by Marie Hall
The solid click of a pistol’s hammer being pulled back silenced the room and stilled his father.
“Avast you,” Mia said her voice calm as the doldrums as she put the gun in his father’s face. “I’ve had a very pleasant week. I don’t intend to allow a blowhard like yourself to turn the tides. Now step back.”
“You… you…” Cole Winthrop sputtered.
“Step back, sir,” Mia said stepping forward. “Drop that fist and step back. Because looking around now, the only one in this room who’ll miss you should I shoot you dead will be you. Now step back.”
“Mrs. Winthrop, where did you acquire a pistol?” Devin asked as his father backed down.
“I carry it on the docks, Captain. But I was running behind to get here and didn’t stop to leave it at the offices,” she explained, and Devin wondered if she was being harassed there. “Waiting orders, Captain.”
He felt all eyes go to him, even his father’s, and Devin didn’t miss the fear in those ones. “Stand down,” he said, and Mia instantly dropped the gun and then eased the hammer forward again.
“I’m torn, Devin,” Mia said turning to set the gun on Porter’s desk. “He isn’t a pleasant man, but the rug is very lovely. Blood never comes out.”
Devin turned to look at her, saw her eyes drop down then flash back to his. Looking down he backed up and lifted his foot. “Did you add this here, Mia?” It was a lovely rug. Much like most of the high ranking members of the school had in their offices.
“England is too cold for bare floors, Captain.” Mia’s smile turned a little wicked as she faced Cole. “And not a shilling did you spend on it, him or me. Though if this is your wife,” Mia said pointing at Devin’s mother, “Well you might think to spend a few on her fashion, her coat is threadbare. Shame on you.”
“Why you ins—” Cole started.
“It’s quite fine,” Beth Winthrop insisted the way she’d insist her eye was fine even after it was swollen shut and black. “It’ll go another season.” Which meant she’d wear it like that until it fell off her.
“Have you no control over this woman you claim to be your wife?” his father asked.
“I kept her from shooting you,” Devin said clasping his hands behind his back. “Was that not enough control for you?”
The snicker was loud but short and Devin couldn’t tell who made it, but the next one wasn’t so brief and all eyes went to Ronald who was trying rather hard not to laugh. “Well, he did, Father,” he said and the woman next to him still holding the boy against her pressed her lips together then pressed her mouth against her shoulder.
“It was really more about the rug, Captain,” Mia said. The remark ended everyone’s restraint and laughter filled the room. Devin was surprised to see his father chuckling.
“He’s changed, Robert,” Ronald said quietly. “A lot has happened, and he’s changed. Please give him a chance.”
With a sigh, Devin relaxed and let his hands drop to his side. “What brings everyone to my door?” he asked and gestured they should move to the room where his desk was. There was more seating to be had there.
He waited until they were all in, not missing how the boy looked up at him much like his young students did. But as he closed the doors for privacy, it again became awkward. Leave it to Mia though. With a sigh and a roll of her eyes she crossed the room to the windows lifted one wide, which caused everyone to shiver, then leaned out.
“Mia, please,” Devin begged. If she fell over here she’d hit hard ground not water. Rather than come back in she flapped a hand at him then yelled out, “Hong Chin.” The rest was lost as in nearly a year Devin hadn’t learned more than two words of the language and he only knew those if spoken slowly.
“Do it,” Mia finished and leaned back, shut the window, and turned to face the group. “There now, sails up, food is on the way.”
“What language was that?” the boy asked.
“Robbie,” the woman who’d not so much as let him out of her reach scolded.
“It’s Chinese,” Mia said crossing the room and kneeling down in front of the child. “Though more a southern dialect, not the one heard in the forbidden city. Would you like to learn it?” she asked then spoke a short phrase and held out her hand.
The boy took it and though it was only a guess answered. “Robert Adams Winthrop?”
“Ah, lovely. You’ll excel at language, I believe.”
“I didn’t really know what you said,” the boy answered, proving he guessed.
“Part of learning a language is listening to more than words,” Mia said, climbing to her feet and ruffling the child’s hair. “It’s also hearing what someone’s body is saying. You can already do that.”
Devin saw the woman he still hadn’t been introduced to mouth the words “thank you” to Mia who smiled then walked back to him.
“Well lunch it seems is coming,” Devin said and pulled his watch from his pocket to check the time. It felt like hours already, so he was disheartened to see it was only twenty minutes and he had more than an hour left before his next class. “Again, what brings you all here?”
“We, ah… that is,” Ronald started. “We came up to Portsmouth to see about putting the… putting my… son, Robbie, to sea and…” The woman’s sob ended the explanation.
“It’s not as easy as it was with you,” his father said as his brother and mother both tried to comfort the other woman.
“We were at war in 1805, father. They’d have taken a cat if it could sail and fight. Men were dying faster than could be replaced.” Devin always wondered if his father even considered that when he dragged him down to the docks and handed him over to the captain of the Victory. He’d sent his son not just to sea but to war at the age of six. Devin hadn’t been aboard more than a year when they entered the first battle. It was the last day he’d ever been afraid of anything. At least until Mia entered his life. She scared him. Or at least the thought of losing her did.
“Well can you get him on a ship?” Cole asked.
Devin glared at him again surprised to see he backed down, then with a sigh turned to the boy trying to pull away from his mother. “You want to be a sailor, son?”
“Yes, Uncle,” the boy said sounding like maybe he might actually.
“Captain,” Mia corrected.
“Yes, Captain,” the boy said pulling his shoulders back.
“And your name again?” Devin was almost sure the boy and he shared the same but…
“Rob—” Ronald started.
“I asked the boy. If he goes to sea you won’t be able to answer for him. He either speaks up for himself or he will fail,” Devin said and watched as his brother seemed to be understanding for the first time what he was sending his son to.
“Robert Adams…” the boy looked to want to say more but then his eyes dropped to the floor.
“End with captain, or sir,” Mia told him. “Try again.”
“Robert Adams Winthrop, sir,” the boy said, and Devin’s nod of approval encouraged him to finish his thought. “Father named me after you, but he gave me mother’s name in the middle.” He sounded so disappointed by that difference.
“As it should be done,” Devin said glad when the boy smiled again.
“Can you help us?” Ronald asked. “I know we’ve no right to impose. The way… well with how… it’s been twenty years.”
“Twenty-three years,” Devin corrected regretting it when his mother had to muffle a sob. “And how old are you, Mr. Winthrop?”
“Me?” Robbie pointed to himself and Devin chuckled understanding his confusion with no less than three other possible ‘Mr. Winthrops’ in the room.
Mia was less forgiving, “Me, captain?”
“Me, Captain?”
“Aye, you. How old are you, Mr. Winthrop?”
“I’m nine, almost ten,” he said and before Mia had to correct him again, he added, “Captain.”
“He’s too young for the academy,” Devin announced. “Take hi
m home and bring him back in five years.” More sobs, but if they were from relief or from disappointment he couldn’t tell.
“Can’t you use your standing to get him on a ship?” Richard asked. “You’re a damn bloody hero to England that should let you—”
“I’m not a hero to England,” Devin snapped.
“We read… The Times said…” Beth sobbed out.
“All I did was my duty. It was nothing but a twist of fate that placed me in those waters and if not for Mia… I’m not a hero. I’m a captain of a ship that was in the right place at the right time,” Devin said then turned, paced to the window and clasped his hands behind his back. Damn, he never should have let Mia pass on the credit for either the slaver or the pirate ship.
“Why must you send him out so young?” He heard Mia ask the question, and turned to hear the response. The expressions on their faces told of something darker than just the want to be rid of a son, but the answer was delayed more when Mr. Hong came in unannounced, followed by Grim. They both carried several baskets and Devin could smell the food.
Mia began directing things, but she spoke so only Mr. Hong could understand. And the man rushed around setting up the room so everyone could eat comfortably. He had to slap Grim on the arm several times as the giant keep trying to get Robbie to stop hiding from him.
“Mr. Hong,” Mia called as she started repacking a bit of the meal. “The weather, is it terribly cold out?”
“Ah, no. Nice now. Sun bright. Wind no blow.”
“Why don’t you and Grim take Robert,” she said pointing to the boy, “to eat outside. Take him to play on the grounds by the cannons.”
“Oh, boy like cannons. Yes, you come. Grim he not play by cannon today.” Mr. Hong held out his hand. But everyone saw the boy cower back.
“It’s a sound idea,” Devin said, knowing the adults didn’t want to answer Mia’s question with him in the room. “Go with them, Mr. Winthrop. Grim is a fine good companion to have out of doors.”
“Mama?” Now Devin heard real fear in the child’s voice. And when the woman turned to look at Devin then to her husband, he saw more than fear, he saw terror.
“It will be all right, Grace,” Ronald said.
“He couldn’t have better company than those two… Grace? Is it?” Devin said and waved the trio out.
“Yes, pardon the introductions. They weren’t what I expected.” Grace said and sniffed. Ronald reached out and took her hand briefly.
“So, now?” Devin asked accepting a plate from Mia as he joined everyone on the floor for the impromptu picnic. “Why not take him home and let him finish his schooling?”
Looks were exchanged and tears welled up and spilled over Grace’s and his mother’s eyes. “He’s the only one left,” Richard said, dragging his arm across his eyes. “Everyone else was lost.”
Devin watched the two women turn to cling to each other as they wept. He saw both his brothers drop their heads and when he turned to his father, the man’s eyes were misty. “Mine took ‘em all.”
“Took them all who?” Devin asked and felt a sickness rising up.
“My elder son,” Ronald said. “Richard’s two boys, his daughter and… his wife.”
“Caroline killed herself,” Richard snapped. “She killed herself. Why can’t any of you say it?”
“No mother can stand such grief, Richard,” Beth said through her tears as she reached out to touch Richard’s arm. “The mine took her like—”
“His wife did,” the accusation in Richard’s tone wasn’t missed but neither was the guilt. Still Grace began to wail, and Ronald gathered her against him.
“Only because of Robbie,” Cole whispered. “We can’t put him in that mine, but there’s no other work to be had back home. And they start them now at ten.”
“Father and Richard still work it,” Ronald explained.
“And you?” Devin asked as he tried to make sense of what he was told. He had four nieces and nephews he would never have the chance to meet, another sister-in-law gone already. When he was a child, everyone he knew worked the mines or waited until they were old enough they could. It was a good living, but it was dangerous. As dangerous as his own career. Maybe he’d been too fast to judge.
“That one,” his father said jerking his head towards Ronald. “That one, he’s smart, clever. Like you.”
“I was hired in to do accounting. I wasn’t in the mines,” Ronald said and again Devin knew guilt when he heard it. “Father and Richard were to be on the next shift when the explosion happened. The children, we asked they work together when they hired in and…” he trailed off and pulled Grace closer.
“We hadn’t heard you married, Robert,” Grace said. “Do you have children yet?”
“No, we’re still newlywed,” Mia said and reached out to set her hand on his father’s.
“The boy needs a career, he needs to work,” his father said forcing that gruffness back into his voice. “But I won’t lose another of my flesh to that mine.”
“God save us,” Devin breathed.
“Well he didn’t, so now we have to beg you,” Richard said a cold bite in his words. “But is that what you want? For us to beg? Fine, I don’t care. Please Captain Winthrop. Take the boy to sea. Give him what you were given. Don’t force him to gasp out his last breath in that black pit knowing no one is going to save him.”
“Richard,” Devin cried and pulled his brother against him as the man wept. “It isn’t that I want you to beg. Not at all, the navy is changing. Children… well they need to be schooled, and…”
“Is there nothing you can do?” Grace asked. “I want him to have a chance and your success…”
“Again, my success was chance. Those aren’t the same seas. He’d certainly do well and there’s no shame in such a career but…” How did he explain how awful it really was to be sent from home for years on end, no family but your crew, no home but the ship you sailed on? It was in no manner worse than to have your family dead and buried, but looking at Grace and seeing her mixture of hope he could save her child the fate of the others, and her fear that like her other son she’d never see him again, he had no idea how to explain it to them.
“Must it be a navy ship?” Mia asked.
“Why do you ask? What else is there?” Ronald queried, and helped his wife sit up.
“That’s brilliant, Mia,” Devin said and lifted her hand to his lips. “Can you arrange that?”
“I could have him put on with Papa,” Mia said. “His ship is due in. I’m not sure when exactly but…”
“What?” Grace asked, wiping at tears with the back of her hand. Devin reached in his pocket and withdrew the handkerchief. What was the matter with women they never had their own.
“If you don’t care that his must be navy, he can be a merchant seaman. It’s far better pay and you won’t have to wait twenty years to see him as such ships come regularly to the same ports nearly on a schedule, but you can ask at the office when they’ll arrive.”
“How would we do that? And how would we know those ships are safe?” Ronald asked.
“Mia just told you, she could put him on board with her own papa,” Devin said then turned to smile at her. “But any of her crews would see to his welfare.”
“Not just mine, any in the fleet. Once he was sound with basic seamanship, he could take his pick of routes to sail. He’ll certainly see more of the world than he would in the navy. They’ve such shallow runs,” Mia said, getting in her barb against the navy.
“Your father is on a merchant ship?” Beth asked. She too failed to produce a hankie to wipe her face and Devin sighed.
“My papa is yes. He sails the Molly.”
“And he has some sway to be able to take Robbie on that ship?” Richard asked.
Mia gave him a strange look. “They are lubbers, Mia. They’ve no notion about any of this,” Devin told her then went on to explain how Mia’s papa was the owner of the Wind and Pearl Shipping Company. A commodore, o
r a man with a large number of ships at his command. But it was when he told them how Mia herself was raised on board he saw the relief wash over everyone.
“It’s a fine way to start and he’ll learn other trades as he sails, so if he doesn’t take to it he can return to shore and put those skills to work. There is no lifetime commitment to a merchant ship,” Mia finished.
“He’ll be safe,” Ronald breathed out and Grace nodded her head though she held back tears knowing she’d be sending her boy to sea and she’d not see him every day as she could now.
“He will. And…” Mia hedged. “If you have a mind for travel, I can always send you out to a port he’d eventually set to. It’s a nice thing Papa does around the holidays for his crews with families more inland.”
Grace gasped and flung herself at Mia. “You would do it? I mean you don’t know us and…”
“We’re still family,” Devin said, and the woman pulled away from Mia to fling herself against him.
“And anything to keep another poor sod out of the inept navy,” Mia said so innocently.
“Mrs. Winthrop,” Devin said scowling while she tried not to giggle. “I’ll have you know the navy isn’t inept.”
“Well, it will be if you don’t get back to class and teach those lubbers how to manage a lateen or boom.”
“Damn,” Devin cursed, reaching in his pocket for his watch then climbing to his feet along with everyone else. “I must get back, but we can speak more on this at home tonight. Mia will you—”
“Of course, Captain,” she said her smile making him again regret having to leave her.
He was almost out the door when he realized what she’d said though and he knew he’d regret this too, but he needed to try. “And Mrs. Winthrop the navy doesn’t use a lateen.”
“Which is why they’re inept, even fishermen out sail them,” she hollered back.
Devin shook his head as he went out. His wife would never be convinced the sailing abilities of the navy outmatched everything on the water and always would. But, as he tried again to teach young men who’d never been to sea how to navigate with no points of reference, he did wonder if when the men who joined were all like these men, without experience, maybe the royal navy wouldn’t be as great as it was now.
