Charlie Cochrane What You Will

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.He’d surprised me yet again, taking such control of the engagement, not like some of the young men I’d had the benefit of taking to my cabin.How many of them hadn’t been able to forget my rank, even though I’d always been careful not to choose one who’d ever been on my muster? You can tire of all that “Yes sir, no sir”.Deferring too much takes almost all the pleasure away.Sebastian had always treated me like an equal, despite all his earlier words about being in my debt.It didn’t occur to me at the time that this outpouring of affection might just have been a case of him having thought of a way to repay me, and close the account.I thought about that notion plenty of times afterwards.ACT TWO, SCENE ONENext morning, I worried that Sebastian would be ashamed of what we’d done; it’s easy enough to regret in the cold light of day what you’d decided was right in the warm dark of night.But he’d no sooner woken than he was giving me a big hug and a smile.I hardly remember a thing about breakfast or washing and dressing.I must have been that happy.The one thing that sticks out was him giving me a huge kiss before we left.“To wish us success on the road,” as he called it, and I returned in kind, “One more for luck”.Old sailor that I was, I should have known better, being too pleased with myself and spitting in the eye of fate.I should have been grateful for small mercies and not wanted more, but hubris won’t listen to reason.When we got within reach of Orsino’s court, Sebastian was like a big child, smiling and excited.Maybe he really did believe we’d just knock on the door and his sister would answer, or maybe that night in my bed cheered him up.Whatever the cause, I was glad to see him optimistic again.He even fancied a bit of sightseeing, but I wanted to keep my head down, given that my scar didn’t exactly make me inconspicuous.I reminded him about my days as a privateer and why I was persona non grata in these parts.He was all concern then, advising me not to walk about openly.As if I needed such advice.I’d been twice around the world as a cabin boy before Sebastian had even been born.It was touching, though, when he put his arm round me and kissed my cheek, like a son might do, even though I’d have had to have whelped young to have been his sire.Still, it doesn’t do to show too much affection in public, so I distracted him with the gift of my purse.He eyed it warily, like he thought I was paying him off, maybe for the services he’d rendered.“What’s this for?”“I thought you might want to treat yourself to something.A good luck charm, maybe.You must have lost a wealth of things when your ship fell to earth.” That wasn’t well put, seeing as it would have reminded him of his sister, but he didn’t seem to notice my clumsiness with words.“I’ll go and find us digs at the Elephant.I’ve heard it keeps a good table and clean beds.”“You swear you’ll keep your head down?”“I will.” I made the promise, although if I’d known what was going to happen next, I’d have said to hell with the risk and gone with him every step of the way.Hindsight, eh?It was a woman caused the problem, of course.Two women, this time, to make it doubly complicated, and I was the one who ran into them first.Irony on top of “perception after the fact” or whatever complicated thing they’d call it in a court of law.And I didn’t even realise one of them was a woman—so add short-sightedness or senility into the bargain.Whatever it was, fate was trying to mock me.I’d put our dunnage, such as it was, at the Elephant and I’d decided to take the air, in spite of my promise to Sebastian and thoughts for my own safety.How could I stay in the room looking at the double bed, and not think of what he and I could be getting up to in it? So I took a walk, keeping myself to myself and thinking, until I found that I’d gone too far and lost my bearings.There was an old couple working a little plot of land where I’d fetched up, so naturally I asked them where I was.They said I was down by the Lady Olivia’s house—she’s the first woman in the case.If I’d known then that Count Orsino was sweet on her I’d have stirred my stumps somewhere else, just in case he was lurking anywhere close.But the old folks didn’t mention that; they just said she was a kindly woman, in mourning for her brother, and she’d not begrudge a man in uniform the pleasure of walking through her demesne.I couldn’t see the harm in it, either—shame I can’t make such good judgements on land as I do in the air.I’ve often wondered since then what would have happened if I’d sat tight at the inn.Maybe things would have resolved themselves without me knowing anything about it.My lad would have come straight back to me with a strange tale to tell and I’d have been saved a barrel of heartache.Maybe it would have turned for the worst and I’d have just found myself high and dry.You can’t try to double guess fate.Anyway, imagine my shock, rounding a corner of a pleasant avenue of cypresses, to see Sebastian there, in the Lady Olivia’s garden.And getting himself into mischief by the look of it.Sword drawn against a great long streak of a thing, more scarecrow than man.I’d have bet my lad against him any day in a straight fight, but looks can be deceptive, and I didn’t want Sebastian risking his pretty neck.Especially when things have the potential to turn nasty and swords find themselves replaced by a pistol some kind person happens to draw from under his coat.“Stop that right there or else you’ll have me to answer to.” I drew my own blade, with a flourish.The streak of water’s fat friend, who looked like he could take care of himself in a fair fight despite the fact he also looked three quarters gone on drink, challenged me.At least I think he did, given that what he actually said was, “You sir? Why, what are you?” Now, I was handy enough at translating the local language, but these nobles talk so fancy that even if you get the words, they still make no sense.“What am I? What am I?” My blood was boiling by then, at being babbled at and at seeing my lad so abused, and I spoke a bit freer than I normally would, although I hoped Sebastian would note my words [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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