Elizabeth Meyette - [Love's 01] by Love's Destiny Page B

air. Bracing herself for the inevitable meeting, she climbed the ladder to the main deck. It was quiet on deck today. Most of the men were taking a well-deserved rest after the frantic rush of yesterday. As few hands as possible were guiding the ship on the gentle breeze. Emily made a brief sweep of the deck trying to sight Jonathon before he spotted her. Forewarned is forearmed she thought. But he was nowhere in sight. Relief mixed with a twinge of disappointment filled Emily as she strolled.
    As clear as the sky and as bright as the sun were, a choppiness of the water gave evidence of the previous day’s violent storm. The air was cool against her skin, but the sun tempered it with warmth. Emily reveled in the free open feeling after being in confining cabins for so long. She watched the men work with none of the urgency that had spurred them on the day before. The rhythmic rise and fall of the ship was bracing and soon the turbulent emotions that had caused her to despair earlier were eased and calmed.
    That day and the next, tending Andrew occupied her. Gradually he came to awaken for longer intervals. Emily busied herself with spooning broth into his mouth at every opportunity and reassuring him gently whenever he rose to consciousness. Walking on deck when she had a brief respite, Emily had the opportunity to convince herself that what had happened in Jonathon’s cabin was entirely his fault and that her reaction should be one of justified indignation. She even prepared a little speech to reprimand him and cause him to beg her forgiveness. But she grew frustrated when he did not appear.
    As she was tending Andrew that evening, Mr. Gates came in and checked the boy over carefully.
    “Andrew is doing well. This rest is what he needed more than anything. He will be weak for quite some time. Continue to spoon feed him, Miss Wentworth, though soon he will be feeding himself.” He smiled at her reassuringly.
    “Thank you for all that you have done, Mr. Gates,” and trying to sound nonchalant, she paused. “How is Captain Brentwood? I have not seen him on deck.”
    Mr. Gates peered at her for a moment. “I wondered if you had forgotten about him, lass. He is not faring as well as Andrew, I am afraid. He would not rest and is now lying with a fever.” Emily looked at him with large, fearful eyes. “He has been calling your name, missy. Perhaps if you spoke to him it would help bring him out of this.”
    “He called my name?” she exclaimed. “I do not understand, sir.”
    Again Mr. Gates studied her. “Do you not, lassie?”
    Emily looked down at her folded hands. “Will he recover, Mr. Gates?”
    “It is hard to say right now. He has a strong will to survive. But remember, lass, he was in that icy water as well as your brother, and with a nasty gash in his hand, too.”
    Suddenly Emily was filled with remorse for the way she had treated the man who had saved not only her brother’s life, but once her father’s as well.
    “I shall go to him if you think it will help, Mr. Gates.”
    “It cannot hurt, lassie, and it was your name he was calling.”
    Emily was shocked when she entered Jonathon’s quarters. He lay on his bunk plucking at the sheet and mumbling incoherently. His forehead was beaded with perspiration, and the light sheet that covered him was damp. The crewman beside his bed rose and left at a nod from Mr. Gates. Striding over to the bed, Gates wrung out a cloth from a bucket of water nearby and gently washed the sweat from Jonathon’s face. A worried frown puckered his brow, and he turned to the girl.
    “This fever could last the week or it could break today. The sooner it breaks the better. He needs liquids and cool water compresses. If the truth be known, lass, I need you more here than in your brother’s cabin.” He looked at her pleadingly.
    “He saved my brother’s life as well as my father’s, Mr. Gates. I shall do anything I can,” she answered.
    “That is the girl. I shall get