“—the refit’s almost done,” Guld was saying. “We changed the names and figureheads before we even made land, and the rest was easy enough. Found a possible cargo, too, a good lot of silks. Bit smoky—the warehouse got set alight in the last lot of trouble here. Oh, and Holden’s got some crew.”
“Already? That was quick. When I found out the Yelen were rounding up Remorians, I thought he’d have trouble.”
“He, er, he looks different.”
Van Gast stood and took his snifter of brandy over to the window next to Guld. Six new crew were just boarding the ship. An itch began behind Van Gast’s breastbone. Something was amiss. Just a tickle. Nothing much—yet, but something to beware of.
Four men, two of them he recognized. Good enough lads, at least they should be once they were away from the temptation of Van’s bounty. A dark, leggy girl with rather extravagant charms who Van Gast knew—Gilda. Good, a few women on board always kept things a bit in line, made the men behave themselves in the hope of a tumble. Gilda should keep them all on their toes, or on their knees perhaps, because she was a saucy madam who knew just what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to say so. She’d be in among them all like a shark among seal-pups. Only possibly with more blood. Gilda glanced up at the window, caught sight of him and tipped him a saucy wink and a blown kiss.
The last was a bouncy little lass with a wide, infectious grin walking next to Holden, who appeared to be blushing the same deep red as his new shirt.
“Oh tut tut, Holden, and you a married man. He does look different, doesn’t he?” Van Gast had to hold in a chuckle. Holden was a stern man, serious and almost severe, and now here he was with a bit of bright color on him and his hair sticking out as though he’d just got out of bed. Blushing because a girl had her hand on his arm. His face went an even darker red as he got her aboard and she said something to him, let her hand linger on his. No doubt about it, the way she was looking at him, smiling up from under dark lashes. Holden turned away abruptly, looking stunned and bemused, and hurried toward Van’s quarters.
“Good job Ilsa’s not here to see that. Where is Ilsa anyway?”
Holden appeared in the doorway, his eyes daring Van Gast to laugh. “Six crew, all with experience. And yes, where is Ilsa?”
“I, er, oh, she went ashore.” Guld wilted under Holden’s stare. “She said she had things to buy, you know, um, lady things.”
“Lady things?” Van Gast snorted. “How long have you been a rack mage now, Guld?”
“More to the point, you let her go alone?” Holden’s blush had gone, along with his self-consciousness.
“I, er, well…” Guld couldn’t seem to control his lips and Van Gast rescued him.
“She doesn’t need permission. This is a rack ship now, rack rules. That means ignoring whatever rules you feel like ignoring, whenever you feel like it. Unless I put my foot down, and maybe not even then. See? That’s what makes a rack a rack and not a merchant. They break the rules when they think they can get away with it. Much better to just imagine they don’t apply to you. I’ve told you all this, Holden. It’s about time you started to act like a rack. Brandy?”
Holden scowled a no and stared out of the window, scanning Mucking Lane, no doubt looking for Ilsa.
“She’ll be fine, as long as she doesn’t go too far. She could do with some cheering up, seeing the world a bit. So, these crew, anything I should know? No one chasing them for debts, hunting them down for murder, that sort of thing? We’ll be here a little while, I don’t want Yelen guards turning up. Gods only know what Gilda’s been up to. Probably broken half the men in port, and the other half are just waiting their turn.”
Holden twitched a shoulder, which Van Gast assumed meant no. Then he frowned as a thought struck him. “Tallia. The small one. She knew who I was.”
“The one making you blush like a girl?” Holden’s scowl was reward enough, so Van Gast didn’t push it. “How do you mean?”
“She knew who I was. I didn’t give a name, but she called me Commander Holden.”