Annabelle felt her hands quivering, she was only moments away from being presented to Captain Keene.
"Oh, this is madness. I cannot stand in front of Captain Keene and allow him to recongize me!"
"Captain Keene is frail, Miss. He may not remember." Matthews said.
"It wouldn't be wise to underestimate him, Mr.Matthews. At my party, he seemed to have recalled stories from long before. He has a rather healthy memory."
"Just be sure to remember three things."
"Yes. Head up, voice lowered, and speak only when spoken to."
Lieutentant Eccleston came down the stairs.
"Mr.Farleigh, the Captain is waiting in his quarters." Eccleston said.
"Aye, aye, sir."
Eccleston walked back up the stairs. Annabelle let out a sigh.
"It is almost over, Mr.Matthews?" Annabelle asked.
"Almost, Miss. Almost."
Annabelle took a deep breath and then ran up the stairs. Eccleston opened the door to Captain Keene's cabin, and then followed Annabelle into the cabin.
"Captain Keene, this is Charles Farleigh, he said he came aboard during the evening hours and has remained ill for the time he has been aboard. It seemed rather suspcious and I wish if you could confirm this, sir."
Captain Keene, who was writing some sort of letter, turned towards Annabelle and Lieutenant Eccleston. Annabelle tried to remember what Matthews had said and tried to keep her head up and her eyes on Captain Keene, though she was finding this incredibly difficult, not knowing if Captain Keene would recongize her.
"Thank you, Mr.Eccleston, you may leave." Captain Keene said.
Lieutenant Eccleston saluted Captain Keene and left the cabin. For awhile, there was only silence and Annabelle grew extremely anxious. Captain Keene spoke first.
"Your face is not recongizable, Mr.Farleigh." Captain Keene said.
Annabelle was shocked when Captain Keene called her "Mr.Farleigh," it was a sure sign that he did not remember her.
"No, sir." Annabelle said.
"Does that mean that you told a rather unimaginable story to my officers?" Captain Keene asked.
Annabelle thought about this for a moment. She knew that either way she was going to have to tell Captain Keene another lie. She just didn't know if being somewhat honest was going to get her into trouble. It was a risk she had to take.
"I fear I did, sir. I..."
Annabelle didn't know what to say now. She didn't know what to tell Captain Keene. She made up something as quickly as she could.
"I was in hopes to join your services, sir. I am rather poor, sir and I thought you would be willing to take me on as a servant."
"Servant? A cabin boy, you mean?" Captain Keene asked.
"Cabin boy, yes. That is what I meant, sir."
"Perhaps I could use a cabin boy. If I only could know how you came aboard my ship without anyone's noticing."
"I..."
"Yes, Mr.Farleigh?"
"I was drunk, sir. There was a local tavern and I stopped for some grog, and I toppled into a row boat. Not knowing it was heading straight for the Justinina, and when I woke I was such in a pitiful state that I thought it best if I confessed when I was able to stand. I am standing now, sir. I do hope you hope accept my apologies and allow me to stay aboard to repay you for my actions."
Again, there was silence. Annabelle felt her heart beating outside of her chest, she grew incredibly nervous.
"Very well, Mr.Farleigh, you can stay aboard. Only if you agree to be my cabin boy and if you are to fail your services or betray His Majesty's Navy, then I have no choice but to place you on trial. Am I clear, sir?"
"Very, sir."
"You may go, Mr.Farleigh."
"Yes, sir."
Annabelle bowed.
"Thank you, sir."
Annabelle left Captain Keene's cabin and crossed the deck, she went back below where Matthews and the other men were waiting for her. She tried to seem solemn in expression, this made the men worried.
"Gentlemen, I am afraid to say that you can no longer address me as Miss Williams."
The men seemed confused.
"You may only call me Mr.Farleigh."
"He believed you?" Styles asked.
"Every word of it." Annabelle said.
"Then, he's letting you stay aboard?" Finch asked.
"As a cabin boy. I'm rather worried. I don't believe I have the qualties for such a position." Annabelle said.
"Don't fret, Miss. All you will have to do is run back and forth for the Captain, he'll give you an errand and you do it. No matter what it may be. The other officers will give you errands as well, so you must be sure to listen to them as well." Matthews said.
"I'll try. I can only promise my best effort."
The following night, Annabelle had trouble sleeping. She kept thinking about what Captain Keene had to said to her about the consquences if she were to fail him. The next morning, Annabelle felt somebody shake her by her shoulder. She Oldroy was standing right by her hammock.
"Come on, Annie. It's morning." Oldroy said.
"Morning? I feel as though it's evening."
"Can't keep Keene waiting."
Annabelle groaned and rose from her hammock. She slipped on a fresh undershirt and a new pair of breeches, she fixed her hair into a ponytail and then ran out onto deck. She saw Matthews, Styles, and Finch were already working. They all stared at her, she could only blush from her embarasment. She saw Lieutenant Chadd was gesturing for her, she ran up to him.
"Aye, sir?"
"A cabin boy who sleeps through chores. That isn't a rather brilliant way to begin your first day in Captain Keene's services." Chadd said.
"I know, sir. Is there something I should fetch for you, sir?" Annabelle asked.
"Nothing, for now. Though Captain Keene requires his morning tea. I'd suggest you run to fetch it." Chadd said.
"Aye, aye, sir."
Annabelle ran down to the ship's galley, she saw that the ship's steward was already waiting with a fresh cup of tea.
"A bit late, Farleigh." The steward said.
"Yes, I fully realize. May I take that tea?"
The Steward placed the cup of tea on a silver tray, Annabelle carried the tray all the way back to deck before she collided with Lieutenant Eccleston. Causing Annabelle to fall, the teacup to smash, and the tea to spill everywhere over the deck and on Lieutenant Eccleston's overcoat.
"You must watch your feet, lad!" Eccleston warned.
"My apologies, Mr.Eccleston. I was going to Captain Keene's cabin and I simply-"
"Be sure to be careful."
Eccleston sighed and helped Annabelle to her feet. For a moment, their eyes met, and Eccleston seemed to be unable to stop staring at her. In a matter of seconds, did his skin pale. Annabelle released herself from his grip, and kneeled down to clean up her mess.
"Never mind it. Fetch someone to swab the deck." Eccleston said.
"Aye, sir."
Annabelle stood up and walked away. Leaving Eccleston standing there, almost as if he were confused. Matthews, who saw the incident, walked over to Annabelle.
"Are you all right, Miss?" Matthews asked.
"Yes, of course. Though I worry about Mr.Eccleston, he seemed a bit pale when he helped me off the floor. Oh, he told me to find someone who'd be willing to swab the deck."
"I'll go get Styles. You go fetch some more tea for the Captain." Matthews said.
Annabelle nodded and went back to the galley and gathered up another cup of tea and a new tray. She was able to make it across the deck this time and to Captain Keene's cabin. She laid the tray on a table, nervous about what Captain Keene would say.
"Am I to always have my morning tea served four hours after it is suppose to be served, Mr.Farleigh? Or is your exhausation only a one-time occurence?" Captain Keene asked.
"Captain Keene, sir. I do apologize for my mistake, but I cannot vouch for the faults of Lieutenant Eccleston."
"You blame an officer, Mr.Farleigh?"
"Not at all, sir. I only meant that I had run into him while coming to serve your tea. I fear I spilt a fresh cup all over his uniform. I was forced to return to the galley. I know this is not an excuse, but all I can offer for the moment is honesty."
"Very well, Farleigh. I will accept this one incident. Be sure to be more careful."
"Very good, sir. Shall I fetch something else, sir?" Annabelle asked.
"For the time being. No. You may leave, Mr.Farleigh."
Annabelle bowed and left the cabin. She returned below deck and sat in her hammock, feeling completely angered by the entire incident. However, she couldn't help but feel concerned for Lieutenant Eccleston, why did he stare at her? Why did his skin go as white as a ghost? Perhaps he was ill. Annabelle prayed he wasn't. Captain Keene couldn't afford to lose one of his officers. Not at this time. Annabelle knew this dreadful day was far from over, infact, it had only begun.
Annabelle thought the day couldn't get any worse. In turn, she was mistaken. Her first day as cabin boy went horribly wrong! First, it was spilling Captain Keene's tea over Lieutenant Eccleston, and then while carrying a load of ropes, she slipped on the deck and got tangled up, almost like a fly into a web. She sent several wrong officers to Captain Keene's cabin and to end the horrid day, she was exhausted from all the work and accidentally missed her hammock and rolled out onto the floor. Though, due to her exhausation, she was able to sleep well after crawling back into her hammock. Sometime, during the evening, Annabelle could hear footsteps on deck. Fearing a Frenchman had snuck aboard to attack, Annabelle wrapped herself in a blanket and went out on deck to investigate the footsteps. When Annabelle arrived on deck, she saw Lieutenant Eccleston simply standing on deck and watching the evening sky.
"Mr.Eccleston?"
Upon hearing Annabelle's voice, he turned to her. He was only dressed in his nightshirt and breeches, his hair was let down and his hat was off. It was obvious he had been sleeping at some point.
"I fear the night air has made me unable to sleep." Eccleston said.
"Indeed, sir. The winds are howling and the Justinina is restless this time of night."
"Tell me it was the wind that woke you?"
"I fear not, sir. I had heard footsteps and being the curious boy I am. I had to be sure we weren't in the middle of an attack."
"I apologize for disturbing your slumber."
"No apology is neccesary, Mr.Eccleston. It is I who should apologize."
"For what?"
"You seemed ill when I ran into you this morning, sir. I suppose having tea spilled all over your overcoat had only worsen your health."
"No, lad. I am not ill."
"You seemed so pale today, sir. I had assumed-"
"Oh, I felt a breeze and I feared it chilled me. Nothing more."
"I see, sir. Goodnight, sir."
Annabelle had turned to leave when...
"Mr.Farleigh!"
Annabelle turned back to Lieutenant Eccleston, wondering what he had to say.
"Yes, sir?"
"I only wished to say. G-goodnight."
"Goodnight, sir."
Annabelle left Lieutenant Eccleston and returned below deck and laid back in her hammock. She knew Lieutenant Eccleston wanted to say something else, she only wondered why he didn't.
