Not as Nils had hoped.

She responded with a start as she felt the rough hands of the young sailor caress her naked rear. Looking back over her shoulder at him she scowling, and quickly and deliberately pulled the weather beaten trousers the rest of the way up to her narrow waist, pushing Nils’ hands aside. He made no objection, but was clearly disappointed at her reaction.

“I’m sorry miss. I lost my head. I haven’t been with a proper woman for close to two years now, and you’re amongst the finest looking women its been my pleasure ever to see.” Nils said as he took a step back from her as she buttoned the trousers closed. While they would disguise her appearance, they were too big in the waist with an inch or two to spare. She held them in place with a free hand.

“That’s as maybe, but you had no right to take such advantage. However, I am in your debt for helping me to escape those who intended me harm, so I shall forgive you. But I will not hesitate to cut your throat if you touch me in such a manner again. As I stated back in the pub, I will willing give myself to you if you introduce me to Captain Flint, and I successfully join the crew. Do you understand?” Nils nodded his understanding, and felt actual regret over what he done. He looked up and down the alley, while Miss Foxworth picked her stockings up off the cobble stoned street, and shoved them into the pockets of the trousers, the only item left of her clothing besides her shoes that she was able to salvage.

She glanced down at the ruined blue dress and Nils could see the regret flash across her face, then she knelt, and gripped the torn bodice in her hands and ripped it further. At first Nils thought she had gone mad, but then he watched as she took a small cloth sack from the ruined dress, and slipped it into her trousers. Standing, she quickly turned and walked over close beside him, the events of the past few minutes forgotten. Nils turned, and Constance Foxworth followed behind looking over her shoulder to make sure they weren’t being followed. Nils sighed as his eyes scanned the alley and the street ahead for any sign of danger. He knew that he’d have little problem seeing that the fancy young woman now wearing his clothes and following him would meet the Captain. He also knew that the Captain would take one look at the petite beauty and judge her quickly as totally unfit for the life of a pirate. The only use the Captain would have for Miss Foxworth would be as the ship’s concubine, and Nils was quite certain that that was not a job that Miss Foxworth would even consider, being a proper young lady as far as he could see.

Upon reaching the intersection of the alley and the street, Nils signaled for the young woman to stop behind him. He looked up and down the bustling street filled with all manner of humanity, hawking wares of various kinds, and running to and fro on errands of all sorts. He spotted no constable, nor anyone else who appeared as though they might be waiting in ambush. They turned to the left, back towards the waterfront, where The Maiden was docked. Looking back to assure himself that Miss Foxworth was still behind, he saw that she was following close at his heels, hat pulled down on her head, and looking down at the street, even as she looked back and forth for any possible threat.

She was an unusual lady, not typical in any case. Still, smart and self assured, not a shrinking violet. Maybe she could find her way about a ship. She’d not be the first women crew member, aside from the Captain, of course. No, there’d been Katie Snodgrass. She’d had blazing red hair, and green eyes that looked as green as the hills of Ireland, that had once been her home.

Katie could fight and curse and drink with the best of them, and was as fine a sailor as any other that Nils had ever seen. Nils hadn’t been part of the crew when Katie had joined, and he’d been told by other how the Captain had made her prove her worth as a sailor, and Katie had expect no favors from any of the others. It was during one skirmish or another that Katie had run through a Dutch merchant sailor that was about to decapitate the Captain after they’d taken his ship as a prize. After that her place was secure, and on a few occasions she’d spent some nights in the Captain’s quarters.

It was several months ago that Katie had been lost in a terrible storm that had pitched the ship back and forth like a cork in a wash tub. It had been her watch, and most assumed she’d been tossed overboard. The crew had mourned her loss form weeks after, and so Nils suspected that would make it doubly hard from Miss Foxworth to join the crew.

“It’s not too far now” Nils said as they turn onto the broad walk that bordered the waterfront. He could see the masts of the ship from where they stood. He looked for a familiar face, but seeing none strode forward, with Miss Foxworth close behind. Nils knew that he’d take a great amount of ribbing from his crewmates that would him in his current state of dress, but he was equally sure that there wasn’t a man among them that would have been able to resist the young beauty’s bargain.

He fell back until he was walking beside her. Then he saw it, and stopped.

“What is it?” Miss Foxworth said as she looked for any threat.

Nils knew there was no avoiding what was next.