Stormy Seas: Part 12

  I hurried up on deck after finishing helping Jack make tray after tray of biscuits. I had flour down my skirt despite having worn an apron.

The wind caught my skirts as I came out onto the deck. I drank in the fresh sea air and the warm rays of sunlight that fell on my face. Since I was going to be on the ship I had decided that I would make the best of it. At the very least I had managed to escape from Aunt.

I was snapped back to the reality of the ship as water splashed and began pooling around my feet. I looked down and lifted the hem of my skirt.

“Sorry!” the red haired fellow I had seen at breakfast shouted from across the deck. He turned a bucket right side up again. I saw Eldon with him, mopping the wooden deck. I was also aware of quite a lot of sailors climbing all over the ship. I hurried over to Eldon.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Swabbing,” Eldon said.

“Swabbing the poop deck?” I asked with a childish grin.

He straightened up and cocked a haughty eyebrow. “The aft deck,” he said.

“The poop deck is down the hold,” the redhead laughed. “Where you-”

“Ray,” Eldon said in something near a warning tone.

“I've never acted like a gentleman in my life, I won't start now.”

“It's very nice to meet you,” I greeted.

He shrugged, muttered something and mopped away down the deck.

“Want to help?” Eldon asked.

“What do I do?”
“Fill the bucket,” he said. He motioned to one behind me.

I went over and picked it up by a rope attached to the handle. “Where?” I asked.

“Over the side.”

I went to the railing with the bucket and looked down at the waves. “Salt water?” I asked.

“You can't waste fresh water,” he explained. He continued mopping and watched me.

I lowered it hand over hand. The bucket hit the water and the rope wrenched away to the side. I yelped as I was pulled into the railing and almost lost my hold on the rope.

“You've still got it,” Eldon said from behind me.

I turned to look and saw him there holding onto the end of the rope. “I can't get it up!” I cried.

“You haven't even tried yet,” he said.

I tugged, trying to get it out of the waves. “It won't come!”

“Of course it will,” he insisted. The rope was slack in his hand.

I tried again. Very slowly I was able to drag it upwards and out of the water, but the weight didn't seem to change. “Help,” I pleaded.

“Give her a push over!” a sailor on the mast laughed down at us.

“You can get it, you're stronger than you look,” Eldon said quietly. He wasn't going to help.

I leaned back, using my weight to pull it up. The rope was now rubbing on the railing as I reached to pull it up.

“There! It's coming.”

I turned around and glared at him. The bucket came up to the top and started to tilt and spill. I leaned forward and caught the handle, then hauled it over the rail and set it on the deck.

“See, I knew you could do it,” he grinned at me.

“Makin' her work Eldon?” Ray called from across the deck.

“You should be nice to nice lady Mr. Elderton,” Ameya said as he passed by.

“Eldon,” he responded.

“Maybe someone else will not make you work,” Ameya laughed wheezily. “Is better to follow someone else.”

“Hey! She's alright!” Eldon defended himself.

I saw Michael from breakfast heading down the mast at Eldon. “I am alright,” I insisted. “In fact I'm glad I could do it on my own.” It was true. My arms ached but I was proud of myself, I had done something no one expected me to be able to do. No one but Eldon.

“Crew!” A warning call from Rhoden sounded as he climbed up out of the hold. They scattered, all except Ameya.

“We keep eye on you Mr. Elderton,” he laughed.

“Eldon,” Eldon said sourly. “You can return to your cabin if you'd like Miss Winters.”

“Vivian,” I corrected him, “and I would rather stay and help.”

He smiled. “You take the mop then, and I'll fetch the water.”

I nodded and took the mop from his hand. It seemed that we were friends now, and I was more than pleased by that.