Red Seas Under Red Skies: The Gentleman Bastard Sequence, Book Two (Gentleman Bastards 2)
8
‘Stay calm,’ said Delmastro as Locke led Jean, Streva, Jabril and Big Konar up onto the dock. ‘We’re all friends here. Just a wealthy family coming up for a visit to your lovely little village. City. Thing.’ She kept her knife between herself and the older dock attendant so that there was no chance of anyone seeing it from more than a few feet away. Konar took the younger dock attendant, placing one arm around his shoulder as though they knew each other, and muttered something into his ear that made the colour drain from the poor fellow’s face.
Slowly, carefully, the Orchids all made their way onto the dock. At the heart of the group, those wearing layers of fine clothing tried not to make too much noise, laden down as they were with an arsenal of clattering weapons beneath their cloaks and skirts. It had been too much to suppose that the dock attendants wouldn’t notice sabres and hatchets in the belts of the rowers.
‘Here we are, then,’ said Locke.
‘Looks like a nice place,’ said Jean.
‘Looks are most assuredly deceiving. Now we just wait for the captain to get things started.’