Sail Away by Lee Rowan

Author:Lee Rowan [Rowan, Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Regency, Gay, Military
ISBN: 9781632166951
Google: c0I2rgEACAAJ
Publisher: DREAMSPINNER Press
Published: 2015-03-27T00:00:00+00:00

CASTAWAY

The wind screamed like a mad witch as it tugged at the sheets the men were struggling to furl. Sprung from nowhere, the storm had been upon them without warning, and His Majesty's Frigate Calypso was fighting for her life. The foremast had been split earlier that day in an engagement with Spanish privateers, split and mended, but the weak point was giving way; the only thing to do was take the damaged topgallant mast off altogether, furl the topsail, and leave the forecourse up to give them some means of keeping her in line with the killing wind.

Will Marshall's men were up there, and David Archer's, too, as the two midshipmen stood to one side below, relaying their captain's shouted orders that barely carried above the wind's howl. If anyone could bring them through this gale, it was Captain Smith; he had been up in the mizzen himself, encouraging by example, before the crisis at the foremast brought him back to the quarterdeck.

Disaster, when it struck, was swift. The wind veered, splitting the crippled foretopmast, tearing it off aft and larboard, striking the topmast yard like a battering ram and carrying half of that away as well. Lines parted as the missile plunged for the deck. Marshall dove out of its path, reaching for David's arm, but the loose line had whipped back on itself and snagged Davy already, dragging him along as the splintered mast bounced off the deck and flipped over the rail. Will's men needed no direction; they scrambled to cut the lines free before the rest of the mast came down along with it. He had to get Davy out of there before it all went over.

The mast teetered on the rail for an instant, the wind now holding it up almost playfully. Marshall was able to get hold of his friend. Then the mast pitched over, and he thought his arms would be dragged from their sockets. Marshall cast about desperately with his feet, trying to get a purchase, but everything was wet, too wet.

"Let go, Will!"

"No!” Where were the men, damn them, where were they? They had the broken mast cut away, could they not see they were about to lose a couple of shipmates over the side?

No, they likely could not. The way the rain was coming down, it was doubtful they could see anything at all. Help would come, eventually, but right now it was up to him.

He redoubled his grip on the oiled canvas of Davy's raincloak and the jacket beneath. He only had to hold on for a moment. Just a moment.

They slipped another few inches.

"Damn you, Will, let go!” Davy struggled to slip away, and Marshall was tempted to hit him. But to do that, he would have to let go. He could not let go.

They weren't going to make it.

"Will, no—"

The Captain's voice bellowed over the din, "Mr. Marshall—"

Too late. They were over the side, and Will had only an instant to suck in a breath before they hit the heaving sea.

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