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“Oh, those awful steam ships. There’s no beauty in them. Hulking masses of iron. How they even float is beyond me,” Miasulked.
“I fear our fine sails will soon be unfurled one last day, all too soon. The age of sail is passing intohistory.”
“Aye but what a history it’s been,” Mia sighed. “Discovery, conquest…romance.”
“Aye, romance,” Devin said and smiled at her as he turned down thelamps.
“You know, perhaps if you gave those boys a lesson in other ways ropes could be used, they might take to thembetter.”
“Mia,” Devin gasped like she’d scandalized him. “Have some decorum woman, they’reboys.”
“Really, and how old, sir, were you when you learned to tie a clove hitch?” Mia asked and smiledknowingly.
“Utterly irrelevant,” Devin told her as they exited the room and he shut the door behindthem.
“Really? Then might I assume my stockings won’t need resupplying for sometime?”
“You might assume that,” Devin said grabbing her around the waist and jerking her against him. “But it would be a poor assumption on your part.” He bit down on her shoulder andgrowled.
Mia’s laugher echoed in the halls and Devin hurried to make a quick getaway before they disrupted the other classes. He led her back to his offices knowing Porter would be ready to go to eat and Devin could lock the doors. Food wasn’t what he was hungry for. But as he ushered Mia through and made to tell Porter to get out, he noticed both his wife and secretary were looking in the same direction at the small group of people standing against the wall of his office. One man stood out and with twenty-three years between them, the man still made his stomachroll.
“Father,” Devin said and pulled Mia behindhim.
The man looked him up and down then turned his head and snarled “About damntime.”
“Captain?” Porter called, even he was scared, though Colebert Winthrop couldn’t do anything tohim.
“Go eat, Mr. Porter,” Devinordered.
“Aye, Captain. Mrs. Winthrop… people,” he finished, and Devin manage to feel a little lightness. Porter’s less than formal address might be lack of training. He might not have been able to manage ladies and gentlemen with thisgroup.
“Oh, Robert,” Beth Winthrop cried as she rushed up and flung her arms around hisneck.
“Mother,” Devin said and took in the way she smelled of smoke. Father probably hadn’t replaced that nasty cook stove. His father probably didn’t replace anything but maybe his mistresses as they could leave him when they grew tired of him. He eased her back remembering how the woman’s fondness of him cost her when she was alone with herhusband.
“Look at you, look,” she said stepping back and smoothing down the jacket he wore. “So handsome. And a Captain now?” she added, surprising Devin who didn’t know how she might know that. He stopped writing home yearsago.
“Yes, a captain.” Richard, his older brother, stepped up and held out his hand. “Good to seeyou.”
Devin took the offered hand reluctantly. It was, after all, the constant fighting with this brother which lead to Devin being put to sea at the age of six. Devin often wondered why Richard hadn’t been tossed away like a bit of rubbish, and held their father’s favor. But looking at the man now Devin couldn’t say he was angry over the choice. Richard was slovenly dressed, unkempt much as their father alwayswas.
That his family had money made no difference. If his father wasn’t wasting it on drink and women, he was gambling it away on horses. The small income should have served the family of five very well but his mother and siblings, the second of which, Ronald, was now stepping up, lived in nearpoverty.
“I can’t say I’ve a clear memory of you, but they tell me you’re my brother. I believe them,” Ronald said and held out hishand.
“Of course, you were only three when I left home. I’d not expect you to remember me,” Devin said. It did look like his younger brother was faringbetter.
“Yes, of course,” Ronald said with a laugh. “Pleasure to meet youagain.”
And a long awkward silence fell over the group, as they all took a moment to assess eachother.
“Well,” Devin heard Mia shout. “Hello then. I’m Mia Cadley, Captain Winthrop’s wife. Such a pleasure to meet you. Devin has saidnothingabout you, so I look forward to hearing from yourlips.”
“God save me,” Devin mumbled as he watched his mother gasp and cover hermouth.
“Married?” His father shouted, and Devin saw everyone, even those he didn’t know jump and flinch. “They let you marry? You can’t be at sea with a wife. If you think I’ll spend a shilling to supportyour—”
“I’vebeenat sea with a wife. And you’ve never spent so much as a copper to support me. I’d hardly think anything has changed.” Devin stepped up even as his mother whimpered at the challenge. One that when he was a child would result in a severe beating. “I support me and mine more than well enough. But it’s not hard when drink and horses are not apriority.”
