Read Online Castaway Dreams by Darlene Marshall - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Darlene Marshall
Tags: Romance
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pack a valise. It should be a bag you yourself can carry. In it, only put those things that are absolutely necessary, or those things you would preserve at all costs."
"One bag?" Daphne stared at him. "But...but it is impossible, Doctor. I could not pack everything necessary to me into one bag!"
He cocked one of those accusatory eyebrows at her.
"Impossible? That is too bad, Miss Farnham. Let me tell you what will happen if the worst occurs and we have to abandon the ship: you will grab the first thing at hand and cling to it. It might be a book, it might be a scarf, it might be one of those shoes you are wearing now that will soon be unfashionable and unwearable. It will not be those items most important to you, I can guarantee it."
Daphne swallowed at this stark assessment.
"You have been shipwrecked before?"
"I have, Miss Farnham. I will be prepared. Whether or not you are prepared is your concern and entirely up to you."
Daphne almost said, "You won't help me?" but she feared that other eyebrow would be brought into play at her expense. She was silent as she rolled the last of the bandages. When she turned back to him, Dr. Murray had a chest of instruments open, and was examining them.
"Is that what you will take with you, Dr. Murray?"
He held up a lancet, wiped it on his coat sleeve, then examined its edge in the light.
"Yes, Miss Farnham. My chest is the most valuable item I own. If there is time to take any one thing with me, this is what I will take." He put the blade down and looked at her. "I want to say again abandoning ship is a last resort and I do not expect that to happen. It is always best to be prepared for the worst situation, though. If it happens, you are ready; if it does not happen, you can count yourself pleasantly surprised."
As if to punctuate his words, the Magpie rolled as the seas grew heavier. Daphne heard rain falling now, and Mr. Carr yelling something about hatches. She grabbed hold of the table to steady herself.
"If the captain orders us to abandon ship," Daphne said, her voice barely above a whisper, "Will you come for me, Dr. Murray?"
He stopped what he was doing and looked at her, his own stance steady with the roll of the ship.
"I will come for you, Miss Farnham."
"Promise me!" Daphne gripped the table edge. She hated to hear the pleading note in her voice, but the idea of being forgotten in the turmoil of a sinking ship terrified her.
"I promise I will come for you. You will not be alone, Miss Farnham."
His hazel eyes were calm as they watched her, and his wide shoulders, the solidity of him standing there comforted her, and she took a deep breath.
"Then I will be in my cabin, packing a valise."
"Do not leave your cabin, Miss Farnham, so I know where you are."
"Yes, Dr. Murray."
Daphne turned to leave, but Dr. Murray's voice stopped her.
"Wait a moment, Miss Farnham."
He was looking through the jars in a chest, rummaging around until he reached deep inside and pulled out a tin about the size of a deck of cards.
"Take this. You might need it."
She looked down at the tin, then raised the lid. A fragrance of spices, strong and sharp, filled her nostrils.
"It is candied ginger, Miss Farnham. Until now you have been a sturdy sailor, but in this weather even the most stable of travelers is tested. Eat a small piece about once an hour or two and it will help keep your stomach settled."
"This is thoughtful of you, Doctor."
"Nonsense. I simply do not want you expelling your supper onto my boots later on."
Daphne swallowed, the image his words raised not helping her as the ship rolled again. She hurried to her cabin, sailors moving past her intent on their tasks, not stopping to exchange a word or a smile as they normally would.
Inside her cabin Daphne closed the door and sat on her bunk. Pompom poked his head out from beneath the covers and whined, licking her hand.
"You know something's amiss, don't you, boy?" Daphne whispered to him. She could hear the wind above
"One bag?" Daphne stared at him. "But...but it is impossible, Doctor. I could not pack everything necessary to me into one bag!"
He cocked one of those accusatory eyebrows at her.
"Impossible? That is too bad, Miss Farnham. Let me tell you what will happen if the worst occurs and we have to abandon the ship: you will grab the first thing at hand and cling to it. It might be a book, it might be a scarf, it might be one of those shoes you are wearing now that will soon be unfashionable and unwearable. It will not be those items most important to you, I can guarantee it."
Daphne swallowed at this stark assessment.
"You have been shipwrecked before?"
"I have, Miss Farnham. I will be prepared. Whether or not you are prepared is your concern and entirely up to you."
Daphne almost said, "You won't help me?" but she feared that other eyebrow would be brought into play at her expense. She was silent as she rolled the last of the bandages. When she turned back to him, Dr. Murray had a chest of instruments open, and was examining them.
"Is that what you will take with you, Dr. Murray?"
He held up a lancet, wiped it on his coat sleeve, then examined its edge in the light.
"Yes, Miss Farnham. My chest is the most valuable item I own. If there is time to take any one thing with me, this is what I will take." He put the blade down and looked at her. "I want to say again abandoning ship is a last resort and I do not expect that to happen. It is always best to be prepared for the worst situation, though. If it happens, you are ready; if it does not happen, you can count yourself pleasantly surprised."
As if to punctuate his words, the Magpie rolled as the seas grew heavier. Daphne heard rain falling now, and Mr. Carr yelling something about hatches. She grabbed hold of the table to steady herself.
"If the captain orders us to abandon ship," Daphne said, her voice barely above a whisper, "Will you come for me, Dr. Murray?"
He stopped what he was doing and looked at her, his own stance steady with the roll of the ship.
"I will come for you, Miss Farnham."
"Promise me!" Daphne gripped the table edge. She hated to hear the pleading note in her voice, but the idea of being forgotten in the turmoil of a sinking ship terrified her.
"I promise I will come for you. You will not be alone, Miss Farnham."
His hazel eyes were calm as they watched her, and his wide shoulders, the solidity of him standing there comforted her, and she took a deep breath.
"Then I will be in my cabin, packing a valise."
"Do not leave your cabin, Miss Farnham, so I know where you are."
"Yes, Dr. Murray."
Daphne turned to leave, but Dr. Murray's voice stopped her.
"Wait a moment, Miss Farnham."
He was looking through the jars in a chest, rummaging around until he reached deep inside and pulled out a tin about the size of a deck of cards.
"Take this. You might need it."
She looked down at the tin, then raised the lid. A fragrance of spices, strong and sharp, filled her nostrils.
"It is candied ginger, Miss Farnham. Until now you have been a sturdy sailor, but in this weather even the most stable of travelers is tested. Eat a small piece about once an hour or two and it will help keep your stomach settled."
"This is thoughtful of you, Doctor."
"Nonsense. I simply do not want you expelling your supper onto my boots later on."
Daphne swallowed, the image his words raised not helping her as the ship rolled again. She hurried to her cabin, sailors moving past her intent on their tasks, not stopping to exchange a word or a smile as they normally would.
Inside her cabin Daphne closed the door and sat on her bunk. Pompom poked his head out from beneath the covers and whined, licking her hand.
"You know something's amiss, don't you, boy?" Daphne whispered to him. She could hear the wind above
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