The Bitter Taste Of Sugar Chapter nine
The decks weren' t quiet at night. The lookouts were hailed every fifteen minutes by he officer of the watch. Watchkeepers were woken at four am by curses and shouts from the bosun's mates. The capstan, anchor cables, pumps, guns and sails had to be manned. Then there was the wheel and the rigging to be manned too. Sussi hadn't had much sleep until she drifted off at about quarter past five. A few minutes later she heard Hobbs's voice. " Get up ! ". She opened her eyes. Hobbs stood over her, this time wearing his trousers but his broad, tanned chest was bare, as were his feet. " Up on deck", he told her. " Deck scrubbing". Sussi rubbed her eyes and scrambling to her feet, reluctantly made her way to the top deck.
She was given a holy stone, about the size of large family bible. She watched what the others did and copied the way they scrubbed with sand and their holystones. She glanced up for a moment at the magnificent three masts of the ship and the billowing sails. " Magnificent", she thought sleepily.
After over an hour of hard work, Sussi felt tired and she felt hungry. At six bells, at seven o' clock, the rest of the crew was awakened. Hammocks were stowed in nets at the bulwarks and when her fellow waisters were allowed to go to breakfast, Sussi followed them although she could have had breakfast with Hobbs. Tables were slung from rafters and the men scrambled to get food and places on stools. Sussi looked at the food she'd collected on her square plate. A man leaned towards her. " If you don't want your burgoo, I'll 'ave it",he muttered. Sussi made a snarling face at him. He leaned back, realising that he'd not be getting any extra food. Burgoo. Coarse porridge with molasses. And a mug of cocoa. It didn't look to bad and so Sussi wolfed it down.
She was glad that the day's work or at least the hardest of it, was over. She was wrong.
When she went back up on deck at eight am, she took a look at the sea. Beautiful ! Dark blues and greens with some white capped waves. Nothing but sea for miles around in every direction. She was suddenly aware that someone was standing behind her. Hobbs's low pitched voice was very, quiet but taunting. " I regret interrupting your reverie, Miss Rundgren, but your gracious presence is required for the polishing of all brass and copper fitments". Sussi turned to face him. " Breakfast, was nice", she smiled.
Hobbs drew himself up to his full height and glared at her. " Get your little arse out of here and back to work !", he yelled. Sussi raised her eyebrows at him and said with all the dignity she could muster, " No need to shout !", before running away, which she thought was the wisest thing to do, considering how astonished and angry Hobbs looked.
The brass and copper had to be rubbed with brick dust. Sussi took great pride in her work, occasionally leaning back to admire the shine she'd achieved. This work continued until almost eleven. She was ordered to the quarterdeck with the few others she had worked with. The entire crew was soon assembled. " What's this for ? ", Sussi whispered to the young man next to her. " Punishments", he whispered back. " Flogging. Someone tried to 'ave 'is way with a boy last night.". Sussi's eyes widened. The man who had grabbed her the night before was tied and a cat of nine tails lashed down onto his bare back. Sussi watched, horrified, as bloody weals and cuts formed on his skin. She flinched, every time the cat o nine tails came down. A dozen lashes. " Hobbs must have ordered this," she thought. Her eyes sought him and suddenly she could see him, standing stock still observing the flogging.
More work. An hour's washing overhead beams with vinigar to disinfect the ship. At twelve, dinner, which turned out to be a sloppy stew of salted beef, dried peas boiled up and some ship's biscuit. Sussi looked at a biscuit before she took a bite. Maggots. There were fat, wriggling maggots in the biscuit ! She squealed and threw it. Someone caught it. " Ta ! I'll have that tonight in me hammock. Can't see the maggots, in the dark !". As she was over fourteen, Sussi was allowed full alcohol allowance. Today, it was a pint of wine. Thirstily, she drank it down.
" Where shall I put 'im, Mr Hobbs? ". Sussi had been carried to Hobb's cabin by one of the crew. " Passed clean out, he did ! Right after he swigged his wine!".
Hobbs said resignedly, " On my bunk". The crewman left. Sussi woke up and peered at Hobbs. " Good evening, William", she slurred.
" It's not evening and you're to call me Mr Hobbs". Sussi leaned back a little, trying to focus and took another look. " I never drink alcofrol, Mr Hibbs", she announced in what she assumed was a dignified manner. " Do yoo hoo, Mr Hubbs, ever partake of alcofrolic wine ? ".
She hiccupped and looked surprised. Hobbs looked back at her, impassively. " Cat got your tongue then ?", asked Sussi, swaying slightly. " Or have you been imbiby..I mean, imbieby...oh drinking of the beery beer ? ". She leaned forward conspiratorially and whispered at Hobbs, " I , have had some of the weer and the bine !". " Really? ", muttered Hobs.
" Yesh. Have I ever said, Mr Hibbs, that you have the most beautifullest eyes and eyelashes ever, seen ? Like cows. Lovely, lovely, lovely".
A purposeful expession came to her pretty face. " Help us undress", she slurred. " Time for bed !" and fumbling, she managed to get her jacket off. " Keep your clothes on !", Hobbs said frantically.
" No ! Not your trousers !". Too late. She was already nude. Hobbs noticed that her firm breasts and the golden curls at the v between her thighs. He didn't want to be aroused but he was. He quickly undid his trousers and pushing Sussi back onto the bunk, parted her thighs wide with his hands and positioned himself over her. He took his cock in his hand, put the had at her entrance and pushed it into the very tight opening. Sussi flung her arms around his neck. Hobbs felt resistance. She was a virgin. He was too excited though to stop now. He pushed forward again, forcefully and her hymen broke. She squealed, in pain but her legs came up around his hips. Hobbs lowered his head and nuzzzled her neck. He began to thrust in and out of her, grunting with pleasure. When Sussi kissed him, his cock jerked spasmodically as he came deep inside her.
Hobbs disengaged himself from Sussi and sat up. She looked up at him, smiling blissfully. " Nice", she murmured. Hobbs was looking guilty and ashamed. " I'll have to marry you, ", he whispered. " I shouldn't have taken you.". He looked down at Sussi. She was asleep. Hobbs simply couldn't believe that he, such a self disciplined man on board ship and until recently wherever he was, had become such a sexually voracious creature. He wondered again, if he might be losing his mind.
