Read Online The Royal Handmaid by Gilbert Morris - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Gilbert Morris
Ads: Link
breakfast on the floor, then moaned and fell back on her bunk.
****
Charlie Day grinned at Novak. “Well, I hear Her Majesty is seasick.”
“Yeah, her and that professor both. And the newlyweds too. The wife at least.” Novak guffawed loudly. “Ain’t they a perty sight? Goin’ out to convert the heathen and can’t even keep their breakfast down.”
Meredith Wynne shared a cabin with Rena. Now she cameout and found Travis talking with Shep Riggs, the small, wiry sailor.
“How is Miss Matthews?” Travis asked.
“She’s pretty sick, Travis. As a matter of fact, I’ve got to clean up after her. She threw up on the floor.”
“Oh, I’ll take care of that,” Travis said quickly. He looked at her closely and said, “You don’t look too good yourself, lady.”
“I think I’ll be all right.”
“Why don’t you go into the big cabin and take it easy? Maybe it’ll pass. I’ll take care of cleaning up.”
Travis went belowdecks and grabbed a pail and towels from a narrow cleaning closet. There were five small cabins, and he knocked on the first one on the right of the short passageway. “Miss Matthews, are you all right?” He waited and heard what could have been a faint answer but could not make out any words. He tried the door, found it open, and said, “May I come in?” Again he got only a faint answer.
Sticking his head inside, he saw that Rena was lying flat on her back. “Meredith tells me you’re not feeling well. Let me just do a little cleanup here.” When he had cleaned the floor and set the pail outside, he went to the small sink and washed his hands. He got water out of a small reservoir and dampened a cloth with it. “Sometimes it helps to put a cool cloth on your face,” he said as he put the cloth on her forehead. “Just close your eyes and try not to pay any attention to the ship. I’ll have somebody come by and be sure you’re all right. It’s good to drink a little water.”
“I’d just throw it up.” The words were faint, and Rena’s lips barely moved. “Just leave me alone.”
“All right. I think Meredith will be back to check on you soon.”
Leaving Rena’s cabin, Travis went to the large cabin used for their meetings and services. He found Meredith sitting there sipping water and nodded with approval. “She’s going to be all right, but we need to get her to drink water too, if we can.”
“I’m feeling better now. I’ll go see to it.” Meredith turned and smiled vaguely. “Not a very auspicious beginning for our great missionary jaunt, is it, Travis?”
“We’ll be all right. Captain Barkley says we shouldn’t hit any rough weather.”
“I’ve got a feeling this is just the beginning, though. We may hit things worse than a little seasickness before this is over.”
“Probably will, but God will be with us.”
Meredith smiled. “Yes, He will. I’ll go check on Rena.”
****
By their third day out, all the passengers had recovered from their seasickness except for Abby Townsend. She kept to her cabin, and Jimmy spent most of his time with her, coming out only for meals. When Travis asked about her, Jimmy bit his lip and said with a worried voice, “She can hardly keep anything down.”
Travis tried to encourage Jimmy, but he was afraid that Abby might be one of those people who remain sick for an entire voyage.
As for Rena, she had recovered her strength fully, and on the twenty-fourth of July, a Tuesday, they all met for a prayer breakfast. Oscar Blevins had fixed bacon, eggs, and fresh rolls. After they ate, Rena announced, “I’ve asked Professor Dekker to lead us this morning. Professor, we’re ready if you are.”
Dekker rose to his feet and smiled benignly at them. His dark eyes glowed warmly behind his thick glasses. Despite his gray hair and frail appearance, he was mentally acute. He began to expound on a text from the book of Second Samuel.
Travis listened attentively but found himself lost almost at once. The professor
****
Charlie Day grinned at Novak. “Well, I hear Her Majesty is seasick.”
“Yeah, her and that professor both. And the newlyweds too. The wife at least.” Novak guffawed loudly. “Ain’t they a perty sight? Goin’ out to convert the heathen and can’t even keep their breakfast down.”
Meredith Wynne shared a cabin with Rena. Now she cameout and found Travis talking with Shep Riggs, the small, wiry sailor.
“How is Miss Matthews?” Travis asked.
“She’s pretty sick, Travis. As a matter of fact, I’ve got to clean up after her. She threw up on the floor.”
“Oh, I’ll take care of that,” Travis said quickly. He looked at her closely and said, “You don’t look too good yourself, lady.”
“I think I’ll be all right.”
“Why don’t you go into the big cabin and take it easy? Maybe it’ll pass. I’ll take care of cleaning up.”
Travis went belowdecks and grabbed a pail and towels from a narrow cleaning closet. There were five small cabins, and he knocked on the first one on the right of the short passageway. “Miss Matthews, are you all right?” He waited and heard what could have been a faint answer but could not make out any words. He tried the door, found it open, and said, “May I come in?” Again he got only a faint answer.
Sticking his head inside, he saw that Rena was lying flat on her back. “Meredith tells me you’re not feeling well. Let me just do a little cleanup here.” When he had cleaned the floor and set the pail outside, he went to the small sink and washed his hands. He got water out of a small reservoir and dampened a cloth with it. “Sometimes it helps to put a cool cloth on your face,” he said as he put the cloth on her forehead. “Just close your eyes and try not to pay any attention to the ship. I’ll have somebody come by and be sure you’re all right. It’s good to drink a little water.”
“I’d just throw it up.” The words were faint, and Rena’s lips barely moved. “Just leave me alone.”
“All right. I think Meredith will be back to check on you soon.”
Leaving Rena’s cabin, Travis went to the large cabin used for their meetings and services. He found Meredith sitting there sipping water and nodded with approval. “She’s going to be all right, but we need to get her to drink water too, if we can.”
“I’m feeling better now. I’ll go see to it.” Meredith turned and smiled vaguely. “Not a very auspicious beginning for our great missionary jaunt, is it, Travis?”
“We’ll be all right. Captain Barkley says we shouldn’t hit any rough weather.”
“I’ve got a feeling this is just the beginning, though. We may hit things worse than a little seasickness before this is over.”
“Probably will, but God will be with us.”
Meredith smiled. “Yes, He will. I’ll go check on Rena.”
****
By their third day out, all the passengers had recovered from their seasickness except for Abby Townsend. She kept to her cabin, and Jimmy spent most of his time with her, coming out only for meals. When Travis asked about her, Jimmy bit his lip and said with a worried voice, “She can hardly keep anything down.”
Travis tried to encourage Jimmy, but he was afraid that Abby might be one of those people who remain sick for an entire voyage.
As for Rena, she had recovered her strength fully, and on the twenty-fourth of July, a Tuesday, they all met for a prayer breakfast. Oscar Blevins had fixed bacon, eggs, and fresh rolls. After they ate, Rena announced, “I’ve asked Professor Dekker to lead us this morning. Professor, we’re ready if you are.”
Dekker rose to his feet and smiled benignly at them. His dark eyes glowed warmly behind his thick glasses. Despite his gray hair and frail appearance, he was mentally acute. He began to expound on a text from the book of Second Samuel.
Travis listened attentively but found himself lost almost at once. The professor
Similar Books
