Read Online The Shipmaster's Daughter by Jessica Wolf - Free Book Online
Authors: Jessica Wolf
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forget to mention that Reed and I are going tomorrow? You could come along. In fact, we could bring Esther. Make a day of it.”
At first, the idea seemed repulsive. Reed did not care for her in the slightest, but Jack’s sincere smile and Reed’s groans of protests caused her to accept. Doing something out of spite might not be lady-like or even Christian, but Luciana hadn’t been to mass in years.
“I think I might enjoy that. It would give me a chance to ask about a job.”
Jack clapped his hands together; Reed grunted. “Wonderful! Eleven o’clock sharp, be at the front door.”
As she watched them walk away—Reed doing nothing to conceal his anger—Luciana couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit excited.
Chapter 8
T he next morning, Luciana met the others at the front door as the clock chimed eleven. Her heart beat rapidly inside her chest at the thought that this very evening she might secure a working position. She could be one step closer to fulfilling her dream.
Reed rose out of his crouch before Esther, nodding to her as she passed.
“Good morning, Miss Renaldi.” Esther smiled, leaning against her father’s side.
Luciana managed to give the girl a small smile in return. “Good morning.”
“Ah, Miss Renaldi, there you are. Are we ready to leave?” Jack asked, rubbing his hands together.
“Could you clarify before we go”—Reed held up a finger.—“what the plan for today is? You haven’t told me anything, and you know how I don’t like to be kept in the dark about things.”
Luciana focused her eyes on his stern, chiseled profile. Why was she not surprised? And why did the sight of a muscle jumping in his clenched jaw make her stomach tumble? She looked away.
Jack smirked. “I know that full well, and for that very reason, I intend on telling you nothing.” He clapped Reed on the shoulder. “Live a little, be spontaneous.”
“If I recall correctly, your definition of spontaneous is running off to France after having your engagement called off for the second time.”
A dark look crossed Jack’s face and his hand slipped away from Reed’s shoulder. “Callous. That was callous, Hargrave.” Glancing at Luciana, he threw on his trademark grin and extended his hand to Esther. “Now that we’re all here, why don’t we head out?” Without giving Reed or Luciana time to blink, he threw open the front door and stepped into the sunshine, Esther in tow.
Reed flourished his hand toward the door. Gravel crunched beneath Luciana’s feet as she stepped onto the approach. The air was damp and cool, and a slight breeze blew against the unkempt flowerbeds in the center of the drive. She tilted her head back toward the hazy sun. Her nostrils flared at the scent of salt and seaweed. She breathed deeply, relishing the feel of the outdoors. The last time she was outside, she had been standing on the deck of the Charity , fire raining down around her. And she had been—
“Miss Renaldi?” Reed’s voice, oddly soft, broke through her memories.
She shook her head and dropped her face from the sun. There was no use reminiscing now. That life was gone.
As her eyes adjusted to the light, she took in the elaborate carriage before her. It wasn’t like any carriage she’d ever seen before. In fact, she wasn’t entirely sure it was a carriage. Four bright yellow wheels rested under a black oblong base. Instead of a roof, a collapsible hood had been pulled down, filling the space with fresh sunlight and cool air. Peters sat on a bench slightly above the base while, inside, Esther sat facing Jack. Two magnificent bay horses were attached to the front, their manes blowing in the wind.
“What is that?” Luciana asked, her voice breathy. She cleared her throat.
Beside her, Reed chuckled. “It’s a barouche.”
She nodded like she understood, though the hefty word only confused her all the more.
Esther leaned her head against the side of the contraption. “Isn’t it wonderful?
At first, the idea seemed repulsive. Reed did not care for her in the slightest, but Jack’s sincere smile and Reed’s groans of protests caused her to accept. Doing something out of spite might not be lady-like or even Christian, but Luciana hadn’t been to mass in years.
“I think I might enjoy that. It would give me a chance to ask about a job.”
Jack clapped his hands together; Reed grunted. “Wonderful! Eleven o’clock sharp, be at the front door.”
As she watched them walk away—Reed doing nothing to conceal his anger—Luciana couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit excited.
Chapter 8
T he next morning, Luciana met the others at the front door as the clock chimed eleven. Her heart beat rapidly inside her chest at the thought that this very evening she might secure a working position. She could be one step closer to fulfilling her dream.
Reed rose out of his crouch before Esther, nodding to her as she passed.
“Good morning, Miss Renaldi.” Esther smiled, leaning against her father’s side.
Luciana managed to give the girl a small smile in return. “Good morning.”
“Ah, Miss Renaldi, there you are. Are we ready to leave?” Jack asked, rubbing his hands together.
“Could you clarify before we go”—Reed held up a finger.—“what the plan for today is? You haven’t told me anything, and you know how I don’t like to be kept in the dark about things.”
Luciana focused her eyes on his stern, chiseled profile. Why was she not surprised? And why did the sight of a muscle jumping in his clenched jaw make her stomach tumble? She looked away.
Jack smirked. “I know that full well, and for that very reason, I intend on telling you nothing.” He clapped Reed on the shoulder. “Live a little, be spontaneous.”
“If I recall correctly, your definition of spontaneous is running off to France after having your engagement called off for the second time.”
A dark look crossed Jack’s face and his hand slipped away from Reed’s shoulder. “Callous. That was callous, Hargrave.” Glancing at Luciana, he threw on his trademark grin and extended his hand to Esther. “Now that we’re all here, why don’t we head out?” Without giving Reed or Luciana time to blink, he threw open the front door and stepped into the sunshine, Esther in tow.
Reed flourished his hand toward the door. Gravel crunched beneath Luciana’s feet as she stepped onto the approach. The air was damp and cool, and a slight breeze blew against the unkempt flowerbeds in the center of the drive. She tilted her head back toward the hazy sun. Her nostrils flared at the scent of salt and seaweed. She breathed deeply, relishing the feel of the outdoors. The last time she was outside, she had been standing on the deck of the Charity , fire raining down around her. And she had been—
“Miss Renaldi?” Reed’s voice, oddly soft, broke through her memories.
She shook her head and dropped her face from the sun. There was no use reminiscing now. That life was gone.
As her eyes adjusted to the light, she took in the elaborate carriage before her. It wasn’t like any carriage she’d ever seen before. In fact, she wasn’t entirely sure it was a carriage. Four bright yellow wheels rested under a black oblong base. Instead of a roof, a collapsible hood had been pulled down, filling the space with fresh sunlight and cool air. Peters sat on a bench slightly above the base while, inside, Esther sat facing Jack. Two magnificent bay horses were attached to the front, their manes blowing in the wind.
“What is that?” Luciana asked, her voice breathy. She cleared her throat.
Beside her, Reed chuckled. “It’s a barouche.”
She nodded like she understood, though the hefty word only confused her all the more.
Esther leaned her head against the side of the contraption. “Isn’t it wonderful?
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