Touch Me

"Where is it then?"

Drake's look of confusion would have been funny, but Thea feared it would turn to anger when he discovered Jacob's little idiosyncrasy. "On the ship, of course."

"I'll no be going to any ship, sir."

"But the boiler is on the ship."

Jacob shrugged his massive shoulders. "Best to be bringing it here if you want that I fix it."

Drake turned to her, his face a study in frustration. "Could you explain what I am missing?"

"If you want Jacob to fix your boiler, you will have to disassemble it and bring it here."

"There is no time." His frustration was a palpable force.

She felt sorry for him, but there was nothing she could do. Jacob had an uncompromising fear of the ocean and there was no way Drake was going to get him onto the Golden Dragon. "Jacob will not go near the ocean."

"That's ridiculous. He lives on an island. How can he be afraid of water?"

The black man drew himself up, his brows drawn together in a severe frown. "I'm no afraid o' de water."

Drake smiled. "Good. Then we can proceed to my ship."

Jacob's frown did not lessen. "You be wantin' that I fix your boiler, sir. You be bringing it here."

"I told you, there is no time."

"You be bringing it here," Jacob insisted stubbornly.

Drake went still. "How much?"

Jacob shrugged. "Don't know till I see it, sir."

"I mean how much to get you to come to my ship?"

"I no be going to your ship."

Drake swore and spun on his heel to face Philippe, who had remained silent since arriving. "Are there any other blacksmiths on the island?"

"No, sir," Philippe replied.

The controlled anger she saw in Drake's expression made Thea shiver. "Bloody hell." He turned back to Jacob. "I'll have the boiler here as soon as can be arranged."

Jacob picked up the winch. "I be finishing this then."

Thea smiled at Jacob. "Thank you. I'll see Mr. Drake to the wharf. Philippe, please tell Mr. Merewether that I will be with Mr. Drake."

Drake turned to her. "I can find my own way to the ship and back, Miss Selwyn."

"I'm quite sure that you can, but it will be faster if I drive you. My carriage is waiting outside as I had intended to go far island on some business. You did say that time was of the essence?"

She watched the muscle in his jaw work.

"You're a bossy bit of goods, Miss Selwyn."

"You are welcome, Mr. Drake."

Hot Caribbean air pressed against Drake as he and some crew members from the Golden Dragon loaded the boiler into the back of a wagon Thea had commandeered.