Sail With Me (A Discovery Series Book) (9 page)

My eyes stung and I fought to keep my composure. Lady Elizabeth had given
me shelter and meals, but it had really been Benjamin all along who had taken care
of me while my family was at sea and my mother was gone.

“I guess you’re easy to like,” Daniel finished.  

Something in my chest trembled. What was that? I had to look away from
Daniel’s face and concentrate on my own peeling. My grip tightened on the
dagger as I struggled to clear my head.

You’re easy to like.

His words hung in the air between us, and I had a sudden longing to
reveal myself—what I really was—to Daniel.

I willed myself to focus. Cripes! We were setting sail tomorrow. I
couldn’t abandon my plan now. The Americas were but an ocean away.

“Daniel,” Captain Finley called from his tent.

“Aye, sir.” Daniel shot up from his seat, setting his own dagger down.
“I’ll be right back.”

As he walked up to his uncle’s tent, I propped Benjamin’s cap up on my
head a bit to get a better view of Daniel. I wiped the perspiration off my
forehead, and after a moment’s break, returned to my peeling.

I wasn’t, by nature, an emotional person. After my mother had passed and
my father took my brothers on more and more expeditions, I had learned to push
my feelings aside. It made it easier to live day to day if I didn’t allow
myself to miss my family. And if I wasn’t allowing myself to miss anyone, I had
decided all the other emotions could be bottled up just as nicely as well.

Now, my emotions had picked a horrid time to make an appearance. They had
been locked away for so long I didn’t think for one moment they would be a
concern on this expedition. It seemed Daniel, however, had managed to unravel
them with a compliment and a couple of smiles.

My hands were raw and bleeding. The pain was constant, and yet I had
never felt so invigorated. Grunting and sweating as an entire crew, we tried to
coax the
Rose
back into the sea. Every single crewmember had their hands
on a thick line, pulling with all the strength we had, to move the wedged
leviathan.  

“Heave!” Captain Finley roared. “Heave!” He walked the length of the
Rose
guiding the crew as we worked.

Every once in a while, I stole a glance at the ocean. Though I could see
it and smell it, the sea still seemed so far away as the muscles in my arms
strained. I didn’t think it possible to move this mammoth ship ourselves, but
little by little, she gave in. The hull slid along the sand like a serpent.

“That’s it, men. Keep her going,” Captain Finley said.

I wrapped the line around my hands and tugged until my arms burned.

“That all you got, Charlie?” Daniel said. Ahead of me, he coiled his line
around his left arm. The tensed muscles spanning his bared shoulders distracted
me from my labor. I refocused my energy and attention on pulling, but my line
slipped from my hands. It whipped away and slapped against the side of the
Rose
.
I fumbled around at my feet trying to regain control of the line. 

“You haven’t seen all I got, Daniel.” Once I had the line back in my
hands, I grunted and yanked extra hard. In combination with all the other men
pulling, the
Rose
lurched forward. A brief cheer rose from the crew and
was followed by more growling as everyone hauled together.

I had never been a part of something that involved so many hands working
as one. Progress was slow, but soon water tickled my toes, lapped at my ankles,
hugged my knees. At chest deep, the pulling got a touch easier as water
surrounded the entire hull. The
Rose
was only dragging her keel along
the sandy bottom of the ocean now.

“Leave her be, men,” Captain Finley said as he looked up to the sky. “The
tide will take her the rest of the way.”

We abandoned our ropes and the captain ordered a complement of men to
stay behind to monitor the ship. The rest of us waded out of the water. I
covertly wrung water from Eric’s extra tunic and fluffed it back into shape. We
headed back to break down what still remained of our camp.

“Take your personal belongings. Everything else, toss into the fires. We
leave this area as we found it,” Captain Finley commanded.

I jogged after Daniel who headed for our tent. He shrugged back into his
tunic as he walked, a trail of dripping water dotting the sand behind him. He
ducked into the tent and by the time I entered, he had a sack slung across his
chest.

“You all done?” I walked to my corner of the tent.

“Yep,” Daniel said. “Packed last night while the lot of you were
sleeping.” He was smiling, but then the expression on his face changed
suddenly.

“What’s the matter?” I stuffed the clothing I had washed last night into
my sack. Everything else I had brought with me was still packed. Something
about keeping my things hidden away helped me believe I could keep
all
my
secrets hidden.

“Last night…” Daniel shifted his weight before returning his gaze to my
face. “Last night you were talking.”

“Talking?” I stopped fussing with my sack. “What do you mean?”

“In your sleep. You were talking in your sleep.”

My throat tightened. “What… what did I say?” It was hard enough to watch
my words when I was awake. If I had to worry what I might be saying while I was
asleep, this plan of mine might never work.

“Something about Eric and Riley,” Daniel replied. “I think those were the
names.”

“My brothers. Was that all?” I asked.

The other men that shared our tent burst in to collect their things, and
Daniel motioned for me to follow him outside. I took one last look around my
corner of the tent and tightened my grip on my sack.

As we walked down the beach, the smell of three huge fires filled my
senses. Most of the crew was headed toward the
Rose,
still somewhat
wedged in the water. High tide was coming. Soon she’d be free.

Before we hit the water ourselves, I stopped walking which made Daniel
stop.

“What else did I say?”

He threw a look toward the
Rose
. “You mentioned your mother.”

My head dropped, chin to chest. I heaved in a strained breath, and Daniel
rested his hand on my shoulder.

“You don’t have to tell me about her, if you don’t want to. I thought…”
Daniel started. “I thought you might feel better if you talk about the dream.
You were pretty upset, Charlie. I tried to wake you, but couldn’t. I know
dreams can be awful to keep inside.”

Raising my head, my eyes met Daniel’s. His face was so full of concern.
Though it would pain me to talk about my mother, speaking of her was safe, not
a topic that would give me away. Not a story that would interfere with my
journey to the Americas.

“A sickness took her.” I walked toward the water. Daniel fell into step
beside me. “It started out as something small, a silly cough then the fever
came. My father was away so I tended to her, but I was young as were my
brothers. We didn’t know what to do for her. She ate well at first, but soon
she couldn’t hold any food in her stomach. She grew weak and pale. The doctor
could do nothing to ease her condition.”

Remembering how my mother’s radiance had faded like the setting sun, my
bottom lip quivered. She had been a vibrant beauty, so full of life and kindness.
In a matter of weeks, however, she was dull gray, with sunken cheeks and a
hollow stare. Nothing more than a ghost.

“By the time my father returned, the breath had left her.” The sting in
my throat made my voice crack. I barely held it together as I pictured my
father’s face when Riley told him we had buried Mother. The forlorn howl my
father let loose still echoed in my head sometimes.  

“I’m sorry,” Daniel said as we reached the water and sloshed into it.

“I couldn’t do anything to keep her.” I pulled Benjamin’s cap down low to
hide my tear-filled eyes.

“That’s the worst part, isn’t it?” He motioned to his empty sleeve. “My
family was attacked by thieves while we traveled to Portsmouth. I didn’t stop
those scoundrels from killing my parents. My arm had been smashed to pieces by
a horse after I was pulled from our carriage.”

His pain was right there, just as mine was. “How awful,” I said. “You
were injured, though. You couldn’t have done anything.”

 “And you were young. Though we both have legitimate reasons for not
being able to intervene, it doesn’t stop us from blaming ourselves, now does
it?”

I shook my head and coiled my fingers around the strap of my sack. Daniel
knew so little about the real me, but he somehow knew exactly how I felt. In a
quick movement, he slung his arm around my neck.

“We’re a pair, aren’t we, Charlie?” He gave me a gentle shake.

“We are,” I agreed, taking a moment to enjoy the sudden closeness.

“I’m glad you’re here.” Daniel released his hold on me. “This trip ought
to be a good one.”

“Indeed. I’ve waited a long time to go to the Americas.”

“Land stretches for miles. Supposed to be beautiful.”

I thought about Riley’s letter and the way he had described Florida.

“I sure hope it is.”

The
Rose
loomed tall before us now. I craned my neck to take in
the full view of her. She was a regal bird in the water. Other crewmen climbed
up lines to board her—the same lines we used to haul her into the water.  

“Daniel,” a voice boomed from the starboard rail above us.

“Aye.” He looked up to his uncle already aboard.

“Get in the dory. I’ve lowered it for you. We’ll pull the both of you
up,” Captain Finley shouted, looking at me as well.

“Come on.” Daniel tugged on my sleeve.

We climbed into the dory floating beside the
Rose
. It was attached
to two thick cables threaded through giant pulleys.

 “Haul ‘em up!” the captain roared.

Instantly, the dory soared upward. I held onto the sides with a white
knuckled grip as the sea zoomed away from us. Several pairs of hands grabbed
the rowboat as it leveled off with the starboard rail. With mild grumbling, the
dory was pulled aboard the
Rose
.

I hopped out and for the first time since I’d hatched my plan, I stood on
the deck of a real ship bound for the Americas.

“Welcome aboard, Charlie.” Captain Finley slapped me solidly on the
back. 

I nearly fell forward, but I wouldn’t have changed a single thing about
that moment. Not for anything.

As the tide carried us farther away from Southampton’s shoreline—farther away
from the place I’d called home for sixteen years—sailors scurried along the
Rose’s
top deck executing various orders.

“Full sails, men,” Captain Finley barked from the helm of the massive
carrack.

Wide canvas sheets luffed in the wind as crewmen released all the sails
on each of the four masts. The steady breeze caught in the sails, and the
Rose
lurched forward. With a loud smack of wind hitting the taut sheets, we were
off.

“Where’s Charlie?” Captain Finley asked.

“Here, sir.” I stepped away from the port rail where I’d been trying to
see everything at once.

“You afraid of heights, son?” He clamped a solid hand on my shoulder.

“No, Captain.” I squinted to look up at Captain Finley in the beaming
morning sun.

“Good.” He glanced at the center mast. “I need a new lookout. You’re it.”

I shot a look to the crow’s nest, its barrel-like shape sitting atop the
largest of the four masts. I imagined the glorious view from that vantage
point. My heart thudded in my chest at the thought of manning—
womanning
really—that
particular post.

“Aye, sir.” I had spent a good amount of time climbing high trees around
our estate, and Lady Elizabeth’s for that matter, trying to get a clear view of
the sea. This crow’s nest position would be no different.

“Very good,” the captain said. “For now, go claim yourself a spot below
deck before all the good ones are taken and you have to sleep out here. Then
off to the galley with you. That’s where Daniel is stationed most of the time.
You two work well together.” His smile deepened. “I think I’ve finally found
someone to un-sour that nephew of mine. He’s a good boy, hard worker, but his
life hasn’t been easy. I’m glad he’s tolerating you.”

“For now, anyway,” I said, causing the captain to laugh.

I was so pleased to have real orders from a real captain to follow. Also
pleased to be assigned to wherever Daniel was going to be.

With a quick nod to Captain Finley, I disappeared down the ladder
amidships. Many of the other sailors had dumped their belongings to mark their
territory. I located a quiet corner and tossed my bag down on the wide-plank
flooring.

“Good choice.”

I turned to see Daniel leaning against a thick beam that rose from
another deck below us and continued straight through to the deck above us. He
had two blankets under his arm, one of which he dropped onto my spot.

“All the spaces look the same to me,” I said.

“No, this one is definitely superior.” He grinned and my breath had
trouble escaping from my lungs for a heartbeat. Cripes, he was easier to be
around when he was scowling. Why did I have to be the one to thaw him? Better
yet, why did I have to be a boy now that I’d thawed him? Being a girl had never
been a big deal, but now I was feeling the allure of it.  

The sun streaked through a small porthole, illuminating Daniel’s face and
making him look angelic. His blue eyes reminded me of sunshine reflecting off
water.

I cleared my suddenly dry throat. “What makes this spot so superior?”

“Well,” Daniel began, “first off, it’s next to mine so you’ve chosen
superior company.” Another piercing smile as he pointed to his sack in the spot
before mine. He tossed the second blanket onto it. “Secondly, it’s near the
passage to the galley where my uncle has assigned you in addition to crow’s
nest.”

“You seem to have all your facts in order, now don’t you?” My turn to
shoot Daniel a grin.

“Being the captain’s nephew is not without its privileges.” He stepped
past me. “I’ll show you the galley. It’s dark and damp and by the end of the
journey it’ll smell, but somebody’s got to man it. Might as well be us.” He
shrugged his left shoulder and headed toward a narrow passage beyond the spot
I’d chosen as my own.

As I turned to follow him, a shuffling sound to my right caught my
attention. I stopped and peered into the shadows.

“What’s the matter?” Daniel asked.  

“I think I heard something over there.” I pointed behind a large barrel
sitting across from me. I stepped closer and jumped back when something furry
scurried between my legs. I whirled around in time to see Daniel scoop his left
arm down and snag up a puff of white.

“A stowaway,” he said.

A small, pure white cat wriggled in Daniel’s hand, its paws flailing in
all directions as it struggled to get free. It had the biggest blue eyes I had
ever seen.

“This guy has an important job on board the
Rose
,” Daniel said,
cradling the cat so it didn’t fuss as much. “We’d be overrun in rats in a month
if he wasn’t here.”

“What’s his name?” I stepped closer to scratch between the cat’s ears. A
low purr rumbled in its throat.

“Don’t think he’s got one.” Daniel turned the cat around to look at its
face.

“That’s a shame.” I held my arms out to take the critter. “Everybody
deserves a name.”

The cat slinked over to me and rubbed its chin against mine. Its head was
soft against my still slightly bruised jaw.

“I think he wants you to name him,” Daniel said around a chuckle.

I held the cat at arm’s length and studied him for a long moment.

“Let’s call him… Ghost.”

“Ghost,” Daniel repeated, trying the name out.

A loud meow echoed among the three of us.

“I think he likes it,” I said with a firm nod. It probably was a pretty
girlish thing to do, but I couldn’t resist nuzzling the top of Ghost’s fuzzy
head.

“We’d better get to the galley. We’ll have some hungry sailors a-knocking
soon enough.” Daniel nudged me toward the passage again. “Ghost can come too.”

Nodding, I set Ghost down and wouldn’t you know that silly cat did follow
us to the galley.

First day at sea and already my life seemed fuller.

****

I spent the morning helping Daniel arrange our food provisions in the
galley. He was organized about it, making sure the small rations of meats and
vegetables we brought stayed in the front so we would use them up first before
they spoiled. Unfortunately, for most of the voyage, we would be eating dry
biscuits that were slow to spoil but tasted like nothing. A small price to pay
for an adventure. I never had much of an appetite anyway so I wasn’t concerned.

“Can we go to the top deck now?” I asked Daniel for what was probably the
fifth time at least.

Glancing around the galley one final time, he let out an exaggerated
huff. “Go. Feel like your missing the show stuck down here with me, do you?”

“No… uh… it’s not that. I just…”

“You’ve never been on a ship like this before and want to see everything.
Is that about right?”

“That’s exactly right.” Could he read my thoughts? Cripes, I hoped not.

“Go on then.”

I dashed for the door then stopped and swiveled around. “Aren’t you
coming?”

“I’ll be along shortly. I’ve a couple more things to attend to first.”

My exuberance abated. Apparently seeing my disappointment, Daniel said,
“I won’t be long.”

“Promise,” I said coyly. Too coyly.

“Promise.”

I nodded, noting my palms were a bit clammier than usual. I had to focus.
Much too soon to be blowing my cover. We hadn’t gotten that far away from the
coast yet.

I reached down and picked up Ghost who hadn’t left my side the entire
time I was working in the galley. Scratching under his furry chin until he
squeezed his blue eyes shut, I took us both to the ladder and ascended.

The simple feeling of weathered wood against my palm as I ran it along
the rail of the ladder sent ripples of excitement coursing through my veins. I
breathed in the salty sea air and emerged from the lower deck. The creak of the
floorboards beneath my boots announced my arrival, causing three sailors off
the port side to look in my direction. All three of them tipped their hats to
me and offered up cordial smiles.

“Come over here, Charlie,” one of them—Walter, the quartermaster, Jonah
and Timmy’s father—said, motioning with his hand.

“Sir,” I said as I approached.

“I see you’ve made another friend here.” Walter tapped Ghost on the head.
“Timmy and Jonah have not met this critter yet. They’ll be delighted.” He
squinted up at the main mast then focused back on me. “Hear you’re the new
lookout. Is that so?”

“Yes, sir.”

“An important job. Hope you’ve got good eyesight.”

“I do.” Eric and Riley had teased me about being able to see a flea land
on a dog from a mile away.

“Good.” Walter gave my shoulder a gentle shake as he walked away toward
the helm of the
Rose
. 

I turned in a tight circle taking in the constant activity of the top
deck. Everywhere crewmen were busy tightening lines, adjusting sails, manning
posts. I glanced up at the crow’s nest and decided a trial run was in order.

Setting Ghost down, I approached the main mast and placed my foot on the
first peg jutting out from its base. Wrapping my arms around the mast, I
stepped up and positioned my other foot on the next peg. Cautious of Eric’s
extra tunic I had balled up at my stomach, I moved up the pegs until I was
above the sails. The steady wind tugged at Benjamin’s cap, and I had to pull it
down tighter to my head.

Climbing into the crow’s nest itself proved to be clumsy work. I had to
grab the rim of the lookout post and pull myself over it in order to get into
the actual barrel. My body thumped to the floor of the crow’s nest, and I was
surprised at the limited room inside. Once I righted myself, I found I could
kneel in the middle and reach both arms out to touch the opposite sides. Good
thing tight spaces did not bother me.

I shuffled over to the bow-facing side of the crow’s nest and stood. An
unending canvas of blue water stretched before the
Rose
. No land was
visible ahead of us. Just that marvelous horizon line that stretched across the
distant sky. I looked over my shoulder and white sail filled my view. Leaning
to the starboard side, I caught a faint glimpse of Southampton’s outline,
retreating with each gust of wind. This was the farthest I had ever been from
my home, and we had not traveled a full day yet. Still many more miles to go.

Thrusting my arms out to either side of me, I closed my eyes and flew on
the wind.

****

I stayed in the crow’s nest for at least an hour’s time before I spotted
Daniel below walking toward the bow. With another quick glimpse in all
directions from my exceptional vantage point, I shimmied down the main mast and
ran after him. Ghost slinked up to my side and matched my pace easily, his
claws scratching on the deck boards.

As I was about to call his name, Daniel stopped and turned around.

“I knew you were behind me,” he said. “I felt it somehow. Isn’t that
strange?”

I willed my eyes not to linger on his lips as he spoke.

“Where have you been hiding? I’ve been looking for you,” he said.

I pointed to the crow’s nest on the main mast.

“I see.” Daniel squinted in the afternoon sun. “Quite the view.”

“Incredible. I’ve never seen anything like it. I shall enjoy my duties as
lookout.”

“You’d better be good at it.” Daniel elbowed me, and the feel of his skin
against mine caused something hot to stir in my padded belly.

“Name one thing I haven’t been good at yet.” I leaned against the port
rail and looked toward the helm where the quartermaster hoisted Timmy up into
the air. The sound of the boy’s giggling traveled to us on the wind.

“Your record is good so far,” Daniel admitted. “But it’s a long trip.”
His words were directed at me, but he had turned his gaze toward Timmy and his
father.

“So what is on the menu for tonight anyway?” I asked.

When he focused on me, a sadness reflected in his eyes.

“Tonight’s menu,” he began in a strained voice, “is chicken, sweet
potatoes, and biscuits.” He glanced back to the helm then shook his head. “We’d
better get a start on supper now that you mention it.”

“All right.” I took a step past him then tugged on his arm to get him to
follow me. I didn’t like to see the sorrow taking root in his blue eyes.
Reminded me of my own sadness. Missing family was a horrible feeling. Missing dead
family was even worse.

“Come on.” I prodded Daniel with a slight tug on his shirt.

Nodding, Daniel pushed off the railing and followed me down the ladder. I
stopped to scoop up Ghost who meowed for me as Daniel continued on to the
galley. He didn’t say much as we prepared supper aside from the few
instructions he gave me.

I didn’t need guidance in the area of cooking as Daniel soon found out. I
had cooked for Lady Elizabeth and that sometimes included large dinner parties.
I had cooked for my father and brothers too when they were home.

Without thinking, I got creative with the potatoes, cutting them into
thin strips that curled prettily if you sliced them right. Daniel finished up
with the chicken and biscuits and came to check in with me.

“Can’t say the men have seen their potatoes look so fancy before.” He
picked up a sliced curl and nudged it around his palm with his thumb.

I reached around Daniel and grabbed the next potato, chopping at it
haphazardly so it fell in ugly, ragged chunks on the wooden table where I
worked.

“That better?”

“I didn’t say the men wouldn’t like it, Charlie.” He put his hand on mine
before I could butcher another potato. His touch on my hand fluttered my
stomach again. “You cut the potatoes any way you like, all right?”

I slipped my hand from underneath his. Maybe being assigned to work with
Daniel was not a good thing. Maybe all this alone time with him would be my
undoing. It was getting too hard to be a boy around him.