chapter three
Two more days passed with the identical reaction from his body each morning. e didn't
make the mistake of attempting to relieve himself again. By the forth day of the crossing
they were to anchor at Corsica for several hours, to wait for the evening breezes.
The men would be allowed to bath, swim or wash clothing while they were anchored.
Martin loved to swim, he'd learned as a boy. He could never understand sailors who
refused to learn, they spent their lives on water, but were afraid to go in water deeper
than their waist. He stripped to his skin and dove off the fantail. His powerful body,
glistening in the afternoon sun.
Samantha was watching from her perch at the window the best light for her sewing was there,
even
though the seat was hard. When she glimpsed her captain, removing his clothing she knew she
shouldn't watch, but once his shirt. was off she couldn't tear her eyes away. He was magnificent,
she'd never seen a man that looked so much like the statue in Rome. His back was to her by the
time he was completely naked. Still she blushed, when he moved to the edge of the
rail and dove off the ship into the clear blue water. She was feeling that tingling in her loins
again, and he wasn't even in the room with her.
Martin returned to his cabin for his evening meal, he'd had Cero fetch him clean clothes
after his swim. He was surprised to find a shirt he'd never seen before on the top of the
pile of clothes.
"What is this?"
"She made it for you master." Cero whispered, so he wouldn't be overheard.
"Where did the cloth come from Cero?"
"The supplies from the last voyage."
"That was for the men to use." Martin warned him, he provided his men replacement
clothing when the voyage was long and harsh.
" This was extra, no one was cheated Captain." Cero assured him.
"Bene I'll have no man say I they are treated poorly on my ship, capisce?" He held
Cero by the shoulder and made him look into his eyes when he promised it was true.
"Si, Captain I understand. Is it not a beautiful shirt? She is very talented."
"Si, bene she is very talented." Martin pulled the shirt on settling it on his shoulders
his arms not restricted at all. "Very nice." he smoothed down his chest. There was a
new vest also. Fancy stitching covering the front. "Cero you put her up to this, I didn't
need so many new things."
"She wishes to please you master. The vest she is nice no?"
"Si, everything she has worked on is beautiful." He finished dressing and wished he owned
a mirror large enough to view himself in, wearing his new clothing.
Samantha's breath caught in her throat when he came to the cabin. She'd work diligently for
three days on the shirt and vest. She'd used one of her most beautiful stitches on the vest,
one that was not feminine but decorative.
"Grazie, Carino your work is beautiful." Martin greeted her, kissing her hand as he
entered his cabin.
"Prego, Captain. I'm so pleased you like them."
"Pleased doesn't begin to express my feelings Samantha." He held her seat for her, and then
took his own place at the small table.
Cero had already brought their meal. He poured them both wine and they talked while
they ate. He asked her about her family, she answered telling him of her sisters and
brother. She asked him how long he'd been at sea.
"I've been at sea all my life it seems. I was a cabin boy for my uncle, then moved to
seaman and mate. I've had my own ship for al most ten years."
"You look to young for that." Samantha said, then blushed, she shouldn't have said so.
"Grazie Carino, but I'll soon be forty." Martin exaggerated he was just thirty-five and
it was months until his next birthday.
"I'm twenty two, but no one ever believes me. I look like a child but I am a woman."
Samantha replied, hoping he'd understand her meaning.
Martin was not sure he believed her either, she didn't seem that age. "As I asked you
before, about setting you up in a shop, do you think you would like such an arraignment?"
"Si, Captain it would be wonderful. Would you come visit me at my shop sometimes?"
"You should call me Martin if we are to become partners." He smiled and poured them
both more wine.
They talked more, and the light outside faded. Martin touched her hand, as he stood to
leave to prepare to raise anchor. Then kissed her softly on the mouth, she trembled under
his touch. She was as inexperienced as any young woman could be.
"My sweet, I'll be back soon and we can continue to get to know one another."
Samantha was close to fainting from the way her blood was rushing through her body.
As much as she wanted to be with him, she was frightened. He was gentle, but would he
continue to be once he learned she was without skills?
Martin was eager, anticipation was part of the pleasure of experiencing a new woman.
He returned to his cabin, nearly aroused he was so eager to proceed.
Two more days passed with the identical reaction from his body each morning. e didn't
make the mistake of attempting to relieve himself again. By the forth day of the crossing
they were to anchor at Corsica for several hours, to wait for the evening breezes.
The men would be allowed to bath, swim or wash clothing while they were anchored.
Martin loved to swim, he'd learned as a boy. He could never understand sailors who
refused to learn, they spent their lives on water, but were afraid to go in water deeper
than their waist. He stripped to his skin and dove off the fantail. His powerful body,
glistening in the afternoon sun.
Samantha was watching from her perch at the window the best light for her sewing was there,
even
though the seat was hard. When she glimpsed her captain, removing his clothing she knew she
shouldn't watch, but once his shirt. was off she couldn't tear her eyes away. He was magnificent,
she'd never seen a man that looked so much like the statue in Rome. His back was to her by the
time he was completely naked. Still she blushed, when he moved to the edge of the
rail and dove off the ship into the clear blue water. She was feeling that tingling in her loins
again, and he wasn't even in the room with her.
Martin returned to his cabin for his evening meal, he'd had Cero fetch him clean clothes
after his swim. He was surprised to find a shirt he'd never seen before on the top of the
pile of clothes.
"What is this?"
"She made it for you master." Cero whispered, so he wouldn't be overheard.
"Where did the cloth come from Cero?"
"The supplies from the last voyage."
"That was for the men to use." Martin warned him, he provided his men replacement
clothing when the voyage was long and harsh.
" This was extra, no one was cheated Captain." Cero assured him.
"Bene I'll have no man say I they are treated poorly on my ship, capisce?" He held
Cero by the shoulder and made him look into his eyes when he promised it was true.
"Si, Captain I understand. Is it not a beautiful shirt? She is very talented."
"Si, bene she is very talented." Martin pulled the shirt on settling it on his shoulders
his arms not restricted at all. "Very nice." he smoothed down his chest. There was a
new vest also. Fancy stitching covering the front. "Cero you put her up to this, I didn't
need so many new things."
"She wishes to please you master. The vest she is nice no?"
"Si, everything she has worked on is beautiful." He finished dressing and wished he owned
a mirror large enough to view himself in, wearing his new clothing.
Samantha's breath caught in her throat when he came to the cabin. She'd work diligently for
three days on the shirt and vest. She'd used one of her most beautiful stitches on the vest,
one that was not feminine but decorative.
"Grazie, Carino your work is beautiful." Martin greeted her, kissing her hand as he
entered his cabin.
"Prego, Captain. I'm so pleased you like them."
"Pleased doesn't begin to express my feelings Samantha." He held her seat for her, and then
took his own place at the small table.
Cero had already brought their meal. He poured them both wine and they talked while
they ate. He asked her about her family, she answered telling him of her sisters and
brother. She asked him how long he'd been at sea.
"I've been at sea all my life it seems. I was a cabin boy for my uncle, then moved to
seaman and mate. I've had my own ship for al most ten years."
"You look to young for that." Samantha said, then blushed, she shouldn't have said so.
"Grazie Carino, but I'll soon be forty." Martin exaggerated he was just thirty-five and
it was months until his next birthday.
"I'm twenty two, but no one ever believes me. I look like a child but I am a woman."
Samantha replied, hoping he'd understand her meaning.
Martin was not sure he believed her either, she didn't seem that age. "As I asked you
before, about setting you up in a shop, do you think you would like such an arraignment?"
"Si, Captain it would be wonderful. Would you come visit me at my shop sometimes?"
"You should call me Martin if we are to become partners." He smiled and poured them
both more wine.
They talked more, and the light outside faded. Martin touched her hand, as he stood to
leave to prepare to raise anchor. Then kissed her softly on the mouth, she trembled under
his touch. She was as inexperienced as any young woman could be.
"My sweet, I'll be back soon and we can continue to get to know one another."
Samantha was close to fainting from the way her blood was rushing through her body.
As much as she wanted to be with him, she was frightened. He was gentle, but would he
continue to be once he learned she was without skills?
Martin was eager, anticipation was part of the pleasure of experiencing a new woman.
He returned to his cabin, nearly aroused he was so eager to proceed.