A Ship Through Time

by Bess McBride

“Oh, really? Why?”

  His cheeks bronzed once again.

  “One would have to be married to have children. Given my career at sea, I do not meet many eligible women.”

  I wondered about Polynesian women but said nothing.

  “But you do have female passengers, don’t you?” I grinned. Both ladies I had seen appeared to be quite a bit older than Daniel.

  “Yes, we do, though only the two ladies on this voyage. Or three.” Again, that handsome smile. “Still, there is little occasion for me to form an attachment to a passenger. It is generally frowned upon to fraternize other than in one’s capacity as a ship’s officer.”

  “Will you always be a ship’s doctor? You don’t even have to work, do you?”

  “What do you mean?” he asked, helping himself to a glass of wine.

  “Well, you mention a family home in New York, a housekeeper, rooms in San Francisco. I’m assuming you are comfortable.”

  “Ah! Are you asking if I am wealthy?”

  “Only in that you don’t have to spend the rest of your life at sea.”

  “No, I do not need to sail the world to support myself. You are right. But I enjoy my profession, and I enjoy life at sea. For a while longer, at any rate.”

  “So, no children.”

  “No, probably not. And you, Mrs. Wollam? I never asked. Do you have children?” He straightened. “Goodness! Do you? They must be very young if you do. Who takes care of them while you sail?”

  “No, no children. My husband and I did not have children before he died.”

  “May I ask how your husband died? If you do not wish to answer, I understand.”

  “No, that’s all right. He had a brain aneurysm at twenty-eight.”

  “My condolences,” he murmured.

  “Thank you. Jeff had his own law practice, specializing in estate planning, and you can imagine, he planned his own estate well, leaving me wanting for nothing. Except a husband. And children.”

  Tears formed in my eyes. I held my breath and blinked them away.

  “I am so sorry.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You are still young. I trust you will marry again.”

  “Maybe.” I didn’t want to talk about my future anymore. I only wanted to live in the present with the dreamy doctor.

  “Do you think we could take a walk on deck yet?”

  Daniel set his wineglass down and looked out one of the portholes. Night had fallen.

  “Yes, I think we could chance it for a moment. Most guests will still be dining. I will give you Thomas’s jacket, as the night breezes will be cool.”

  “And my dress is still kind of revealing? For 1847?”

  “Perhaps,” he said. The corners of his lips twitched, and my heart rolled over.

  He picked up Thomas’s dark jacket and settled it over my shoulders. I followed him to the door, where he looked out before signaling forward. With a hand at the small of my back, he guided me down the hallway until we reached the wooden door that opened onto the deck. He pushed the door open, and we emerged onto a breezy dark night.

  Daniel tucked my hand under his arm as we walked. In the absence of lighting, the moon, thankfully full, shed some light on the deck. The night wind blew strong, loosening my chignon. I grabbed at my hair to hold it in place.

  “Let it go,” Daniel said. “The winds are strong at night, and you have no hope of keeping your coiffure in place. Your hair looks lovely blowing in the breeze.”

  Daniel stopped and turned to me. He reached up as if to push a reddish-brown lock from my face. I closed my eyes.

  Chapter Four

  Just then, I heard voices. Apparently so did Daniel, because he pulled me under a dark stairwell.

  The ladies I had seen before strolled by, accompanied by an elderly gentleman carrying a cane in one hand and holding on to his top hat with the other hand. The ladies, now dressed in bright silks of silver and green, eschewed bonnets in favor of girlish beribboned bows laced through their coifs. Silver ringlets blew in the wind.

  “I think we should have heeded your advice not to attempt a stroll tonight, Mr. Asher. I concede that it is far too windy out here. Will you kindly take us back inside?” the woman in green said.

  “Yes, of course, Mrs. Darymple. I am sorry to have been right about the wind, but there you are.”

  I rolled my eyes at Daniel.

  The threesome reentered the interior ship by a nearby doorway.

  “Ah, yes. Mr. Asher,” Daniel murmured. “He has sailed with us before. I have heard him lament that he cannot find a wife, and he wonders why.”

  I laughed out loud.

  Daniel pulled me out from underneath the stairwell.

  “I think we may feel confident that the other passengers will find the deck too windy, and so we may proceed with our walk if you wish.”

  “I do wish.” I stuck my hand under Daniel’s arm again, and we promenaded in near darkness, buffeted off balance a few times, which made me laugh. Even Daniel chuckled, a sound that warmed my heart.

  “Before you go again, how can we control this coming and going of yours?”

  “I don’t know,” I said, shaking my head. “I really don’t know. I wish I did.”

  “It is no good asking you not to sleep, if that is how you believe you are traveling back and forth.”

  “I’m afraid that won’t work. I’ll just fall asleep when I’m exhausted.”

  “Yes, I noticed,” he said in a dry voice. “And then you vanished.” Daniel pressed my hand tightly against his side, and my knees weakened at the almost possessive gesture. I relished the intimacy of the moment. My pulse pounded in my throat, my heart.

  As if Daniel could feel my chaotic emotions, he looked down at me. I put a nervous hand to my hair to push it back.

  “Have you had enough fresh air?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I said. “We can go back inside.”

  We entered his cabin, and he let me go with seeming reluctance. I retook my seat and watched as he poured himself another glass of wine. I would have loved a glass of the ruby liquid but dared not. I noted the disappearance of the tray of food and surmised that Thomas must have cleared it away.

  Daniel and I talked throughout the night. I thought I would struggle with drowsiness, but I remained alert. Was it possible that I slept soundly in my own time, thereby allowing me to stay with Daniel?

  It seemed as if both of us were starved for conversation. He spoke of his life on the sea as a merchant ship’s doctor, and I told him about my painting. We shared the common bond of lonely childhoods with inattentive parents. His parents had traveled a great deal but left him home with the housekeeper. My parents had socialized excessively, both ultimately drinking and smoking themselves into early graves by the time I was twenty-two.

  The wind grew stronger overnight, and the ship bounced around in the ocean. Rain began to pelt the portholes.

  “It seems we have run into a storm,” Daniel said, rising to look out of one of the windows. “The sea has grown rough. Swells are high.” He pulled a pocket watch from a pocket in his jacket.

  “It is nearly dawn. I will fetch us some fresh hot tea and toast. Stay in the cabin. The deck will no doubt be awash with waves, and it would not be safe for you outside.”

  Daniel left, and I listened to the creaking of the ship. I’d only taken cruises twice before with Jeff, and I didn’t consider myself a confident sailor. I had to admit that I was worried. The ship groaned beneath me, and furniture began to slide around in Daniel’s cabin. A loud thud and shudder shook the ship.

  I looked up at the porthole. Rain lashed against the window, rattling it. The ship suddenly rolled from side to side.

  Panicked, I jumped up and made my way to the cabin door by holding on to whatever furniture didn’t move. I needed Daniel’s reassuring presence.

  I pulled open the door and looked out into the hallway. Darkness prevailed, but as people began to emerge from their cabins in various states of
undress, holding candles and lanterns aloft, I saw that the ship listed slightly to the starboard side. Mrs. Darymple and her companion emerged into the hallway. In disarray as if they’d dressed hurriedly, the older women clutched at each other as they struggled for balance.

  Thomas nimbly ran down the hallway toward me.

  “Mrs. Wollam, the doctor says you are to come to the infirmary. Several crew members have been injured in an explosion. He cannot leave, but he thinks you would be safer with him than in the cabin alone.”

  I followed Thomas down the hall. So panicked were the passengers that no one even seemed to notice me. Mr. Asher emerged from his cabin, holding up a lantern.

  “Young man! Young man, what is going on?”

  At that moment, several crew members hurried into the hallway and ordered the passengers to collect in the dining room.

  Thomas paused and bit his lip, as if he was thinking.

  “Thomas! What’s happening?” I almost shouted above another loud groan of the ship.

  “I think the ship is in danger of sinking, Mrs. Wollam. Come! We have to find the doctor. He will know what to do. It’s just down one deck.”

  Shouts and shrieks from frightened passengers followed me as I hurried after Thomas. I definitely didn’t want to descend any farther into the ship, but I wanted to find Daniel.

  We clattered down the stairs and emerged onto the deck that housed Thomas’s cabin. Instead of turning right toward his room, we turned left. Thomas led me to an open doorway, where we found Daniel, his jacket thrown aside, shirtsleeves rolled up, tending to two men who looked severely burnt. I stopped short in shock. I had never seen anything so awful in my life as charred human skin. The smell overwhelmed me.

  “Thomas, tend to the men,” Daniel said. He hurried toward me, pulled me into his arms and whispered into my ear.

  “If you have the ability to travel back to your time, go now!” he said. “The ship is sinking. I do not think we are near land. Go, Maggie. Go!”

  I clung to Daniel when he tried to pull away from me.

  “I can’t just make it happen! Don’t leave me, Daniel.”

  “Please go, Maggie. Do what you must to save yourself.”

  Daniel kissed my hand and turned away. He returned to one of the men’s sides. I saw Thomas shake his head, and Daniel moved onto the second man. His shoulders sagged, and he turned back to me, his face stricken. I knew that the men were dead.

  Another groan of the ship terrified me and galvanized Daniel into action. He grabbed Thomas by the back of his jacket and pulled him toward the door, grabbing me up on the way.

  “Off we go!” He propelled us out the doorway and down the hall. Crew members ran past us, oblivious to us, to me. Daniel pushed Thomas up the stairs and half carried me up in a whirl.

  We reached the heavy wooden door leading to the deck, but it stuck. Together, we three pushed against the door and managed to open it a crack. Rain forced its way in, painfully pelting our faces. Wind screamed through the partially opened door.

  “Keep pushing!” Daniel shouted above the noise.

  A heavy weight landed on my back, and I looked over my shoulder to see two crew members launching themselves against the door to help open it. Although I found myself smothered in the mix of bodies, I welcomed the help of the young men, whose aprons suggested they either cooked or served food.

  “Thank you, boys!” Daniel shouted as the door opened fully. An assault of horrific weather pounded us as we emerged onto what must have been the port side of the deck. The ship listed such that we couldn’t plant both feet squarely on the deck. Daniel gave Thomas an almost vertical boost to reach the railing, and then he pushed me above him. The crewmen scrambled over us, and while one hung on to Thomas, the other, a short burly blond, grabbed me with both hands, pulling me up.

  I grabbed the railing, wrapped my arms around it and held on, shouting for Daniel. The blond who had grabbed me held out a hand, and Daniel grasped it to pull himself up beside me.

  “Are you all right?” he shouted. “Thomas, boys?”

  I nodded and turned to look at Thomas, clinging to the rail on my left. His teeth chattered, but he nodded. The tall, lanky dark-haired crewman who had helped Thomas kept hold of him around the waist.

  “We must get to a boat!” Daniel shouted to the men.

  Through thick sheets of rain and a terrifying roaring of the sea as it attempted to suck the ship down, I heard nearby shouts and screams. I looked down to see another crew member trying to help Mrs. Darymple and her companion reach the railing.

  “Stay put, Thomas,” Daniel shouted.

  I screamed as he let go and slid down the deck to help the group.

  “Daniel!”

  The crewmen who had helped us let go as well and scrambled down to aid the older women.

  I sobbed in terror as the ship shuddered, and I reached out to wrap an arm around Thomas’s frame. I hadn’t realized how thin he was, and my maternal instinct kicked in as I felt him shaking.

  “Everything’s going to be all right, Thomas. Everything’s going to be all right.”

  “Yes, miss,” he chattered.

  All four men rather heroically pushed, pulled and prodded the ladies up to the railing. The women, hampered by the weight of their thick rain-soaked skirts, could do little to help. I only hoped those beautiful dresses didn’t drown them. I hoped we all didn’t drown. If I had ever been going to awaken, that moment would have been ideal. But I prayed I wouldn’t.

  Please don’t wake up, I prayed silently. Please don’t wake up. I can’t bear to leave Daniel. Not like this.

  “Look, Doctor!” the tall dark-haired crewman called out. “One of the boats!” He pointed over the edge of the railing toward a wooden skiff heaving in the roiling water four decks below. Empty, it seemed to wait for us. But we would have to jump for it. I doubted any of us could survive landing in the boat, not without breaking a few bones, and I worried that the ladies could not survive a jump straight down into the water.

  “The ladies can’t make that!” I said, leaning in toward Daniel’s ear.

  He turned to me.

  “They have to! Can you swim?” he asked, shouting over the wind and rain.

  I nodded, unsure if my previous snorkeling experience was enough training for the tempestuous waters below but unwilling to add to Daniel’s burden. He appeared to have taken the welfare of our little group upon his shoulders.

  “Good! Stay by me, and watch over Thomas if you can. He’s a good swimmer.” He turned and shouted to the taller crewman. “I will take Mrs. Darymple. Frederick, take Mrs. Simpson.” He indicated the companion. “We have to jump!”

  “No need. I may be old, but I am a strong swimmer,” Mrs. Darymple snapped in a querulous but determined voice. “Take care of Agatha!”

  Daniel nodded toward Fredrick, who took hold of the sobbing gray-haired Mrs. Simpson.

  Daniel crawled over my body and positioned himself between Thomas and me.

  “Follow me!” he shouted over his shoulders toward the group.

  Before I was fully aware of what was happening, Daniel pulled Thomas and I over the edge of the railing, and without pause he jumped, taking us with him.

  I screamed, then drew in a sharp breath as the churning ocean rose up to smash against my legs. Plummeting down into the cold depths, I kicked hard toward the surface. I had long ago lost my flip-flops. I didn’t quite realize when. Salt water burned my eyes, and I couldn’t orient myself. I’d lost Daniel and Thomas on entry into the water. Panicked, I kicked once again, hoping I was heading in the right direction.

  An arm slid around my waist, and I looked up to see Daniel close to my face, his hair billowing in the water. Thomas swam close to him, one hand on Daniel’s back.

  Daniel kicked hard and pulled us upward, and we emerged to gasp air. Waves, wind and rain battered me, and Daniel grabbed my hand as we kicked for the boat. Thomas stayed close.

  Ahead, I could see the men crawling into t
he boat and pulling the two women with them. Thomas swam ahead toward the boat, and one of the men leaned over, grabbed his outstretched arms and hauled him in.

  “Doctor!” Thomas turned and called out. “This way!”

  Daniel and I reached the side of the wildly rocking skiff.

  “Wait for a wave,” Daniel shouted. He grabbed me around the waist and on the crest of a wave, threw me up over the lip of the hull. The men grabbed me and pulled me in, dropping me on the floorboards.

  I jumped up to ensure that Daniel followed closely behind me.

  But he didn’t. A cresting wave carried him away from the boat, and I screamed for him.

  “Daniel! Daniel!” I rose, prepared to jump in after him, but I heard his voice.

  “No, Maggie! Stay!”

  He fought his way out of the wave and turned back to us, kicking wildly, his arms cleaving through the rough waters.

  I sobbed as he neared the boat.

  “Daniel!” I shouted raggedly.

  Daniel raised a hand, and the blond grabbed it. I leaned over, doing nothing more than getting in the way, as the three crew members and Thomas reached for Daniel to haul him into the boat. Daniel fell onto the floorboards in an exhausted mess, and I grabbed one of his cold hands.

  “Thank you! Thank you!” I said to the men, now grabbing two sets of oars in the boat. Mrs. Darymple and Mrs. Simpson huddled together on the aft benches.

  “Go, sit with the women, Maggie,” Daniel ordered. He pulled my hand to his lips before giving me a gentle shove. I crawled my way aft and hunkered down at their feet, no room left on the benches.

  “Come, girl. Sit here,” Mrs. Darymple ordered. She moved over, but I shook my head.

  “No, I’m fine down here. I feel safer!”

  “Row away from the ship before she sucks us under,” Daniel yelled. “Look for survivors!” He shrugged out of his sodden jacket, took hold of one of the oars and pulled hard, helping turn the bow of the lifeboat away from the sinking ship.

  I rose up to my knees and looked over the edge of the hull. A horrific sight, the three-masted ship listed to the right and appeared to be sinking in a swell of waves. I couldn’t watch, and I turned away to see the muscles in Daniel’s back strain against his wet shirt as he pulled at the oars, taking us safely away from the undertow of the doomed ship.