Page 2 of Only By Grace
“Because, lass, we have been sailing for hours. We’d be nowhere near London even if the Captain would agree to take the time to let you off at the nearest port. Which he won’t because when he says to make haste, we stop for naught.”
“I’d like to speak with the Captain myself.” Grace tried to sound more confident than she felt. Whenever Faith spoke that way, people listened.
“Aye, I bet you would. I’m afraid I cannot allow it.”
“And why is that?” She was angry enough now at this fellow’s impertinence that she forgot to be bashful.
“Because he needs his sleep. He’s never to be disturbed unless the ship is about to sink.”
“Then I demand to be taken back to London! Surely it would not take so much time to put in at a port and then I may travel back home. If you do it quickly, he will never notice.”
This only produced more laughter from the strangers. Why would they not take her seriously? “Maybe you could find your own way,” he replied, his voice indicating he thought no such thing, “but the Captain will decide in the morning.”
“By then, will we be anywhere near England?”
The man shrugged at her. “It depends on the winds. You could always try swimming, but we’re at one of the widest points of the Channel right now.”
Even Grace, inexperienced though she was, could tell these men were vastly enjoying toying with her. If only Carew were here. Grace had no idea who the ship’s captain was, but she would go and speak with him herself.
“Very well. I will return to my cabin, if that suits you.”
One of the men grinned, showing yellow, uneven teeth with a few missing and the other scowled. She turned to leave, grateful that they’d had no inclination to harm her, as Lady Halbury and every chaperone had always prophesied would happen if she dared set foot outdoors alone.
As she turned to go, she paused. She had no idea what to do with the kitten. He must be hungry and need to use the toilet, but she was rather afraid to venture amongst the remainder of the crew below decks.
She turned back. “Pardon me again, sirs, but as you can see, I have a kitten with me. Where may I take him to, to…”
Both of the men glanced at each other, then laughed some more. Ladies did not speak of such things, and they were enjoying her discomfort. She fought tears.
One of them elbowed the other. “The poor mite is going to cry. Here, I’ll take care of him.”
“Thank you.” Grace deposited the kitten into the man’s giant paw of a hand then escaped to her cabin. Eventually, the sailor returned Theodore to her, and she shook as she accepted her only companion for what was proving to be the most terrifying thing ever to happen to her.
Grace’s panic began to swell like the tide, drowning her as the full weight of her predicament sank in. The implications were too vast and terrible to comprehend fully, yet they came at her in fragments, sharp as shards of glass. Her reputation—what would become of her reputation? An unwed lady, unchaperoned, on a ship overnight, and not just any ship, but one belonging to Lord Carew! Scandal would spread like wildfire, leaping from servantto servant, until the entiretonwhispered her name in tones of mockery and disdain. She could already hear the murmurs, the snide remarks at assemblies, the titters behind fans. Poor Miss Whitford, so careless as to ruin herself entirely.
Then there was the Captain’s refusal to see her. The bluntness of the sailors, their laughter at her expense, echoed in her ears, deepening her helplessness. They had made it plain enough that she was at their mercy, and though they had done her no harm, the uncertainty of their intentions gnawed at her. What sort of man was this captain that his crew should speak of him in such tones? Would he be cold and dismissive, as the sailors had been, or would he be crueller still? She shuddered at the thought, her mind conjuring every grim possibility.
As she curled into herself on the small berth, clutching Theodore to her chest, her thoughts turned dark and frantic. If she could not convince the crew to turn back, what then? How would she explain this to Society? Would the truth even matter, or would her very presence here condemn her irrevocably?
Grace’s breath quickened, her chest tightening as panic clawed its way through her. Tears pricked her eyes, hot and unwelcome. She thought of her sisters, of their teasing but loving care. She thought of her home, of the comfort and safety she had taken for granted mere hours ago. How had she allowed this to happen? How had a simple headache led to such a catastrophic turn of events? She allowed herself to sob with frustration and fright until she fell back asleep.
Ronan wasglad to escape the confines of all the wedded bliss and connubial joy that seemed to accompany his friends and theWhitford sisters of late. They were falling into marriage like a house of cards in rapid succession.
When Ashley Stuart had asked to wed aboard his ship, Ronan could hardly refuse. It did not really put him out, though it delayed his departure a few hours. But now they were finally underway.
The letter he’d received calling him back to Ireland could not have come at a more welcome time. The only bright spot of this trip was being able to participate in catching a criminal—even though his part had been small. There were too few diversions in his life these days.
There was nothing quite like sailing a ship. It was at times like beast versus God and the elements, and at other times gentle and calm. Nothing felt quite like fighting the water, winds and waves and living to tell about it.
Once they had navigated the Thames and the Strait of Dover, he’d relinquished the wheel to O’Brien and escaped to his cabin. Time alone was as essential to him as the very air he breathed. His crew would never bother him unless they needed him to fight a gale.
The peace was welcome because being amongst his friends moving on with their lives had made him realize that things would be different henceforth.
He was not glad for the reason to be called away, however. With his father an invalid and unable to properly protect the family, the task fell to Ronan.
Whenever Ronan was home, Donnagh Flynn left them alone, but as soon as he had word that Ronan had left for England, he would start harassing the family. Flynn meant to get to him through his sister. Unfortunately, he was afraid Maeve would give in to the rogue’s charm.
Even though Ronan had taken steps to hide his departure, there was only so much he could do. When his ship was not in the harbour, word eventually got back to Flynn.
