by Vikki Vaught
“Good morning, Elton. I’m—” Anissa hesitated a brief moment before she finished saying her name. Oh, Lord, she had almost used her title. “—Mrs. Carlson. It is a pleasure to meet you. The porridge is excellent. Would it be possible to get some tea for me and milk for my son, Harry?”
Giving her a broad, open smile, the jovial cook told her, “I’ll go get th’ tea right away and the milk. I’m sure th’ cap’n would be happy t’ let this fine young man have some o’ his milk. One thing ’bout th’ cap’n, he’s generous.”
“Thank you, Elton. That is much appreciated.”
“I’ll be right back, ma’am.” He turned and rushed from the room, returning in a moment with the tea and milk.
Once Harry finished his bowl of porridge and eaten some of the brown bread slathered with butter, he asked, “Can we go up on deck? I want to see the ship. Please, Mama?”
“I suppose, although you mustn’t run off. You need to hold my hand at all times.”
Harry scrunched up his adorable little face. “Mama, I’m not a baby anymore. Now can we please go?”
She sighed. “All right, but do not think you can run away from me when we get up on deck.”
Anissa led Harry up the corridor to the companionway, and they stepped out onto the deck. As she looked around, trying to spot anything that might be a danger to her son, she saw Captain Hawks walking toward them.
Coming to a stop in front of her, the captain bowed. “Good mornin’, ma’am. I hope you were able to get some sleep. Did Martin show you to the galley?”
“Good day, Captain. I did get some rest, and we finished breakfast a few moments ago. Harry enjoyed Elton’s porridge. Please let me introduce you to my son.” Looking down at her child, she added, “Harry, this is Captain Hawks. He’s been kind enough to let us travel on his ship.”
Alex gave him a welcoming smile. “Pleased to meet you, young man. Welcome aboard.”
Harry bowed, and then his eyes widened as he asked, “Do you have guns on your ship, sir?”
Crouching down, the captain answered, “We do have a few guns for protection. However, my ship is primarily for cargo. If you’d like, I’ll give you a tour.” Anissa was taken aback at the way Captain Hawks seemed to know how to deal with a young boy. She had expected him to be somewhat short with Harry. That was not the case at all.
Harry chirped in his high-pitched voice, “Great. Captain, how long will it take us to get to America?”
Captain Hawks stood and placed his hand on her son’s shoulder. “If the winds are favorable, we should arrive in Baltimore around six weeks from now. Now, with your mother’s permission, I’ll give you a tour.” The captain offered her his arm, and they began to stroll along the deck.
The captain showed great patience while answering the dozens of questions her son asked. He explained the use of the different sails and the rigging. He even took them up on the bridge. He showed Harry the helm and lifted him up, so he could feel what it was like to steer the ship. Overall, a pleasant morning.
Once Captain Hawks finished the tour topside, he showed them around below, so they would know what part of the ship was off limits. When they made their way back to the deck, the captain turned to Anissa. “I’m sure you weren’t able to bring much with you, ma’am. If you want, I can offer you the use of my small store of books to help pass your time.”
Surprised pleasure surged through her at the captain’s thoughtfulness. “Thank you, Captain. I’m an avid reader. Your offer is much appreciated.”
He offered her his arm as he said, “Please follow me and I’ll show you where I keep my books.”
When Anissa entered the cabin, the open space surprised her. She had expected a dark, dreary room. A large wooden table with six chairs filled the center of the cabin. A bookcase stood against the wall next to his wide berth and a large wardrobe stood on the other wall. He led her over to the bookcase, and she selected Robinson Crusoe to read to Harry, since he should enjoy it; most boys would.
After leaving his cabin, the captain escorted her and Harry back to theirs and excused himself. Anissa watched as he made his way back to the companionway and disappeared.
What an interesting turn of events. Captain Hawks had treated her with the utmost respect and had been so patient with Harry. Perhaps, she had been too quick to judge him. She would give him a chance to redeem himself and would reserve judgment on his character until she had an opportunity to get to know him better.
This voyage might not be the nightmare I expected after all.
Chapter Three
Over the next several days, Anissa did not see very much of Captain Hawks, although the interactions they did have were polite and courteous. The hardest part of being at sea was the tedium of not having anything to do. Since they had left in such a hurry, she had not brought any of her needlework with her, which would have helped the time pass faster.
The novelty of being on board a ship had worn off for Harry, and he asked several times a day when they would arrive in America. Since Harry did not understand the concept of time, this became difficult. As an exercise, she found some foolscap and made a calendar for him with different blocks for every day they would be on the ship. She had him mark off a block as each day passed. The sailors tried to be helpful, and Martin played with him whenever he had any time away from his duties. Nonetheless, Harry grew restless, complaining of boredom often.
Each night, after Harry went to sleep, Anissa went up on deck and strolled back and forth, traversing the length of the ship to get a bit of exercise. So far, the ocean remained much calmer than she would have expected, and she loved to watch the sunset paint the sky with an array of gorgeous colors over the sea. A few times, Captain Hawks joined her.
Two weeks into the voyage, Captain Hawks invited her to dine with him. Once Anissa had Harry in bed asleep, she pulled out her best dress for dinner. She left her hair down, pulling it back with a blue ribbon. At eight o’clock, Martin knocked on her door to escort her to the captain’s cabin.
When she entered, Captain Hawks stood. “Good evenin’, Mrs. Carlson. Thank you for joining me for dinner. Please, let me help you to your seat.” A thrill ran down her spine as she met the captain’s shining black eyes. Shocked, she lowered her gaze. This instant attraction alarmed her. Attraction such as this had not entered her mind since her husband’s death.
“Thank you for inviting me, Captain.” Taking in the pristine white table linen and noticing the silver candlesticks on the table, she gave him a gracious smile. “Everything looks lovely. Are we making good time?”
Alex poured her a goblet of wine and handed it to her. “We’re slightly behind schedule at the moment. We could do with a bit more wind. However, I’m sure we’ll pick up speed soon. It’s unusual to have such fair weather for this long. While I don’t want to sail into a storm, more wind would speed our journey along.”
She looked on as Captain Hawks reached for the soup tureen. His jacket pulled against his muscular arms, and another shiver of desire shot through her. To her surprise and dismay, the captain’s virility called to her. While not classically handsome as her husband had been, she still found him extremely attractive. This bothered her because she had loved Kendall desperately, and she was not ready to have these feelings toward another man, and definitely not this man in particular. They could have nothing in common since they came from such vastly different backgrounds.
Pulling her wayward thoughts back, she commented, “I do hope we do not run into any bad weather. I’m not sure how I could handle truly turbulent seas, and I worry Harry would be frightened. I imagine you spend a good part of each year out to sea. Where do you call home?”
“My property is a few miles outside of Baltimore. My mother lives there with my daughter, Melanie. I do spend the majority of time at sea, especially over the past five years. This will be my last long voyage. In the future, I will be running my office in Baltimore. My partner, Anthony Bridges, will take over the ships.”
When Ca
ptain Hawks mentioned his daughter, his whole face lit up. He obviously loved her. It made the captain seem more human and less of a rogue. “I’m sure your daughter will love having you home all the time. Since she lives with your mother, I gather you must be a widower. How long has it been since you lost your wife?”
Anissa watched as a dark cloud fell over his face. She detected deep-seated anger flashing in his eyes, and it made her wonder what type of relationship he’d had with his wife. She began to see Captain Hawks as a much more complicated man than she had originally thought. This piqued her curiosity.
The captain cleared his throat. “My wife, Pamela, died in a carriage accident eighteen months ago.”
“I’m so sorry,” she replied. That must have been difficult for you and especially for your daughter. I’m sure she misses her mama terribly. At least she has your mother to help her through her grief. How old is Melanie?”
“She will be six in September. It’s because of her that I’ve worked so hard building my shipping company. I want to be a full-time father, not just see her for a week or two every few months.”
Anissa’s heart warmed as the captain talked of his little girl. No one who loved a child as he did could be as hard as she had thought him to be. “It’s commendable that you want to be with Melanie. Our children are very close in age. Harry turned six in March. When I watched you with him, I suspected you had spent time around children before.”
His expression softened, and he smiled. “Thank you. I do like children in general, and I love Melanie completely and want the best for her. But enough of me. Tell me more of these problems with this unwanted suitor.”
Anissa sat down her wine glass to buy some time, giving herself a chance to come up with something to tell him. “After I lost my husband, that gentleman started coming around. He lived on the estate next to ours. Although I did not return his regard, he refused to take no for an answer. A couple of months ago, he came over late. When he tried to kiss me, I pushed him away. It made him so angry he hit me. Thank goodness, my butler heard and came to my rescue.”
“He actually had the nerve to hit you? If he were here now, I would teach him how to treat a lady. Men should protect women, not hurt them.” His vehemence surprised Anissa. Since he had laid his hands on her the first night, she had not expected him to feel that way.
“After that happened, I tried to stay away from him. He still approached me when no one was around and tried to kiss me. It disgusted me.” Anissa shuddered, and her skin crawled, as she remembered his slobbering mouth on hers.
“Wasn’t there anyone to protect you?”
Oh, Lord, this had gotten complicated. She hated all these lies. It had never been her nature to lie to anyone. In this instance, she did not have a choice. She had to protect Harry. “No—not really. Harry has an uncle, and he is just as bad. He was good friends with the man.”
The captain gave her an appraising look. She sensed he did not believe her. Her heart raced and her pulse throbbed in her neck. Determined to remain stoic, she refused to break down in front of this man.
He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms. “I can understand how difficult that must have been for you. Surely, his unwanted attentions didn’t make it necessary for you to leave so suddenly. Something more must have happened. You were desperate when you asked me to take you on my ship. What happened that night? I’m finding it hard to believe you would leave all behind. If you’ll tell me what really happened, I promise to help.”
She felt herself weakening. She could not take anymore and a lone tear rolled down her cheek. Her hands trembled so badly she dared not pick up her wine glass, even though she needed the wine to fortify her nerves.
“I…I…” She covered her eyes and began to unravel as more tears filled her eyes. “I-I’ve been so frightened.”
The captain moved around the table and pulled her into his arms, then sat down with her on his lap. “Shhh, it’s all right, you’re safe. Let it all out. I won’t let anyone hurt you. I promise.”
His arms felt so safe, so comforting. She gave in and sobbed out all the fear and anguish she had held in ever since that night. She hiccupped and slumped against his broad chest, exhausted from the tumult of emotions slamming through her.
Captain Hawks reached in his pocket and pulled out his handkerchief, then handed it to her. “Listen, I know we got off on the wrong foot that first night. I apologize for my ungentlemanly behavior. If you’ll grant me your trust, you will not regret it.”
Perhaps, she could trust him. She desperately needed someone’s help, someone strong who could protect Harry. “The man was not an admirer. He is my late husband’s uncle, Lord Howard. I ran in fear for my son’s life and my own. My son stands in the way of him becoming the Marquess of Overton.”
“My God,” he exclaimed. “Are you telling me your son is a marquess? That you’re a marchioness?”
A thousand pounds rolled off her shoulders. She prayed she had not made a mistake in trusting him. “Y-yes. I have lived in fear ever since my husband died. Lord Howard attacked me that night. I only got away from him because I fought back. I hit him over the head, and he passed out.”
As he stroked her shoulders, he murmured, “You must have been terrified. Didn’t you have any family you could turn to? What of your parents? Couldn’t you have gone to them?”
“My parents are dead. My brother is somewhere in France. He went missing a couple of months ago. For all I know, he—” her voice broke, “he may be dead. Please understand, I had no choice. I overheard Lord Howard talking to his son. He planned to kill me, and then poison Harry. I had to get as far away from him as possible.”
He pulled her close and rubbed her back. “I’m sorry. You must be frantic over your brother. You’ve had so much to deal with. No wonder you’re scared. I don’t blame you for lying to me. After all, I’m a stranger, and I wasn’t very nice to you in the beginning.”
“It’s been horrible. Lord Howard started bothering me a few months ago. I started spending most of my time in my rooms. I felt as if I were a prisoner in my own home. I could only let my guard down when he went to London. Then I could take out my mare, Piper, and ride like the wind.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t bring your horse,” he said. “On such short notice, I didn’t have enough provisions for her. I noticed you didn’t use a sidesaddle. Do you always ride astride?”
Anissa shook her head. “Of course not. As a young girl, I became a bit of a hoyden. My father indulged me quite a bit and taught me to ride astride, to keep me safe. Once I grew up, I eventually adjusted to a sidesaddle. The reason I rode astride was because I had Harry riding with me, and we had to get away before Lord Howard regained his wits.”
“Ah, that makes sense. I’ve never understood why women have to ride sidesaddle anyway. In America, it’s a bit more relaxed. I’ve known other ladies who ride astride. I’m curious, if you stayed closed up in your rooms all the time, then how did you overhear his plan to kill your son?”
Chills ran up her spine as she recalled what Lord Howard had planned. “The night I ran away, I came down to the library to find a book, thinking Uncle Howard was still in London. As I approached the library, the door stood ajar and I heard him mention my son’s name, so I listened. He told his son, Bernard, about a ditch he had dug along the hedge where I jumped when I went riding.”
Alex interrupted, “My God, you could have been killed or at least badly injured.”
“That is what he had planned,” Anissa said as she stood and began to pace the room. “He told Bernard to finish me off if I did not die in the fall. Once he got rid of me, Lord Howard planned to poison Harry.”
“How diabolical,” Captain Hawks exclaimed. “You do realize he’s going to come after you. As long as your son is alive, he can’t inherit the title. This is not about money, it’s about power.”
“You’re correct. I’m terrified he will find us. I know he shall not stop until we are…we are dead. That is
why it is so important I disappear once we arrive in America.”
The captain turned to her, giving her a piercing look. “You’ll need to hide as soon as we dock. My mother owns some property in Virginia. You can go there, and you will be safe. I’ll take you there myself.”
While overwhelmed with gratitude for his kind offer, she could not take advantage of him and his family. “I cannot ask you to do that for me. You barely know me. I shan’t put my problems on you. It is enough that you allowed me passage. I already owe you a great deal. If you had refused to take us on your ship, Lord Howard would have found us. My son and I would probably be dead by now. I appreciate your desire to help, but I cannot accept.”
“I would deem it an honor to help you in your time of need, Lady Overton.”
“Thank you, Captain, for your gallantry. Please, call me Mrs. Carlson. No one must know who I am. Better yet, Anissa. After sharing my woes with you, there is no need to remain so formal when we are alone. Lord knows, I need a friend desperately right now.”
“I’m honored by your friendship, and please, call me Alex. All my friends do.”
* * * *
After Alex escorted Mrs. Carlson to her cabin, he returned to his, poured himself a glass of brandy, and sat back down at the table. He thought back over what Lady Overton—no, Anissa—had shared with him. He could no longer think of her in such a formal way. He could not turn his back on her once they arrived in Baltimore. This uncle of Harry’s would definitely come after them, and being in America could make it easy for him to do away with both Anissa and her son and never be caught.
God, Anissa is going to turn my life upside down. But I have to help her. I gave her my promise.
It amazed him that she had given him her trust after the way he had treated her that first night. At least helping her would put him in a better light. Tonight had been difficult. He’d had a hard time keeping his hands from straying when he held her in his arms.