Yours Is The Only Ocean

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

It came as no surprise to Alex that his father was incandescent with rage. Abraham was never happier than when he was striding around his study, arms behind his back, hands probably itching, frustrated that Alex was too old to take the belt to now.

Alex stood his ground, resolute that his plans would remain in place.

"I cannot believe you expect me to pay for all of this," Abraham huffed. "The fires were an act of God. Why should I pay for it?"

"You are the landlord, and for a long time the people have said that those houses on Ratcliffe Row aren't fit for purpose and yet nothing has been done. I don't know how many people have died."

"I suppose you think we should pay for their funerals too?"

"It's the least we can do."

Abraham stopped and finally looked at his son. He fixed him with the Turner stare, and to be on the receiving end of it never failed to disconcert Alex.

"This is all coming out of your allowance, Alex. Everything. I shall be contacting Irwins tomorrow to withdraw your funds to pay for all this nonsense."

"Nonsense....?"

"Yes, the rent to Tom Brown, Doctor Swinson's fees, the infirmary fees. It's all coming from your pocket. You're to feed Captain Kane's crew, too."

"With pleasure...."

"And don't you dare go and ask your future father-in-law for a loan. You will not embarrass this family any further. Now go, I don't want to see you again today."

Alex returned to his room, but he couldn't settle, despite removing all the stinking clothing and sending them to the laundry. He could still smell the smoke and dead flesh on himself. He felt tired but he was afraid to close his eyes, knowing he would see those dead bodies lying on the ground outside the houses. The adults had been bad enough, but the tiny ones wrapped in cloth...babies and small children. If only he'd got there earlier.....

The irony of it all was that he'd overslept because he's stayed awake fretting about Miles Kane being in the house with Eliza, Arabella and Miss Wylie; and yet to his dismay, it had been Kane's pragmatism that had given him the strength to do what he'd done this morning. Kane had seemed to block out the ghastly visions and concentrate on what needed to be done, and Alex had followed his lead, and if he hadn't, he would have crumbled.

He hated feeling in Kane's debt – his heroics didn't erase the fact he was a pirate and a thief; but Alex was a man of his word, and he was grateful for Kane saving Jamie. The least he could do was giving him a home for a while.

There was a knock on the door. Alex wasn't sure if he was up to seeing anyone and tried to ignore it.

"Alex, it's me..."

Eliza. It was most improper for them to be in his room alone.

"I will be down shortly," he said.

She ignored him and came in anyway. She looked like an angel in her simple white gown with a blue silk sash around her waist. With her dark hair hanging loose, she looked so much younger than her twenty eight years, and her kind smile made tears spring to Alex's eyes.

He remained on the chaise lounge by the window, while Eliza sat on the end of the bed.

"You shouldn't have gone off like that this morning," she said. "You could have been killed."

"Ratcliffe Row belongs to my family, Eliza. Those poor people are my father's tenants. The men work in his boatyard, down his mine. And yet he cares not one jot."