illuminated her face a moment before was replaced by uncertainty, then outright fear.
“Missy, go to the cabin, please.”
“Mommy!” The child wailed.
“Melissa.” Sarah gave her a gentle pat on the top of the head. “Do as your mother says.”
Sensing the tension in the air, the child’s lower lip trembled, but she did as she was told.
Anna took a few tentative steps forward. “Sarah?” Even as her gaze met Sarah’s she was shaking her head slowly back and forth. “No,” she said, continuing to shake her head. “Not my Walter.”
Tears ran down Sarah’s face unheeded. She hated herself for crying, when it was the other woman receiving the bad news, but she couldn’t help it. Anna was about to collapse, but Sarah recovered enough to catch her, and eased her down onto a pile of rope near the mast. Anna clutched at her stomach and her mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. Haunted eyes searched Sarah’s face, hoping for signs that she was wrong, but in the timeless ways of women everywhere, Anna knew.
“Tell me,” she said finally. “He’s dead, isn’t he.” It wasn’t a question.
Sarah nodded. “I’m sorry, Anna.” Her words seemed so vapid, so useless, but she couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“What happened?”
Sarah explained how he had been hit on the head and ultimately drowned. She had been with her father several times when he’d lost patients in surgery and had taken it upon herself to inform the loved ones, but this was different. Anna was vulnerable and alone. And if Charlie’s information turned out to be true, she was penniless. This was personal, and Sarah had no intention of leaving the woman to fend for herself.
Anna looked down at her protruding stomach and spoke, almost to herself. “What’s to become of us? Surprisingly, she hadn’t cried yet, but Sarah sensed that tears would come later.
Sarah lowered herself onto a corner of the coiled rope and took Anna’s hand. “I bought a house today and you’ll stay with me. But before you agree, I have to tell you something.”
Anna gave her a blank look.
“I’m not married, Anna. I’m not even a widow.”
A tiny smile appeared. “I know that.” She looked directly into Sarah’s eyes. “Are you sure, Sarah? Because sudden as this is, I see no other option for Melissa and I at the moment. I would be grateful to accept your generosity, and I’ll do my best to pay my own way.”
Sarah laid a hand on Anna’s taut stomach, and at that moment, the child kicked. “I know you will,” she said, “but we won’t worry about that for the time being.”
Tears sprang to Anna’s eyes, but she held them back. “Help me up,” she said, trying to rise. “I’ll go down to our cabin and tell Missy.”
They rose, and Anna looked toward the hills beyond the harbour. “What happens next?”
Sarah was glad to be dealing with practicalities. “You pack up your belongings.” She paused. “I suppose they’re already packed up, aren’t they?”
Anna nodded.
“All right, then. Lucy’s husband has arranged for someone to transport your belongings from the ship to my new house.” She looked around. “Is Captain Johnson still on board?”
“Yes. The last I saw, he was supervising the unloading of Jamie’s equipment.”
Sarah flushed. “Jamie’s here?” In the shock of learning about Anna’s husband, she had forgotten about his safe and minting machine.
“He was here earlier.” Anna gestured vaguely toward the bow. “Check with the captain.”
“All right. You take your time with Melissa, and I’ll speak to the captain. I’ll be here on deck when you’re ready.”
The other woman took a deep breath and Sarah pulled her into a fierce hug. “I’m sorry, Anna. I don’t know what else to say.”
Anna closed her eyes, as though steeling herself for the ordeal to come. “You’re doing fine,” she said, and gave herself a little shake. “Now I just have to tell Missy...” She
“Missy, go to the cabin, please.”
“Mommy!” The child wailed.
“Melissa.” Sarah gave her a gentle pat on the top of the head. “Do as your mother says.”
Sensing the tension in the air, the child’s lower lip trembled, but she did as she was told.
Anna took a few tentative steps forward. “Sarah?” Even as her gaze met Sarah’s she was shaking her head slowly back and forth. “No,” she said, continuing to shake her head. “Not my Walter.”
Tears ran down Sarah’s face unheeded. She hated herself for crying, when it was the other woman receiving the bad news, but she couldn’t help it. Anna was about to collapse, but Sarah recovered enough to catch her, and eased her down onto a pile of rope near the mast. Anna clutched at her stomach and her mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. Haunted eyes searched Sarah’s face, hoping for signs that she was wrong, but in the timeless ways of women everywhere, Anna knew.
“Tell me,” she said finally. “He’s dead, isn’t he.” It wasn’t a question.
Sarah nodded. “I’m sorry, Anna.” Her words seemed so vapid, so useless, but she couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“What happened?”
Sarah explained how he had been hit on the head and ultimately drowned. She had been with her father several times when he’d lost patients in surgery and had taken it upon herself to inform the loved ones, but this was different. Anna was vulnerable and alone. And if Charlie’s information turned out to be true, she was penniless. This was personal, and Sarah had no intention of leaving the woman to fend for herself.
Anna looked down at her protruding stomach and spoke, almost to herself. “What’s to become of us? Surprisingly, she hadn’t cried yet, but Sarah sensed that tears would come later.
Sarah lowered herself onto a corner of the coiled rope and took Anna’s hand. “I bought a house today and you’ll stay with me. But before you agree, I have to tell you something.”
Anna gave her a blank look.
“I’m not married, Anna. I’m not even a widow.”
A tiny smile appeared. “I know that.” She looked directly into Sarah’s eyes. “Are you sure, Sarah? Because sudden as this is, I see no other option for Melissa and I at the moment. I would be grateful to accept your generosity, and I’ll do my best to pay my own way.”
Sarah laid a hand on Anna’s taut stomach, and at that moment, the child kicked. “I know you will,” she said, “but we won’t worry about that for the time being.”
Tears sprang to Anna’s eyes, but she held them back. “Help me up,” she said, trying to rise. “I’ll go down to our cabin and tell Missy.”
They rose, and Anna looked toward the hills beyond the harbour. “What happens next?”
Sarah was glad to be dealing with practicalities. “You pack up your belongings.” She paused. “I suppose they’re already packed up, aren’t they?”
Anna nodded.
“All right, then. Lucy’s husband has arranged for someone to transport your belongings from the ship to my new house.” She looked around. “Is Captain Johnson still on board?”
“Yes. The last I saw, he was supervising the unloading of Jamie’s equipment.”
Sarah flushed. “Jamie’s here?” In the shock of learning about Anna’s husband, she had forgotten about his safe and minting machine.
“He was here earlier.” Anna gestured vaguely toward the bow. “Check with the captain.”
“All right. You take your time with Melissa, and I’ll speak to the captain. I’ll be here on deck when you’re ready.”
The other woman took a deep breath and Sarah pulled her into a fierce hug. “I’m sorry, Anna. I don’t know what else to say.”
Anna closed her eyes, as though steeling herself for the ordeal to come. “You’re doing fine,” she said, and gave herself a little shake. “Now I just have to tell Missy...” She
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