Free Until the Sea Shall Give Up Her Dead by S. Thomas Russell

company? I have seen her lingering on the deck, waiting until you have concluded some business with your crew, only to feign surprise when she finds herself in your presence. She does hang upon your every word, and catches herself when she believes her feelings too transparent. You saved her life, and Iam of the opinion that, given her beliefs, she thinks you were sent to be her rescuer and she sent to rescue you.”
    â€œI do not believe I am in need of rescue, Mr Percival,” Hayden informed the secretary, trying not to sound scornful.
    â€œAre you not? Have you not suffered recently from romantic disappointment? Who better to rescue you than a young woman, who, I might add, has a great deal to offer? If one looks past her dress, she is comely and vivacious, her manner is both cultivated yet somehow simple and genuine, she is educated in the way of women of her class, she plays the pianoforte quite well, according to her brother, is a masterful conversationalist, charming in the extreme, and eminently sensible. All the men aboard value her company, even if they do not realise quite why, for most, like you, do not comprehend that she is a woman, and it is to her femininity that they respond.” Percival paused a moment to look down upon Angel, who had reached the deck and was pulling back his hair to tie it with a ribbon. Suddenly, this seemed an utterly feminine motion to Hayden.
    â€œDo you know the story, Captain Hayden, of the naturalist who took aboard ship with him a ‘boy’ who nightly shared his cabin? Upon arrival at their first South Pacific isle the natives immediately recognised this boy as a young vahine, though no one aboard ship had ever suspected. I wonder what it says about the English that we are so obtuse?”
    Hayden felt some irritation at this, as clearly he was one of the obtuse Englishmen—unless, of course, Percival was wrong.
    The admiral’s secretary appeared to read his thoughts, or perhaps his face. “Do not be embarrassed at this, Captain. No one else aboard has noticed that Angel is, in fact, a young woman. Any attraction they might feel to Angel would be a source of embarrassment and would be both suppressed and denied.”
    Below, Angel put a hand lightly on the shoulder of his brother, who was clearly still angered and distressed that Angel had climbed aloft. But why should he be? Young men habitually sought thrills of one sort oranother. The gesture, the hand so lightly on the shoulder, was at once familiar and appeared, suddenly, feminine.
    â€œDo you see?” Percival asked quietly, his eyes drawn to the same scene. “She mollifies her elder brother. In a moment she will set her charm to work and very soon she will make him smile—even laugh. He is no more able to resist her charm than I am . . . or you are, if I may say it.”
    Percival rolled up onto his knees from where he sat and went on hands and feet to the lubber’s hole. He lowered himself over the edge and said, “It has been a pleasure speaking with you, Captain.” He was about to disappear when his eyes narrowed and he pointed. “What is that speck . . . far off?” he asked. “Or do my eyes deceive me?”
    Hayden followed the secretary’s gaze, and there, just on the horizon, was an amber-brown smudge, so small it was almost undetectable. Standing, Hayden looped an arm around a shroud and raised his glass.
    â€œMr Archer!” Hayden called down to his first lieutenant.
    â€œSir?” Archer shaded his eyes and looked up.
    â€œSail, off the larboard bow, just on the horizon.”
    Hayden raised his glass again. The lookout, whom Hayden had sent down to give himself a moment of privacy aloft, came scrambling up.
    â€œLambert!” Hayden called to him as he climbed.
    â€œSir!”
    â€œSee our guest reaches the deck safely, if you please.”
    â€œAye, Captain. That I will.”
    Hayden lifted his glass and