someone spot the bastards before now?”
“The fog,” Mr. Garris answered nervously. “The watchman sounded the alarm as soon as he spotted it. I roused the crew, but as I told you, sir, when you weren’t in your cabin, I had to look for you.”
“Don’t worry about that now,” Derek snapped, turning to give him a black look. Then he saw Julie clinging to the railing, her face ashen with fright. “What the hell are you doing up here, woman? I told you to stay below. Watson, get her out of here.”
Grover Watson clamped a firm hand on her arm, but she pulled away. “No. I’ve a right to know what’s going on.”
Derek walked over and towered above her, glaring down. “That Yankee cruiser out there is about a mile away, and they’ve spotted us. They’re coming after us at full steam. We have no way of knowing how many guns they’ve got, so we’ve got to try and outrun them. If they capture us, they’re going to find the cotton stashed below and other cargo that will prove we’re a blockade runner. That means we’re captured, Julie. If they decide to capture us, that is. They could just blow us to bits and sink us. So I want you to go below. If shells start flying, I don’t want you hurt.” He sucked in his breath after his verbal explosion.
Garris had hurried down to the engine room to urge the firemen to stoke faster and thus build up more speed. The other officers, and a man someone called a “pilot,” looked away uncomfortably. They all turned to stare toward the pursuing Yankee steamer.
Derek reached for Julie’s hand, which was cold and stiff. His eyes searched hers deeply, as though he was trying to convey some silent message, but she could only look up at him in confusion. He said, “Julie, this isn’t the time or the place, but perhaps somehow you’ll understand when I say I care what happens to you. I care! Now please, go below and stay with your mother. I’ll let you know when the danger is past. Be the brave, courageous woman I know you’re capable of being. The time for shriveling, helpless femininity has passed. We’re at war.”
She turned and fled, hurrying down to her cabin, heart and mind jumbled, dazed. He cared . What did that mean? Did he care about her as a woman, or was it merely concern for a passenger in his charge?
She did not know, but even with the tension surrounding them, as though the fog itself had crept up to consume them in its midst, Julie had found herself aroused by his closeness, the huskiness of his voice. The strength and power he exuded had made her want to melt into his arms once again, where she knew she would feel comforted and protected.
Her mother was waiting for her, face white with panic. “Did you find out anything?”
Julie told her all she knew. There was nothing to do but wait, and while her mother kept stealing curious, probing glances at her, Julie was grateful she asked no more questions about her relationship with Derek.
Perhaps a half hour passed, though it seemed much longer, before there was a loud pounding on the door. Julie hurried to answer, and found herself facing a crewman she’d never seen before. He was leaning on a crudely fashioned crutch, his leg bandaged in a splint.
Doffing his cap, he explained that he’d been sent by the captain. “My name’s Duffy, and Captain Arnhardt said I was to come down here and sit with you ladies and try to keep you from gettin’ too upset. I ain’t no good topside nohow, not with this busted leg I got a few days ago when I fell from some riggings.” He smiled nervously.
Grateful for the company, Julie waved him inside, saying, “Maybe you can tell us what’s happening up there. It’s agony not knowing.”
He glanced nervously toward the round window. “The Yankees are gaining at a rapid speed. From what I heard some of the men say, they’re bearing down on us with sail and steam, and they’re sailing from the north, so they’re making fast time. We’re almost into the Bay
“The fog,” Mr. Garris answered nervously. “The watchman sounded the alarm as soon as he spotted it. I roused the crew, but as I told you, sir, when you weren’t in your cabin, I had to look for you.”
“Don’t worry about that now,” Derek snapped, turning to give him a black look. Then he saw Julie clinging to the railing, her face ashen with fright. “What the hell are you doing up here, woman? I told you to stay below. Watson, get her out of here.”
Grover Watson clamped a firm hand on her arm, but she pulled away. “No. I’ve a right to know what’s going on.”
Derek walked over and towered above her, glaring down. “That Yankee cruiser out there is about a mile away, and they’ve spotted us. They’re coming after us at full steam. We have no way of knowing how many guns they’ve got, so we’ve got to try and outrun them. If they capture us, they’re going to find the cotton stashed below and other cargo that will prove we’re a blockade runner. That means we’re captured, Julie. If they decide to capture us, that is. They could just blow us to bits and sink us. So I want you to go below. If shells start flying, I don’t want you hurt.” He sucked in his breath after his verbal explosion.
Garris had hurried down to the engine room to urge the firemen to stoke faster and thus build up more speed. The other officers, and a man someone called a “pilot,” looked away uncomfortably. They all turned to stare toward the pursuing Yankee steamer.
Derek reached for Julie’s hand, which was cold and stiff. His eyes searched hers deeply, as though he was trying to convey some silent message, but she could only look up at him in confusion. He said, “Julie, this isn’t the time or the place, but perhaps somehow you’ll understand when I say I care what happens to you. I care! Now please, go below and stay with your mother. I’ll let you know when the danger is past. Be the brave, courageous woman I know you’re capable of being. The time for shriveling, helpless femininity has passed. We’re at war.”
She turned and fled, hurrying down to her cabin, heart and mind jumbled, dazed. He cared . What did that mean? Did he care about her as a woman, or was it merely concern for a passenger in his charge?
She did not know, but even with the tension surrounding them, as though the fog itself had crept up to consume them in its midst, Julie had found herself aroused by his closeness, the huskiness of his voice. The strength and power he exuded had made her want to melt into his arms once again, where she knew she would feel comforted and protected.
Her mother was waiting for her, face white with panic. “Did you find out anything?”
Julie told her all she knew. There was nothing to do but wait, and while her mother kept stealing curious, probing glances at her, Julie was grateful she asked no more questions about her relationship with Derek.
Perhaps a half hour passed, though it seemed much longer, before there was a loud pounding on the door. Julie hurried to answer, and found herself facing a crewman she’d never seen before. He was leaning on a crudely fashioned crutch, his leg bandaged in a splint.
Doffing his cap, he explained that he’d been sent by the captain. “My name’s Duffy, and Captain Arnhardt said I was to come down here and sit with you ladies and try to keep you from gettin’ too upset. I ain’t no good topside nohow, not with this busted leg I got a few days ago when I fell from some riggings.” He smiled nervously.
Grateful for the company, Julie waved him inside, saying, “Maybe you can tell us what’s happening up there. It’s agony not knowing.”
He glanced nervously toward the round window. “The Yankees are gaining at a rapid speed. From what I heard some of the men say, they’re bearing down on us with sail and steam, and they’re sailing from the north, so they’re making fast time. We’re almost into the Bay
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