larger curve was inscribed with a mysterious grid, while the other was labeled with degrees. Fastened to the bottom was a small brass square with a slit. She picked it up, turning it this way and that, but could determine no practical use for the contraption.
“‘Tis a backstaff,” said a voice from the door, and she nearly dropped it in surprise. “A navigational tool. Did I frighten you?”
She turned abruptly back to the door and to the stranger who stood somewhat formally in its frame. “Well, you startled me, that’s sure!” she said.
Though she was instinctively afraid of anyone she met on this fearsome journey, she could not help but note that this man had a kind face. He was perhaps as old as the captain and wore his hair in the same queue, but his face was soft and kind, rather than hard and lean. His eyes were the same soothing gray that spilled through the cabin window from the sea and sky beyond. He was a bit shorter than the captain, as well, and the cumulative effect was far less intimidating.
“Forgive me,” the man apologized. “The door was ajar, else I would have knocked.” He stayed just outside the entrance, and Faith pulled the sheet more tightly about her. “I am Giles Courtney,” he said, “the first mate and quartermaster here. I brought you to this room actually, but I don’t suppose you remember that?”
“Nay. It seemed I was below, thinking I could never climb the ladder from the hold and would die there, then I was here with the captain.”
She did not speak it, but wondered if he had assisted in changing her clothes. The thought brought a stain to her cheeks, and she fixed her eyes upon the tool in her hand.
“Aye, I thought you’d not remember. You were out cold when we found you.”
“We?”
“The ship’s cook found you first. If you’d not made your way up that ladder, we’d not have found you in time. ‘Tis glad I am to see you well and comfortable. You are comfortable then?”
Nay, Faith thought, I am most assuredly not comfortable. But to the sailor she replied, “Aye, at the moment.”
Giles smiled mildly at the uncertain look in her eyes. “I see Geoff has been his usual forthright self. Frightened you a bit, has he?”
“I seem to be a stowaway upon a ship with a man who mocks the Almighty without a thought of divine retribution. I am at the mercy of the sea and your captain, and I have done nothing of my own accord to secure God’s grace. Why would I have cause to fear, Goodman Courtney?”
“Call me Giles, please, and with regard to God, well, Geoff and He have never been on the best of terms. If you hope to win a soul for the Lord, you’ll fight a losing battle there, Faith.”
She started to bristle at the use of her Christian name, but was struck by the irony of her circumstances. She sighed and gave him an uncertain, little grin. “Nay, Giles, I’m in no position to admonish anyone in the name of God.”
He gestured as though to entreat entry, and she nodded, sitting at the desk. He moved with the same confidence as his commander, but without the arrogance, and it struck Faith that she had, indeed, studied the other man’s every move. Why?
“How came you on our ship?” he asked. “Are you in some trouble?”
“Aye,” she admitted without thinking, but shook her head at his knowing nod. “Nay, not of that sort! I assure you, I am a virtuous woman! I was...no longer welcome in my village.”
Giles said nothing, but patiently waited for her to add what she would.
“I seem to have gotten myself at odds with our new minister. I am bound for Jamaica and my Aunt Elizabeth.”
“And the rest of your family?”
Faith sighed and toyed with the backstaff before her. The question was a natural one, but it brought with it a pang of regret. “This was my mother’s idea,” she explained. It wasn’t a lie, not really. “My father disapproved.”
“Ah, so that is why you did not simply book passage upon a likely ship.”
“Just
“‘Tis a backstaff,” said a voice from the door, and she nearly dropped it in surprise. “A navigational tool. Did I frighten you?”
She turned abruptly back to the door and to the stranger who stood somewhat formally in its frame. “Well, you startled me, that’s sure!” she said.
Though she was instinctively afraid of anyone she met on this fearsome journey, she could not help but note that this man had a kind face. He was perhaps as old as the captain and wore his hair in the same queue, but his face was soft and kind, rather than hard and lean. His eyes were the same soothing gray that spilled through the cabin window from the sea and sky beyond. He was a bit shorter than the captain, as well, and the cumulative effect was far less intimidating.
“Forgive me,” the man apologized. “The door was ajar, else I would have knocked.” He stayed just outside the entrance, and Faith pulled the sheet more tightly about her. “I am Giles Courtney,” he said, “the first mate and quartermaster here. I brought you to this room actually, but I don’t suppose you remember that?”
“Nay. It seemed I was below, thinking I could never climb the ladder from the hold and would die there, then I was here with the captain.”
She did not speak it, but wondered if he had assisted in changing her clothes. The thought brought a stain to her cheeks, and she fixed her eyes upon the tool in her hand.
“Aye, I thought you’d not remember. You were out cold when we found you.”
“We?”
“The ship’s cook found you first. If you’d not made your way up that ladder, we’d not have found you in time. ‘Tis glad I am to see you well and comfortable. You are comfortable then?”
Nay, Faith thought, I am most assuredly not comfortable. But to the sailor she replied, “Aye, at the moment.”
Giles smiled mildly at the uncertain look in her eyes. “I see Geoff has been his usual forthright self. Frightened you a bit, has he?”
“I seem to be a stowaway upon a ship with a man who mocks the Almighty without a thought of divine retribution. I am at the mercy of the sea and your captain, and I have done nothing of my own accord to secure God’s grace. Why would I have cause to fear, Goodman Courtney?”
“Call me Giles, please, and with regard to God, well, Geoff and He have never been on the best of terms. If you hope to win a soul for the Lord, you’ll fight a losing battle there, Faith.”
She started to bristle at the use of her Christian name, but was struck by the irony of her circumstances. She sighed and gave him an uncertain, little grin. “Nay, Giles, I’m in no position to admonish anyone in the name of God.”
He gestured as though to entreat entry, and she nodded, sitting at the desk. He moved with the same confidence as his commander, but without the arrogance, and it struck Faith that she had, indeed, studied the other man’s every move. Why?
“How came you on our ship?” he asked. “Are you in some trouble?”
“Aye,” she admitted without thinking, but shook her head at his knowing nod. “Nay, not of that sort! I assure you, I am a virtuous woman! I was...no longer welcome in my village.”
Giles said nothing, but patiently waited for her to add what she would.
“I seem to have gotten myself at odds with our new minister. I am bound for Jamaica and my Aunt Elizabeth.”
“And the rest of your family?”
Faith sighed and toyed with the backstaff before her. The question was a natural one, but it brought with it a pang of regret. “This was my mother’s idea,” she explained. It wasn’t a lie, not really. “My father disapproved.”
“Ah, so that is why you did not simply book passage upon a likely ship.”
“Just
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