by Chloe Carley
“Takes some getting used to,” Nan conceded.
“Pardon?”
“That smell. Takes some getting used to.”
Rachel smiled anxiously. “It is rather pungent.”
“Can’t imagine the ship will smell much better after a few weeks, mind. Especially with a crew of burly lads aboard,” she remarked, making Rachel’s heart sink.
“No… neither can I.” A stubborn tear trickled down her cheek as she turned her attention back to the mysterious underworld of the darkened docks, all fire and shadow and yelling voices in the unseen void. A few times, she jumped as something collided with the side of the carriage. Indeed, she began to wonder if she might be able to defy her father after all. Surely, she could find an eligible gentleman who might wed her here in England? Surely, she could figure out a way to avoid all of this?
Almost as soon as she had begun to plot her escape, the carriage came to a sudden halt. The moment had arrived. The point of no return, quite literally. Opening the door without waiting for the driver, she stepped out and walked a short distance before her entire body ceased to cooperate. Fear held her frozen. A wharf stretched away before the carriage leading toward a large ship which rested parallel to the wooden slats. It had masts as tall as any building she had seen in her life. The sails were not yet billowing and she could not comprehend the size they must be in order to push such a vast ship across the ocean. Although she had anticipated a sizeable vessel, this ship trounced any expectation her mind was capable of. It dwarfed everything else in sight with the sole exception of the naval warship at the farthest end of the docks.
“You must be Miss Faulks?” a voice asked, startling her out of her trance.
She stared down as a short, stout man approached. He had a shock of unruly hair and a set of beady blue eyes which seemed to have shrunken into the folds of his chubby face. He wore a uniform of sorts with brass buttons and a high collar, though it was not the comforting colors of the Navy. Instead, it appeared to be a gaudy imitation in green and purple. She glanced toward the warship that was harbored at the opposite end of the dock—a Navy vessel undertaking the same journey she was about to. Truly, she wished she were on that boat instead.
“I am. And you are?” She hoped she did not sound too severe. Emily was constantly chastising her for giving off the wrong first impression with folks thinking her aloof and unpleasant when she was merely shy and nervous.
“Captain Benjamin Frodsham of the Emerald of the Empire,” he replied, giving a jaunty bow.
She smiled sweetly. “That is something of a mouthful, Captain. Is the Emerald this vessel?”
“It is, Miss Faulks.”
“My home for the next…” she trailed off. “How long will the voyage be, Captain? My father did not say in his correspondence.”
“Following our current route, Miss Faulks, somewhere in the region of two to three months.”
She gasped. “It shall be that long until I am reunited with my father?”
“Oh no, Miss Faulks, that is only the sailing aspect of our journey. As soon as we have delivered you safely to a port close to Georgia, you will likely have a further period of travel before you reach your destination. I believe your father has arranged for your collection and safe passage through the Spanish territories, though that part of your voyage has little to do with myself or my crew,” he explained, bringing a dark cloud of apprehension with every word he spoke. “Your father appears to reside in Oregon Country which is not in any definitively owned region of the Americas—not as of yet, anyway. Saying that, at least it is out of the worst of the fighting which has consumed the East coast and the central, predominantly French territories.”
Rachel stumbled for something to grab onto as her body seemed to drain of blood. Her knees quaked, her mouth went dry, and her heart fluttered in unsettled bursts. It was all too much. Black oblivion began to slide across her eyes leaking inky patches into her vision. Suddenly, she became aware of strong hands holding her up in a most unseemly manner. There appeared to be an arm around her waist with a strong hand gripping at the firm curve of her corseted side, while another hand drew her arm across broad shoulders and held onto her dainty fingers with coarsened palms.
“Unhand me, you brute,” she wheezed, barely able to make out the face and shape of the fellow who had caught hold of her. How dare someone take hold of her in such a way. Did they not know she was a lady of polite society and not a common wench strolling about the wharf?
“Calm down,” an unknown voice replied tersely. Whoever had grasped her, it was neither the captain nor Nan.
“I said unhand me!” Her trembling cry was the last thing she managed to utter before shadows enveloped everything. In the end, it had all proven too much for her sheltered mind to take in. At least unconsciousness had saved her from witnessing any further indignity.
Chapter Five
Noah paced the Captain’s cabin in a simmering rage, his arms folded across his chest. The ship bobbed up and down as the bow sliced through the waves of the Irish Sea, but neither he nor Benjamin felt the undulations. They were so used to the ebb and flow of being on the water that it felt second nature to them.
“Ben, you promised me there would be no live cargo,” he muttered furiously, pausing beside the window to look out at the sun bursting up through the horizon. Bolts of bronzed orange and flushed pink tinted the hazy sky as it shifted from inky dusk to crisp blue. It was going to be a beautiful day by the looks of it and yet, he could take no joy in it.
“Now that we are on-board the Emerald, you will refer to me as captain,” Benjamin warned.
“My anger still stands, captain.” The word lodged like a fishbone in his throat. It had been a long time since he’d been under Benjamin’s rule. “You promised me there would be no live cargo and now I find out that you want me to watch over some high-and-mighty young lady? You should have heard the things she called me when I carried her to her chambers. I know it wasn’t ideal, but what else was I supposed to do? The silly dolt couldn’t walk without her legs buckling.”
Benjamin smirked. “I hear you have that effect on young ladies.”
“This is serious, captain.”
“Look, Noah, I promised you the cargo would not be live animals. I said nothing about young ladies. As for the things she has called you, I blame it on her delirium—she is clearly overwhelmed by all of this. I would not take it so personally if I were you.”
“That is easy for you to say, captain,” Noah shot back. “Until recently, the upper echelons of society treated you with the utmost respect. You have been wined and dined by their ilk and lauded for the gifts you have been able to bring them from all over the globe. You know what it’s like to be one of them. I, on the other hand, have never felt anything but the sharp backhand of their distaste for my sort of people—the hardworking, defiant lowborn laborers who they deem unworthy to walk the same ground as them. This girl you’ve brought on-board is no different from the rest of them, I guarantee it. You heard her. Her delirium makes little difference.”
“You did not have to agree to this.”
“I didn’t?” Noah arched a knowing eyebrow.
“You could have backed out at the last moment, once you realized that Miss Faulks was the cargo in question. I answered you truthfully on the wharf when you asked if she was the package to be delivered.”
“I could have backed out, could I?”
“Come now, Noah, why must we play these games?”
Noah shook his head in frustration. “You and I both know that I couldn’t have changed my mind even if I’d wanted to. I agreed to your terms in the Red Lion. I understand the consequences of going against that agreement. The moment I walked into the pub, I gave up my ability to turn back.” A grimace twisted up the corners of his mouth. “I’ll never forget seeing O’Shea dangling from the mast just before we sailed for India that third time. Why do you think I didn’t join you for a fourth voyage?”
“O’Shea fel
l in a drunken accident, nothing more,” Benjamin replied casually.
“What about Harrison and Browder? Were they accidents, too?”
Benjamin smiled. “No, they were a warning.”
“So, you understand my predicament?”
“Listen, Noah, you are here now and there is little you can do about it unless you wish to jump ship and swim back to England? Even then, you would spend the rest of your days with one eye turned over your shoulder. With that in mind, how about you make the most of this opportunity, instead of caterwauling about the injustice of the situation like a spoilt child?”
Noah grumbled. “You do not know young ladies like her, captain. She will have this crew half-crazed with her whining and all but ready to mutiny before we are halfway to the Americas.”
“As you have already stated, I am very familiar with ladies of her ilk,” Benjamin replied. “That is why I have put Miss Faulks and her companion under your care, throughout this voyage. Under your watchful eye, I am certain she will prove to be far meeker than you give her credit for. At least, that is what I am hoping.”
“You may count on me, captain, you know that. I would never willingly incite your wrath. I only wished to voice my concerns before she becomes a nuisance.”
“They have been duly noted, Noah. Now, I suggest you take to your duties before she awakens and decides to investigate the ship.”
“Something to hide?”
Benjamin shot Noah a cold look. “No, I just don’t want her distracting the crew.”
“This is a mistake, captain.”
“Perhaps, but your fee at the end of this shall more than make up for the inconvenience.” Benjamin laughed heartily as Noah turned and headed for the exit. They had set sail less than an hour ago, and already he was starting to wish he’d stayed on dry land. No job was worth this kind of aggravation.
Swallowing his pride, he closed the door to the captain’s quarters behind him and strode across the deck, taking his time. Miss Faulks and her chaperone had been placed in quarters to the stern of the ship where they would not have to suffer the dank claustrophobia of being below decks. Noah had contemplated carrying her to one of the guest chambers in the lowest part of the ship just for the simple amusement of having her wake there, but he had decided against it. Plus, Benjamin had been watching him. He knew that if he did anything to jeopardize Benjamin’s payday, there would be further consequences. With Captain Frodsham, there were always consequences.
One of the crew, a young man who went by the name of Onions, scrambled down a loose rope and landed with a thud in front of Noah. He could not have been older than fifteen and had a rangy look about him that reminded Noah of a newborn foal. Still, he was lithe and able, darting up and down the rigging like a monkey up a tree.
“Noah, did I hear right?” he asked excitedly.
Noah frowned. “Did you hear what right?”
“Is there a woman on the ship?”
“None of your business, Onions. Shouldn’t you be in the kitchen giving Davis some help with the evening meal?” Davis was the ship’s cook, and not a bad one as far as such men went. Noah had sailed with him before and it had been the only voyage he’d ever taken where he hadn’t emptied the contents of his stomach over the side after a questionable meal.
“Is that a yes?”
“That’s a mind your own business and get on with your work,” Noah shot back.
“Where are you headed? Is the young lady over there, in the Empire Suite?”
“What part of ‘none of your business’ are you struggling to understand?”
Onions shrugged. “I’m just curious.”
“Why?”
“Never seen a grand lady before. It’d be something to tell me ma when I get home.”
Noah sighed, feeling bad for snapping at the young boy. He hadn’t meant to. The meeting with Benjamin had left him feeling irritated. He resented being lied to, in any capacity, but to lie about something like this when they might be stuck on this ship together for upwards of two or three months? It left an extremely sour taste in his mouth.
His tone softened. “She won’t be coming out of her chambers, Onions, and none of you are to go bothering her. Do I make myself clear?”
“Makes sense. I don’t suppose a grand lady like that’d want to go acquainting herself with the likes of us, would she?”
“Afraid not.”
Onions shrugged. “Ah well, at least I’ll be able to tell me ma that I spied a grand young lady from afar. She’ll be just as proud.”
Noah smiled. “You tell her that. If you need any letters writing, you let me know.”
“Wouldn’t do much good, Noah. Me ma can’t read or write neither.”
“Well… never mind. You just keep the stories in your head for when you get back.”
“Will do, Noah.” With that, Onions hurried across the deck toward the ladders which led into the belly of the beast. He clambered down and disappeared from sight, no doubt heading for the kitchens.
Taking a steadying breath, Noah continued on towards the Empire Suite at the opposite end of the main deck. It was usually reserved for Benjamin’s grandest guests or for hiding away the most expensive contraband, but for now, it housed young Miss Faulks and her companion who answered only to the name ‘Nan’.
Noah knocked softly on the suite door and waited for a reply.
“Who is it?” Nan asked, appearing a moment later.
“Noah Sharpleton again,” he replied. “I was wondering how Miss Faulks was faring after her fainting spell?”
“The ship’s physician has been and gone, Mr. Sharpton. She’s no need of you.”
“It’s Sharpleton, and I only wish to see how she is doing.” He forced down a bristle of rising annoyance. “As you know, you are both under my care. I would like to ensure that Miss Faulks is feeling better.”
“And she wishes you would go away and leave us to ourselves,” Nan fired back.
“Why, may I ask, is she so eager to show me so little civility? I have done nothing wrong, as far as I am concerned. What reason has she to convey such disdain?”
“We do not see the need for a guard.”
“Perhaps not, but that is my duty nonetheless.”
“She would prefer it if you kept your distance,” Nan insisted. “In fact, she’d prefer it if all the crew of this ship kept their distance. They frighten her.”
“They do not mean to.” He was starting to grow tired of this young woman. “Besides, they know they are not to trouble her in any way.”
Nan narrowed her eyes at him. “Still, she wants your assurance.”
“She may have it. That is why I must act as your guard,” he replied, feeling as though they were going in exasperating circles. “I only want to protect you both and ensure your voyage is as easy and enjoyable as possible.”
“She doesn’t like the way you touched her.” Nan turned back into the darkness of the Empire Suite as though conversing with someone unseen. “No, she doesn’t trust you—you pawed at her in an uncouth manner and it has made her deeply uncomfortable in your presence.”
Noah grumbled under his breath. “I was preventing her from collapsing to the ground where she might have caused herself further harm. The water was very close to where she was standing and I didn’t want her tumbling in by accident, especially not in an unconscious state. She might very well have drowned, had I not stepped in as I did.” He exhaled wearily. “Truthfully, I did not intend to make inappropriate contact with her. I have already apologized. Shall I apologize again? Would that make her feel more at ease?” He could hear the barely-concealed animosity in his voice, but he no longer cared. He had dealt with the upper classes all of his life and he was tired of being treated like a lesser mortal. The Navy had kicked the last scrap of tolerance out of him.
In truth, his bitterness toward the upper classes stemmed from their treatment of his beloved mother. He had never known his father, who had died in a tragic fishing accident not
long after Noah was born. Nor had he ever been gifted with the joy of siblings. It had always been the two of them, just Noah and his mother. She had worked tirelessly in the home of an Earl and his family, only to be turfed out after twenty long years of service for a theft she did not commit. They had screamed in her face and called her a liar only to discover that another staff member had been the one to commit the crime. With it being too late, there had been no apology given.
There had been other indignities along the way, too, though his mother had always brushed them off and continued on with her work. She had not had the luxury of being able to quit. The Earl’s second wife had never liked her, and Noah had often had to comfort his mother after she had returned home in floods of tears. Those people had degraded her and oppressed her to within an inch of her life. Indeed, when they had sent her away from the house in disgrace, they had ended her life. She had not lived long after, slumping into a depression from which Noah could not rouse her. He had discovered her in her bed a few weeks after the incident, cold and still. There had been no signs of foul play. It was simply misery that had claimed her, taking her far away from Noah.
