for Frank to lead Claire from the upper deck.
Frank showed her all over the decks, the various ones that were on a ship of this size. Most of the men were courteous and polite, taking off hats in a show of respect or, like Frank, tugging at the forelock of the front of their hair. A couple just stared and these gave her the willies. It was a silent tour. Frank was too bashful to talk much and Claire was in awe at the immense ship. “Can we go below?” she asked her tour guide as they began making their way back towards the quarterdeck.
“The captain did not say anything about showing you below; I would have to ask,” he began.
Claire realized the Captain commanded respect whether she was there or not, and decided not to argue with the sailor who had shown her around. As they slowly made their way back, she looked up to realize that from her spot on the upper deck, Tina had been able to see them the entire time. Because she was taller than the big wheel in front of her, Claire could see that the captain appeared to be looking off into the distance as she steered the big ship. She was looking at them now as they began to climb the steps to the upper deck.
“Did you enjoy your tour?” she asked the two of them as they came to present themselves before her.
“It is a very large ship,” Claire commented.
The captain smiled and nodded. “Aye, it was built to my specifications,” she said, proudly. “I have only had her a couple of years, but I love her dearly.”
“Her?” Claire asked, confused. She had heard the sailors refer to her last ship as a ‘her’ as well and it confused her.
“Aye, all ships are a ‘her’ or a ‘she’ as they become the love of a sailor’s life. Since most sailors are men, it is understandable that the sea and its ships become female. In my case it is understandable as well,” she laughed and Frank joined in as Claire smiled, but blushed at the reference. She had forgotten that everyone on this ship probably knew what had transpired in the captain’s quarters.
“She was wondering if we might tour below decks?” Frank asked the captain.
Tina glanced at the two of them and nodded. “I see no reason why not,” she said in return and then nodded again in acknowledgement as Frank made his gesture. Claire looked back once as she went down the stairs and saw that the captain was watching them avidly and blushed again for some reason.
CHAPTER TWO
The ship was fascinating to the woman. She had not really gotten a tour of the last one, having no one she could trust to show her. Frank seemed harmless, and while he did not talk a lot, he told her enough that she got the general idea what the various rooms were used for. The kitchen was a delightful surprise, everything nailed down, but spotlessly clean as the chef prepared their next meal. She made a friend for life as she assured him his meals were delicious. James was finishing up his own as he read a book propped up in front of his bowl. He made the gesture of standing up in front of her and she assured him he could sit with her and finish his meal.
The ship was a surprise. The crew’s quarters were relatively clean and fairly spacious, considering how many it took to man a ship of this size. Each man had room for his trunk, his hammock, and a built-in locker where they could store their gear and booty. The stores were something any merchantman would carry, and while most were stolen, many had been traded for and were due to be delivered or traded for yet again.
“You are showing me all this, but how can you trust me, as I am your captain’s captive?” she asked, as she was shown some of the riches they had captured.
“Captain must trust ya,” he replied gruffly and with as few words as he could manage. She had been polite to him too, and that went a long way toward him even answering her.
Claire had been surprised at the sheer amount of property and
Frank showed her all over the decks, the various ones that were on a ship of this size. Most of the men were courteous and polite, taking off hats in a show of respect or, like Frank, tugging at the forelock of the front of their hair. A couple just stared and these gave her the willies. It was a silent tour. Frank was too bashful to talk much and Claire was in awe at the immense ship. “Can we go below?” she asked her tour guide as they began making their way back towards the quarterdeck.
“The captain did not say anything about showing you below; I would have to ask,” he began.
Claire realized the Captain commanded respect whether she was there or not, and decided not to argue with the sailor who had shown her around. As they slowly made their way back, she looked up to realize that from her spot on the upper deck, Tina had been able to see them the entire time. Because she was taller than the big wheel in front of her, Claire could see that the captain appeared to be looking off into the distance as she steered the big ship. She was looking at them now as they began to climb the steps to the upper deck.
“Did you enjoy your tour?” she asked the two of them as they came to present themselves before her.
“It is a very large ship,” Claire commented.
The captain smiled and nodded. “Aye, it was built to my specifications,” she said, proudly. “I have only had her a couple of years, but I love her dearly.”
“Her?” Claire asked, confused. She had heard the sailors refer to her last ship as a ‘her’ as well and it confused her.
“Aye, all ships are a ‘her’ or a ‘she’ as they become the love of a sailor’s life. Since most sailors are men, it is understandable that the sea and its ships become female. In my case it is understandable as well,” she laughed and Frank joined in as Claire smiled, but blushed at the reference. She had forgotten that everyone on this ship probably knew what had transpired in the captain’s quarters.
“She was wondering if we might tour below decks?” Frank asked the captain.
Tina glanced at the two of them and nodded. “I see no reason why not,” she said in return and then nodded again in acknowledgement as Frank made his gesture. Claire looked back once as she went down the stairs and saw that the captain was watching them avidly and blushed again for some reason.
CHAPTER TWO
The ship was fascinating to the woman. She had not really gotten a tour of the last one, having no one she could trust to show her. Frank seemed harmless, and while he did not talk a lot, he told her enough that she got the general idea what the various rooms were used for. The kitchen was a delightful surprise, everything nailed down, but spotlessly clean as the chef prepared their next meal. She made a friend for life as she assured him his meals were delicious. James was finishing up his own as he read a book propped up in front of his bowl. He made the gesture of standing up in front of her and she assured him he could sit with her and finish his meal.
The ship was a surprise. The crew’s quarters were relatively clean and fairly spacious, considering how many it took to man a ship of this size. Each man had room for his trunk, his hammock, and a built-in locker where they could store their gear and booty. The stores were something any merchantman would carry, and while most were stolen, many had been traded for and were due to be delivered or traded for yet again.
“You are showing me all this, but how can you trust me, as I am your captain’s captive?” she asked, as she was shown some of the riches they had captured.
“Captain must trust ya,” he replied gruffly and with as few words as he could manage. She had been polite to him too, and that went a long way toward him even answering her.
Claire had been surprised at the sheer amount of property and
Similar Books
