“Mr. Lambert didn’t wake up, did he?”
Christopher shook his head. “No. Thanks be to God he’s a sound sleeper.”
Christopher quickly pulled his clothes on over the undergarments he slept in and helped Stella get up from the mattress. He grabbed a sack he kept next to his bed and put his coat over her trembling shoulders.
“Where’s your cloak?” he asked.
“He didn’t let me take it. He just kicked me out the door and left me on the porch.”
Christopher swallowed his rage and picked up his gloves from the small stand next to his mattress. “You can wear these as well.”
“You’ll need them.”
“I’m fine.” He smiled and kissed Stella’s nose as she stood before him. “It’s my turn to take care of you, yeah?”
Christopher took Stella’s gloved hand and led her down the ladder to the first floor of Mr. Lambert’s shop. He had blown out the lantern before they descended and now moved with the grace of a cat through the pitch black room. Leading Stella back out onto the porch of the shop, he closed the door behind them without making a sound.
Christopher stopped and re-lit the lantern, illuminating the road ahead of them and giving them a clear path through the village. Taking Stella by the hand, he walked quickly towards the docks where Mr. Lambert kept his boat. Stella could see the fishing boats bobbing in the water under the glow of the full moon.
“There’s an abandoned boat shack close by,” Christopher said. “Mr. Lambert told me the owner left the island for the winter and isn’t to return until summer. He warned the fisherman here to leave it be while he was gone. Apparently he’s a fierce fellow, because they’ve all listened.”
Christopher held up his lantern and pointed towards a small ramshackle house on the edge of the docks. Two rectangles of wood which Stella imagined had once been doors hung haphazardly from rusted hinges.
“There aren’t any doors here,” she said.
“It doesn’t matter. Who do you think is around to see us? And besides, as long as we stay over at the other side of the shack we’ll be hidden by the boat anyway.”
Skeptical, Stella followed Christopher into the shack and looked around at the ropes and buckets that dotted the floor. A small fishing boat had been towed into the shack, and an assortment of tarps and fishing lines stuck haphazardly out of it.
“Come here,” Christopher said, leading Stella to the corner wall of the shack. “No one can see us over here even if they do happen to glance in.”
He sat down on the floor of the shack and pulled Stella down next to him. Christopher put his arm around her shoulder as she rested her head against his chest.
“You can rest now,” he whispered
“Do you need your coat?” Stella asked. “You’ll be cold.”
“I have you to keep me warm,” Christopher said. “But I wouldn’t mind if you turned yourself into a blanket.”
Stella smiled against his chest. She climbed onto Christopher’s lap and wrapped her arms around his torso.
“How’s that suit you?” she asked.
“Perfect. I’m warm as toast.”
Christopher kissed the top of Stella’s head and smoothed her hair with his hand. “Rest now, Aingilín.”
“What’s that mean?”
“Little angel.”
“I’m not little, you know. I’m a grown woman.”
“That I do know. But you’re little to me.” He took her small hand in his own and kissed her fingers one by one. “You’re so tiny.”
“Thank you for helping me.”
“It’s the least I can do for my nurse.”
Christopher leaned back against the wall and stared out at Menemsha harbor through what had once been the door of the shack. It was high tide, and Christopher could hear the waves of Vineyard Sound lapping over the jetties that lined the channel separating Menemsha from neighboring Lobsterville. He knew Mr. Lambert would be navigating that channel out to sea in just a few short hours for his day’s work. He hoped he would at least get a good catch in spite of the fact that Christopher would not be able to help him with it.
“What are you looking at?”
Christopher jumped, startled at the sound of Stella’s voice. “I thought you’d fallen asleep, love.”
“I’m not sleeping.”
“Then look out there with me, why don’t you. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
Stella lifted her head and followed Christopher’s gaze out to the harbor surrounding them. The full moon cast a white glow over the water, which was now as dark as the night sky around it.
“I like to sit out on those rocks,” Christopher said. “All the way at the very end.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s peaceful out there. I sit there and sometimes I think if I look really hard, I can see home.”
Stella smiled. “You mean Ireland?”
“I do.” Christopher pulled Stella up until her cheek rested against his and whispered in her ear as he pointed out at the horizon beyond the rocks. “Look out there. Can’t you see it?”
“I think I can, yes.”
“That’s the Galway harbor. It’s the only harbor I’ve ever seen that’s as beautiful as this one is.”
“I’d like to go there.”
Christopher shook his head. “I don't think you would, love. There are a lot of problems there.”
“There are problems everywhere.”
“Well trust me when I say you wouldn't enjoy the voyage across the Atlantic.”
“It sounds like an adventure to me. I’ve never been anywhere.”
“It’s not an adventure I’d recommend.”
Stella let out a breath as she settled her head back on Christopher’s chest.
“You know what I do when I’m out at the end of those rocks?” he asked.
“No. What do you do?”
“I shout out to those people over in Galway so loud I’m certain they can hear me.”
Stella smiled against his chest. “And what exactly do you shout to them, Mr. Casey?”
“That I came here to America and found the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.” He kissed Stella’s head. “The most beautiful girl in the whole world.”
“Is that me you found then?”
“Who else would it be?”
Stella felt a tear roll down her bruised cheek.
“I dare say no one would find me beautiful now.”
Christopher lifted her face to his with gentle fingers. He brushed his lips against her swollen eye. “You’re beautiful to me.”
Stella’s face crumpled as her single tear gave way to sobs.
“Oh Christopher,” she said. “What’s going to happen to me?”
Christopher held her to his chest and brushed her hair with his hand. “Hush, now. You’re going to be alright, I promise you that. Please try not to cry,” he whispered. “You’ll only make your pain worse.”
And I can’t bear to hear the crying, he thought. Christopher wanted to do nothing so much as go to the Winslow home and give Josiah Winslow the same beating he had given his defenseless wife. But he knew that would only get him in trouble himself. And it would do nothing to help Stella now.
Christopher rested his head against the wall of the shack and closed his eyes. He held Stella close until her sobs quieted and he could feel her steady breathing against his chest. To his relief, she finally drifted off to sleep.
He felt his rage returning and forced himself to swallow it down. Josiah Winslow would answer for what he had done to Stella someday. For now, all that mattered was that Christopher take care of Stella and get her somewhere safe.
He didn’t want to admit it to himself, but he had no idea how he was going to do that.
****
Christopher opened his eyes with a start. He briefly wondered where he was, but a glance down at Stella’s head on his chest brought the previous night back very quickly. He could see the morning sun shining through the fishin
g shack and hear the sounds of the village waking up and getting to work. He knew by now Mr. Lambert would have discovered he was gone, and he felt a rush of guilt that he had let his employer down. But he’d had no choice, and he hoped Mr. Lambert would eventually understand that.
He heard a whimper as Stella shifted her body and raised her head from his chest.
“Are you alright, lass?” he whispered.
“No,” Stella mumbled. “I can't bear the pain. It hurts everywhere.”
Christopher gently raised Stella’s head and looked at her face in the morning sun. If possible, it was even more swollen than it had been the night before and her bruises had deepened, casting a rainbow of yellow, purple, and green across her cheek. Christopher felt sure that Josiah had broken a bone in his wife’s face when he’d so viciously punched her. In addition, her cracked lip was now dripping blood, and her swollen eye had completely closed. Christopher felt the previous night’s rage returning to a boil inside him.
“That God-forsaken bastard,” he muttered.
Christopher pulled a handkerchief from the pocket of his trousers and gently blotted the blood from Stella’s cracked lip. Unable to stop himself, he kissed her swollen and tear-stained face before closing his eyes and moving his lips to her own. She shifted her weight, sitting up to answer his kiss, and parted her lips to welcome his tongue. Christopher’s breath quickened as his fingers slipped from her face to the curve of her breast. His hand traveled the length of her body and lightly touched the bare skin of her leg under her dress. He wrapped his arm around Stella's waist and pulled her body closer to his own. Stella let out a whimper of pain and pulled back.
Christopher opened his eyes. “What is it? Did I hurt you?”
“A little.” Stella clutched her stomach. “I think Josiah broke my ribs when he kicked me. I’m sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry for. I’m the one to apologize. I know you’re injured.”
“I’m sorry,” Stella said again.
Christopher kissed the top of her head. “Please don’t apologize, love. You’re in pain and I’m a selfish bastard.”
Stella’s mouth curved into as much of a smile as she could manage with her swollen lip. Her finger traced the line of Christopher's jaw. “You’re not that. Not at all.”
“I am.” He smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. “But I do have a defense. I’m mad about you, lass, it’s as simple as that. I’m off my chump. Have been since the day I first laid eyes on ye.”
“I dare say I’m mad about you, too.” Stella said. “Josiah was right about that, at least.”
Christopher kissed her again and looked around the shack that had become their sanctuary. “We need to get out of here anyway and get you somewhere safe,” he said. He reached for the sack he had grabbed from his living quarters and pulled out a wrapped biscuit. “But first, you need to get some food in you.”
“I can’t eat now,” Stella said.
“Just a few bites.” Christopher broke the biscuit into tiny pieces. “You need some nourishment.”
Stella nibbled at the pieces of biscuit, each chew bringing a fresh wave of pain to her face. She handed the rest back to Christopher. “That’s enough. I can’t eat more.”
Christopher nodded and quickly scarfed down the remains of the biscuit for his own breakfast. He took a canteen from his sack, grateful that he had filled it the night before when he thought he would be taking it out on the boat in the morning.
“Take a sip of water,” he said.
She gratefully took the water and swallowed several gulps before handing the canteen back to Christopher.
“Thank you,” she said.
Christopher took a drink himself and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “We need to get you away from here,” he said. “You’re not safe on this island with Josiah.”
Stella felt a lump in her throat as she realized the enormity of his words. “This island is my home,” she said.
“He won’t leave you in peace, Stella.”
“He’s already taken everything from me,” Stella said. Tears sprung to her eyes as the events of the previous day returned to the forefront of her mind. “He sold my sheep. And he took Henry away too.”
Christopher gritted his teeth. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
Stella shook her head. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I can’t bear to think of it.” She looked straight into his eyes with the one eye she could still open. “Do you have an idea of where I can go then?”
“I do.” Christopher reached for his sack and raised it. “I told you last night, I’ve got this money I’ve been able to put away. It’ll get us on a steamer back to the mainland. I’ll find work in New Bedford on the docks.”
“You don’t want to go to New Bedford, you told me so. You’re saving your money for Savannah.”
“I was,” Christopher said. “Things have changed. I don’t have time to save any more money. We need to leave here now.”
Stella stared out through the window of the shack and let out a deep breath. She turned back to Christopher. “No. I won’t have you taking care of me.”
Christopher took her hand. “Stella, that’s not how it would be.”
“It is. I’ve already had one man taking care of me and look where it’s left me. I shan’t have another.”
“I wouldn’t turn into Josiah on you.”
Stella ran a finger along the rough stubble of his cheek. “I didn’t mean to imply that you would. But I can’t let you give up your plans for me. You’d come to resent me, just like Josiah did.”
Christopher shook his head. “I wouldn’t.”
Stella leaned back next to Christopher along the wall of the shack. “I have my own money,” she said. “A great deal of money.”
“How’s that?”
“The money Josiah got for selling my father’s land should be mine. He still has some of it left, and I know where it is.”
“You shouldn’t go back to that house.”
Stella sat up again and looked at him. “I shouldn’t go back to my house? It’s mine, not Josiah’s. It’s always been mine.”
“That’s not the case since you married him. You know that. Everything of yours belongs to him.”
Stella fought back tears of anger. “Then I’ll take my money and leave him to his house,” she said, spitting out the words.
“How can you do that?”
“Josiah will be going out for his appointments today like he always does. I’ll simply watch the house from the trees and wait until he leaves. Then I’ll slip in and take my money from my father’s safe.” She turned back to Christopher. “You can come with me. As soon as I have the money we’ll leave this place. And we’ll use my money to get us both to Savannah.”
Christopher shook his head. “I don’t know, Stella. I don’t think it’s safe for you to go near him again.”
“I won’t be near him. He won’t know I’ve been there until I’m long gone. We’ll go to Cottage City and get on the first steamer we find.”
Stella felt a rush of excitement as she talked. Now that she had a plan, she couldn’t wait to leave this island and her husband behind.
She stood up with difficulty and forced herself to ignore the pain from Josiah’s kicks to her stomach and leg. She reached her hand out to Christopher, who remained on the floor.
“Come with me,” she said. “We need to leave now. We’ll walk through the woods and avoid the road. I know the way.”
Christopher took her hand and stood up without hiding his hesitation. “I still don’t think this is a good idea.”
“I want to be free of him,” Stella said. “He’s taken everything from me.”
“If he stays home and finds you…”
“He won’t. I told you, we’ll wait until he leaves.” Stella looked at him with a beseeching eye. “Trust me, please.”
Christopher smiled and kissed her softly on her mouth. “You know I can’t resist you, lass. God help me, I can’t say no t
o you.” He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I just pray this isn’t a mistake.”
Stella smiled as much as her swollen lip would allow. “It isn’t a mistake. Nothing will go wrong,” she said. “And we’ll be on our way to Savannah in no time.”
They slipped out of the shack and glanced around the docks to make sure they were alone. Without a word, Stella and Christopher walked quickly to the road and, together, they disappeared into the trees.
****
“What’s going on?” Christopher whispered as he and Stella stared through the trees at the Winslow home.
“I can’t imagine,” Stella said.
The Chilmark police wagon was parked in front of the house, and two men Stella recognized as Jon Coffin and Zebediah Johnson paced on the porch Josiah had so harshly thrown her on the night before. The two men looked edgy and angry as they walked the length of the porch and back, and she could see them shaking their heads as if in disbelief.
Stella knew Johnson and Coffin regularly came to Josiah to purchase medications from him, and in fact they were among the best customers of the drug store he ran out of his office. She cursed herself for forgetting this was the morning they normally came. Josiah would likely not be leaving today for patient visits at all. But with the activity going on around her home, she knew Josiah’s schedule was the least of her concerns at the moment.
“I need to find out what’s going on,” she whispered. “I’m going over there.”
“Wait, Stella,” Christopher said. “What if Josiah has set this up somehow? What if he wants to get you in trouble?”
“For what? I’ve done nothing that would concern the police. Something’s happened in my home and I mean to find out what it is.”
Stella walked through the trees towards the road with Christopher reluctantly following behind.
“What’s happened here?” she called out.
Johnson and Coffin turned to her and stared open mouthed at both Stella and her companion.
“It’s him,” Jon said. “The mucker!”
“What?” Stella said. “What are you on about?”
Jon stuck his head inside the door of the house. “Sheriff? Casey’s out here right now. He’s bold enough to show his face at the doc’s home.”
The Ghosts of Aquinnah Page 12