“Big surprise there.” Drake downed the entire glass of water and held it out to her.

She ignored him and handed a glass to Elijah and another to Evan. “Miss Pauline is goin’ to be so upset. I’ll call Amos and tell him what happened. Remy and my brothers are on the way,” she added.

Drake leveled a look at her. “We could have handled this ourselves.”

“I wasn’t certain just how you were goin’ to handle it, Drake.” She took the glass from him and poured water into it. “I don’t want you killin’ anyone.”

“Now why would you think I’d do something like that?” he asked softly. She should have been far more shaken up than she appeared.

“I think your woman has ice in her veins,” Joshua stated.

Drake shot him a hard look. It was possible all of his men were thinking the same thing, but they were polite enough not to say it out loud.

Saria laughed. “Did you think I was going to faint?”

“Naw,” Elijah said, “Joshua did that for you.”

The men laughed. Saria sent Drake a small smile. “I will admit it probably wasn’t a good idea sendin’ for Remy. He sounded angry.”

“Baby, he beat the shit out of Armande and Robert for discharging a weapon around you. I can’t imagine what he’ll do if he thinks the Tregre brothers had anything to do with trying to kill us all.” Drake couldn’t help smirking a little. “Your brother is far worse than I am.”

“I doubt that,” Saria disagreed.

“Smart woman,” Elijah said. “Don’t let him fool you with that calm civilized act of his.”

“It did occur to me, when I saw the rest of you, that maybe he was hidin’ somethin’ from me,” Saria replied with that small secret grin that always made Drake’s heart stutter.

His men had accepted her. She’d led them through the swamp, never once complaining of the rain and muck. She’d risked her life helping to get the members of his team out of the smoke-filled inn and immediately had thought to bring them all water. She didn’t panic—something all of his men would admire. Including her in their teasing signaled their acceptance and camaraderie.

“You realize, Saria, these twomen were the ones in the Mercier boat, the one delivering the opium to the other boat.” Drake kept his voice low and even. His eyes met Elijah’s. Drake had to look away from the compassion there.