Mary was intimidated, no lie, and his information didn't help.  She shrank a little with each phrase, she had been able to avoid thinking about her isolation, but her vulnerability came crashing down on her now that she had time to think about it.  And when he struck the table, she actually jumped and let out a strangled, quickly cut off - but high pitched yelp.<br/><br/>"The, the C-Caribbean?"  She shook her had as she sagged back in her seat, staring a thousand yards away.  face liquid with shock, the watchful tension she had displayed just vanished,<br/><br/>Her tone of voice had changed, the clipped tension she had heard men use with other men they didn't know had gone, she sounded a bit, well girlish.  "I really am alone, I don't know anybody here even by reputation."  She recovered very quickly, looked him dead in the eye.  "I have no ship, no crew, but able seamen are always in demand.  I'm not just a marksman, I'm a tops'lman, I know my way around the rigging of a ship."  She leaned towards him across the table intently.  ":how about you, you looking for a ship?"