Quarterdeck Salon

As the guest of the captain, Mrs. Stirling was invited to dine with him or take her meals in her own cabin. It was the doctor's custom to dine in the Great Cabin as well, and he found it interesting to spend more time speaking with the lady. For the most, she said little of herself and, instead, kept the men busy talking and telling tales of their adventures. Overall, the lady kept a simple, friendly countenance and, despite her attractiveness, proved to be as diverting a companion as an intelligent young man.

The weather proved to be fine though cool, and the lady took to sitting at the back of the quarterdeck. She always kept out of the way and was friendly and pleasant to all the men. The doctor often sat with her or invited her to peruse his books, for she had an interest in the living things he studied. Conversation with her revealed, however, that it had more to do with unusual spiritual beliefs than with pure scientific curiosity.

"My father used to say that gulls held within them the souls of sailors who had been lost at sea," she told him early in their friendship, squinting to watch the birds that still accompanied them, for they were not yet far from land.

"Do you believe in previous incarnations, then, Mrs. Stirling?" he asked curiously.

She laughed and flushed guiltily. "It does seem to make perfect sense out here," she answered. "I was not raised a Christian, which is no great problem unless one lives with landsmen."

"And then it is considered a flaw of one's character?" he asked.

"For certain, sir, and I have been told I am going to hell with no hope of redemption by more than one well-meaning acquaintance."

"Well, then, do you believe in hell?"

"I do not. Such tales seem to me closer to mythology or even children's stories." Realizing what she had said, she regarded him with her brows raised. "Upon my word, doctor, it is remarkably easy to talk with you. I hope my remarks are taken in a spirit of lightheartedness, for I am merely uncommonly pleased to be at sea again."

"On the contrary, ma'am, it is of great interest to me to hear. After all my time at sea, I have never before heard anything similar about gulls."

Their place at the rear of the quarterdeck slowly evolved into a genteel salon. In the warmest part of the day, Mrs. Stirling busied herself with some needlework; however, it was often chilly and she kept gloves upon her hands. Mowett, the second lieutenant, and Captain Howard were cheerful, affable men with ready charm and engaged the lady in conversation often, laughing with ease and good humor and entertaining both the lady and the doctor.

Pullings, who had been denied promotion numerous times throughout his career because of his humble birth and lack of connections, was diffident where ladies were concerned and said nothing more than "Good day, ma'am," when he could not avoid it. Allen, the sailing master, was a former whaler and suffered painful shyness when in company. He had worked his way up from able seaman to sailing master through years and experience. More acutely than Pullings, who was from a modest background of farmers and warrant officers, he had no friends of influence and was ignorant of the social graces.

Jack tolerated her presence well but seemed to avoid the quarterdeck altogether when she was there, spending his time instead on the business of running the ship or working through the piles of papers he had from lawyers and estate agents. Despite his amorous behavior when in port, Jack had several times said that naval wives were considered sacrosanct to him, unless, of course, he qualified it, a lady sent out clear signals to the opposite effect. Clearly, Mrs. Stirling had done nothing of the kind and treated the captain with respect and the same open friendliness with which she treated all of them.

Stephen observed the interaction as he would the mating dance of insects: that is, with great interest. Obviously she was used to the banter and wit of seafaring men and accepted their admiration, always very respectful, without fits of priggishness or flirtatiousness. Still, she was not as transparent as she appeared: in the first few days, he came to notice a certain coolness for Captain Howard, and indeed all the marines, which he soon diagnosed as a deep and profound dislike. The truth was that she hid it expertly; however, she was straightforward and friendly with the others, and her slightly aloof attitude towards Howard was telling, at least to Stephen. No one else seemed to notice it, at least not yet, and he hoped to find an opportunity to draw her out on the subject.