Free Black Sheep's Daughter by Carola Dunn Page A

bird behind or clip its wings…”
    “She’ll never do that,” Andrew was certain.
    “Then not a league beyond Port Royal shall I carry Miss Danville and her parrot. Pray inform her that she must seek another vessel to carry her to England."
    Teresa accepted the verdict without demur. She was unhappily aware that she ought to have left Gayo at home. He had never caused any trouble there and she had not realised how disruptive he could be. It was too late now. She could not abandon him to the doubtful care of strangers and the thought of clipping his wings revolted her.
    Indeed, there was no good reason why she and Marco need look to the Royal Navy for transportation. It should not be difficult to take passage on one of the many merchant ships that plied the Atlantic between Jamaica and England.
    The only trouble was that once Sir Andrew had sailed off aboard the Destiny , she might very well never see him again.
     

Chapter 6
     
    Captain Fitch no longer took his meals in the wardroom with his officers and his passengers. Teresa supposed him to be so angry with her that he preferred to dine in solitary splendour in his cabin.
    It was Willy, a chastened shadow of his former perky self, who disabused her of this notion. "It's his eyes, miss. Mortal bad, they be. The sawbones can't do nothing for 'em. Says it's some tropical disease and cap'n's like to go blind."
    Sorry as she was for the captain, Teresa brightened at this news. She consulted the ship's doctor, who confirmed the cabin boy's report. "There's nae a great deal known o' yon tropical infections," he went on. "I hae me doots there's nae doctor e'en in Kingston can cure it."
     Eagerly Teresa offered a herbal eyewash. "If it is as bad as you say it cannot harm him," she pointed out. "You had best administer it, though, for the poor man is quite out of charity with me. Only if it works, please tell him it was my doing and perhaps he will be grateful enough to let me stay on the Destiny to England."
      By the time the lookout in the crow's nest sighted Port Royal two days later, Captain Fitch's eyes were definitely on the mend. With considerable reluctance and still more trepidation, he acknowledged his debt to Miss Danville and gave his permission for her to remain on board. As he mentioned to Andrew, she was, after all, Lord Frederick Danville's niece, though he rather doubted that Lord Frederick's brother, the duke, would thank him for adding a blasphemous bird to his domestic arrangements.
     Teresa's pleasure at his capitulation was overshadowed by Oscar's imminent departure. She realised that she had relied on her older brother's presence as a sort of deputy for her father. From now on, she was the eldest family member;  Marco would depend on her as she had depended on Oscar.
     As the Destiny sailed into Port Royal harbour, she recollected that Josefa was also to lose a brother now. The maid was sister to the manservant who would stay in Jamaica with Oscar, and though she had seen little of him during the voyage she must certainly wish to take leave of him.
     Leaving her brothers and Sir Andrew watching the busy harbour from the forecastle, Teresa went below. She found Josefa packing up her few possessions.
     "We do not go ashore," she told the maid. "The Destiny will stay only to pick up supplies and despatches and we leave again tomorrow."
     " Lo siento, señorita, pero no voy con usted."   After nine days confined to her bunk, the girl was shaky but determined. Nothing, she vowed, could make her stay on board and the only thing that would ever make her brave the sea again was the prospect of going home to Costa Rica. Don Oscar and her brother would take care of her, the señorita must not worry. Her mind was made up.
     Disheartened, Teresa climbed back up to the forecastle. The world seemed to be conspiring to prevent her travelling with Sir Andrew. She knew that Oscar would refuse to let her go on without any female companion, and indeed she could