The Charlotte Series: Book 1: The Pirate's Treasure

Chapter 30

Four days from Barcelona life had settled into an uneasy pattern. For the most part, things had returned to normal, save for the tension. The men worked with weapons at hand. The sailor in the crow's nest was armed with a musket. The tension wore tempers thin.

At first, Millicent had tried to lighten their spirits but found that it only made her mood sour. Instead she threw herself into what work was allowed to her. She fenced daily with Bailey and when it was called for she was allowed to sit with Bricker and mend sails. James walked with her around the decks and spent time with her. But it was clear that he was at ends as well.

He was merely a passenger this trip and he didn't like it much more than she did. Masters only permitted him at the helm which he did as often as he could. Ladd was the only one who seemed entirely happy with this new arrangement since he was freely indulged by most everyone. Millicent wondered if things would change if they made Said safely.

She was a true lady now, Lady James Grayson. She looked the part for a certainty in her new dresses. James provided everything she needed and Lexi would envy her the fine garments. She smiled as she thought of her friend. She already had several letters penned to send as soon as they reached Port Said. She sighed and wondered what would happen when they reached Port Said.

James once mentioned two ships and a journey to Bombay. She wondered if there was any truth to it. Did he own another ship and a home in Bombay? Masters said they were honest merchants and after Said they were for England with full holds. She shrugged off her thoughts—no sense in borrowing trouble. She needed to find something constructive to do with her hands.

She was mending sails when a shadow blocked the light. She looked up to see who it could be and dropped her work. The deck was alive in a whirl of activity.

"Mama!" Millicent was surprised at how swiftly Ladd had adapted to having parents.

The wind whipped her skirts about her legs as she went to him. She had been so busy with her work she never noticed the dimming light until the clouds obscured the sun completely.

"Ladd, what is it? What's wrong?"

"Papa says me and you gotta go to the cabin and secure everything and then we gotta stay put. He says it's gonna get bad before it gets better."

"I was afraid of that. Well then, let's go. As fast as it is becoming dark, I don't suppose we have much time."

They hurried to the cabin and tucked everything away. They pushed the trunks against the far wall and secured them by rope to hooks in the wall. It wouldn't do to have the trunks sliding about. Soon nothing remained unsecured except the table and chairs. To maintain light and avoid the hazard of open flame they hung a lantern from a hook on the ceiling where it swayed with the roll of the ship.

"Mama, I think we should set up Papa's hammock. It might get hard to stay on the bed and it hurts to get tossed around." Millicent smiled at his repeated use of the sobriquets.

She nodded and the two of them struggled to get the hammock in place. The roll of the ship had increased such that by the time they reached for the hook it had moved several inches. After several frustrating attempts Ladd broke out laughing. She supposed she did look rather silly leaping about like she was. She set her lips in a determined line and at last she managed to catch the hook.

Laughing at her awkward attempts to climb into the hammock it was rather frustrating. At last she was in the hammock and felt rather nauseous. She was about to say she'd rather take her chances on the bed when the ship lurched violently to one side. The chairs toppled and the table went sliding across the floor. She let out a startled squeak. Ladd wrapped his arms around her.