Another sketch-this one of Gabriel-hung on the all above the water cask. It swiveled gently on a single tack; or rather, the paper hung plump with gravity while the whole ship swiveled around it. She’d captured Gabriel’s toothy, inoffensive grin and the devilish gleam in his eye, and the effect of the paper’s constant, subtle rocking was to make the image come alive. Softly, strangely-the portrait of Gabriel was laughing.
Gray shook himself. Laughing at him, most likely.
“She comes here?” he asked.
“Aye. That she does. Every morning.” Gabriel straightened his hunched spine and adopted a cultured tone. “We take tea.”
Gray frowned. One more place he’d have to avoid-the galley at morning teatime. “See to it that she eats something. Slip more milk in her tea. Make her treacle duff every day, if she cares for it. Are you giving her a daily ration of lime juice?”
Gabriel smiled down at the salt pork. “Yes, sir.”
“Double it.”
“Yes, sir.” Gabriel’s grin widened.
“And stop grinning, damn it.”
“Yes, sir.” The old man practically sang the words as he pounded away at the meat. “Never thought I’d live to see the day.

Autor: Tessa Dare