1 Chapter 1
“I thought we had an agreement.” Dimmock paused. “Ben?”
Captain Benjamin Scott of the Royal Navy was so engrossed in the letter he was reading, that he didn’t hear what his first officer, Charles Dimmock, was saying. Deep in thought, he leaned back in the armchair. The clamor from the street seeped in through the windows of his second floor room of the Mayflower Hotel.
He stirred. “If I were to leave now, how many days could I spend in Portsmouth, before I have to return?”
“With all due respect, Benjamin, you heard what the yard manager said. The repairs to the Sunrise will take over a month.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter at this point, Charles. I’ve decided I don’t want to go,” Benjamin replied, smiling. “At times like this, a captain must remain near his ship.”
He spoke with passion, perhaps more to convince himself than Dimmock, who could surely hear the rustle of the straws Captain Scott was grasping for.
Come on Ben, you can do better! You used to come up with more creative excuses than that.
“It’s not that I don’t trust you, my old friend,” Benjamin added with a wry smile.
“What if we asked Mrs. Scott to join us here? Captain Maitland of the Warwick sent for Lady Maitland to join him this week.” Dimmock was a persistent man.
Benjamin interrupted him with a wave of the hand. “Enough, Charles. My mind’s made up. I believe the Sunrise will be ready long before the Warwick, despite the crowded Gibraltar dockyards, and the incredibly slow pace of the maintenance work. Besides, I know Irene all too well, and she would never undertake such a journey.” A pause. “Mr. Randall!” Benjamin called out.
Randall, Benjamin’s steward, appeared from the next room and stood silently at attention, awaiting orders from his master. Benjamin gave him the letter, along with his instructions, then smiled at Dimmock, and buttoned his vest. “Shall we head to the shipyard now?”
* * * *
The Mayflower Hotel where Benjamin was staying, was located near the Convent, far from the shipyards. However, that morning was favorable for a long walk. The crisp air brought a touch of red to Benjamin’s cheeks and ruffled his dark, curly hair. Gibraltar’s streets were noisy and chaotic, as usual. Small groups of locals danced on the street corners to lively violin and guitar music.
But Benjamin didn’t notice the vivacious, jovial atmosphere around him. His forehead was furrowed, his gaze wary, gray, and lifeless. This had been his customary expression for far too long—months, or had it been years?
How much time had passed since that day in the West Indies?
The more he tried to remember, the harder it became. As time passed, his memories became muddled, and his emotions grew flat and dull. He pushed back an errant lock of hair, as if that defiant gesture could drive his thoughts away.
* * * *
Work on the Sunrise was proceeding slowly, but efficiently. If it continued apace, they could expect to set sail by the end of the month, Benjamin thought, observing the scaffolding set along the sides of the ship. He nodded, clasping his hands behind his back, smiling at the yard manager next to him.
“Fine, Mr. Dimmock,” Ben said, once they were alone. “Shall we see the crew next?”
“The usual inspection?”
“Exactly. And the customary little rowboat excursion out in the bay, just to keep our men in shape.”
* * * *
It was late in the afternoon when Benjamin returned to the Mayflower. He locked the door behind him and lingered for a moment. He felt restless, like he wanted to do something, but didn’t know what. Little interested him, except for the desire to set sail again as soon as possible. He was only happy when he was on his vessel out at sea. Commanding a ship was a full-time endeavor, one that never really allowed him a moment’s respite. One of the greatest advantages of being constantly busy is that it didn’t allow much time for thinking.
Thinking, yeah, that’s your problem, Ben. You’ve got to stop thinking about it. About him.
He sat at the table, took off his bicorn hat, and poured a glass of wine from the carafe Randall must have left for him on the table. He looked up at the shelf full of books. He smiled. God, Jack loved those books!
You’re still thinking about him, you idiot.
He suddenly stood up and left, forgetting his hat on the table. 2
He found Vinny’s little bookshop enchanting. Since arriving in Gibraltar, Benjamin had become a regular customer. He’d bought several books, but usually went just to browse the shelves and enjoy Vinny’s pleasant company. That day, he couldn’t find anything interesting.
