Read Online Heart's Safe Passage by Laurie Alice Eakes - Free Book Online Page A

lip. “He should think of my comfort.”
    But of course he was. He hadn’t stuffed her into the hold or even forced her below deck. He’d given up the comforts of his cabin. He hadn’t hobbled her in any way, except for that locked door, which she mustn’t think about. He’d brought her ginger water and comfrey salve.
    And she’d repaid him with a knife to his jugular.
    A vein in the neck he’d known the name of, oddly enough. Phoebe knew it. Tabitha insisted she know things like that, read and memorize important veins and muscles and bones from medical books. But an ordinary man wouldn’t know such a thing.
    Rafe Docherty was no ordinary man.
    A shiver ran through Phoebe, and she wrapped herself more tightly in the cloak. “I’m going to blow out the light now.”
    “What if we need to see in the night? I’ll fall over something in the dark.”
    “It’ll be light before you need to get up again.” Phoebe removed the second pillow from the bed and wedged herself between the window seat and another locked chest at the foot of the bunk.
    Above her, Belinda began to snore lightly like a cat. Higher up, someone paced the quarterdeck. Back and forth. Back and forth. Restless. Monotonous. The motion of a caged wolf.
    Or a sentry.
    Phoebe went to sleep with the image of a wolf guarding prison gates.
    She woke to the rhythmic slapping of waves against the hull and a field of blue—from robin’s egg to indigo—blazing through the stern windows, blue sky meeting bluer sea and not a speck of land in sight. Finding the cabin stuffier than the night before, Phoebe rose and opened the stern windows for a blast of cold, fresh air.
    “Close the window,” Belinda grumbled from the bed. “It’s cold.”
    “I need the fresh air.”
    “Revolting. How will I get my breakfast?”
    “Maybe you can bang on the door and get someone down here.”
    “That would be so vulgar. I should wait for someone, don’t you think?”
    “I don’t care what you do.” Phoebe curled up as best she could in the narrow space on the floor. “I want to sleep some more.”
    But a knock sounded on the door, and the child called out for permission to enter.
    “Of course, my dear.” Belinda sounded awake and cheerful.
    Phoebe moaned.
    The lad entered, bringing the tannic aroma of tea and the buttery fragrance of toast.
    “Uh-oh.” A thump sounded from the region of the table. “I’ll fetch my—the captain.”
    His what? Uncle? Brother? That they were related was obvious. Regardless, Phoebe didn’t want him near her.
    “Don’t.” She sat up. “I’ll manage some tea.”
    “It helps, I can assure you.” The lad’s eyes twinkled. “Captain Rafe suffers from the sickness sometimes too. It’ll go away.”
    “If I don’t die first.”
    No sense in saying the sea didn’t bother her, the locked door did. They would think she lied to get her freedom.
    Belinda scolded.
    The lad laughed and scampered from the cabin, ragged hair swinging, long legs flashing. Long legs ending in curved calves, slight ankles, and dainty feet. Rather too elegant and petite for a boy of even eleven or twelve.
    “Lad, my eye.” Phoebe struggled to her feet.
    Belinda stared at her from where she sat at the table, no doubt waiting to be served. “What are you talking about?”
    “Our friend Mel. Do you want jam on some of this toast?”
    “Yes, and I hope they bring us more than tea and toast. I usually have sausages and eggs.”
    “This is a ship. They don’t have sausages and eggs.”
    Thank the Lord.
    “I’ll starve.” Belinda’s lower lip protruded.
    Phoebe ground her teeth to demolish the words trying to reach her lips. She would get nowhere and nothing but grief if she told Belinda she looked in no danger of starving. Indeed, even with her condition being more advanced than she’d originally told Phoebe, Belinda appeared to have gained a great deal of weight since they’d last met in April. No doubt she was getting no exercise. Phoebe would