By The Sea, Book Three: Laura Read Free Page A

level and glared at his
mother the tyrant who never let him do anything important. Within
seconds both brothers had scrambled back down to deck level and
were bringing in the jibs. By the time the Virginia was
about to lose way, the five-hundred pound anchor was pulling the
first fathoms of chain through the hawsepipes. It was a nice
recovery to what could have been an embarrassing display of
overconfidence.
    The grin on Sam Powers's face as he walked
aft to his wife was a little defensive. "You damn near stuck the
bowsprit up the ass of that steam-yacht ahead, girl," he said,
getting in the first punch.
    "It's not as though you gave me much
warning," Laura said sharply.
    It had become a tender subject, this issue
of seamanship, ever since it became clear that Laura's grasp of
celestial navigation was better than her husband's. Laura was good,
and Sam was jealous. But she did not—she could not—handle the helm
as well as he, and he liked to remind her of it whenever it was
convenient.
    "Hey now, he said with a gentle smile of
remorse, chucking her under the chin, "you're not half bad for a
girl."
    She knew that he meant it as a rave review,
but it irritated her just the same. "Don't do that! Don't patronize
me."
    "Paternize? Meaning I wonder what?" He put
on his stupid look, the one he preferred to wear whenever Laura
ventured past his working vocabulary.
    She was too tired to fight. "Meaning we're
out of rice and almost out of coffee. I'll have to go ashore before
supper. I need some money."
    "Yeh, and the starboard water barrel's about
dry as well," he said, throwing his shoulders back in a stretch and
rubbing his ribs. "Me 'n Bill will tend to that while you're gone.
Will you be taking the boy? We can use him to steady the
skiff."
    "Well, that depends. I don't suppose there's
enough for me to buy Neil a new pair of overalls? He ripped his
everyday pair again." She was still smarting over her husband's
remark. "They're beyond mending, you know," she added cuttingly,
drawing blood; Sam Powers hated to be found wanting as a
provider.
    "I don't know as the little ruffian deserves
to cover his nekkedness," he said gruffly. "The next time I see him
skylarkin' in the ratlines, I'll shoot him down like a Canada
goose. Damn scalawag."
    But secretly he was pleased by his son's
fearlessness, so he added, "I reckon them cuffs ain't been within
four inches of his ankles for months now." It was settled: new
overalls for Neil.
    Laura was happy; she liked to buy things.
She favored her husband with a summer smile and whispered, "I'll
bring you a treat."
    "Never mind about treats," he growled. "Just
bring me supper."
    Laura looked around her: Neil and Billy were
busy lowering the yawl-boat from its davits. No one else was near.
Before Sam knew what hit him, she pressed her lips to his in an
electric kiss, then quickly withdrew with a look of devilish
innocence.
    "Ay. Get back soon," said her husband in a
surprised and husky voice.
    Ashore with Neil, Laura felt as she always
did when she stepped off the decks of the Virginia: as if
she'd been catapulted into the future. The narrow, crowded streets
were filled with autos and trucks. Grim, impatient deliverymen
bobbed and weaved among pleasantly bewildered tourists. Sailors,
yachtsmen, locals, ex-millionaires, shoppers, and the unemployed
were all thrown together, creating a potluck ambience that set
Newport apart from other towns its size.
    The town was filled with people Laura should
have understood: people on the move. But she felt no more kinship
with them than she did with the clannish, tightly knit citizens
back in Danske. She held herself apart from mankind, brushing up
against its edges only occasionally. It's because I haven't
yet found what I want , she told herself . It's
out there somewhere; I just don't know where.
    "Mama, can I have an ice?" asked Neil, whose
head was swiveling left and right to take in the sights around him.
Newport was his favorite harbor.
    "However can you