Bill knew he’d faced tougher times, but at the moment he couldn’t remember when. Whether it was God’s forewarning or his own natural senses, Bill knew somehow that this storm was going to be his undoing. The ship wouldn’t be able to survive. Prayers or no prayers.
The men had searched as best they could, but the storm had worsened so fast that there was no hope of checking everywhere for Duran. Bill and Nick were now consumed with steering the ship, and worries about Duran had to be set aside.
Bill had tried to steer them into a small cove, but the weather had gone out of control much quicker than he expected. Such was the way of winter storms on Lake Superior.
The coast was very close, and the rocky cliffs that shot up out of the lake were like foreboding sentinels. They had to make certain they stayed away from the rocks, but their control was rapidly slipping away.
As the waves pushed them ever closer to the shore, Bill ordered the anchor dropped with fifty fathoms of chain, but it didn’t help. When the bottom of the Mary Elise scraped against the rocks, his foreboding of destruction was confirmed.
They were in trouble. They all knew it. Even Elise, who was locked in her cabin, would know the horrible danger they faced. He wished he could be with her to tell her all would be fine, but he had no assurance of that. In fact, the opposite was true.
The waves whipped them back off the rocks. Bill dreaded the results. “Ollie, take Russ and see what damage we have,” he yelled above the storm.
Just then the waves seemed to lift the ship high in the air and then toss her aside like a child’s toy. The ship hit the rocks hard, and the waves shoved the Mary Elise higher onto the rocky ledge. There was a distinct tilt to the deck, and Bill knew without a doubt that they were breaking apart. He looked at Nick, who was trying to right himself. He’d nearly gone over the rail with that last wave.
Ollie and Russ were hurrying across the deck. If they were back already, it couldn’t be good.
“We’re taking on water fast,” Ollie reported. “We’re doomed for sure.”
“Stand by to abandon ship,” Bill called above the roar of the wind.
Nick knew the captain was right. But how to do it? Where were they to go? He studied the rocks and the cliffside. It might be possible to get up there. He could tie off a rope on the ship and then find a place to tie it to the rocks so the crew could climb to safety. That was probably their only hope.
With the ship stuck on the rocks, Captain Wright motioned for Nick to follow him inside. The captain’s beard and mustache were caked in ice, as were his eyelashes.
Elise appeared at the door to the galley. She had on her warmest coat and a thick knit cap and gloves. “Are we leaving the ship?”
“We are, if I can figure out how,” her father answered.
There came a horrendous noise from outside, and the trio left the deckhouse to see what had happened. The waves washed over the ship’s deck, and Nick reached out to keep Elise from losing her footing. She clung to his arm, meeting his gaze. The fear he saw there matched his own.
“The main is gone,” Captain Wright said, pointing.
The main mast had broken away and now lay half on the deck and half off. It was as if it were reaching for the cliffs. It might offer them a way to get to the rocks. But then what? They’d have to climb to the top.
“I’ll take ropes,” Nick told the captain. “I’ll tie them off on the mast and the rail and then climb the rocks and hopefully tie them off on top. Then the crew can use them to climb up.”
The captain looked uncertain but finally nodded.
Nick motioned to Tom to come help him. The wiry boy was able to maneuver the deck quickly despite the wind and ice. He and Nick tied two ropes to the ship, and then it was time to climb.
Nick crawled out on the mast as far as he could before grabbing onto the slippery, ice-laden rocks. There was no possible way for this to work unless God interceded.
“Lord, help us,” Nick whispered.
He had no way to tie the rope to the rocks. He’d seen mountain climbers use hooks of some sort, but a schooner on the Great Lakes didn’t have anything like that. He would just have to risk it. He would get to the top of the rocks and somehow tie it off up there.
Even then, Nick wasn’t sure the men could manage, much less Elise.
Elise clung to her father as he gathered the men. “Nick’s doing what he can to provide us a way off the ship,” he told them. They were listing hard to starboard, and no one knew how much time they had left. “When the rope is secure, you’ll have to do what you can to climb to safety.” He looked at Elise, the fear in his eyes clearly directed at her.
“Don’t worry, Papa,” she whispered against his ear as she hugged him close. “I’m strong.”
They watched and waited as the storm bore down upon them.
“Two of the men aren’t here,” her father said after a moment. “Where are Seamus and Russ?”
Somehow the others heard his question and glanced around. They shook their heads.
“I’ll go find them,” Ollie said, pulling up his collar.
“I’ll go too,” Nils Hanson declared.
Without waiting for permission, they grabbed lanterns and headed toward the bow. Elise whispered a prayer for them, then strained again to find Nick in the storm.
Tom appeared through the sleet. “He gave me the signal. The ropes are secure.” He was yelling. “We have to walk the mast and then get onto the rocks by using the rope. It won’t be easy, because then we have to climb.”
“Women and children first,” her father declared. “Tom, you help Elise. Go now. Sam, light more lanterns.”
The entire group moved toward the fallen mast. Everyone was eager to get to safety, although they knew great peril awaited them before the slightest hope of security could be had.
Elise soon found her skirt was dragging her down. It was heavy with ice and snow. She climbed upon the mast, taking hold of the guide rope, but her balance was precarious because of her skirt. She hesitated only a moment, then unbuttoned the waistband and let the skirt drop to her feet. The bloomers she had on beneath were still fairly dry and in no way encumbered her movement. She held fast to the rope and kicked the skirt aside, then continued up the mast.
It was like nothing she’d ever done before. When she was younger, she had at times climbed up into the rigging, but this was different. The wind seemed to push and pull her from every angle.
Tom was right behind her to offer whatever help he could. He held on to the second rope so as not to cause any interference with Elise. He clearly wanted to be close at hand if she needed him.
When she reached the rock face, Elise knew she didn’t have the strength for what was required. She stared up toward the top of the cliff.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
The words came to her from the depth of her soul. She swallowed hard, wondering how her mouth could possibly be dry in the midst of this storm. She looked upward again . . . then began to climb.
Once she left the mast for the rocks, Elise felt a sense of loss. She glanced back to see her father talking to Ollie and Nils. Seamus and Russ were nowhere to be seen. Had they been swept overboard?
Elise slipped and realized she needed to give the rocks her full attention. Night was falling, and the darkness would soon make this task doubly difficult. She drew a deep breath and felt the rocks. She searched for footholds as she held fast to the rope with her gloved hands. The icy wind stole her breath, making it all the harder to concentrate.
She felt Tom take hold of her foot and guide it to a small nook. She pushed upward. The next step was a bit easier, but there was such little security that she dared not stay in one place. Again, when she paused for too long, Tom helped her, and again she made progress up the icy rock. It was almost helpful that the wind was at her back, pushing her into the cliff.
Her arms burned, and her hands slipped constantly on the rope. Despite the bloomers bein
g intended for such adventures, Elise could feel them weighing her down. Still, she pressed on, knowing that if she didn’t keep moving, the others would never have a chance to come behind her.
The ice no longer stung as much against her face and hands. She thought the wind might be weakening but couldn’t be sure. She forced her focus to remain on the task at hand. Nothing else mattered but getting to the top of this rockface. She found a ledge on which to rest, but the sense of urgency pressed her on. She had to be nearing the top, even if she couldn’t see it.
Onward she struggled, knowing that her strength was nearly gone. “Oh, God, please help me!”
She reached upward on the rope but lost her grip and slipped. Tom caught her before she fell very far. She hadn’t even had the time to scream in fear. She tried again to pull herself up, but she didn’t go very far, and it was almost impossible to find a foothold. Then, just as she knew she had nothing left to give, Elise felt a hand clasp around her wrist and pull upward. It was Nick. It had to be Nick.
She didn’t know how to help, so she tried her best to find a place for her feet to push up from. And then, without warning, she felt herself being pulled over the edge and onto flat land. The effort to fight gravity and the storm was gone. She was exhausted, almost unable to move.
Tom soon joined them, practically climbing over her. She couldn’t just lie here. She struggled to her hands and knees, but before she could go far, Nick had her in his arms. He kissed her frozen face and held her close for a few heartbeats.
He pulled her to her feet and led her to a grouping of rocks. “Stay here.”
She nodded and tried to tuck herself into the rocks to block the wind. She was alive. She hadn’t fallen to her death or drowned in the deep. She was alive. Now, if only the others could get to safety. She dropped to her knees and began to pray in earnest.
Bill Wright felt Booker Duran’s presence before he saw him. “The ship’s sinking, Duran. Best to take the rope and get to land like the others.”
“Not until I take care of business. I’ve already lit this load on fire, and the Mary Elise will soon be no more.”
“You lit the ship on fire? Are you mad? Don’t you realize the danger to yourself as well as the others?”
“I don’t care. My life is already forfeit. It’s only a matter of time until the authorities catch up with me. One more death isn’t going to make my punishment any worse, but it will satisfy a hankering in me.”
“So you did murder that man in Duluth?”
“That man and one in Buffalo, another in New York City. Two of your crew, although I did try for more. There’s so many I’ve lost count.” He laughed against the wind. “And now I’m gonna kill you.”
He lunged for Bill, but the captain merely stepped aside. Duran went crashing against the rail. He stood and slipped on the icy deck just as flames from below broke through the hatch.
“Where’s your pretty daughter? I have plans for her.” Duran regained his footing and charged again.
Bill took hold of Duran’s coat at the shoulders and tossed him aside like a sack of grain. The bigger man gave a yell that was quickly swallowed up in the wind.
The two men fought unseen by the others. Bill didn’t want to kill the other man, but Duran was bent on this fight being to the death, and Bill would oblige. His anger at the way Duran had endangered them over and over fed his rage. Duran would see them all dead, and Bill knew he was the only one who could resolve the situation.
The flames were growing against the ice and snow. The waves crashing against the ship didn’t seem to have any effect on the blaze. They were taking on water, so surely that would help stifle the fire. But Bill didn’t think on the matter long, as Duran came charging at him once again.
This time Duran took Bill to the ground with the full blow of his body. They slid across the icy deck until they smashed up against the side. Duran pulled Bill to his feet as another fierce wave hit the ship.
The loud cracking sound was no doubt proof that the Mary Elise had only moments before completely breaking apart. Bill did his best to put Duran down on the deck, but it was as if the man were possessed.
The ship shifted, and so did the men. They were thrown against the rail, and with each man embracing the other in a death grip, they were hurled over the side and into the lake.
Bill’s last thoughts were of his daughters.
“The ship’s on fire,” Elise heard someone yell above the wind.
She got up from where she’d been huddled against a group of rocks to walk back to the edge of the cliff. She could see the eerie scene below as flames rose from beneath the hold of the Mary Elise. She looked at the small group of men pointing and commenting. Two other men were on the ground at the edge of the rocks, helping someone finish the climb. Elise prayed it might be her father.
When Ollie Johnson came over the ledge, Elise tried not to feel disappointed. She wanted each man to be saved. However, with the ship on fire and the storm raging, she wanted to know that her father was safely making his way up the ropes. She searched for Nick. He was with the group of men, doing his best to make a plan.
“We’re going to need help, but we’ll wait until first light. There’s no sense trying to make our way in this storm and the dark.”
She took hold of his arm. “Have you seen my father?”
He looked down at her. “I told you to stay put. I haven’t got time to worry about losing you.” He walked her back to the rocks. “Please stay here. I’m trying to account for everyone. I haven’t seen anything of your father yet. Russ and Seamus are missing, as well.”
“Father will be the last to leave.”
“I know.”
A sense of emptiness washed over her. Papa would wait until everyone else was off the ship, including Duran if he could find him, before ever trying to seek safety for himself.
She sat back down, shivering against the bitter wind. She tucked her feet up under her and made a tight huddle against a large rock. If they didn’t get better shelter soon, they’d freeze to death, and their escape from the water would mean nothing. She had no idea where they were. Were there cities close by, or even a small farm? Would any of the men know where to seek help?
Tucking her face against her knees, Elise pulled her coat up over her head and prayed.
“Please, God, save my father,” she whispered. “Save us all.”
Chapter 25
They were freezing to death. The water wouldn’t take them down to its depths, but the icy cold would claim their lives if they weren’t able to get to shelter. Elise didn’t want to leave, however. She felt certain her father would join them. He couldn’t die like this.
The storm had passed, leaving a gloomy red horizon as the sun came up. Below the rocks, the still-smoldering remnants of the Mary Elise sat broken and battered. Just pieces of her former glory. Papa had been so proud of that ship.
Elise tried to reconcile herself to the idea that he was gone. Nick had braved a journey down the rocks to the Mary Elise to search for her father but found nothing. He salvaged the ship’s log and a photograph of Elise’s mother and returned to confirm what Elise already feared must be true.
“We’re gonna walk to find help. The walking will keep us from freezing further,” Nick told her. He put his arm around her as she gazed out on the lake.
“I can’t believe he’s gone.”
“I know, but the last thing he would want is for you to freeze to death. Come on. We have to seek refuge.”
“But what if . . .”
Nick shook his head. “Elise, he’s gone.”
“But you didn’t see Booker Duran or Seamus or Russ. Maybe they got off the ship.”
“And went where? The only way was up. We would have met up with them.” He touched her frozen face. “Come on. The men are waiting.”
As they began to walk in hopes of finding a house or a nearby town, Elise could hardly feel her feet or hands, but her heart most assuredly ached.
P
apa would have told her to stop feeling bad, for he had died just as he lived. The lake, he had always said, would be his death, and he was all right with that because it had also been his life. Elise, however, couldn’t imagine how she would tell Caroline or Uncle James or even Carter and Mina in Duluth.
The sun rose higher but offered little warmth. Nick said the temperatures to be no more than twenty degrees, if that.
It was nearly noon before one of the men spotted smoke rising in the air. They pressed on toward the place and found a single cabin. The owner welcomed them readily and put more wood on the fire. The old man had little to offer them, but what he did, he gave freely.
Tom and Ollie volunteered to go on to the small town some two miles away and bring back more help. The old man gave them the use of his large draft horse along with explicit directions.
Elise was so tired and cold that she couldn’t stop shaking.
The old man came to her with a mug of hot coffee. “Drink this down. It’ll warm your insides.”
She did as he suggested, grimacing at the bitter taste. Papa had always had his coffee black, and she’d teased him about the awful flavor. How she wished he were here now.
By the time the sun was setting again, Tom and Ollie were back with several townsfolk and a couple of wagons with blankets, food, and dry clothes. The crew of the Mary Elise was fed and clothed, then driven back to town, where it had already been decided they would be allowed to sleep in the church for the night before pressing on for the next town and the railroad.
Elise lost track of the time and slept. She rallied only briefly in the night at the sound of the wind. Apparently, another storm was upon them. Exhaustion kept her from dreaming, and when she awoke the next day, her body didn’t hurt nearly so much as it had.
Before they were to head out on two sleighs, the town’s doctor came to see to their needs. He looked over the men first, then came to Elise. “How are you feeling?”
“I believe I’m starting to thaw.” She gave him a smile. “Thank you for what you’ve done for the crew. I know my father would have appreciated it.”
Waiting on Love Page 25
