AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Aye, but it was already three weeks and the commodore was well in love then. You know he’d not have taken her back and left her. Brooch or no,” Smithe said and reached out to touch Mia’s arm, the same as he used to when he scolded her and instructed her about some task she’d doneincorrectly.
She managed a weak smile as the feeling of being watched grew stronger. “Aye, of course I know. But did Mama ever say where she got the brooch? Did she say perhaps it was a family heirloom? Or…” Mia watched him shake his head slowly and she felt her stomach start to churn like waters in a storm. “Do you think… do you… was… couldshe…”
“Mia Lynn, pump it out girl,” Smithe snapped and Miajumped.
“Could she have stolen it? Was she a thiefperhaps?”
Smithe stared at her for what seemed an eternity then burst out laughing. He laughed so hard it doubled him. “Sea witch, you have been in the sun too much. If your mama was a thief, I’m the Christ comeagain.”
“Mr. Smithe,” Mia admonished. “Don’t let the commodore hear suchtalk.”
“And don’t let him hear you accuse your mother of being a thief. She wasn’t and why would you be asking such athing?”
Mia turned away then and walked to the rail. Someone was watching her. She searched the crowd, but no one stoodout.
“Mia Lynn, answer me, why did you ask if your mother stole thebrooch?”
“A woman came in the office today,” Mia said seeking out faces that didn’tbelong.
“The same woman from lastweek?”
“No, some other. She came in and demanded I give her my brooch. She has one like it and she said Mama stole it fromher.”
“Was her name Briskbee, by chance?” Smithe said, coming to stand next to Mia at therail.
“Aye, how did youknow?”
“Mia,” the man said softly taking her chin forcing her to look at him. “More than anything you need to know that your mama loved you. And more than anything life might have to offer, your papa loves you.” Mia could only nod her head as the feeling of dread grew. “And no matter what anyone will tell you, he loved your mama. He loved her the moment he rolled her half dead body over in the skiff. He loved her from that moment and even now. She was his greatesttreasure.”
“Aye,” Mia breathed. She knew this. He’d found Mama and she was a treasure. Mia was given to him and she was his greatest gift. Same butdifferent.
“But Mia,” Smithe said sadly. “Your mama’s heart, it wasn’t completely your papa’s. The man she loved before, the one who she gave herself to when she gave herself the first time. The man who fathered you. She never got back her whole heart fromhim.”
“Mama hated him, she said so all the time,” Mia snapped and pulledaway.
“Aye, she did. She never could forgive him because she never got her whole heart back. He had some little piece of her until the day she died and she chose to hate him. She never forgave him keeping it.” He took her hand and began pulling Mia along towards the lower decks. She followed him down and then to the section of the ship the man kept as his own. She watched him move to an old trunk, lift the lid and sift through the belongings until he came up with a thick stack of letters tied with a ribbon. “I found these under the seat on the skiff. I kept them from the commodore because I knew how much he loved your mama and I think while the first few he might have dismissed, and maybe the few in the middle he’d have laughed at, the ones at the end would have sent him to do murder.” He handed the stack to Mia. “I’ve read them more than a few times, trying to understand what I still don’t understand. How a man can claim to love a woman, know everything to say to her to make her truly love him and then simply turn it all into alie.”
Mia looked at the stack in her hand. “My father wrotethese?”
“He did, those and that brooch are all your mama took with her when she was left to die. Maybe it was her hope that when she was eventually found those letters would cause a scandal or earn her some justice. I don’t know. I never even told your mama I found them. I think she thought they were lost with theboat.”
“There’s something in these about the brooch then?” Mia asked, unable to lift her eyes from the papers in her hands. The only thing she had that would tell her anything at all about her father. But did she want to read them? Smithe had, and he didn’t sound impressed. She knew they weren’t going to change her mind about the man. And perhaps they might make her want to be rid of the brooch even if her papa thought it important she have it. If for only how it brought he and Mamatogether.
“The note he perhaps sent with the brooch or just after he gave it to her. And a few others mention it.” He stepped forward and touched the letters. “Have caution, Mia, reading these. They are not safe waters for someone who loved Molly. And remember,” he paused and took hold of her chin again. “These are the words from a man who never cared about her as he should have. They aren’t a true reflection of who Molly Cadley was, nor who she became as a woman. And they’ve no bearingat allon who you are. That man’s blood is in your veins only by chance. But he’s not your blood, your blood is the salt water of the seas. And he’s not your kin. Your kin is your crew, your captain and your commodore. Do you understandme?”
“Aye,” Mia whispered and stepped up to hug the man who was a second papa toher.
“My pretty little sea witch, if we could have built a reef around your heart to protect you from all the sharks that bide in the water…. But you have a strong mast and bow, and you’ll sail through as you always have.” He set her back and smiled. “Go on with you now. Shove off before you sinkme.”
Mia gave him one more squeeze and a peck on the cheek, and hurried from the ship. She caught the first cab she could and made her way home. When Lady Briskbee and the magistrate came for her she was more than ready to prove sheandher mother were the better people. She’d greet them with enough support to ensure shots weren’t again fired across herbow.
Chapter 17
“Captain Winthrop?”Mia called, and Devin stopped midstride.
“Yes, Mrs. Winthrop?” he replied, turning to look around the room at everyone who’d come out in support of his wife. He took a second to give Mr. Smithe a second look. The man still looked ill atease.
Devin knew the feeling. Any moment now Mia would face off against someone who had tormented her for her whole life. And both he and Smithe agreed to let her have the first shot at sinking him. Against the commodore’s wishes and worse, without his knowledge. He turned back to face his wife with a forcedsmile.
