Wings of the Morning (Kensington Chronicles) (2 page)

* * *

"When can I see her?"

"Be patient. You're supposed to have developed some

patience at your age."

"You make me sound ancient."

"Sixteen," Clancy stated with a twinkle in his eye. "Most

girls are married and raising a family at your age."

"I'd be all for that, if he wanted to live aboard ship."

Clancy laughed, but Smokey didn't hear him. She'd finally

spotted the other ship, and Clancy stood back and watched

the look of delight on her face.

"Oh, Papa," she breathed in soft reverence as she gazed at

the neat, sparkling ship floating opposite them. "She's beautiful.

What's her name?"

"TheAmmfc."

"Are you really going to buy her?" Smokey had yet to look

at her father as she talked

"I already have."

These words were enough to bring Smokey's head around

She gave a whoop of delight over the look on his face. Her arms

came around him for a quick hug before she dashed to the

railing for a better look at their new ship. Darsey was already

there.

"Isn't she something, Darsey? I'm going to sail her someday."

Darsey ruffled her dark cap of curls with real affection. "A

little thing like you? Why, you can't even see over the wheel,"

he teased her.

19

'Just you wait/' Smokey teased right back. "I'll be tall

enough--someday I'll be a regular giant..."

* * *

"You said I'd be taller," Smokey good-naturedly told her

father the morning of her eighteenth birthday.

Clancy smiled and kissed her brow. "Happy birthday,

Smokey."

Smokey smiled in return, and Clancy studied her for a

moment.

"You're not really bothered by your size, are you?"

Smokey shrugged. "Sometimes. I don't really care to look

like a little girl my whole life."

Clancy slowly shook his head. His eyes took in the huge

gray eyes in a heart-shaped face, the mass of shining black

waves that fell from her head, and her slim form, knowing how

shapely it was beneath her baggy, practical garments.

"You might not be very big, but you don't look like a little

girl. If you don't believe me, ask Russell."

Smokey grinned. Russell was the son of another sea captain.

He was two years younger than Smokey and quite in love

with her. She had no interest in him beyond that of a friend,

but it was nice to be reminded that she was attractive in

someone's eyes, even if she never dressed in a feminine way.

Dresses and skirts were simply not sensible aboard ship,

and there were times when Smokey didn't feel the least bit like

a woman. Of course, to give up the boy's garb would mean to 0tve up her jobs aboard ship--no climbing the rigging, no

dtefictag on deck with Darsey, and no helping when coming

''port or casting off.

a surprise gift for you." Clancy cut into Smokey's

I thoughts, and she glanced around the room.

te

* Clancy spoke as he led the way out of the room.

^topped by the wheel. He turned and looked

15

expectantly at his daughter, but Smokey saw nothing out of

the ordinary. The only thing on deck that wasn't normally

there was a wooden box, about 18 inches high and sitting right

in front of the wheel. Smokey put a foot out to touch it.

"It won't shift. I had Darsey nail it down," her father said

"Why?"

"Because that's your birthday present."

Smokey could only stare at him and then at the box. When

she raised her eyes once again, Clancy continued

"If you're going to captain this ship on our next voyage,

you have to be able to see over the wheel."

"I'm going to captain?" Smokey asked, not quite able to believe

her ears.

"That's right. I've word that there's a load of perfect wool

to be had in Australia. If you want it, you'll have to go after

it."

"And you?"

"I'll serve as mate and take orders with everyone else."

Smokey's grin nearly split her face. She rose on tiptoe and

kissed his cheek before turning to speak to "her" men.

"Lay up stores," she told them. "We're headed out, and it'll

be a long time before we're home..."

* * *

"Do you ever wish we could stay here longer, Smokey? I

mean live here and have a real home?"

Smokey stared at her father across their small parlor in

disbelief. He was 70 now, but had changed little. Smokey never

thought of him as old

"I've never known anything but the sea, Papa, I realize 20 is not very old, but we've never really tried to make this a

home, and I much prefer my cabin on the Aramis to my room

in this house."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure," she told him with a loving smile.

20

"What about after I'm gone?" Gancy went on, surprising

her again.

Realizing how little they'd spoken of this, Smokey hesitated

"Well, I don't expect to have to face that for a good 20

years, so I guess I won't worry about it now."

Clancy nodded and watched as his lovely daughter went

back to her writing.

She's never had anyone but me and the crew, he thought

to himself as he studied her bent head I'll have to bring it up

again sometime. We can't pretend I'll be here forever. And

when I go, then what will she do?...

"What will I do, Darsey?" Smokey asked, as her father's

carefully wrapped body was lowered into the Atlantic waves

on August 16,1848.

"He was 73, and had a wonderful, full life, but I've had him

for all my 23 years, and I don't know what I'll do without him."

Darsey silently weighed his choices. To coddle her right

now would make matters worse, but he fully believed that she

needed to grieve her father. He decided that for the moment

at least, she needed to buck up. Her grief could come later.

"I'll tell you what you'll do," Darsey's voice was stern.

"You'll captain theAramis just as he taught you."

Smokey looked at him in surprise and saw that the entire

crew was standing by, 25 officers and men, their eyes not on the waters that had swallowed her father, but fastened on her.

Smokey turned completely to face them, and as she did so,

Sftwsev moved to stand with the men. A moment passed, and

s'n stepped forward, his posture and voice holding

respect.

: are your orders, Captain?"

^''nt have been more surprised than if he had

tfflg at her. She studied their faces, and as her

Teach man, he removed his cap in a gesture of

s>

17

fealty. Smokey fought the tears that threatened to choke her

and spoke when she could

"I've a yearning for southern waters," she told them softly,

her voice gaining momentum with every word. "Ready yourselves,

men, and set sail."

"Aye, aye, Captain" was all she heard, her every word their

command. She watched as they moved to their positions. Her

own gaze went back to sea.

"You can do this," Smokey whispered to herself, "and you

can do it well, thanks to your papa." She prayed then, asking

God for guidance and wisdom. In so doing, she gained her

first glimpse of what her father had felt all these years--the

duty, the responsibility to his men, and even the loneliness in

going on without someone you love.

Darsey surreptitiously watched his new captain from his

place behind the wheel. He was praying also. Smokey might

have been surprised to learn that his prayers were not for her

as a captain, but for her as a woman. He asked God to bring

a special man into her life. Someone who would love her

enough not to be intimidated by her position. Someone who

would see her for the extraordinary woman that she was.

Darsey understood more than any of her men what a

superb captain she was. He believed, however, that she would

make an even finer wife and mother.

21kennebunk, maine

Jury 9,1850

amid the crowd of well-wishers, Jennifer Pemberton

stood next to her husband and studied the bride. She was as

lovely a bride as any girl could hope to be, her eyes sparkling

with happiness over the day's events. Jennifer was reminded

of the way she had felt at her own wedding just the year

before.

Hundreds of people were attending today's celebration,

since the groom's father was a man of some influence in the

area. Jennifer's attention strayed for a moment, and her eyes

caught sight of another woman in the crowd She looked pale

and somewhat overwhelmed, and Jennifer wondered if she

wasn't as much a stranger in these surroundings as she herself

was.

Wearing a dreadful brown dress that did nothing for her,

the woman, she observed, was quite petite in both height and

build. Her hair was blue-black and shiny, but pulled back

tightly into an unbecoming bun at the back of her head

Jennifer wasn't sure what prompted her, maybe it was the

almost fearful way the woman held herself, but she felt compelled

to seek her out. After touching her spouse's arm, she

moved a few yards away to stand beside her.

22

"Friend of the bride or groom?" Jennifer's voice was very

kind, and the other woman, after starting slightly, looked like

she had been thrown a lifeline.

"I guess the groom," she admitted in a hesitant voice. "My

father was a merchant sailor, and we've had dealings with

Carleton Shipping for years."

"Was a merchant sailor?" Jennifer prompted gently.

'Yes. He died two years ago. I run the business now."

Jennifer again heard the hesitancy in her voice, but couldn't

place the reason. She took her to mean that someone sailed

her father's ship or ships, and she did the book work.

"By the way," Jennifer spoke again, finally remembering

her manners, "I'm Jennifer Pemberton."

'Victoria Simmons," she supplied, giving Jennifer her first

real smile. Jennifer was so surprised at the way it transformed

her features that for a moment she said nothing.

Why, she's lovely! she thought to herself. The drab color of

her dress and her severe hairstyle are hiding a lovely flower

amid weeds.

"Areyou a friehd of the bride?" Victoria wanted to know,

feeling strangely at home with this woman who was watching

her so intently.

"No. I'm in the same position you are, or I should say, we

are. My husband does business with Carleton Shipping. I've

never even met Ben Carleton, but Tate--that's my husband-- knows him. Until today I'd never seen the bride or groom.

What are their names again?"

"Steve and Bridget," Victoria replied

"Oh, that's right."

Both women watched as the newlyweds made their way

toward the door. Once they were out of view, Jennifer turned

finrf, ikte headed toward them.