London Docks
London, England
By lunchtime Christmas day, the population of the Kitty Keane consisted of its Captain, his first and second mates, and crew members who had volunteered to work. Those men were content to take an easy day aboard ship, as opposed to occupying their time in the city of London with so much of it closed for the day.
The afternoon was overcast and cold. Not bitter cold like Schooner Bay often was this time of year, but cold enough that the men were wearing their heavier pea coats on deck. The ship's officers were only requiring basic duties, not hard physical labor, on this holy day, so aside from necessary maintenance and repairs, the crew was only tasked with keeping watch.
The Captain was on deck, talking with his men, keeping the atmosphere light. There was very little going on down by the docks, other than the usual number of streetwalkers trying to stir up business. Many of the women used a sales pitch, consisting of lewd comments and free peeks, to entice the seamen to spend their money, and some men were reeled in by their efforts. To others, the show was entertaining for a while but, if a man wasn't interested in seeking their company, their routine eventually grew monotonous. To keep the crew alert, the men were rotated every few hours, which allowed them to come and go as they wished, or just stay on board.
The previous evening, Daniel had arranged for a special Christmas dinner to be provided by the George Tavern for the men on duty, or those who chose to remain on the Kitty Keane. In the galley, a revolving game of poker was going on, and some of the crew played cards after enjoying the feast. Most of the players, and diners, changed every time the men on watch were relieved.
When his first mate took command, the Captain had dinner with his second mate, Archie Mitchell, and a few other crew members. After being in command the night before, Mitch had spent the morning walking around London and then returned to the ship.
When the two officers finished eating, they joined the card game. After a few hands, Daniel gave up his seat to a crew member eager to get back in the game, but stayed as a spectator to enjoy the down time with his men. When the afternoon grew late, he excused himself and went to his cabin. He wanted to go over what needed to be accomplished, personally and professionally, before he left England. He also had the sea charts for the next leg of their journey to review. They would be sailing for Rotterdam in a few days.
Satisfied with his assessment of their route to the Netherlands, and the notes he'd made on what still needed to be done, he took out a fresh piece of stationary and proceeded to write another letter to the family and one for Carolyn alone. He hadn't received any mail from Schooner Bay yet, as the harbormaster's office had been closed when they arrived Christmas Eve, but he hoped to find a few letters waiting for him when it re-opened in the morning.
After finishing his personal correspondence, Daniel looked at the photographs of Carolyn, Candy and Jonathan, and the one of the four of them together. While his thoughts usually centered on his lady, he couldn't help thinking about the children.
He wondered what they were doing, how they were handling their extra chores, and how the scruffy pup's training was going. His thoughts, as they often did, replayed some of the moments they'd spent together. He smiled recalling first time he'd met Jonathan after the seafarer's games, and Candy at the ball later that evening. The improvised picnic on the beach, the following day, gave Daniel a chance to get to know them a little bit. James, Reverend Farley, and the seaman built a sand castle with the children, splashed around in the water together, and then he, Carolyn and the kids took a walk on the beach. After they found some interesting pieces of driftwood, Daniel introduced them to the fine art of carving, giving them their first lesson that afternoon. What a glorious day it had been!
Their second visit to Gull Cottage, which answered so many questions for Carolyn and himself, played through his mind. The baseball game in the front yard, working together to cover the broken window, and another memorable walk on the beach, which was an especially precious memory. Although for Daniel, the best parts of that day didn't include the children. Another favorite was the game of tag in front of Claymore's house and having Candy and Jonathan's assistance as they worked together to make the tiny cottage the family lived in safer.
There were so many special moments, and he found himself in awe of how they'd opened their hearts to him. The greeting he received after the short voyage to Halifax, Jonathan's simple statement that their grandparents would love him as much as they did, and the talk they had after Daniel escorted the family to church the first time. Shaking his head, he still found himself amazed at how bright both of them were. They certainly kept him on his toes.
The last days at Gull Cottage, after the family moved in, were full of wonderful memories: making the frame for the children's drawing of the Kitty Keane, which now had a place of honor in his cabin; the unbridled love and affection they bestowed on him as they thanked him for their birthday gifts; their surprise when they saw the puppy, and their joy when they realized Scruffy was theirs to keep. All of that, and so much more, in six short weeks. Their time together had forged a bond between them he prayed would never be broken.
'What time is it at home? It must be morning by now. Did Candy and Jonathan awaken early to see what Saint Nicholas brought them? Have they already opened their gifts? I hope Martha and the children are pleased with what they received, and Carolyn with her locket. I wish I could have been there to see her reaction to the swing . . . to sit with her, even on what is probably a very cold day . . . to have my arm around her . . . to touch her cheek . . . to kiss her lips. Oh, my love, how I miss you.'
He closed his eyes momentarily and fought the ache that threatened to overtake him. After a moment, he leaned back in his chair and lost himself looking around his cabin. He took in the photos of those he already considered his family, the drawing of his ship, and all the other things that made up this life he lived, and he longed to be home with those he loved. For the first time, the solitary life he had lived for so long seemed lacking, and the future he faced, with Carolyn and the children, felt like he could return to a life he'd lost too long ago.
Time passed more quickly than he realized. He'd been staring off into space for quite a while, and when he came out of his reverie, he scolded himself for mooning about like a lovesick schoolboy. He knew this was not a productive use of his time but, when it came to Carolyn, he was helpless in preventing it. Before he could force himself to get up, shouting and noise, coming from the galley, caught his attention. Taking a last look at the photograph of all of them together, he headed out to see what the ruckus was all about.
XXXXX
The Captain and second mate arrived at the disturbance to find a fight going on between two members of the crew. Benches had been turned over, and cards and money were all over the floor. The men were going at each other, while the others yelled encouragement, as a crowd is wont to do in such situations.
"What's going on here?" the Captain demanded. The sound of his voice brought the shouting to an end, but the combatants continued pummeling one another.
Instinctively, the officers each grabbed a fighter and pulled them apart. When the man Daniel was wrestling with took a swing at him, he grabbed him by his shirt front and ran him into the bulkhead. Unable to move, the man started cursing and shouting vile things. Daniel pulled him toward him and then slammed him into the bulkhead again, finally catching the man's attention.
"Now, what's this all about?" he asked in a low menacing voice.
The man just looked at him and didn't say a word.
"Hackney's been cheatin'!" one of Kitty Keane's veteran crewman answered.
Daniel looked around the room at his men, most of whom had been with him for years. Under his scrutiny, to a man, they nodded their heads in agreement. He looked at the accused man in his grasp.
"Well, what do you have to say for yourself?"
The man, who had only recently signed on, didn't say a word.
"Barlow?" the Captain asked, looking at the other man involved in the fight. "Would you care to tell us what happened?"
The man looked at Mitch, who was still holding on to him, and the second mate let him go.
"Well, you see, Capt'n, we been playin' cards since you left, and things were goin' as usual . . . everyone winnin' a bit an' losin' a bit . . . 'cept when Hackney was dealin'. He'd build up the pot, then lay down his cards, and win every time. After a few times, I got suspicious and started watchin' him more closely when he was dealin'.
"And?"
"Sir, he was dealin' from the bottom of the deck. I caught him red-handed. All told, he probably cheated us all outta a fifty dollars or more."
"The rest of you saw this?" Daniel asked the men in the room.
A chorus of 'yes, sir' and a few nods answered his question.
"Hackney, do you have anything to say in your defense?" the Captain asked pinning the man with his glare.
The seaman averted his eyes, unable to meet his commanding officer's stare.
"Well?"
"No," the man finally said in defeat.
Daniel shook his head in disgust, and dragged the man over to the table.
"How much money did you bring to the game?"
The man looked up at him in surprise.
"Come man, how much did you come into the game with?"
"Ten dollars," he spat.
"Empty your pockets."
Hackney just stared at him.
"Empty your pockets and put everything on the table, or I'll empty them for you," the Captain demanded.
Grudgingly, the man emptied his trouser pockets and the two side pockets of his jacket, placing everything on the table as instructed. There wasn't more than a few dollars there.
"Check his inside pocket, Captain. He put his winnings in there," one of the men told him.
Daniel raised an eyebrow, and Hackney cursed as he was forced to give up his hidden cache. He dropped a wad of money on the table, which sealed his fate. The Captain counted out ten dollars and handed it back to him.
"Seaman Hackney, Mr. Mitchell will escort you to get your personal belongings. I'll meet you topside with your pay. Your services are no longer needed on the Kitty Keane. You're dismissed."
"But, sir!"
"Hackney, you're a cheat and a thief. The officers need to know their men can be trusted and counted on. On this ship, or any ship, the crew rely on each other and expect their shipmates to be where they're supposed to be when required. We put our lives on the line every day and face enough jeopardy without worrying if someone is going to be where they're needed. Your behavior today has proven you cannot be trusted, and we can't afford that uncertainty. Mr. Mitchell, take him out of here."
"Yes, sir," Mitch answered taking the man by the arm and leading him out of the galley.
When they were gone, the Captain looked at his men.
"Gentlemen, clean up this mess, take the money you started with, and break up the game for tonight."
With a minimal amount of complaining, the men did as they were told.
