A Sea Unto Itself Read Free Page A

it be?” He noticed that the seaman was following the exchange with an expression of interest, his head turning in one direction and then the other as each spoke.
    Penny pursed her lips in contemplation. “He may apologize for the hurt he has caused thee, and promise to foreswear all violence in the future.”
    Charles began a laugh that he quickly changed to a cough when he saw that she was serious. It would be better to have the thing over and done with, he decided, without a lot of chatter about fighting. He turned to the seaman. “Do you apologize for what you’ve done and promise to go forth and sin no more?” He said it with only modest sarcasm.
    “What do ye mean?” the seaman answered, either not following or not believing what he was being asked. He cast a nervous glance at the black man still holding firmly to his collar.
    “For Christ’s sake,” Charles snapped. “Just say you’re sorry and be on your way.”
    “Aye, I’m regretful for smackin’ ye,” the seaman said readily. “Can I up me anchor now?”
    “You must also apologize to my wife,” Charles said to make sure everyone was satisfied.
    “I’m sorry fer callin’ ye a whore, missus. It’s fer certain yer not,” he said with some sincerity. Charles nodded to the African man to release him, and the seaman immediately edged away.
    “Didst that man ever say such a thing?” Penny asked, staring at the retreating form.
    “He did,” Charles said. “Don’t forget the ‘forgiveness is divine’ part.” He looked around him to see that the crowd in the square had largely dispersed and the speaker gone. He turned to the black man, now standing awkwardly with his arms at his sides. “I am Charles Edgemont. May I ask your name?”
    “Augustus be what they call me, sah,” the man answered. A cautious smile showed white teeth against very dark skin.
    Charles extended his hand. The African carefully wiped his own against his jacket before accepting it. “Is it true that you are recently escaped from slavery, Augustus?”
    “Yes, sah.” The man’s eyes narrowed in suspicion and the smile vanished.
    “I repeat that I owe you a debt of gratitude,” Charles said quickly. “I’m certainly not going to send you back. You were a free man once you touched English soil anyway.” This Charles knew to be true. Owning slaves had been abolished in Britain for some decades. By law, any setting foot in the country were automatically free. The institution was still practiced in the colonies, however, and Parliament had passed no law prohibiting the lucrative trade in slaves, still continued by too many Liverpool, Bristol, and London merchants.
    Penny brushed at some dirt on Charles’ coat, then tilted his head with her free arm to examine where he had been struck. “Tisk,” she chided, releasing him. “Thou wilt certainly be bruised. Thou shouldst never have provoked such a rude person. See what thou hast wrought.”
    “I didn’t. . .” Charles began, but she had already turned her attention toward Augustus.
    “I wish to say my thanks to thee for rescuing my husband,” she said. Looking out at the nearly empty square, she added, “Where hast thy companion gone?”
    Charles looked around him. The crowd had entirely disbursed. Only the box the speaker had stood on remained, and sitting alone on that was the African woman he had noted earlier.
    “I don’t rightly know,” Augustus answered slowly, rubbing at his chin. “Mebby Miss Viola can say.”
    Charles drew his watch from his pocket, flipped open its cover, and saw that it was nearly noon. “If you would be so good as to introduce us, the least I can do is to provide you both with a good supper, if you are free, of course.”
    “We free,” Augustus answered with a small frown. “Mebbe too free.”
    The woman rose as Charles, Penny, and her companion approached. “Be you fit, Mr. Augustus?” she called out.
    “There weren’t no real difficulty,” the man said. “Where be