Rogue Wave (The Rogue Wave Series Book 1), page 11
Lucas laughed and to Catherine’s surprise turned a bit pink.
“Aye, well,” He shifted in his seat. “There was this one time. It was probably what caused my folks and the rest of the village to decide it was time for us to leave to get some proper discipline.” He sat forward a bit more, stabbing a slice of meat with his knife.
“We were charged with taking a wagon full of livestock and crops to a larger town a couple days ride away. We had accompanied my Da or other villagers a few times, so we knew the route well. It was not that difficult; we were to simply trade the wagon of goods for the other provisions our village needed. It was a simple dirt road that led the way, easy to follow.” He shrugged.
“We would set up camp along the way, it got cold at night so we made a decent fire to sleep close to. It was the first time we had done the trip alone; without supervision. We were feeling much older and proud of ourselves. Well, we arrived at the town, we were to stay in a specific inn. We knew it well and had stayed there the times we had been to the town in the past. We went there first to get our room and to eat before trading the goods.
As it happened, the inn was full and they did not have any rooms available. So, we left and decided to find another inn. We walked down the muddy streets trying to find a place, we rounded a corner and a woman was standing outside. She caught sight of us and immediately urged us inside, saying we looked cold, tired and near to starving.” Lucas chuckled and shook his head.
“We were cold, tired and hungry, to be sure but we were not doing too bad and had gone longer without food and rest before. We followed her in the building and were about to ask if the place was an inn and if it had rooms available when another younger lass came walking down the stairs.” Lucas shifted again in his seat and scratched his chin. “She was, ah, clearly not of good morals. We of course being barely fourteen could not keep our eyes from her. She led us over to a table and served us a hot bowl of stew. We devoured it, completely forgetting about our wagon of supplies outside. The lass then poured us some whiskey, at the time we had only ever tasted it once or twice.” Lucas was speaking through a smile now. “We did not want to appear like the young lads we were, so we quickly drank the entire cup as well.”
Lucas sat back in his chair and looked at Catherine. “The rest of the evening was a blur, we woke the next day, as green as grass and our eyes feeling as if they’d pop from our skulls. We ran outside, finally remembering why we were even in the blasted town only to see that not only were the crops and livestock gone but our horse and wagon were no longer parked outside either.” He shook his head again. “We arrived back in our village days later, heads hanging low. This time we really were exhausted and near starving. We recounted the story to my folks; I had feared by the look on my mother’s face she would swoon. When my father had eventually finished roaring with laughter, he took us out back and gave us a whippin’ for losing so much of the village’s crops and livestock, not to mention the wagon and horse. It was not until later that we learned just what kind of establishment the place had been and that it was most definitely not an inn.” They both laughed as they finished their meal.
“You and Alaric certainly were wicked boys.” She giggled.
He grinned and nodded. “Aye, Lass, that we were.”
“I think I will go back up on deck for a bit before it gets dark.” She stood up, taking the trays.
“Tomorrow I except to hear about all the terrible and rebellious things you did as a child.” He winked, raising his cup to take another drink. Catherine flushed and felt her belly do another flip. She tore her eyes away from his addictive smile and walked through the hatch. She could not get enough of how the Captain spoke and the stories he told. He openly answered any question.
She stopped at Cook’s galley and dropped the trays off. As she stepped onto the quarterdeck, the cool breeze hit her face. She could almost taste the air, it was sweet with a touch of salt from the mist that sprayed up from the sea. She walked over to the railing, wanting to watch the sunset. Each evening the sky lit up with oranges and pinks. Leaning against the railing, she was mesmerized by the foamy waves that passed by the ship.
“For most of us on board it does not get old, lass.” Ol’ Shorty stepped up beside her, watching the waves and the colorful horizon. “The sway of the ship passing over the water, the sound of the sails snapping, even the grog and salted meat ain’t so bad once you’ve lived off of it for so long.”
“How long have you been sailing?” Catherine asked, glancing down.
“Oh too many years to say. I have far more voyages under this leathered skin than the rest of the lads on this ship.” He tapped the railing.
Catherine let out a small chuckle, “I completely forgot,” She laughed again, looking at O’l Shorty. “In a couple days it will be my birthday. Back home my father and the entire household would be planning a lavish party. There would be desserts and dishes of every kind, there would be dancing and new gowns. I would be having to go to fittings, discussing place settings and the menu. The guest list and seating chart, and to think out here, I have been enjoying myself so much with people I only just met, without hardly any luxuries, that I had completely forgotten about my birthday.”
Ol’ Shorty looked at her, his eyes twinkling, “We are all happy you are here with us, little lady.” He sniffed and looked away quickly. Her heart was happy, she was doing what she had always dreamt about doing, having an adventure. It was certainly far different an adventure than she had expected but she had come so far, learned so much and changed more than she had imagined.
The Captain took the helm, she marveled at his intimidating, sturdy appearance when he was commanding his ship. Watching him a few moments, she headed through the hatch and down towards his cabin. Stretching when she got in the room, she headed over to the chest that held the books. Trying to decide which one she wanted to settle down and read before she fell asleep for the night, Catherine shuffled through the variety of books.
A book about a whaling ship caught her interest. Ever since she had seen them earlier in the voyage Catherine had found herself fascinated with the giants that lived in the oceans.
They had spotted whales in the distance and she hoped they would see them a bit closer. She waited at the railing for a good while, no sign of the massive animals. Turning her back to the railing, only briefly to see if she could see them in the distance on the other side of the ship. There was a rumbling and a splash as the water moved over the body of a very large humpback. Slowly, she turned around to see the tail covered in small rock like bumps coming up and rising from the waves.
As the tail rose higher, along side the ship, the Captain told her to take a step back. Frozen, she was mesmerized by the magnificent display in front of her. The tail came down quickly, meeting the waves again. It caused the water to spray up, splashing onto the deck of the ship and covering her in water. She spat and wiped the water from her face with her soaked sleeve. A roar of laugher had erupted from the crew and the Captain.
Catherine sat at the desk, getting comfortable to begin reading. There were many drawers that lined both sides of the Captain’s desk. The Captain’s chair was a bit bigger and reminded her of the large chair her father had in his study back home, though not nearly as soft. Curiosity got the better of her and she pulled open a drawer, seeing not much but logbooks. She slid it closed, opening the one below it.
A parchment tied with a red ribbon sat in the drawer. In a very un-lady like fashion, Catherine slid the ribbon delicately off and unrolled it. Quickly, she scanned the document, her color drained and she felt as if she would be sick. Her father’s name was on the parchment. Realizing what it was, Catherine’s mouth went dry and she was dizzy. Placing a hand on her stomach, she tried to control her nerves. She paced the room, not knowing what to do next or wanting to believe what she held in hand.
The Captain was under the Governor’s orders. She had heard her father tell the Captain about the Governor’s plans to take the plantation from him. All that time the Captain sat, listening, pretending to care and all along he had the deed in his desk on the ship. Anger rose in her throat. How could the Captain do this? How could he allow the Governor to simply give her father’s land away? How could he partake in any of it? She wrapped her arms around her middle.
The hatch opened and the Captain ducked in. He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of Catherine glaring at him, tears spilling down her cheeks. He looked panicked. The Captain took a step forward, reaching a hand out to her.
She shook her head, “Don’t come any closer!” She yelled. “You knew! All along you knew! Why didn’t you give my father the deed right then? You dined with him, in this very room.” She choked, sucking a deep breath in, trying desperately to control her raging emotions. She could not remember a time she had ever felt so scared, angry, hurt, or betrayed.
“Your father? Catherine what on earth are you talking about?” He shook his head, his brow furrowed. “Who is your father, Catherine?”
“The Baron, Lord Benedict, the owner of one of the largest sugar plantations in Barbados. The same man that you allowed on your ship, the same man that you feigned pity for when he told you his fears of losing his estate.” Catherine shook in helpless rage.
“The Baron is your father?” He staggered back as if he had been slapped. “Why the bloody hell didn’t you say anything?”
“No, you do not get to question why I did what I did. Not until you first explain how you could possibly carry out this order from the Governor. How can you give my father’s land away? You heard him that night, it is not his fault, and he is doing all he can.” She sobbed.
“Catherine, look at me. I promise you, I had no idea the deed was to your father’s plantation until I had gone back to my cabin that night and opened the document. I also had no idea he was your father. I had guessed you came from a well-off family and probably a plantation owner’s daughter but I did not know for sure or which man was your father.” He looked at her apologetically, his eyes flashing with fury.
“As for you, you should not have been going through my desk without permission.” He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face, briefly closing his eyes. “Catherine, I never told you about the deed because I did not know who your father was. Most of the crew does not even know that I carry a deed. They only know we are under orders from the Governor, nothing more. I gave the Governor my word I would not say a thing.” He explained.
Catherine just kept shaking her head. “When you realized that night it was my father’s, why did you not just give him the deed back and explain to him what happened?” Anger overtook her. She did not understand how she felt, she could tell the Captain had not known but he was still the man that had not done a thing to change it.
“I couldn’t.” He let a long breath out. “It is not merely that simple. If I do not get the deed to Monsieur Dupont on time, the Governor will simply find someone else to carry out the task. Catherine, you have learned a great deal about sailing, but you still do not know how all of it works.” The Captain took a step closer to her. “I would lose my Letter of Marque. Without it, I cannot sail this ship. I would be branded a traitor, imprisoned or hanged. Do you think they would pardon Alaric? The rest of my crew?” He paused. “No, they wouldn’t, not even Benjamin would be spared.”
Catherine stared at him, her mouth hung open. He was right, she did not know any of it, how any of it worked or why. “So, you and your crew lose your ship and quite possibly your lives or my father loses everything he has.” She looked at the ground, she felt helpless. She felt angry at the Governor, angry at the Captain for having no choice but to carry out the task and not coming up with a way to change things. Surely there was something he could do, there had to be. She looked up into the Captain’s eyes, normally a bright blue or sometimes grey, now they were dark, troubled.
“I am sorry Catherine, truly. I will do what I can. I will try and think of a way it can work, but I cannot promise you I will succeed.” He turned to the hatch and opened it. With a quick glance over his shoulder at her, she had not moved or said another word. He walked out, clicking the door closed behind him.
Catherine walked slowly to the bed and fell into it. Tears soaked the pillow, which still smelled like the man she had began to have feelings for. She cursed herself for not being stronger. How could any of this have even happened? Catherine desperately tried to come up with a solution, but her mind was exhausted, she had cried harder than she had in years. She drifted off into a restless sleep. Dreams of a large estate, sugar cane fields, and a tall, handsome man standing there, his eyes matching the waves.
She woke the next morning with a start. Men were bustling about on deck. Shouts and commands could be heard.
“Pull in the sails, lads. Let’s get ready to anchor.” More shuffling could be heard. Catherine sat up. She rubbed her face with her hands, she was still exhausted from the night before, she felt tangled and confused. Getting up, she walked over to the water basin and poured the cool liquid over her puffy face.
There was a knock at the hatch. “Miss Catherine? You awake? We are going ashore soon. We have reached Port.” It was Ol’ Shorty. Where was the Captain? Was he furious that she had read the deed or angry at how she had questioned him?
“Yes, I will be right up. Thank you.” She answered as cheerfully as she could. As upset and frustrated as she was, she was still excited to see a new city and a new port.
Lucas had not slept very well the night before, tossing and turning in the spare hammock in Doc’s cabin. He wanted to give Catherine some space and he had needed time to think. Lucas felt his chest tighten when he had walked in and saw the tears streaming down her face. He could not have known of her connection with all of it and had been completely taken aback.
Lucas walked to the railing, resting his hands on it. Perhaps seeing the port and getting off the ship a while would do him and Catherine good. He had been up most the night trying to figure out a solution. Finally in the wee hours of the morning a conclusion arose to his mind but was not entirely sure how he felt about it or if it was a good idea.
As The Trinity bobbed in the water near the docks. Lucas gave the order to ready the barrels and crates to be unloaded. They needed to trade for more goods to make it to France. Nothing stayed fresh for long on a damp ship. Lucas turned to see Benjamin excitedly looking out at the port with boyish anticipation.
Benjamin had been with his crew for about three years now. He was the youngest, but that had not stopped him from trying. He had also proven he was a natural born sailor, and he had seen and done more than most lads his age. Lucas walked over to him and gave him a pat on the shoulder, “Are you ready to go ashore, lad?” He asked, just as Alaric approached.
“Aye, Capt’n. Alaric gave me a few coins and told me to be back on the ship in a couple hours.” Benjamin grinned.
It was not a particularly large port but it was a well-traveled and busy one. It was clear the lad was excited to explore it by himself a bit. “Well, I suppose you best get yourself onshore then.” Lucas tried hiding his smile as Benjamin rushed over to the plank and scrambled down as fast as he could.
“Have you spoken to the lass this morning?” Alaric asked, watching Benjamin.
“No,” Lucas shrugged. “I will take her ashore and show her around a bit. Mayhap she will feel better after stretching her legs and getting some fresh air.” After the confrontation Lucas went to Alaric the night before and had told him everything. Lucas’s original plan of putting Catherine on a passenger ship was now definitely out of the question. If Lucas had been being honest with himself, he knew he would never have put her on one when it came down to it.
“You care for her, don’t you?” Alaric looked his friend over.
Lucas swallowing hard, “I suppose I do, but I think many of the crew care for her.”
“That is not what I mean and you know it.” Alaric raised his eyebrows.
Lucas sighed, “We will be in France in a couple days. Once I have done what is needed, we will be on our way to Barbados where I will deposit the lass back at her estate with her father.”
Alaric nudged Lucas with his elbow, “Here she comes now. I will leave you to it.” He walked up to Catherine and kissed her hand. “Enjoy your time at Port, Miss Catherine.”
Lucas’s stomach knotted as he watched Catherine flash Alaric a smile. He looked down at the deck before raising his head back up. Lucas’s eyes caught hold of Catherine’s. She stuck her chin out a bit and walked over to him. “Captain.”
“Good morning, Catherine. Would you mind accompanying me ashore?” He held out his arm.
“That sounds wonderful, thank you.” She turned and walked towards the plank that connected to the dock, ignoring his arm. Lucas’s lips twitched, he could not help but admire her strength and stubbornness. Following her down the plank and onto the busy dock, men were rushing around, shouting and pushing through crowds. Lucas stood close to her, he held back a grin when she stiffened next to him. He knew she was still angry and confused, he planned to change that. No matter how head strong she was, he was determined to break down the wall she had built up.
“Best stay close, I would not want you to get lost in the rush.” He whispered in her ear so she could hear him over the noise. The last few days he had been wondering just what she would look like, all dressed up in one of the fancy gowns. Now, he was thankful she was in the disguise of a young lad, she had even tucked her hair back up in the hat. He knew very well that there were men in the ports that would not hesitate to try and take advantage of a young woman, especially one as bonny as her.
“Come, I will take you over to the shops and stalls. They carry various goods from all over.” He placed his hand on her back, again feeling her flinch, but she made no move to step away from him. Lucas led her a ways away from the busy docks, not without a bit of shoving and cursing on his part as well as the sailors around them.
