My diamond necklace.
I stopped and searched every pocket, every crevice, and every hem of my clothing, but the weight of the necklace was not there. Running back to the forest, I looked all over the ground where I had slept, behind the boulder where I relieved myself, and along the trail I had taken in and out of the covering.
But the necklace was nowhere to be found.
Panic seized me, and I tried to think. How would I book passage on a ship if I didn’t have money? Part of me wanted to follow the road back the way I had come, but there was no time. Grandfather would wake soon, and he’d be on horseback looking for me. I didn’t have a moment to lose.
With one final, desperate glance, I raced back to the road and continued toward Charleston.
My mind was spinning as I came into the outskirts of town and saw the harbor in the distance. The large masts of the ships beckoned me. There were dozens of them anchored in the harbor, representing freedom and answers. I had to find one heading to Nassau.
I moved quickly toward the wharves, remembering to walk like a boy, and stopped several people. “Are any of those ships going to Nassau?” I asked one person after the other.
I received shrugs and disgruntled scowls, but a haggard seaman finally nodded and said, “I believe theAdventureris headed that way. Captain Frisk is signing on new crew members as we speak. Hop to it if ye’re wantin’ to be employed, boy.”
I hadn’t even considered the possibility of becoming a crew member, but the thought made my pulse race. I could get to Nassau without passage if I was employed by the ship’s captain.
“Which ship is it?” I asked.
He pointed to one of the largest ships in the harbor. “The captain’s overseeing the loading of cargo, but they’ll be pulling anchor soon, so you’d best hurry.”
“Thank you,” I said as I started to run.
The freedom of trousers was a thing to behold. Not even in 1927 was I allowed such liberties, though other women had begun to wear them.
The smell of the sea turned my stomach as unwashed sailors yelled instructions to dockworkers and cargo was being loaded and unloaded from ships. The sun had just crested on the horizon, past the harbor, and made the ocean come alive with color.
I finally arrived at the place where I assumed they were loading cargo onto theAdventurer.The ship was in the harbor, so the dockworkers were moving boxes and barrels from a nearby warehouse onto a large boat to transfer to the ship. The man who appeared to be in charge was probably in his midthirties and wore a well-made frock coat over a silk waistcoat. His breeches matched his frock coat, and he had shiny brass buckles on his black shoes.
“Pardon me,” I said, trying to make my voice sound less feminine as I glanced over my shoulder to make sure Grandfather hadn’t already found me. I doubted he would know where to look right away, but he might eventually discover the truth. “Is this cargo meant for theAdventurer?”
He glanced at me but didn’t look long. “Aye.” He took a step forward and motioned for one of the dockworkers to stop. “Not that barrel,” he growled impatiently in a British accent. “I want the beer brought to the ship first, then the victuals. I won’t say it again.”
I waited, swallowing my nerves. If I couldn’t find work on the ship, I might never get to my mother. I couldn’t stay in Charleston long enough to work for passage. Grandfather would find me.
“I heard you’re looking for crewmen,” I said.
He turned to me, irritation in every movement. “You have experience?”
I wanted to say yes, but it wasn’t true, and he’d learn it soon enough. “No, sir. But I’m a hard worker and I learn quick.”
“I have no desire to take on inexperienced boys. The Caribbean is fraught with danger, and I don’t need someone who will cause more trouble than he’s worth.” He moved around me and started walking down the dock.
I ran to catch up to him. “Please, sir.” I tried not to let my voice shake with my fear. “I need the job. I’m willing to work night and day for my keep.” I didn’t have the kind of skills necessary to sail a ship, but I had some skills. “I can sew, haul water, cook, clean—anything you need.”
He paused so abruptly that I almost ran into his back.
“How old are you, boy?” he asked as he looked me over.
“Four-fourteen, sir,” I said, though I hated to lie.
He grabbed my upper arm and circled it with his fingers. “There’s nothing to you.”
I fought the urge to pull away. No one touched a refined woman in such a manner—but I forced myself not to flinch or react. He thought I was a boy and was treating me thusly.
“I’m strong,” I said as I pulled from his grasp and lifted a barrel. It was heavier than I expected, but I heaved it onto my shoulder—desperation making me bold. “I need the job.”
He squinted at me. “What are you running from?”
