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him.
    “What is going on?”
    “The unexpected. Mr. Welch is Mary Welch sir, and the other woman is her chaperone, Ms. Magdela.”
    Captain Graham thought about what he'd seen. A smooth creamy white back, and a blue day dress. Her head turning in slow motion to see him. Her face—her face framed perfectly by her raven colored tresses, braided to form a band.
    “Yes, unexpected.”
    He turned to face Randall. “How long have you known he was a she ?”
    “You left orders not to be disturbed,” Randall snorted, “for any reason.”
    Graham stared at his friend fully aware of the joke that had been masterfully played on him. “Yes, yes I did.”
    “Touch é, Mr. Randall, touché.”
    Graham headed back up the stairs allowing his first officer, and friend, to savor his moment of victory alone as he could not allow him to gloat in front of the crew.
    ***
    Randall waited outside Mary's stateroom door enjoying his joke on his friend. Almost a half an hour later Ms. Welch opened her door carrying a pad and a wooden box. “I will see the captain now.”
    “Yes, yes. Ms. Welch.”
    Magdela followed a few steps behind.
    Captain Bennett Graham had retreated to his stateroom. This meeting was best to take place out of the sight of the crew.
    Randall knocked announcing, “Ms. Mary Welch, Captain Graham.”
    He stood and gave a slight bow as the lady entered the room.
    “Ms. Welch, I must apologize for my earlier intrusion. I was led to believe you were a man.”
    “So you burst in on men then?”
    “Yes, uh—no, on soldiers. It’s understood when the captain summons one, they are to report immediately.”
    “Well, today is my first day as a sailor in the King's Navy, and I have not had any training.” Mary smiled at her joke. She was not expecting him to be so young and handsome. His curly dark hair just touched his collar, grown out from the month at sea. She'd been expecting an old sea salt with at least two chins and jowls, and grey receding hair.
    “Yes, well you may wait in your stateroom as I have the men turn the ship around. We should have you back in port within two hours.”
    “You will not!” Mary said before she could think.
    He looked at her, then took a step around his desk to face her.
    “May I please be frank?” Mary said as she looked away from his face.
    “You are being frank. You may continue,” he said with a flourish of his hand.
    This time Mary tried a different tack and smiled, then batted her eyelashes, “I would like to have an adventure. I can draw and paint, and I am the best artist in Costa Rica. I do take my post seriously, and am sorry I was not on deck at daybreak, but I really had no way of knowing what was expected other than to report for duty, since that was all your letter asked. It is true, I am a woman, but I will only come out on deck to draw and paint, and I promise not to be a bother or a distraction. Please, do not turn the ship around. I beg you to please let me stay aboard and do my paintings for the King. I will still sign them M. Welch so he has no need to know I am a woman.”
    He took a step closer. Now they only stood mere inches apart. He heard Magdela clear her throat, but he didn’t care if he was standing too close. In another hour or two she would be gone out of his life, and this may be the only memory he would have of Mary Welch.
    From the cloth of her clothes and her bearing it was obvious she came from a wealthy land owning family. They would never approve of an officer who spent months at sea at the Navy’s whim, and without an estate, to court their daughter. Even while merely inches away, she was still out of his reach.
    He smiled at her and she smiled back.
    He thought, if Magdela were not there, he did not know if he could trust himself not to kiss her. He spoke softly, “I am sorry, but there are pirates about, and I will not endanger your life. We must take you back, and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
    The smile melted off