Her father continued eating, never responding to her question. For the best, no doubt. She had no idea what she thought she’d do with the information. The pirates had nothing to do with her life here in this town, and so long as the smugglers steered clear of her town and the fort, they were none of her concern.
But Caleb was.
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Whether he liked it or not, his being here was her fault and that meant he was her responsibility. “Father?”
“Hmm?” He was more focused on his meal than on her.
She cleared her throat. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about Mr. Calhoun.”
Her father looked up at that. “Caleb?”
The use of his given name inexplicably made her blush. “Yes, I was thinking...I owe him a great deal—”
“And you’ve gone above and beyond to repay that man,” her father said.
“Yes, well...” She smoothed her skirts. It didn’t quite feel right to accept that compliment. As though she were doing Caleb a favor by visiting every day. Bringing him food and helping tend to his injuries was the least she could do.
“How is his reading coming along?” Hattie asked.
A warm glow filled her chest and it was hard to breathe. The memory of her last visit was still fresh in her mind. “He is not exactly an eager pupil,” she said in the understatement of a lifetime. “But he’s patient and interested.”
That was also an understatement. She dipped her head to avoid Hattie’s searching gaze. Their lessons were far from intimate, what with her children forever running about in his cottage and with Hattie popping in and out. But these last few days they’d carved out time and managed some semblance of privacy as she reviewed the letters and their sounds.
Caleb was indeed patient. Mostly silent, but he never grew frustrated. If anything, he seemed more interested in her than the lessons. Every time she’d glanced up from the slate board she’d brought with her to review letters, she found his gaze fixed on her.
“Are you warm, dear?” her father asked. “You look flushed.”
She shook her head. “No, I’m fine.”
Hattie continued to eye her with a mischievous glint in her eye that made Abigail shift in her seat again. She changed her mind. Perhaps it was for the best that the other girls were away for the time being. One nosy sister was likely the most she could handle.
“About Caleb,” she started.
Her father lifted his head to look at her.
She cleared her throat. This was a topic she’d been meaning to bring up for some time. Ever since she’d seen Caleb’s new home. “Do you think perhaps you could help him?”
Her father’s brows arched high. “Help him how, exactly?”
She toyed with her spoon. “To find employment, perhaps?”
Her father stared at her unblinking for a long moment. Then he surprised her by bursting out in a laugh.
She frowned. “I was not in jest, Father. After all he has done for us, I think we ought to help Caleb however we can.”
Her father was still chuckling as he leaned back in his chair. “Abigail, I know you mean well, but I highly doubt Caleb needs nor wants our assistance.”
“But he has no work anymore,” she protested. Not that she was entirely sure his former profession could be considered ‘work.’
“Yes, well, I had many a conversation with Marcus about this very topic.” He arched a brow. “You do not think I’d let him marry our dear Minerva if he could not provide for her, do you?”
Abigail clamped her mouth shut. It hadn’t occurred to her that her father might have more knowledge about Caleb and his situation than she did. Considering she’d gone to visit him at his home nearly every day this past fortnight, she felt rather possessive of the man. Protective, even.
Which was silly because of course he did not need her protection. But she did not need his any longer, either. So their time together was running out and she could not stop this feeling of dread at the separation to come.
Perhaps if she knew he was established and comfortable. Then her mind would be put at ease. “Perhaps you could find him a position at the fort,” she started.
Her father’s eyes twinkled with mirth. “Abigail, from what I understand, your Caleb could buy the fort and call it his own if he wished.”
She gaped at him. He must have been joking. “I thought...er, that is...were you not paying him to stay and keep watch?”
Her father’s brows arched so high they disappeared into his hairline. “Me pay him? Of course not. Our officers might not be the best of the bunch, but I feel certain that we could keep this town safe from pirates and smugglers without Caleb’s help.”
She bit her lip, resisting the urge to point out that they wouldn't have even known about the smuggling going on right beneath his nose if it hadn’t been for Caleb. And Marcus, of course. Her father was sensitive enough about the fact that Roger had fooled him and his men so thoroughly. But all this time, she’d thought Caleb had stuck around out of obligation to Marcus and for his own gain. Now, however...
“So, he truly is here because...because...”
Her father gave his head a shake. “He has his own moral compass, I’ll give him that much. I wouldn’t have thought it of a privateer. But there you have it.” He wagged his finger in her direction. “The man feels an obligation to you, it seems, and to this town.”
She swallowed thickly, her belly twisting and her heart thumping as she realized what that meant. He’d stayed...for her.
The thought kept her just as silent as her father and sister for the remainder of the meal and barely able to pay attention as Hattie read aloud to them as she did most evenings. Her head was still spinning with this revelation the next day as she headed toward town to
