Chapter III

We reached the coast on the 8th of May, 1587, two days before the ships would set sails for the New World. The harbor was full of life - ships were getting loaded or unloaded, sailors were joking around or having loud arguments, beggars asked for money, food or liquor – but it wasn't too big, so that it wasn't hard to find the three ships that were getting prepared to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

Henry told me to wait while he would try to talk to the captain. I saw him speaking to one of the sailors and then starting to walk into the direction the man had pointed. I lost his sight in the tangle of people hurrying this way and that. By the time I found him again he was standing with a stocky, hard-looking man with greying hair who was probably in his late fourties. Henry met my gaze and gestured for me to come over.

"Captain White, may I introduce you to my wife Edeva.", Henry said proudly as soon as I was by his side.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Missus Sturges.", the Captain voiced, taking my hand and kissing it lightly.

I couldn't stop myself from blushing when he called me "Missus Sturges". I shot Henry a quick unsure look, but he seemed very pleased with himself and just smiled at me warmly.

"As I already told your husband", the Captain went on, "we will set sails early morning the day after tomorrow and we would love to see you joining us."

I just smiled and nodded and left it to Henry to discuss all the details.

"How did you do that?", I asked Henry as he later led me back to the horses.

"Do what?"

"Convince him to take us with them."

"I was just lucky. At first he didn't sound positive at all but as he heard that I was a smith he nearly begged for us to join them. Apparently they have all kinds of craftsmen to build their colony but their smith is sick with typhus and can't go with them. We couldn't have found any better moment to come here. And don't worry about your pregnancy. The Captain told me that they have a doctor who will accompany us. His name is doctor Crowley, he will be travelling on the same ship as we are, you can go and see him if don't feel well."

I gave him a weak smile. "I can't believe we are really doing this."

"Everything will be fine. Just trust me.", Henry said, putting an arm around my shoulders. "I won't let anything bad happen to you. I promise."

We found a cheap room not far from the harbor. It wasn't much but had spent nights in much worse places on our way here. We were able to double the money Henry had saved up over the last few years by selling the horses and I was able to look at the future with growing confidence.


Two days later Henry and I went on board of the Lyon, the biggest of the three ships under Captain White's command. It was the first time in my whole life that I had set a foot on a ship and I was fascinated by the white sails billowing in the wind and the expanse of the ocean the around us. It was a warm spring day and we stayed on deck to see the coast of England vanishing behind us. I felt adventurous and couldn't wait to see the New World with all it's wonders.

My exhilaration vanished from one second to the next when we got into the ship's hold that would be our home for the next few weeks. It was humid, dirty and stuffed with future settlers. There were a few women and children but most of the passengers were men. Some of them were sleeping on straw filled mattresses but most preferred hammocks because of the rats. I held on to Henry's arm as he made his way through the crowd until he found us two hammocks hanging next to each other.

That night I awoke in utter darkness. I was feeling a little sick on the shaky ship and hadn't slept well. After my eyes had adjusted to the dark I noticed that Henry wasn't in his hammock. I felt a wave of panic flooding over me and took a deep breath in an effort to stay calm. I got up on unsteady feet and tried to make my way through the sleeping settlers without bumping into one of them. I climbed up the ladder and through the hatch. The deck was lit by oil lamps and it didn't take long for me to make out Henry's lean figure standing on the railing and looking over the dark ocean.

I stepped up next to him and he looked at me in surprise.

"I couldn't sleep.", he said and tried to smile but I could see sorrow and worry written all over his face.

I reached up to lay one of my hands on his cheek. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. You should go back to bed."

I took a step back, pressed my hands into my sides and looked him straight in the eye. "Henry Sturges, in case you forgot, I am your wife and I have the right to know if something is the matter with you."

It took a while for Henry to finally start to speak, his voice not much more than a whisper. "I'm just wondering if it was right to put you through all this. I have acted in the most egoistic way, taking you away from your home and everyone you cared for, just to have you all to myself. You deserve much better than that. You had the chance of a life so much better than the one I could offer you."

"With a man I don't love. My life is perfect as long as you are by my side."

"But all the danger I put you in, you and our unborn child. I could never forgive myself if anything would happen to one of you."

"Henry, we are fine.", I said, feeling the urge to wrap my arms around him. I was seriously worried because I had never seen him like this before; he had always been so confident and poised. I tried to think of the right words to comfort him. "I completely trust you to take care of us. I feel save by your side."

Henry looked at me and shook his head in disbelieve. "What have I done to earn an angel like you?"

I kissed his cheek and then took his hand. "Let's go back to bed, my love."


And here it is.

As always every opinion on this chapter is much apprechiated!