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Authors: William Stuart Long
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subject she had been afraid to broach, lest the fear that Luke would leave her behind were to become reality. But he was looking questioningly at her now, she realized, and she forced a tremulous smile. He had said we and us… .
“You—you’ll take me with you, Luke?”
“Did you suppose I’d leave you here alone?” he countered reproachfully. “Of course I’ll take you, if you are willing to come. But it will mean leaving America, Mercy. Perhaps forever.”
To abandon the only existence, the only land she had ever known would not be easy, Mercy realized, but what had life here given her, save heartbreak and despair, the grinding poverty of her childhood, the loss of the mother and father she had loved—and the humiliation that had been her lot with Jasper Morgan?
“I’ll have few regrets on that score,” she managed, her throat tight. “And I’m not afraid. I’ll go with you gladly if Captain Van Buren is willing to take me. But my passage will be costly, and—” She had been about to remind him that she was female and that the Dolphin’s master might not welcome a female passenger, but Luke, she saw, was smiling, and instead, she asked uncertainly, “Luke, did you tell him about me? Did you ask if he would take me?”
“I told Captain Van Buren that I had a young sister, and I
offered to work my passage in return for yours. The Dolphin is carrying a few passengers—there is cabin accommodation on board.” Luke’s smile widened. “The other passengers are missionaries, with their wives and children—good folk, who were stranded here when the crew of their ship deserted. Captain Van Buren is carrying them for the cost of their food only, and he says he will take you on the same terms.”
Mercy stared at him, again bereft of words. Finally she said in a small, choked voice, “He must be a very good man, this Captain Van Buren.”
“I reckon he is,” Luke confirmed. “I can sell the horses tomorrow—the man at the livery stables will give me a fair price for them. That should cover the cost of your food, near enough, and we shall not be penniless when we reach Sydney. There’s just one more obstacle in our way.” He hesitated, eyeing Mercy with a hint of uncertainty. “The captain wants to see and talk with you before he agrees to give you passage.”
“To make sure that I shall be fit company for his missionaries?” Mercy suggested wryly.
“I guess that’s the reason. He has his crew to think of, too. He said he would send a boat for us later this evening. Don’t worry, little sister.” Luke reached for her hand and clasped it between his own two work-roughened palms. “You will pass muster … I’m the one that may not. I’ve never been to sea in my life, and I’ve signed on as a seaman. We’re lucky to be here, Mercy—no ship’s master would take me in any other port.”
It was true, Mercy knew; the great concourse of abandoned ships in San Francisco Harbor was a stroke of good fortune, at least to them, and she took courage from Luke’s words. If he was willing to work his passage, then— A loud, metallic banging interrupted her thoughts. Jemmy Kemp was beating on a frying pan below, to summon them to the evening meal; and as if they, too, had heard the sound, three of the Nancy Bray’s other boarders came thudding across the gangplank, all of them laughing and evidently in high spirits.
“We’re off to the fields in the mornin’,” one of them said. “Off to make our fortunes, God willing! Change your mind an’ come with us, young Luke—what do you say, eh? We can use you.”
Luke glanced at Mercy and then shook his head. “Thanks,” he said quietly, “but I’ve other plans.” He offered Mercy his arm, and she took it, managing to smile.
The three young fortune hunters stood courteously aside to allow her to precede them.
In the spacious stern cabin of the Dolphin, her master, Claus Van Buren, finished his evening meal and raised his glass in an
“You—you’ll take me with you, Luke?”
“Did you suppose I’d leave you here alone?” he countered reproachfully. “Of course I’ll take you, if you are willing to come. But it will mean leaving America, Mercy. Perhaps forever.”
To abandon the only existence, the only land she had ever known would not be easy, Mercy realized, but what had life here given her, save heartbreak and despair, the grinding poverty of her childhood, the loss of the mother and father she had loved—and the humiliation that had been her lot with Jasper Morgan?
“I’ll have few regrets on that score,” she managed, her throat tight. “And I’m not afraid. I’ll go with you gladly if Captain Van Buren is willing to take me. But my passage will be costly, and—” She had been about to remind him that she was female and that the Dolphin’s master might not welcome a female passenger, but Luke, she saw, was smiling, and instead, she asked uncertainly, “Luke, did you tell him about me? Did you ask if he would take me?”
“I told Captain Van Buren that I had a young sister, and I
offered to work my passage in return for yours. The Dolphin is carrying a few passengers—there is cabin accommodation on board.” Luke’s smile widened. “The other passengers are missionaries, with their wives and children—good folk, who were stranded here when the crew of their ship deserted. Captain Van Buren is carrying them for the cost of their food only, and he says he will take you on the same terms.”
Mercy stared at him, again bereft of words. Finally she said in a small, choked voice, “He must be a very good man, this Captain Van Buren.”
“I reckon he is,” Luke confirmed. “I can sell the horses tomorrow—the man at the livery stables will give me a fair price for them. That should cover the cost of your food, near enough, and we shall not be penniless when we reach Sydney. There’s just one more obstacle in our way.” He hesitated, eyeing Mercy with a hint of uncertainty. “The captain wants to see and talk with you before he agrees to give you passage.”
“To make sure that I shall be fit company for his missionaries?” Mercy suggested wryly.
“I guess that’s the reason. He has his crew to think of, too. He said he would send a boat for us later this evening. Don’t worry, little sister.” Luke reached for her hand and clasped it between his own two work-roughened palms. “You will pass muster … I’m the one that may not. I’ve never been to sea in my life, and I’ve signed on as a seaman. We’re lucky to be here, Mercy—no ship’s master would take me in any other port.”
It was true, Mercy knew; the great concourse of abandoned ships in San Francisco Harbor was a stroke of good fortune, at least to them, and she took courage from Luke’s words. If he was willing to work his passage, then— A loud, metallic banging interrupted her thoughts. Jemmy Kemp was beating on a frying pan below, to summon them to the evening meal; and as if they, too, had heard the sound, three of the Nancy Bray’s other boarders came thudding across the gangplank, all of them laughing and evidently in high spirits.
“We’re off to the fields in the mornin’,” one of them said. “Off to make our fortunes, God willing! Change your mind an’ come with us, young Luke—what do you say, eh? We can use you.”
Luke glanced at Mercy and then shook his head. “Thanks,” he said quietly, “but I’ve other plans.” He offered Mercy his arm, and she took it, managing to smile.
The three young fortune hunters stood courteously aside to allow her to precede them.
In the spacious stern cabin of the Dolphin, her master, Claus Van Buren, finished his evening meal and raised his glass in an
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