[Yukon Quest 01] - Treasures Of The North

by Tracie Peterson

  ‘‘It’s his entire manner. He believes us to be subservient and incapable of tending to our own welfare. He thinks us scandalous for our unescorted travel—and he called us ‘trouble’!’’

  ‘‘No, dear, I believe he called you, in particular, ‘trouble,’ ’’ Doris replied.

  ‘‘Exactly. He’s hateful and mean-spirited.’’ Karen pulled out her hat pin and jabbed it at the air. ‘‘That’s what I’d like to give you, Captain Colton.’’

  Grace couldn’t help but smile. Her friend’s rage at the man was a most uncommon reaction. Generally Karen held her tongue and her temper. She knew what was expected of a lady, and she had been schooled in genteel manners and acceptable decorum. Grace had never seen her overstep those bounds— until now.

  ‘‘I believe the captain is merely trying to attend to our safety,’’ Grace said, smoothing down the windblown collar of her brown-and cream-colored afternoon dress.

  ‘‘And we did not exactly endear ourselves to him with our additional luggage and goods,’’ Doris reminded her.

  ‘‘Everyone is shipping an exaggerated amount of goods. It’s required of them,’’ Karen replied. ‘‘Ours should be no different. Besides, I heard it said that one of those women of ill repute was even bringing a sewing machine. How necessary is that?’’

  ‘‘Well, perhaps she’s in the process of changing occupations,’’ Doris suggested with a pondering look that made Grace giggle. ‘‘Either way, it’s not of any further concern. Dear me, five days from now you will never have to lay eyes on the man again.’’

  ‘‘Thank the Lord for that,’’ Karen stated, giving her hat a toss to the tiny wooden table.

  ‘‘We should thank God for a great deal more,’’ Grace interjected. ‘‘Did you see the thousands lining the docks, just pleading to be allowed passage? Why, I heard the captain say that some men even jumped off the docks and tried to swim out after the ship and sneak aboard.’’

  ‘‘Gold fever will make a man do ridiculous things,’’ Doris agreed. ‘‘And yes, we should thank God for our passage and our safety. I believe Captain Colton will work hard to ensure our welfare. He seems a most conscientious young man.’’

  ‘‘Well, he gets no such kind word from me,’’ Karen replied. ‘‘He’s given us a cabin hardly bigger than a wash closet and insisted that it be our cell for the next five days. There is no privacy whatsoever here. A person cannot even tend to their needs without an audience.’’

  ‘‘We’ll make do,’’ Doris replied. ‘‘Mercy, if we can’t figure out how to afford ourselves that much consideration, we are not half the women I believe us to be.’’

  ‘‘What do you suggest?’’ Karen questioned. ‘‘I mean, just look at this place.’’

  Grace followed the sweep of Karen’s arm with her own scrutinizing gaze. It was indeed a small cabin, probably only eight by eight. Two bunks had been built against the wall. One butted up against the other to make an L shape. Other than this, the only furnishing was a small crudely fashioned table and two chairs over which a lantern hung to provide their only light. The entire cabin, including the beds, table, and chairs had been whitewashed. Grace supposed it also helped to make the windowless room seem brighter.

  At least it appears clean, Grace thought. We could be stuck in a dirty steerage area where everyone lives atop everyone else. Here the room might seem understated, but it was their own hiding place.

  ‘‘There aren’t even enough chairs for us to all sit around the table together.’’

  ‘‘I suppose that will do away with any plans for a game of cards,’’ Doris teased.

  The things they had deemed necessary for the trip had been packed together into two steamer trunks and positioned against the wall. The sight of them gave Grace an idea. ‘‘We could use one of the trunks for a third seat. It’s very nearly the same height as the chairs and that way we could all eat together.’’

  ‘‘I suppose for five days we can endure most anything,’’ Karen muttered. ‘‘And as long as we keep the door bolted, we won’t have to endure Captain Colton’s attention.’’

  ‘‘He is a dashing young man,’’ Doris said with a smile.

  Grace felt her cheeks flush, for she’d already thought the same thing. Turning toward the trunk, she hid her face for fear of being questioned.

  ‘‘Too bad he doesn’t have a decent personality to go along with those dashing looks,’’ Karen remarked. ‘‘Perhaps God thought giving him both would rob a more deserving man of at least a positive personality.’’

  Grace said nothing, but even hours later when the walls of the cabin began to close in on her, she was still considering Karen’s words.

  I think him to have a rather nice personality. He’s stern, true enough, but there is something about him that appeals to me.Mr. Paxton is stern and demanding as well, but there is a cruelty in his actions that is lacking in Captain Colton’s demeanor.

  Thinking of Martin Paxton, Grace couldn’t help but worry after her parents. Were they safe? Had he hurt them? She tried not to let the thoughts give way to fears, but inevitably images of Paxton had a way of tearing apart her confidence.

  Tossing back and forth in the rock-hard berth, Grace finally gave up trying to sleep. Pushing back the covers, she slipped over the side of the berth and climbed down from the upper bunk. Fully clothed for fear of the ship springing a leak and requiring them to make some midnight escape, Grace tiptoed to the door. She had to have some fresh air. Even if she only opened the door for a moment.

  Catching her toe against one of the chairs, Grace covered her mouth with her hand to keep from crying out. Pain shot up her leg for a moment, but she ignored it as best she could. She glanced over her shoulders to make certain she hadn’t awakened Karen or Doris, but in the darkness, it was impossible to see.

  Such blackness, she thought. It was rather like a tomb. The feeling caused the hairs on the back of her neck to prickle. The stale salt air, combined with the moaning and shifting of the ship, left Grace in an alarming state of discomfort.

  Just a little fresh air. That can’t possibly hurt anyone. She slid back the lock and opened the door ever so slowly. Dim light flooded the room to her surprise. Outside in the narrow passage a wall fixture had been lit, much to Grace’s delight. To her disappointment, however, the air inside the enclosed passageway was just as heavy as that of the cabin. Dare she go up to the deck?

  She considered Captain Colton’s words of warning—his orders were to be followed under penalty of expulsion. Surely he would understand. Beneath his gruff exterior, he seemed like a reasonable man.

  Quietly, she pulled the cabin door closed behind her and decided to risk it. The feeling of being sealed in her own grave was much too great. It didn’t help to have the snarling face of Martin Paxton haunting her sleep. The nightmares that concerned him were of no matter to anyone else, but Grace instinctively knew that this man would not give up without a fight. She felt certain inside her heart that he would seek to cause her family great harm.

  Just thinking of the man caused Grace’s pulse to race. What if he had already exacted his revenge? What if he had ruined her family and they were even now penniless and destitute? Her breathing quickened as she picked up her pace. As if Paxton himself were chasing her, Grace hurried up the steps and flung open the passageway door.

  Cold damp air rushed over her face and body. It had a sort of calming effect that caused Grace to lean back against the frame, panting. Closing her eyes, Grace tried to settle her spirit. Prayer seemed difficult.

  ‘‘Lord, I want to trust you. I want to believe I’m doing the right thing,’’ she whispered.

  ‘‘What are you doing out here?’’ Captain Colton’s voice growled out, demanding an answer.

  Opening her eyes slowly, Grace swallowed the lump of fear in her throat. She could see the displeasure in his face. His jaw was set firm and his eyes narrowed in a menacing way.

  ‘‘I couldn’t breathe,’’ she said softly. ‘�
��The air was so heavy and the room began to close in on me. I didn’t seek to be disobedient. Please don’t be angry.’’

  He stepped forward and Grace cowered back, flinching as if he might hit her. Her action stopped him in midstep.

  ‘‘I won’t hurt you, if that’s what you think.’’ His expression softened. ‘‘I would never strike a woman. Let me escort you out on the deck.’’ He extended his hand and Grace hesitated. ‘‘What is it?’’ he asked softly.

  ‘‘I don’t wish to cause you any trouble. You were so reluctant to take us on board, I won’t have it said that I caused your disapproval,’’ Grace replied. ‘‘I’ll just go back to our cabin.’’

  ‘‘Nonsense,’’ he said, reaching for her. His grip was firm but gentle. ‘‘I promise not to say a single word about this to anyone. You will not bear any punishment from this on my part.’’

  ‘‘I have your word?’’

  His lips curved into a smile and his eyes fairly sparkled. ‘‘You, Miss Hawkins, may have my word.’’

  Grace allowed him to lead her to the deck rail. An invigorating breeze blew across her face and Grace breathed deeply and felt instantly refreshed.

  ‘‘You are a puzzle to me, Miss Hawkins. I am usually a decent judge of character, but you have me completely stumped. You are nothing like your friend, Miss Pierce.’’

  Grace smiled. ‘‘Karen has spent the last ten years as my governess. It’s a wonder that I am not more like her. I always admired her spirit and tried to imitate her.’’

  Peter shook his head. ‘‘Do not continue with that line of study. It would do you a grave injustice.’’

  ‘‘You like her so little?’’

  ‘‘I find her annoying and troublesome.’’

  Grace smiled, for her father had once said the same thing—or nearly so. ‘‘She is spirited and driven. Men seem to find that annoying in a woman.’’

  Peter’s brow raised. ‘‘So have you given yourself to the league of women who believe themselves to be poorly used by men?’’

  Grace could only think of Martin Paxton and the smile left her face. ‘‘Perhaps only by some men.’’

  ‘‘Perhaps this is only true for some women,’’ Peter countered.

  Grace looked out at the black water, unable to discern much of anything. ‘‘I have myself been the victim of cruelty, Captain Colton. I did nothing to premeditate the action, but because I am a woman, I had no say in the matter.’’

  ‘‘So you are running away?’’ he asked, then added, ‘‘I don’t believe I would have thought you capable of such an action. No doubt your companions have influenced your choice.’’

  ‘‘My companions have saved my life.’’

  He turned and the collar of his shirt fluttered in the breeze, widening the opening at the neck. Grace watched in fascination as the wind toyed with his shirt and hair. In spite of the travelers who walked about the ship’s deck, she suddenly felt very alone with this man.

  ‘‘I should go,’’ she said.

  ‘‘No, stay a bit longer. I must know what you are running from.’’

  Grace wondered if it could hurt to tell him the truth. Surely now that they were on their way to Alaska she could honestly explain her circumstance and not expect him to put her off at the next port. Her heart told her she could trust this man, and there rose up a longing inside of her to talk about her escape.

  ‘‘I’m afraid you would simply find it unacceptable,’’ she began. ‘‘A dishonoring of my father’s wishes is where it all begins.’’

  ‘‘Oh,’’ he said, leaning casually against the rail. ‘‘How so?’’

  ‘‘My father arranged a marriage for me to one of his many business partners. The man was considerably older and I had never met him. When we did meet, I was still troubled by the arrangement but was willing to give it my best.’’

  ‘‘I suppose he was ugly and fat?’’

  ‘‘Not at all,’’ Grace replied, shuddering as she remembered the severely handsome face of Martin Paxton.

  ‘‘Then what caused you to flee?’’

  A steel band seemed to tighten around Grace’s chest, making breathing difficult. She hated even thinking about Paxton and his angry words to her the night of their engagement.

  ‘‘He was unkind,’’ she said softly, not wishing to go into the details of that event.

  ‘‘Unkind?’’ Peter questioned.

  He studied her for a moment, then reached out to touch her cheek. She flinched and moved away. He frowned, then a look of understanding came into his eyes. Grace flushed at his expression. He knew.

  ‘‘He struck you.’’ He said the words matter-of-factly, not expecting any admission on her part. ‘‘The brute. What was his supposed justification for hitting you?’’

  Grace licked her lips, tasting the salty air. She looked once again to the water. ‘‘He attempted liberties with me and I struck him first. This angered him and he hit me quite hard. It knocked me down and left a horrid bruise. Afterward, he gripped me tightly and shook me, promising worse if I refused him in any way or ever laid a hand to him again.’’ Her voice broke. ‘‘I wanted to do what my father asked of me, but I could not. I could not marry that man.’’

  ‘‘But why run away? Surely no one expected you to marry him after he revealed such a violent nature.’’

  ‘‘My father apparently owed him. Perhaps in more ways than one. I don’t pretend to understand or know why he made the arrangement in the first place, but once he knew how I was treated, I expected him to release me from further obligation.’’

  ‘‘But he didn’t.’’

  Grace shook her head and reached up to wipe away a tear. She’d tried so hard to be brave about the entire matter. She loved her mother and father and missed them terribly. She could still see her mother’s tear-stained face as Grace climbed into the carriage with Karen. She could still feel the panic that rose up inside her as the carriage passed through the back gate and took her away from the home she loved.

  ‘‘So I have become a part of your little scheme,’’ Peter said, almost good-naturedly.

  Grace suddenly realized he could make life difficult for her. ‘‘Please, I beg of you. Please do not tell anyone of my passage north.’’

  ‘‘I wouldn’t,’’ he assured. ‘‘I’m quite sorry for what you endured, Miss Hawkins. I would be the last one in the world to see you back in such a predicament. I have a younger sister, and should a man treat her in a similar fashion, I would probably break his neck.’’

  Grace looked up at the captain, feeling he had become an immediate champion to her cause. ‘‘Thank you for your understanding. I do apologize again for breaking your rule about remaining in the cabin. It’s just that it’s so dark there, and with no light and little fresh air, I found myself quite overcome. I’ll do my best to see that it doesn’t happen again.’’

  ‘‘I’m the one who is sorry. I’ll do what I can to arrange better quarters for you on the morrow.’’

  ‘‘Oh, please don’t feel that you must go to any trouble,’’ Grace replied. ‘‘I wouldn’t wish to see anyone inconvenienced.’’

  He reached out toward her again, this time more slowly. Hesitating before touching her arm, he seemed to ask permission with his eyes. When Grace didn’t draw back, he placed his hand atop her forearm.

  ‘‘I’ll escort you back to your cabin. Tomorrow morning I would like to have all three of you as my special guests for breakfast. Do you suppose your companions would agree to this?’’

  Grace smiled, feeling almost giddy from the closeness of him. ‘‘I’m certain I can convince them. After all, it will get us out of that cabin.’’

  He laughed softly. ‘‘Good. Then I will send someone to show you the way.’’

  They walked back to the cabin and paused in the dim light of the hallway. Grace thought the captain even more appealing than she had before. His chin was covered with a light stubble and his wind-blown hair seemed hopelessly tousled. His lips w
ere moving as he spoke of some matter, but Grace found herself unable to concentrate. Suddenly her mouth felt dry, and she had no idea what she should say or do.

  ‘‘Until tomorrow,’’ he said. ‘‘Sleep well.’’

  Grace nodded and went quietly into the cabin. Sleep? How could she sleep after such a wonderful moment? Her heart felt lighter than it had in weeks.

  ‘‘Where have you been?’’ Karen called out in a hushed voice as Grace climbed back into her bunk.

  ‘‘Arranging breakfast with the captain,’’ she replied rather coyly.

  ‘‘What?’’

  Grace giggled and settled into her berth. ‘‘Go to sleep and I shall tell you all about it in the morning.’’

  13

  —[ CHAPTER THIRTEEN ]—

  GRACE SLEPT THROUGH the night with nothing but pleasant dreams of her time with Peter Colton to mark the hours. She had surprised herself by realizing the awakening of her heart. Could this be what it was to fall in love? Smiling to herself, she stretched as best she could in the narrow berth and yawned.

  ‘‘Are you going to tell me what happened last night?’’ Karen’s voice questioned out of the silence.

  Grace leaned up on an elbow as Karen managed to light the overhead lantern. With her golden red curls hanging limp to her waist, Karen looked years younger than her matronly thirty.

  ‘‘I found the cabin closing in on me,’’ Grace said, forcing herself to get up. She climbed down from her bunk and stretched. Aunt Doris moaned and rolled to her side from the bottom of the opposite berth.

  ‘‘Oh, my dear girls, this is without a doubt the most uncomfortable bed in all of North America.’’

  ‘‘I’m sure you are mistaken,’’ Karen replied, ‘‘for I am certain my berth holds that honor.’’ She grinned at her aunt’s appearance, then laughed aloud. ‘‘We all look as though we’d experienced a tornado last night. Sleeping in our clothes, wrestling comfort from beds that refused us comfort.’’ She turned to Grace. ‘‘Only Grace appears to have faired well through it all.’’