And now, for thy sake, a staff will I take,

didnt Corish recognize you on the beach? The same reason you didnt. And he didnt know me all that well, she added, a bit amused by Larss reaction. He rather obviously, at least to me, cultivated the company of an innocuous and silly young music student. And one or two other anomalies alerted me. Id encountered a few of those creatures recently myself, Lars remarked in a reproving drawl. I did the best I could with the background material I had. Lars pulled her as close to him as the tiller allowed. Your only mistake, now that I think back on it, were your comments about singing. Everyone in the islands sings. But voice is not an instrument for real music according to the Masters. Killashandra began to sputter indignantly. That in itself proves how stupid they all are! Lars laughed in delight at her reaction and then drew his feet up as the water began slopping up their calves. Tanny! he shouted. On the deck, on the double. The hatch was opened so quickly in response to his call that Killashandra wondered how long the young man had had his ear to the wooden panels. Havent you found us something to eat yet? About time. For Tanny held up two heavy soup mugs. Give it over and start bailing. Chapter 15 It took quite a bit of persuading on Killashandras part to reassure Tanny that she intended no reprisals against him for his very minor part in her abduction. Lars explained that he had managed to sneak her on board the ocean jet with the help of another friend who merely thought Larss latest girl friend had had a shade too much new brew. One for the girls, are you, mbucko? Killashandra had asked in an arch tone. Lars nodded at her garland. Not any more, Sunny! Ive made an honest woman of you! That exchange did more to reassure Tanny than any other argument Killashandra had presented. That and the fact that she was perfectly willing to help bail out the cockpit. Bar Island was reached just before sunset, with enough time to unload the emergency supplies. The Bar Islanders had been directly in the hurricanes path and suffered more damage than any of the other islands on their sweep. Two men, a woman and a young child had internal injuries which the medical facilities of the smaller settlement could not treat adequately. Lars immediately offered them passage on the Pearl Fisher, giving Killashandra a guarded and rueful grin polaroid 5 mp digital camera pdc5070bd of regret. Nor did they have a chance to be private that night. Everyone pitched in to finish constructing temporary communal shelters, and Killashandra found herself once again plaiting polly fronds, pleased that her deftness caused no questions. When a halt was called at midnight, Killashandra was far too tired to do more than curl up gratefully against Lars on the sand, her head pillowed on his arm, and fall asleep. At first light of a sullen day, the injured were floated on bladder rafts to the Pearl, carefully hoisted aboard, then secured in the cabin bunks. Killashandra was given instructions by the medic for the administration of necessary drugs and care. The patients had been sedated for the voyage, so he expected no problems. As soon as she could, Killashandra went up on deck. She found care of the sick and injured a distasteful necessity and the faint odor of antiseptics and medicine made her slightly nauseous. She said nothing about her disinclination, uncharacteristically wanting to sustain Larss good opinion of her. He was bent over the chart display on the small navigational terminal, plotting the most direct course for Angel Islands North Harbor where the main medical facility was situated. Tide and wind are in our favor this morning, Killa, he said, reaching his arm about her waist and drawing her in to him without taking his eyes from the display. He tapped for an overlay of the route he had chosen and she could see how it made use of the swift channels between the islands and the fuller morning tide. Well be in North before we know it. He made a final correction and laid in the course. Now the display cleared to show him the compass headings and the minimum required tacking to slip into the swift current just beyond Bar Islands western reef. Is the spinnaker set, Tanny? Aye, aye skipper, the young man called from the bow as Killashandra watched the vivid red and orange sail bellying out briefly over the bowsprit before the wind caught it. Theres an exhilaration to sailing a fast, trim ship, with a following wind and a current to assist smooth passage. The Pearl slipped into the flow as effortlessly as a slide down a greased pole. The sea was almost calm, and gunmetal green-gray, not quite the same color as the gray sky. Lucky its today instead of yesterday, Killashandra said, settling herself in the cockpit beside Lars. He had the tiller on its upper setting so that he could see forward without