A mixture ofemotions washed over Henry’s face, but I was still left in thedark. “What are you guys talking about?”
“TheCobhams,” Henry told me, “They’re looking for the Gaelicwitch.”
My stomachclenched. “What’s this about a boy, then?”
“It’stheir son. I gave him to the witch to protect,” he replied, sadly,“I wanted him to live a normal life. So, I took him, years ago. Andwhen I found the witch to trap them in the bottle, she offered totake him. Swore she could keep him safe.”
“TheCobhams had a child?” I said aloud for myself to hear it. The verythought made me sick. But… could the child be the origin of my ownexistence? Or had the Cobhams yet to conceive the ancestor thatwould create my lineage? I had no way of knowing forsure.
Henry noddedand turned to Finn. “Set a course for the community you heardabout. If they’re looking for the boy, then they’re looking for thewitch we seek. This could very well be over sooner than we’dthought.”
I saw the hopeon his face, the glimmer of our future Henry envisioned glisteningin his eyes, and my heart ached. The sooner we found the witch, thesooner I’d be gone. I thought I’d have more time.
“Aye,Captain,” Finn tipped his hat and ran off toward thedocks.
We continuedwalking toward the water and I asked Henry, “Are you happy?”
He stopped andpulled on my arm, bringing our bodies together so he could embraceme. This pirate, this man before me, only I knew how delicate hewas inside, and it killed me to think about how soon I’d beshattering what little I’d help heal.
“I’ll behappier when this all ends,” he told me with certainty. “Then youand I shall rule the seas with light hearts and freeminds.”
I couldn’tanswer so I kissed his soft, warm lips and laid my head against hischest. A single tear escaped the corner of my eye and I quicklywiped it away before he caught it running down my cheek.
What have Idone?
Chapter Thirteen
We set sail on a trip that would last ten days,according to Finn. We’d make one stop for supplies on the SouthCoast and then sail straight to our destination of Cupers Cove,just slightly North of St. John’s. Each day I manned my kitchen,becoming more and more comfortable in my role as ship’s cook. Imade simple, but delicious meals of stew, fresh bread, and theirnew favorite; pasta.
My swab dutieswere simple thanks to my unexpected helper, Charlie. It seemed hedidn’t care much for the tasks he did aboard the ship, as long ashe was on the sea. The boy constantly radiated happiness and Ibecame really fond of him. He told me stories of his home, back inEngland. The money he made aboard the ship was sent back to hismother who was ill. By what he described, it sounded like cancer,something yet to be discovered in this era, and my heart broke forthe boy. I told him about my dad and we bonded over our mutualexperiences.
Charliecontinued to help me swab the decks, wash the tables, and evenclean the lower deck where the crew slept. I braved the makeshiftrestroom and, with Charlie’s help, constructed a better system witha bucket, sawed-off at an angle, then placed and attached over asmall hole in the side of the ship. It wasn’t pretty, but at leastwe didn’t have to dump a disgusting pail of human waste eachday.
On thethird day, I found myself elbow-deep in dishwater as I scrubbed the pans I’d usedto make breakfast. Sweet Charlie appeared, eager tohelp.
“Let mefinish this, Miss Dianna,” he told me. “You go take a break. Checkin with the captain.” The boy wouldn’t look me in the eye when hespoke the last words and I knew then that my efforts to distancemyself from Henry were too obvious.
Each evening,I would retire from my daily duties of taking care of the crew andhead back to the quarters that I shared with Henry. It was easy toavoid him during the day because we both had our responsibilitiesaboard The Devil’s Heart.
But atnight…
Thesecond our eyes laid on one another, the yearning caught fire andmy efforts during the day were washed away. It almost made itworse, to distance myself from Henry for hours on end. My heartclawed at my chest from the very sight of him, begging to be nearhim, to touch him, and I happily crawled into bed each night to letthe devil-eyed pirateravage my body.
Today would bethe first since we set sail on our mission that I’d see him in thesunlight. My pulse quickened as I neared the door to the captain’squarters, but it came to a screeching halt when I’d found that wehad company. Finn and Gus stood around Henry’s desk of maps whiletheir captain paced the floors.
“G’day,lass,” Finn greeted. “Is it dinner time already?”
I shook myhead. “Not yet. But I do have a pot of vegetable soup simmering.Charlie’s watching over it.” I came and took a seat near thestern’s windows, one of my favorite places on the ship. I couldlook out to the sea and the horizon and watch the waves.
Gus jiggledwith a chuckle. “That boy’s fond of ya.”
“He’ssweet and eager to help,” I replied. “It’s nice having him around.Makes my job easier.” I stole a glance to Henry who stood over nearhis desk, wavering, as if he weren’t sure I wanted him to comenear. I smiled to ease his worry and I watched his body relax. Didhe really care that much? About how I felt and what I thought ofhim? How deep had he fallen for me, I wondered, as I thought of ourdwindling time together. “What are you guys doing,anyway?”
“We’retrying to decide where to stop for supplies and take rest on landfor a night,” Henry replied.
Finnpointed to a spot on the map. “If we stop here, there’s a smallfishing community where we could rest and stock up on some driedcod and fresh potatoes.” The Scotsman lifted
