Read Online The Bargain: A Port Elizabeth Regency Tale: Episode 2 by Vanessa Riley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Vanessa Riley
Ads: Link
leaned over and mopped Precious’s brow. “Your fever is almost gone. Oh, thank the Lord.”
That was the woman on the boat. Precious and Jonas were on a boat. Where is Jonas? She shook and cried out through her stiff lips, but no one heard her. Her face felt wet. Why couldn't she get to Jonas?
“Will Mammy be fine?”
The sweet voice. It was Jonas. He must be well. Oh come to me, Jonas!
Her pulse slowed, and she pictured him in his pinafore, playing with his favorite blocks, maybe looking at her with a shy smile.
“Yes, Miss Precious will be fine. Sometimes you need lots of sleep for the body to get better.”
Click. Clack. The sound of a wood block hitting another one echoed. “I better with naps.”
"Yes, sweet boy. Maybe Miss Precious might wake up today. It's been three since she became ill."
Days? As in more than one? The thought that she’d been laid up sapped the little bit of energy she’d started to muster.
And this woman with her pretty goldenrod dress had been waiting on Precious.
“Jonas, I need you to pick up your blocks and wrap them in the scarf. Lord Welling will be here soon.
Fluttering tired eyes, Precious caught a blur of a footboard. Leaves cut into the wood. Lord Welling’s wood. Oh, now she’d been sleeping in Lord Welling’s bed.
His words of her being the captain’s woman burst in her head and made it hurt more. She didn't know if she was or wasn't. Everything had become a blur except the water.
The power of not being able to hold on to nothing, of not being able to catch a full breath, taunted her in mixed-up visions. But the frigid water that had grabbed hold of her and yanked her down was real. She surely would have drowned if not for Lord Welling.
A sense of gratitude, overwhelming tummy-twisting thankfulness flooded over her, until she tried to move her arm. Her body felt beaten, lashed at. Was it sickness, or had he been repaid?
The only thing she knew for certain was that he’d kissed her. What happened after, she knew not. Another kind of empty filled her, her chest rattling with a hollow cough.
The door to the cabin opened and Lord Welling stuck his head inside. “Is all well in here, Mrs. Narvel. Has she woken up?”
“No. But the fever is much lower. By tomorrow she should be up for sure.” Her voice got all squeaky. “She moaned some strange things.”
The baron plodded near, his boots knocking against the floorboards. He bent and picked up Jonas. “Like what?”
“Bits and pieces, about being your slave and the captain’s woman. Some other odd things, but is any of it true?”
“Miss Jewel is an indentured servant, but she was enslaved by my late wife’s family.”
The lady's voice became screechy. "Why didn't you just free her? It’s England. Slaves have rights."
"But only in England. Now she has legal status wherever she goes, including Port Elizabeth."
"You could've kept her in England. She’d be free."
“Madame, it's never that simple.”
Precious tried to open her mouth, wanting so for the lady to explain, but nothing came out. He left off something vital in his first offer back in London. What else would he ignore in order to have his own way?
Mrs. Narvel took Jonas in her arms. “Is it because she’s your special friend?”
A harsh groan sounded, no doubt from captain control. “Woman, you are nosy. She works for me. She cares for, goodness, loves Jonas. She is in my protection, just as you are.”
“I’m sorry, Captain. I like Miss Jewell.”
“Go put this boy to bed. And, you, too, Mrs. Narvel; I can't have two women sickly on this voyage. I’ll keep watch over Miss Jewell.”
The look on the woman’s face, dimpling forehead, flattening lips, mirrored Precious’s turmoil. “Yes, Captain. But you could take our cabin. Jonas and I can sleep on the pallet.”
“No. This is the captain’s cabin.”
Precious tried with all her might to sit up, to prove she could manage herself, maybe even go with the lady and
That was the woman on the boat. Precious and Jonas were on a boat. Where is Jonas? She shook and cried out through her stiff lips, but no one heard her. Her face felt wet. Why couldn't she get to Jonas?
“Will Mammy be fine?”
The sweet voice. It was Jonas. He must be well. Oh come to me, Jonas!
Her pulse slowed, and she pictured him in his pinafore, playing with his favorite blocks, maybe looking at her with a shy smile.
“Yes, Miss Precious will be fine. Sometimes you need lots of sleep for the body to get better.”
Click. Clack. The sound of a wood block hitting another one echoed. “I better with naps.”
"Yes, sweet boy. Maybe Miss Precious might wake up today. It's been three since she became ill."
Days? As in more than one? The thought that she’d been laid up sapped the little bit of energy she’d started to muster.
And this woman with her pretty goldenrod dress had been waiting on Precious.
“Jonas, I need you to pick up your blocks and wrap them in the scarf. Lord Welling will be here soon.
Fluttering tired eyes, Precious caught a blur of a footboard. Leaves cut into the wood. Lord Welling’s wood. Oh, now she’d been sleeping in Lord Welling’s bed.
His words of her being the captain’s woman burst in her head and made it hurt more. She didn't know if she was or wasn't. Everything had become a blur except the water.
The power of not being able to hold on to nothing, of not being able to catch a full breath, taunted her in mixed-up visions. But the frigid water that had grabbed hold of her and yanked her down was real. She surely would have drowned if not for Lord Welling.
A sense of gratitude, overwhelming tummy-twisting thankfulness flooded over her, until she tried to move her arm. Her body felt beaten, lashed at. Was it sickness, or had he been repaid?
The only thing she knew for certain was that he’d kissed her. What happened after, she knew not. Another kind of empty filled her, her chest rattling with a hollow cough.
The door to the cabin opened and Lord Welling stuck his head inside. “Is all well in here, Mrs. Narvel. Has she woken up?”
“No. But the fever is much lower. By tomorrow she should be up for sure.” Her voice got all squeaky. “She moaned some strange things.”
The baron plodded near, his boots knocking against the floorboards. He bent and picked up Jonas. “Like what?”
“Bits and pieces, about being your slave and the captain’s woman. Some other odd things, but is any of it true?”
“Miss Jewel is an indentured servant, but she was enslaved by my late wife’s family.”
The lady's voice became screechy. "Why didn't you just free her? It’s England. Slaves have rights."
"But only in England. Now she has legal status wherever she goes, including Port Elizabeth."
"You could've kept her in England. She’d be free."
“Madame, it's never that simple.”
Precious tried to open her mouth, wanting so for the lady to explain, but nothing came out. He left off something vital in his first offer back in London. What else would he ignore in order to have his own way?
Mrs. Narvel took Jonas in her arms. “Is it because she’s your special friend?”
A harsh groan sounded, no doubt from captain control. “Woman, you are nosy. She works for me. She cares for, goodness, loves Jonas. She is in my protection, just as you are.”
“I’m sorry, Captain. I like Miss Jewell.”
“Go put this boy to bed. And, you, too, Mrs. Narvel; I can't have two women sickly on this voyage. I’ll keep watch over Miss Jewell.”
The look on the woman’s face, dimpling forehead, flattening lips, mirrored Precious’s turmoil. “Yes, Captain. But you could take our cabin. Jonas and I can sleep on the pallet.”
“No. This is the captain’s cabin.”
Precious tried with all her might to sit up, to prove she could manage herself, maybe even go with the lady and
Similar Books
