Not knowing what else to do, she knelt down and prayed that Lee wouldn’t hurt Dawson.She was thankful that at least Dawson had Tiffany with him.Perhaps he wouldn’t be so frightened.But every time Elizabeth thought of her child crying out for her, and she wasn’t there, her heart broke.
She dashed the tears from her eyes, then dressed in a plain gown; she didn’t need a lot of frills on a ship.
Suddenly, the ship swayed and Elizabeth stumbled and found herself on the floor.She gasped at the unexpected noise and movement as books tumbled from the shelf, barely missing her head.She’d thought she’d developed sea legs.Evidently, that didn’t apply to storms.Carefully, she pushed herself up, using the bunk, and looked around the room.At least she could make herself useful by securing all the loose articles that were bound to hit the floor in these rough seas.
When Jonathan reached the deck,he could tell that the storm was in the early stages because the deck appeared unharmed.There was no loose equipment scattered about, nor did the shrouds seem torn.The brisk winds would grow stronger as the storm’s wrath bored down upon them, but for now the winds were mild compared to what would come.
Jonathan had been in two such storms when he’d sailed with Jean, and he remembered thinking that those were quite terrible, but somehow this one seemed yet rougher.
Men hurried all around him, climbing the riggings to retrim the sails.Others were stowing things away and battening down the hatches.Jonathan glanced up and saw Abe, one of the crew, trying to climb down from the crow’s nest.He’d just come over the side when a large wave surged over the ship.
Jonathan wrapped his arms around a pole and clung to it until the ship had righted itself.When he looked back at the crow’s nest, Abe wasn’t there.
Apparently, Jonathan was the only one who had seen what had happened.He had to do something.He tried to run to the other side, but the wind kept pushing him back.Finally he made it to the starboard side where he caught a glimpse of Abe bobbing like a cork and struggling against the waves as the sea crashed around him.Jonathan knew he didn’t have much time.The sea could sweep Abe away with the next large wave.
Grabbing a rope, Jonathan tied himself off, then leaned overboard.“Watch for the rope, Abe,” Jonathan shouted as he tossed the coil of rope toward the man.It missed.
“Hurry!I’m drowning, mate,” Abe yelled in a strained voice.“I can’t keep up against this sea.”
Quickly pulling the rope back in, Jonathan twirled it over his head, hoping to get more distance with this throw.With the rope being wet and heavy and the wind whipping it about, it would be very difficult to make his aim good.“Here it comes again,” Jonathan yelled over the wailing wind.“Grab the rope and wrap it around yourself.”He reared back and slung the rope again.This time, Abe managed to catch the line and hang on for dear life.
Jonathan braced himself against the rail for leverage and tugged with all his might.It seemed like forever before he finally got Abe to the side of the ship.Abe managed to climb back up and Jonathan heaved him up and over the rail.
Abe lay on the deck, gasping for breath.After catching his wind, he looked up at Jonathan and muttered his thanks.“Much obliged, mate.I owe you.”
Jonathan offered his arm and hoisted Abe to his feet.“Better keep yourself tied off.Don’t want to fish you out again.”
Jonathan pitched in, helping the crews to secure anything that would wash overboard when the seas became higher and rougher.The task was difficult; with the ship lurching and bucking, each step had to be made carefully.Ropes were strung across the deck to provide hand holds for those who had to be on deck.The ropes could mean the difference between life and death.Being washed overboard and swallowed by the raging sea was more than a vague possibility.Abe had proven that.And most of the time no one would be there to see it happen and throw a rope.Abe had been lucky.
The winds grew stronger with each passing hour.Before Jonathan knew it, night had fallen again.He made his way to the helm, where he found Jean and Dominic.A flickering lantern by the wheel struggled against the relentless wind, providing the only glow in the darkness.The only other light was the constant flash of lightning.A gust of wind tore at Jonathan and nearly threw him to the deck.
“Will we hold together?”Jonathan shouted above the wind.
Jean glanced up and grinned.“But of course, my friend.TheCiel Bleuhas withstood storms much worse than this one.Seeing as this is your first real storm, I can see why you are concerned.The other storms we experienced will seem like a mere puff of wind compared to this one,” Jean shouted above the wind.“We will keep a single sprit sail forward to keep her heels to the wind, and she’ll ride the storm as a whore would a man.”Jean chuckled.
Just then, a gigantic wave crashed over the bow, soaking the men and sending Jonathan sliding down the deck under the ropes.He grabbed for anything to stop him and, luckily, latched onto a net, which stopped him from sliding overboard.Scrambling back to his feet, he looked at Jean and Dominic, who still stood, grinning at him.He felt like a fool, which only made Jonathan angry.He shook off some of the water and shoved his hair out of his face.
“One thing, my friend.You must lash some rope around you unless you want to sleep with the fishes,” Jean reminded him, then laughed with Dominic.
“And I thought I had taught you much,” Dominic said, shaking his head.“There is landlubber in you still.”
“I’m glad to be of amusement to you both,” Jonathan said sarcastically.He tempered his anger and asked, “How much longer do you think this will go on?”
“If we’re lucky it will be over by tomorrow,” Jean said, then asked, “How is Elizabeth?”
“Worried.”
“Perhaps you should go down and reassure her.”
“I will.I did promise to tell her what was happening up top.”Jonathan turned and made his way slowly to Elizabeth’s cabin door.He knocked, pounding hard to be heard above the wind.
Elizabeth opened the door.“Jonathan, you’re soaked,” she cried, opening the door wider and drawing him inside.“Let me find you something dry to put on.”
“No,” he protested, knowing he would only get wet again.He did take the towel she offered and wiped some of the water off his face and arms.“It will have to wait.They need everyone up top.I just wanted to let you know I hadn’t forgotten you.”
“I’ll be fine.Isn’t there something I can do?”Elizabeth asked as she took the soaked towel from him.“Are we going to make it?”
“Jean assured me we wouldn’t sink.So we must have faith in our captain.However, a little prayer wouldn’t hurt,” Jonathan added with a smile.“I’d better get back up top.You stay below.That’s the best way you can help me.”
