The Sailor and the School Teacher by Danni Roan

Author:Danni Roan [Roan, Danni]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-04-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Xenia spent the rest of the afternoon on the deck breathing in the warm air that drifted toward the distant shore.

She dreaded going back into the storage area to gather resources for their dinner and breakfast, but steeling her spine, she grabbed her candle and entered once more.

Never again would she let a rat frighten her so. There were far worse things in life than rats, she told herself. Still she shuddered slightly as she passed the spot where the bludgeoned carcass had been mere hours ago.

“Best look sharp,” Barnaby said after they finished their dinner, “I ‘spect the captain will be back before long. He ain’t wasting’ not time with ports if he can avoid it.”

Xenia cleaned the galley, set the breakfast oats to soak and headed for her bed. She wished she had been able to send a letter to Wiggie telling her that she was safe, but she knew that would be breaking her bargain with the captain. For now she needed to stay hidden in plain sight until she could make her way to California.

***

The clatter of men and freight being hauled over the rail woke Xenia while the sky was still bright with stars.

Swinging her bare feet to the floor she raced to the deck grabbing a lantern and reaching the rail before Birch or Barnaby could catch up.

A burly sailor braced a crate on the top rail and looked up at Xenia a battered lopsided grin that showed a newly missing’ tooth.

Xenia grasped the heavy crate in both hands scanning over the vegetables roots it held then hurried off toward the galley while Birch and Barnaby helped with supplies.

“Tell Zeke we got ‘is cat,” Gobbs spat as a yowling and hissing crate was hauled up the side of the ship.

Hearing the words, Xenia dropped her burden in the galley and raced back to the rail as the last crew member climbed aboard and began hauling up the side of the boat.

A large wooden crate was just visible as the first hints of a gray dawn appeared over the horizon and Xenia scooted closer trying to see inside.

The fierce growls, hisses, and grumbles emanating from the box did not seem to bode well for the animal’s temperament.

Hefting the crate by the rope holding it closed Xenia waddled awkwardly toward the food storage area, hurrying to take the cat to its new home. The beast must be a monster based on how heavy the crate was.

As Xenia slipped inside the store room closing the door she settled the crate in a dark corner then ran back to the galley for a sliver of the fish Birch had caught earlier that day.

The fiercest of the yowls had ebbed by the time she skidded back into the cramped storehouse, candle in hand.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” Xenia soothed once the door was tightly shut. “Just calm down and I’ll give you something to eat.”

She dropped a tiny piece of fish through a slat catching the glint of a golden eye with a flicker of flame from her candle.

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