Two Wings to Hide My Face by Penny Mickelbury

Author:Penny Mickelbury [Mickelbury, Penny]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bywater Books
Published: 2023-12-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

On a frigid late November dawn the passenger cabin of The River Dancer was spotless, but Captain Addams paced nervously, awaiting the arrival of the families of Jack Juniper and Ezra MacKaye. Their cargo crates, already loaded and strapped down, occupied less space than predicted, a welcome change from what most often was the underestimation of what was to be shipped, Montague Wright being the most recent culprit.

He had claimed to have “two or three smallish crates” to ship from Toronto to Philadelphia, and that they were “not at all very heavy.” In fact, there were five outrageously heavy crates, and Wright brushed aside all attempts to chastise him for his misrepresentations. And then he had attempted to avoid payment, the scoundrel.

The sight of the day’s passengers banished all thoughts of the vile doctor. Of course, the Captain recognized Juniper and MacKaye, who were accompanied by four of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen. As they drew closer and came beneath the dockside lights that impression was heightened.

“Good morning, Captain,” Jack Juniper greeted him. “May I present my wife, Margaret, my children, Elizabeth and Eli, and my sister-in-law, Eugenia.” As the women and children greeted him, Addams thought the two Black women even more lovely up close, and the little girl certainly would challenge the women in the beauty department, for she was a most beautiful child, just as the boy looked destined to become a likeness of his strong, handsome father.

“Captain,” Ezra MacKaye said, extending his hand, “it seems that you’ve chosen a fine day for a sail.”

“I agree, Mr. MacKaye, and welcome aboard to all of you.”

Ezra introduced Ada Lawrence—his betrothed—and her cousin, Abigail Read. The only trait the cousins shared was beauty for one was fair-haired while the other possessed a smoldering darkness that most likely had caused many hearts to race.

When Ezra introduced Donald Bruce, Addams readily and fully understood why these men were sending a bodyguard with their families. Bruce was pleasant and congenial, with a firm handshake and a ready smile and enough of Scotland left in his voice to mark him as a relatively recent arrival. Addams watched Bruce as he cast his eyes over his charges, making certain he knew exactly where each stood and how close they were to each other. It would be necessary to first kill Donald Bruce before any harm could come to any of these people. A closer look at the sturdy Scotsman suggested that would be no easy task.

Behind them all came a four-wheel cart pushed by one of the dockhands and piled high with the belongings of the passengers. “Shall I show you to your cabin?” Addams asked and led the way.

He watched the women as they looked all around, opening and inspecting the built-in cabinets. Then the four women looked at each other and nodded their acceptance and approval. The children shouted their excitement. They bounced from bed to bed, claiming first one, then another, until their mother—Margaret was her name, Addams remembered—asked them to please stop.

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