Chapter Ten

Though I had willingly imposed my own imprisonment on myself, I had to admit I was more than a little affronted to find myself being kept under twenty-four hour guard. My brother had given no explanation as to why I was being treated in such a way, yet I found myself wondering if my brother had heard of some news which could endanger our happy home. After all, he only took such seemingly drastic measures when our fort was under attack. However, there had been nothing but a whisper of this, and even then it had only been from the lips of two gossiping maids- neither of which were known for any sort of reputation wether it be good or poor.

I knew better than to complain, of course, for during these times, I knew there would be no reasoning with the man. When he brought our family to the New World, he had promised our mother that he would see that I was protected and cared for, and he had been certain not to fail in this. I, too, knew better than to risk my own endangerment while knowing that she herself was in such poor health.

Even so, I was restless and wanting to free myself, yet I could not so much as take one innocent step outside my door without being ushered back in again. Even so, it would seem that on that day I was to be released though I had no hopes for an explanation from the likes of a man such as brother.

"Popuri, might I have a word with you?" his voice called out to me. "There is a great need for us to speak to one another..."

"Only if the door may open to you, dear brother," I replied, my voice dark and chilling. It did so, yet when the man came to stand in my room, he seemed to be lost. He looked about himself as if he had never been there before, his eyes wide and restless while he searched every corner, and yet he still said nothing to me or even himself. "What have you come for, Richard?"

"I only wish to tell you that you may now leave as you wish," he explained, seemingly startled by my sudden interruption of whatever his thoughts may have been, "though I must confess I have to wonder whether or not you should prove willing or not, for you seem to have become quite fond of these four walls."

"What has happened?" I demanded, choosing to ignore his teasing. "You do not act rashly without good cause, and I am fairly certain that I, too, have felt a change in the air as of late," I continued though he remained quiet and solemn. "Surely something must be amiss, or you would not have come here to speak to me in such a way."

"You know so very little of the world..." he sighed, shaking his head while he did so. "We are at war on all sides, and yet you still think it wise to ask me such a thing? What a foolish girl I have raised!"

"Do not speak to me in such a way, Richard," I replied with a stern glare. "If you only wish to patronize me, I will not hesitate in asking you to leave, for I have no desire to feel any less than myself." My brother stood there for a moment, his face devoid of any visible change of emotion, yet when I went to explain myself further, I could see his distress make itself known upon his stoic features. "I must say that thought I may not understand you men and your petty arguments, I most certainly do know that I am no more a fool for not knowing them."

"Forgive me." It was a hollow apology at best, yet I had known I would receive as much from him for such insolence as my own. However, having said it, he merely continued without another moment's breath. "Now. As for what I wished to speak with you about, I am afraid it is a rather pressing matter which I thought you should be made aware of. That is if you are willing to allow me to speak, for by your own words, you must think of me as a fool myself."

"And what, pray tell, may that be?" I pressed, being too eager to even attempt to mask my curiosity. "Has there been some some trouble?"

"I'm afraid so," he agreed with a solemn nod. "It would seem that our trade ships are being attacked again by a new assailant. Two schooners off the coast of Hispañola. A troubling thing, really, if one considers just how close their proximity is to us.

"As of now, I have no need to leave," he assured me. "However, I am afraid that the Vice Admiral will be leaving us for a time and cannot act as your guardian until his return." I did well not to show any sign of my happiness to hear such a thing. After all, while the mere thought of being kept in his company had been enough for me to lock myself away, I knew all too well with what regard the man before me held the other. "It is your decisions, of course... yet I must admit it would do his spirit well if you would agree to allow him to escort you to tonight's event."

"Is that so?" I challenged. "Well, please allow me to enlighten you, Richard, for it seems that you are too willful to understand my own feelings when it comes to the likes of the honorable-"

"Sir." My heart leapt to hear the familiar voice, and though I knew it was reckless of me to do so, I still could not bring myself to stop from catching so much as a glance of the man. However, Gray made no sign that he recognized me before continuing his report to his superior. "The Vice Admiral wants yeh to know that the Melody is ready to sail, sir."

"Very well, Mr. Cameron," my brother agreed with a stern nod. "Are you ready as well then? It has been some time since you have ventured out into those waters, has it not?" I felt my body become rigid with the sudden news, my eyes wide as my hand fell heavily on my chest, yet neither man seemed to realize my horror to hear such a thing. "Forgive me, I have forgotten that you have never ventured upon these waters before."

"Once yeh know the sea as I do, sir, yeh can ne'er forget 'er," the other assured him. "Sides, she be much kinder in these waters than the North, but I thank yeh fer yer concern."

"Think nothing of it, Mr. Cameron," he replied. "We cannot risk losing any of our men during this voyage, especially one as skilled as yourself. We have a great need of your experience if we are to be victorious in this fight." Having heard and said all that he felt was necessary, he dismissed the man with a wave of his hand. "Please return to the Vice Admiral and give him my praise. I shall come to inspect the Melody for myself in my own time, of course, but I appreciate the assurances."

"Aye, sir."

Without another word, the man bowed to his superior one last time, but though it was only for an instant, his gaze then came to meet mine. His eyes were as cold as ever, yet I saw the apology within them all the same. For what, I could not say. However, it mattered little to me as to the reason why, for all I could think was how he may not return.

Not to me and perhaps not at all.

I was hesitant to agree to my brother's suggestion at first, knowing that he may misunderstand my intentions and possibly be encouraged by them, yet the thought of having a last word with Gray was more than enough to persuade me to go with the Vice Admiral to his gallant affair. However, when I found myself descending the staircase with my arm linked with that of the man's, I could not help but feel I was making a terrible mistake. That feeling only grew once my eyes came to rest on the man that I had come to seek, and I could only be grateful that his gaze did not meet my own.

He was standing alone, his back resting against a wall while his hands were at the ready and clutching at his scabbard, yet what made me take notice of him all the more was his bare head and coper hair. It made his an easy target amid the powdered wigs of those of high society that were in attendance, and because of this, I found myself relieved of a breath I had not known I had held for so long.

"You look pleasant this evening," my companion deadpanned, his voice filled with disinterested as his expression. "However, I must admit, Miss Hurst, that I am having difficulty that you have come here of your own accord."

"I could very well say the same of you," I assured him with a huff. "It would seem that we have both come here together so that my brother may be appeased," I continued, my voice unwavering in telling the lie. "For that alone I may thank you, but for nothing more as I do believe you have no earned such by me."

"Your brother is a good man," he replied. "I could not very well bring myself to deny him." Though he said nothing more to me, I felt his arm tense just as we were about to begin our first dance of the evening, and his eyes darted in yet another direction. I followed his gaze as it led across the room and towards my brother, but before it could rest upon the man for whom he searched, his attention was caught by another.

She was a rather small woman, no taller than myself really, yet her presence was one that could not be easily ignored. She stood proudly, her shoulders back and her chin raised in defiance to all that went on about her, but the way in which she clasped her hands made me wonder if she could be more fearful than her expression would allow. Not that I could blame the poor girl when she was garnering so much attention from unwanted suitors.

After all, from what I could tell, she seemed to be quite the attractive young lady, for though I was no true judge of such things being a woman myself, I could understand that she was more than beautiful enough. Her bronze locks framed her oval face perfectly while her large hazel eyes gaze her a more fragile appearance. Like a fawn surrounded by a pack of hungry wolves.

"It cannot be..." To be honest, I had forgotten whom I was in company with, yet when the man spoke, I could not help but be curious as to what it meant. It was clear to me that he knew her, of course, but as to how, I did not know. I also did not know why he should sound so distressed to see her there. However, as if he could hear my very thoughts, he soon broke away from me. "You are to remain here until I return," he ordered, his voice unyielding. "I have no patience for you and your petty arguments. You shall do as I say, and there is to be no further protest on your part."

Though I offered him a rather unkind word myself, be it under my own breath, he did not seem to pay me any further mind before throwing himself into the gathering of guests that stood between him and the young woman. Even given my curiosity to know her, I wasted no time in making my escape. After all, I had no way of knowing when I should find another opportunity, let alone one as great as this, and so I tore my own way through the crowd to where I had last seen Gray.

However, upon finding myself there, I discovered that he had already gone. As to where I did not know, but after searching the crowd, I soon came to realize that he had vanished from the ballroom quite completely. It was a troubling thing, of course, but as my captor had not come to find me as of yet, I went on to search every room I could think of for the man.

From the kitchen to the study and even the servants' quarters I searched, and I inquired of his whereabouts from each and every maid and guest I came across whether they knew him or not. I, too, thought to seek out the house that had been set aside for the sailor men when they came to part, but I did not know just where to find them. Even if I had, I did know whether I would have the courage to tread there, for I knew the rumors of what may happen should another find me. I shuddered at the very thought.

Just as I had begun to tear myself from such dark thoughts, however, I caught sight of a very peculiar thing.

It was a man, yet he was like no man I should think would be in the courtyard of all places. To be honest, had it not been for his sudden movements, I would not have seen him, for it was plain for me to see that he was a negro and dark as the night itself. Though that in itself was not so unusual sight, the way in which he fled the manor house made me wonder what business he may have had there. After all, it was a rather curious thing for him to have run off as he did with no provocation.

And so, gathering up my dress as best I could, I found myself in pursuit of him. Being much more lithe than I, he stayed a good ways ahead of me, yet I pressed on. He never dared to tread upon the open road as I did, but he was sure to keep as close to them as he could manage. A fortunate thing, really, for it made my way much easier to follow.

His destination was not all that surprising considering the place in which we were, yet when the harbor first came into view, I found my breath had been stolen away. Though I had often came down to the docks in the company of my brother, I had never thought to venture down to see them in the night. It was a curiously beautiful at night what with the gas lamps flickering upon the water's edge and the large, imposing figures resting upon its surface in shadows. My pace slowed to take in the wonder of it all, yet I did not allow myself to gawk for very long.

Even so, when I came to see the man again, it was to be for only an instant before he turned a corner sharply and disappeared from my sight once more. However, the worst of it was at the moment I came to turn the very same corner, for he had gone then, leaving me with no sense of where it was that I was to go.

"Where in heaven's good name did he-" Before I could so much as think to finish what I was about to say, I gazed up to find myself in the presence of a mighty vessel. The appearance of which was enough for me to gasp in awe. "Blessed be... what manner of ship be this?"

She was gracious in size, looming over me like a dark shadow, yet there was a softness in her curves that assured me that I was to be kept safe in her care. Though I knew not why, given the late hour at which I found her, her sails had been unfurled and lapped quietly in the breeze. Her hull was battered with age, yet I could tell with only a mere stoke of my hand that her strength was with her yet. There, too, seemed to be a warmth to the wood which made her, and I found myself wishing I knew her name so I could better know her.

It was then that there came a sudden sound upon her deck, like that of a marble being thrown against a wall, and though I knew not how it came to be, I found my curiosity got the better of me once again. Something which even then I felt would lead me into danger of one kind or another. However, it mattered little to me it seemed, for I soon found myself boarding the mighty ship without any regard for what may or may not occur.

When I found myself standing upon the top desk, however, I found nothing at first. There was no one on board that I could see, yet as my curiosity had not yet been satisfied, I thought nothing of it. My only concern was to find whatever- or whomever as the case may have been- had made the sound that had come from the deck, yet once I had found it, I was left all the more curious.

It was a skull, but not like any skull I had ever seen before. It was small, no bigger than my thumb, and as I held it in my hand, I was fearful of breaking such a fragile thing. Especially the jaw as it was hinged so loosely beneath the hollow eye sockets. However, before I could contemplate upon it any further, it was plucked from my very fingertips, and it was then that I found myself face to face with a man.

"¿Y qué tenemos aquí?"