“Miss Fowles. We are too well acquainted for you to have such a reaction and not explain yourself. I saw your face. First you showed shock, but now you appear relieved. What has upended you?”
“Nothing.” She tried to remain nonchalant, but he raised one brow and peered at her, and his inviting face made her want to capitulate.
He tapped his fingers on the table expectantly, and she sighed. “When you said that someone invited you to Ireland, I assumed your good friend was ... was ...”
He erupted into laughter and brushed his wet hair from his face again. “A lady friend?”
Ann nodded, and if the color in her cheeks could get any redder, she was sure it had reached its zenith.
“Ho, ho now! Let me set the record straight.” He leaned forward, his wide palms on the table. “I donothave any sort of significant female friends besides my now-deceased grandmother. You have my word.”
“Well, there you have it.” Ann clasped her hands and tried to remain unaffected by the good news. Her own thoughts shocked her. Since when had she decided to glory in his singleness? “Glad we cleared up that matter.”
“Me too,” said Mr. Boyd. His smile held for a moment but then seemed to cloud, his brow furrowing as he shook his head.
Ann had to admit she’d thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with the enigma of a sailor across from her, but it seemed she’d reached the end of the appropriate amount of time she ought to sit by him alone in the dim light.
“I simply needed a bit of a change of scenery, Mr. Boyd, and I thank you for providing that. I should let you get to your cabin; you should rest.”
“That I should,” he said, standing immediately and pulling one hand over his nearly dry face.
Their eyes met, and he held her gaze. He seemed to want to say something more, but after a few moments, he turned away with a simple, “I really should be getting some sleep.”
Chapter 13
March 14, 1854
3 weeks at sea
The storm finally ceased, but the morning brought its own wave of terror. Before the sun had crested the horizon, the captain summoned Will to his quarters. If he knew anything about Captain Fairfield, a meeting with the upper crew members at a quarter to five could only mean the worst.
“Men, I’ve gathered you to inform you of terrible news.” Captain Fairfield drew his hand over his face. Will looked around the room. Crenshaw sulked in the corner. Jack sat nearest him, and Drake and Wilson, secondary helmsman and third mate, stood against the back wall while Mr. Haddock, the head carpenter, held his gray-flecked head in his hands across the table from the captain. The only other upper crew member missing was Mr. Stevens, the main helmsman, who was at the wheel.
The captain cleared his throat. “I saw the telltale red sores of smallpox on two of the passengers.”
Everyone was still until Will broke the silence. “But sir, you shouldn’t have gotten close to anyone with it—”
“I had it when I was eight, Boyd,” he said. “So I am at much less risk, and I also understand the gravity. They were in steerage, no less.” He shook his head. “It will be impossible to keep it contained.”
The “speckled monster” was something Will had evaded during all his past journeys. Of course he’d heard of it breaking out on long voyages such as these, but he’d never witnessed it firsthand.
“Boyd, have you had it?” Captain Fairfield wrung his hands as he glanced up.
“No, sir.”
The captain winced. “Flynn? Crenshaw?”
“I have, sir,” replied Crenshaw. Will hadn’t ever really noticed, but the man’s neck and cheeks bore several pockmarks.
“Me as well,” Jack answered. Drake and Wilson also signaled in affirmative.
“When you are as old as the hills like me,” said Mr. Haddock with a smirk, “of course you’ve had it.”
Apparently, most men of the seas did not make it to these positions without a decent amount of immunity. Except for himself.
The captain sighed and stared down Will. “Mr. Boyd, do your very best to stay away from it. I can’t have you falling ill. I’ll meet with Mr. Garn as soon as we adjourn, and we’ll begin measures to mitigate the risk.”
“How many more people have exhibited symptoms without the actual smallpox?” Will wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer to his own question, but he felt he had to ask.
