Page 50 of Highland Champion
They didn’t have far to go. They’d just passed the second ship tied to the pier when an oiled teak stern rose high in the water above them.Sea Masterwas burned into the wood and looked like it had been gilded over.
Fiona paused to look up, an expression of awe on her face. “’Tis a frigate, I think.” She craned her neck. “I saw one like this in Glasgow.”
“I had no idea you knew so much about boats,” Louisa said.
“Well, like I said, we did lots of sailing on Loch Awe, but…” Fiona grinned. “My brothers, especially Alasdair, liked to race and always teased me that a girl couldna win.” Her grin widened. “So I started reading everything I could find on how to sail better and faster to beat him.”
Lorelei laughed. “I’ll wager he did not like it when you did.”
“He dinna. My da wondered why my brothers all suddenly became interested in reading.” Fiona smirked. “They were trying to figure out how to sail faster.”
Lorelei could well believe that. All of Lorelei’s brothers were competitive, but Alasdair seemed the most determined. Once he set a goal, he always followed through. That thought caused her to stop smiling. Had he already set a goal concerning Lady Melissa?
“Perhaps we should proceed on board?” Louisa asked, breaking into her thoughts of doom. “I think someone is waiting for us.”
She looked up to see Captain Taylor standing on deck by the gangplank. She wondered if he’d come down to escort them, but Fiona was already scampering up the sloped wood, so she and Louisa followed behind.
He made a small bow as they stepped on deck. “I am glad you decided to come.”
“It was kind of you to ask all of us,” Louisa said.
Something flickered in his eyes for a moment and then was gone. “It was the least I could do for my abrupt departure the other night. I hope I did not inconvenience you too much.”
Of course he had, but Louisa merely gave a small nod. “I still enjoyed the evening.”
Something flickered again. “That is kind of you to say.”
Lorelei suppressed a smile. Her friend was the daughter of a former prime minister and had, no doubt, been taught diplomacy, but she was also a master of the fine art of doublespeak. What she most likely meant was that she had enjoyed the eveningbecausethe captain had left.
Fiona was paying them no mind as she looked around. “I have never been on so big a ship. What is her top speed under full sail?”
Erik looked surprised at the question, although he covered it quickly. “Fourteen knots, if the wind is right.” He studied her a moment. “You have experience sailing?”
“A wee bit. Mostly sloops for traveling Loch Awe. My father had a schooner, too, but it was used mostly for moving horses or livestock.” She waved her hand. “Nothing as big as this.”
“This is the largest ship that I use to go to the Colonies.”
“How many ships do ye have in all?”
“Three.Seafareris a two-masted brig that is used mostly between here and Ireland or the Continent.Sea Roveris a pirated vessel—”
She looked up and down the quay. “Do ye keep your other ships here as well?”
“Seafareris on a voyage presently,” Erik answered, “but the ketch is here, further down the way.”
“I should like to see it,” Fiona said.
“We can walk that way after lunch, if you like.”
Lorelei thought for a moment Fiona would suggest just skipping lunch, but luckily—at least for herself and Louisa—she didn’t.
Lunch turned out to be quite nice although not lavish. There was a small but well-appointed dining room, belowdecks across from the captain’s quarters. The teak table was bolted to the floor and had a fiddled ridge around it to keep plates from sliding off, but today it was covered with a snowy white linen cloth and napkins to match. The fish was flaky and baked to perfection with an assortment of fresh vegetables and a fruit tart for dessert.
“Can we go see the ketch?” Fiona asked, after they’d finished their delicious lunch.
He smiled at her. “You are that eager?”
“I should love to go for a sail onSea Roversometime.”
