of Bermuda, so we’re actually trapped. It don’t look good. Not at all.”
They heard the first shot, a whining sound, then an explosion. Julie and her mother screamed in unison, but Julie quickly recovered and cried, “Are we hit?”
“That one fell short. Now’s the time for us to start firing back.”
Another shot streaked through the sky. This one, Duffy said, fell about fifty feet short on the starboard side. The third, he figured, went straight over, close to the riggings. “They’re shooting nine-inch shells from a Parrott gun, I’d say. Can’t understand why the captain ain’t shooting back.”
More explosions, each one seemingly closer than the one before. Suddenly, with a lurch the ship began to slow its forward motion. Duffy swore and yelled, “I can’t believe it. The captain must be hoisting a white flag. He ain’t going to put up a fight.”
He turned sharply to give Julie an accusing glare, his eyebrows knit tightly together. “There’s a story going around about you and the captain…how you’re sweet on each other. Must be on account o’ you. He’s scairt you’ll get killed.”
“I’m going up there.” Julie started to rise, but Duffy swiftly swung his crutch in an arc and blocked her path.
“Naw, you ain’t goin’ nowhere. I’m obeying orders no matter what, so don’t make me crack you ’cross your head, Miss Marshal. You just sit tight.”
He continued to hold the crutch across her bosom, and from the look on his face, she knew he would strike her if she attempted to move. She could do nothing but sit down and wait, praying that by some miracle, they had not been captured.
There was the sound of hurried footsteps. As three pairs of frightened, anxious eyes turned toward the door, it swung open and Edsel Garris stood there, the hand twisted about the knob as white as his stricken face. “It’s no use,” he said in a rush. “We were taken by surprise. We couldn’t outrun them, and they had bigger guns.”
“You mean the captain just… gave up ?” Julie blinked, stunned. As strong mentally as he was physically, Derek seemed like the type of man who would never back off from a fight.
“You haven’t seen the size of that ship bearing down on us, Miss Marshal. We wouldn’t have had a chance. The Ariane isn’t a war ship. We’ve always been successful at navigating and slipping in and out of blockaded ports. We’ve always been able to outrun a suspicious ship at sea. This time, luck wasn’t with us. We’re better off taking our chances and letting them pull alongside and board. Maybe we can convince them we’re merely a merchant ship. The men are dismantling the guns.”
Duffy shifted his weight to his crutch and struggled to stand. He was beyond caring at the moment that he was out of line in arguing with his commanding officer. “You don’t think they’ll search this damned ship? They’ll find the guns and the cargo.”
Garris withered him with a look. “That’s a decision for the captain to make, not you. He’s in command. You just stay here and keep the ladies here. There may be trouble if the captain doesn’t like the way things are going once the Yankees come on board.”
He stepped back into the hall and Julie tried to rise, but instantly felt the pressure of Duffy’s crutch. “Please,” she called out desperately. “I must speak with you privately.”
Frowning, Garris nodded to Duffy, who reluctantly allowed her to hurry outside. When the door closed behind them, she whispered anxiously, “It’s because of us, isn’t it? I mean, is the captain giving up because he’s afraid my mother and me would be hurt if there’s a battle?”
Edsel Garris’s smile was mocking. “Miss Marshal, when it comes to saving the Ariane , the captain wouldn’t care if his own mother were on board. He’s doing what he thinks is best for his ship. It has nothing to do with you, however close the two of you may have become in recent nights…” His
They heard the first shot, a whining sound, then an explosion. Julie and her mother screamed in unison, but Julie quickly recovered and cried, “Are we hit?”
“That one fell short. Now’s the time for us to start firing back.”
Another shot streaked through the sky. This one, Duffy said, fell about fifty feet short on the starboard side. The third, he figured, went straight over, close to the riggings. “They’re shooting nine-inch shells from a Parrott gun, I’d say. Can’t understand why the captain ain’t shooting back.”
More explosions, each one seemingly closer than the one before. Suddenly, with a lurch the ship began to slow its forward motion. Duffy swore and yelled, “I can’t believe it. The captain must be hoisting a white flag. He ain’t going to put up a fight.”
He turned sharply to give Julie an accusing glare, his eyebrows knit tightly together. “There’s a story going around about you and the captain…how you’re sweet on each other. Must be on account o’ you. He’s scairt you’ll get killed.”
“I’m going up there.” Julie started to rise, but Duffy swiftly swung his crutch in an arc and blocked her path.
“Naw, you ain’t goin’ nowhere. I’m obeying orders no matter what, so don’t make me crack you ’cross your head, Miss Marshal. You just sit tight.”
He continued to hold the crutch across her bosom, and from the look on his face, she knew he would strike her if she attempted to move. She could do nothing but sit down and wait, praying that by some miracle, they had not been captured.
There was the sound of hurried footsteps. As three pairs of frightened, anxious eyes turned toward the door, it swung open and Edsel Garris stood there, the hand twisted about the knob as white as his stricken face. “It’s no use,” he said in a rush. “We were taken by surprise. We couldn’t outrun them, and they had bigger guns.”
“You mean the captain just… gave up ?” Julie blinked, stunned. As strong mentally as he was physically, Derek seemed like the type of man who would never back off from a fight.
“You haven’t seen the size of that ship bearing down on us, Miss Marshal. We wouldn’t have had a chance. The Ariane isn’t a war ship. We’ve always been successful at navigating and slipping in and out of blockaded ports. We’ve always been able to outrun a suspicious ship at sea. This time, luck wasn’t with us. We’re better off taking our chances and letting them pull alongside and board. Maybe we can convince them we’re merely a merchant ship. The men are dismantling the guns.”
Duffy shifted his weight to his crutch and struggled to stand. He was beyond caring at the moment that he was out of line in arguing with his commanding officer. “You don’t think they’ll search this damned ship? They’ll find the guns and the cargo.”
Garris withered him with a look. “That’s a decision for the captain to make, not you. He’s in command. You just stay here and keep the ladies here. There may be trouble if the captain doesn’t like the way things are going once the Yankees come on board.”
He stepped back into the hall and Julie tried to rise, but instantly felt the pressure of Duffy’s crutch. “Please,” she called out desperately. “I must speak with you privately.”
Frowning, Garris nodded to Duffy, who reluctantly allowed her to hurry outside. When the door closed behind them, she whispered anxiously, “It’s because of us, isn’t it? I mean, is the captain giving up because he’s afraid my mother and me would be hurt if there’s a battle?”
Edsel Garris’s smile was mocking. “Miss Marshal, when it comes to saving the Ariane , the captain wouldn’t care if his own mother were on board. He’s doing what he thinks is best for his ship. It has nothing to do with you, however close the two of you may have become in recent nights…” His
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