Abbeyford Inheritance Read Free Page A

mine, I tell ’ee.”
    â€œYou owes me.”
    â€œWhat’s this?” roared a deep voice. It was the First Mate bearing down upon the sailors. “ No fightin’ aboard this ship.” He stopped in astonishment as he caught sight of Adelina.
    â€œGood grief!” He stared at her open-mouthed.
    â€œShe’m a stowaway, Mister Mate.”
    â€œAn’ I saw ’er first. She’s mine. Warm my hammock a treat.”
    As Black Wilf growled again, the First Mate said, “ She’ll warm no one’s hammock. She’ll be dealt with by the Cap’n.”
    â€œAw, come on, Mister Mate …”
    â€œ Silence !” the Mate roared and even Adelina jumped and began to feel more afraid than she had at the mercy of the two seamen.
    â€œCome on, out with you,” the Mate flicked his hand towards her.
    Stiffly, her limbs cramped and cold, she climbed out of her hiding-place. Not one of the watching men stepped forward to offer her his helping hand.
    â€œCome with me.” The Mate turned abruptly and Adelina followed him meekly. The sailors, now united in their disappointment in losing her to their superior, shouted after her.
    â€œLucky Cap’n with you in his bed the night!”
    Adelina bit her lip, regretting her hasty, thoughtless flight from New York just to escape from Big Sam. Doubtless the world was littered with the likes of Big Sam! Perhaps the Captain …
    Below, the Mate knocked upon a cabin door and pushed her in front of him.
    â€œCap’n. We have a stowaway.” The man who looked up from the chart he was studying spread out on the table in the centre of the small cabin, was tall, broad, but with a tell-tale middle-aged paunch. His face was half-covered by a beard and moustache, but his eyes were sharp and bright in the weatherbeaten, leathery face.
    He grunted and straightened, his cool eyes looking Adelina up and down. “Well, missy, and where did you think you were going?”
    With a brave defiance she did not feel inwardly, Adelina held her head high. “ England! My grandfather is the Earl of Royston.”
    A huge bellow of laughter welled up inside the man and he threw back his head and roared. “Hear that, Mister Mate? We have a lady aboard!”
    â€œAye, Cap’n,” the Mate grinned.
    Adelina glared resentfully at the Captain.
    â€œWell, missy, I admire your courage. ’ Tis a pity you’re not a man. You’d make a fine seaman, eh, Mister Mate?”
    â€œAye, Cap’n.”
    â€œWell, now,” the Captain said, controlling his mirth at last. “ What to do with you?” He pondered for a moment, looking at her reflectively. “Can you cook, girl?”
    â€œYes – yes I can.”
    â€œGood. Our ship’s cook’s gone down with the fever this very day. You,” he prodded his finger at her, “can take his place.”
    So Adelina passed the voyage as ship’s cook! She had been very fortunate to find a Captain, not only with a sense of humour who treated her presence aboard his ship as a huge joke, but one who was also a god-fearing gentleman who minded that she was kept safe from his lusty crew!

Chapter Two
    â€œâ€™Ere you be, miss.” The tinker pulled his laden cart to a jingling, tinkling halt. “This ’ere’s Amberly. I stops ’ere. O’er yonder, see that wood?”
    Adelina shaded her eyes against the summer sun. “Yes – yes, I see it.”
    â€œGo through that there wood, and down t’hill and you’m in Abbeyford. Lord Royston lived at Abbeyford Grange on t’opposite side. Big place, you’m can’t miss it.”
    â€œThank you for the ride,” she said, climbing down from the cart and giving his mangy old mule an affectionate pat. The flies buzzed around the animal’s head so that his ears were constantly twitching and his tail swishing, but in vain in the August heat. “ Poor