The Spinster's Captain by Audrey Harrison

Author:Audrey Harrison [Harrison, Audrey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-05-30T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Agnes’s teeth were chattering as she was helped by Mrs Topping to get undressed and wrapped in blankets on the lower bunk. Mrs Topping then tended to Mary in the same way before securing herself next to Agnes on the small bed.

They remained there overnight, rocking and rolling in the sea as it pounded the ship. Mary had stopped crying eventually, and it was quiet in the cabin, although other cries of panic could be heard over the ferocious noise of the waves when a particular sudden movement happened, or a surge of water splashed into the lower decks.

Agnes couldn’t talk to Mrs Topping, she probably thought she was asleep, but she couldn’t settle, not with everything that had happened. At the same time, she sent up prayer after prayer to beg for Robert and the other crew to be kept safe, but especially Robert. Her lips felt bruised by the kiss, but she longed to be held by him, to feel wanted, treasured and needed as she had in those few moments.

She eventually fell into an exhausted slumber when light started to creep from behind the churning clouds, and the waves had worn themselves out, and she could finally relax.

Hearing a noise inside the cabin, Agnes opened her eyes, blinking away the salt that was trapped in her eyelids. “Mrs Topping?” she asked quietly.

Mrs Topping moved from her crouched position. She looked tired and pale but smiled when she saw Agnes’s worried expression. “I’m so glad you’re awake. I was worried you’d come down with a fever, it seems Mary has.”

“Oh dear,” Agnes said, sitting up but wincing in pain.

“Are you injured?” Mrs Topping asked, immediately stepping to Agnes.

“I was hit by something. The captain said the mizzenmast had fallen,” Agnes said, remembering the pain which had shot through her body.

“The mizzenmast? Good Lord! It’s a miracle we’re still alive! Let me take a look at you. I’m going to have to seek the doctor out for Mary, she’s quite unwell. You might need to be checked over too.”

“I don’t think so,” Agnes said but allowed Mrs Topping to see her shoulder and leg.

“My dear girl – you are black and blue!” Mrs Topping cried. “I’m going to call on Dr Allen and get him to pay a visit.”

“I don’t want to be any trouble,” Agnes pleaded.

“That child has you to thank for her life, you are being no trouble at all,” Mrs Topping said, helping her back into the bed. “I’ll bring something warm back if there’s anything available. I have a feeling there might be a lot of work needed today to try to get things back in some sort of order.”

“I need to help,” Agnes said, trying to rise again.

“You won’t move off that bed unless you want a scolding from me,” Mrs Topping said. “Rest until I return.”

“I’m now too frightened to do anything else,” Agnes said. She was already closing her eyes before she’d finished the sentence.

“I knew from the moment I saw you that you were a sensible girl,” Mrs Topping responded.

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