He hooked his other arm and shoulder around a balustrade and brought his chest and then his legs over the bulwark. She let go of him. Panting, he placed both palms squarely on the deck and came up onto his hands and knees.
She rolled back as the boat pitched again, half lying, half sitting as he lifted his wet, disheveled head, and beamed at her. “Well done!”
Ann could only shake her head and clamp her eyes shut for a moment. When she opened them, he’d untangled the rope from his hand, crawled across the deck, and was leaning over her.
His lips met hers. She lifted one hand to his neck, and this time she returned his kiss with a force she hoped let him know how grateful she was that he was alive and how deeply she loved him. She wasn’t sure what the future would hold, but in this moment, they had each other, and she couldn’t think of a greater miracle. God had answered this prayer.
The spray of the water and the howling wind seemed to remind Will they couldn’t stay there forever. He stood up and gazed down the deck. Ann rose onto her knees, turning to see over her shoulder. Mr. Haddock and Mr.Flynn had pinned Crenshaw to the ground, and Flynn had his boot squarely on the man’s back.
“He’ll never sail again,” Mr. Flynn exclaimed.
Will looked back at her and extended his hand. Ann willingly accepted it. Once she stood, he put his arm around her and together they joined the trio next to the foremast.
“Well, you’ve done a good job,” said Will.
“And yer Miss Fowles has done a right excellent job too!” Mr. Flynn replied.
Crenshaw lifted his head, but Haddock pinned it back to the deck with his boot. “Don’t move a muscle, you prat,” he barked.
Will pulled Ann in tighter, a wry smile on his face. “Dare I ask, Jack, why you went after Crenshaw instead of seeing if you could save me?”
“Crenshaw was chasing after Miss Fowles here, and I figured ye’d want me to save her over yer own self.”
Will pursed his lips and considered. “That’s right.”
“But by the looks of things,” Jack added with a smile, “seems Miss Fowles is more capable than half our sailors. Looks like we might even be havin’ some openings, miss.”
Will laughed and turned to Ann. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to help tie this man up and take him to the captain.”
“Of course,” Ann said, reluctantly releasing her hold on him.
Will pulled her back against his side and turned over what used to be his unscarred palm, glancing at the fresh rope burns. “Thank you for saving my life,” he whispered into her hair.
“Just finally returning the favor.”
His lips erupted into a smile. He gave her one last embrace and then went on his way.
Chapter 39
April 16, 1854
54 days at sea
With Crenshaw in ironsin the brig, Will tried to sleep for a few hours, but they passed fitfully. Visions of Ann saving him mingled with the way he hadn’t been able to save his own father. He glanced down at his hands; the fresh wounds on one the reminder of his miracle; the scars on the other a reminder of his failure.
He didn’t understand why God hadn’t saved his father that day all those years ago. He might never know until the next life. But he did know God had saved him too many times not to recognize His hand in all things and start acting accordingly. Last night had changed him, had given him clarity. He wanted God in his life, and he wanted Ann there too.
The sky lightened in the east, and he rose and dressed. He was making his way onto the waist deck, ready to take Crenshaw’s watch, when a tired but utterly beautiful woman turned toward him.
“I figured you’d be up early,” Ann breathed, sounding relieved to see him. The wind still blew steadily, but the choppy slurry from last night had quelled considerably.
“You ought to be sleeping, after such a night.” He drew near her and whisked a bit of hair out her face.
“On the contrary, experience taught me that you would not even think of properly bandaging your wound, so I thought to bring the necessities to you.”
He laughed and tipped his head toward her. “I suppose you are getting to know me.”
“It doesn’t take much time to learn of your stubbornness,” she returned.
