The moment he laid eyes on me, he said, “Hannah, my love. Why have you forsaken me?”
Taking note of the way he staggered, I asked, “Are you drunk?”
“I’m a little drunk.” He hiccupped.
My mother hooted from where she stood, lifting her bottle for cheers.
Shooing her out of my area, I snipped, “Oh, good grief, you won your game, Mother, so go on to your room now.”
To my relief, she went.
With one drunkard dealt with, I went back to the window to visit the other. “What do you want, Thomas?”
“Come see me. I miss you, my little flower fairy.”
“I can’t see you anymore.”
“Why not? I hate when you say that.”
“Shhh. You are being too loud.”
“I don’t care. I will stand on the rooftops and holler that I love Hannah Remington so all the world will hear.”
“Don’t, oh dear God, don’t do that.”
“I’ll do it. I’ll do it right now if you don’t come see me.”
Seeming that I’d be caught for loving him either way, I figured I might as well enjoy him before I suffered my inevitable punishment. “I’ll come down.” I re-braided my hair before I went to meet him outside.
When I greeted him at the bottom of the stairs, he sloppily wrapped his arms around me. Smelling like wine, he whispered in my ear, “I have missed you so much. The days have been like night without your smile to brighten them.”
“I missed you, too.” I collapsed in his embrace. Without expecting to, I began to cry. This was where I belonged. Why wouldn’t the world just let me be here?
He stroked my hair as I sobbed. “Don’t cry, my sweet angel. We are together now, just be with me in peace.”
“There is no peace, Thomas. You can’t be here hugging on me when you are to be married soon.”
He looked at me like I’d lost my mind. ‘What are you talking about?”
“Take me to the beach one last time, and I will tell you everything.”
“I refuse to agree to this last time business, but I will take you to the beach.” He sloppily draped his arm over my shoulder.
On the way, I told him everything Odelia had said to me. By the time we reached the shoreline, he had become so upset that he was beginning to frighten me.
Throwing his arms out to his sides, he blasted, “Oh, that nasty little wretch! I’d rather jump off a cliff than marry her.” Grabbing me by my shoulders, he looked deep into my eyes. “I am not using you for anything, Hannah. I truly love you with all of my heart, and I hope that you believe me over her.”
“I have never once doubted your love for me, Thomas. I believe you every time you say it to me, and I feel it every time you look in my eyes. It’s the painful fact that we just can’t be together that tears me apart.” I went on to tell him about the rumors Odelia passively threatened to spread, and I wept about the way his mother would have me stoned if she found out he was spending his time with a lowly alley rat like me.
He laid his hands on my cheeks. “As far as my mother goes, we’ll deal with that later, but you, my dear, I never want to hear you call yourself those vile names. You are a princess to me, Hannah. The most beautiful girl I have ever seen, and your heart is as soft as I imagine heaven’s clouds to be. I have not even kissed you yet, but somehow holding your hand is more enticing than anything else I’ve done with any other girls.”
“What have you done with other girls?” I backed out of his arms, utterly appalled by his drunken confession.
“Shit.” He rolled his head back.
Caught off guard by his use of profanity, I began to feel uncomfortable where stood.
“You have to know that I’ve been with other girls before you, and to tell you the truth, Odelia was one of them.” My heart sunk in my throat. “It burns me raw through to know she’s calling you these terrible names when she’s the one who throws herself at me like a bar trollop.”
Imagining him being intimate with my worst enemy, I began flailing my arms. “I hate knowing that you’ve been with anyone, especially her!” I cried. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I want you to know how serious I feel about you.” He stepped towards me. “My love for you isn’t senseless or childish. It’s not because I don’t know a thing about love or women. I’ve been with others, like it or not, and I could have any one of them if I wanted. But nothing I have ever experienced with them comes close to the way I feel when holding your hand. You’re beautiful, and funny, and I love your artwork. I like the way you hum your little songs when you’re thinking, and I adore the way you fidget with your hair when you’re nervous. You’re like a fairy, or a mermaid, or something mythical and unworldly, and not a thing at that cursed mansion I live in is worth more to me than you are, Hannah.”
Flooded with tears of pain and joy, I sniffled, “I love you, too, Thomas. I never want to be without you.”
“Good. So listen here.” He took my hands in his. “So many things have happened this week. For one, my father has been fading away. I don’t think he’ll last more than a month. And while I’ve been dealing with the distress of all that, my mother forbade me to see you. After what you told me about Odelia, I reckon she’s the one who told her about us. Anyhow, my mother told me she’d hand everything over to my brother Lloyd if I continued to see you, but I’ve hardly taken the news as a threat. In fact, I see it as more of an opportunity.”
“Opportunity?”
“Yes. You know I didn’t want my inheritance, and Lord knows I want you more than anything in the world, so I’ve finally decided what I want to do with my life…” It seemed like an eternity passed before he said, “I want to take you away from this island.”
“What?” I gasped. “You’re drunk. We can’t just leave.”
“Why not?”
So stunned by his brazen idea, and aghast by his drunkenness, I raised my voice at him. “Because you don’t even know what you want to do for a living and you throw bread away, for heaven’s sakes. How would you ever take care of yourself, let alone me?”
Looking shocked at the way I yelled at him, he cocked his brow. “You’re yelling at me.”
“I am. And it’s because I am scared to death. Now tell me what you have planned so I can catch my breath and calm down.”
He looked at me with soft eyes. “I decided that I want to be a clerk at a shipyard. I’m great with arithmetic, and I love talking to the people who travel the world. I know it isn’t a lofty goal, but I’d be happy doing it.”
Thinking of my father, grinning at everyone he spoke to while hard at work in his booth at the market, I smiled at Thomas. “I think that is a wonderful idea.”
He smiled widely. “That’s why I love you, Hannah. You are the only person who understands me. Now, with that out of the way, let’s see what you think about this.”
Kneeling before me, he pulled a ring out of his pocket. “Hannah Remington. Since the moment I first saw you, I felt my life would never be complete without you in my arms, and now that I have held you, I am sure of it. I want to marry you and take you to London where we can have a family together. No one will be mean to you there, and no one can stop me from loving you there. I have enough money to make it happen, and I already have a job lined up. I just need you to say yes.”
My eyes were so full of tears that I could hardly see the moonlit bay behind him. There was nothing for me on this island but shame. We could start all over in London. Together. For the rest of our lives. It was all I could ever hope for. Remembering my promise to my father about never losing hope, I cried, “Yes, Thomas! Yes, I will marry you.”
He threw his arms around my waist and kissed me on the mouth. The beautiful feel of his lips rubbing on mine caused me to weaken in the knees, and when he parted my lips with his tongue I thought I would collapse in his embrace. My mind hardly knew what to do with this much emotion, but my body figured it out just fine. Holding tight to his arms, I
absorbed every movement of his mouth and let my spirit melt into his without a care outside of the passionate moment we shared.
I loved him with all my heart and would no longer have to live without him. Thomas Wilshire was mine to keep.
Looking forward to this bright and promising future, I fell asleep that night with hope in my heart.
Chapter 3
No Longer
After visiting my father’s grave, I left a note for my mother, promising to write, and then I left Barbados on a tall ship, next to the man I loved. Watching the island grow faint in the distance, I thought about my life there. Knowing that Thomas was the only good thing I had found on that tiny piece of land, it was easy for me to turn my back on the island and throw myself into his arms. He had set me free.
Captain Johnson married us around noon, then Thomas and I spent the rest of the day at the bow, watching the clouds roll by. With my head on my husband’s shoulder, I pointed out the shape of a dragon in the clouds, and then told him, “Being out on the ocean again reminds me of my father. On our way to Barbados he and I walked the decks, looking for mermaids in the ocean, and pointing out shapes in the clouds.”
“Did you ever find a mermaid?” he asked with a smile.
“No. But I did learn a lot about sailing.”
“Oh, did you?”
“Yes, my father had spent a great deal of time chatting with the sailors, and he told me everything they taught him.”
“Sailing back and forth between England and Barbados as often as I have, I’ve always wanted to learn those things, too. But my father told me not to meddle in the affairs of the laborers. I’d love for you to tell me what you know, Madam Wilshire.”
Loving the sound of my new name, I giggled, and hugged him tight.
Telling him as much as I could remember about the parts of the ship and the names of the sails, I was certain I could feel my father’s spirit smiling upon me as the sun set into the sea.
With darkness coating the sky, Thomas suggested that we find our way to our room. Nervously, I walked behind him, contemplating the possibilities of our first night alone together.
“Welcome to our home for the next month or so, Madam Wilshire.” Thomas fanned his hand around the tiny bunk room. The area was so small, he could hardly reach his long arm out to motion.
“It is quite an improvement from the horrible place I left behind.” I went straight for the porthole. I’d always been attracted to doors and windows. The mystery behind a closed door inspired my imagination as much as the view outside an open window did, and the scene laid out before me was no exception. “Look how beautiful this is, Thomas.”
Wrapping his arms around my waist, he admired the scene with me. Contrasting the darkened sea, the night sky was bright with thousands of stars. Though I could have stared at them all night, Thomas had other plans. He started kissing my neck. “You’re as pretty as the stars shining outside that porthole. I can’t believe you’re mine to keep.”
The combination of his kiss and the beauty of his words sent a delightful shiver up my spine. Turning me around to face him, he kissed me on the mouth. He had kissed me a few times before, but those had never felt like this. Now, I was his wife and we were all alone in a room of our own in the middle of the ocean. I knew what was coming next, and though I understood how fortunate I was to have him this way, I was apprehensive as could be. “I’m so nervous, Thomas.”
“Don’t be, darling. It will be wonderful. I want you to remember this night forever.” He began unlacing my bodice.
The ease in which he did so reminded me that he had been with other women before me. No longer feeling comfortable about expressing my emotions to him, I closed my eyes and I stood as stiff as a board as he undressed me. Then, the moment my dress hit the floor, I picked it up and covered myself with it so he couldn’t see me. “I don’t want my clothes off.”
He chuckled. “Don’t be silly, my little flower. You have nothing to be ashamed of.”
Stepping towards me, he took the dress away from me and filled my empty palm with his warm hand. Moving my hand inside his shirt, he placed it over his heart and said, “My heart beats for you, my darling. Let me love you and do not be afraid.”
He kissed me again. Feeling the love in his tender caress, I was able to relax. Before long, he laid me down on the bunk and began kissing me all over. Slowly. His mouth was warm yet his gentle touch caused me to shiver. Soon enough, he was just as bare as I was. After soothing my soul with the melody of his touch, he went and disturbed my peace.
“No. Ouch. Oh. I don’t like it.” I tried to push him away from me.
He stopped. “It’s all right, love. Trust me.”
“I don’t want to,” I snipped, locking my knees together.
“Relax, Hannah. I am yours and you are mine. I would never ever hurt you, my love. Just trust me.”
“I’ll try.” I exhaled, entirely uninterested in this part of marriage.
Lying back, I took a deep breath as he resumed his effort, but it still hurt. “You’re a dirty rotten liar.” I slapped at his arm, but he didn’t stop, and before long I believed him. We were together as one. As he said, I would remember that night for the rest of my life. We were finally allowed to be together, and with his love, I would be lonely and heartbroken no longer.
X
Waking up naked next to Thomas, who had no clothes on either, I sat up and threw my dress on. Even though we had been together this way for two weeks now, I couldn’t seem to get used to it. Wrapping his arm around my waist, he pulled me back towards him on the bunk. “We have nowhere to be, my sweet. Why do you always rush to get dressed?”
“Because I’m too shy to be naked with you,” I easily admitted.
“You should know that I adore every bit of you.”
“I know, but, well, I…”
Before I finished my stuttered sentence, he kissed the bridge of my nose. “It’s all right, my little flower. You do not need to explain. I love you no matter what you are wearing.”
“I love you, too, Thomas. So much. I can’t believe we are truly going to have this wonderful life together.” I tickled my fingers across his chest. I loved every bit of him, as well, and touching him this way caused my heart to flutter.
He pulled me closer. “I keep thinking of how wonderful it’s going to be.”
We went on to discuss all the things we loved about London, and then ended up talking about how wonderfully the weeks aboard this ship had been passing. Our days were spent strolling the decks and enjoying the scenery, and our nights were spent tangled together on the tiny bunk, experiencing our new bond of love.
Lying there in his loving arms, I knew that God had truly blessed me with a good man, and I was finally willing to accept the fact that my life was going to turn out all right after all. “Thank you, Thomas.” I kissed his cheek, but before I could exhale my soulful satisfaction, the watchman called for sails.
“Sails?” Thomas shot up, got dressed, and looked out of the porthole.
Taking note of the panic on his face, I got up to take a look. The dreadful scene before me caused my heart to sink into my gut. There was a ship soaring through the misty morning air. As it came closer I heard the terrible men aboard her roaring like savage beasts, and I could see the harrowing black flag waving in the wind. Pirates. Though the threat before us was eminent, my worries intensified as I watched Thomas sift through his wooden chest and pull out a dagger.
“I’ve heard a lot about pirates, but I have never dealt with them.” The sweat on his forehead and the tremble in his voice made it clear that he was also worried, but he tried his best to hide it. “I will keep you safe. I promise.”
“Safe from what? What do they want? As far as I know, pirates want gold, and this ship is only carrying merchandise.”
“They also rob ships for supplies. For the most part, it seems that if the captain surrenders, they will take what they want and leave.”
While I paced the ti
ny room in a sweat-covered panic, Thomas tried to soothe me, but it was no use. With my cursed luck they’d kill us all before they took what they needed…
My pounding heartbeat was drowned out by the sound of a thundering thump outside the porthole. They fired a shot! The pungent scent of sulfur drifted across the misty air as I wailed, “They are going to blast us to bits!”
“No. No they won’t.” Thomas grabbed my shoulders. “We didn’t return fire. I feel the ship slowing. Johnson is going to surrender. Now, we just have to wait for them to come aboard and pray to God that they don’t find us.”
The heat in the tiny room intensified while we waited for their ship to come broadside. It seemed like days had passed before we finally heard them stomping across the planks above us. My heart was beating so loudly, I was certain they’d hear it on the main deck. The sweat that was falling from my body could have filled a wash basin.
Listening to their footsteps coming down the hall outside our room, Thomas held his hand over my quivering lips, and reminded me to be silent. They were opening doors. I heard four voices. They were English. They were foul. And they were coming closer.
Silently, I prayed they would go away, but when they kicked open the door to our room, I screamed out in terror. Thomas stood in front of me, hollering words I could not hear over the sound of my own terrified outburst, but as I cried, and he shouted, they laughed.
In the blur that my world became, the short, hairy man in front came towards Thomas with a knife pointed. The next thing I knew, a horrible fight broke out. In between the tiny walls, Thomas did what he could to defend us, but his efforts were futile against all four of them and their wide array of weapons. I was unsure whose blood was whose as they scuffled about, but they were all covered in it. Backed against the wall, screaming until my voice grew hoarse, I saw the short hairy man fall dead at my feet, but the world as I knew it stopped spinning when I watched the blond man run a blade through Thomas’ side.
His shirt was coated in blood. His brown eyes that I loved so dearly widened with the pain he felt. As my sweet, beautiful lover fell over gasping for air, I screamed and cried and tried to reach for him. He called out my name as I touched his blood-splattered cheek, but it was then that the dark-haired pirate threw me over his shoulder. I cried for Thomas as the beast carried me through the door, but I heard not his voice again while being dragged down the hallway.
Uncharted Secrets (Uncharted Secrets, Book 1): Endless Horizon Pirate Stories Page 3