A Distant Horizon by Brear Annemarie

Author:Brear, Annemarie
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: AnneMarie Brear
Published: 2021-05-31T16:00:00+00:00

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Three days later, despite the suffocating heat, the ceremony when they sailed over the equator was one of hilarity and fun. A high-ranking sailor was dressed as King Neptune, and he preceded over the event seated on top of a barrel. Since all the passengers were first time sailors to cross the equator, it would take too long to douse each one with seawater and so it was decided a few passengers would be selected from each class.

To his delight, Austin was selected, and Ellen clapped as he was paraded around with the others to the cheers and laughter of the crowd. Austin grinned as the bucket of seawater was tipped over his head. The head cook in the galley made fresh coarse-grained bread for the occasion as extra rations, and the captain allowed the sailors to hand around a small tot of rum for everyone.

As the ship’s sails lengthened in a slight breeze, passengers danced on the deck to the tin whistles and fiddlers who played jaunty tunes.

Ellen stayed on deck all day, enjoying the games and chatting with fellow passengers. To watch the children laughing and playing with other children gave her great joy. With each passing day, the boys grew stronger, their thin limbs filling out and Bridget grew bonnier, with a cheeky grin, which she used on everyone and they fell under her spell.

‘Mammy refuses to come up,’ Riona said, coming to stand next to Ellen, who stood talking to Moira and Mrs Duffy.

Annoyed, Ellen tried not to let it show. ‘Let her stay down there then.’ She was tired of her mammy’s stubbornness and her refusal to join in with anything happening. The children had lost interest in their grandma, who barely glanced in their direction.

‘She’s lost to her miseries, so she is,’ Riona mumbled. ‘Nothing will cheer her.’

‘Maybe she’ll be happier on dry land,’ Mrs Duffy said pleasantly. ‘We are all eager to be off this ship.’

‘Aye, that’s true,’ Moira agreed, ‘but to stay down there in a hot and airless deck is foolish.’

‘Should I try and speak to her?’ Mrs Duffy asked. ‘She did speak to me yesterday.’

Moira chuckled. ‘She told you to leave her alone, Honor.’

Mrs Duffy raised her eyebrows. ‘She still spoke. It’s the most she’s said to me since we left Liverpool.’

Ellen hid a smile. Poor Mrs Duffy tried to be everyone’s friend, whether they wanted her to be or not. She chatted to anyone within earshot, which were many in the cramped conditions below. Although she meant no harm, her incessant chatter did try the nerves when all you wanted was some quiet, a rare commodity in steerage.

‘Look how happy they are,’ Riona said, nodding towards the children running about the deck, squealing as they played a game.

‘Getting under everyone’s feet, so they are,’ Ellen replied, but it pleased her to see them have the energy to simply play. No longer did they have to fight for life. Austin could relax and enjoy just being a boy without shouldering the responsibility to hunt for food to feed his family.

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