Miss Whittier Makes a List (7 page)

She crawled carefully from the berth, wondering at the sharp pain in her feet
.
She hung on to the
berth and lifted one foot to sta
re in frank amazement at her sole. It was sunburned, too. She lowered her foot and perched back on the berth, deeply aware what one more day adrift on that grating would have done to her. It appears I should be more grateful,
she thought as she pulled her arm
s into the shirt and buttoned it.

The door to th
e compartment beyond was open, and she went in, walking gingerly on the black-and-white-painted canvas that covered the deck beneath. The cabin, which stretched across the vessel
’
s stem, was better decorated than the sleeping compartment, with several comfortable chairs, a table spread with charts, and a rather elegant lamp overhead. It could have been a room in a typical manor, with the exception of the two cannons, secured into their trucks with ring
bolts that
adorned opposite bulkheads They faced closed gun ports.

How odd,
she thought as she sat down carefully in one of the chairs, favoring her bruised hip. She looked closer at the walls dividing the two rooms. They were fastened to the bulkheads with another series of bolts that could easily be thrown to remove them when the warship went into action.

“
Not exactly your country home, eh?"

She looked around, careful not to move too fast, to
see
the ship
’
s surgeon standing in the doorway, a nightshirt draped over his
arm
.

“
No,
sir,
”
she replied, embarrassed to be discovered out of her be
rth
and w
he
re she did not belong. With an effort, she pulled her knees closer together and crossed her ankles, which made her suck in her breath.

“
My dear Miss Whittier, please do not hold with formalities,
”
he said, coming closer.
“
You
’
ll only do your ankles a disservice, in their present condition.
”

She uncrossed them and took the nightshirt he held out to her. It was soft from much wear.

“
I know I should not be here.
”

He merely shrugged.
“
It is no concern of mine. I do not think you are out to steal Captain Spark
’
s silverware. For one,
I am glad to
see
you moving about. Nothing distresses me more than a moribund patient.
”

She smiled in spite of her discomfort. He came closer, pulled her braid over her breast, and peered down her back before she could protest.

“
Hmmm,
”
he said, sounding like her doctor at home.
“
Hmmm
,
I was most worried about your back and shoulders, but you appear to be progressing on schedule. Now, stand up and let me
see
the backs of your knees. Oh, dear. I suggest you apply my salve liberally there and spend this day on your stomach, Miss Whittier.
”

She made a face.
That bad?
”

He nodded, but his voice was full of good cheer.
“
Nothing
’
s worse than skin that never gets sunburned. As it is, you
’
ll probably come through this intact, but with a nice suntan.
”
He smiled at the look of concern on her face.
“
And cheer up! Think of this as an adventure. Here you thought you were only going to see
Charleston
!
”

“
Thee doesn
’
t need to remind me,
”
she said and returned to the sleeping
compartment
. The surgeon remained where he was in the great cabin.

“
Miss Whittier
,
put on that nightshirt and lie on your stomach. I will apply salve to the back of your knees.
”

She did as he said and climbed back into the berth, thankful to be wearing something that allowed more coverage. Thee is a dunce, Hannah, she thought as she settled herself as modestly as possible. This man, and Captain Spark, too, have already seen all thee possesses. At this point, it is fruitless to blush.

She suffered in silence while the ship
’
s surgeon daubed ointment on her legs, and then her shoulders. She opened her eyes when he finished.

“
I should thank thee for untangling my hair and braiding it, sir, but I have forgotten thy name.
”

He set down the jar of salve and poured her a large drink of water from the carafe.
“
It is Andrew Lease, Miss Whittier
, and you do not have to credit me for that daunting task. You looked like a wild woman when you came on board. It was Captain Spark
’
s work.
”

She took the cup from him and drank, wondering at a man with such patience, especially one who was an ogre in a naval
uniform
.

“
I would have cut it all off, myself,
”
Lease was saying as he poured her another drink.
“
Captain Spark allowed as he understood curly hair, and also that he was deep enough in your disfavor without approving such a thing.
”

She drained the cup again and watched as he refilled it.
“
I am surprised
,
”
she said at last.

“
My dear, life is full of surprises, only a few of them pleasant.
”
he replied.
When she finished the cup, he filled it again and set it down on the table when she shook her head in protest.
“
I
’
ll send in Trisk, Captain Spark
’
s orderly, with some gruel, which you will consume in its entirety. Should you require a chamber pot, it is under this berth. I do not think you will need one yet, though. You are still wondrous parched.
”

With that, he nodded and left the sleeping compartment. She shook her head in surprise, and forgot to be embarrassed. What a strange circumstance I have stumbled into, she thought as she closed her eyes and re
turne
d to sleep.

She woke to a scratching at the door, which opened to admit a small man bearing what looked like a basin of porridge. He didn
’
t even bat an eye at her situation, but set the basin down on the berth beside her.

“
Captain Spark sends this with his compliments. You are to eat it all, ma
’
am, or he says he will do something dread
ful
.
”
He spoke with a pronounced Cockney twang and wore a
pigtail
as long as her own.

She gasped at his words, but picked up the spoon he proffered and began to eat. The orderly left the room without another word. She stayed where she was on her stomach, with the pillow tucked under her breasts and the porridge in front of her. It tasted better than her favorite dinner at home.

She ate it all, resisting the urge to run her finger around the rim of the bowl. She put the empty bowl and spoon on the night table, next to the carafe and someone
’
s reading spectacles and
was composing herself for a return
to sleep when there was another knock on the door.

“
Hannah?
”
she heard through the door.

“
Oh, come in, Adam, come in!
”
she exclaimed after a glance around to make sure that Captain Spark
’
s nightshirt hadn
’
t hiked up.

Adam Winslow let himself into the comp
artm
ent. As he closed the door, she could see a glimpse of scarlet coat with white piping.
“
I like that!
”
she exclaimed indignantly.
“
Does he have a guard on thee?
”

“
Oh, no, Hannah,
”
Adam replied, crossing the room to stand beside her.
“
The guard is on thee.
”

“
Well, I suppose I should be grateful,
”
she said after a long pause. She motioned for him to draw up the chair, and he sat, resting his a
rm along
the wooden edge of the berth.

“
Thee looks a sight,
”
he said finally, with the familiarity of an old friend.
“
I am reminded of lobsters.
”

She sighed.
“
The ship
’
s surgeon says I am progressing on schedule, whatever that means.
”
She reached for Adam
’
s hand.
“
Adam, I do not know how to tell thee ...
.
”

He shook his head.
“
Thee does not have to. Captain Spark already told me that thee was the only survivor.
”
His eyes misted
over and
he looked away.
“
Poor Papa.
”

Hannah was silent as Adam struggled within himself. Thee is only sixteen, she thought, a year younger than me. And now thee is the head of the Winslow household. Hosea is probably beside himself, and we can do nothing to assuage the sorrows of either of our families.

“
Well, this voyage will not last forever,
”
Adam said finally. He released her hand.
“
I must hurry topside. The bosun said I was to take only a minute.
”

“
Is ... is thy situation horrible?
”
she asked as he turned to the door.