The expression here's my hand turned out to be a loose one. Nils scooped Horace up in a massive bearhug of delight. The hug, unlike the expression, was not a loose one. When he released Horace, the young groom-to-be crumpled, moaning breathlessly, to the deck. Nils then turned to Evanlyn. She stood up warily and began to back away. But the sea wolf quickly seized her hand, bowed, and raised it to his lips, delivering a wet, smacking kiss.
'I expect to be a pageboy at the wedding!' he bellowed.
Evanlyn grinned, surreptitiously wiping her wet hand on her jacket.
'I think I'd like to see that,' she said. She looked at Alyss, saw the pleasure in the tall girl's eyes. 'Speaking of official duties, I hope you'll be my bridesmaid?'
'I'll be delighted,' Alyss said. 'And I assume that means I'll finally get to finish a wedding dance with Will.'
There was no question in anyone's mind that Will would be the best man. At Halt's wedding, his dance with Alyss had been interrupted by the unexpected arrival of Svengal, with the news that Erak was being held to ransom.
'I've got a great idea!' Horace said, having recovered most of his breath. He looked around the circle of his closest friends. 'We've got the bridesmaid and best man right here. Why not have the wedding now? Gundar's a ship's captain. They can perform weddings, can't they, Halt? You could marry us, couldn't you, Gundar?'
'I'm not sure that's such a great idea…' Halt began but Gundar cheerfully overrode him.
'Gorlog's teeth, boy, I don't know if I can or not. But tell me the words and I'll say 'em for you!'
'Um, Horace, darling,' Evanlyn said, choosing her words carefully, 'Gundar isn't so much a ship's captain as a reformed pirate and a heathen.' She looked apologetically at Gundar. 'No offence, Gundar.'
The skirl shrugged cheerfully. 'None taken, little lady. It's a pretty fair description. Not sure about the reformed part,' he added thoughtfully.
'I'm not sure my father would totally approve of us getting married here. I think he might like to know about it first,' Evanlyn continued.
Horace, unabashed, shrugged. 'Fine,' he said. 'It was just an idea. But if you say no, then no it is.'
Halt stepped closer to him and patted him gently on the arm.
'Get used to that,' he said.
They celebrated long into the night. When the others had all retired, Will and Alyss stood together, his arm around her waist, hers around his shoulders, in the bow of the ship. It was a beautiful night and the moon hung low to the horizon, casting a silver path down the dark water towards them.
Astern, they could hear the occasional low murmur of conversation from the crew on watch.
'I'm glad you and Evanlyn are finally friends,' Will said.
Alyss laid her head on his shoulder. 'Me too. She's really quite a girl.'
'She is indeed,' he said. Alyss raised her head to look at him.
'You didn't have to agree quite so readily,' she told him. Then she smiled and put her head back on his shoulder.
'So…they're getting married. Horace and Evanlyn. How about that?' Will shook his head in wonder.
'Indeed,' she said, not sure where this conversation was going.
'You know…' He paused, seeming to gather his resolve, then continued, 'Maybe you and I should think about doing something like that.'
Her head came off his shoulder. Her arm slipped from around him and she stepped away from him.
'Maybe you and I should think about doing something like that?' she repeated, her voice rising with each word. 'Is that your idea of a proposal?'
'Well…I…er…' Will began. But he had no idea where to go, what to say. In any event, Alyss gave him no chance to continue.
'Because if it is, you're going to have to do a whole lot better!'
She turned away and strode off down the deck, taking long, angry paces. Will made an ineffectual gesture after her, then stopped. He sensed he'd got that wrong. Really wrong. He could see her slim back, stiff and upright, radiating total outrage.
What he couldn't see – and what she had no intention of letting him see – was the huge, delighted smile that was lighting up her face.