“Not just any book. A diary left by theowner of this house. His name was John Sharp and he was a seacaptain. His story is penned in these pages. I have just begun toread how he came here. But where he has gone, I do not know. Histale is so sad…he loved her.”
Nicholas spooned some chowder into hismouth. “Her?”
“Yes, he was madly in love with a lady ofquality. Their love was mutual but he was of low birth, and it wasforbidden.”
Nicholas sipped the wine from the casks oftheSantanas. “What happened? Why was he here?”
He could see Alexandra was ready to jumpfrom her skin she was so excited. She thumbed through the pages,and commenced reading.
June 1762 “Every experimental philosopherknows the steel and the magnate, when brought within strikingdistance, cannot be kept apart and so our love evolved. That thereis only one person you meet in your life who can turn your lifearound and that was you, my dearest Jane.”
Alexandra sighed and read more.
July 1762 “There is a tie more binding thanhumanity, and stronger than friendship that binds us. That weshared an emotional affinity and unconditional trust that knew nobounds… I dream of you, lovely dreams but when I wake, my life is anightmare for I do not have you in my arms.
August 1762 “I told you things I nevershared with another soul and you listened with every breath youtook. How we shared our future hopes and dreams that alas, neverwill come true. Never will I share in your excitement, or shareyour feelings.
September 1762 You have a good kind heartJane, always building me up, knowing when I was hurting and makingme feel like a king. You had that splendid quality to make me feelspecial, a wonderful calm that surrounded you. I could be myself inyour company. And you loved me for myself despite my wretchedcircumstances.”
Placing a hand over her heart, Alexandralooked up from her reading. “His wretched circumstancesdifferentiated him as a lowly sea captain.” She continued.
“The irrelevant became of consequenceanote, a song, a walk in the woods befell treasures to be cherished.Your laughter, like a thousand angels, brought joy. The colors ofthe world danced sunnier and more dazzling when yousmiled.”
Nicholas put his tankard down and sherefilled it with wine. As Alexandra read, her voice, velvet smooth,ran over him like the wine that settled through his veins.
January 1763 “I think of you every day,Jane. We didn’t need continuous conversation. We contentedourselves in silent communion.”
June 1764 “How I remember our picnic in themeadow. The bluest of sky, a gentle wind and fair weather clouds.The day you put your arms around me and told me how much you lovedme and could never be separated from me. The day you gave yourselfto me in body and soul.”
Alexandra snapped the book closed andNicholas liked the rush of color in her cheeks.
“I hadn’t read that far…”
“Who is Jane?”
Alexandra widened her eyes. “You are soimpatient. She is Lady Jane Winthrop Dabney. Do you know her?”
“I do. She was at my sister’s betrothalparty. I feel sorry for her because Sir Dabney, her husband is theworst kind of scoundrel, a born profligate, gambler and drunk. LadyJane Winthrop would have been better off with the sea captain.” Hecursed the aristocracy’s propensity for marriages of convenience.People should marry whom they love and damn the contract.
He tossed down the contents of his flagon,thinking of his father, so like Sir Winthrop. “The Winthrop’s werea good family but her father was stern. If he perceived a growingfascination between Lady Jane and Captain Sharp, he’d marry her offand put a stop to the attraction. Her family was wealthy. SirDabney possessed an old and noble title and a selling point.”
The wine rolled sour over Nick’s tongue.Part of him did not desire to hear anymore. Like Alexandra, themysterious existence of their benefactor called to him. Why wasCaptain Sharp alone on the island? So many questionsunanswered.
“I had one more voyage. A voyage beyondall voyages.”
Nicholas put his fork down. “What does thatmean?”
Her food untouched, Alexandra shrugged andturned the page.
“I set sail with your promises to waitfor me. You gave me your locket to remember you and I never took itoff. I hated leaving you, but you deserved the world at your feetand I would make it happen.”
“What happened?”
Alexandra flipped through pages to where sheremembered reading the information.
“No sooner had I sailed into theAtlantic, we were attacked by Barbary Pirates. With my ship seized,I faced unspeakable brutality by my captors. How I survived theprivations was a miracle when many of my crew did not. My futurelay dim, journeying to Algiers to be sold into bondage, my Musliminheritors, promising a fate worst then death. My only thoughtswere that I’d never see you again.”
Alexandra pressed her hand to her forehead.“That could have been our fate in the Brazils.”
