Chapter Six: Curiosity

It was early enough in the morning that the streets were still quiet as Ella walked through Charleston towards the ocean. Her aunts whirlwind tour had slowed down enough that Ella finally had a morning free to explore by herself. Ella found a bench away from the main streets which overlooked the docks and began to watch the sailors hard at work loading the ships. She tried to picture herself, one day, travelling across the vast expanse of water on one of these elegant wooden ships. It seemed too much like a dream to be a real possibility.

After a while she spotted a sailor carrying a crate onto one of the ships. He was a large man, dressed in tailored trousers and a loose shirt which was rolled up at the sleeves and open wide at the neck, exposing his chest. Ella blushed as she could see his well-defined muscles as he carried what she imagined was a very heavy crate. Watching the man, Ella was overcome by a sense of familiarity.

"Mr Butler?" she whispered.

The sailor had now deposited the crate on the ship and was making his way back onto the dock when he looked up. Ella's breath caught in her throat. Will he recognise me, she wondered? She looked down and wrung her hands in her lap. Ella always got nervous at the prospect of having to socialise with someone. She was only comfortable with people she saw on a regular basis, daily ideally.

"Miss Ella O'Hara, what a pleasure it is to see you again."

Ella felt a deep blush overcome her face at his words and took a deep steadying breath before looking up at him.

"Mr Butler! What a surprise to see you again."

"A good surprise I hope?"

"Of course."

He sat down next to her on the bench, his long legs stretched out before him with the arm nearest Ella resting across the back of the bench.

Ella felt herself blush again and twisted her clutched hands together as his closeness made her nervous. She still remembered clearly that day at Twelves Oaks, as since that day in April, Ella had recalled it many times. The thoughts that accompanied her memories filled Ella with shame, for they were thoughts no lady should have. Those thoughts plagued her now as what she had felt of his body beneath hers that day, was now on display right beside her.

"What brings you to Charleston Miss Ella?"

Rhett could sense Ella's unease and though part of him was amused by it, he wanted her to be comfortable around him. After that day at Twelve Oaks part of Rhett hoped he would never run into the southern belle who almost made him want to be a gentleman. He wasn't a marrying man and Ella O'Hara was a marrying woman. For this reason alone, Rhett should have stayed away when he spotted her here, but something drew him to her. Rhett didn't know what it was about her that enticed him, but he intended to find out.

"I'm visiting my aunts, Pauline and Eulalie Robillard."

"Robillard. I believe they are friends of my mothers."

"Yes. I met her a few days ago."

"Was she well?"

Ella smiled at Rhett's concern.

"She was, very well and even more so to know that you were well when I last saw you."

"Thank you, Miss Ella. I hope you didn't have the misfortune of meeting my father."

"No. Mr Butler…"

"Speak your mind Miss Ella."

"Why can't your mother see how you are for herself?"

"My father kicked me out. I am sure if he could have stripped me of his name he would have."

"Oh Rhett!"

Ella unconsciously rested her hand on his forearm in a gesture of comfort. It pained her to hear of the treatment Rhett endured from his own father.

Rhett felt her hand on his arm and looked down at it.

Ella's eyes followed his. She gasped and went to take her hand away.

Rhett's own hand caught hers and held it between his arm and his own hand for a moment before relinquishing it.

"Oh my, I should let you get back to work Mr Butler."

"I believe the Captain can do as he pleases."

"Captain?"

"I've been promoted, Miss Ella. You may now address me as Captain Butler."

"Congratulations!"

"Some clever fellow thought it would be prudent to sail to England as soon as possible, before the blockade can be set up and named me Captain."

Rhett's eyes twinkled with amusement and Ella got the sense that the clever fellow he was referring to was himself.

After that morning, they started a daily occurrence. Ella would leave her aunts for an early morning stroll and make her way to that same bench by the docks. Rhett would join her and they would have friendly conversations, mainly consisting of Rhett describing all the places he had visited over the years and Ella the books she had read of those places. Due to this daily interaction Ella became more and more comfortable around Rhett and she began to truly enjoy and look forward to his company.

One morning Ella asked Rhett what it was like to sail on a ship.

"Freeing. You've never been on a ship, have you?"

"No, not even a boat."

"Well, that will change today."

Rhett stood up and offered his arm to Ella with a grin.

"Allow me to escort you onto my ship, my lady."

Ella looked up at Rhett and any argument she might have had with herself about propriety flew out of her mind. He looked especially handsome in that moment. His excitement to help her experience something new made him radiate with happiness. Ella had never seen him look so carefree before, so unguarded and it made her happy to know that she was the cause of such an expression.

Ella stood up, took his arm and joined in with his teasing formality.

"Why, I would be delighted, kind sir."

Ella let Rhett lead her down onto the dock his ship was at. The ship was rocking slightly with the waves caused by the wind. Ella knew she had awful balance and moments of embarrassing clumsiness and so Ella very cautiously walked up the ramp to the ship, one step at a time. Luck was not on her side as a particularly rough wave rocked the ship and Ella's balance faltered. She verged dangerously over the left side of the ramp and her heart stopped.

Arms wrapped around her waist and steadied her against a tall body. Rhett lifted her up into his arms and carried her the rest of the way onto the ship.

"Don't worry, I've got you."

Ella looked up to see Rhett grinning and she felt her cheeks go warm. Ella felt like her cheeks were permanently red around Rhett. She was amazed by his strength and sureness of foot whilst carrying her up the ramp. He put her down on the ships deck, keeping one hand on her back until she was balanced.

"Thank you, Captain Butler."

"My pleasure, Miss Ella. It takes a while to find your sea legs, but feel free to explore a bit."

Ella looked around the ship and made her way to the front of it.

Standing on the ship, looking out at the open water, Ella imagined what it would be like if she just left her life behind. She could stay on this ship and sail across the ocean, away from the coming war and all the consequences of it, away from southern society and its stuffy rules. Her dreams were within reach and in this moment, she was so close to reaching out and making them a reality, but she couldn't leave her family, especially now with the war coming. Ella just couldn't let her family go through this war while she ran away. For now, Ella closed her eyes, let the wind brush through her hair and pushed everything out of her mind. It was freeing.

Rhett loved the sea. Nothing beat the feeling of freedom he got when sailing and as he watched Ella at the bow of his ship, he could see that she felt it to. He knew she longed to be free of the life she was born into, the kind of freedom he had. Although intelligent and willing to learn, Ella was gentle and kind, which led Rhett to wonder whether she would be cut out for this kind of life. She would need someone to help her, guide her, he thought, but where she would find such a person he did not know. A small voice inside his head said he could be that person, but he pushed that voice far to the back of his mind.

The rest of the morning was spent with Rhett explaining the workings of the ship, all the terms used and what things were called. The stern, the helm, Ella was joining learning all these new things. The words she spoke to Scarlett filled her mind. If I were to have a husband, it would be nice if he could teach me things, if he was knowledgeable about the world. Rhett was certainly worldly and happy to teach her his knowledge, Ella thought. He was exactly what she described to Scarlett. Her heart sunk, she knew a man such as Rhett would never see her as someone he could marry. Ella decided she would have to be content with being Rhett's friend, although she wondered if maybe it was too late to shield her heart.