Without thinking about it, Wintrow moved to obey him.

The anger coursing through him obliterated all thought.

He set out the clean clothing, and then found a cloth and cool water for Kennit.

The cut was small, and already closed. Kennit wiped the blood from his brow and tossed the wet cloth disdainfully to the floor.

Wintrow retrieved it silently. As he returned it to the washbasin, he found the control to speak again.

‘Sir. This is not a good time for you to send Etta away. She should be here. With you.’

‘I think not,’ Kennit observed lazily. He held out his wrists for Wintrow to button his cuffs. ‘I prefer Althea. I intend to keep her, Wintrow. You had best get used to the idea.’ Wintrow was aghast.

‘Will you hold Althea here, against her will, while you banish Etta to Sorcor’s ship?’

‘It will not be against her will, if that is what upsets you. Your aunt has already indicated that she finds me a comely man. In time, she will come to accept her role beside me. Today’s little…

incident was an aberration. She merely needs more time to rest and adapt to the changes in her life.

You need not be troubled on her behalf.’

‘I will see her. I will speak – What was that?’ Wintrow lifted his head.

‘I heard nothing,’ Kennit replied disdainfully. ‘Perhaps you should join Etta on board the Marietta until –’ It was his turn to stop in mid-sentence. His eyes widened.

‘You felt it, too,’ Wintrow said accusingly. ‘A struggle. Inside the ship herself.’

‘I felt no such thing!’ Kennit replied hotly.

‘Something is happening,’ Wintrow declared. Bolt had taught him to dread his connection to the ship. He felt his link to her roiling with turmoil, yet he feared to reach towards her.

‘I feel nothing,’ the pirate declared disdainfully. ‘You imagine it.’

‘Kennit! Kennit!’ It was a long, drawn-out call, threatening in its intensity. Wintrow felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck.

Kennit shrugged hastily into his fresh jacket and straightened his collar and cuffs. ‘I suppose I should go and see what that is about,’ he said, but Wintrow could see his nonchalance was feigned. ‘I imagine the little fracas in the corridor has upset the ship.’

Wintrow made no reply, except to open the door for Kennit.

The pirate hastened past him. Wintrow followed him more slowly.

As he passed Althea’s door, he heard the low murmur of a voice.

He stopped to listen, his ear close to the jamb.

The poor woman was talking to herself, her voice so low and rapid that he could not make out any words.

‘Althea?’ He tried the door, but the lock on it was stout.

He stood a moment in indecision, then hastened after Kennit.

He had nearly reached the door when Etta entered the companionway. She walked very straight and tall, and her face was impassive. He lifted his eyes to meet hers. ‘Are you all right?’ he asked.

‘Of course not.’ Her voice was soft and flat. ‘Sorcor has a boat on its way. I must gather a few things.’

‘Etta, I spoke to Kennit. I asked him not to send you away.’

She seemed to vanish in stillness. Her voice came from far away. ‘I suppose you meant well by that.’

‘Etta, you should tell him you’re with child. It might change everything.’

‘Change everything?’ Her smile was brittle. ‘Oh, Kennit has already changed everything, Wintrow. There is no need for me to add to it.’

She started to walk away. He dared to reach out and take her arm to restrain her.

‘Etta, please. Tell him.’ He clenched his jaws to keep from saying more.

Perhaps if Kennit knew that she was pregnant, he would not set her aside to claim Althea.

Surely, it would change his heart. What man could remain unmoved by such news?

Etta shook her head slowly, almost as if she could hear his thoughts. ‘Wintrow, Wintrow. You still don’t understand, do you? Why do you think I was so shaken? Because I’m pregnant? Because she struck Kennit and made him bleed?’

Wintrow shrugged in helpless silence. Etta leaned her head closer to his.

‘I wanted to kill her. I wanted to do whatever I had to do to her to make her be silent. Because she was speaking the truth, and I couldn’t stand to hear it.

Your aunt is not mad, Wintrow. At least, no more mad than any woman becomes after rape. She spoke the truth.’

‘You can’t know that.’ His mouth was so dry he could scarcely form the words.

Etta closed her eyes for an instant. ‘For women, there is an outrage that cannot be provoked in any other way. I looked at Althea Vestrit, and I recognized it. I have seen it too often. I have felt it myself.’

Wintrow glanced at the locked door. The betrayal numbed him. Believing her hurt too much. He clung to doubt. ‘But why didn’t you confront him?’

She looked deeply into his eyes, turning her head as if she were trying to see how he could be so foolish. ‘Wintrow. I have told you. Hearing the truth was bad enough. I don’t want to live it. Kennit is right. It is best that I stay on the Marietta for a time.’

‘Until what?’ Wintrow demanded.

She shrugged one shoulder stiffly. The gleam of tears sprang into her eyes again. Her voice was tight as she said very quietly, ‘He may weary of her. He may want me back.’ She turned away. ‘I have to gather my things,’ she whispered hoarsely.

This time, when she stepped away from him, he let her go.

They were all looking at him. Kennit could feel the eyes of every crewman tracking his progress as he made his way forwards. He dared not hurry. The spat between the two women had been bad enough. They would not witness him racing to the ship’s summons, no matter how urgent.