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"Mighty finedigs, "One-Eyeco about the roo hiued, he continued "We’ll be needingsoh Some more men toact as servantsAnd Petey"

"Petey? "One-Eye raised his eyebrow "Who’s gonna cook for thePeteyout here? "

"They can fend forthe interjected "In fact, if you expect her to attract a husband, she will need several aped at the wo gown and two day goill not do, " Meg informedthem primly"She shall need at least adozen of each"

"A dozen!" Valoree looked no more pleased by that announcement than the men "Why the hell wouldI need a dozen dresses? There’s only the oneofrepeated fir cut hiood an iown, else she willbe thoughtto be too poor to be able to afford the proper accoutrements and thereforeless desirable as aetShe has none of the social graces considerednecessaryina wife in this day and ageShe has grown up and spent her life around a bunch of ru, foul-mouthed pirates andit shows Just lookat her"

Silence followed as the uiltilyat Valoree She sat pretty ssplayed, onethrown over thechair’scushionedarm, andthe other upon the floor Herskirt was hitched up to reveal the boots and breeches she wore beneath Thesaid was true

"Well, lared at Henry as he spoke "Maybe then ould have donesos different"

"What? " Valoree asked dryly "Like mutiny? "

"Nay, " he snapped, affronted "Like with the sword handling and fisticuffs"

"Oh, aye, " she said with a sneer, but was suddenly unco eyes as they tookin the way she was sitting For the first time in her life she felt quite inadequate She was the captain She led some of the most ruthless, notorious pirates in the land, and they followed her orders Yetshesuddenly felt like anignorant, uneducated child

And shedidn’t likeit

Sla both her booted feet flat on the floor, Valoree stood andglared around the roo up to youto ’vote’ on Me, I’o takea nap"

She didn’t sleep; shesat in the seatin thebedchapeople Valoree had never seensowith activity It was also overcrowded, and noisy, and it stank She missed theopen sea:the breeze in her hair and salty spray on her face Shetheir shantiesinto the wind asthey worked She sensation, and the safety she felt there

And in charge, ofdeciding whatto do, and where togo, and what should happen next in her lifeItseeotten out of control, and shedidn’t s, she watched through theas the e So boy folloith several packages Shortlyafter that, thecarriage returned with Skully and One-Eye onthedriver’sseat, and Bullriding atop, seated ontowering stacks of goods When the coachhad rolled to a stop in front of the town house, its door popped open and several an to hand down sacks of flour, salt, sugar, andotherunhappily that her thy endeavorand obviously intended to stick it out

Once the lastof the culinary goods were rethe last two items, a pair of chests - asmall coffer, no doubtstuffed full of the coins they planned tospend on this foolishenterprise, and a larger chest She recognized the latteras thecontainer she hadstuffed her gowns intowhenthey hadbeendelivered Mo their way down the hall towardher roo it open and stepping asideforHenryto enter He was followed byOne-Eye and Skully and the clotheschest Settingthe chest on the floor, they straightened, grinningfroowns is here, "Henry announced withdeteret ready"

"For what? " sheasked, bringing frowns toeach ht"

"Soiree, "Valoree corrected, thenshook herhead "Haven’t you noticedany of the wo by the house? "

There was a hesitation as the lances; then Henry shookhis head "Whatof theook ontheir faces, then some sort of red stuffon their cheeks and lips, and thick black stuff on their eyes"

"She isright"They allturned to glance at Meg, who stoodin the door to the roo them all "The fashion has becometo wear thickmakeup onyour face, lips, and to even wearkohlon youreyes" Her gazewent to Valoree "I take it you have noneof that? "

Valoree shook her head, though she was not overly disappointed at the factMaybe this would be away out

"Well" Henry frowned "We’ll gether some of that onthe ht Every shop willbe closedby now"

"You cannot really iine that you can take her to the Beecha exclaimed in dismay

Henry frowned ather "Course we can Who knohenthe next invite willcoht? "

"Well, ifyou insist on her goingtonight without it, I will not be involved" Turning onherheel, the woman marched out of the room

"What do you think? "One-Eyeasked, andHenry scowled

"Wedon’t have no ht, but we don’t have no invitesfor tomorrowThat’s whatI think"