A/N: Sorry I haven't posted for so long! I've been extremely busy recently. So here goes. (Notice how my chapters are so inconsistent in terms for formatting…) -.-
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The Sea Queen was a small, dilapidated ship, its dirty yellow paint flaking off in most places. Kit could tell that the wood was rotted in some places and that the boat had seen better days. She doubted that it would be able to make it out of the harbor, much less all the way to Barbados. It did not look seaworthy at all. As for the crew, they were a filthy, rude lot, swearing left and right with such words as Kit had never heard or even imagined. They looked as if they hadn't bathed for weeks and let off a scent so putrid Kit immediately began to feel pangs of regret at not saying "yes" to William's proposal.
I guess that's what you get for booking such a cheap cabin, she thought.
Taking a deep breath, she picked up her solitary trunk, having sold off the others, and stepped onto the gangplank that led to the ship. They would be leaving in half a hour.
"Can I help you with your trunk, miss?" someone behind her asked.
Kit whirled around. A tall, lanky man stood behind her, his twinkling brown eyes smiling merrily at her, his unruly chestnut hair blowing in the wind.
"Yes, please," she said.
"I'm Gilbert Ford," he declared as he picked up her trunk. "May I presume to ask what your name is?"
"I'm Katherine Tyler," Kit responded. She liked this handsome man with his carefree, polite air. It was certainly more pleasant than a certain someone who often had a mocking air about him.
"Nice to meet you," he said. "Are you traveling to Barbados?"
"I am. I grew up there and wish to return there."
"For a visit?"
"No," Kit replied, her eyes somehow unable to meet his. "I…I'm going to start a new life there."
"I see," he said quietly.
"What about you?" Kit asked, eager to change the subject. "Why are you going there?"
"My uncle, a large plantation owner, died and left his entire estate for me. I'm moving there to claim it."
"My grandfather, Sir Francis Tyler, was a large plantation owner. He died a few months ago. I miss him still."
"I'm so sorry. I seem to remember that my uncle had a friend with the last name Tyler. He was going to marry the man's daughter or something like that. I'm not exactly sure of the details. Do you know something about this?"
"I believe your uncle's name is Bernard Morsiton?"
"Yes, how did you know?"
"He tried to marry me."
A silence fell, and Gilbert stared disbelievingly at Kit.
"I can see why, Mistress Tyler."
"Please call me Kit."
"I will if you call me Gilbert."
"Indeed I will, Gilbert."
"Thank you, Kit. Now, the introductions having been properly made, how would you like to meet the captain and see about your room? I do believe that we two are the only passengers on board…"
Kit smiled and took the arm he offered. As the ship left port, the two made their way toward the captain's cabin.
* * * * *
As the journey progressed, the two became better acquainted. Truly being the only two passengers aboard, they would often dine together, away from the unruly and rather obscene crew and their unpleasant captain. Kit was grateful for his presence. Who knows what would have happened if he hadn't been there? Kit shuddered to think of a journey alone with a rowdy crew and unpleasant captain…she preferred not to think of it. In a way, this journey reminded her of one she had taken not too long ago aboard the Dolphin, John Holbrooke being her only pleasant company aside from Prudence Cruff. Oh, the poor child! Imagine having to live with such a shrew as Goodwife Cruff and that pathetic excuse for a man, Goodman Cruff! Kit would have to stop thinking about this or she would go crazy with pity for the girl.
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A/N: How'd you like it? I finally reread the book! (However, this doesn't mean I remember that much more…) I think this chapter was longer… By the way, I PROMISE I will not abandon this story without telling you the rest of the plot. I lied in the last chapter saying there would be 8 more…haha. Sorry, probably only about 3? (How in the world did I come up with 8???)