cake, and I’m sure your family do too.
We’ll get them to wrap up some to take with us. Then we're going to
go see your sisters and arrange for their apprenticeship.
"Next we’re going to pack up the house and stow your gear aboard.
I’m going to hire you on as cabin boy, at one-one-hundredth of a
lay. The money from the apprenticeship will be deducted from that at
the end of the voyage. We’re going to find out any news we can about
you father, if I have to stop in every port and speak every ship
from here to New Zealand. And you're going to learn everything you
can about whaling, so that you can follow in his footsteps.”
“I know navigation and sums," she said proudly. "I was born aboard
ship, you know, and lived with my mother and father for many years.”
“I know. My cousin Dare sails with his wife Samantha. A remarkable
woman, that. A remarkable story. She shipped out with him disguised
as a greenhand. Hah! He never even guessed she was a woman. Just
imagine that!”
“Er, yes, just imagine,” Almira said weakly.
She tried to swallow her roast beef, but it had suddenly been
rendered as tasteless as sawdust as she thought of her own
masquerade, and her deceiving this fine man.
“I suppose there are a lot of advantages to having her on board, but
I wouldn't want any wife of mine in such danger," he said
emphatically.
“Does she enjoy it, sir?” she asked curiously in a more normal tone.
“She does. She loves it. But then, she loves him. And he loves her.
So it suits them. I can’t imagine it myself, but then, I'd never be
fooled in that way. Or want my wife to see me at sea in such
appalling conditions. Your mother was a very brave woman.”
At those words, Al had smiled wanly and thought to give up the whole
scheme at once. She would try to find another way to get the money.
But she'd got that far, far enough to trick him despite his
confident assertions. It had taken on the dimensions almost of a
dare. And there was something about the handsome and kind Captain
which reassured her, told her that she could trust her life to him.
Jared Starbuck had been the soul of kindness. Almira had soon
decided she had nothing to lose and everything to gain by going
ahead with her scheme to ship out with him on the Trident .
He was certainly a wonderful man, and she grew more fascinated with
him with every passing moment.
They had finished the meal just as he had said they would, and then
he had escorted her home. Jared had taken one look at her empty
cupboards and come back with a crate full of essentials. He had also
sent out to the local pie shop for dinner and to a bakery for fresh
bread and even more cake. He was wonderful with her sisters and Mrs.
Jenkins, and had his crew come from the ship to help move all their
household effects.
He had kitted out Almira with clothes for the journey, though she
had all to do to prevent him from insisting that he go with her to
buy the things.
She managed to figure out the men’s sizes for herself, and got some
study shoes and boots for the trip, and a nice warm coat and a rain
slicker she had been advised to purchase by an old salt, who told
her that she would never regret having it.
She'd said a tearful farewell to her sisters, and shipped out on the Trident with the dashing Jared Starbuck within three days.
She had been more than eager to head off on the adventure. She just
prayed it wouldn't be the biggest mistake of her life.
CHAPTER THREE
Now, six weeks later, Al was still managing to keep her identity a
secret from Jared. She was always conscious of her deception, and
rather ashamed of it. For despite their disparity in rank and
position, they had become friends. There was no other word for it so
far as she could tell, though she was beginning to suspect it might
be growing into love on
We’ll get them to wrap up some to take with us. Then we're going to
go see your sisters and arrange for their apprenticeship.
"Next we’re going to pack up the house and stow your gear aboard.
I’m going to hire you on as cabin boy, at one-one-hundredth of a
lay. The money from the apprenticeship will be deducted from that at
the end of the voyage. We’re going to find out any news we can about
you father, if I have to stop in every port and speak every ship
from here to New Zealand. And you're going to learn everything you
can about whaling, so that you can follow in his footsteps.”
“I know navigation and sums," she said proudly. "I was born aboard
ship, you know, and lived with my mother and father for many years.”
“I know. My cousin Dare sails with his wife Samantha. A remarkable
woman, that. A remarkable story. She shipped out with him disguised
as a greenhand. Hah! He never even guessed she was a woman. Just
imagine that!”
“Er, yes, just imagine,” Almira said weakly.
She tried to swallow her roast beef, but it had suddenly been
rendered as tasteless as sawdust as she thought of her own
masquerade, and her deceiving this fine man.
“I suppose there are a lot of advantages to having her on board, but
I wouldn't want any wife of mine in such danger," he said
emphatically.
“Does she enjoy it, sir?” she asked curiously in a more normal tone.
“She does. She loves it. But then, she loves him. And he loves her.
So it suits them. I can’t imagine it myself, but then, I'd never be
fooled in that way. Or want my wife to see me at sea in such
appalling conditions. Your mother was a very brave woman.”
At those words, Al had smiled wanly and thought to give up the whole
scheme at once. She would try to find another way to get the money.
But she'd got that far, far enough to trick him despite his
confident assertions. It had taken on the dimensions almost of a
dare. And there was something about the handsome and kind Captain
which reassured her, told her that she could trust her life to him.
Jared Starbuck had been the soul of kindness. Almira had soon
decided she had nothing to lose and everything to gain by going
ahead with her scheme to ship out with him on the Trident .
He was certainly a wonderful man, and she grew more fascinated with
him with every passing moment.
They had finished the meal just as he had said they would, and then
he had escorted her home. Jared had taken one look at her empty
cupboards and come back with a crate full of essentials. He had also
sent out to the local pie shop for dinner and to a bakery for fresh
bread and even more cake. He was wonderful with her sisters and Mrs.
Jenkins, and had his crew come from the ship to help move all their
household effects.
He had kitted out Almira with clothes for the journey, though she
had all to do to prevent him from insisting that he go with her to
buy the things.
She managed to figure out the men’s sizes for herself, and got some
study shoes and boots for the trip, and a nice warm coat and a rain
slicker she had been advised to purchase by an old salt, who told
her that she would never regret having it.
She'd said a tearful farewell to her sisters, and shipped out on the Trident with the dashing Jared Starbuck within three days.
She had been more than eager to head off on the adventure. She just
prayed it wouldn't be the biggest mistake of her life.
CHAPTER THREE
Now, six weeks later, Al was still managing to keep her identity a
secret from Jared. She was always conscious of her deception, and
rather ashamed of it. For despite their disparity in rank and
position, they had become friends. There was no other word for it so
far as she could tell, though she was beginning to suspect it might
be growing into love on
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