Lou turned, still twisting Lanard’s ear. His bare chest dimpled with cold temperatures, but his face flushed red, his eyes downcast. I followed his gaze to Dara, Lou’s youngest crewmember, huddled by the mast with her knees hugged to her chest, sniffling.

“What happened?” I asked again, noticing an encroaching audience. At the circling crowd’s head, Naven had drawn his sword.

“Put that away,” I ordered.

Naven sheathed the blade, but his eyes held the dangerous fright of a startled buck. He too was half dressed, his trousers sitting low in his hips and his torso covered in nothing but hair.

“Captain Lou!” Hannah exclaimed, stomping above deck from the steps. Her hands clutched her chest to keep her bouncing bosom in check. Her rosy, freckled cheeks puffed out as she assessed Dara and Lanard.

The tension on the deck hung heavy, as though everyone sucked in a breath and refused to exhale first. Surprise and perplexity wrinkled the gatherer’s faces. No one noticed when Smitter appeared from nowhere. His lips tipped upward in that all-knowing grin that meant my uncle had found fresh amusement.

“Smitter?” I asked.

“Captain Lou walked in on the lad and lass having a romp in the galley.” He waggled his eyebrows.

I stared at Uncle until his words sunk in. Then, I bit my lower lip to cage a laugh but to no avail. A chuckle bubbled up my throat and burst out. This was Lanard’s wicked indiscretion? A passionate kiss with a young woman, caught below deck?

“This isn’t funny,” Lou snipped, rounding her fury on me. “She’s fourteen. She’s a child.”

“He’s fifteen, ma’am,” Naven said, disguising his own amusement as a cough into his elbow.

Lou scanned the deck, finally noticing the onlookers. “Hannah, take Dara back to your room. She will sleep there tonight.”

“No, oh, please no, Captain. Don’t hurt him. I love him,” Dara screamed as Hannah helped her stand.

“You just met him,” Lou hissed.

“When you know, you know,” Smitter said through an ornery grin.

Naven couldn’t hold it back anymore, guffawing with a report like cannon fire. Via took notice, her gaze latching to Naven like a street urchin to a tartlet. Her tongue darted out, licking her lips. If I wasn’t careful, Lanard wouldn’t be my only crewman imperiled.

Lou’s face inflamed, and with Lanard still in her grasp, I knew I needed to calm my lads. “Okay, everyone, the show’s over with. Smitter, Naven, Lanard, back to your rooms.” I implored Lou to comply with a look.