Rapture's Tempest

by Bobbi Smith

  Using the boot jack, he pulled off his sodden boots and stepped into the waiting pair of dry shoes that were kept nearby.

  “Mr. Martin! I was so worried!” Sue appeared in the foyer, startling Martin.

  “Sue…you surprised me.” He forced a smile as he explained his nervousness.

  “I’m sorry. It’s just that I overslept, and when I did get up I couldn’t find either you or Miss Delight.”

  Latching on to her admission of being late, he said, “Then you didn’t hear us leave?”

  “No, I didn’t,” she told him confusedly as she took his coat.

  “Good. We tried to be quiet, but we were in such a rush.”

  “What happened?”

  “We got word last night from Clara’s sister-in-law Faith that Joe had been wounded,” he lied.

  “Oh, no.” Sue knew how fond her employer was of her only brother.

  “Yes. Faith wanted to travel to be with him, but she couldn’t leave the children. So she sent the message asking Delight to come at once to help her with them for a while.” Martin was surprised at how easily the tale came to him. It was so perfect. “Delight didn’t want to leave Clara, but I convinced her that we could take care of her now that she was improving.”

  “Of course. And you know how much Miss Clara loves Joe. She would want Delight to go.”

  Martin nodded, his expression a good rendition of concerned fatigue. “How is my wife this morning?”

  “She’s still sleeping. The medicine seems to have done her a lot of good.”

  “Good. Tell Cook to fix my breakfast. I’ll eat and then try to get some rest.”

  “Yes, sir.” Sue hurried off to do his bidding, leaving Martin to his thoughts.

  Pacing the dining room, Martin was still furious. Damn her! Here he was caught in a web of lies all because of that stupid chit! He only hoped that no word came from Faith or Joe during the next few days. Surely Delight would return by then. After all, where could she go? Rose was her only friend, and Rose knew what would happen to her if she tried to protect Delight.

  Running a hand nervously through his hair, he tried to relax…to get himself under control. But his body was tense with a mixture of unreleased passion and fury. One day he would get even with Delight for the agony she had caused him. Never again would he be outwitted by her. Never!

  Sue brought his meal and Martin ate sparingly. He was anxious about telling Clara the story he’d invented and hoped that she was as gullible as Sue.

  It was near noon before he headed upstairs. Pausing at the master bedroom, he looked in to find that his wife was stirring. Entering quietly, he stood by the bed waiting to see if she would awake. When her eyes fluttered open, Martin smiled down warmly at her.

  “Good morning, darling.” His tone was warm with pseudo-affection.

  “Martin.” A weak smile came to her lips. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

  “I’ve been with you most of the night.”

  “Thank you.” Her voice was weak as she reached out a shaking hand to take his. “You must be so tired….”

  “A little, but it doesn’t matter. What matters is that the medicine the doctor gave you seems to be working.”

  She nodded slightly, “I did sleep well last night…except for that one time I had to call you.”

  “I know. It’s after noon already. Do you feel rested?”

  “No. I’m so faint.”

  “You haven’t eaten in so long, it’s no wonder. I’ll call Sue and have her prepare you some broth. Maybe that will help.”

  “Thank you.”

  Martin patted her hand before leaving the room to give Sue her instructions. When he returned, he gave her another dose of the medicine and sat beside her on the bed.

  “Is Delight here?”

  “No.” He paused, wondering if he should tell her the story now or wait until she was feeling better. Martin was certain of one thing…she couldn’t be put off for long. “She’s been called away.”

  “The hospital?”

  “No. I’m afraid it’s more serious than that.”

  “What happened?” A spark of worry showed in her eyes.

  “We got a message last night from Faith.”

  “Not Joe!?”

  “No…he’s not dead.”

  “Thank God.”

  “He has been wounded, though, and Faith wanted Delight to come stay with the children so she can go to be with Joe.”

  “Good,” Clara sighed. “I’m glad she went. Faith needs her more than I do. I have you….”

  “Yes, you do,” Martin agreed, hiding the bitterness in his voice.

  As Sue entered the room with the broth, Martin excused himself, telling her that he was going to get some sleep. Once alone in his room, he was more furious than ever with Delight. Now he was condemned to a life alone with Clara. Before he’d met Delight he could have managed it…maybe even enjoyed it. But now…

  How could his carefully laid plans have been ruined? He had hoped to keep Delight with him. He had been confident that she would stay and never tell her mother of their intimacies. But what if she returned and she did tell Clara? Where would he be then? If Delight came back, bent on revenge, his only hope was that Clara loved him enough to think that her daughter was jealous. It was a long shot, but right now it was the only positive thought he had. And, while he didn’t relish spending the rest of his life tied to Clara, the alternative at this time was decidedly more unattractive. His rich wife had provided him with a comfortable lifestyle, and she had to be placated if he wanted it to continue.

  Stretching out on his bed, he tried to rest, knowing that at any moment Delight could show up and destroy his existence. Tense and frustrated, he lay unmoving, wondering what the future held for him.

  Chapter Seven

  Delight was nervous as she followed Ollie down the texas deck. Hunching her shoulders against the cold, she waited tensely as he knocked at the captain’s cabin door.

  “Come in,” Jim called, and Ollie quickly did as he bid.

  “We’re ready to get Murphy’s bed set up, if you don’t mind, Captain,” Ollie said, explaining the interruption.

  “No. Go ahead.” Jim waved them on about their duties.

  Turning his attention back to the books spread out before him on his massive desk, Jim went on with his figuring, totally ignoring the presence of the older man and his new cabin boy. He had put off the work too long, and, although he was more than tired, the final entries had to be made this afternoon.

  Ollie, anxious not to disturb his captain while he was busy with the books, quickly took Delight into the small room that would be her quarters.

  “Well, this is it,” he told her in quiet tones.

  “Thanks, Ollie.” Delight was surprised and pleased by the little cubbyhole, for it would afford her some much-needed privacy.

  He nodded. “We’ll be leaving port later tonight, so plan on getting to bed early. You’ll be working more closely with the captain tomorrow, and he can be very demanding.”

  “I know,” she grinned at him in what she hoped was a boyish fashion. “I heard him today.”

  “Well then, you’ve got an idea of what to expect.”

  She nodded, “I’ll be fine, Ollie. Really.” The female in her wanted to hug the dear, sweet man. He’d been very kind to her all day, and at this point in her life that kindness had meant everything.

  “All right. I need to speak with the captain for a minute.” He started out the door and then stopped. “I’ll see you later.”

  With that, Ollie was gone, and Delight was alone in a safe place for the first time since she’d awakened that morning. She longed to undress and bathe and snuggle under soft, comfortable covers, but there was no chance of that. When she heard Ollie leave the cabin, she opened the door and looked out at Jim Westlake, who was working diligently at his desk.

  “Captain?” she asked timidly.

  “What is it?” he growled, aggravated by the intrusion.
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  “Is there anything I can do for you?”

  He looked up, rubbing his neck wearily. “Yes, please. Coffee might be just the thing.”

  “Right away, sir.”

  Since she still was wearing her coat, she left the cabin without hesitation and made her way unerringly to the crews’ galley. Within a few short minutes she was back with a pot of the strong, hot brew, but to her dismay Jim had already fallen asleep. Delight stood hesitantly in the doorway, not quite sure what to do. Should she awaken him so that he could finish his work or just let him sleep? It was obvious that he was exhausted, and she felt a strange urge to help him somehow, but it was not her decision to make whether he was to rest or not. He had ordered the coffee, so with no further hesitation she made a lot of extra noise as she shut the door and then moved to set the tray on his desk.

  “Here’s your coffee, sir,” she announced loudly.

  And Jim, startled back to wakefulness, glowered at her for a minute. His piercing, knowing glare unnerved Delight, and for a moment she was almost afraid that he had discovered her secret.

  “Will there be anything else, Captain?” she questioned, her manner jittery.

  “Yes.” He paused.

  Delight was sure that all was lost. Biting her lip, she made ready to confess all.

  When he spoke again, she had to fight to keep from smiling, her relief was so great. “Find Ollie and have him take you into town to get a decent coat. That thing is about two sizes too small.”

  She swallowed and let her breath out slowly, “Yes, sir. I’ll do that.”

  “In fact, get a change of clothes, too. If you’re going to work for me, you have a responsibility to maintain a decent appearance.”

  His tone was so cold and disinterested that for some unknown reason tears stung her eyes. She knew it was silly, but he had hurt her feelings. He thought she looked ugly!

  “Yes, sir.”

  “And Murphy…”

  “Yes, sir?”

  “Take a bath.”

  “Yes, sir.” Delight was crushed, but she could not allow herself the luxury of emotion. A fourteen-year-old boy didn’t cry just because his captain ordered him to take a bath!

  “Good. Get going; there’s not a lot of time left. We’ll be pulling out right after midnight.”

  And so dismissed, she left the cabin in search of Ollie.

  Jim, however, poured himself a mug of the potent steaming stimulant and leaned back in his chair to try to wake up. Draining his coffee, he got a refill and then settled back over the ledgers. He was frowning in concentration when a distracting thought taunted him. Glancing up across the room, he eyed the small tintype he kept on the shelf above his bunk. Getting up, he crossed the room and took the likeness in the palm of his hand. The face smiling up at him tugged at his heart. Renee…

  Jim sighed. It was over. In fact, it had never been. She had been totally honest with him about her feelings, and she had not been in love with him.

  A sardonic grin that seemed almost a grimace twisted his lips. Renee was the one and only woman he’d ever had deep feelings for, and she’d been beyond his reach. Could he find happiness with Annabelle? Happiness was all relative, Jim decided, and, placing the picture back on the shelf, he returned to his books.

  Delight found Ollie busy at the bar as usual, and she waited patiently for him to finish his work.

  “The captain told me to take you shopping.”

  “I know.” Delight sounded glum.

  Ollie smiled, thinking her attitude typical of a young boy, “Don’t like to mess with clothes, eh?”

  She was surprised at Ollie’s train of thought and was glad to have that as an excuse to protest the shopping trip. “It seems silly to me, but the captain said if I was going to work for him I had to look good.”

  “That’s true enough. He’s a strict one about appearances, he is,” Ollie agreed. “But don’t worry. This will be painless. In fact, the captain told me that the Line will pay for this set of clothes.”

  Delight looked at him, surprised. She had been worried about how she was going to pay for everything.

  “I can’t let him do that.”

  “And why not?”

  “Well it’s—it’s charity.”

  “No. It’s business,” Ollie argued, glad to see that the youngster had some pride.

  “Business?”

  “Yes. The captain wants you to look the part of his cabin boy, so he’ll pay for your first set of clothes. After that, you’re on your own.”

  Delight nodded. “That’s very generous of him. I know what clothes cost.”

  Ollie smiled, glad that his assessment of Murphy had been correct. And if he hadn’t been reading Jim wrong, Jim was growing fond of the boy, too.

  “Well, I’m done here. Shall we go?”

  Grinning, and enormously relieved at not having to pay for the clothes out of her meager paychecks, Delight followed Ollie from the ship.

  It was late afternoon when she returned. Ollie had decided to stop at a bar for a drink, so Delight had come on back on her own. Loaded down with parcels, she hurried to her cabin eager to get cleaned up and change clothes.

  Jim was not around, and for that Delight was truly grateful. Shutting herself up in her own room, she stripped down for the first time in two days. Pouring water into the bowl on her small washstand, she scrubbed herself thoroughly. It was cold, but refreshing, and she felt much better when she finished. Unwrapping her packages, she took out the long underwear Ollie had insisted upon and put them on. Stifling a giggle, she was pleased that the top fit snugly, for it successfully camouflaged her breasts. Slipping into the heavy flannel shirt that she had deliberately picked out a size too big, she buttoned it securely and then tugged on the dark blue woolen pants Ollie had suggested.

  She had just finished buttoning the pants when she heard the outer door to Jim’s cabin open.

  “Murphy! Are you in there?”

  “Yes, sir. I’ll be right out,” she called, and after pulling on her new socks and boots she went out to face him.

  Jim gave her a cursory glance. “That’s better.” He turned from her to get an envelope. “I need you to run this over to my brother’s law office.”

  “Yes, sir,” she responded respectfully, silently wondering how she was going to come face-to-face with Marshall Westlake and not be recognized.

  “The office is on Fourth Street. Are you familiar with the area?”

  “Yes, I know where it is.”

  “Good. See that my brother Marshall gets the papers personally. It’s important that he sees them right away.”

  Groaning to herself, she took the proffered envelope and went back to her cabin to get her new coat and the stocking cap Ollie had advised her to buy.

  As she started to leave she turned to Jim who was once again working at his desk. “Thanks for the clothes. I appreciate it.”

  Jim gave her a brief, distracted smile and then motioned for her to be on her way. “There was no doubt you needed them. Now hurry, he needs to review those contracts tonight.”

  “Right.” And Delight left the boat, anxious to prove her worth to her demanding boss.

  Her trip to Marshall’s office was fruitless, for he had already gone for the day. Remembering that Jim had been adamant about his brother’s seeing the papers right away, she headed for Lucas Place and Marshall Westlake’s house.

  Keeping her head down and clutching the important envelope, Delight made her way quickly down Lucas Place. She was glad for the snow now for there were few people out walking. She could just imagine running into Sue or Martin or one of her neighbors…it was going to be bad enough handing the contracts over to Marshall without being recognized. Delight hoped that Renee wasn’t around, for although the secret of her real identity would be absolutely assured if ever her friend did recognize her, still she didn’t want to take that chance.

  The impressive three-story brick home that belonged to Marshall and Renee loomed over her as sh
e paused to ready herself on the freshly shoveled front walk. Finally, feeling in control and reasonably certain that no one would recognize Delight de Vries, the society belle, in the guise of a young errand boy, she mounted the steps and knocked at the front door.

  It was answered almost immediately by Renee’s maid, and she was ushered inside.

  “I have some contracts here for Mr. Westlake. They’re from the captain.”

  “Of course. Wait here. I’ll go get him.”

  As the servant disappeared upstairs, young Roger Westlake peeked out of the front parlor.

  “Hi,” he greeted.

  “Hi,” she returned.

  “I’m Roger. Who are you? Do you work for my Uncle Jimmy?”

  “If you mean the captain, yes. My name’s Del—Del Murphy.”

  Roger ventured bravely out into the hall, smiling warmly at this person who worked for his adored uncle.

  “I bet it’s fun working on the boat with Uncle Jimmy.”

  “I wouldn’t say it’s fun exactly, but it is interesting.”

  “What do you do? I haven’t seen you before and Papa takes me on the boat all the time.”

  “I’m new. Your uncle just hired me yesterday. I’m his new cabin boy.”

  Roger seemed really impressed and Delight stifled a smile. While she hadn’t thought of it before, to a young child her position would seem really adventuresome and exciting. At the sound of footsteps in the upstairs hall, Delight looked up to see Marshall coming down the staircase.

  “Ah, good. You’ve brought the contracts. Thank you.” He greeted her cordially.

  “Yes, sir.” She handed him the papers, trying to keep her face averted without being too conspicuous. “The captain said I was to give them to you personally.”

  “And I appreciate it—uh—I don’t believe we’ve met before, have we?” Marshall was looking at her curiously.

  “No, sir, Mr. Westlake. I’m the captain’s new cabin boy, Del Murphy.”

  “Well, Murphy, you’ve done a good job.”

  “Thank you, sir. I’d better be going now,” she told him as she heard the sound of feminine chatter coming toward them from the back of the house and recognized Renee’s voice.