“He was blinded for disobedience,” Isabelle said. She had always been suspicious of that parable; looking over one’s shoulder seemed a trivial thing for the architect of all creation to be worried about when his great project was cascading toward ruin.

“In better news,” Jean-Claude said, “I’ve found you a cabin girl.”

A sharp and senseless dread filled Isabelle. “I don’t need a cabin girl. I’ve got Marie.”

“She’s your bodyguard, not your handmaid,” Jean-Claude said. “Besides, Marie agrees with me on this. She needs to spend more time on her training.”

“Which just means you bamboozled her first,” Isabelle said. She loved Jean-Claude like a father, but he was a very creative editor of the truth.

“I just pointed out that she can’t be watching your back while she’s straightening your knickers and fetching your tea. She’s got to be free to move around,” Jean-Claude said. “Besides, it’s not like you won’t both be on the same ship, sleeping in the same cabin.”

Isabelle had to admit the logic of this, even if the thought of Marie drifting away made her sick to her heart.

“Who is this would-be cabin girl?”

“Her name is Rebecca,” Jean-Claude said. “She’s a pickpocket.”

Isabelle scowled. “The last thing I need on my ship is a thief.”

“I prefer to think of her as a plucky orphan,” Jean-Claude said. “She impressed Djordji. She’s smart, and gets fast under pressure.”

Isabelle glowered at him. She didn’t need surprise additions to her crew, but neither did she want to hold Marie back from the path she’d chosen.

“A delightful scamp,” Jean-Claude prodded. “An adorable moppet.”

“Now you’re just larding it on,” Isabelle said. She took a deep breath. “But as you say, I can’t be tying Marie down. Bring Rebecca to the ship tomorrow. I want to tell her all the things you neglected to. I’m guessing you didn’t sit down with her and make her understand the legal ramifications of swearing an oath, and what it means to serve under military law, and the fact that she’ll have to complete at least ten years of service regardless of what happens to you or me.”

Jean-Claude said, “We hadn’t reached that stage of the negotiations yet. I didn’t want to scare her off before I outlined the benefits of joining the navy, such as escaping her orphan indenture. She hardly believes escape is possible.”

Isabelle remembered she had makeup on just in time to avoid rubbing her eyes in exasperation. “Out of the frying pan and don’t worry about the fire?”

“You’ll like her,” Jean-Claude said.

“I’m sure I will,” Isabelle said, “which means I need to give her a real choice and the whole set of facts.”