by Barbara Goss
Adam was amazed at her interest and her questions. Her eyes were wide with interest and excitement which made him fonder of her than ever. He concluded that she had no idea how beautiful she was, having detected no vanity from her.
At sunset, he asked Greta to accompany him on a walk around the deck, and she readily agreed.
She pointed to the sky. “Look, Adam! Sailor’s delight for tomorrow.”
Adam looked at her face. She reminded him of a child, opening a gift, and he wanted to take her into his arms and hug her.
He smiled at her instead. “That’s something a sailor loves to see.” He grabbed her arm to steer her around a coil of rope, and kept hold pressing it close to his body as he guided her to the port side. He let go of her arm and they leaned against the rail.
“It’s beautiful,” she said gazing at the fiery sky. “Is it always this gorgeous at sea?”
“Always. That’s one of the reasons I love it so much,” Adam replied.
“What are the other reasons?”
He smiled. “The solitude—not that I’m a hermit or anything, but peacefulness is a blessing sometimes. When I was younger and wilder, I’d go ashore with the crew when we docked at a port and drink and party. Then, after reading my Bible I realized it was wrong, and I stopped going ashore. I’d stay on the ship, enjoying the peacefulness instead.”
“What else do you love about it?” she asked.
“The lull of the ship. Seeing different parts of the world. Being away from the hustle and bustle of life. You know, there’s horse manure everywhere in the city, not to mention smog and crowds. Fort Worth is pleasant, though. I think I’ll enjoy raising horses there.”
“Do you read your Bible often?”
“Every night—except for last night, of course.”
“Will you read it with me? I enjoy reading the Bible, but I’m afraid I’ve been a bit lax since Seth died. I guess I felt God cheated me by taking Seth.”
Adam put his arm around her shoulders. “Don’t ever think that. I believe that the day you’ll die is recorded in God’s book, and only God can change it. We all have to die some time, and truthfully, Seth suffered so much in this life, and now he can rest. I’m happy knowing that Seth was happy when he passed. We have to accept life and death is a big part of it. Death is the most painful for those who are left behind.”
Greta nodded. “It seemed like a miracle that I was gifted with his baby after just one...our very short time together.”
“God needed to take Seth, but He left you something just as precious to make up for it.” Adam realized his arm was still around Greta, and he removed it.
Greta smiled up at him. “That’s exactly what I thought, too. I’m thrilled with this voyage, but I miss Bethany so much. I wish we could have brought her.”
Adam gazed upward, deep in thought. “I remember a captain who brought his whole family with him on his voyages.” Adam pressed his memory. “His name was...Black—no, Blanchard. His wife taught the children their schooling on the ship. The children even had a dog aboard. I thought it ridiculous at the time, but now, I wonder if it wasn’t a way to have the best of both worlds.”
Greta was quiet for several moments, and Adam hoped she wasn’t about to suggest they go back to get Bethany.
“Adam,” she said slowly and hesitantly, “will you be sleeping in the captain’s quarters with me again?”
“I think not,” he said firmly. “Now that the ship is moving, so would the hammock.”
He watched her bite her lip. “You’ll be fine. I’ll be right across the hall bunking with Manny, who’ll man the helm for four hours, and then I’ll take the next four-hour shift.”
“You’ll only get four hours sleep?” she asked.
“If I had another first mate I’d be able to sleep longer, but we have a skeleton crew for this voyage.”
“Because of me?”
“Partly. And partly because it’s such a short trip. The crew will be out of work as soon as we dock in Philly again. It’s difficult to hire a crew for such a short jaunt. I’ve worked with Manny before. He’s actually retired, but he agreed to join on as a favor to me.”
“I like Manny…So, most of the crew are strangers to you?”
“Yes. Isaac hired them off a ship that was going to be dry-docked for a few months for repairs.”
“Will I be safe in your quarters by myself?” she asked.
“Perfectly safe,” he answered. “I’ll lock the door, and there are three keys. I’ll give you one, I’ll keep the other, and the cleaning person has the keys to every room on this floor. Since that’s you, you’ll have two keys.”
“What about those pirates you spoke of—the ones who held you captive?”
Adam laughed. “They weren’t like the pirates you’ve read about. They didn’t have patches on their eyes or peg legs. They were modern-day pirates. The woman was the hook. They sent her aboard first, and she tried to flirt me into allowing her freight aboard. When I denied her request, she called her henchmen in, and they overpowered me.” Adam put his hands on Greta’s shoulders and turned her to him. “It happened in port and not in the middle of the ocean. There aren’t many modern-day pirates around. This is 1886, after all. There are still smugglers and thieves, though not as many, and those few usually go after the schooners that carry much more freight.” Adam stroked her cheek. “You’ll be safe. Either me or Manny will be right across the hall.”
Greta looked up at him, and he could tell she was still afraid. He put his arm around her waist and guided her to the stairs. “It’s late. I’ll walk you down and show you how close I’ll be.”
When they reached the door to the captain’s quarters, Adam pointed at the door to the room in which he and Manny would be sleeping. “See how close I’ll be?”
She nodded, and Adam opened the door to his quarters for her. He stepped inside behind her and removed a shirt and pants from the wardrobe.
“Adam,” she said as he moved to the door, “you said you’d read the Bible with me.”
“Just let me take this next door, and I’ll be right back.”
When he returned moments later, Greta was sitting at his desk, holding his Bible. She handed it to him, and he sat in a chair close to hers.
“Why is the furniture glued to the floor?” she asked.
“They’re actually bolted to the floor. We sometimes get storms at sea and it—” Adam noticed her face pale, and she uttered a small gasp, “—keeps the furniture in place. Don’t worry. The sky is red, remember?”
Greta smiled.
He opened the Bible to his favorite book—James—and read the whole book.
“Some say that James was Jesus’s brother. It’s my favorite book of the Bible,” Greta said.
“It’s my favorite, too, but I couldn’t tell you why.”
“I can,” she said. “It’s the easiest to understand. Sometimes, when I read the Bible, I don’t really catch the true meaning. You know, they wrote funny back then.”
Adam closed the Bible and stood.
Greta wrung her hands. “Do you have to leave so soon?”
“Yes. I need to get my four hours in, remember?”
“Goodnight, then, Adam. And thank you for the tour.”
“Goodnight, fair maiden. I’ll see you on deck in the morning.”
Greta reached out and grabbed his arm. “Wait—didn’t you say you’d try your hand at braiding my hair?”
Adam smiled. He knew she was still afraid. He could spare her a few more minutes. “Sure.”
“If I sleep with my hair down it gets all snarly and I’ll never get them out.”
“Can you sit on my desk?”
“I’ll try.”
Adam held her about her small waist and helped her onto the desk. He sat in the chair behind it and removed the rawhide he’d placed there earlier. The feel of her silky hair made him want to bury his face in it. He shook off the feeling and split the hair into three sections. He’d braided with
rope a million times before and was able to plait a neat braid in her hair, but when he got to the bottom, he noticed the braid reached below her waist. He tried to tie the rawhide without touching her cute backside.
When he was done, he patted her shoulders. “There you go.”
“I didn’t expect you to do it so fast,” she said, reaching behind her to feel the braid. “It’s perfect.”
“Sometimes, if I need a really strong rope, I braid it.” He laughed. “So, you think I could work as a lady’s maid in Fort Worth?”
Greta was still feeling the braid. “It’s better than any Sadie ever did.”
Adam came around to the front of the desk and helped her down. “Now, I really have to go. The key to your door is in the top desk drawer, and I have the other in my pocket. I’ll lock you in. The only windows in the cabin overlook the back of the ship, and no one can look in. You’re perfectly safe.”
Adam lay down in his bunk and closed his eyes. He kept seeing a vision of big, blue, frightened eyes. Greta was far from home, away from the only family she’d known, and on a strange ship amidst even more strangers.
He got up, walked to her room, silently unlocked the door, and peeked inside. The indirect moonlight lit enough of the room to assure him she was in bed and perhaps asleep. He began to close the door, but he heard sobbing. It was so soft, he wasn’t sure at first, but then he heard it again.
Greta was weeping.
He closed the door and walked over to the bed, but he was afraid to touch her lest it frighten her more. He backed out as quietly as he’d entered, stood outside, and knocked on the door.
He heard her patter across the floor. “W-who is it?” she said from behind the door, her voice soft and unsure.
“It’s Adam.”
Greta opened the door, looked up at him, and flew into his arms.
Chapter Ten
Greta couldn’t help herself, and she wept on Adam’s shoulder. His arms tightened around her, and she yearned to reach up, put her arms around his neck, and cling to him, but she came to her senses and pulled away.
“I’m sorry. I know I’m keeping you from your sleep, but I just feel so alone here.” She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. “And I miss Bethany so much. I miss my grandmother and even your parents.” She wiped more tears away. “I looked out the windows above the bed and realized I was floating hundreds of miles away from home, and it just made me feel more alone than I was.”
Adam took hold of her hands. “Do you trust me, Greta?”
Greta looked up into his dark, warm eyes. “Yes.”
Adam reached up and gently removed a few more tears from her cheeks. “How about if I stay in here until you fall asleep?”
“No, you need to get your sleep. I’ll be all right. I just needed that cry. I’m fine now.”
“I insist.”
“What about your four hours of sleep?”
“I’ll take a nap sometime tomorrow if I need to.”
She smiled at him. “Now I feel like my being here is hindering you from doing your job. Maybe I should’ve stayed at home.”
“I’ll tell you a little secret if you promise to never tell another soul.”
“I won’t.”
“My first trip on a ship, I felt the same way. My father was the captain, and I cried, too. I felt so ashamed, but at the same time, I loved being at sea.”
“That’s how I feel. I love the voyage so far. I love everything about it except for being alone at night.” Greta looked down at herself and was embarrassed to realize that she was still in her nightgown. She sprinted back to the bed, jumped in, and pulled the quilt up to her chin.
Adam sat on the bed near her feet. “Go to sleep. I’ll tell you about my first voyage; it will surely put you in dreamland.”
Greta couldn’t recall any more of his story than that the ship’s name was The Athena, his father was the captain, he had been twelve, and he’d been frightened, too. The next thing she knew, it was morning.
Greta jumped out of bed and threw on a skirt and blouse. She put on her oxfords, wrapped the braid Adam had given her around her head, and fashioned it with a pin before leaving the cabin and going up on deck. They were scheduled to reach Charleston on that day, and she didn’t want to miss it.
Adam came up behind her as she stood at the rail. “How did you sleep?”
“Like a baby.” She looked up at him, remarking to herself again how handsome he was. He was wearing a white shirt with an open collar, and she could see the beginnings of a very manly chest. His slim-fitting trousers suited him. “Thank you for helping.”
He leaned on the railing and looked out at the sea. “We won’t reach Charleston until almost dusk. There’s a lull in the lovely wind we’ve had since we started.”
“We’re still moving,” she said.
“Yes, but not as swiftly as we were. That’s why most shipping companies are switching to steam ships.”
“Will your company do that?”
“Probably, but I won’t part with Eve.”
Greta smiled. “I’m glad. I rather like her.”
“I might see if I can add a steam engine to her and use it when there’s a lull in the wind.”
“What can I do to help out today?” she asked.
“I’ll need someone to clean below decks because we have a skeleton crew. I have a crew member to mop the deck, and I want you to report to Tully in the galley. I told him you’d be giving him a hand. He’ll show you where we keep the cleaning supplies. Are you sure you’re all right with helping Tully and cleaning?”
“I’m absolutely positive.” She turned toward the stairway.
“I’ll meet you in the galley, and we’ll have lunch together,” he called.
~~~~***~~~~
Adam watched Greta go below deck and said a silent prayer she’d do well. She was almost too nice a person, and she seemed overly docile. Then, this morning, when he took the helm at three, he realized why: she’d been “handled” her whole life. First, her parents had guided her, then her grandmother, then his parents. The poor woman had never had the chance to make decisions on her own or to be independent. He wondered if she even knew how. He’d vowed to make a stronger person out of her, and he hoped he could do it without her winding up hating him for it.
Adam knew Greta would be fine if she stayed married to him, but if she married Tanner, he’d control her. He’d seen women like Greta taken advantage of so many times; bullies always looked for women who they could control, and Greta was ripe for his picking. Once a man had a weak woman under control, his courage would strengthen, and he was likely to abuse her mentally, physically, or both. When he was finished with Greta, she’d be strong enough to tell Tanner where to sell his manure.
They pulled into the harbor of Charlestown just before sundown. Greta stood at the rail, her eyes glued to the shore. She smiled at him when he approached.
“I have a surprise for you,” he said. “Tomorrow, we’ll go into Charlestown to send a wire to Rhea and Sam and ask how Bethany is doing. We can send her kisses and hugs.”
Greta’s eyes lit up. “Can we? Do you think they’ll answer while we’re still in Charlestown?”
“I’ll put in the message that it’s to be delivered immediately, and that the messenger is to wait for a response.”
Greta sighed. “That’s a lovely surprise. I’m excited to hear from home.”
“Next year at this time you’ll be getting Bethany ready for school. She’s nearly four now, right?”
Greta nodded. “I intend to spend every moment with her until I have to send her to the schoolhouse.”
“You could teach her at home.”
Greta’s smile faded. “Your mother already offered, but while I hate to hurt her feelings, I want to spend the time with my daughter.”
“Greta,” he turned her to face him, “she’s your daughter, and you should make the decisions for her and yourself, not my mother or anyone else. You have to stand up t
o her.”
“I want to, and I have wanted to so many times, but she’s been so good to me, I just cannot.”
“You must or she’ll be spending more time with Bethany than you will. You have to learn to say, no—politely, of course.” Adam knew Greta’s heart was in the right place, but she had to stand up to his mother.
Greta simply shrugged.
“Let me hear you say, ’While I appreciate your offer, I’ve decided to send her to the schoolhouse.’ C’mon—say it.”
“She’d be terribly hurt, Adam, and she’ll think me ungrateful for all she’s done for us.”
“Not if you say it nicely...and I can’t picture you saying it otherwise. Say it,” Adam said, though more firmly this time.
“While I appreciate your offer, I’ve decided to send her to the schoolhouse or teach her myself.”
“That’s perfect.”
“What will your mother say to that?” Greta asked.
“Hmm,” Adam said, “she’ll be surprised and maybe even a bit hurt, but you need to do whatever it takes to make the right decisions for you and your child. Once she sees you standing up for yourself, she’ll stop trying to control you. I know—I learned it long ago.”
“I never really minded her taking charge,” Greta said.
“That’s not the point. You have to think of what it is you want, not what others want you to do. What do you want to do?”
“I want either to teach Bethany myself or send her to the schoolhouse. I want to be completely in charge of my daughter, but it’s difficult with your parents living so close and especially because she’s Seth’s daughter.”
“Take it from me: you’ll be so much happier and less frustrated if you start standing up for yourself in a polite way. You said you trusted me—you need to trust me in this because she did the same thing to me, and I had to stand firm, too. The last thing I’d want to do is hurt her feelings, but when I refused her in the right way, she was never hurt, but she did back down. Now, she doesn’t even try to get her way with me.”