A Hidden Queen

Chapter 28

Joe blows at some of the hair on her forehead. Her face still feels hot. She crosses her arms, huffing out of her nose. Why is she acting this way with Charlie? She barely knows the man and yet he could make her blush like a schoolgirl. Joe rolls her eyes. She paces to the back of the cabin, staring out the big bay window. She glances out of the corner of her eye as her uncle John's footsteps increase in volume.

"Joey?" John's voice softly calls.

Joe groans as she looks up to the beams. She sighs heavily before turning around to face her uncle. He stands in the doorway. The warm glow of the recently lite hurricane lamps dance upon his tan skin. It gave his smiling features an inviting air. John does not wait for Joe to reply as he charges his way into his cabin. He comes to the desk, setting a plate of food on the surface. Joe tilts her head as she gazes at the meat, beans, and single roll.

"Here." He says, throwing his hat on the desk and placing his hands on his hips. "Thought you might be hungry. I can go get you some grog if you want, but I also have some good rum stashed away that I'm willing to share with you."

"How generous of you captain." Josephine spits venomously.

John sighs defeated, "Please Jose can we not do this. Can we please not get into an argument."

"I have not begun to argue, captain."

"That I can believe Joey." John snips.

Joe growls, taking several steps towards her uncle, "Will you stop calling me Joey! My name is Elizabeth."

John groans, pinching the bridge of his nose, "You have got to be kidding me."

"What am I doing here Captain? Why did you take me from my ship?"

"We have been over this! It is because you belong here, despite you not wanting to admit it. I am not going to continue to repeat myself if you do not want to listen."

"Oh please, that is such a lame excuse. Take me back Captain."

"No." John grits out bluntly.

"And why not? You can't keep me as a prisoner, there are people out there looking for me."

"Oh, that I have no doubt. There has been a many people looking for you Josephine."

"Oh for the love of. . " Joe rounds on her uncle, just barely keeping the desk between them. "For the last time I am not. "

"Oh, will you stop that!" John hollers, glaring daggers down at Joe. "I wish you would stop being a coward and man up to who you are! This infernal nonsense of pretending to be someone you are not, is getting annoying!"

Joe's mouth drops open as she leans away from her uncle. His eyes blazed with a cool fire as his face twists upwards with his anger. Joe pinches her lips into a thin line. Her face pulls downwards as she straightens herself back up. She spins herself away, staring up at the overhead beams.

"A coward? Is that how you see me Uncle, a coward?" Joe seethes. She quickly spins herself around to face John before he can open his mouth. "You want me to stop? Fine. I know exactly who I am." Joe seethes, leaning across the desk. "I am Josephine Elizabeth Carter. The daughter of Captain Clinton and Martha Carter. The granddaughter of a Governor Fredrick Smithen and your niece."

"Finally!" John exasperates, throwing his hands in the air. "If you know all of that than why do you insist on taking you back? You do not belong on that spit of land Joe. You belong here with us."

Joe throws her head back in vexation, "How would you know Uncle? I feel I no more belong here than I did there. I belong to no one anymore."

Joe glances over as John inhales sharply. He stands slouched, his shoulders carrying a heavy burden. He stares at the floorboards for several seconds, breathing deeply. He growls frustratedly, scratching at the back of his head. He snaps his eyes back on Joe. The cool fire from earlier was gone.