Page 10 of Only By Grace
“I trust you would find no shortage of eager suitors,” Faith replied lightly, “but I would suggest we tread carefully. Any arrangement must be for Grace’s happiness as well as her reputation.”
Westwood nodded with resolution. “I will consider it, but she has had plenty of time to choose someone else and has not.”
CHAPTER 4
Now, being cooped up in a cabin like this, Grace did not mind. Would she have appreciated it had she not experienced the other? She liked to think she would as she was often wont to steal away to a secluded corner to read at home.
It looked much like a man’s study, walls panelled with wood, windows and space to walk around, and most importantly, there was a shelf of books. That should occupy her for most of the week, and no one would disturb her.
A knock on the door interrupted her perusal of book titles for her reading pleasure.
“Enter,” she called, though she had no idea if she should be answering the door to Lord Carew’s cabin.
It was Paddy with Theodore. Grace smiled. “Did he enjoy his time with the other cats?”
“Hard to say, miss. One of them hissed something fierce, but they always do that when there’s someone new. The other one seemed to take to him just fine.”
“Thank you for helping me with him.”
“It’s no trouble, miss. It’s better than some of my duties, which the Cap’n says I need to return to now.” He looked over atthe trays, then went to stack the dishes and proceeded to carry them away. “I will come back for ’im when I bring the midday meal,” the boy said wistfully.
“Until then.” She waved, then turned back to the surprising collection of novels. It was another unexpected facet to Carew. Many of them she had read before, but she never minded re-reading them. There was always some new detail she had missed the time before that would delight her.
“Oh!Frankenstein!” But when she pulled the first volume from the shelf, it was brand new and had not yet been cut. She inhaled the scent with the awe and wonder the new leather deserved.
“That’s wholly disappointing though,” she said to no one in particular. She would not ask to christen the book herself, though it would kill her not to read it. But she could never be so bold. Mayhap it was a gift for the sister he had mentioned, or his mother.
Instead, she selected one of the Radcliffe novels, then looked around for where to sit. There was the table with benches that were nailed to the floor, the bed tucked into an alcove in the wall that she dared not touch. It must belong to the Captain and ’twould be far too intimate. There was a narrow seat beneath the window that was just wide enough for her. “That will have to do. In fact, it looks like it was made for this very thing.”
Theodore was exploring the new environs, and she left him to it. “This is much, much better, is it not?” she said to him, though he only responded by pouncing on something Grace could not see. Perhaps she could find something to fashion a toy for him. Joy was always making things to entertain Freddy and now the kittens, so perhaps Paddy could help her find something for Theo.
Grace kicked off her slippers and climbed onto the seat, and for a while, became distracted by the view. Before the wedding,she’d never been on a sailing ship or the sea and never before where she couldn’t see land at all. There was water as far as the eye could see.
Birds were gliding out over the open water, then would swoop down and come up with a fish in their mouths. This made her contemplate the majesty of Creation and the circle of life. She never really liked to think about the fact that some animals ate others to survive, which always led her to examine her own diet, which was laden with meat. She could not think on it. Now she needed a distraction.
If she weren’t so concerned about what would happen to her or how her family must be worrying, she might take a bit more enjoyment in this adventure, but hers was not an adventurous spirit.
Even though she was never one to hold a grudge, she was entitled to be upset about this situation. First, her family had forgotten about her—namely Joy. Then she was surprisingly angry at Carew, and her anger made her shockingly bold. Faith had been bold because she’d had to be. Patience was both bold and adventurous. Grace was more like Hope, except Hope had always wanted a grand marriage and now she had it. What did Grace want? Happiness, peace, tranquillity? Love? Of course she wanted to be loved, but that was a vague notion, and it was difficult to place a finger on what she wanted.
As she opened the book and began to read, Grace smiled when she read the name Theodore. Joy loved Miss Radcliffe’s books, very likely because her governess had read them to her while she was recovering from her injury. She had named each of the kittens for her respective heroes and heroines.
Theodore was not particularly the sharpest, smartest hero, nor did he win the heroine in the end, but he still had some redeeming qualities. Time would tell if the nomenclature fit the little feline. Thus far, he was quite adorable and cuddly.
“I would not mind my own hero with such qualities,” she mused. None of Radcliffe’s heroes particularly appealed to Grace, but the stories were entertaining, nonetheless.
She became so lost in the story that she did not notice the hours pass, and the knock on the door surprised her.
Jumping to her feet, she attempted to straighten herself as best she could. It was only the cabin boy with an afternoon meal.
“Afternoon, miss,” Paddy said as he entered the room and set down the tray. His eyes immediately searched the cabin for Theo, who was sleeping on the bench, stretched out on his back like he had not a care in the world.
“You may pet him if you like,” Grace encouraged. She could only imagine this young boy did not have many small pleasures, working as he did.
He smiled shyly, then crept gingerly over to the cat, as if anything would wake him.
“How are things on deck?” she asked, curious for some hints of life outside the cabin. She had heard various bumps, creaks, and voices, but had no idea what or who they belonged to.
“Nothing special. Just the usual, though the quartermaster says the weather is a-changin’.”
