“It isn’t necessary,” Marcus tried to protest again.
Captain Zale took a deep breath and then fixed his hard gaze on his son. “I will not be questioned.”
Marcus’s jaw tightened, and he turned to the window once again.
“You will find Marcus’s cabin directly above mine,” Captain Zale continued. “It needs to be scrubbed and his bedding washed.”
I nodded, thankful for a job that would keep me busy, though the thought of sleeping in the same cabin as the quartermaster made me tremble all over again.
The day passed quickly as I scrubbed Marcus’s cabin. It was smaller than the captain’s, but no less comfortable or impressive. The walls were not white, but natural wood, darkened with time. An alcove bed was built into one of the walls, with a red curtain for privacy. A smaller table with four chairs was in the center of the room, and two cushioned chairs, much like the captain’s, were in the corner. I would have a cot in the opposite corner of the room, farthest from Marcus’s bed.
But what surprised me the most was his bookshelf filled with books. There were books on every subject, including science, philosophy, theology, and more. Not to mention fictional books, as well. I perused some of the titles as I dusted and saw several of my favorites.Don Quixote,Paradise Lost,The Pilgrim’s Progress, and evenRomeo and Juliet. I also foundGulliver’s Travels, which had only been published the year before.
Either Marcus Zale was a reader, or this ship had been stolen and the books belonged to someone else.
I had taken two short breaks to serve dinner and supper in the captain’s cabin with the other cabin boy, Ned, at noon and six. After the men had been served, Ned and I were allowed a break to eat our own meals. Ned was quiet and aloof, but I didn’t give him much attention.
The sun had fallen, and I was back in Marcus’s cabin putting his clean bedding on his bed. The sheet and blankets had dried in the Caribbean sun and smelled fresh.
I had lit a lantern, but it was cloudy from soot and cast shadows across the room, not providing much light. Tomorrow I would need to remember to clean the chimney.
All day long, I had been thinking about ways Timothy and I could escape, but until we were on land again, I would have to cooperate and bide my time.
As I was spreading the blanket over the bed, the door opened, causing me to jump.
It was the first time Marcus had entered his room since I arrived. I quickly finished and climbed out of his bed, my cheeks warming at being caught in his intimate space.
He was standing near the door, watching me, that same brooding expression in his dark eyes. It made me aware of everything. My clothing, my hair, my stench.
“Are you finished?” he asked.
I nodded and then stepped farther away from his bed. “Just now. Is it to your liking?”
His gaze took in the room. The cobwebs and dust were gone, and the floor had been scrubbed. “Aye. It doesn’t look like it did this morning. Well done.”
“Thank you.” My voice was small.
He nodded at the cot in the corner and asked, “Will it do?”
“Aye.”
“Good.”
We both stood for an awkward moment, and then I said, “Is there anything else I can do for you?”
He sighed deeply. “My father expects you to wait on me like a valet.”
A valet? I didn’t even know what a valet did.
“But I won’t ask it of you,” he said, his Scottish brogue puzzling me again. It was rich and deep. “You can turn in, if you’d like. You worked hard today.”
A rush of relief washed over me. All day long I had been fretting that I would be required to do more than clean and serve, but Marcus Zale surprised me. His dark, foreboding persona had made me assume he was unkind and harsh. But in the little time we’d spent together, he had been neither.
I sat on the cot and slowly took off my buckled shoes, but that was all I would remove.
Slowly, I pulled back the top cover and crawled under it.
Marcus began to disrobe, taking off his sword first, then his long black coat and his cravat. His clothing was well made, if a little worn.
