Dark of the Moon (8/?)
Feb. 19th, 2006 07:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dwgmYay for three day weekends!
Still more Dark of the Moon. The rest is here. Thanks again to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hereswith for editing.
Letty was alone when she woke, and was most thankful for this circumstance as memory returned, first a trickle, then a veritable flood. She moaned aloud. Widowed! And captured by Pirates!
Tears stung her eyes again as she thought of her murdered husband. They had been so happy, only a day ago. And now Brian was gone and all their plans laid waste. Whatever would she do with her life? She was utterly ruined! What man would want her when she had been the captive of such men as inhabited this ship?
Men who would frighten and tease for the pleasure of it. Men who would bring one tea and then berate one for being ill when the weather turned foul.
She knew she might have been in a much worse case, and yet it was the reality of what had happened in the night that caused hot mortification to course through her, and anger.
And then panic, as she heard someone approaching from without. She curled up in a tremulous ball and closed her eyes. Perhaps if she could lie very still he would think she was still asleep and leave her be.
The intruder entered and shut the door. There was a long moment's silence, and then a voice came, singsong, so close she could feel his breath in her ear. “Good morrow, Letty Granger. I know you’re awake!”
Her eyes flew open and she shrank from him. He was wearing that self-satisfied expression again, and his breath smelled of spirits! At this hour!
“You’ve been drinking!” she blurted.
“Only a wee nip,” he said, momentarily widening his eyes and assuming mask of sad guilt. But then he grinned, crookedly, a tooth flashed gold, and he smacked her blanketed hip as he rose to his feet again. “Come on, get up. Reed’s coming to clean the cabin, and I’ve promised him extra for doin’ your gown an’ things. You can wear this, in the meantime.”
He held up a mass of bright red, trimmed in wide, white lace, sorting it out and displaying it for her.
Letty stared in astonishment at the dress. “It’s enormous! And… red! I can’t wear red.”
“Whyever not? Oh! Widow’s weeds, eh? I’m afraid we’ve none on board. This’ll have to do. I know it’s a bit sudden an’ all, but trust me: this was the best of the lot. And the smallest. Unfortunate we didn’t get your trunk off the Eliza Mae before she sank.”
Unfortunate! She glared at him. “I shall stay here. I cannot wear such a garment in public.”
“You can and you will,” he returned, smoothly, but with a hint of steel. “The captain wants to see you. Would you like me to help, as I did last night?”
He would force her to do his bidding. She said, resentfully, “You were horrid to me last night.”
“Was I?” he said with spurious sympathy. “My apologies. But I assure you, I can be much horrider.”
She thought perhaps he could, though somehow she did not believe he would be so with her. Still, she did not like to test this theory. “Very well. Go outside and I shall get dressed.”
“Right.” He shook an admonishing finger. “Remember what I said about any tricks, and opening the door quick when I knock. I’ll be right back. I’ve just remembered where I saw a nice tortoise shell comb and brush amongst the swag. You’ll be needin’ it: you look a right quiz with your hair like that.”
She felt herself flushing hotly at this insult, and the feeling only increased as he chuckled and swayed out the door in great good humor. As soon as he’d closed the door she leapt from the cot and threw home the bolt. How she wished she could shut him out forever!
*
TBC
Still more Dark of the Moon. The rest is here. Thanks again to
hereswith for editing.Letty was alone when she woke, and was most thankful for this circumstance as memory returned, first a trickle, then a veritable flood. She moaned aloud. Widowed! And captured by Pirates!
Tears stung her eyes again as she thought of her murdered husband. They had been so happy, only a day ago. And now Brian was gone and all their plans laid waste. Whatever would she do with her life? She was utterly ruined! What man would want her when she had been the captive of such men as inhabited this ship?
Men who would frighten and tease for the pleasure of it. Men who would bring one tea and then berate one for being ill when the weather turned foul.
She knew she might have been in a much worse case, and yet it was the reality of what had happened in the night that caused hot mortification to course through her, and anger.
And then panic, as she heard someone approaching from without. She curled up in a tremulous ball and closed her eyes. Perhaps if she could lie very still he would think she was still asleep and leave her be.
The intruder entered and shut the door. There was a long moment's silence, and then a voice came, singsong, so close she could feel his breath in her ear. “Good morrow, Letty Granger. I know you’re awake!”
Her eyes flew open and she shrank from him. He was wearing that self-satisfied expression again, and his breath smelled of spirits! At this hour!
“You’ve been drinking!” she blurted.
“Only a wee nip,” he said, momentarily widening his eyes and assuming mask of sad guilt. But then he grinned, crookedly, a tooth flashed gold, and he smacked her blanketed hip as he rose to his feet again. “Come on, get up. Reed’s coming to clean the cabin, and I’ve promised him extra for doin’ your gown an’ things. You can wear this, in the meantime.”
He held up a mass of bright red, trimmed in wide, white lace, sorting it out and displaying it for her.
Letty stared in astonishment at the dress. “It’s enormous! And… red! I can’t wear red.”
“Whyever not? Oh! Widow’s weeds, eh? I’m afraid we’ve none on board. This’ll have to do. I know it’s a bit sudden an’ all, but trust me: this was the best of the lot. And the smallest. Unfortunate we didn’t get your trunk off the Eliza Mae before she sank.”
Unfortunate! She glared at him. “I shall stay here. I cannot wear such a garment in public.”
“You can and you will,” he returned, smoothly, but with a hint of steel. “The captain wants to see you. Would you like me to help, as I did last night?”
He would force her to do his bidding. She said, resentfully, “You were horrid to me last night.”
“Was I?” he said with spurious sympathy. “My apologies. But I assure you, I can be much horrider.”
She thought perhaps he could, though somehow she did not believe he would be so with her. Still, she did not like to test this theory. “Very well. Go outside and I shall get dressed.”
“Right.” He shook an admonishing finger. “Remember what I said about any tricks, and opening the door quick when I knock. I’ll be right back. I’ve just remembered where I saw a nice tortoise shell comb and brush amongst the swag. You’ll be needin’ it: you look a right quiz with your hair like that.”
She felt herself flushing hotly at this insult, and the feeling only increased as he chuckled and swayed out the door in great good humor. As soon as he’d closed the door she leapt from the cot and threw home the bolt. How she wished she could shut him out forever!
*
TBC
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Date: 2006-02-20 11:30 pm (UTC)