Graham grunted as he lifted the man from the floor. “Remind me to thank you.”
William huffed under Littleton’s limp weight. “Do not thank me yet.” William cast a nervous glance at the man between them. “You do not think he will die, do you?”
Graham shook his head as he carefully angled himself to fit through the narrow door frame and passageway. He waited for the ladies to ascend the ladder. He winced at the cut on his arm and flexed his hand. He’d lived through worse pain. Much worse. With William’s help, he managed to get Littleton up the ladder and onto the upper deck.
At first Littleton squirmed, but within moments Graham and his brother had their hands on him. “It’s over, Littleton,” grunted Graham. “This time, for good.”
Graham stepped from the steamy confines of the ship. He could not recall a time when the brisk air of early dawn was so refreshing. Littleton’s body grew limper with each step. The man was not in danger of dying. The shot had but grazed him. But he was losing blood, and no doubt the pain was significant.
Graham scanned the gathering crowd for Amelia. His heart ached with renewed hope when he spotted her, waiting from a safe distance. How could he miss her? Her hair, made brilliant by the rising sun, spilled over her shoulders. Her eyes were locked onto him. Boldy. Expectantly. Now that her hands were untied, she held Lucy in her arms protectively. At the very sight of them, an overwhelming sense of protectiveness wove through the fibers of his being.
His task here was almost complete. And then he would take his daughter and his beloved home. Back to Darbury. Away from the fear and uncertainty that had met them in Liverpool.
All around him, everything seemed suddenly vibrant. The sounds of the sea. The call of the seabirds. It was all alive.
Littleton stumbled, his injured leg limp, unable to sustain his own weight. Graham left Littleton in the care of William and Sulter and jogged over to Amelia. He forgot the pain of his arm. The fury of the fight. That was behind him. And his future in front.
He could almost feel Amelia’s warmth. Feel the weight of his daughter in his arms. But as he drew closer, Amelia’s expression darkened. Her eyebrow raised, and she sucked in her breath. The sudden change in her demeanor slowed Graham’s steps. He pivoted to follow her gaze. Across the dock, the outline of a tall, burly man approached William and Sulter. Without warning, the stranger rushed up to Littleton, who was now sitting on the ground, and rammed his booted toe into Littleton’s ribs.
Graham stared in disbelief. More than anything he wanted to return to the Sulters’. To take Amelia and Lucy away from the nightmare of the past few days. But what he had seen stilled his legs. Sulter attempted to stop the man from repeating the assault, but was shoved out of the way.
That was all Graham needed to see. He took off like a shot toward the perpetrator, siezing the much larger man by the arm and whirling him around.
“What is the meaning of—” His words fell flat when the man turned.
Kingston.
A flash of recognition sparked on Kingston’s scraggly face. “Cap’n Sterling.”
Graham squared his shoulders, narrowing his eyes on Kingston, forgetting for the moment about Littleton. “Did you forget something?” Graham’s words were every bit as hard as he intended. “By my calculations you are several hours late for a task for which your services were engaged.”
A rough smile cracked the man’s leathery features. He shrugged. “Well now, that’s an unfortunate oversight. But see here, my business right now’s not w’ you. It’s w’ ’im.” He kicked at Littleton again.
Graham put his arms out to push the man back. He did not begrudge the man anger toward Littleton, nor was he surprised to learn Littleton had more enemies. But he was not about to watch Kingston beat a man who was too weak to stand.
Before Graham could speak, Kingston leaned forward and hissed in Littleton’s direction. “I think you owe me something, Littleton. I don’t want to tear your limbs off in front of your friends here—”
“Be on your way, Kingston,” demanded Graham, pushing his own body between the two men.
Kingston ignored Graham. “This man’s comin’ w’ me. He’s got some blokes what wants to see ’im.”
Kingston reached down as if to grab Littleton, and both Graham and William blocked his path.
“I do not know what your