Hal returned to the Mirabel, after having left Michael to supervise the loading of the last remaining cargo some hours before. In truth, he had left him to deal with all of it and its paperwork. He found his brother sitting at the table in the cabin, entering bills of lading into the ledgers just as their father did. Hal felt no guilt for leaving these tasks to him when he had secured all of the cargo himself and at a damn fine price, too. And Michael, of course, would be excellent at it.
Through the large aftcastle windows, the setting sun caught his auburn hair, loose about his shoulders, turning it to flame. A vengeful God. ‘Glad you’ve condescended to grace us with your presence at long last. Needless to say, it’s all loaded, and everything is in order.’
Hal grinned. ‘Just as I’d exp
