“I assure you I do not.”
Silas had never heard such hogwash. Something was certainly playing through Miss Delmonte’s thoughts, even if she refused to admit it. In a flash, Silas thought of Hatch and wondered if she would be equally difficult to squeeze conversation from.
Getting back to the subject at hand, Silas continued, “I am requesting adaptability on your part as I wish to know my children better. Unfortunately, my new business venture will require much of my attention. My schedule is unpredictable and a stern taskmaster, so I am counting on theirs to be more pliant.”
Miss Delmonte considered that and gave him a nod. “Then I will do as you bid.”
Again, her words conveyed the appropriate deference one expected of a servant, but something in her tone had him reevaluating the meaning beneath it.
“I would hope, Miss Delmonte, you would do as you see fit for the children. If I become too demanding, you must be honest with me.”
“As you wish, sir.”
Silas let her statement drift off into silence uncontested, though he knew with absolute certainty Miss Delmonte was lying. He supposed her reply was vague enough to sound like an agreement without agreeing to anything. The promise was implied, but the words themselves did not bind her. Though he felt it was as much of a commitment as he was going to receive from her at present.
“Thank you, Miss Delmonte,” he said with a dismissive tone and a nod.
“You are most welcome, Mr. Byrnes.” The lady stood and moved to the doorway, but she paused when Silas spoke out again.
“And I do hope you find your quarters to your liking. Mrs. Barton assured me the previous furniture was quite worn and inadequate. If you require anything else, do not hesitate to speak up. You cannot hope to fulfill your duties to the best of your abilities if you aren’t properly supplied.”
There was a hint of humor in her eyes when she looked at him, though nothing in Miss Delmonte’s expression revealed the source of the jest, and her words were perfectly even and polite.
“I thank you for your generosity, Mr. Byrnes. My quarters are perfectly comfortable.” And with that, she left.
Chapter 6
There was magic in a harbor. Ships were not small things, and it took precision to guide them through the water with nothing more than the wind and waves pushing it along, especially when so many others were about. It was a miracle that so many vessels came and went daily without incident, even if the majority were anchored in the distance and the crew ferried in.
The ocean was lovely on its own, but all the more glorious to behold with the ships dotting the expanse of blue and the gulls drifting along on the breezes, their plaintive caws calling out to the sailors and leading them home. Silas even loved the scent of brine and fish that accompanied the shore.
“Isn’t she beautiful?” called Silas, swinging a wide arm to the massive ship in the distance as he strolled down the pier. “You ought to see her on the open waves with a good wind at your back—”
Silas cast a glance over his shoulder and stopped mid-word, spinning on the spot and lunging for Leah as she stretched a foot out over the edge and leaned towards the water.
“Time to swim, Papa,” she said, pushing against him.
Though Leah was still small enough to hold, she was large enough that carrying her for any distance was difficult. Yet, whenever Silas put her down, she tugged free of his hand and ran for the edge of the pier with a laugh. He supposed there was no help for it at present; he’d need to carry her until they were away from the water.
Griffith collided with him, nearly knocking Silas and Leah off the pier as the child sprinted by, his arms pumping with mighty determination and no care for the others in his path.
“Come back here this instant!” Silas shouted.
“Don’t shout at him,” came a quiet but determined voice from behind. Helen leaned against the piling with her arms crossed, though her eyes were turned away from her father.
Silas’s jaw clenched tight at the hard tone in her words and turned back to his son, who careened down the pier, utterly oblivious to all the men trying to get on with their work as he ran into one after the other.
“Griffith!” Silas tucked Leah under his arm and took off after his son without sparing a backward glance to see if Helen was following. Griffith ignored him and barreled towards the edge of the wooden platform. “Stop right this instant!”
With one squirming child in his arms, Silas couldn’t move any faster, and he watched as Griffith careened to one side, coming so close to the edge that Silas’s heart stopped. The child’s shoulder clipped a piling, throwing him towards the water, but his arms wrapped around the sturdy wood and kept him from falling over the side. But only just.
A sailor loomed over him, grabbing the lad by the lapels of his jacket to right him, and the moment Griffith’s legs were steady, he sprinted away in the opposite direction he’d been going, heading straight toward his father. Silas leapt into Griffith’s path, holding Leah at an angle so she wouldn’t strike her brother, but at the last minute, Griffith darted around him, squeezing past his father through a tiny gap. With one arm occupied, Silas grabbed at his son with his free hand, but the lad was just too slippery. Leah kicked, squealing in his awkward hold, and Silas shifted her slightly, though he couldn’t let her down yet.
And Helen stood there halfway down the pier, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.
“Martin, grab him!” Silas shouted at one of the sailors, pointing at Griffith, and though his son tried to dodge, he was no match for the grizzled man who snatched him. Turning the boy about, Martin took him by the collar and marched him to Silas.
“You cannot run off like that, Griffith!” said Silas, holding onto the last of his temper with the barest grip. As is, he was struggling enough with Leah, so he put her down, taking her hand in his with a firm grip, though she tugged with all her might.
