The Gentlewoman's Deception

Ch. 10 // Twenty-five, Twenty-three

Louisa's arms burned with exertion as she carved her oar through the choppy water. She was surprised her shoulders weren't smoking and burning a hole through her dress at the speed she was rowing. Every time she removed her oar from the sea, more water replaced it. When she glanced up at the foggy bit of land in the distance, it was hard to believe they had made any progress. But when she looked behind her in the direction of where they had left The Dresden, she could no longer make out the individual shapes of pirates and crew members fighting, although, every so often, a scream or pistol shot would ring out across the water.

Taron's back faced Louisa as he rowed on the opposite side of the boat. He didn't seem to be struggling with the continuous rowing like Louisa was, or at least he wasn't letting on that his arms were burning more intensely than hot embers. In fact, Taron was barely breaking a sweat. Each oar stroke was as strong as the one before it, contrasting drastically to Louisa's weakening attempts.

"We've been going for a quarter of an hour," Taron called back to her.

"What...are...you...implying?" She replied between breaths.

"Are you that exhausted already?"

"Well, they don't exactly prepare you for this in finishing school," she retorted, though her comeback didn't have quite the bite she wanted as Louisa's throat was becoming parched.

"I'd be surprised if you learned anything from finishing school," he grumbled.

"Excuse me! Just because I might be a tad tired from this constant rowing does not mean that I am incapable of getting us to shore!" Louisa replied as she grabbed the oar again and started rowing. "And what I learned at school is none of your concern! To think you'd be so confident that I would waste my knowledge on someone as arrogant as yourself is beyond me."

Taron whirled around to face her, a look of shock plastered across his face. Momentarily stopping his rows, he said "Me? Arrogant? If I recall correctly, I saved your life back there on The Dresden. If it wasn't for my 'arrogant' self then you would be dead with the rest of the ship!"

"Yes, because your wooden sword was the perfect weapon of choice to bring to a pistol fight!" Louisa shot back.

"How was I to know that the pirate would draw a gun!"

"He's a pirate, Taron! Pirates fight dirty! What, did you expect him to discuss his concerns with us over some tea and crumpets?"

"Don't mock me, Isa. You know damn well that if I wasn't there he would have brought you back to Lady Mercy." Taron and Louisa glared at each other throughout the whole exchange, the barrage of insults they slung at one another heating the air.

"The lack of confidence you have in me is astounding. It was my quick thinking that got us out of that situation!"

"You mean when you drew blood from the pirate with a shard of mirror?! Was that part of your finishing school's curriculum? And here I am alone and unarmed with a girl who gives little thought to harming others. God only knows what else you are hiding in that dress."

Still glaring at Taron, Louisa's face began to heat as the last sentence he said hung in the salty air between them. Coming to his own realization, Taron's outraged expression morphed into one of mortification.

"Isa, forgive me, I did not mean to..." Flustered, he began to apologize, rapidly trying to take back his words.

Louisa felt an uncontrollable urge to laugh start to bubble up in her chest, and although she first tried to hide her smile behind her hand, she could not help but erupt into a fit of giggles at the sight of a flustered and embarrassed Taron. At the whole situation, really. What was she doing in a row boat off the coast of the English shore arguing with a man she escaped with from pirates? By all accounts she should still be dusting Sir Godfrey Genkins off the ends of her skirts outside the tea shop by the New York Harbor.