The Stolen Heart (24 page)

 

 

The paperwork done, cabin tidied and hot meal consumed, Jared felt
more than happy to lie down in his bunk.

 

 

He patted near his side. “Aren’t you coming?” he asked softly.

 

 

She shook her head. “I’m going back up on deck to get some washing
done. You need some rest, some real sleep.”

 

 

“So do you.”

 

 

“True, but if we spotted a whale tomorrow, you would barely be fit
to lift the lance. Go on, now, rest now, dearest. I’ll see you
later.”

 

 

“At least stay with me a little until I fall asleep.”

 

 

She hesitated, and then sat on the bunk and stroked his hair from
his eyes. “I’ll have to give you a trim,” she said softly.

 

 

“And a shave,” he said in a sleepy murmur as she ran her hand down
his now-strong bristles.

 

 

“And a bath, and anything else you want, my love, as soon as you
rest.”

 

 

His deep, even breathing was his only reply.

 

 

She smiled softly, and planted a light kiss on his lips. She admired
his handsomeness for a time longed, before tiptoeing out of the
room. She shut the door behind her quietly as she went to the
galley.

 

 

True to her word, she took advantage of the hot water to get the
laundry done, hanging it all over the galley on the racks which
suspended from the ceiling of the cook house.

 

 

She was relieved to feel that it was growing slightly warmer, and
wondered if they would be fortunate enough to see some whales and be
able to get into port soon.

 

 

She loved the sea, and had enjoyed almost every minute of her voyage
when she had not been hazed by Mate.

 

 

He was gone now, and peace reigned aboard ship for them all.

 

 

Yet the prospect of dry land and a stable bed, and living quarters
free from the smell of brine, began to seem like heaven to her.

 

 

But two days later, just as they were getting the ship back to
rights, the cry of “Thar she blows!” came just after breakfast.

 

 

The seas were still freezing cold, however, as they had discovered
when lifting buckets of water onto the deck to scrub them down.

 

 

“Two boat crews, please, Perkins the first mate, and mine,” Jared
called.

 

 

Some of the men looked disappointed, but as Jared explained, “If
anything happens in the boats with the pod, we don’t have a spare,
and no way to fish anyone out. The cold water will kill them if they
don’t drown first. We need the whales, the boats, and the men.
Sending only two boats will conserve all of those things.”

 

 

“Second mate’s crew, stand by with your boat in case the first one
gets back all in one piece. And have some hot food and a tot of rum
standing by!”

 

 

Jared waved to her, slid down the davit ropes, and was gone.

 

 

They took another three sperm whale that day, and in the calm but
freezing waters, they tried out the oil. Al felt as though their
luck was finally turning as she helped Cooper count all the barrels
they had laid down.

 

 

Soon they were holystoning the deck clean, and under way again after
only a week of render the blubber into oil.

 

 

A gale blew up the following day, but Jared took in all sails, and
they endured the storm with nothing worse than a good soaking, and
the entire ship being hung with laundry below decks as they
struggled to get things clean, mended, and dry.

 

 

The cabin dripped, but he certainly never noticed, he was so
absorbed in finally spending some quality time with Almira after a
week of barely snatched kisses and hurried intimacy.

 

 

The following day, they spied another pod, and Jared decided to make
the most of the opportunity once more.

 

 

Jared excused Al trying out again, deciding that she was too tired,
and still not fully recovered from her sunstroke, so he had told her
to stay put in the cabin while he had worked.

 

 

She had certainly not sat idle for the past few days while he had
worked. After mending all of his clothes and hers, she had taken on
everyone’s laundry. Now she was repairing some of the more tattered
sails.

 

 

He came down to visit her for a couple of quick kisses and caresses,
but protested when she had become more amorous. “I’m filthy.”

 

 

“A quick wash first, then. There’s plenty of hot water. And I've
missed you so much. The past week was torture.”

 

 

"For me too."

 

 

"Then let's get you cleaned up for a moment and—"

 

 

He smiled and nodded. "Whatever the lady wants."

 

 

She helped strip him off and scrub him until he was squeaky clean.

 

 

Then she led him to the bed, and straddling him facing his feet,
declared she wanted to taste him now. He almost lost control as her
mouth fastened upon him.

 

 

After allowing her free rein for a moment, he once more was in
command as he lifted her hips until she was on her knees, and
plunged his tongue into her dewy softness.

 

 

“Jared, that is not fair!” she gasped, trying to wiggle out of his
reach.

 

 

“No, it's delicious. I love the way you taste, feel, smell,” he
murmured against her thigh, before rolling them over onto their
sides. “There. Easier now for us both.”

 

 

He had to concentrate all his attention on her to stop himself from
exploding with desire, and got the satisfaction of seeing her rocket
out of control first.

 

 

But her mouth was so firmly clamped upon him, he needed to ease
himself away before he let himself go completely in the most
dreadful way.

 

 

“I don’t mind, really,” she said in a whisper.

 

 

He pulled her head away and said, “No, you can’t-I don’t want you
to-”

 

 

He moved onto his knees and pulled her toward him, so that her head
was at the foot of the bed, and her legs around his waist.

 

 

Her bottom slid up his thighs and at last they were joined as one.
He clung to her waist with one hand, while his right pressed against
her abdomen, his thumb teasing her delicate little bud of desire.

 

 

As his hand pressed down even harder and he stroked within, a cry of
passion was torn from her, and she let herself give in to the pure
raw sensation.

 

 

He clung onto her tightly as she writhed and squirmed, and felt his
own release just seconds away. He pulled her even more tightly to
him, and the engorged head of his manhood pressed in that little bit
further, sending lightning through them both.

 

 

For a moment he panicked, thinking the ship was sinking, but for the
life of him he could not stop.

 

 

Finally he released her and leapt out of the bunk to look out the
porthole. All was still and calm, and he smiled in pure relief.

 

 

“My God, I thought the ship had splintered in two.”

 

 

She laughed. “It certainly seemed like it to me as well.”

 

 

“Phew. I was so scared, but I couldn’t stop,” he admitted, shaking
his head.

 

 

“Neither could I. But you have to get back now, and we really have
to start behaving more sensibly.”

 

 

He smiled and reached to cup her cheek. “I will try. But all I want
to do is lock the door and make the world go away.”

 

 

“As soon as we're in port, we can, I promise.”

 

 

He came over to the bed and kissed her. “I’m going to hold you to
that.”

 

 

“You'd better. I’m going to hold you to it as well.” She flashed him
a pert smile that set his loins sizzling all over again.

 

 

But she was right. They had to be sensible, and the try works were
in full blaze above. He had to get back to work now. The sooner he
filled his barrels, the sooner he could get the ship refitted, and
head on.

 

 

So he contented himself with a deep, deep kiss they both felt right
down to their toes, and a quick wash in the tub.

 

 

"Don't work too hard, darling," she said, giving him one last kiss
as he moved towards the door.

 

 

"Of course not. I need to keep up my strength for you, darling. And
me too, of course," he added when she began to pout prettily. "Your
pleasure is mine too, after all. And what pleasure it is. I'll see
you soon, love."

 

 

The three whales they secured with this second pod helped them lay
down nearly four hundred more barrels of whale oil, another
one-eighty of case oil, and best of all, fifty pounds of ambergris
in the haul.

 

 

The men were delighted. It had been a great hunt, and the weather
had held fair for nearly two weeks of trying out.

 

 

Jared looked the evening sky, and felt his heart lift. He was sure
their bad luck was behind them now.

 

 

He strode to the wheel and gave the order for the helmsman to head
north for port at Valparaiso.

 

 

 

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

 

 

After another two days of sailing, they spotted a pod of sperm
whales, and though Dare was eager to get to port, he lowered two
boats again.

 

 

This time, Jared took out Wright the second mate’s crew, and was
pleased with their progress. They had formed into a good solid team
that worked well together, and Wright was adapting to his duties
admirably, while Bob was shaping up well with the harpoon.

 

 

All in all, they managed to get four whales, without a single man
ending up in the water, or the boats stove in.

 

 

Jared might almost have believed his luck was changing; good
weather, good whales, and the ship making good progress despite the
battering it had taken around the Horn.
And a wonderful woman
waiting for him below….

 

 

"But he knew the sea was nothing if not a fickle mistress, smiling
sunshine one minute, stormy skies and swells the next.

 

 

Almira watched and worried when he was out on the boat, but kept
busy with any chores she could find below once he was back aboard
supervising the trying.

 

 

She scrubbed everything from top to bottom not only in the captain’s
two cabins, but also in the mates’, their dining room, and even in
steerage.

 

 

The men did appreciate the effort the cabin boy was making in their
behalf, but Al seemed, well, different, more restless somehow.

 

 

He also seemed to be avoiding the captain, they noted, for normally
they would have been trying out together at the fore mast, or
working side by side in the blubber room.

 

 

Well, shipmates often fell out, they decided with a shrug, and went
about their business as usual.

 

 

Only Cook became worried, and drew her aside when she was scrubbing
the floors in his new quarters.

 

 

“Are you all right?”

 

 

“Yes, fine. Why?”

 

 

“Well, I just wondered if you and the Captain had had a fight or
something. I mean, you’re not together all the time they way you
were.”

 

 

“Everything is fine between us. He wants me to rest, and stay away
from the blubber room, and I have to admit, while I’m well over the
sunstroke, the smell of the whale oil is making me sea sick.”

 

 

“Or morning sick,” he guessed astutely.

 

 

The expression on his face was enough to tell him he had guessed
correctly. “Have you told him yet, then? Is that why he's ordered
you to light duties?”

 

 

She shook her head. “No, I haven’t told him. I don’t want to worry
him, or make him feel obligated to me. I think he’s pretty much made
up his mind to let me stay aboard, but he might change his mind if
he knows about the baby.”

 

 

“We’re going to have to put into port soon for repairs. Perhaps if
you can keep it from him until then, you'll travel on with us to New
Zealand.”

 

 

Almira nodded, rubbing her belly pensively. “I’m going to try. I
think he will be pleased, but worried. I don’t blame him. Giving
birth aboard a whaler, even being pregnant aboard one, is not really
what I ever imagined for myself.

 

 

"But this is where Jared belongs, and his son or daughter. Mother
had all of us aboard ship, and Father and the Mate helped her. Will
you help me if and when the time comes?”

 

 

He clapped her on the shoulder. “You know I will.”

 

 

“You won’t tell him, will you?”

 

 

“No, of course not," he said indignantly. "It's up to you to give
the Captain the news.”

 

 

“What news?” Jared asked, as he entered, his expression wary.

 

 

“That the steerage area is now cleared, and as soon as you are
finished trying, the blubber room is going to be scrubbed until it's
spotless. This whole place reeks of brine and bilge.”

 

 

Jared shrugged. “It’s a ship, Al. And you never complained before.”

 

 

“I never noticed it so much before. Or maybe it is something worse,
some dead rats or something from the stores?” she added, noticing he
was staring at her strangely.