Free Christine Dorsey - [Sea 01] by Sea Fires Page A

much?
    Phin’s obsidian eyes flashed to hers. “I ain’t aimin’ to change that. Just wanted to get a look at them animals swimmin’ around.”
    “The animalcules.” Miranda’s shoulders relaxed.
    “Aye, them things. I’m kinda curious to see such a thin’.”
    “You are? I mean, you are. Of course you are.” Could this pirate, this gnarled outlaw from society, be a kindred spirit? All Miranda knew was that curiosity drove her... excited her. And from the looks of this man, it excited him, too.
    “Wait just a moment and I’ll show you.” Miranda finished clearing away the maps and charts that were covering the desk and set them in a pile on the floor. Then she set up her microscope. From the bucket near the door she scooped a small amount of water. “If you would light the candles, I think perhaps you can see better.”
    It seemed like she took forever to move the blasted thing to just the right spot and move the little looking glasses around, but finally she stepped away and motioned for Phin to take her place. “There. Don’t be afraid.”
    Phin straightened. “I ain’t feared a no little animals. No biggins neither,” he clarified.
    “Of course you aren’t. I simply meant that sometimes things that we don’t understand can be somewhat... frightening.” Miranda pressed on because she saw she’d hurt his pride again. “It’s’ like that for everyone, I suppose. But the truly brave people are the ones, like you, who do it anyway. Cowards will shy away. Not even take the chance that there might be something there they could learn.”
    “The cap’n ain’t no coward.”
    “I didn’t mean...” Miranda stopped because she had a sneaking suspicion she was referring to the pirate captain, and she didn’t like to lie.
    “I never seen him flinch in a fight.”
    “I’m certain he’s a wonderful fighter.” Obviously this man thought a lot of his captain.
    “Even when he was no more’n a lad and just escaped from them filthy, thievin’ Spaniards, he never backed down from no man.”
    She really didn’t want to know the pirate captain’s history—or anything else about him for that matter. “Come here. Hold this up. Just squint your eye and look through this little hole,” she said, trying to stem the flow of information.
    The pirate followed her instructions—only a little reluctantly. Miranda could tell the exact moment he focused in on the animalcules. He jerked, his face a mask of incredulity.
    “Ye put them in there,” he accused.
    “No I didn’t.” Miranda worked hard to smother her grin. “It’s just a plain drop of water.”
    He looked again—longer this time. Then he eyed Miranda suspiciously. “How come I can’t taste ‘em. Or feel ‘em crawlin’ round me mouth.” He screwed up his face, and Miranda thought for a moment he planned to spit on the floor.
    “Because they’re so small. You can’t even see them without a microscope. No one can.”
    “But—”
    “Your captain has a spy glass, doesn’t he? Have you ever looked through it?”
    “Aye.” The pirate nodded for emphasis.
    “It makes things that are far away look closer. By magnifying them. The microscope does the same thing. It uses specially ground lenses to make thing look bigger.” She wasn’t sure the pirate understood her explanation. He only shrugged and squinted to have another look.
    “Of course, there are different types of animalcules. They’ve been discovered in rain water and sea water.”
    “Let me see some a them.”
    “I’m afraid I don’t have anything but fresh water here in the cabin.”
    “Get yourself up on deck. You’ll find more salty brine than you can handle.”
    “I’m certain I would. However, your captain has restricted me to this cabin.”
    “Has he now?” Phin rubbed his chin. “Don’t ye worry none, I’ll see to the cap’n.” He stole one more quick peek through the microscope. “Better be on me way. Name’s Phin, your ladyship. I’ll be