As the days stretched into weeks aboard the HMS Prince Regent, the four travelers settled into a rhythm of sorts. The four of them began each morning with a couple of laps about the deck before a leisurely breakfast that stretched into many cups of tea and a couple of hours of reading or discussion or whatever piqued their particular fancy on the day. The evenings were passed with dinner followed by cards and more debates.
Ever since the Captain had set foot onboard the ship, his fiery, blustering spirit had returned. It made for quite raucous card games, what with the Captain and Lady Denham blasting order and retorts and spouting accusations of cheating and the like. Charlotte loved to see it. It was so different from the events of "proper" society which were often dull and tedious, everyone with their masks in place. Out on the open ocean, the Captain and Lady Denham dropped all pretenses, laughed when they found something amusing, spoke what they felt and shared the wisdom of many years with Charlotte and Sidney.
The group of travelers spent many an evening out on the deck, gazing at constellations, sharing stories and listening to the wisdom offered by the Captain or Lady Denham or any number of sailors who happened to be about. It was a joyful time of warm laughter and music.
However, the open ocean had had a seemingly opposite effect on Sidney. Although he laughed when everyone laughed and made an effort to be amiable, his fire had disappeared. He was simply following the rules for expected behavior among other people. Charlotte wondered some days if they'd left the cheeky, passionate man who had captured her heart in Bristol. He treated her with kid gloves, as though he was afraid to speak freely or passionately debate something with her, for fear that he would not be the man she deserved.
She couldn't deny the spark she felt on the occasions she did catch him staring at her and she couldn't deny the flutter of her heart with every thought of him. And she did understand his predicament. Georgiana was his charge and he was probably more worried about her than she was. But for some reason, Charlotte couldn't find it in her to worry just yet. If Georgiana was happy, there had to be some way to keep her that way. And they couldn't do anything about it now.
And so, it was with this in mind that Charlotte suggested an activity for one of their leisurely afternoons. A fishing competition. Captain Blyth and Lady Denham were in hearty favor of the event. Sidney agreed after much convincing. Charlotte didn't let it get to her. He would come out of his shell again, he just needed some healthy challenging.
Shortly after lunch, Charlotte, Sidney, and a few sailors took their positions beside the railing. They sorted through their lines and little chunks of leftover ham that they were using as bait, waiting for the Captain to give the signal for the start of the competition. Captain Blyth and Lady Denham watched from afar, tucked away from the bright afternoon sunlight and serving as judges. The goal of the competition? Catch the biggest fish.
With a trilling whistle, the Captain gave the signal and the fishermen and fisherladies set about casting their baited lines into the water quite a distance below. A hum of the sailors' banter and the sounds of someone plucking away at a lute drifted across the deck. Charlotte smiled around her, content to stand in the bright sunshine and take part in the engaging activity. She glanced about only to find Sidney's gaze on her. His eyes twinkled a bit as he watched her and her heart flopped about in her chest.
How could one look make her feel so warm? She smiled back before challenging him.
"Mr. Parker, are you ready to lose to a lady?"
He quirked an eyebrow but his reply was drowned by the shouts of a sailor a few meters away who had just got the first tug on his line. Charlotte turned back to her line, keeping a firm grip as she wiggled it about and hoped for a bite. When the line went taut, it surprised her with the strength of the tug. She quickly wrapped a length of line about her gloved wrists, trying to keep a stronghold on the line and the fish. It had to be a big one.
A cry escaped her mouth as she felt another tug that pulled her slightly off balance. Struggling against the fish, she noticed Sidney running over to her out of the corner of her eye. Suddenly, he slipped on the deck and came barrelling towards her. As he crashed into her the fish gave another mighty tug on the line and Charlotte went sprawling over the rail and down into the sea below.
She panicked for a few seconds beneath the surface, squinting through the salty water and fighting her heavy layers to get to the surface. Finally, she broke the surface, gasping for air. She had barely registered the splash when suddenly strong arms wrapped around her and began dragging her towards the ship's hull. Sidney.
"Are you okay?" his voice was deep with worry, breathless with his efforts.
She managed to nod before choking on some more seawater. He treaded water beside the ship's hull, trying to keep her face above the water.
"Blasted woman's clothing," he grunted. "It's so heavy."
Having finished choking, she managed to loosen his grip on her.
"I can keep myself up. I know how to swim."
He watched her for a second to be sure and then made a grab for the rope the sailors had dropped down to them.
"I need to tie this about you so they can hoist you back up. Try to hold onto it about your waist so that it doesn't squeeze you too tightly as they lift you up. Okay?"
She nodded as he got to work. It wasn't a particularly long ordeal but it felt like ages before she and then Sidney were back on the deck, soaked through and out of breath. Captain Blyth, Lady Denham and the sailors clustered around the wet couple. For a few minutes, the group anxiously inquired about any injuries. And then, when it had been established that they were both perfectly fine and just quite wet, the Captain threw back his head with a laugh.
"Och 'n' if that wasn't th' funniest thing a've seen."
Lady Denham and the sailors joined in.
"Did you see how she sprawled out in the air? And the look of guilt and terror on Mr. Parker's face? I'd pay to see that again."
Soon they were surrounded by the boisterous laughter and mockery of the "landlubbers tumbling into the sea."
Charlotte laughed along, the adrenaline slowly leaving her veins. In the end, no harm had been done. She was soaked through but it was a warm afternoon, her dress would soon dry. She stood and smiled down at Mr. Parker.
The Captain's voice rang out over the party. "Sae is a'body going tae catch a proper fish A' we hae is Watson's measely catch 'n' we're aff tae starve if that's a' thare is fur supper."
The group laughed again and then slowly disbursed, heading back to their lines.
Lady Denham took in Charlotte's soaked dress and raised an eyebrow.
"Are you going to get changed into something dry, Miss Heywood?"
Charlotte smiled and shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't have time for that, Lady Denham. I have some fishing to do and the sun will soon dry my dress."
She tried to turn back to the lines but found her arm trapped in Sidney's hand.
"Excuse me, what?"
An ember glowed in his gaze.
"I'm going back to fishing again, Mr. Parker. You joining me?"
His hand tightened on her arm.
"I just fished you out of the sea." he ground. "You are going to get changed and watch for a bit."
Charlotte felt a rising sense of ire in her bloodstream. But she could hardly argue as Sidney retained his grip on her arm and set off in the direction of her cabin. Her temper boiled as she hurried to keep up with the pace he had set. She caught some of the Captain's words to Lady Denham as she was dragged away.
"They twa 'n' thair tempers. If thay spent a bawherr less time fightin' they'd realize howfur perfect they're fur each ither."
She rolled her eyes. Perfect for each other? When would this blasted man let go of her arm and stop bossing her around?
She turned to glare at him when he paused outside the door to her cabin.
"I could have carried on fishing Mr. Parker. My dress would have dried."
His temper exploded before her. "Charlotte, you just fell off a ship. Do you understand how dangerous that was? I thought I was going to lose you."
"Yeah? Well, who pushed me off the ship, Mr. Parker?"
They stared into each other's eyes, their breathing heavy. Charlotte stepped back against the door as she realized how close they were. But Sidney stepped closer again. He leaned in and her mind went blank as he kissed the side of her mouth.
"Please get changed into some dry clothes." His breath danced across her lips. "For me?"
