A Lesson in Presumption

by Jennifer Connors

  At the last moment, Ginny lost her nerve and decided not to say what she truly had wanted. Instead, she asked, “What brings you here, Spencer?”

  Seeing that Corliss had throughly ruined the mood between them, Spencer became pensive. Over the few weeks they'd known each other, he couldn't stop thinking about her. In his old life, Spencer had plenty of willing women, a few he'd even considered marrying, but no one stirred his blood like the woman before him. Sitting in a chair, looking like the devil's own, she appealed to him even with the dried blood on her face. If anything, it stirred in him his desire to take care of her.

  “Webster sent me to see to your scratch.”

  A moment of disappointment passed and Ginny responded, “It's only a scratch, Spencer. It won't need to be stitched.” Thank God.

  Stepping forward, his fingers probed the edge of the wound. Ginny held her breath, completely unaware of where these new feelings were coming from. She was sleeping with Webster, for God's sake. She shouldn't be contemplating another man, even if she and Webster had little in common and lately he was showing more interest in the virgin Megan than in her.

  “What's your diagnosis, Doctor?” she asked, stunned by how breathless she sounded.

  “You will live, to be sure. I would like to clean it to make sure a fever does not set in.”

  “Nathaniel is ordering a bath for me. I can make sure I wash it well.”

  Spencer stared down into her face for a moment, as if on the precipice of saying something. Ginny wanted to blurt something out as well, but the words stuck in her throat. Not to mention, she had no idea what exactly she would have blurted out. This not knowing her own mind was disturbing. She certainly had no issues with speaking her mind in the past.

  “After your bath, come and see me. I will check to make sure you did a good job.”

  As he turned to leave, Ginny said, “First I have to check on Noddy. Nathaniel said he was upset and wanted to see me.”

  Nodding his head, Spencer left the room as two crew members dragged in a small tub and hot water. Instead of considering what was going on in her own twisted mind, Ginny thought about how much easier it was to take a bath in the future. As if that weren't perfectly obvious.

  Chapter 24

  Once clean and changed into dry clothing, Ginny made her way to Noddy and Tilly's cabin. Before she could knock, she heard the sound of voices inside. The door was ajar, so it was easy to overhear Megan reading from a bible to the boy. Every once in a while, Noddy would ask a question. Megan was patient, answering as best as she could.

  Finally knocking to announce her presence, Ginny walked in to find Noddy still lying in bed and Megan on a chair next to him. The cabin was too small for even three people, so Ginny asked Megan if she could visit with Noddy for awhile.

  “Of course, Corliss. I was just keeping him company during his convalescence. But I should check on my father. His stomach did not fair well with the storm last night.”

  “Understandable. Thank you.”

  Megan simply nodded and left the room. Ginny took the open chair and looked at Noddy. He was so small in the bed. Wondering how old he really was, Ginny smiled to put him at ease.

  “Are you mad at me?” he asked, with the wide-eyed innocence of a child.

  Ginny was taken back. “Why would I be mad?”

  “I made you go up the rigging,” he responded. Now Noddy looked close to tears and Ginny couldn't have that.

  “Noddy, you were knocked down by a huge wave. I know because if not for Captain Webster, I would probably be at the bottom of the ocean right now. I was amazed that you didn't fall over board.”

  “But... but... it was my job,” he sputtered, tears falling down his cheeks in waves.

  Grabbing his hand, Ginny pulled the boy into her arms. “Now listen to me, Noddy. It could have happened to any of us. It was just lucky that I was small enough to take your place. I know you would have done the same for me. Don't you dare think I'm mad at you.”

  Pulling away, Noddy looked into Ginny's eyes. “I have to work hard, Miss Corliss. Tilly says I have to be useful.”

  Placing her hand on his cheek, Ginny said, “You are the hardest working person on this ship, Noddy. You do whatever anyone asks and you never complain. A lot of the crew could take lessons from you.”

  “Really?” he asked, eager for more praise.

  “Yes, really. You weren't the only one hurt last night, you know.” Leaning forward and whispering, Ginny continued. “At least you didn't fall going up the steps like Roberts. He was knocked asleep before the storm had barely begun.”

  Noddy giggled and was back to smiling. Leaning against his pillow, the boy suddenly looked unnaturally pale. Ginny pulled up his thin blanket and covered him from neck to feet.

  “I am still tired, Miss Corliss. Can you tell me a story?”

  Wiping the concerned look off her face, Ginny nodded. “What kind of story would you like?”

  Noddy shook his head. “Dunno.”

  Ginny thought for a moment and then came up with an idea. “I could tell you about the future.”

  “What's the future?”

  “Things that are going to happen in a hundred years and more.”

  Eyes widening, Noddy said, “That is the kind of story I want. But how do you know what will happen.”

  “I just do,” she said, knowing the answer would be enough to satisfy Noddy. Regardless, it wouldn't matter. Even if Noddy told someone else, anyone would take it for some fantastical tale put together to entertain a sick child.

  “Ok, in the future, there will horseless carriages.” Seeing the questioning look, Ginny said, “That's a carriage that moves without any horses pulling it.”

  “How?”

  “It has an engine that runs on fuel, like wood or coal in a fire. Only this fuel is liquid.

  “And the ships will be so large, thousands of people can be onboard at once. Like a floating city.”

  Noddy leaned further into his pillow and listened with wide eyed intent. Ginny went on to describe all kinds of things, such as planes, television and computers. With each story, she would give him avid descriptions. When she told him that on a plane, you could go from London to New York in six hours instead of six weeks, Noddy looked as though he was tripping on some bad acid.

  “Do you really think it will be like that some day, Miss Corliss?”

  “I don't think it will, Noddy. I know it will. Humans are a very clever bunch when they're not doing stupid things. In a couple hundred years, everything will be different.”

  “Would I be smart in the future?”

  Ginny's eyes grew sad when she said, “What?”

  “Hamish says I will never be smart. Says I was born stupid.”

  Ginny knew that some of the crew were cruel to Noddy, but she'd had yet to witness it. Hearing him being so matter of fact broke her heart. It also made her want to break a few more things over the head of Hamish.

  “You weren't born stupid, Noddy. You were born different. We all have things that make us different. No one gets to choose how tall we'll be or what color hair we'll have. It's what you make of what God gives you that matters. And you, Noddy, have made a great life with Tilly and Captain Webster. So the next time Hamish says something like that to you, just turn to him and say, 'At least I'm not ugly.'”

  Noddy giggled. Ginny saw that his eyes were closing of their own volition. “I think you should rest. I'll come back tomorrow and tell you another story.”

  Nodding his head, Noddy fell asleep before Ginny left the room. She looked back one more time at his peaceful form. She had promised to go see Spencer, but maybe she would pay a visit to Hamish first. That man needed an ass whooping and she was in the mood to give him one.

  ********

  After leaving Corliss behind in his cabin, Nathaniel had a lot to think about. Since the first day he'd spoken to her, there was a kind of electricity between them. He could neither explain it or deny it. But, ever since Megan had com
e on board, he was disturbed by it.

  If he were to be honest with himself, the shine had worn off the relationship before Megan had appeared. There was no doubt that the sex was spectacular, but lately he'd been thinking that maybe there was more to the coupling between two people.

  As he stood on deck, he thought back to his conversations with Megan. He genuinely wanted to know more about her, even with her over-protective father standing beside her. It lifted something in his heart to hear her stories of visiting different people on the islands, trying to get them to be better people. She was selfless and kind. When Noddy had been hurt, she sacrificed her own sleep to stay with him, when Tilly was hard at work and couldn't spare the time.

  On the other hand, Corliss was beautiful, but she wasn't a lady anymore. He heard her swear like any other member of his crew. There were few things she wasn't willing to do, including wearing pants and shirts like a man. She was incredibly unselfconscious, paying little attention to dressing her hair.

  When Nathaniel thought about his future, he always imagined that one day he would marry and return to England. His father's family had left him an estate outside Bath. He pictured himself returning home, loads of money at his disposal, with a charming, sophisticated lady on his arm. He would take London by storm during the season, and his wife would be the toast of the town.

  Grimly, he could admit that he could never return with Corliss. First of all, she was considered her cousin's killer. Even if society believed her innocent, his aunt would cry foul immediately. Secondly, Corliss was no longer part of that world and never would be again. She may know the rules, but he'd seen her thumb her nose at them far too often to believe she would ever comply with them again.

  However, although Megan was soft and demure, she would never be accepted into London society either. She was Irish, which most English looked at with disgust and distaste. Even if she followed every rule, his dream of rising to the top of London society would be quashed. No self-respecting British gentleman brought home an Irishwoman as a wife. Mistress, maybe, but definitely not a wife.

  His eyes still trained on the horizon, Nathaniel was sickened at the thought of using Megan so ill. It had little to do with her father and everything to do with his immense respect for the woman. She was obviously an innocent, probably never having been kissed by a man, let alone anything else. But when he looked into her eyes, all he saw was trust. She trusted him to be a good person, and he would do anything to live up to that trust.

  That left him with a question of what to do about Corliss. They would arrive in Puerto Rico soon, and Megan would depart. Did he want to give up sex with Corliss, when a relationship with Megan was most likely out of the question? Even if he were willing to marry her, what then? Take her home to his family only to be ridiculed for marrying so far beneath him.

  Even as lost in his thoughts as he was, he knew the minute she came up on deck. Her presence was like warm sunshine on his face. Just being near her made him want to smile. Turning to face her as she approached, the smile lit up his face when he saw her red hair turn to fire in the sunlight.

  “Good day, Miss McCarthy. Were you in need of something?” Nathaniel's heart raced just by being near her.

  “Good day to you, Captain. No, I was just going to take a turn about the deck. I had been sitting with Noddy, but Miss Corliss came to talk to him. I was in need of stretching my legs, so I came up here.”

  “Allow me to offer my arm, then. The deck can get rather slippery, especially after the storm last night. I would not want you to slip and fall.”

  Rewarding him with her perfect smile, she said, “I thank you, sir. 'Tis so refreshing to be in the presence of such a gentleman.”

  Placing her hand on the crook of his arm, the pair began to walk around the deck of the ship by the railing. The silence was pleasant, but Nathaniel wanted to know more about the girl beside him.

  “What part of Ireland do you hail from, Miss McCarthy?” he asked, hoping to get a chance to hear her lyrical voice.

  “Before coming to the West Indies, my family resided in Galway, sir.”

  “Aye, on the western coast. 'Tis a beautiful city.”

  Turning to look him in the eye, she asked, “You have been there, sir?”

  “Aye. Many times, in fact.”

  With her smile just that much brighter, she said, “My mother was the daughter of the local squire. My father was the son of Seamus McCarthy.”

  “Seamus McCarthy? The shipping magnate?” Nathaniel was surprised indeed to hear that Frank McCarthy had come from money. He was well educated, but came off as poor.

  “Oh, yes. Although he lost all his money in storm of '62. After that, my parents settled down outside of town on a farm. That was where I grew up. I never met my grandfather, for he was killed on one of his ships, but my grandmother would tell me stories about him.”

  “How did you end up in the West Indies?” he asked, confusion written on his face.

  Looking away toward the water, Megan had thought to stretch the truth a bit. Her life up until a few years ago was idyllic, but since her mother's passing, things had been so upside down she hardly knew what to think. All she knew was for some reason, she couldn't lie to the man beside her. Not because she owed him for his kindness, but for some other reason she couldn't name.

  “A few years ago, my mother died. Fever. It devastated my father.” Stopping their progress, Megan whispered her story. She may trust Captain Webster with her story, but she didn't trust his crew not to blather it around her father.

  “My father began to question his faith. He asked what kind of God would take a mother away from her young daughter. He began to drink too much and behave very badly. Many a morning I was cleaning up after him and his... his... company.”

  Nathaniel was well aware of what type of company Frank McCarthy was likely to keep. If he were at all successful as a farmer, he would have been more sought after than a hundred pounds. Nodding his understanding, Megan continued.

  “Our parish priest came over to talk to Father one day. Father McMurtry told him that the path he was choosing would lead him to Hell. My father, in a drunken rage, threw the priest out and told him to mind his own business. I could not get him to calm down and he nearly destroyed everything in our home.” Megan's voice became thick with emotion and she had to blink back the tears forming in her eyes.

  “When he sobered up the next morning, he saw what he had done. He asked me what had happened, and I told him. After cleaning up the house and himself, he went to see Father McMurtry. By the time he came home, he declared that we were to go on a mission to the West Indies. That was three years ago.”

  “You had no choice but to follow him?” he asked, seeing that the journey was not to her liking.

  “No, I was but fifteen at the time. My only family was my father. The church may have helped me stay, but obviously it was Father McMurtry's idea to send my father on this errand for God, so he was not likely to help me. My father sold everything of value and it got us here. The church has paid for some room and board, but mostly we have been on our own.”

  Glancing at her dress that was both too small and severely out of date, it was no wonder. The poor girl had grown up with so much and virtually lost it all overnight. As he stared down at her, he wondered how she managed to ever smile. With so much to be bitter about, how was she still able to be so kind.

  “I should like to give you something, Miss McCarthy, if you would allow me.”

  Shaking her head, she said, “No, Captain. You have already been so kind to my father and me. I could not ask anything more of you.”

  “It would be my pleasure, Miss McCarthy. I have some dresses that have been left behind over my years at sea. Perhaps you would like to look through them. If none are to your liking, you are welcome to the fabric to make yourself something else entirely.”

  A light beamed from behind her eyes. It had been a long time since anyone had done something so kind for her. Nathaniel could
feel his heart constricting over the thought.

  “Captain... that would be...” Megan looked at her hands. Tears formed in her eyes, and she was trying valiantly to keep them from falling, but a few drops made it past her lids.

  Seeing the tears fall onto her hands, Nathaniel hastened, “Miss McCarthy... Megan. Please. I cannot abide tears, especially when I am trying to be kind.”

  A giggle passed her lips as she looked up at him. “It has been so long since I was the receiver of a gift. Thank you.”

  If not for a deck full of men and an over-protective father not far away, Nathaniel knew he would have had her in his arms, kissing her with every emotion he could muster. Could it be that someone had finally gotten past the walls he built around his heart? Could this young girl, innocent and burdened, be the one to make him love?