Free The Sea Hawk by Brenda Adcock Page B

nothing fancy, but much lighter than the clothes we have."
    Julia scanned the simple skirt and blouse Kitty wore and nodded. "She must be a mind reader. I was trying to think of a way to alter this one."
    "When you have changed, the captain has invited us to dine with her in her cabin. She has given us free rein of the ship," Kitty smiled.
    "Not like we'd have any place to go if we left it," Julia groused. Remembering her visitor from the night before, she added, "Why don't you join her and just bring me something?"
    As soon as Kitty left the cabin, Julia tore part of her petticoat and used it to wash her body before dressing. The clothing Simone sent was soft and supple and Julia luxuriated in the way it felt against her skin. It was almost as soft as her old knit pullover. She missed her cargo pants and deck shoes.
    The first sound striking her ears as she stepped on deck less than an hour later was the snapping sound of the sails under a steady breeze. She was pleased to discover there were pockets on either side of the ankle length tan skirt she wore and sank her hands into them while she strolled along the deck, nodding to an occasional seaman. She didn't know much about the actual workings of the old sailing ship, but found it all fascinating. Men scampered up the sail rigging as if it was nothing more than a ladder. If she had been wearing her usual clothing, she might have given it a try herself. As she neared the bow, she stepped onto a raised platform and walked to the foremost portion of the ship. She looked out over the vast water the ship was cutting through and saw nothing but miles and miles of water. She leaned over the railing to get a closer look at the figurehead adorning the ship's bow. The carved head and body of an eagle, its wings swept dramatically back, its beak open to capture its prey, protruded from beneath the bowsprit. An occasional breeze added to the forward movement of the ship and whipped though Julia's hair as she took in the water world around her. It reminded her of riding in Amy's convertible with the top down.
    "Is beau , no, Mademoiselle ?" a voice asked.
    She cast a glance over her shoulder and saw the boy who had been in Simone's cabin the night before. Smiling at him, she said, " Oui, c'est très beau. "
    Her response and smile brought a wide grin to the boy's face and he stepped up next to her, resting his chin on his forearms as he joined her at the rail. They watched the sea flow beneath them silently for several minutes. Suddenly standing erect and leaning over the railing, the boy pointed down toward the water. " Dauphins! "
    Julia laughed, "Yes, dolphins." She and the boy moved from one side to the other and delighted in watching the antics of their escorts. Eventually, the dolphins dove beneath the water in front of the ship and disappeared.
    Turning to Julia, the boy bowed slightly, " Je suis Joaquin ."
    With a smile, Julia curtseyed. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Joaquin. I am Julia." Seeing the expression on his face, she said, " Je m'appelle Julia. "
    "My English she no so good," Joaquin said. Reaching into the pocket of his baggy breeches, he pulled out a napkin and handed it to Julia. " Faucon say you eat."
    Taking the small bundle, Julia uncovered a generous chunk of dark bread, a small wedge of cheese, and an apple cut into slices. Suddenly she was hungry and popped an apple slice into her mouth. Motioning with her head, she draped her arm around Joaquin's shoulder and the two left the bow of the ship, speaking a mixture of French and English. As they walked and laughed, Julia noticed the tall figure standing on the wheel deck, hands clasped behind her back, wind ruffling her short dark hair and white shirt.
    " Faucon say we go home," Joaquin said.
    "Where is home, Joaquin?" Julia asked, returning her attention to the boy.
    "Martinique. Seven or eight days by good wind."
    Nodding, Julia continued eating.
    Simone had been watching Julia since she stepped on deck and