The Bloody Cutlass

Chapter Two

Two days had passed since Violet had encountered the stowaway. Once she had realized that he was not dressed in uniform like her fathers men aboard the ship, and therefore could not be part of the crew; her eyes shot back to where he had been standing, but in that time he had vanished.

She had planned to tell her father about him right away, but, knowing she would have to explain why she was walking around on the ship at first light alone, was enough to give her pause.

Perhaps the stowaway was harmless, or helpless with a good reason for seeking passage aboard her fathers ship, though he certainly didn't look helpless. Maybe he was a figment of her imagination. She blushed at the memory of the dreams that had plagued her every night since she had seen him.

"I hope you are not distracted by thoughts of your wedding night already, dear sister." Grace mused rousing Violet from her reflection. Guilt washed over her, followed by a stab of dread.

In truth Violet had thought very little of her husband to be, and even less of the wedding night. It's not that Earl Fitzwilliam was an unattractive man, quite the opposite in fact; when their engagement had been announced Violet was the envy of all the eligible young ladies and their mothers alike.

Violet felt that her aversion to him had more to do with how little she knew of him. She hoped the Earl would be kind and in time she would grow to care for him, even finding happiness in their new life together.

Sensing the change in her demeanour Grace reached across the space between them to place a hand on Violet's arm. "Sister, forgive me, I was only teasing."

Violet offered her sister a warm smile. "It is alright. Perhaps I am more nervous than I realized." Poppy sighed from across the cabin, she was reclining on a mountain of pillows, reading a book of sonnets in the light from the window. "I would not be nervous if the Earl was to be my husband."

Grace shook her head in disbelief, "you have no idea what we are speaking of."

Poppy snapped her book closed and sat up straight, her brown curls dancing all around her from the momentum. "Do so!" She insisted, "the governess told me, just like she told you!"

Grace chuckled, setting her sewing down in her lap and levelling her gaze on her younger sister. "Very well, what did the governess tell you, Poppy?"

Violet bit her lip to keep from smiling as her youngest sister turned a deep shade of crimson. "I only meant that Violet is lucky the Earl is so handsome." Poppy relented.

"Oh Poppy, a lady should wish for more than her husband to be handsome." Violet chided, quietly. Poppy, fluffed her pillow roughly, "he is also rich." She offered, this time with less gusto. Grace gasped, "Poppy!" Now thoroughly scolded by her sisters Poppy stuck her tongue out at them and went back to her book.

Satisfied Grace turned back to Violet, "how much longer do you think I will wait for a match?"

Violet smiled softly, this sudden somber disposition was very out of character for Grace, the boldest of the three girls. "Father is not impractical. You are still too young for a husband." Violet offered reassuringly. She watched the tension lift from her sisters shoulders as she resumed her sewing.

That was one good thing Violet could say of her father, he had waited until Violet was nineteen, to choose a match for her. Giving her the time to practice in her future role of running a household and caring for her younger sisters as she would her own children one day. So she was certain that Grace at sixteen and Poppy at fourteen, would have more time to enjoy their freedom as unmarried women.

Violet understood then, that though she had never admitted it openly, and scarcely even to herself; her sisters were aware of her uncertainty regarding her own match.

That night as she lay in the dark, trying to fall asleep, she thought about what her new home would be like, how she and the Earl would spend their time together.

Nevertheless, when she finally closed her eyes to rest, it was not the face of the Earl she saw, but that of the stowaway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Violet had resolved to see him again, just once more, then she would tell her father about him and banish him from her thoughts forever.

She woke early the next morning, at first light, just like she had the day she first saw him. Only this time as she stood on the deck, overlooking the rough ocean waves; she was far more focused on the space behind her.

She stood there for as long as she could. But he must have changed his pattern, and become more cautious since she had discovered him. Surely he knows she did not tell anyone, for no one has searched for him.

When her father's men began to join her on the deck she gave up, returning to her cabin. Violet paused as she reached the door; if she was a stowaway, where would she hide?

Violet glanced at the staircase that lead to belowdecks, and before she could think better of it, she was travelling quickly down the stairs into the darkness.