sniff.
She tucked her shirt in better, and strode up and down in front of
the mirror to make sure she was playing her part to a tee. “I may
not have a choice, but I surely hope to.”
“Don’t listen to the shipping agents, no matter what they offer
you," she added, now moving over to look at her sister's things, to
make sure she had not forgotten anything.
“Believe me, I won’t. I'll speak to the captains myself, and won't
ship out with anyone other than a good Nantucketer.”
“Good luck, Almira,” she said, her eyes welling up.
She ruffled her sister’s hair affectionately. “It’s Al, now. Al
Hussey.”
CHAPTER TWO
Almira had walked down Main Street and just reached Straight Wharf
when a sudden gust of rainy wind had caught at her hat. In her
effort to stop it from flying any further along the ground, she’d
crashed straight into a tall, black-haired, bareheaded gentleman.
It was like running straight into a brick wall. She fell flat on her
back onto the sodden ground, and could only stare open-mouthed at
his sheer perfection.
He was over six feet, with huge muscular thighs encased in black
trousers. His broad chest was barely contained in a creamy linen
shirt, maroon waistcoat and black jacket.
She stared at his tanned face, with high forehead, high angular
cheekbones, well-hewn chin, generous mouth and piercing golden eyes,
and was sure he had just descended from Mount Olympus.
His brows knitted together, and she half-expected a tongue-lashing
for having bumped into him. But instead his huge hard hand came down
to grasp hers. He pulled her to her feet and laughed.
“Some blow. I fear my hat is long gone, but we might be able to save
yours.”
He strode over to where it had caught against a straggling shrub,
and handed it back to her.
“Here you are, lad.”
“I’m very grateful, sir.”
“Don’t mention it.”
She had noted his long-legged rolling gait and tanned face, and
ventured to ask, “Might you be a sea-faring gentleman, sir?”
“Aye, that I am. Captain Jared Starbuck at your service, young lad.”
“Captain Starbuck? Very pleased to meet you. My father spoke of you
often.”
“And who might he be?
“He is, was, Jedidiah Hussey.”
Jared stared. “So your Jed’s boy? I thought you looked familiar.
Never thought you would be so puny, lad.” He frowned.
“Pa was very tall, but I take after my mother, God rest her. And I'm
only fifteen,” she added as he continued to look at her with a
doubtful expression.
His elegant brows drew downwards. “Your mother passed?”
“Yes, sir, two days ago.” She tried to hold back a sniff, but failed
miserably. “We buried her this morning.”
His warm hand came out to touch her shoulder. “I’m very sorry to
hear that, boy. Come, son, why not walk with me to the tavern.”
Her sea-blue eyes widened in alarm. “Oh, er, no, sir, I couldn’t-”
“Never fear. I’m not going to lure you to the demon drink, boy. I
need to sign on some crew, and am just going to stick my head in to
pass the word around. Then I’m heading to the hotel to take tea and
get a hot meal. I'd be most pleased if you would join me.”
The prospect of eating alone with the handsome captain filled her
with quivering apprehension, but at the thought of a good hot meal,
and the chance to ask him to recruit her as well, since he was
looking for crew, Almira accepted.
“Thank you, sir. That's very kind. I shall be only too pleased.”
He strode down the street to the tavern, and did literally poke his
head in and out. Several men immediately came running. He knew them
all by name, and told them either no, or to come to see him at the Trident first thing in the morning.
“So tell me,” he
She tucked her shirt in better, and strode up and down in front of
the mirror to make sure she was playing her part to a tee. “I may
not have a choice, but I surely hope to.”
“Don’t listen to the shipping agents, no matter what they offer
you," she added, now moving over to look at her sister's things, to
make sure she had not forgotten anything.
“Believe me, I won’t. I'll speak to the captains myself, and won't
ship out with anyone other than a good Nantucketer.”
“Good luck, Almira,” she said, her eyes welling up.
She ruffled her sister’s hair affectionately. “It’s Al, now. Al
Hussey.”
CHAPTER TWO
Almira had walked down Main Street and just reached Straight Wharf
when a sudden gust of rainy wind had caught at her hat. In her
effort to stop it from flying any further along the ground, she’d
crashed straight into a tall, black-haired, bareheaded gentleman.
It was like running straight into a brick wall. She fell flat on her
back onto the sodden ground, and could only stare open-mouthed at
his sheer perfection.
He was over six feet, with huge muscular thighs encased in black
trousers. His broad chest was barely contained in a creamy linen
shirt, maroon waistcoat and black jacket.
She stared at his tanned face, with high forehead, high angular
cheekbones, well-hewn chin, generous mouth and piercing golden eyes,
and was sure he had just descended from Mount Olympus.
His brows knitted together, and she half-expected a tongue-lashing
for having bumped into him. But instead his huge hard hand came down
to grasp hers. He pulled her to her feet and laughed.
“Some blow. I fear my hat is long gone, but we might be able to save
yours.”
He strode over to where it had caught against a straggling shrub,
and handed it back to her.
“Here you are, lad.”
“I’m very grateful, sir.”
“Don’t mention it.”
She had noted his long-legged rolling gait and tanned face, and
ventured to ask, “Might you be a sea-faring gentleman, sir?”
“Aye, that I am. Captain Jared Starbuck at your service, young lad.”
“Captain Starbuck? Very pleased to meet you. My father spoke of you
often.”
“And who might he be?
“He is, was, Jedidiah Hussey.”
Jared stared. “So your Jed’s boy? I thought you looked familiar.
Never thought you would be so puny, lad.” He frowned.
“Pa was very tall, but I take after my mother, God rest her. And I'm
only fifteen,” she added as he continued to look at her with a
doubtful expression.
His elegant brows drew downwards. “Your mother passed?”
“Yes, sir, two days ago.” She tried to hold back a sniff, but failed
miserably. “We buried her this morning.”
His warm hand came out to touch her shoulder. “I’m very sorry to
hear that, boy. Come, son, why not walk with me to the tavern.”
Her sea-blue eyes widened in alarm. “Oh, er, no, sir, I couldn’t-”
“Never fear. I’m not going to lure you to the demon drink, boy. I
need to sign on some crew, and am just going to stick my head in to
pass the word around. Then I’m heading to the hotel to take tea and
get a hot meal. I'd be most pleased if you would join me.”
The prospect of eating alone with the handsome captain filled her
with quivering apprehension, but at the thought of a good hot meal,
and the chance to ask him to recruit her as well, since he was
looking for crew, Almira accepted.
“Thank you, sir. That's very kind. I shall be only too pleased.”
He strode down the street to the tavern, and did literally poke his
head in and out. Several men immediately came running. He knew them
all by name, and told them either no, or to come to see him at the Trident first thing in the morning.
“So tell me,” he
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