Free Secrets of the Realm by Bev Stout Page B

with me."
     "I know you have grown fond of the lad, and I must admit, so have I, but if he is ever to become a true member of the crew, he needs to eat, work, and, yes, sleep with the men. You are not doing Andrés any favors by coddling him, Doc. He will never become a man if he stays with you." 
    "Trust me, Jonathan, whether I coddle Andrés or not, that child will never become a man."
    Captain Hawke drummed his fingers on the table. "Pray tell, why is that?"
     "I-I mean it won't be safe for him to stay in the fo'c'sle."
    The captain's eyes narrowed. "Unless you can come up with a better reason, then Andrés sleeps in the fo'c'sle tonight."
    Under his breath, Doc muttered, "Andrés is a girl."
    "What did you say?" Captain Hawke gripped the table, his knuckles white.
    "Andrés is a girl," Doc repeated.
    "Did I hear you say…girl?"
    "Yes, I said girl."
    The captain's eye twitched. "How long have you known?"
    "I've known since the first day she came on the Realm."
    "You knew Andrés was a girl, and you kept this from me? Whatever possessed you to do such a thing?"
    "And what would you have done? Put her off the ship?"
    "You lied to me!" The captain swept his hand across the chessboard, scattering the playing pieces across the floor.
    "I never lied. You wanted me to look the child over. I did. Her aunt had brutally whipped her. She had nowhere to go, Jonathan. What was I to do?"
    "And what am I to do? Have you forgotten that sailors are a superstitious lot? When they find out there is a girl on board, I will have a mutiny on my hands."
    "The sailors are not all superstitious," Doc said.
    "Enough are, and it takes only one superstitious tar to discover that Andrés is a girl; then fear will spread like wildfire, and it will be Symington who stokes the flames. Her luck cannot last forever."
    "Luck has nothing to do with it. How many times have you told me that Andrés is a tough one, a little scrapper? She has even stood up to Symington. If she stays with me, it is less likely the crew will never find out she is a girl. And from what she has told me, the men don't suspect a thing."
    "Not true."
    "What do you mean, not true?"
    "Matthew has stopped rumors about Andrés being a girl. They started shortly after she first came aboard. How could I have been so stupid?" Captain Hawke looked Doc straight in the eye. "There is no way she can keep up this masquerade."
    "With her chest bound, I believe she can," Doc said.
    The captain's twitch returned. "You mean she…" Captain Hawke cupped his hands over his chest.
    Doc nodded.
    "How can that be? She is a mere child."
    "She is a fifteen year old child, Jonathan."
    Captain Hawke looked incredulous. "I thought she was twelve or perhaps thirteen."
     "I beg of you, Jonathan, don't send her away," Doc pleaded.
    "I cannot very well put her adrift; now can I?" Captain Hawke's voice dripped with sarcasm.
    "So, she stays?"
    He bent over and scooped the queen off the carpet. "For now she stays."
    "I suppose you will have to tell Matthew."
    "Do you really expect me to tell my first mate that I was fooled by an imp of a girl hiding in plain sight? He would never let me live it down. Besides, the fewer people who know, the better." 
    He ran the back of his hand across his chin. "What is her name? On second thought, don't tell me."
    He looked at the queen in his palm before snapping his hand shut. "If this is to work, I must think of her only as Andrés."

 
    CHAPTER TWENTY
     
    "Who won?" Annie asked as Doc shuffled into the cabin.
    "I believe I did."
    "Unless it was a stalemate, either you won or you lost."
    He thought a moment. "The captain won, but I did have him in check."
    Eager to hear all the details, Annie urged him on. "Tell me about every move."
    "Not tonight, Annie. I'm too tired."
    "You had no one in sickbay today, and you played chess with the captain. How can you possibly be tired?
    "Trust me, Annie, I am tired."
    "You're tired." She folded her arms. "Well, I'm bored. The men sing