A World Apart (The Hands of Time: Book 3) by Irina Shapiro

Author:Irina Shapiro [Shapiro, Irina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Merlin Press LLC
Published: 2013-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 36

Louisa leaned back against the rough wooden wall of the cabin, her eyes closing in exhaustion. The ship was quiet around her, almost everyone asleep at this time of night. She found the creaking of wood and the flapping of sails to be as comforting as a lullaby. The sea was calm tonight, the boat rocking gently from side to side as it slid across the Atlantic, chewing up the miles and taking her further and further away from Valerie.

Kit was sound asleep on the opposite berth, his face peaceful in slumber. He turned over, trying to find a more comfortable position, since his legs were too long for the berth, and had to be bent at all times. He was taller than most men, and even their bed at home had been a few inches too short, forcing Kit to use the trunk at the base as an extension. Louisa wondered how tall Kit actually was. He was at least a head taller than her five foot five, so maybe close to six feet. His height would not have been unusual in the twenty-first century, but people tended to be much shorter and slighter in the seventeenth century due to the lack of good nutrition and medicine.

Louisa looked down at Evie, who was sucking furiously. Normally, she fell asleep after she got full, but she was still going strong. There was no clock in the cabin, but Louisa was sure it was much longer than usual. She switched breasts, hoping Evie would soon be satisfied and go back to sleep, allowing Louisa to get some rest. They’d been at sea for two weeks now, not even halfway to England, and already Louisa was chafing against life on board, dreaming of land. The ship was large by the standards of the time, but in reality, it was the size of a large sailboat in her own time. The crew and their unexpected passengers were crammed on board with not an inch of unoccupied space.

There was very little to do during the course of the day, other than stay in the tiny cabin or go up on deck for some much-needed air and exercise. Louisa was always trying to find a quiet spot to stand, so as not to be in the way of the sailors. She felt claustrophobic in the cabin and needed to come on deck for several hours a day, regardless of the weather. Kit tried to make himself useful to the captain, and Bridget spent most of her time in the cabin, washing their few items of clothing and watching Evie while she slept.

Evie finally exhausted herself, her eyes closing of their own accord as she released the nipple with a gentle pop, growing heavier in Louisa’s arms. She normally slept in a hammock that had been put up just for her, but Louisa was too tired to get up, afraid of waking the sleeping baby. She just laid her down gently, curling around her warm, little body.

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