Page 55 of Miss Whittier Makes a List
“Sir, does it ever hurt less?”the lieutenant asked quietly.
“Well, I will put it to you this way,”Daniel replied after a moment’s reflection.“When it doesn’thurt at all,then it is time to leave the sea for good.”
“I do not know why navy men have to be so morbid,”Lady Spark said as she left the room.
It is something I understand perfectly, Hannah thought as she reached over to touch Futtrell’sarm. He looked up at her and nodded.
“Surely thee can think of something more pleasant,”she urged.“Is thee not on leave now? Does theehave a young lady?”
Futtrell leaned back in surprise, his eyes wide.“No, ma’am! I couldn’t be soheartlessas to actually expect a female to dangle after a seagoing man!/font>”He glanced at Captain Spark’s glowering countenance and reddened.“Beg pardon, sir, but I would not.”
“First my mother, and now you,”Spark said.“Futtrell, perhaps you have some urgent business elsewhere.”
The lieutenant grinned.“Aye, sir!”He stood up and winked at Hannah again.“This might amuse you, Miss Whittier. I hear there is a lively betting pool at White’s as to whether the little Quaker will actually succumb to a certain sea captain’s proposal. Isn’t that famous?”
Hannah’s jaw dropped. Captain Spark groaned and slapped his forehead with the newspaper.“God damn your eyes. Mr. Futtrell,”he roared, as though he stood on his quarterdeck.“Another remark like that and I’ll break you right down to powder monkey!”
Futtrell was out the door before Spark got to his feet. The captain stood at the door a moment, as though gathering his forces, then turned back to Hannah, who had retreated to the window again, to stare out at the everlasting rain.
“My dear, I had heard something about that,”the captain mumbled.“I had hoped to spare you the knowledge.”
Hannah continued to stare out the window, seeing nothing of the rain that sheeted against the glass and spilled into the gutters. People are gambling with my name, she thought, and closedher eyesin shame.
Spark cleared his throat.“Some would think it amusing,”he ventured, but there was no assurance in his voice.
“I think it infamous,”she said, leaning her forehead against the cool panf glass.“Surely thee does not approve.”
He crossed the room quickly and pulled her into hisarms, resting his chin on her head as he held her as close as he could.“No, I do not,”he whispered into her hair.“My love, there is only one place on land where I do not feel out of place, and believe me, it is not in this damned city,with creatures who have nothing better to do than gamble and toy with a lady’s good name.”
She stood in his arms, her ear pressed against his heart, and listened to its steady beat until she felt calm enough to look him in the face.“Please tell me that if I marry thee, I will not have to come back here ever again.”she pleaded.
He looked down at her and grinned.“I will only insist upon it if I am ever named a Lord of the Admiralty.”He shuddered elaborately until she smiled.“As I donot see the eventuality of that,you may safely shake the dust ofLondonoff your shoes. Lady Amber.”
While they did not leave London early enoughto suit Hannah or Captain Spark,it was still too early for Lady Spark, who suffered the ill effects of last night’s overindulgence at the gaming tables.“I think you are perfectly heartless!”she railed at her son as he handed her into the family carriage and closed the door firmly on her protests. He blew a kiss to Hannah through the glass and mounted his horse as the carriage sprang forward and Lady Spark moaned.
Luckily she was snoring by the time they reachedLondon’s suburbs,and Hannah had ample time for reflection. Such an odd family, she thoughtas she regarded the older woman, and recalled, with a pang,her own family, Mama so gentle and dignified,and Papa firm and deliberate. I wonder if they ever had any doubts about marriage to each other, she thought as she observed Captain Spark riding beside the carriage. Did they ever wonder if they were doing the right thing? Did the idea of sharing a bed with Papa ever frighten Mama? She longed more than ever for the safety of her mother’sarms,and for some word of advice. I wonder if I would have the good sense to take her counsel, Hannah thought as the miles turnedLondoninto just a memory. I never did before; would I now? Have Ilearnedanything?
These were not questions she could ask Daniel’s mother, who woke up finally, straightened her hat,and complained about the damp, her head, the shabbiness of the carriage (“For all that Daniel is not head of this house,I do not know why he cannot buy another carriage and spare his poor brother, who is always under the hatches.”) They stopped for luncheon not a moment too soon for Hannah.
After their meal, Captain Spark must have noticed her reluctance to continue the journey in the coach with his mother.“My dear, you could use some roses in your cheeks,”he said as he pulled her up intothe saddle in front of him.“Mama, I’ll keep Hannah a while.”
With a look of extreme ill usage on her face, Lady Spark allowed the postilion to help her into the carriage.“If she takes ill with a putrid sore throat and dies a wasting death, thenyoumust explain that to the American ambassador!”
“Mama, Hannah is healthier than a horse,”Spark said, doing his best to keep the amusement from his voice.“See you at the estate!”He dug his heels into his horse and they shot ahead.
As the horse established its rhythm, Hannah sighed and settled back against the captain.“Healthier than a horse, am I?”she murmured.
“So I have observed,”he replied, tightening his arms around her.“Think how handy that will be in years to come.”He was silent a moment, rubbing his free hand over herarm.“I am sorry to have to subject you to my mother, but, damn, we do need a chaperon.”
She sighed and he kissed her neck.“I think weSparksdo not measureup well against the Whittiers of Nantucket,”he ventured.
“No,you do not,”she said simply,“and I am sorry,truly I am. I fear you do not love your relatives.”
“Would you love them, in my place?”he questioned inturn.“And you have not even met my brother yet. I do not know a more worthless slug on the face of the earth than Edmund Spark,the current earl. Between Mama’s recriminations and Edmund’s petitions for relief from his debtors, do you have any doubts why I prefer the sea?”
She turned around to look into his arresting eyes, marveling again how fascinating they were up close.“Would your reluctance for the land keep you from me?”she asked.
He kissed her in answer, dropping the reins as the little kiss turned into a searching rediscovery of her mouth, neck, and eyes that left them both restless and the horse chewing grass by the side of the road.
