I curtsied. “Thank you.” I turned to Mr. Ashby. “Surely you are not worried about me any longer. I think I have proven myself seaworthy.”
He watched me for a moment without a hint of teasing, vividly reminding me of the charged moment we’d had far above the deck. Every word he spoke was serious. “You will be the death of me, I am certain of it.”
Then he stepped forward, and to my surprise, he clapped a hand on my shoulder as if I were a comrade. I’d seen him do so to the cabin boys. His serious expression changed to one I was more familiar with. He smiled, and those crinkles appeared around his eyes. “Regardless of your determination to cause me concern, however, I have confidence, as I always have, that you will accomplish all you set out to do.”
Such a statement regarding my ability, followed by his warm smile, caused my heart to melt, and the heat of it rose to my cheeks. I grinned back at him.
We startled when a bright flash, quickly followed by a thunder clap, came from the sky. We looked around to find the storm much closer than it had been moments ago. It could be a rain squall, which, from what I’d heard, could cause significant damage to a ship, although they didn’t last longer than an hour.
Mr. Ashby jumped into action. He rang the bell and called out, “Storm’s approaching! Batten down!”
“You two, go below deck and help Cook. I’ll work with the sailors to take down the sails.”
Patrice and I followed his orders quickly, pausing only to let sailors rush up the hatch to join Mr. Ashby. Nerves had begun in my stomach. I’d never experienced a storm at sea. I’d heard stories of capsizing, broken masts, lost rudders, being thrown off course and lost at sea. Surely these would not happen to us…
As worries ran through my mind, I ran through the galley to tie down anything that was not bolted to the deck. Patrice worked withthe cook to prepare quick meals for the sailors once they completed their duties above deck.
Everyone would need their strength to ride out the storm, and fires would be doused to avoid the ship catching fire while we rode it out. We finished in the galley and went back to our cabin to secure everything there.
Patrice met my eyes and took my hand. We exchanged a moment of silent encouragement. We could get through this as we had gotten through everything else so far. Our spirits were unbroken. I nodded to her once, and we went back out onto the mess deck.
Chapter 14
Therainbeganandturned torrential. We lacked the physical strength to help with the rigging, so we sat while sailors rushed up and down the decks. After hours of waiting, Mr. Ashby entered the galley soaked from head to toe, a weary expression on his face. My heart sank. I wished there was more I could do to help him.
He sat down heavily. He seemed exhausted. Having four able-bodied seamen gone had overworked everyone. With the way the ship was rocking, it seemed to be quite the storm. It wasn’t a squall, but it might as well be a hurricane. Many men had already succumbed to sickness. The stench of vomit had filled the deck, just another reason I thought returning to our cabin might be the best option. I opened my mouth to say so to Mr. Ashby, but he sighed and looked at me seriously.
“Now is a good time to tell each other stories.”
I raised my eyebrows at him. “What do you mean?”
“I mean this is usually when we talk about our lives, to take our minds off the monotony of a storm. A storm this big can last days out at sea.”
Groaning could be heard from nearly everyone on the deck as if to confirm Mr. Ashby’s words, though I knew they couldn’t hear him from where they sat. I winced. Days? This rocking and sickness could last days?
“I’ll start,” Patrice offered, uncharacteristically.
Both Mr. Ashby and I focused on her with wide eyes.
“By all means,” Mr. Ashby said.
Patrice began speaking of Scotland. Every sentence sent fresh longing through me. The landscape, the people, the memories of smells and sights and tastes. She had come from an impoverished family a few towns north of Edleroy. Her parents had died, and only she and her elder brother remained. They traveled to Selkirk and from there found positions at Edleroy. Patrice had been my lady’s maid for most of our adolescent and adult lives. One could consider us as close as sisters, had she not been a maid.
“I wouldnae think of being here if it werenae for Miss. But I’d follow the Findlays anywhere.” Patrice smiled at me and I reached out to take her hand.
“I wouldn’t want to go anywhere without you,” I admitted.
“What about ye, Mr. Ashby?” Patrice said after turning away from me. “What kind of stories do ye have to tell?”
“Nothing quite as splendid as your life, Miss Patrice.” He looked at me. I wondered at the many emotions that crossed his face. “I could speak of Graham.”
It had been at least a week since anyone had spoken of him. Perhaps that was why my thoughts had become so muddled, and filled with Mr. Ashby instead. All those letters sitting in my bag signedAlways, Elsiereminded me that I’d promised him forever. And yet, even as I traveled to find him, it seemed I’d nearly forgotten that promise. Too many things had happened on this voyage, that was all. “That would be greatly appreciated.” I hoped my desperation to hear of my betrothed was not too obvious.
Mr. Ashby nodded. “I thought it might entertain.” The tightness around his eyesmade me wonder if his stories were going to entertain, or cause more heartbreak.
He spoke of the past three years with Graham, how his disposition had changed in the third year. “I have never seen a more changed man. It had been two years since we’d last heard from you. That is, since Graham had heard from you.”
His frown deepened. “Once he lost contact with you, he seemed disheartened. Though I suppose that loss coincided with our business failing. That will change a man almost as quickly as lost love.” He paused, glancing away as if he seemed to regret bringing up such topics with me. “We were both deeply concerned for your well-being, but he wondered if you had given up on him and were angry that he had kept you waiting so long.” He lifted a shoulder. “I probably would have come to see you even if he hadn’t given me a letter for you. Just to be sure you were well, and to…to ask you why you had abandoned him.”
