Once inside his cabin, with the door closed, Windslow staggered. When Bonney fell to her knees, he almost went with her, but leaned heavily on the table next to the door. He managed to throw the bolt, and then sagged against the doorframe. The drug was still in his system, making his head swim and his limbs want to disobey. It was only through a supreme act of will that he was even conscious right now. But he couldn't take the time to rest, to let the drug work its way out of his system. There was too much to do.
The mutiny, for that is what it was, had not counted on seeing him again. Their surprise and his pistols were all that had kept them away; even in their drunken state, and indeed, though they were all fairly drunk, none of them had wanted a pistol ball in any sensitive area. So he'd bluffed them, gotten a brief respite. But it was only a matter of time, and not much at that, before the mutineers got together and got their nerve up for a full-blown armed attack. He glanced at Bonney. She was his only ally in this, and she... she had her own difficulties.
Pushing himself to his feet, Windslow weaved unsteadily across the cabin to his bunk. He grabbed his sheet and dragged it back with him. Draping it gently over Bonney's shoulders, he half-fell to the deck next to her. Other than giving her the sheet, he didn't touch her; that's the last thing she needed at that time. She was drenched in sweat, fluids, and her own tears, and he desperately wanted to comfort her, but there was no time for that, even if he'd had an idea of how to start. "Ethel," he said softly, hoping his words weren't too slurred by the drug. "Ethel, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't see it coming. I'm sorry you had to suffer. But it's mutiny, now, full on. And once they get organized, they're going to break down that door, kill me for good, and take you back for their pleasure. We don't want that, do we?" He tried to be a little jovial at that, a little light, but even in his state, he could see how it fell flat, so he got serious again.
"Ethel, it's you and me against my whole crew, and neither one of us is in a shape to fight that many. But your crew is still in the brig. If we can get there, we can fight. This time, the tables are turned; the mutineers are drunk, and your crew are rested and sober. But I need your help to get there. Ethel, I know you're hurting, but we need to move. Can you work with me?" He paused, thinking of a different tactic. "We need to get vengeance, Ethel. Revenge."