Noc felt his eyes crinkle. “Yeah, I suppose that would put most people off, even pirates.”
Finnie settled in, crossing her legs under her long, sweater gown and continued, “In fact, I don’t think there are any passenger ships I know of that make that voyage. Merchants, definitely. There’s a bunch of stuff from that side of the world that’s highly valued here and costs a whack, so it’s worth the risk of the journey. They have a kind of wool that’s amazing. I have dresses and throws made of it and I’ve never felt anything like it. Firenzian rubies are spectacular. Frey got me a necklace and earrings made of them and they’re extraordinary. Exotic spices. Tons of stuff.”
“And you dig travel so if it was safe to take you…” he didn’t finish because she was nodding.
“Yeah, if it was safe, we’d go. I haven’t even asked because I read between the lines when he told me all he told me. No reason to get into a discussion about it. Frey spoils me a lot. But when it’s time to put his foot down, he doesn’t have a problem with doing just that. Since that sometimes pisses me off, I’ve learned to read when it’s important to him and I shouldn’t push it, so I won’t push it.”
Noc shot her a grin. “Good plan.”
Finnie’s lips twitched at his reply but then her face got serious. “She shouldn’t go.”
Noc’s grin died.
This was what he thought not only from all Finnie just shared but from the minute Franka mentioned she was doing it.
What he didn’t think about was why it perturbed him so much she seemed to be totally okay with taking off after her brother left like she was leaving nothing behind.
The “leaving something behind” part and precisely what bothered him about that was the part he wasn’t thinking about.
“I’m gettin’ that impression,” he said.
“What I’d want to know is why she’d want to go,” Finnie remarked.
“Because she’s lost the man she loves, her parents are dead to her and never were much to write home about anyway, she wants to put it all behind her and that’s a surefire way to do just that. She won’t run into anything familiar on an entirely different continent.”
“Surefire, true. Dramatic, definitely. A little bit crazy, also definitely,” Finnie returned. “And that’s being nice because in truth it’s a whole lot of crazy.”
Fuck.
“You can’t let her go, Noc,” Finnie stated.
“Not sure once she’s fighting fit I’m gonna have a lot of say about that, Finnie.”
Her mouth got soft as it tilted up, and looking at her normally, all that white-blonde hair, her fantastic figure, her pretty blue eyes, Noc got why Frey went all out to keep her at his side.
Shit, when she looked like that, he got why Frey would kill and die for her.
“Think she’s got a soft spot for you, honey,” she said quietly. “Hard to miss the way you two were at the jail yesterday.”
The way they were at the jail yesterday.
No, it was more the way Franka was at the jail yesterday. All of it.
Fuck, he’d been so damned proud of her, it was scary how much emotion he felt for a woman he really barely knew.
But when she’d turned to him, vulnerable, and latched on to him like she needed his strength, looked to him to allay her fears, that caused even more emotion, he was so fucking happy he could be there for her. And more, that she had the strength to show her weakness, she showed it to him and she let him be there for her.
“She’s definitely finding it easier to let the mask slip on occasion,” he replied. “But she’s stubborn and I get why she wants to go. Why she wants to put her past where it belongs and get somewhere nothing reminds her of it.”
“I see why she wants that but it’s still not the right choice.”
“There’s a world nothing like hers she can go to where no pirates will take her as booty,” Noc pointed out.
Finnie’s eyes got bigger as she sat forward.
“Holy cow, there is,” she whispered.
“Not sure I can talk Franka into coming with all of us when I go with you guys while you take Tor and Cora back home. Not sure I can even talk her into coming back with me. What I am sure of is that I can’t take her back unless Valentine does it for me.”
“She’ll do it. She seems like a cold fish but she’s all heart.”
That was what Noc was counting on.
“So, bringing us back, I gotta talk to Frey and get Valentine a message.”
Finnie was out of her seat before he even finished talking.
“Let’s go find him,” she said.
Nope.
That look on her face where she didn’t hide her excitement was probably what did it for Frey. That look you’d want to see every day. That look was another look you’d kill and die for.
Noc enjoyed taking in that look the only way he could as he pushed out of the couch.
Then they took off together to find Finnie’s husband.
* * * * *
Franka
Late morning I sat with Josette in a small sitting room the queen’s secretary set aside for Josette and myself to do our final interviews of prospective maids.
It was a lovely room, the best part of it being it was one of the growing number that had already had its glass replaced, so it was bright, sunny and cheerful.
I’d read all the curriculum vitae and references of the candidates. There were several references written by people I knew or knew of (only one I knew to trust every word as the girl had been employed by Norfolk Ravenscroft, an honest, intelligent man and cousin to the queen). We’d spoken to all the candidates. I’d asked a few questions but Josette had asked many more, her follow-up questions.