Sail With Me (A Discovery Series Book) (10 page)

Shaking my head, I went back to my fancy cutting. The men would comment,
no doubt, but I’d be ready with a joke or something. I’d laugh it off, and they
would laugh with me. Charlie Hamden would be safe.

He had to be.

****

After supper, some of the crew turned in for the night while another
group took to the top deck. Daniel explained that in deep water Captain Finley
liked to work in shifts so the
Rose
could sail all day and night, making
good time to our destination. I was told to report directly to the crow’s nest
at first light tomorrow morning where I would keep a sharp eye out for any
hazards in our path.

With the galley tidied, Daniel and I retired to our corner of the lower
deck. I would have loved a bath. No one else was bothered by the grime of a
day’s work, however, so I slumped down to the floor and pulled off my boots.

Stuffy, warm air hovered below deck. A quick glance around revealed that
many of the crewmembers had removed their shirts to cool off during their
slumber. As would be expected, I caught a glimpse of Daniel pulling his tunic
off and balling it up to use as a pillow. He stretched out onto his blanket,
and I failed to catch the giggle in my throat.

Angling his head up, he looked at me. “What’s so funny?”

“Your feet.” I choked back my laughter.

Daniel propped himself up on his arm and stared down the length of his
body to his feet. The blanket beneath him reached to just below the backs of
his knees. The remainder of his legs and rather large feet rested on the bare
wood of the floor.

He laughed. “Being tall is not all fun and games, Charlie. Let’s see what
you got. You aren’t much shorter than me.”

True. I only had to angle my head up slightly to look Daniel in the eye.
I grabbed my sack and placed it under my head as a pillow. Making a production
of settling in, I managed to squeeze another laugh out of Daniel while he
waited for me. Finally, I lay out in one long line.

“Ha! Just as I thought,” Daniel whispered, trying not to rouse the
crewmen around us. “Your blanket only makes it to your ankles. You’re a giant
too. Admit it.” He pointed a finger at me and smiled wide. The gesture made his
entire face beam, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him.        

I held up my hands in surrender. “All right. I’m a giant too.”

I’m also a girl.
A scene where I told Daniel my secret played in
my mind. I chewed on my bottom lip. What would his response be?

“What are you thinking about, Charlie?” His voice interrupted.

“Huh?”

“Your face looks funny.”

“Thanks.”

“No, no, that’s not what I mean.” Daniel eased back down onto his
blanket. “You look as if something’s bothering you.”

The fact that I’ve been looking at you too much is bothering me.

The fact that I’m a
she
, not a he, is bothering me.

The fact that apparently my father doesn’t care where I am is bothering
me.

The fact that I’ve left my best friend behind is bothering me.

Take your pick, Daniel.

“No, I’m all right,” I lied instead.

“You sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“Well, good night then.”

“Good night.”

“Giant,” he said softly.

I caught the half-smile on Daniel’s profile as he stared at the deck
above us.

“You’re still the bigger giant,” I whispered.

He snickered and rolled over so his bare back was to me. I turned away to
face the other side, but only lasted a few moments in that position. I rolled
back and watched Daniel’s ribs rise and fall as he drifted to sleep.

When sleep came to me, I dreamed of what it would feel like to run my
fingers along Daniel’s bare shoulders.

My first month at sea passed in a blur. I spent my days in the crow’s
nest, scanning the ocean, or in the galley, cooking for the crew. I also did
small jobs Captain Finley assigned to me when I wasn’t needed as lookout or
cook. I went to bed each night exhausted, but managed to rise each morning with
renewed anticipation and energy.

Sea life agreed with me as I had known it would. My life as a maid for
Lady Elizabeth belonged to someone else entirely. A miserable girl whose dreams
were always out of reach. Charlie Hamden had a much better life.

My hair had grown in some, but if I wet it and shoved Benjamin’s cap on,
it was manageable and still boyish enough. Many of the crewmen had long hair,
which they tied back out of the way. Daniel’s light brown hair fell to his chin
now, giving him a scruffy look that went well with his slightly whiskered face.
The men poked fun at me every now and again over the fact that I didn’t have a
whisker on my chin anywhere. Fortunately they only teased and never speculated.

I spent a good part of every day with Daniel. My affection for him had no
choice but to grow. We had become friends and I enjoyed his company. When I
wasn’t with him, I imagined that I was. In my mind, we had conversations that
never actually happened. As I sat alone in the crow’s nest day after day, I
pretended he was up there with me.

I fantasized that he knew the real me.

When I was in Daniel’s presence, it took all my concentration to behave
as a boy would toward another boy. He didn’t make it easy either. He was
constantly shoving or elbowing me the way boys tease and taunt each other when
they’re friends. Though I loved having his friendship, his touch made me
unravel a little each time.

Sleeping so close to him each night taxed me. I had to fight the urge to
creep up behind him and slip my arm around his waist to snuggle close. Every
moment I spent with him was marked by laughter. Daniel saw me. Unfortunately,
he saw me as a brother. I had two brothers. I didn’t need another. I knew what
I needed. What I wanted.

I couldn’t have it. Not now. Not here. Not with Daniel.

I had to keep my eye on the Americas. My lifelong goal. Getting there was
all I had ever really desired. I couldn’t let some silly female feelings get in
the way.

****

On a crisp morning in the middle of October, I was up in the crow’s nest,
happy to have a day where extra layers of clothing were necessary. I had two of
Eric’s tunics on with his worn sweater over that. A third shirt was rolled
underneath at my stomach as usual.

My disguise worried me more lately. An entire month at sea had caused me
to lose some weight, food being rationed as it was. While I hadn’t been a tiny,
shapely girl when we left Southampton, I was headed in that direction now. On
the few occasions I had snuck out at night to bathe—close quarters and Daniel’s
lack of a normal sleep schedule prohibited regular trips out—I noticed that my
waist was more pronounced. With the physical labor I participated in aboard the
Rose
, I had also developed muscles in my upper arms and shoulders. The
shape and size of them, however, were clearly feminine. I had some slender
curves as well that definitely belonged to a girl of sixteen.

I hoped I was the only one who noticed.

At present, Benjamin’s cap was pulled low so it covered the tops of my
ears. I rolled the sleeves of the sweater down so they hung over my hands to
keep my fingers warm. My breath appeared as a small fog in front of my face
with each exhale, such was the temperature at this early hour.

I rotated clockwise around the perimeter of the lookout post, skimming my
eyes over the sea. Everywhere I looked, the Atlantic Ocean stretched out
endlessly. It had been this way for several weeks now. No black silhouettes of
land outlined the horizon. Blue ocean met blue sky in all directions. I loved
that my job was to examine it all.

I had made a handful of useful calls from my post that had saved the
Rose
from possible damage. It was easy to spot rocks and shallow water from my
vantage point high above the deck of the ship. I even helped Captain Finley
avoid some wreckage of a past voyage.

“You’re doing a fine job, Charlie,” the captain said after I alerted him
to the broken spear of mast sticking up close to the surface of the water.

“You sure are,” Walter, the quartermaster, agreed. “You keep those keen
eyes focused, son, and we’ll get to the Americas in one piece for sure.”

Since then I’ve taken my duties more seriously, getting up extra early to
man my post and taking only small breaks.

This morning the sea was unusually calm. Waves rolled harmlessly toward
the
Rose
and splashed gently against her hull. The ship itself rocked
from side to side like a giant cradle lulling the crew into the tranquility of
a peaceful day at sea. On the top deck, men scrubbed the floorboards until the
wood gleamed in the bright sunshine.

As I turned my eyes back to the ocean, the serenity was shattered with an
incredible boom that rattled the entire ship. I had to wrap my arms around the
mast to keep from falling over. Splitting wood crackled as another impact
jerked the ship.

“Charlie!” the captain yelled out from below. “What do you see?”

I turned in all directions and leaned as far out as I could from the
crow’s nest. I searched the water for any signs of the usual threats but found
nothing.

“I don’t see any—” I started, but another smack against the
Rose’s
hull interrupted me.

“Well,
something
is down there!” Captain Finley roared. “It’s
ripping into my ship!”

On both sides of the boat, crewmen lined the rails looking below for the
source of the disturbance. I squinted and focused with all my concentration,
but still nothing became visible. Aside from the slight foam churning up on the
water’s surface and the repeated thunking below the ship, no signs of a threat
were evident in the water.

As I shifted around the crow’s nest to sweep the area again, a powerful
burst of water shot up from the surface. Some of the spray flew so high it
rained down on the deck. Through the waves, I caught a glimpse of our
assailant.

To the port side of the
Rose,
a mighty black fin slapped down on
the water, sending a gush of ocean out to all sides. My eyes widened as the
beast resurfaced again and crashed back down with a loud smack.

A humpback whale, monstrous in size, had come knocking on our door, so to
speak. Its dark color blended with the water so perfectly that I could hardly
make out its faint outline as it swam away. I was about to report to the
captain what I saw when the whale sprang out of the water again. It paused in
the air for a moment, water cascading down the expanse of its magnificent body,
then dove back under. I followed the behemoth, both massive and graceful, as it
swam back toward the
Rose
.

“Brace yourselves!” I hollered to the crew below me.

Another crash into the hull sent men sprawling across the deck. Barrels
and crates of supplies slid around as the
Rose
teetered to the starboard
side. Much of the wind had been lost in the sails, and we got turned about like
a child’s toy.

“Ready the harpoons, men.” Captain Finley’s voice boomed over the sound
of whipping sails.

“No!” I shouted, waving my hands. “Wait!”

“We’ll be torn to bits if that beast keeps hitting us,” the quartermaster
yelled. “We’ve got to take her down.”

“No!” I threw my legs over the side of the crow’s nest and, while the
whale was swimming away from us again, I scurried down from my post. I skipped
most of the pegs, and my feet were on the deck in the blink of an eye. “We
can’t shoot it.”

“Charlie,” Captain Finley began, “we can’t let it overtake us.” He
signaled to the dozen or so crewmen that stood ready at the port rail, harpoons
loaded and aimed.

“Please, Captain,” I begged, running to the port rail myself.

The whale darted back toward our position. Splashes in the close distance
revealed several more whales traveling with this one. A low, mournful wail
vibrated out from the creature closest to us, and the others wailed in return.

A family.

The sound resonated deep within my chest. Something about it called to
me. The creatures would do us no real harm. They were confused by our presence
in the ocean.

Their
ocean.

“Ready!” Captain Finley called. “Aim!”

“Don’t do this!” Without thinking it through, I jumped up on the port
rail and got between one of the harpoons and the whale.

“Charlie!” Daniel yelled as he stood next to his uncle.

“Hold your fire!” The captain stormed over to me. “Boy, get down this
instant. I’ll not argue with—”

“But, sir,” I interrupted, “we mustn’t harm these creatures. We’re the
trespassers. This has been their water for ages. We should get back on course
and continue on our way. They will not follow us.” I was certain of it.

“Uncle,” Daniel placed his hand on the captain’s forearm, “Charlie is
right. These whales have done us no real damage. I was in the hold and though
some of the boards have been weakened, they are not above repair. We have no
need to kill any of these creatures. Let’s sail on.”

Daniel’s voice somehow calmed the captain and his words, though not much
different from mine, were marked by such clarity.

 Giving one final wary glance to the water, Captain Finley ordered, “Put
the harpoons away. Get these sails trimmed. Resume course straightaway. And
Charlie, if you ever do something like this again, it will be the last thing
you do.”

The crew moved to carry out the captain’s orders as he stalked back to
the helm. I heaved in a deep breath and turned to look out over the sea. Below
the port rail, the whale’s head surfaced. Its great eye stared at me for one
long heartbeat before disappearing below the waves. The immense tailfin crested
again and collapsed on the water with what looked like a small wave. A wave
just to me.

“Come down,” Daniel said once we were alone. “You’re crazy. You know
that, right?”

“I am not.” I maneuvered off the port rail, but my left foot got tangled
in a line. As I struggled, I lost my balance and suddenly the deck rushed up to
my face. I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the painful impact.

It never came.

I was cradled in Daniel’s left arm, my head inches away from the wooden
deck boards. He gazed down at me with eyes showing both concern and amusement.
I had to fight the impulse to reach out and trace his cheek with my fingers.

“You all right?” Daniel lowered me so I could sit on the deck.

I nodded, not knowing what I could say that wouldn’t give away my true
feelings. My cheeks burned and my heart thudded wildly.

“You’re either incredibly brave trying to talk my uncle out of killing
that whale,” he began, “or you’re incredibly stupid.” He extended his hand out
to me.

“Maybe I’m both.” I took his hand then released it once I was to my feet.
Forcing myself to look into his eyes, I said, “Thanks for taking my side.”

“Anytime,” he said. “I happen to agree with you on this one. No need to
be killing whales on this venture. We’re not on the hunt.”

“Can the ship really be repaired?” The last thing I wanted was for us to
sink, especially before we made it to the Americas.

“Sure. Those weakened boards will need reinforcing. Russ, our carpenter
can handle it.”

“I didn’t want to endanger the voyage, but those whales were telling me
not to harm them. Does that make any sense?”

“Makes perfect sense. I think you have a connection with animals.” As his
words still occupied the air between us, Ghost slinked between my legs and
rubbed at each of my boots. “See?”

I swept up Ghost. “I guess you’re right.”

“Mmm. Bad habit of mine. Always being right. It’s exhausting, you know.” 
Daniel’s half-grin stretched up toward his right ear.

“Must be awful.” I rolled my eyes. “How do you manage?” I set Ghost down
and turned toward the main mast.

“A fellow gets used to it.” He threw another grin over his shoulder as he
headed for the ladder to tend to his own duties. “See you later.”

I started up the main mast but watched Daniel until I could no longer see
him. As I climbed back up to my post, a post I adored, I couldn’t help but wish
the day would pass quickly so I could work beside Daniel in the galley. It
would be wiser to avoid him to protect my secret, but I was drawn to him. I
liked Daniel much more than was safe in my current situation.

How had such a dreadful thing happened?

****

Nightfall came in like a silent, black curtain being drawn over the
darkening water. When the second shift of men came to man their posts, Daniel
and I were finishing in the galley.

“Most of the vegetables are gone now.” Daniel peered into one of the
wooden crates stored in the galley. “Not many went bad. We did well using them
first.”

“We still have some fruits left, mostly apples,” I replied. “Those should
last us at least another month, I’d think.”

Daniel turned around to sit on a nearby water barrel, taking a break for
once. “My mother used to make the best apple pies.”

Something in the way he said those words made me look up at him. In the
dull lantern glow that filled the small galley, his eyes reminded me of the
shiny stars that dotted the night sky when I snuck out to bathe. Golden light
flickered off his cheeks as he jammed his left hand into the pocket of his
trousers. He was wearing a thick sweater, similar to mine. The left sleeve was
rolled up to the elbow while the empty right one was trimmed shorter and
knotted. Strange how the more time I spent in Daniel’s company, the less I
noticed what he was missing. As if I somehow saw him from the inside now. I
hadn’t seen any task he couldn’t do.