Sail With Me (A Discovery Series Book) (7 page)

“All right, chaps,” Woody hollered as he stole the fifth board I had
finished from beneath my sore hands. “You two can call it quits for today. Go
cool off. Especially you, Charlie.” He stared at me for a moment then shook his
head.

By this time, I could barely stand the perspiration that coated my entire
body. I had never felt so utterly disgusting. The early September sun was
reminiscent of mid-July and had scorched down on us all afternoon.

Daniel scooped up his dry shirt from the sand and started walking to the
shore.

“Let’s go for a swim.”

“Ahh… I’m… tired. I think I’ll take a nap instead.”

“Aw, come on,” Daniel half-whined, sounding much younger. “Aren’t you
hot?”

Soaked with perspiration, there was no denying I boiled in my own skin.  

“It’s not that. I just…”

“Can’t you swim?” He turned to me and paused as we neared the sea.

“Well…” I hated lying, but I didn’t see another way to save myself. “No,
I can’t.” I looked down to my feet as if I were embarrassed by the confession.

“Maybe you aren’t as good as I thought,” he said. “Found something you
can’t do.” Although his tone was taunting, the grin on his lips told me it was
friendly teasing. “That’s all right though. Swimming is easy. If I can do it,
you can. I’ll show you.”

Cripes, his sudden enthusiasm was charming. Maybe it would have been
easier if he still didn’t want to bother with me.

“You don’t have to, Daniel. Others have tried, but I can’t get the hang
of it.”

The lies spilled out easily now. In truth, my brother, Eric, had pushed
me into a lake when I was a little one. My father had dropped what he was doing
and plunged into the water after me only to find I was floating without any
struggle at all. He had stopped a few paces in front of me, and I had paddled
my way to him. No lessons necessary. I was a natural born swimmer.

“Maybe you haven’t had the right teacher yet.” Daniel shot me a smile,
his warmest yet, and it hit me right in the chest, making something quiver
behind my ribs.

“I’m too awkward.” I tried to sound frustrated. “My arms and legs don’t
listen to me. They do whatever they want, and I end up sinking.”

Did I look hopeless enough? Perhaps a little on the verge of being upset?

Daniel paused, seeming to make a decision.

“All right. I won’t force you. I hate when people do that to me.”

“I find it hard to believe anyone forces you to do anything,” I said.

“They don’t now so much.” He motioned at the crewmembers around us. “Most
of them know it’s not worth the effort of arguing with me. My uncle will still
try though.”

“Well, he’s the captain. Don’t you have to do what he tells you?”

“Yes, but sometimes his orders aren’t so much captain-driven as
uncle-driven. Like him hiring new fish.”

“Like me.”

“Not like you it turns out. You’re different.”

Cripes, that was true.

“Anyway, the other younger chaps he hired were all a part of him trying
to force me to get out of my mood which only put me in a worse mood.” He
stopped walking toward the shore. “I have to admit he won this time. You’ve
managed to make me laugh enough times over these two days that being in a good
mood is starting to look promising.”  

Daniel dropped his shirt onto the big rock I had eaten dinner on the
night before. He waded into the water and dove under, disappearing beneath the
blue surface. Several other sailors swam and wrestled about in the water.

I climbed onto the rock and sat on the edge. After removing my boots and
stockings, I dipped my feet in the ocean. That little contact with the cool,
fresh sea relieved some of the heat blazing inside my body. I shuffled my feet
around and sent a spray of water up to my knees. Closing my eyes, I enjoyed the
cold streams that trickled down my calves to my ankles and back into the sea.
Some shouting from the swimming crew made me open my eyes again.

I picked out Daniel among the others. He clearly enjoyed the break from
our work and the cool temperature of the water. The sinking sun cast its
pinkish rays on his hair, revealing some golden streaks amongst the brown.

One of the older sailors splashed Daniel with a generous blast of
seawater, and he retaliated with a gushing wave of his own. In no time at all,
the sailor had his arm around Daniel’s waist and was dunking him while the
others roared in laughter.

I expected Daniel to come up from the water, scowling and hurling insults
at his assailant, but he didn’t. When he emerged, a wide grin was smeared
across his face and his laughter joined in with the others. More splashing
ensued and I soon realized this crew was Daniel’s family. While he didn’t like
newcomers—especially ones that his uncle forced on him—he did share a bond with
the older crewmembers.

Would I ever feel that kind of bond to them? Would I ever be one of them
like Daniel?      

Drawing in a deep breath, I realized I was looking him over much too
closely. Again. Focusing back on my own feet, I clenched my teeth. I had to be
more careful. I had never been around anyone like him. I couldn’t put my finger
on why he intrigued me just yet, but there was something about him. Something I
liked. Too much.

I stole another glance in his direction, and his eyes met mine. He waved,
a wide smile stretching from ear to soaking wet ear. I waved back, reminding
myself, if only half-heartedly, to be cautious.

****

After a basic supper of fish and biscuits, the crew gathered around the
cook fire. Most of the men sat on water barrels that awaited loading onto the
Rose
.
A few bottles of rum circulated among the men and as they took long swigs of
the brew, Captain Finley wove through them. He took a seat close to the fire,
his features looking a little ghastly in the flickering light. Long shadows
played off his nose and cheekbones. His eyes took on the rusty glow of the
flames as he scanned over his assembled crew.

“He’s getting ready.” Daniel sat beside me.

“For what?”

“A tale.” Daniel settled deeper into the sand and stretched out his legs
in front of him. He leaned back on his left arm and turned his attention to his
uncle.

Two small boys I hadn’t seen yet amongst the crew caught my attention.
One of them sat like Daniel and the other had his legs crossed in front of him.
I crossed mine and that seemed rather comfortable although part of my mind
pictured me sitting as such in a dress.

Captain Finley cleared his throat, and the light chatter among the crew
ceased. All eyes turned to him.

“Tonight is a good night for a tale, don’t you think, mates?” 

Several “ayes” emanated from the gathered.

“Then a tale you shall have.” He pulled a dagger from his belt and peeled
the skin off an apple. He seemed lighthearted this eve, jovial almost. Earlier
in the day, some of the crew had said we would be setting off sooner because
preparations had gone so well. Excellent news for me. The longer we stayed, the
more likely my father or brothers were to come looking for me. By now, my
father would have gone to Lady Elizabeth’s and would have realized I was gone.
I hoped he didn’t blame Lady Elizabeth. I also hoped he or my brothers didn’t
badger Benjamin about where I was. He wouldn’t tell until I had left, but what
would my father or brothers do to him if they thought he was lying to them?
Would he crumble under their pressure?

No. Benjamin would protect me no matter what. That much I was sure about.

“This tale begins with a lass who was in love.” Captain Finley’s voice
plucked me from my paranoia. He focused on the apple and the long curl of skin
that fell to the sand at his feet.

“That’s the way all your tales begin, Cap’n,” one of the crewmen called
out.

As the men laughed, Captain Finley smiled, softening his features in the
firelight.  

“Aye, that they do,” he admitted. “This lass was named Janie Sheridan and
she had hair like fire, skin like porcelain, and eyes like emeralds. Another
maiden like her, you could not find in all of Ireland to be sure. She was the
daughter of a simple farmer, but her beauty was regal. Though she was not of
noble birth, many princes volleyed for her attention, such was her loveliness.
She had the voice of an angel as well, and when she sang there wasn’t a man in
Ireland who could resist her charms.”

I stole a glance around at the crew. They stared at the captain in rapt
attention, hanging on his every word and looking like children listening to
their father.

After a bite of apple, he continued. “Well, Janie, she toyed with most of
her suitors until one day someone caught her eye. Caught her heart is more like
it, I should say. Aidan O’Roarke was the lad’s name.”

Captain Finley finished his apple and tossed the core into the fire. It
crackled and hissed as the flames rose higher, illuminating the faces of all
who listened. The captain scratched his beard and paused for a long moment.

“Now this Aidan O’Roarke was a fine gentleman but just a fisherman by
trade like his father and grandfather before him. Janie’s father had seen
wealthy and powerful men look at his daughter and hoped to marry her off to
someone of position so he too could benefit.”

Captain Finley paused again and rubbed at his beard.

“Of course, Janie fell in love with simple and poor Aidan O’Roarke. One
of those once-in-a-lifetime-loves. One she could not deny or abandon. Her father
was furious and forbade Janie to accept Aidan’s hand in marriage when the
fisherman asked.”

Another pause hung over the men as one of the rum bottles made its way
into the captain’s hands. He took a long gulp of it and passed it to the sailor
closest to him. As I waited for him to continue the tale, I was amazed at the
silence. Not a sound came from the men. The only noise was the fire popping
occasionally.

“Now everyone here knows a woman in love cannot be stopped.”

A few of the men nodded in agreement. “Forbidden or not, Janie planned to
marry Aidan and live with him on his boat as his wife. Her father refused to
see possible wealth and comfort for him sail away with this foolish fisherman
who had somehow stolen his daughter’s heart. While he puzzled out a scheme to
keep them apart, another suitor, Lord Ian McShane, happened by. Janie’s perfect
features and voice enchanted him as they had every other man. McShane
approached her father and offered him an enormous parcel of land along with
other valuable items if he could have Janie for his wife.”

“She can’t marry him!” the smaller of the two boys squeaked. He was
seated at the captain’s feet and listening closer than any of us.

Tousling the lad’s hair, Captain Finley continued, “You’re quite right,
Timmy. She couldn’t possibly marry Lord Ian McShane.”

“She loves Aidan O’Roarke,” the other boy next to Timmy said.

“That she did, Jonah,” the captain agreed, winking to the sailors nearest
to him. “So, Janie’s father didn’t tell his daughter of Lord McShane’s proposal.
Instead, he tampered with fate to make things turn out right for his own self.
He told Janie she could marry Aidan
if
he proved his love for her. Now,
she quarreled with her father saying she needed no proof of Aidan’s love. She
knew with her whole heart that Aidan loved her.

“Her father insisted he needed the proof. She was his only daughter, he
told her, and he wanted to make sure Aidan was worthy. Janie agreed if only to
satisfy her father. Triumphant, her father issued a challenge to Aidan. He was
to sail out to the farthest tip of Africa and bring back a bagridae, a fish
similar to a catfish. Only too willing to prove his love, Aidan accepted the
challenge.

“Though it pained Janie and Aidan to be separated while he sailed to
Africa, they knew when he succeeded they would marry. Nothing would make them
happier. Bidding Janie farewell, Aidan set off.”

The captain shifted his legs and rested his hands on his knees. Lowering his
voice a bit, he said, “Janie waited each day and well into the dark evenings by
the seashore for Aidan to return. While he was away many other men vied for her
attention. She ignored them one and all. Secretly, her father got word to Lord
McShane that Aidan had accepted the challenge and was en route to Africa.
McShane immediately sent out a trio of his own ships.”

“Were they going after Aidan?” Timmy asked, wide-eyed.

“Aye, they were. Caught up to him in no time too, with their fancy boats
outsailing Aidan’s simple and older vessel with little trouble at all. Aidan
didn’t get too far when he noticed the shadows of McShane’s ships coming down
on him. The larger boats forced his smaller one onto a hidden reef where the
hull was ripped to shreds. Aidan’s ship sunk within moments, he along with it.
He was never heard from again.”

“What happened to Janie?” I had to know.

“Now that’s the question, Charlie, isn’t it?” He shrugged. “It’s said
that she never married anyone though there was no shortage of askers. Janie
wandered the shores, seeking some sign of Aidan coming back to her.

“Her father could not stand what he had done and when Lord McShane came
to take Janie as his bride, her father could not give her away. Angered at not
getting what he wanted, McShane prepared to kidnap Janie and take her away from
Ireland. Just as he was about to grab her off the docks, a wild seagull dove
down from the skies and made such a commotion that McShane fell and crashed his
skull on the docks before falling to his death into the sea.

“I’m told Janie’s ghost still scours the shores of Ireland at night,
calling for Aidan, her love. Sometimes…”

Captain Finley’s voice went to a barely audible whisper.

“… if you listen real close…”

He put his fingers to his lips and looked directly at me.

I leaned in closer.