Carried Home (8 page)

 

Addie Thompson exited the church with a smile on her face. She had met a kind lady, the minister's wife, who had taken her under her wing and fed her and given her fresh clothing. It was the first time in weeks she had walked away from anywhere with her belly full. The nice woman had offered for Addie to spend the night there with her and the minister, but Addie had refused. She had already received far too much charity, and she could not rightly accept an ounce more. She would need to find someplace to live and some way to make an honest living for herself. But where should she go?

She prayed Gage had received her letter and was coming to her aid. She did not enjoy accepting the help of men, since many of those who she had encountered in her lifetime had turned out to be rather useless, but Gage was her brother.

As she walked down the street, she bumped into a young man who growled at her with a twisted look of anger on his face. His wealthy frippery gave away that perhaps he was from the same area of town where her late husband had moved her. A moment after his gaze took her in, the anger changed to lust. She shivered. He grabbed her arm as if to steady her but kept his hand there for far longer than he needed.

Addie jerked her body away from him and continued on her way. The look he had sent her made her think of the only profession in which she had a good chance at making money. The meal she had just dined on disagreed with her stomach now and threatened to spill all over the sidewalk. She would never resort to something like that. She would die first.

Addie continued on her way, past all the shops lining Main Street. Which alleyway would be her home for the night? On her walk, she noted a sign in the window of one of the shops: “Hiring Seamstresses.”

Now, this may be exactly what she needed.

****

Adam Douglas braced himself as the
Siren's Call
plunged over a swell. He glanced across the ship. Goodness, she looked completely and utterly broken. He had never seen such a thing—missing the mizzenmast, the sails tattered, rubble cluttering the decks.

His legs were restless and his body exhausted, but he thanked God they had survived the hurricane without losing any men. A few had been injured, but all were alive and recovering. Perhaps his nightmares would cease now that he had lived through this storm without losing another crewmate.

Captain Thompson caught his attention and moved over to him. “Hello, my good man. I would appreciate it if you could do me a favor.”

Adam blinked. “Yes, sir. Anything you would like.”

The captain's hands fidgeted in front of him. “Would you please visit Lady Shaw's cabin, Mr. Douglas? I would like you to invite her to dinner with us in my cabin, if you please.”

“Yes, Captain, of course.”

Adam spun on his heel and made his way towards the cabin. It would be pleasant to have the woman join their motley group for dinner. Although he hated life in England, he did miss the refinement of the ladies there, and Lady Shaw was like a taste of home to him.

****

Ivy rested her head against the pillow on her cot. She had finally gotten Emma back to sleep after Captain Thompson had woken her, and now she was simply exhausted.

Just as her eyes slid closed, a knock jarred her from her longed-for rest. Ivy suppressed a groan. “Who is it?”

“Mr. Douglas, milady. Grant me entrance, I beg of you. I am delivering a message from Captain Thompson.”

Ivy's heart fluttered. A message from Captain Thompson? She scolded herself for getting so excited about a chance of a word from that man. For heaven's sake, she had recently gotten into an argument with him! But then, she had just been in his arms, as well…

She needed to stop thinking about such things. What she needed to do was concentrate on Emma and getting back to her brother. Otherwise, she would lose focus and not care as much or pray as hard for their safety.

Ivy rose from her position on the bed, careful not to disturb Emma, and opened the door. Mr. Douglas nodded to her and moved inside the doorway.

“What message did Captain Thompson have for me, sir?” Ivy folded her hands in front of her.

“Well, milady, he is going to serve dinner in his cabin this evening as celebration for surviving the storm, and he wanted me to ask if you would do him the pleasure of attending. I will be there, as well as a few others of the ship's officers. He said he would come here when everything is ready and escort you if you wish to join him.” Mr. Douglas furrowed his brow as he spoke and observed her.

Ivy fidgeted under his attention and felt her cheeks heat. The captain wanted her to dine with him? Why would he want that, and what would come of it? Surely he just wanted her to join in the festivities and that was all. Another thought occurred to her: would there be drinking? There was nothing Ivy despised more than men drinking recklessly.

But the captain had invited her, and it would be rude to decline his request, so she would attend whether she felt comfortable or not. “Yes, Mr. Douglas, I will join Captain Thompson this evening for dinner. Thank you for coming here to ask me.”

Mr. Douglas smiled slightly and bowed. “My pleasure, milady. I do hope you enjoy your day.”

Once the man left the room, Ivy rushed to the tiny bit of mirror Captain Thompson had left on the desk for her. Oh my, her hair was completely out of place. She frantically shoved strands back into her bun and smoothed her dress down, but her efforts did nothing to soothe the wrinkles.

What was she doing, making sure she looked pleasant for a pirate captain? She had never really cared about such things before, and simply made herself look only just presentable before going out in public. So why was this man any different to her?

Ivy had to admit she enjoyed his company, but that was all it could ever be.

****

Gage ran his fingers through his short-cropped hair, trying to force some smoothness back into it. What he wouldn't give for a decent comb right now. After shaving his face this afternoon to make himself more presentable, he thought his hair should match up with the rest of him. He wanted to look like a real gentleman tonight, one Lady Shaw could be proud of, one she could…like. Appreciate. Respect.

He told himself that was all he wanted from her, but he knew it was not true. There was no sense in lying to himself, but it might be for the best that he did so anyway. A sophisticated lady like her would never want anything to do with him. In fact, he had no idea how to act around her. She was probably mortified he had extended an invitation to dinner with him. But she had accepted.

Gage pressed his hair down a final time, straightened his waistcoat—one that had seen some better days but was made of a rich chocolate brown silk, so it was his finest—and headed out the door. His bed was pushed aside and replaced with a table, large enough for five or so people to sit comfortably. He had invited Mr. Douglas, Rogers, his master gunner, and two other men from the crew, who held high positions in the group and had previously been in Captain Archer's crew. They were all seated already.

Hopefully the men he had chosen would behave decently around the lady.

Gage rounded the corner and ran his fingers through his hair once again. Adam bounded up the stairs at the same time and almost rammed into him. He took one look at Gage and chuckled. “Ready for your dinner with the lady tonight, Captain? Nice outfit. I'm sure she'll appreciate it.”

Gage's face burned. “Am I that obvious?”

Mr. Douglas shrugged. “She got quite pink in the face at the mention of your name, sir. I suspect you aren't the only one who feels that way.”

“We shall see about that,” Gage laughed. “I will join you in a few moments then, Mr. Douglas.”

Gage continued a few steps and knocked on the lady's door. He heard movement in the cabin before her sweet voice called out, “Who is it?”

“'Tis Captain Thompson, miss.”

“Oh! I'll be there in just a moment.”

Gage felt a grin forming on his face already, despite the nervousness that roiled in his stomach. This woman was so sweet and caring. He admired how she was so protective of her brother and Emma. After a minute, she opened the door and peered up at him. Her copper colored ringlets were pulled back into an elegant coiffure at the top of her head—for once not strained in a confining bun at the nape of her neck. It was rather becoming on her, Gage had to admit. Her gray-blue eyes were accentuated by the fresh blue dress she wore. He had never seen that one on her before. She inhaled a sharp breath as she gazed up at him.

“You,” Gage cleared his throat, “you look absolutely lovely, Lady Shaw.”

“Thank you, Captain Thompson. You look handsome yourself.” Her face flushed to a bright pink.

Gage grinned at her. “Thanks miss. I am touched that you think so. Now, shall I escort you to dinner?”

“Thank you, sir, but what about Emma? Shall I bring her with me?”

Gage stepped back. He had almost forgotten about the sweet little girl. Hmmm…what to do with her? “If it is all right with you, milady, we can bring her with us to my cabin and let her rest on my bed while we dine. She looks rather sleepy, so perhaps she will be happy taking a nap in a few minutes.”

Lady Shaw brightened. “Oh, that sounds wonderful, Captain. She sleeps much more than my little William did when he was her age. Thank you very much.”

“You do not have to thank me, miss. I think the child should be as much of my responsibility as yours. Now, shall we go off to my cabin?” Gage offered her his elbow.

She accepted it without hesitation, much to his delight.

He patted her hand where it rested on his arm. Oh, how delightful it felt to walk arm-in-arm with such a beautiful, kind young lady. Why, if he was back home right now, he would be the envy of New Providence. Then again, if any of the other men on this ship saw him with her, they would be more than jealous. Gage could not hold back a grin.

 

Ivy's cheeks heated as Captain Thompson beamed at her. He was ridiculously handsome, and he was acting so gentlemanly. She felt almost as if she were back home in London. Why, from what she had been told by society, it was not possible for men like him to act like he was! And that made him even more intriguing.

Ivy unabashedly soaked in his image. His wavy brown hair curled neatly just below his ears. It was slicked back nicely, rather than bouncing about rampantly as it normally did. The thick stubble on his chin and cheeks was shaved neatly as well, leaving his face smooth and clear. And quite good-looking. He wore a nice waistcoat of rich brown silk—a color that complemented his eyes perfectly. There was no denying it. He was positively handsome.

Captain Thompson caught her gaze and smiled widely at her. The man had a grin that could cause even the sturdiest of women to fall into his arms if she was not careful.

Ivy's face burned. She should not be staring at the man so. “I-I'm very sorry for gawking at you, sir, I simply…forgot my manners. Please forgive me.” Ivy balanced Emma on her hip. The child leaned her head against Ivy's shoulder, her eyes drooping sleepily.

Captain Thompson winked. “No need to apologize, my dear. If it could be considered polite, I would find myself staring at you too long as well. You are quite…pretty.”

Ivy tried to gently pry herself away from him, but he held tight to her hand and moved her towards his cabin. Was her face bright red now? “You speak too highly of me, sir.”

He opened the door to his cabin and motioned for her to enter first. “Now, you must know that is not true, miss.”

“What isn't true, Captain?” Adam Douglas rose from where he sat at the table and bowed slightly, offering Ivy a courteous smile.

Captain Thompson grunted.

Ivy blushed.

The captain waited until the rest of the men in the room stood—three men whom Ivy had briefly met earlier in the voyage, all with cuts and bruises on their faces, likely from the storm. Captain Thompson pulled the chair at his right out, and offered for her to sit.

She took the seat, and Captain Thompson pushed it in for her. His hands rested on her shoulders for a fraction of a second, long enough to cause heat to spread through her body, but quick enough so the rest of the men in the room did not notice. Had the man taken a…liking to her? The thought did hold some appeal.

To be honest, it held a lot of appeal. But he was a pirate, a sailor. Society expected her to marry well, to join her life with that of a gentleman, a wealthy man who would provide for her and not go away to sea on a whim. Her family would be shocked if she chose someone like Gage…Captain Thompson. That choice would be out of the question. It would be an embarrassment to her family. It might even hurt little William's chances of marrying well in the future. And for that reason, nothing could happen between her and the captain. She would not harm her baby brother on her journey to save him.

Captain Thompson turned to her side, and wrapped his arms around Emma. Ivy's face heated. She had almost forgotten she was holding the sweet child. Emma raised her arms, catching the man around the neck. She giggled sleepily. The captain chuckled, lifted the girl from Ivy's lap, and rocked her as he moved her over to his bed in the corner.

The three men guffawed.

“The cap'n's a blasted nursemaid!” said one.

Captain Thompson's jaw clenched, and his grip visibly tightened on Emma.

Ivy bit back a gasp. Surely he would not let one of his men talk to him that way.

****

A groan escaped Gage's throat. Surely he should not let his men talk about him so blatantly, especially in front of Lady Shaw. Why, what would the woman think of him?

Gage laid Emma down on his bed and bunched up the coverlet around her to prevent her from rolling off the side if she tossed around. Then he faced the man who had taunted him. Rogers. The same man who had pitched a fit when he found out a woman and child would be joining him on his voyage. Gage should have known better than to invite him to dinner in his cabin, but he had hoped the meal would create some more respect. It seemed to be having the opposite effect.

“Rogers, I suggest you learn to shut your mouth before it gets you in places you don't want to be. Taking care of an orphaned child is nothing to mock. Maybe you should learn things like that before you go about belittling your captain.”

“No, sir, there's nothing wrong with bein' a nursemaid…Especially since we know you're barely a man.” Some of the other men in the room chuckled.

Gage stiffened. He didn't bother a glance at Lady Shaw, for surely she was ashamed of him by now. “What do you mean by that, Rogers?”

“I should think ya know what I mean, cap'n! What kind of man finds a pretty morsel like this lady right here and keeps her in her own cabin? Now, it's bad luck to have a woman on board, and that's proven by the hurricane we endured, but how could a man not have a little fun with someone as pretty as her around? Why, I should take her for meself, and show her what a real man is. Besides, I bet it wouldn't be too hard to do. What kind of
lady
would travel alone on a ship full of pirates?”

Gage's blood boiled. Not out of pride at the insult to his manhood, but at the insinuations Rogers was making about Lady Shaw.
One glance at Ivy told Gage she was positively mortified. He fisted his hands. “You will take that back immediately, Rogers, or regret you ever said it. I expect you to apologize to the
lady.
”

Rogers reached across the table and laid a hand on Ivy's arm. A hand that wandered, brushing against the lady's throat and upper chest. Ivy's eyes widened in horror and fear. Fury bubbled up inside Gage. A growl met his ears, and Gage realized it was his. He flicked the weasel's arm away, and rested his hands on Ivy's shoulders, squeezing them to offer some comfort.

Rogers continued. “Why should I apologize for somethin' that's true? Lady Shaw, would ya like to come join me this evenin' t' show ya what you've been missing out on?”

Ivy inhaled a sharp breath and trembled under Gage's hands.

“Rogers, I must insist you leave my cabin. You are not welcome here if you intend to treat a respectable lady in such a manner.” Gage brought himself up to his full height and glared down at Rogers. The man was a few inches shorter than him, but met his eyes with a similar glare. This sailor was too ornery for Gage to want on his crew. He regretted ever signing him on.

“That's all right by me. I don't enjoy taking my dinners with two women and a little girl-child anyways.”

The man all but ran from the room.

Gage groaned inwardly. He had wanted the respect of his crew, like Caspian had, but things were not turning out in his favor.

He glanced at Ivy. Her face was a deep red and her eyes watery.

“Lady Shaw—”

“Don't listen to Rogers, milady.” Adam stepped up and moved closer to Gage and the woman.

Her bottom lip trembled. She abruptly rose and dashed to the door. “I-I'm sorry, gentlemen, but I'm afraid I have lost my appetite. If you will please e-excuse me.”

Before they had any chance to respond, she rushed out the door.

Gage glanced between the door that was still swinging open and the members of his crew who remained in his cabin. He needed to find her quickly. It would not do to have her running about outside while Rogers had just gone in that direction. “Adam, please keep an eye on Emma and enjoy your dinner with everyone. I'm afraid I lost my appetite as well.”

“Yes, sir.”

Gage bounded out the door and almost ran over Ivy in his search for her. She sat, hunched up, in the companionway, her head pressed against her knees. A sob escaped her throat. Her shoulders shook.

“Ivy…” Gage sank down to the floorboards beside her and placed an arm around her shoulders.

She jumped. “Sorry, I…I did not realize you were there, Captain.”

Gage moved away from her. “I didn't intend to frighten you, Ivy.” He stood and offered her his hand. “Come with me. Let's go back to your cabin, my dear.”

Her face pinked, and she frowned, but she did get up and let him lead her to the cabin. Once she was inside, he closed the door behind her and felt his heart sink at the tears streaming down her cheeks.

He had caused her these tears. It was his fault. And he felt terrible.

She wobbled on her feet.

Gage surged forward to steady her in his arms. She leaned towards him, her head pressed against his chest as he propped his forehead against her soft copper hair. He told himself he held her only to comfort her, but he knew that was not so. No, there was no way he could resist the chance to hold this precious woman.

“Shush, Ivy, it's all right. Don't listen to a word the imbecile says. You are a true lady if I ever saw one.”

She exhaled a shuddering breath before sobbing again. Gage rubbed her back in slow, circular motions. Finally, she made a light hiccup noise and pulled away. He allowed her to move, but did not release his hold on her. It was too soon to stop touching her.

“I-I'm sorry for my…outburst, Captain. I'm not sure what came over me. I'm so sorry that man said such terrible things about you. I know they're not true. You're a gentleman. I admire you.” She frantically wiped the tears from her cheeks, her stormy gray eyes still liquefied.

Gage pulled her back against his chest, warmed by her sweet words. “There is no need to apologize, darling. Nothing Rogers said or did was your fault. It is I who should apologize for allowing him to make those rude insinuations, and to touch you like he did.” Gage glanced down and realized with the way he was holding her, he was touching just as much or more of her as Rogers had. He pulled away, disgusted with himself. While he intended to comfort her, he may be upsetting her further with such closeness after she was accosted by the vile man. “Forgive me. I should not touch you so. It is not my place.” Gage averted his eyes, feeling heat brightening his face.

Her pretty face shone pink. “I do not mind you touching me, Captain.”

Gage could not resist a grin. He repositioned his arms around her. “Will you please call me Gage?”

“Yes, Gage…I do not mind you touching me at all.” She leaned her forehead against his chest sweetly.
“And I don't mind you calling me
Ivy, either.”

“Now, darling Ivy, please do tell me you will forget everything that imbecile said.”

“I can try to, Gage, but I worry about what he will do if he finds me alone.”

“I have control of him and all the other men on this ship. Do not worry.” Gage smoothed some hair out of her face. “I'll let you get settled here now, and leave you alone.”

“What about Emma?” Ivy rose in a rush. “How could I have left her up there all alone like that? Oh, how awful of me.” She patted her hair back in its place and moved back to the entrance of the cabin.

“You don't need to fret about Emma. Mr. Douglas is watching her right now, and I can keep her with me for the rest of the evening. It's about time I took care of her for once instead of forcing you to.” Gage stood and tugged his brown waistcoat back into place.

Ivy wrung her hands. “No, she will be missing me. I don't want her to be all alone, even if it isn't for a very long time. I know she is quite young, but I think she sometimes has nightmares…either from the time spent with her mother, or from being abandoned. She might not do well with someone new.”

“Don't worry about her, Lady Shaw. We will do just fine.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned backwards, studying her.

Ivy bit her lip. “Well, maybe I would get lonely without Emma here with me. I've gotten used to having her cheerful little face around. It would be…strange in this cabin without her, even for only a night. Please just bring her back, or send Adam with her. If I cannot take care of William while I am out here in the middle of the sea, then I would at least feel useful taking care of Emma.”

Gage blinked. “Oh, well, you should have said that sooner, milady. If I had known that, I would have brought her back here right away. Just give me a moment, and I will be right back.”