right. From the solid-oak decks to the teak railings, from the tall, imperial masts to the sleek, exquisite sweep of her hull, she was superb. Royce’s Selena was larger, and possessed of more cannon, but the Liberté was built for poetry of flow upon the sea, for speed.
It was also built for comfort; Jean Beaumain was obviously a man who loved his pleasures and could afford them.
Selena’s initial impression of him as being a forthright, good-natured merchant of the oceans was dispelled when he led her belowdecks—their companions had discreetly disappeared—through wide, glossily paneled gangways. Captain Jean Beaumain was—or appeared to be—a very wealthy man, and a highly unusual one. Most freighters were designed to provide their greatest space for cargo. Officers’ quarters were generally small and Spartan. Crewmen, quite often mean, illiterate, and pugnacious, slept in hammocks or high-sided wooden boxes in spaces so grim and grimy they would have driven most animals mad. But aboard the Liberté , it seemed each officer, each crewman, had a cabin of his own. Selena judged that there could be very little hold space for cargo, given the lines of the ship. And however Beaumain presentedhimself to harbor officials at his ports of call, he was obviously no mere trafficker in common merchandise. His vessel gave no stench of transported slaves, nor the heavy reek of rum or molasses, nor the scents of hides or textiles, indigo or rice or hemp.
But even had Selena the impulse then to comment on these observations, she would have been forestalled. Because Beaumain, holding on to her hand, led her up a steep, short stretch of stairs, threw open a door, and ushered her into his quarters.
Privately, Selena admitted to a slight feeling of competitive dismay. The Liberté’s captain enjoyed a cabin more elegant than did Royce on the Selena . If the two ships clashed at sea, of course, there would be no contest. The Selena was more heavily armed by far. But in luxury, Selena had to admit that Beaumain’s quarters were superior.
The cabin was situated below the ship’s aft deck, above the rudder, and the view through three adjoining sections of small-paned windows gave one a great sense of height over the water. Writing desk and captain’s chair stood near the windows, desk, chair, and all other furnishings of the finest mahogany. Next to the desk was a map table, on which was spread a projection of the entire earth. A globe rested on the table, and Selena noted that there were small red flags in similar locations on both map and globe. There was a small dining table as well, a sideboard, and a hammock hanging between two mighty timbers looked wide enough to sleep three. The hammock contained blankets of fur. There were rugs of bearskin, leopardskin and sealskin on the floor.
“Welcome, Selena,” Beaumain said grandly. “I shall do my best to make your visit enjoyable.”
That’s what I’m afraid of , she thought, removing Rafael’s coat and Louis’s hat. Beaumain, swaggering a bit when he noticed Selena admiring his quarters, hung the garments on a peg on one of the beams, and rang a little bell that he lifted from his desk. Within seconds, a uniformed steward knocked on the door and entered.
“Yes, sir?” he asked, paying Selena no heed whatsoever. Female visitors aboard the Liberté did not, apparently, create much of a stir.
“We’ll dine, shall we, Selena?” pronounced Beaumain. “Drinkingalways whets my appetites.” She did not miss the plural. “Steward, bring us some beef stew, if you please. And champagne. We must have champagne.”
“Right away, sir.”
Beaumain sat down in his captain’s chair, selected a long, black cigar from a humidor on the desk, and lit it lovingly, savoring the taste, sending her a disarming grin. She felt her guard lowering in spite of herself. Dammit, the man was immensely likable, and also very attractive. Moreover, he seemed in no hurry whatsoever to collect
It was also built for comfort; Jean Beaumain was obviously a man who loved his pleasures and could afford them.
Selena’s initial impression of him as being a forthright, good-natured merchant of the oceans was dispelled when he led her belowdecks—their companions had discreetly disappeared—through wide, glossily paneled gangways. Captain Jean Beaumain was—or appeared to be—a very wealthy man, and a highly unusual one. Most freighters were designed to provide their greatest space for cargo. Officers’ quarters were generally small and Spartan. Crewmen, quite often mean, illiterate, and pugnacious, slept in hammocks or high-sided wooden boxes in spaces so grim and grimy they would have driven most animals mad. But aboard the Liberté , it seemed each officer, each crewman, had a cabin of his own. Selena judged that there could be very little hold space for cargo, given the lines of the ship. And however Beaumain presentedhimself to harbor officials at his ports of call, he was obviously no mere trafficker in common merchandise. His vessel gave no stench of transported slaves, nor the heavy reek of rum or molasses, nor the scents of hides or textiles, indigo or rice or hemp.
But even had Selena the impulse then to comment on these observations, she would have been forestalled. Because Beaumain, holding on to her hand, led her up a steep, short stretch of stairs, threw open a door, and ushered her into his quarters.
Privately, Selena admitted to a slight feeling of competitive dismay. The Liberté’s captain enjoyed a cabin more elegant than did Royce on the Selena . If the two ships clashed at sea, of course, there would be no contest. The Selena was more heavily armed by far. But in luxury, Selena had to admit that Beaumain’s quarters were superior.
The cabin was situated below the ship’s aft deck, above the rudder, and the view through three adjoining sections of small-paned windows gave one a great sense of height over the water. Writing desk and captain’s chair stood near the windows, desk, chair, and all other furnishings of the finest mahogany. Next to the desk was a map table, on which was spread a projection of the entire earth. A globe rested on the table, and Selena noted that there were small red flags in similar locations on both map and globe. There was a small dining table as well, a sideboard, and a hammock hanging between two mighty timbers looked wide enough to sleep three. The hammock contained blankets of fur. There were rugs of bearskin, leopardskin and sealskin on the floor.
“Welcome, Selena,” Beaumain said grandly. “I shall do my best to make your visit enjoyable.”
That’s what I’m afraid of , she thought, removing Rafael’s coat and Louis’s hat. Beaumain, swaggering a bit when he noticed Selena admiring his quarters, hung the garments on a peg on one of the beams, and rang a little bell that he lifted from his desk. Within seconds, a uniformed steward knocked on the door and entered.
“Yes, sir?” he asked, paying Selena no heed whatsoever. Female visitors aboard the Liberté did not, apparently, create much of a stir.
“We’ll dine, shall we, Selena?” pronounced Beaumain. “Drinkingalways whets my appetites.” She did not miss the plural. “Steward, bring us some beef stew, if you please. And champagne. We must have champagne.”
“Right away, sir.”
Beaumain sat down in his captain’s chair, selected a long, black cigar from a humidor on the desk, and lit it lovingly, savoring the taste, sending her a disarming grin. She felt her guard lowering in spite of herself. Dammit, the man was immensely likable, and also very attractive. Moreover, he seemed in no hurry whatsoever to collect
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