“Grave charges, my Lady. May I assume that you do not wish your protégé to play the sentinel? Then, may I suggest that you call him down? But first, I would take it kindly if you’ll give me leave to assign another lookout in his place.”
“How dare you presume to make free with the services of that boy? Do you take him for some street-urchin, that pirate scum such as yourself may exploit at your leisure? It may interest you to know that he is born of a nobler seed than any of these loathsome wretches in your dubious employ.”
“That’s altogether likely. But you do me an injustice if you believe I have any wish to exploit the talents of your slave-boy, my Lady.”
“You have no right to call him that! He is—”
“Indentured? Apprenticed? No matter. He has spirit, and I approve of that.”
“You don
