Chapter 9
"Slow down, dear! You act as if you haven't eaten in days," Mrs. Manilla Estavez said. Tabitha looked away embarrassed. She slowly gulped down the mouth full of food. "I think I have a good idea at who you really are," Manilla said. She passed Emil a penetrating glare, her eyes like fire.
Emil meekly slid farther down into the bottom of his chair. He gulped, "Oh really -"
Tabitha cut him off, "I am Tabitha L`etoile, a new comer to the country. Emil found me on the road because I had gotten lost on my way home from school. I have yet to learn the territory." She lied coolly.
Manilla continued to glower at Emil from across the table as Tabitha continued to explain. When she finally turned back to face Tabitha her eyes softened. Tabitha scooted back nervously in her seat. "There's no use trying to convince me, dear. I have come to know my foolish husband too well. I know dat he is lying."
Tabitha began to protest, "No -"
Manilla's eyes quickly silenced her. "Don't worry," she smiled, taking Tabitha's hand, "You are welcome here. You may be a runaway, but you are a very nice young lady. I shudder to think of what you have been through in da past few days."
"Try weeks."
Manilla sniffled and continued to wring the young girl's hands, "Your eyes show a great deal of hurt."
Tabitha forced a smile and yawned lazily, "Well, they are throbbing a bit."
Manilla leapt from her seat, "Oh! You poor dear! You must be very tired. Off to bed with you at once!"
*******
Tabitha stared out at the endless horizon. The surrey's seat vibrated underneath her weight as the horse slowly clomped down the winding, dirt road. All was quiet except for Patil, the horse's, panted breaths and clicky clacky hooves. Emil seemed to be having a tough time making conversation. He was trying to avoid discussion anything of personal nature, such as her past. "Tis a nice day."
"Si, very," Tabitha replied. Another awkward silence followed. She sighed loudly. The obligation to make conversation was starting to annoy her. She would strike something up, "Would you like to know about my past?"
Emil shuddered, "I would never inquire on such a personal matter."
"I know, that is why I have decided to volunteer."
He passed her a quick glance.
"Do you want to hear it or not?"
He paused, appearing to carefully think the matter over it full detail. He smiled, "Si."
Tabitha grinned, "Well, it all started....."
*******
The conversation continued for a long while of the trip. It seemed to give Emil Estavez a new perspective on the life of Tabitha L`etoile. He really had had no idea of what she had been through and he was most surprised that she had made it so far, traveled clear across Spain and even Portugal. He continued to stare at her in admiration, "Your life falls out from under you and still you manage to pull it together enough to fulfill your journey."
She nudged him playfully, "Well, not quite yet. I have still not gotten to America."
"New York, is it?" he asked.
"Si, Pablo told me that that is where I should go, so I will respect his wishes."
Emil smiled, "That's very nice of you. I hear dat da city is a grand place. 'The City of Lights' they call it."
"I can't wait to see it. Perhaps I will come back to Portugal someday. I shall tell you all about my journeys in America."
"Si, but you must promise to send Manilla and I a letter. We must know dat you have made it safely." He nodded sternly.
Tabitha chuckled at his note of superiority. "I promise." Emil oddly reminded her of the Grandfather that she had never had. Her mother's father had passed away not long before Tabitha had been born and her father's parents still lived in Paris. She sighed.
They were finally arriving in the small village of Setubal. The smell of fresh fish pierced her head as they neared the pier. Large steamers looked out of place next to the many small crabbing boats sitting askew at the docks. Emil helped Tabitha out of the cart. They slowly walked along the moor, not speaking a word, possible just to concentrate on listening to the incoming waves.
A cool breeze ruffled her crisp, white, blouse. Tabitha had stopped paying attention to where she was headed. Her mind was elsewhere. Emil snapped her back to reality.
A dark headed man with pale, freckled skin stood at his side. His neatly combed mustache turned under with his frown. Tabitha decided to muse him with a smile. He established no amusement. "Tabitha, this is Mr. Pearson. He will be finding you a place aboard his ship, The Gulligan," Emil said.
Her eyes continued to gleam, "Thank you very much, sir." She was startled to finally see a small smirk twist across his thin, sun-chapped lips.
"No problem," he growled.
"The ship will be departing in two hours. It's eleven now," Emil said. Mr. Pearson turned and made his way back down the winding path of the dock. Tabitha continued to watch him as he left. Emil gazed from the young girl to the intermedian with great interest.
She awoke from her trance, "He's very odd, that man."
"Si, but of decent heart. Dere are many a dark-scallied man in these parts."
Tabitha chuckled. "Emil, you sound like one of those pirates, you know, from Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island or -"
"Ah, come on, child, less talk of pirates. Let's go get some lunch," Emil smiled, carefully rubbing his plump belly to sooth it's growls.