Cross-Ties

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Book excerpt

Prologue 

The gulf winds wailed as a summer tropical storm approached the shore. A powerful gust sent the wooden hurricane shutters pounding against the side of the house. Leah cracked open the top and bottom sash of the double-hung windows in the suffocating hot attic to circulate the air. This would make rearranging space and sorting keepsakes more palatable. The sea air whipping through the windows quickly cooled the balmy attic to an acceptable temperature.

She braced herself for what she’d find in the old sea chest tucked away in the attic for over a decade. She’d planned to go through the chest earlier. Her life had changed drastically since her father first shipped some of their personal effects to their antebellum home, Seagrove. She chided herself for being reluctant to revisit memories the sea chest held. She deliberated for a moment before lifting the heavy lid knowing she’d face her turbulent past. The trunk lid creaks on its rusty hinges as she opens it. The musky sea odor penetrated her nostrils as she remembered her youthful voyage to America.

England

Fervent pitched voices radiated behind the imposing doors of the Earl’s study. The elderly butler cocked his ear to hear what the Earl of Southwood and his daughter Leah were arguing about this time. Their voices grew louder and the words came clearer to his old ears.

“I don’t know what to do with you now that Nanny Hildegard has retired,” said the Earl of Southwood. “I’m too busy to look after you right now, and Lord Worthington won’t be ready to marry you until September.”

“That’s just it Father,” Leah said. “Why should I stay here when you don’t have time for me? I can go to Aunt Leona’s and be out of your way. It will give you some time to ponder the merits of an arranged marriage to someone I loathe.”

“I will not discuss the marriage contract with you,” said Leah’s father. “Furthermore, going across the ocean to Antigua, won’t do. It’s unheard of for a young woman to travel alone.”

“It’s better than being here with you waiting to be taken off your hands,” she said.

“Leah, you don’t understand,” he said. “I’m responsible for you until you marry the Duke’s son. And, he would never approve of such.”

“Then we mustn’t tell him,” Leah said.

“Leah!” the Earl said, “You try my patience.”

“I can’t think of a better reason for me to go,” Leah said.

“Very well, I’ll speak to Captain Hurst,” said the Earl.

Chapter One 

Early 19th Century

Leah closed the door of her cramped cabin and climbed the steps to the deck. She couldn’t wait to get a breath of fresh air. But just as she reached the main deck the rocky motion of the ship sent her sprawling directly into the path of Captain Hurst. Leah gasped then looked up into his craggy gray whiskered face.

Captain Hurst extended his hand as she pulled herself up from the deck. His eyes were dancing with merriment as he said, “Good Morning, Leah. Are you enjoying your voyage aboard the Liverpool?”

Leah quickly recovered from her unladylike spill. Couldn’t he see she just fell? She made an effort to frame an answer mindful of the manners learned at an earlier age. She chooses not to remember the lumpy pillow and prickly blanket from the previous night. Leah smiled and said, “Yes, I am.”

“Very good then,” he replied. “Take care to avoid the sailors that are working. They don’t often see genteel women, and your safety is important to me as I gave my word to your father.”

Leah blushed and smiled at the Captain. “Thank you,” she said.

            Leah’s eyes watered and stung as the wind whipped against her face. Her long dark hair was lifted and blown astray by the gusts. She quickly pulled the cape over her head thinking she would never brush the tangles out of her hair.

Leah noticed the seagulls that usually swooped down to seize the schooling fish were nowhere in sight. The schooner had traveled some distance from the shore during the night. She could feel the wind on her back as it shifted direction and suddenly calmed. She inhaled the fresh salty air and suddenly felt stronger. Standing nearby the Captain said, “Look to the ship’s port at the whale with her calf.”

Leah’s eyes scanned the ocean in the direction the Captain pointed. She saw water sprouts shooting at least twenty feet into the air.

The Captain smiled and said, “Whales are like humans. They have to blow out air and breathe above the surface of the ocean.”

Leah was fascinated. She said, “Please tell me more.”

Captain Hurst continued, “The mother cow is about forty-footer.”

Leah asked, “How can you tell?”

“By looking at the size and shape of her blow,” replied Captain Hurst “The higher the spout, the larger the whale. This one is an Emperor Whale. She can dive deeper than most.”

As if on cue, the whale dove deep into the ocean, flipping her tail as saltwater sprayed high into the air. Laughing, Leah thought there is beauty in nature.

Reading her thoughts, the Captain asked, “Would you like to come back on deck later to watch the sunset?”

“Yes, that would be nice,” she said.

Leah insisted that her father allow her to travel alone this summer. After nearly a year of trying to persuade him, he finally agreed just to get her out of his sight. Leah couldn’t wait to receive the long-awaited welcome from her mother’s only family and friends she’d met on previous occasions. The thoughts of her Caribbean vacation made her feel warm all over. Even now, Leah could feel the silky white sand teasing her toes as they explored the legends and hidden coves along the seashore. She could almost taste the delicious sweet fruit that grew there.

Leah especially looked forward to seeing her friend Brandon, whose father was a shipping baron who had business interests with her father.

Last summer they had sailed together and Brandon even let her take the wheel at times. Leah never told her father about that, or how Brandon taught her to maneuver the sloop in deep waters.

Leah was sad about her relationship with her father. He hadn’t even come to see her off on her voyage, and she missed her loving grandfather who died in the spring whom she could always count on. It was difficult to remember Leah’s mother since she died when Leah was five years old. Leah’s nanny tried to keep her Mother’s memory alive, but she had recently retired leaving Leah feeling utterly alone.

A loud “boom” interrupted Leah’s thoughts. Then the ship lunged forward. She ducked to the deck of the ship. What is happening? Leah thought, as the ship lurched forward and trembled from the unexpected increase in speed.

Straining to see through the thick fog, Leah spotted the dreaded pirate skull and crossbones flag waving from an approaching vessel. Instantly, Leah ducked out of sight and crawled along the rough honed deck to the stairs leading down to her cabin. Frantically, Leah secured the door with the wooden plank she used at night. She could hear her heart beating in her chest.

The sound of boots trampling across the deck commenced, then a stony silence. Leah knew that the crew was an easy mark for them. They were sailors who delivered precious cargo such as spices, oil, and handwoven cloth to the Caribbean islands. They were not fighters and plunderers.

Leah hesitated to open the door after the ship became quiet and the waves could be heard lapping against the transom of the ship. Leah knew it would take a miracle to save the crew from the scavengers bent upon taking the vessel and its’ cargo. But why was it so quiet? It seemed that the ship was sailing, but under whose control? Leah was afraid but had no choice but to sneak on deck to find the answers. But, first, she needed a disguise to rid herself of her long flowing gown. The Captain’s quarters might have what she needed storing away in a trunk.

Leah cracked the door and looked around for pirates before tiptoeing to the officer’s quarters. Inside she found an ornately carved cedar trunk and opened it with the key positioned in its’ lock.

She found no items of clothes, only odd keepsakes and faded photographs. She did find the ship’s logbook on the floor beside Captain Hurst’s bedside table. She closed the log noting the latest entry before placing it under her arm for safekeeping. Leah eased down the corridor to the crews’ quarters where she found a pair of sailor pants and oversized shirts to hide her true identity.

Leah sneaked back into her cabin and let out a sigh of relief. Leah’s hands shook making it difficult to roll up the sleeves of the sailor shirt. Her stomach felt like someone had dropped a ton of bricks on it. She anxiously waited until after the sunset to investigate the deck.

The moonlit night gave Leah a panoramic view of the deck from the alcove where she was hiding. She saw a gang of pirates laughing about something one had said. She quietly listened to determine if more pirates were on board. Perhaps, they were elsewhere on the ship. She had not bothered to look below the deck or in the galley.

The stance of one of the pirates caught Leah’s attention. He was younger than the others with skin not burnt nor wrinkled by the sun. When he opened his mouth to speak his teeth were not stained yellow or missing. She wondered why he became a pirate and if it was too late for him to change. Lost in her thoughts, Leah did not see the pirate glance her way and then draw his counterparts’ attention to the barrels of rum stacked on the deck below her.

Sneaking along the corridors of the ship she made her way to the Galley. Leah needed a piece of bread or fruit to eat later in the cabin when the butterflies left her stomach. Ivan, the ship’s cook, was in the galley. Leah brightened knowing there was someone else on board besides pirates. He looked up and saw Leah just as he was slamming the lid on the pot of stew.

“You all right?” asked the cook.

“Yes,” said Leah. “Where are the Captain and crew?”

“Captain’s dead. Seen it myself,” said the cook.

“Where’s the ship’s crew?” asked Leah.

“All dead except those shackled and pressed into service by the pirates. They’d have me cook for them. ‘Tis rotten luck, either way, I tell you.”

“Let me think,” said Leah. “There’s got to be a way we can escape.”

“You best think fast,” said the cook. “We’re on our way to Curacaos.”

“Why,” asked Leah?

“For the schooner to be torn apart and outfitted for the pirates,” said the cook.

What if the ship doesn’t sail to Curacaos but goes somewhere else,” asked Leah. “How’s that,” asked the cook.

“If we could sail her into the port of Antigua, we’d be safe,” said Leah. “His Majesty has taken a stand there against pirates and will aid us,” said Leah “I’ll explain later.”

“Sounds like you have that on good authority,” said the cook. “So what’s the plan?”

“I’ll change the compass headings every night until we reach Antigua,” said Leah. “You know-how,” asked the cook.

“I think so,” said Leah.

“I’ll keep watch! When you hear Ouee Ouee, run for cover.”

“I’ll do that,” said Leah.

“Here take this bread,” said the cook. “It’ll strengthen you.”

Leah stuffed the bread into the deep pockets of the sailor pants. Then she carefully tiptoed to the empty wheelhouse to change the compass headings while the cook stood watch at the galley window. This was easier than expected Leah thought.

Leah heard the pirates slurring the words to their songs. It wasn’t long before she heard the ringing sound of swords with metal against metal as the pirates fought amongst themselves.