A Lesson in Presumption

by Jennifer Connors

  Nathaniel put a hand on her arm in warning, but Ginny just ignored him. “Captain Webster learned that the captain on the naval ship taking me across the Atlantic believed that I was innocent and was going to deliver me to his home on Hispaniola, instead of St. Lucia where I was to work as a slave to some plantation owner.”

  Megan took a deep swallow of her wine and nearly choked, while Frank turned a strange shade of green. The hand on her arm tightened, but Ginny was having way too much fun to stop.

  “So, Nathaniel, I mean, Captain Webster, kidnapped me and brought me aboard. I was able to convince him of my innocence, but only after we dueled with swords and I escaped by diving off the side of the ship and swimming to shore. He was able to find me pretty easily though...” At that point, the grip was almost painful, as though he suspected that Ginny would reveal that their intimacy was what really kept her out of the brig. There was no reason for her to reveal such a personal bit of information, especially to a missionary and his daughter. Instead, she took pity on all involved and ended her story there.

  “My,” was all Frank said, with his daughter left completely mute. Nathaniel was shooting daggers at her, but Ginny ignored it all and began to eat her dinner. When the silence continued, the entire dinner became awkward.

  “This food is delicious,” Ginny said, trying to draw them out of their muteness.

  “Yes, quite,” was all Megan got out. Judging by the red mark on Ginny's arm, she was in for an earful later. Frank had crossed himself a few times before finally realizing that everyone else was eating. He bent his head in silent prayer and then went about his dinner. Ginny couldn't wait to tell the story to Gideon and Spencer. They were the only two who could appreciate it.

  When the meal was over, Frank pleaded fatigue and escorted his daughter out of the cabin. The dishes were cleared and Ginny was about to get ready for bed when Nathaniel finally spoke up.

  “What was that about, Corliss?” His tone was menacing, but Ginny'd heard menacing before.

  “They asked how I came to be on board. What would you have me tell them, Nathaniel?”

  “You could have softened it a bit. Now they think I kidnap husband murderers.”

  Squinting her eyes in confusion, Ginny said, “You did.”

  “There was no need to embarrass me. If you want them to know that you murdered your husband, then so be it. But do not make me look poorly for your bad decisions.”

  Ginny was shocked by his assertion. “I beg your pardon. Now we're back to me murdering my husband? When did that happen?”

  Nathaniel let his full exasperation fall across his face. “I never said otherwise, if you recall.”

  “No, you just started sleeping with me instead. Which is worse, the woman who murdered her husband, or the man willing to screw around with her even though her husband was his cousin.” That had been a mouthful and Ginny almost laughed at herself.

  “Get some sleep, Corliss. I have several duties to attend to.” With that, he walked out the door, nearly slamming it shut. Sitting down on the berth, Ginny stared at the door for a minute, again wondering if she were playing the right role. There was no doubt that he was the mega-hunk. There was no doubt that she was beautiful. And especially, there was no doubt that the sex was incredible. So why did she feel like he wasn't the one for her. Shouldn't he be?

  Changing into a simple white nightgown, Ginny crawled into bed. She had the feeling that Nathaniel wouldn't be joining her that night. It was fine with her, since he wasn't exactly her favorite person at the moment. Releasing a big sigh, Ginny fell asleep, thinking about how she should fix her life this time.

  Chapter 23

  Having a wonderful dream about basking on a beach with a large umbrella drink in her hand, Ginny didn't realize at first what had woken her up so abruptly. But then the banging started again. The wind was howling and she heard some of the crew grumbling about the weather. Ginny rolled over and fell back to sleep.

  When next she woke, it was black as pitch and the wind was louder. She heard waves crashing against the side of the boat and there was the distinct pitter pat of raindrops falling on the ship. Thankfully, Ginny didn't suffer from seasickness, or the pitching of the ship would have sent her to the nearest chamberpot. It was going to be a bad one, she'd surmised although she'd never experienced a storm for herself before. She'd heard the stories though. Unafraid, she rose and got herself dressed without turning on the lantern. Perhaps they would need her help above deck.

  By the time she'd reached the deck, the Victory was rocking and crashing with the waves. Holding on to the railing, Ginny could barely see from the sheets of rain pouring down on her. What she could tell was that something was wrong, as crew members ran hither and yon yelling to one another.

  Ginny made her way toward Nathaniel. She was trying to keep steady though the deck beneath her feet was pitching so wildly and unpredictably that she thought she was going for a swim a few times. By the time she reached the captain, she was able to overhear the issue.

  “I have tried, Captain, but it is caught up good. Someone will have to climb up there and cut her down.” This came from one of the many seasoned crew members, Mr. Hopkins.

  “With this wind, it would be a damned miracle if Noddy could,” Nathaniel responded, with the young boy next to him.

  It took Ginny a moment to realize that they meant to send Noddy up the rigging to cut down a sail that was caught up in the mast. Before she could think otherwise, she said, “Are you crazy? With this wind he would be knocked off before he was halfway up.”

  Nathaniel turned to face her. His look spoke of murderous intent were she to contradict him again. “And what would you suggest, Corliss? If we cannot get that sail down, we could all die when the ship sank.”

  “But surely there is someone else. One of the men...”

  “None of my men are small enough to reach it. Only Noddy can fit under the mast and cut the rope,” Nathaniel was tired of screaming and even more tired of explaining himself.

  Noddy, who hadn't been paying much attention to the argument, said, “I am ready, sir.”

  Handing him a knife, Hopkins and Nathaniel boosted the boy up to the rigging. After a few feet, the boy froze, a look of horror on his face a split second before an enormous wave overtook the deck.

  Nathaniel had only a second to grab Ginny before the two of them went flying across the deck, slamming into the starboard railing. Nathaniel took the brunt of it, getting the wind knocked out of him in the process. Ginny was only a little dazed, and was first to realize that Noddy was no longer on the rigging.

  Looking around, wiping the rain from her face, she spotted him a few feet away, blood pouring from his head. Without a thought for Nathaniel, Ginny crawled over to the boy, checking for a pulse. Hopkins, who had escaped the worst of the wave, came over as well to check on the boy.

  “He's unconscious, but I think he'll be alright,” Ginny screamed over the wind. “Can you take him to Spencer?”

  “Aye, Corliss, but what about the rope? The captain was not lying about that sail taking the whole ship down.”

  Ginny looked up the thirty foot climb. With the ship swaying and the wind blowing in gusts over fifty miles per hour, she knew there were a dozen others things she'd rather be doing. But the truth was, Nathaniel was correct in that no man could fit where he was needed to be to cut the rope. Unfortunately, Noddy hadn't been the only person who could do it. Ginny's body was small enough to fit as well.

  Looking back at Hopkins, Ginny screamed, “Give me a boost. I'll do it.”

  Horror came across the old sailor's face before reality set in. Nodding quickly, he handed her another sheathed knife and walked her over to the bottom of the rigging. Ginny placed the knife in the back of her pants, knowing full well she'd need both hands for the climb. Waiting for a lull in the wind, Hopkins lifted her with ease, enough for her to grab the rigging and start climbing.

  The first few feet were easy, as the ship was a little steadi
er from the drop in wind. After that, Ginny learned all about terror. She thought it had been the calm before the storm, as the wind picked up suddenly and the waves began tossing the boat around again.

  Several times, Ginny had to stop and hold on for dear life. At one point, she swore her body touched the ocean with ship leaning that far over. It took her forever to reach the spot she needed to be, but as soon as she got there, a gust nearly took her off the rigging. She managed to hold on with one hand, but not before she saw her life flash before her eyes. In that moment, Ginny realized something important. Heroines don't die and she had no plans to be the first.

  Regaining her balance, Ginny started to cut through the rope. With one arm wrapped around the rigging, she used her right hand to cut. Either she had a dull blade or the rope was industrially tough, but as she continued to hack at it, the rope withstood her attempts.

  Without considering her precarious position, Ginny shifted to put more weight into her task. Now she used both hands, balancing her body against the mast, with her feet still in the rigging. She was finally making some progress when the worst occurred. Another gust of wind knocked her off her perch, nearly sending her to the deck below. By letting go of the knife, she was able to keep herself from falling. Looking down, she saw several crew members looking at the long blade imbedded in the deck. Turning back to the rope, Ginny started pulling on the end, hoping that she'd cut it enough to pull the two pieces apart.

  “Come on, goddammit,” she screamed as she pulled. Aware of how dangerous her actions were, she continued to pull. Not knowing how much time she had, or whether another crew member would attempt the climb to give her another blade, Ginny pulled like her life depended on it. Just when she thought it was hopeless, the rope gave way, sending Ginny flying backwards.

  The sensation of falling was her first feeling, followed quickly by a sharp pain in her ankle where her foot caught on the rigging. Now she was upside down, hanging, while the wind gusted around her. If it weren't happening to her, she might have laughed at the absurdity. Instead, she decided that no one was going to climb up to save her, so she had better get to that herself.

  Flipping around, Ginny was able to climb up and get her foot loose. A moment later, the wind became even more violent and Ginny didn't think she could climb down without killing herself. She had to make a decision since staying where she was wasn't much of an option either. Looking up, she saw the crow's nest. It would mean more climbing, but it was a shorter distance than the deck. If she could reach it, she could hide in it until the worst of the storm was over.

  Not willing to question her plan, Ginny climbed up slowly. It took several minutes, but when the wind died down slightly, she threw herself in to the tiny basket. Grabbing hold of the mast, she held on for the ride of her life. She couldn't hear the crew below her and she didn't want to look down by sticking her head over the rim, which provided her some relief from the wind.

  Through the night, she sat there, holding on and praying. What kind of story would it be if she died? Ginny thought a pretty rotten one, so it fueled her faith that all would be well. She wondered if Noddy was alright. He looked so fragile on the deck when she left him. Hopefully Spencer was taking care of him at that very moment.

  Then she thought about Nathaniel. It occurred to her that she hadn't given him a second thought when they'd been flung aside by the wave, although Nathaniel had grabbed her and kept her safe. After their fight earlier, she wondered if there was more at play than she realized. All of the drama was hurting her head. Eventually, the rocking softened and the wind died down. Unwilling to give up her safe haven, Ginny slowly fell asleep. Her last thoughts were of Nathaniel and what she was going to do about their relationship.

  ********

  “Well, there. Asleep on the job, are ya?”

  Ginny squinted against the bright sunshine. It took her a minute to realize where she was. Covering her eyes with her hand, she saw that Mr. Hopkins had made the climb to check on her.

  “Now, now, missy, let us get ya up slowly.”

  Ginny obeyed his orders, only thinking about how thirsty she was, which seemed ironic considering how many gallons of water had been dumped on her head the night before. When she was able to stand, Ginny peered over to the deck below. Once the crew spotted her, they began to cheer her. Smiling, Ginny allowed Hopkins to help her down the rigging.

  When her feet hit the deck, Gideon was the first to grab her, giving her a giant bear hug. When he pulled away, she thought she saw a tear in his eye. Grabbing his arm, Ginny wanted to reassure him that she was alright.

  “I'm fine, Gideon. I'm sorry if I worried you.”

  Coughing to clear his throat, Gideon responded, “Well, Corliss, ya do look a fright this morning.”

  Chuckling, she responded, “Gee, thanks. I save your ass and you make fun of me?”

  “Well, ya look like a drowned rat, but the dried blood is what makes you look a fright.”

  Dried blood? “What do you mean, dried blood?” Ginny asked as she reached up and felt a scratch that ran from her temple to her ear. She wouldn't need stitches, but it must make her look like death itself.

  “Now, Corliss, we cannot have ya being vain. We all have scars to show our hard work.”

  The crew members who surrounded them laughed and each in turn showed her a scar to prove Gideon's point. Ginny rolled her eyes and turned to go back to her cabin to clean up. As the crew parted to allow her to pass, she spotted Nathaniel. His expression was unreadable.

  “You would be wanting to change, Corliss. Come along so we can talk.”

  Glancing in Gideon's direction, he looked as clueless as she felt. Following behind him, Ginny entered the cabin and sat in one of the chairs to remove her sodden boots. Meanwhile, she noticed that Nathaniel locked the door and began to pace in front of her.

  “That was foolhardy, to say the least,” he said, pausing only long enough to give her a stern look before continuing his pacing.

  “There was no one else, Nathaniel. And to be honest, I agree. It was foolish.”

  With her agreement, the wind was let out of his sails. Coming to stand before her, Nathaniel reached down and grabbed Ginny from her chair a moment before his lips came down on hers. At first, Ginny's surprise kept her from responding. After all, weren't they fighting and questioning their relationship? When his hands began unbuttoning her shirt, Ginny allowed those thoughts to leave her head. After her terrifying ordeal, she wanted a little alone time with a man who could grant her her every sexual desire. Ginny knew it was selfish, but after spending the night in a crow's nest in hurricane force winds, she'd earned a little selfishness.

  Nathaniel pulled her shirt down to expose her neck. His mouth moved there, tasting the salt of her sweat on her skin. Just as Ginny was reaching to take off his shirt, Nathaniel pulled back. Holding her at arm's length, he just stared into her eyes.

  “You must be wanting a bath, Corliss. We certainly have plenty of water after last night, so I will call to have some hot water prepared.”

  Releasing her suddenly, he turned to walk out. Before he could leave, Ginny asked, “How's Noddy?” When the question left her lips, it shocked her as much as it did Nathaniel. Shouldn't she be mad that he'd initiated sex and wasn't delivering? Shouldn't she be asking him what the hell was going on? Truth was, she didn't care. If their relationship ended that very minute, she'd not be scarred.

  “He took a good bump to his head, but Sherwood said he should be fine. He was plenty worried about you, Corliss. Feels guilty for letting the crew down.”

  Ginny turned around to look at her... what? Boyfriend? Lover? Guy she was sharing a bed with until something better came along? Lord have mercy, she was so confused.

  “After my bath I'll check on him. I wouldn't want him feeling badly about attempting something so dangerous.”

  “Indeed,” Nathaniel said as he left the room.

  Sitting herself back on the chair, Ginny turned to removing her damp hose. As
she got the second one off with a satisfying sucking sound, the door opened without a knock and in walked Spencer.

  Glancing up at her guest, she said, “Good thing I wasn't naked yet, Spencer.”

  Taking in her disheveled appearance, including her mostly open shirt, Spencer replied, “Or what?”

  Ginny took in the arrogant stance, the challenging raised eyebrow. What, indeed. “Or I would have to kick your bony ass out of here.”

  “Working on a privateer's ship has not improved your vocabulary, Corliss. And I would love to see you try.”

  Something flashed through Ginny that she hadn't expected. The only words she could use to describe it was “surprisingly turned on.” Spencer was good looking, but he did not strike her as the usual romance novel hero, where Webster had that in spades. Of course, if she'd learned anything from her last novel, it was that friendship made the best aphrodisiac.