The Bavarian Jeweler by Zina Abbott & Lockets & Lace & Sweet Americana

Author:Zina Abbott & Lockets & Lace & Sweet Americana [Abbott, Zina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: sweet romance, historical western romance, Historical Romance, historical
Publisher: Robyn Echols
Published: 2017-12-26T23:00:00+00:00

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CARIBBEAN – EARLY MARCH 1850

CHAPTER 10

~o0o~

“Marry her? ’Tis a certainty you’ve gone soft in the head, Wilhelm.” Edward turned to the mostly male audience in the second-class common room and spoke in English. “The man’s addle-brained. He wants to marry the Irish chit.”

The comment, which Wilhelm understood better than Edward realized, started most of the men chuckling and shaking their heads. One or two hollered jests his way.

Wilhelm inhaled through his nose as he straightened his spine. Ignoring the heckling, he walked over to the French-speaking American who sat slouched off to the side. Wilhelm knew he listened even though the man pretended he paid no attention to the scene. Wilhelm sat down across from him and spoke in French. “What is the English word for wife?”

Wilhelm suppressed a grimace when he heard the American say the word. It was another one of those infernal English words that started with the “wah” sound.

The American continued in French. “If you want the ship’s captain to marry you, you have to do it while we are still on the high seas. He loses his authority to marry once he’s in port or even in a nation’s coastal waters. I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into. Americans don’t like the Irish any better than the Brits do.”

The comment set Wilhelm’s teeth on edge. It seemed no matter what land he were to settle in, people found fault with those who were different—different countries, different languages, different religions. He knew it was the same among the German states. After all, did his father not order him to leave to avoid the war between the Bavarians and the Prussians, much of the dispute being over religious differences? It was at that point Wilhelm decided he would not settle in an area with predominately German-speaking people. Most likely they were Lutheran or Reformed. He anticipated running up against some discrimination in America just from being German-speaking, but he would not tolerate it from other Germans. He and his Irish wife would take their chances elsewhere.

Wilhelm practiced saying “wife” to himself while at the same time reviewing in his mind the proper grammar for how to ask the captain about buying a cabin ticket and making arrangements for the marriage.

Edward, realizing the nature of the conversation, joined them with a sigh of resignation. “Wilhelm, if you’re determined to do this, I’ll help you.”

Until their supper arrived, the three continued to discuss when and how to approach the captain and what to inquire about first. Afterward, the three of them walked to the front of the ship and asked a steward for permission to speak with the captain.

After waiting until the captain finished dining with the first-class passengers, the trio joined him in his cabin. Using a combination of German, French and English, Wilhelm discovered that the captain would not know of any passengers from the Bahamas wishing to board until he arrived in Nassau. He and Wilhelm haggled over the price of Bridget’s ticket, the captain being less-than-happy about a steerage passenger upgrading to second-class.

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