by Lori Wick
I don't fit into the world outside of a ship. I don't know how to
hold my fork or cup, and I'm so nervous and uncomfortable
that I end up dropping things and spilling water in my lap."
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'You're exaggerating, Smokey; those things aren't going
to happen."
"They already have," Smokey told him with tears in her
eyes. Darsey's heart melted. She didn't cry easily, and those
tears made him see how much she hurt over this.
When she had explained why she wanted to stop at China
Island, Darsey had looked at her as though she'd taken leave of
her senses. Even that morning as he had loaded a small table,
two chairs, and a china tea set aboard the rowboat, he'd
thought it was too fantastic to be real.
Then they had gone ashore and found a secluded area, set
things up according to Smokey's wishes, and she'd handed
him a book on etiquette. That was two hours ago, and until he
saw those tears pooling in her eyes, Darsey had begun to think
it was all rather silly.
Without so much as a sigh of resignation, Darsey opened
the book and began to read again. He would have loved to
hand this job over to someone who was better qualified, but
he was all Smokey had If they had to sit there for a week, he
would see her through this.
Once on the island, Dallas found a shallow pool and took a
quick dip to wash the salt from his pants and hair. The water
was cool and refreshing, and he started on a tour of the island
after he'd bathed.
There appeared to be more birds than other wildlife, but
he did spot a few snakes and lizards amid the fronds and
leaves of bushes and trees. He was making his way through a
rather dense section of bushes when he came across Darsey
and Smokey.
Thinking he was imagining the sight of his captain and her
first mate having tea on the island, Dallas inspected them for
the space of several heartbeats. They were all too real. He
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watched as Darsey read, lowered the book, and then read
some more. He continued to watch as Smokey picked up a
teacup, working to balance it carefully with just two fingers.
Realization of what she was doing dawned just before he was
spotted.
Smokey knew the moment she saw Dallas that he had
been watching for some time. Her face flamed in humiliation,
but her embarrassment did nothing to temper the sternness
of her tone.
"Get back to the ship, Dallas." Smokey's voice was like a
lash, and Dallas immediately moved to do as he was bid.
He'd only taken two steps, however, when an overwhelming
feeling of tenderness for his captain overrode his good
sense. He stopped and turned back.
"I gave you an order, sailor." Smokey was livid, and her
voice told Dallas as much. Still he did not obey.
"I know you did, Captain." Dallas' voice was quiet and
respectful as he took careful steps toward the table. "However,
I'd like to show my appreciation for your helping me by
returning the favor. With no offense intended, I think I can be
of more assistance than Darsey."
Darsey came out of his chair so fast that he tipped it over
backward. He righted it quickly, and even though Smokey was
glaring at him with fire in her eyes, he turned to Dallas.
"Take my seat, Dallas." The older man's voice was filled
with relief. In truth, insult was the farthest thing from his
mind "I'm ready for a break, so go ahead and sit here and read
for Smokey."
As Dallas collapsed his tall frame into the chair Darsey
had vacated, shame washed over Smokey so quickly that she
had trouble breathing. Never had she been so mortified. She
turned frantic eyes to Darsey, but he was headed through the
trees without a backward glance.
"Now," Dallas' voice was as calm and collected as if this
were an everyday occurrence for him. "I believe you were
working on tea service."
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Dallas began to read. Smokey kept her eyes on the table,
her face still aflame. She would have given anything at that moment to be able to walk away, but something detained her.
For some moments she only half-listened to the book. Then
Dallas spoke her name, his voice tender and compassionate.
"Okay, Smokey, pick up the teapot with your right hand."
Smokey moved to obey him without ever looking in his direction.
"Put the fingers of your left hand over the lid and pour us
some tea. Oh, now, that won't do at all!" Dallas suddenly said,
and Smokey looked up in surprise, wondering what she'd
done wrong.
"Darsey didn't even take time to put water in this. Here,"
he handed her the book, "you read that first page yourself
while I fill this."
Smokey watched him walk away and then glanced at the
trees overhead The sun was headed high into the sky, and the
day was growing warm. Smokey looked at the book in her
hand and for a moment forgot about the heat. On the opposite
page was a lovely ink sketch. The picture showed a beautiful
parlor where three ladies were seated, one of whom was
pouring tea. Smokey scrutinized the picture, studying it with
intense longing.
So consumed by the picture and the words of the chapter,
Smokey reached without thought to remove her knit cap.
Dallas came through the trees from the pond and stopped
dead at the sight of Smokey with her hair down her back.
It fell to her waist in black waves, and he continued to
gawk as she unconsciously ran her fingers through the mass
and gently rubbed her head. Dallas got ahold of himself just
before she glanced up to see him.
"All right," Dallas said as he worked at not staring at
Smokey He placed the teapot back on the table and resumed
his seat. "Now, try it again."
In the last moments, Smokey had become completely
relaxed. All humiliation over Dallas' presence deserted her,
as with studied concentration she lifted the teapot and filled
glasses to the three-quarter mark, just as the book
jcted Her hand never wavered, and when she put the pot
i, she gave Dallas a huge smile. Dallas couldn't stop
self from laughing. Smokey joined him before asking him
read on.
u In the next hour Dallas read while Smokey set the table,
served from a standing position and drank her "tea" without
spilling a drop. Dallas thought she might go on forever, but his
stomach suddenly growled very loudly.
"I didn't take time for breakfast," he said with a sheepish
grin.
Smokey frowned "I didn't either, now that you mention it.
I guess we had better head back."
They were gathering the tea set to return it to the box
when Smokey realized she couldn't find her cap. She searched
around a bit, but stopped on Dallas1 words.
"Why do you need it?"
"Because I don't want to cut my hair."
"Why would you have to do either; I mean cut it or cover
it?"
"The wind, Dallas," Smokey explained patiently. "I can't
let it hang down while on the Aramis. It blinds me."
"Here," Dallas stepped toward her, "turn around a minute."
Smokey did as he directed without question, but she stiffened
when she felt his hands on her hair. When they were
both working on her ship, it was easy to remember their
positions; she was the captain and he was pan of her crew. But
in Maine or here on the island, she was a woman and he was a
man, and Smokey found herself unable to remember anything.
Dallas was feeling the same way at the moment and was
tremendously relieved that Smokey's back was to him, allowing
him to hide his expression. He efficiently braided the
length of her hair, amazed at how soft and thick it was, and
tied the end with a thin leather strip he wore about his wrist.
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"There" he said proudly when the work was done Smokey's]
hand went to her nape as she turned to face him.l
Until that moment, she had given no thought to his bare
chest or the dark stubble on his cheeks, but he suddenly became
more male than she had ever noticed The breadth of his
shoulders and the muscles in his arms, along with the way his
gold ring hung sparkling from his ear, were so distracting that
Smokey could only gaze hopelessly into his crystal-blue eyes.
"Your hair is beautiful." Smokey heard Dallas' voice,
although he sounded a long way off. "It seems a shame to
cover it." Smokey made no reply, but continued to look at
Dallas, her heart in her eyes.
"Smokey," Dallas' voice had turned hoarse. "If you don't
stop staring at me like that, I'm going to kiss you."
Smokey unconsciously raised her face, and Dallas lowered
his. Darsey had come upon them, but had discreetly
moved away this time in order to give them privacy. Dallas'
lips were just a breath away from Smokey's when a bird
suddenly flew from the trees and startled them both. The interruption broke the spell.
Smokey, her heart still madly pounding in her chest, spoke
to Dallas, but her eyes never left the ground
"It's time to get back to the ship. I'm sure Darsey is nearby.
He can help you take the table and chairs back to the boat. I'll
see you on board"
Dallas watched her walk away, knowing he had no choice
but to obey. Within moments she had gone from a very warm,
embraceable woman to the businesslike /vnt*t~ ***-- *'-
,v ,
vw, .1. uiun i uiange me way he felt inside--
like a man who had been offered a lovely gift, only to have it
snatched away a moment before he could grasp it.
Smokey had been right about Darsey; he appeared just
moments later. Dallas was thankful for his help as well as his
silence. He needed that time to pray. He was still praying when
the Aramis set sail less than an hour later.
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?
That evening when all was quiet on the ship, Darsey found
^ alone at the railing. The moon was a crescent in the
, but there was still enough light for the first mate to see his
jtaln's face.
"Are you all right?" Darsey asked without preamble,
lokey nodded, turning to look at her friend and confidant.
"I think so," she told him. "I was afraid for a few moments
the island."
"Of Dallas?" Darsey's voice held legitimate concern.
"No," Smokey reassured him. "I think my fear stems from
Rhe intensity of my feelings. By the time I gained my cabin, frustration had set in. There's nothing I can do about the way I
feel."
Darsey had no argument for that. They were both professionals
and rightfully believed this was not the time or place
to pursue a romance. Smokey reassured Darsey that she was
going to be fine and talked of other things before going down
to bed. Upon her departure, Darsey went on watch.
When the older man was finally alone, he let his mind drift
to the youngest crewman. As quiet as Dallas had been when
they had left the island earlier, Darsey was quite certain that
he understood the situation as well. Darsey found his respect
growing for Dallas every day.
107
with the ship headed toward London, the next days
passed in an uneventful fashion, and neither Dallas nor
Smokey could have said exactly why. Maybe it was because
they forced their minds away from the incident on the island,
or maybe it was the amount of praying they both did when
apart from the rest of the crew.
Only when Smokey was alone in her cabin and Dallas lay
in his bunk did they allow their minds to drift back to the near
kiss and the way they felt. On the heels of their thoughts, they
turned to God
Smokey begged God to help her forget Dallas, sure that he
could never be serious about her. Dallas, on the other hand,
prayed for patience where Smokey was concerned, knowing
she did not recognize his feelings for her as yet. He also
prayed for a gentle way of telling Kathleen that he was falling
for another woman.
Women like Smokey were a complete mystery to women
like Kathleen. Kathleen never read a newspaper or cared to
talk about anything beyond the latest dress pattern she had
seen or who was getting married next and how pretty the
bride's dress would be. It wasn't that Kathleen was slow, it was
|ust that her world was so small.
Dallas clearly remembered the first time he'd tried to talk
b'ber about the ships he dreamed of building. "Oh, Dallas,"
: had laughingly said. "I'm just a woman, and a woman can't
stand those kinds of things."
Dallas had had to bite his tongue to keep from telling
ithleen that Jenny knew all about ships, or to ask her what
a woman had to do with anything. Kathleen changed
: subject soon after that, however, and Dallas still regretted
Jthat he hadn't questioned her when he'd had the chance.
Worrying about his relationship with Kathleen when they
were miles from home was not going to change a thing. Dallas
determined to speak with her as soon as he returned He had
no guarantees that he and Smokey had a future, but he couldn't
go on seeing a woman whose company paled so dramatically
in the light of his captain's.
*
When they docked in London, Dallas listened while Darsey
put some men on watch. The older man then turned to Dallas
and invited him to clean up and go with them ashore.
They'd come in and delivered a load of coffee and taken
on half a holdful of wool. He hadn't seen much of Smokey
since they'd docked, but she now appeared, hair brushed
smooth and in a fresh braid that hung down her back, and
wearing a different, brighter-colored overtunic than she usually
wore.
Smokey and Darsey stood on the deck and talked while
the officers readied themselves, all turning up freshly shaved
and clothed just 15 minutes later. Darsey led the procession
off the ship, Smokey following behind him. Consumed with
routine for each of them was more than clear, until he saw
where they were headed
Darsey walked calmly into one of the roughest parts of the
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{
docks, to a waterfront tavern that was so hidden, Dallas would
have missed it had he been alone.
Clancy's Place was painted on the door in faded, chipped
letters. Dallas watched as Darsey opened the door and held it
for Smokey to enter. If Dallas hadn't already been captivated
with this woman, he would have been stunned at the events of
the next moments. As it was, he was more than a little surprised
at the spaciousness of the tavern and his captain's
welcome once she stepped in.
As if someone had blown a whistle, the place grew very
still. Heads turned, and drinks and cards were placed on the
table with an almost reverent quiet. Smokey began to make
her way through the crowd As she passed each table, the
occupants stood. Dallas listened in fascination to the words
exchanged
"Hello, Timmy," Smokey spoke to a man who looked well
over 100.
"Hello, Cap'n. How's business?"
"Smooth. How's Betsy?"
"Fine, she asks about you."
"Give her my love."
And on it went. She had a word for nearly everyone in the
room. As they neared the bar, she spoke to one man who
hadn't stood
"Hello, Hector."
Hector only grunted.
"Well," she spoke wryly, "you grunt as well as you always
have, so I guess that means you're doing well."
That said, she used two fingers and flicked the cap from
his head Dallas listened as the room erupted with laugher,
and watched a grudging smile cross Hector's face even though
he never stood or even looked at her.
Finally they were at the bar. A man who was nearly as wide
as the wall behind him stood opposite them, his grin as
toothless as that of a baby's.
"Is the back room open tonight, Bart?" Smokey asked with
an innocent smile.
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"Well-l-I," the heavy man said with a twinkle in his eye.
tell you, Smoke, there was a great group of nuns just in
and wantin' my back room. I didn't know if you was
ling, you see," he shrugged at this point, and Smokey hid a
lile. "So I had to turn them away. I'm sure I lost a great deal
money."
Another nonchalant shrug accompanied these words, and
