Restless Hearts

by Mona Ingram

  Jamie hauled in a small fish which flopped on the deck. “Yes,” she said. “But I’m hoping you’ll keep my secret.”

  Lucy considered her request for a few moments. “For the time being. But when we get to California, you might find it helpful to have a male friend. I hear it’s a rough place, and that’s putting it mildly.” She tilted her head. “Not to be indelicate, but do you have enough money?”

  “I hope so. My grandmother left me some money, and my mother went to New York and sold some valuable jewellery that she’d inherited.” She thought of the money tucked away in her trunk. “I’m not afraid to work, and in the meantime I’m sure I have enough to get established.”

  “We shall see.” Lucy shoved her work into a carpet bag as Melissa came running over with her fish.

  “Yes,” murmured Sarah. “We shall see.”

  * * *

  After supper that night, the captain turned serious as he looked at each of his passengers in turn. “You saw me exchange signals this morning with that frigate.”

  “What was that about, Captain Johnson?” Sarah had been curious all day.

  “We exchanged latitude and longitude. Passing ships do that from time to time as it’s an excellent way to confirm our position. He doubled the Cape three weeks ago.”

  It was difficult not to shudder. Doubling the Cape was the most dangerous part of the voyage.

  “He’s sailed this route most of his life, and he informed me that the weather is particularly foul this winter. So I’ve decided to follow his example and double the Cape instead of chancing the Straits of Magellan.” He looked around at the adults. “I’ll give you a day’s warning, and you’ll need to put away any loose items in your quarters. The seas can become violent, as we’re here in the middle of their winter.”

  Anna Taylor let out a small whimper.

  “Mrs. Taylor, perhaps you and your daughter should stay in your cabin as much as possible. The steward will bring your meals.”

  “How long?” she asked, eyes wide.

  “It’s hard to predict. Somewhere between a week and two weeks.” He paused. “I did it in eight days the last time, but the weather was far nicer than what we’ll have this time.”

  “I’ll help with Missy.” Sarah wondered if she’d regret the spontaneous offer.

  “As will I.” Jamie spoke kindly. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Taylor. After this, it’s clear sailing all the way to California.”

  The captain frowned at him, but said nothing. Jamie shot a grateful look in the captain’s direction, and the discussion was over.

  “Did you mean that?” Sarah asked the next morning as they caught a breath of fresh air on the deck. “About clear sailing all the way to California?”

  Jamie looked guilty. “I have no idea. I shouldn’t have said that, but the poor woman needed something to hang on to.”

  Sarah nodded her agreement. “You did the right thing.” She looked at the darkening sky. “I think we’re all going to need support.”

  Chapter Five

  WindSprite sailed into the storm in the middle of the night. Sarah thought she’d prepared herself for rough seas, but nothing she’d imagined came close to the reality of what the ship endured during that first night. Lucy lay in her bunk, calm but wide-eyed as Sarah checked to ensure that the porthole was tightly closed. She’d checked it before going to bed, but she needed to feel in control of her own destiny.

  She pulled her night shift around her shoulders. “I’ll go next door and check on Anna and Missy.”

  Lucy remained in bed, the bed covers clutched up under her chin.

  The ship’s motion tossed Sarah from one side of the narrow hallway to the other. Her arms would no doubt be bruised, but that was a small price to pay. The ship’s movement caused the timbers to groan, and she was glad she’d ventured out. Anna Taylor would be terrified.

  “Sarah!” Anna’s skin had acquired a healthy glow from days spent in the sun, but it was pale now. Melissa, uncharacteristically quiet, had climbed onto the bunk with her mother. Only frightened eyes showed above the bed clothes. “Is everything all right?”

  The ship rolled sickeningly and Sarah sat down abruptly on the opposite bunk. From there she could see that the porthole was firmly closed, and she forced a confident smile. “Everything’s fine. I just wanted to check on you.”

  “Thank you. Missy and I are just fine.” Anna squeezed the child, who nodded, but remained mute. Sarah admired the show she was putting on for her daughter.

  “Good.” Sarah managed to stand. “I’ll get back to my cabin and keep Lucy company.”

  As she made her way back to her cabin, a loud metallic crash reached her ears. It had come from the direction of the galley, and she wondered if some of the cooking utensils had come loose. She listened carefully, and hearing nothing further, she entered her cabin and collapsed on her bunk.

  As Sarah opened her mouth to communicate her concern to Lucy, the other woman emitted a loud snore. Sara couldn’t help but smile as she crawled back into her bunk. Sleep was elusive as she puzzled about the loud sound from forward in the ship, but it was pointless to worry about it until the morning. They’d been averaging slightly less than eight hours of precious daylight each day, and she knew she’d rise long before the pale dawn showed through her porthole.

  * * *

  The motion of the ship was still unsettling as she made her way forward a few hours later. For the time being, they had sailed through the worst of the storm, and were fighting their way west against the fearful winds that blow offshore, threatening to push passing ships into extreme southern latitudes.

  Entering the galley, she saw a group of several crew members clustered around the table. They turned toward her, their faces ashen.

  Alarmed, she rushed forward. “What is it?”

  They parted to reveal Levi Reed, the ship’s cook, laid out on the table.

  Sarah took in his appearance at a glance. His face was pale and contorted with pain.

  “Levi,” she said softly, placing a hand on his brow. His skin was cool and damp with sweat. He trembled, and she recognized that he was going into shock.

  “I heard him moaning from the sick bay this morning,” said the steward, motioning to the area forward of the galley. “When I asked him what had happened, he said he’d come up to the galley during the night to check on his equipment. He wasn’t making much sense, but from what I could make out, one of his large pots was being flung about and while he was trying to secure it, it dropped onto his arm.” A white cloth had been wrapped around Levi’s arm and he pulled it back. Sarah could already see that the arm was bent at an unnatural angle, but she hadn’t expected to see bone poking through the skin. At first glance, it appeared that only the ulna had been fractured, but she couldn’t be sure. She’d need to palpate the area to check for further injuries. Below the break, his arm and hand were starting to swell and turn purple.

  She turned to the steward. “Where is Captain Johnson?”

  He gave her an odd look “He’s on deck,” he replied. “He’s been up all night. I didn’t think I should bother him.”

  Sarah frowned. “No, I suppose you’re right. Who usually handles your medical emergencies?”

  All eyes turned toward Levi.

  She nodded. “I see. And who assists?”

  “I try to help,” said the steward. “But I have no medical knowledge. I usually fetch and carry and hold them down if necessary.” He gave a nervous laugh.

  “Okay...” She paused. “What’s your name?”

  “Matthew Farmer, ma’am.”

  “All right then, Matthew. I’m not a doctor, but I do have some medical training. Does Levi have any laudanum in with his medical supplies?”

  Matthew glanced toward a locked cupboard. “Yes, ma’am.” A flush rose in his cheeks. “I think I’d recognize the bottle, but I can’t read.” He looked anxiously at Levi. “Will you be able to help him?”

  “Yes, but we have to move quickly.”
She turned to the men. “One of you please inform the captain what’s happening.” She glanced toward the cupboard. “And I’ll need the keys to that cupboard.” She smiled at the remaining men. “I’d appreciate a few more lights in here, and then if you men don’t mind, I can concentrate better without an audience.” She smiled to soften her words.

  “Is there anything I can do?” She looked up at the sound of Jamie’s familiar voice. His broad shoulders blotted out the light from one of the hanging lanterns, but his presence was welcome.

  “You can find out where he keeps the keys to that cupboard.” She lifted Levi’s arm and he moaned in pain.

  “They’re around his neck,” said Matthew, removing the keys and handing them to Jamie.

  “Check for laudanum, would you Jamie?” Sarah looked around for a bucket of water, but everything had been stowed away before last night’s storm. “Matthew, I need some water to wash my hands, and if there is any way to heat some water, I’d appreciate that as well.”

  Jamie turned. “Here it is.” He held up a brown bottle and removed the stopper. “How much shall I give him?”

  Sarah thought for a moment. “Two or three ounces. We don’t want to administer too much, but this is going to be painful.”

  Jamie lifted Levi’s head and placed the bottle against his lips. Only a few drops dribbled down his chin and Jamie held up the bottle, checking to see how much Levi had taken. “I think that’s about right.” As he spoke, Levi’s body started to relax.

  Matthew returned with the water, and Sarah started to wash her hands. “Did you see any rum in there?” she asked Jamie.

  “Yes,” he said. “In the lower cupboard.”

  “Bring it to me,” she said, “along with whatever bandages you can find.”

  He watched as she splashed rum on her hands, and then poured a liberal amount on the wound around the shattered bone.

  “I read something about this,” he murmured. “Something about a nurse in England who’s a stickler for cleanliness.”

  Sarah looked up sharply. “Florence Nightingale.”

  “That’s the name. Does it work?”

  Sarah gave him a wry smile. “It doesn’t hurt. My father has adopted the practice, and his patients rarely become infected.”

  “Good to know. Now what can I do?”

  Sarah removed the ring from her left hand, looked around, and shoved it at Jamie. “Hold this, will you please? And then I need you to put that wooden spoon in his mouth and hold him by the shoulders. As I said, this is going to hurt.”

  He complied, and she splashed more rum on her hands.

  She palpated the arm, trying to ignore Levi’s moans of pain. She frowned. “I don’t know how he managed it, but only one bone seems to be broken.” She stood back and took a deep breath. “I’m going to try to re-align the ulna. If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to tell when the two ends are back in place.” She looked up. “Ready?”

  He nodded, and gripped Levi firmly by the shoulders.

  Sarah exerted slow, steady pressure. Levi’s teeth clenched around the spoon and beads of sweat broke out on his brow, but the color in his hand returned to normal almost immediately.

  “That’s amazing,” said Jamie as Sarah wrapped the arm. “What about the swelling?”

  “That will take longer to subside, but at least the circulation has been restored.” She spoke into the cook’s ear. “Levi, can you move your fingers?”

  The cook wiggled his fingers and Sarah and Jamie exchanged smiles, unaware of anyone else in the room.

  “You did it!” Matthew came forward. A smile lit his face. “Will he be all right?”

  “Yes, but it will take several months to heal completely. I’ll keep an eye on his dressing until the skin heals, and I’ll show you how to make a sling for his arm.” She became aware of the other men who had faded back into the shadows, but came forward now. “And if you men are wondering who’s going to cook for you, Matthew and I will figure something out. Right now, I’m ready for my morning cup of coffee, and I’ll bet the captain could use some, too.”

  “Yes, ma’am, I’ll see what I can do.” Matthew gave her an informal salute. The rest of the men laughed with relief and scattered.

  “You were amazing.” Jamie hovered as she watched over her patient. “You’re really skilled.”

  Sarah shook her head. “Why does no one believe that a woman can do the same as a man when it comes to medicine?” She pushed back a stray curl. “Let’s not talk about this right now, okay?” She gave him a weak smile. “How’s the weather out there?”

  “Huge snowflakes and still high seas, but better than last night.”

  “That’s something, anyway.” Her attention was drawn back to Levi as he started to stir. “As soon as Levi can stand, would you see that he gets to the bunk in sick bay?” She glanced toward Matthew. “Between Matthew and me, we should be able to arrange something for breakfast.” She shrugged. “As to the other meals, we’ll figure it out as we go along.”

  “I’m sure you will.”

  Levi tried to sit up and they turned to him. He swung his legs over the side of the table and held his arm close to his body. “What happened?”

  Sarah laid a hand on his brow. “You were wandering around in that storm last night and broke your arm.” She attempted a fierce scowl. “You should have woken someone up, Levi. You must have been in terrible pain.”

  He didn’t respond, but looked around with a frown. “How am I going to feed the men?”

  “You’re not.” Sarah’s tone was crisp. “And you’re not to worry about it, either. Matthew and I are going to take care of breakfast, and I’ll ask Lucy to help with some of the other meals.” She looked over his shoulder toward Jamie. “Jamie will make sure you get back to sick bay since you can’t manage the ladders with that arm. We’ll bring you some coffee when it’s ready. Now run along.”

  He grinned. “I knew you wanted to take over my kitchen.”

  “You’re jesting, of course.” She looked at Matthew. “He must be feeling better.” She held Levi’s good arm as he slid off the table and found his sea legs. “I’ll check on you later, my friend.”

  Sarah watched Jamie and Levi disappear, then turned and accepted the mug of coffee that Matthew held out. Steam curled enticingly from the surface of the hot liquid and she took an appreciative sip.

  “Okay,” she said briskly. “I can tell by the way the captain runs this ship that he likes to stick to a routine, so I’ll do whatever I can to help you restore order.” She paused. “Did someone take a mug of coffee up to him?”

  Matthew nodded.

  “Good.” She washed her hands again. “Let’s make some breakfast.”

  Chapter Six

  It took WindSprite ten days to double the Cape, but Sarah scarcely noticed the howling winds and rough seas. With Levi’s guidance, Matthew, Lucy and two other crew members helped Sarah establish a routine that suited the captain.

  Some three weeks after Levi’s accident, the captain appeared in the galley shortly after Sarah had taken several loaves of bread from the oven. It wasn’t the first time he’d ‘happened by’ when the smells became too tempting to ignore. She sliced him a thick piece from the warm loaf.

  “You really don’t have to do this,” he said, closing his eyes in bliss as he bit through the crisp crust. “But I won’t deny the fact that I’m glad you’re helping.”

  Sarah thanked him, even though he’d made similar comments before. The truth was, she was enjoying herself. As she and Levi directed the efforts of Matthew and the kitchen crew, it occurred to her that thus far in her life, she’d never been solely in charge of anything. While the ship forged ahead through turbulent seas, she had collected many bruises from frequent contact with the walls and pieces of furniture, but a few discolorations on her body weren’t enough to lessen her sense of accomplishment at the end of each day.

  She met the captain’s appreciative smile with one of her own. “Thank you for saying that,
but I’ve enjoyed myself.”

  The captain warmed his hands on the coffee mug. “Then I can only say that I’m glad you decided to sail with us.” He tilted his head. “Thank you.”

  He didn’t seem in a hurry to leave, and his gaze lingered on the loaf of bread. Sarah cut him another slice and handed it to him.

  “Levi said you often stop at Valparaiso,” she said. “What’s it like?”

  He considered her question for a moment while he chewed. “It’s not like any other place I’ve been.”

  She stopped wiping down the table. “In what way?”

  He gazed into the distance. “It’s wild and yet beautiful. The people are friendly once you get to know them, and yet they can be very stand-offish. Some people are immensely wealthy, and yet most are poor.” He frowned to himself. “It’s a place of contrasts, really.” He raised his eyes and looked at her. “I’ll be interested to hear your opinion.”

  “How much longer?” She couldn’t keep the excitement out of her voice.

  “Another week or ten days.” He set down the coffee mug. “Speaking of which, I’d better get topside and make sure we’re still pointed in the right direction.”

  Levi appeared moments after the captain left. “It’s good to see the captain relax a bit.” He’d been spending all of his time alongside Sarah this past week; it was evident that he wanted to be in charge of his kitchen again.

  Sarah nodded. “He says we’ll be at Valparaiso soon.” She turned to him eagerly. “I’m looking forward to it.”

  * * *

  The lack of sound was the first thing Sarah noticed when she woke up. She’d become accustomed to the shouts of the crew, the creaks and groans emanating from deep within the vessel, and the sound of water rushing past the hull. She had wanted to be on deck when the ship sailed into Valparaiso harbor, but evidently that wasn’t to be. She lay still for a moment, enjoying the gentle rolling motion, then leaped from her bunk to dress for the day ashore.