A Bride for Adam

He led her down the long, narrow, dark hallway to a door at the end of the main hall. Adam opened it, led with his lantern, and steered Greta into the captain’s quarters. Once inside, he hung the lantern on a hook on the wall. This is my quarters—well, usually.”
“It’s pretty,” she said, rubbing her hand along the mahogany dresser.
Adam set her satchel down on the bed. “Here’s the wardrobe—just push my things to the back.” Adam patted the mattress. “This is your bed.”
“Adam, I’m a bit afraid to sleep in here alone. I mean, it’s so dark and strange.”
He rubbed his chin and looked around the room. “I could string up a hammock. If I slept on the hammock over there,” he pointed to the other side of the large room, “you’d be all right?”
“Yes!” she said quickly. “At least, until I get used to the room and the darkness.”
“Good.” He walked to the door. “I’m going to wait outside while you undress. Call me when you’re in bed, and I’ll come in.”
He went across the hall, fetched the canvas hammock, and waited by the door to his cabin for Greta to call him. When she did, he came in, set up the hammock, and walked over to the bed where she was huddled beneath the quilt, pulled up to her chin, looking frightened.
He turned off the lantern and sat down on the bed. “Shall I tell you a story?”
“Oh, please do,” she said.
It was too dark to see if she was smiling, but he thought she might be. “I’d tell you the story of how the pirates overtook me and kept me locked up for weeks, but that wouldn’t soothe you to sleep. How about I sing you a lullaby?”
Greta actually laughed.
He felt as if he’d eased her fears somewhat. “I’ll tell you what: I’ll go over and get into my hammock, and we’ll talk until you feel relaxed enough to fall asleep.”
“I think that as long as I hear your voice, I’ll be all right,” she said.
Adam undressed and climbed into the hammock.
“I’ll tell you about growing up in the Sutherland home. It was here, in Philadelphia. We had a huge house, and it was a happy home. My mother wanted a daughter in the worst way, but after Seth, she had several miscarriages and finally, a stillbirth—that was another boy.
“Mother had asthma, and in the winter—we get some bad ones here—she became deathly ill. Then, when Seth was about five, he started wheezing, too. My mother’s doctor advised us to move to a warm, dryer climate. My father heard about some land for sale, and that’s how we ended up in Fort Worth. Levi and Isaac were old enough by then to stay and run the business.
“Has Bethany shown any signs of asthma?” he asked. When he got no answer, he smiled, turned over, and went to sleep.
Adam sprung up when Manny pulled on his leg to awaken him. Through the slight moonlight, he saw that Manny was about to say something so he put his finger to his lips.
His first mate looked over at the bed and rolled his eyes.
Adam dressed quickly and left the room with his first mate. Once on the deck, he saw the rest of the crew boarding in the dark. He waited until they were all lined up before giving them the rules, assigning jobs, and giving orders to the crew. At the end, he made an important announcement. “I have my wife onboard this trip. You will do no more than glance at her and nod—is that understood? You will not talk to her, stare at her, or otherwise make her feel uncomfortable.”
Adam turned to the cook. “Tully, if my wife wants to help you in the kitchen or laundry, you are to let her and treat her respectfully.”
Tully nodded.
“That’s all,” Adam said. “Get to your assigned posts.” He looked at Manny. “You’re exempt from the rule. You may speak to my wife and do everything possible to make her first sea voyage a good one.”
“Just because I’m an old coot?” Manny laughed. “I’ll do me best.”
“Are the maps set? Did you adjust the compass?”
Manny nodded. “I did that before I woke you.”
Adam clapped him on the back. “Let’s get Eve going, then.”
The boarding ramp was removed, the crew hoisted the sails, and Adam took his place at the helm.
~~~~***~~~~
The roiling of the ship woke Greta with alarm. Her bed seemed to be moving. She sat up and rubbed her eyes before she remembered where she was. Adam’s hammock was empty, and she could hear men yelling. The only windows in the room were at the very rear of the ship. She was sure there was a name for it; she’d learn it later. Greta stood on the bed, looked out the window, and saw the parting of the water by the ship’s forward progress. She saw land, but it was far away. A thrill ran through her. She dressed quickly. Greta had thought ahead and packed skirts and blouses, for without someone to help her dress, she couldn’t have worn dresses, because most of them buttoned down the back. The blouses all buttoned down the front. She chose a gray skirt and a red and white stripped blouse. Adam had bought her special shoes for the deck. As ugly as they were, she knew that if she appeared on deck without them, he’d scold her. She put on the oxfords with rubber soles, glad her long skirt hid them from view.
She walked down the hallway toward where there was some light filtering through, and she knew it was the stairway to the deck. Walking wasn’t as easy with the ship’s gentle roil. Greta walked slowly, even though she was excited to see the view from the deck.