Lily (Song of the River) (32 page)

Blake looked away from the captain, suddenly wishing he’d never asked the man about his past. He sensed he was not going to enjoy the rest of the story.

“Over the next few years I wandered from port to port. I did things that bring me shame now. I was lost and angry. I picked fights with men who’d done me no wrong, anything to exorcise my rage. Strangely enough, that’s what may have saved my life … and my soul.”

Exactly as Blake had feared. And from an unexpected source. He might have been prepared for a sermon from a preacher, but not from this old gentleman whom he’d considered kindly and harmless. Blake wanted to push back from the table, but something held him still. Some macabre impulse. Rather like not being able to resist looking toward a dead body caught in a river snag.

“One night more than a year ago, I met a man who stabbed me during a fight and left me for dead. A preacher got me to a doctor. Between them they kept me alive. The preacher shared his rooms with me. While I was recovering, he had a captive audience. I’ll never forget the afternoon when he asked me why I wanted to die.”

“I’m certain you had an answer.” Blake shoved his chair back. “And I’m sure it was a good one. But I don’t have time to listen tonight.”

Captain Henrick sat back. The look that crossed his face was not condemning. It wasn’t even sad. The expression was one of understanding. He nodded at Blake. “I see.”

“I doubt that.” He stood and stalked to the door. “You don’t know a thing about me, so don’t go acting like you do.”

Blake stomped onto the deck. A group of men sat around a small fire on a nearby boat. Close enough so he could keep a watch on the boat and be ready if David needed something. He headed toward them, eager to drown out Captain Henrick’s words.

A
shamed of his response to the captain’s story, Blake got up early the next morning and fixed breakfast. Soon the aromas of fresh coffee and bacon filled the air. As the sun made its first appearance over the horizon, Jensen, Captain Henrick, and David showed up. Blake scrambled a small mountain of eggs and sat at the table with the others.

Silence reigned as they dug into their food.

Blake washed down his food with a gulp of hot coffee and turned to face the captain. He was determined to clear the air. “Look, I’m sorry for interrupting you last night.”

Captain Henrick waved away his apology. “When the time is right, you’ll listen. There’s no doubt God is whispering in your ear. He wants you to come to Him.”

David’s eyes widened. “Did you have a fight?”

Blake brushed a hand through the boy’s blond curls. “Nothing to worry about. Captain Henrick and I get along fine, don’t we?” He shot a glance at the captain.

“That’s right.” Captain Henrick smiled. “In fact, I’m hoping we’re going to be very close.”

Nodding, Blake forced a smile to his face. He bent a look at the captain that he hoped spoke to his desire to talk to the man alone. They still had a few things that needed to be straightened out. Things that had nothing to do with religion.

“Let’s get this food put away, and then you and I need to spend some time checking how much of that textbook you managed to absorb last night.”

Jensen began gathering the dirty dishes and moved to the galley. Captain Henrick headed upstairs to the hurricane deck. Blake and David went to the dining hall to study. Blake hoped he remembered enough about arithmetic to help the boy.

David seemed a bit lost, so Blake pulled out his deck of cards, hoping Lily would not catch him again and accuse him of teaching the children to gamble. He thought by now she should have a better idea of his moral code, but he’d just as soon not test that theory.

“A deck has fifty-two cards.” He shuffled the cards and dealt them facedown on the table. “I’ve dealt four hands on this table. Without counting, can you tell me how many cards should be in each hand?”

David’s brow gathered as he tried to reason out the answer.

“If I had dealt two hands, how many cards would be in each hand?”

“Thirty?”

Blake shook his head. “You’re guessing. What is half of fifty-two?”

David scrunched up his face, his mouth moving as he divided the number. “Twenty-six?”

“Are you guessing or telling me?”

“I … I’m telling you.”

Blake nodded. “You’re right.”

The smile on David’s face was a joy to see.

“That’s good.” He tapped a finger on the table. “So how many cards are in each hand here?”

Another frown from his pupil. “Thirteen?”

“I think you’re beginning to understand.” He picked up one of the hands and fanned the cards before laying them down. “Now if there are four suits in this deck, how many cards will be in each suit?”

“Thirteen.” David’s answer was more confident.

“You may have found a new way of studying.” He picked up the cards and shuffled them once more. “I’m removing twelve cards from the deck, so how many cards will be left?”

They continued drilling—adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. When Blake felt his student had grasped the subject, he sent David for the slate he and Jasmine shared. “Write your name.”

He watched as David meticulously copied out the five letters of his first name, hesitated, and looked up. “I don’t know how to spell Foster.”

Blake pressed his upper teeth against his lower lip and pushed air through them. “What letter makes that sound?”

And so they continued. He wondered if Lily would be proud of the progress David had made. She might not even notice. “You’ve seen the name of our boat, right?”

David nodded.

“Good. Then write
Hattie Belle
on your slate.”

David wiped his name off the slate with his sleeve and began concentrating once more.

The bond Blake had felt the night before returned in full force. This boy was bright. He would make sure David had a chance to make something of himself. Perhaps one day they would find the boy’s father and reunite them. Or maybe he’d be better off staying on the
Hattie Belle.
Between Lily and him, they could see to it that the boy recognized his worth and learned to rely on his talents.

He gave David a series of tasks and left him for a while. Blake wanted to set Captain Henrick straight.

The captain was studying a map in the pilothouse but looked up when Blake entered. “Are you through tutoring that towheaded scamp?”

“For the time being.”

Captain Henrick put down his map. “I don’t suppose you came all the way up here to enjoy the sunshine.”

Blake looked around. The view from the highest deck of the
Hattie Belle
never failed to amaze. Perhaps he should find time to come up here more often. The morning sunshine gleamed on the surface of the water. Most of the boats that had formed the floating island last night were already gone, but there would be more tonight. It was a daily ritual. The old adage of “safety in numbers” was true on the Mississippi. Brigands and pirates could target a lone boat unless it was well hidden.

“No.” Blake turned his attention to the captain. “Now that I know Lily can’t overhear us, I wanted to talk about what happened when I first brought you aboard. I can’t say I didn’t get a little enjoyment from taking your side.”

“I do appreciate it. Otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to see her or my other daughters.”

Blake smothered a smile. “Yes, well, be that as it may be, I won’t stand for seeing Lily or her sisters hurt by anyone. If you ever cause them pain, I’ll put you off this boat. Whether we’re in Natchez, New Orleans, or Timbuktu, I’ll make sure you don’t get a second chance.”

“If I hurt them and you didn’t run me away, I would lose respect for you, Blake. I have to live with what I did all those years ago, no matter what my reasons. But I would never, ever do that to them again. I am their father, even if Lily doesn’t want me to acknowledge that. I’d never walk away from my family again.” The fervor in Captain Henrick’s words was obvious.

Blake gave him a curt nod and turned on his heel.

“If you want to talk again, Blake, you know where to find me.”

Ignoring the man, he headed for the staircase. Why did it feel like he was retreating? He had nothing to feel guilty about. Then what was the sharp pain in his chest? He hadn’t done the same thing to his family. What had happened between him and his father was altogether different. Wasn’t it?

“I have come to ask for your granddaughter’s company for a sedate ride.” Jean Luc smiled widely. He’d found that charming a young lady’s chaperone was a fruitful effort.

His gaze followed Mrs. Blackstone’s to the sofa where Lily sat, her hands folded demurely in her lap. Her brown eyes sparkled with anticipation. “I don’t see why not, Monsieur Champney.” Mrs. Blackstone returned his smile. “The weather outside is perfect for a carriage ride.”

“Thank you, Grandmother.” Lily rose from the sofa. “I’ll just get my shawl and hat.”

Jean Luc stood when she did and bowed. “I await your pleasure, Miss Anderson.”

He appreciated the pink tint to her cheeks as she exited the room. At least she was still an innocent. He’d had his doubts after she’d spent so much time in New Orleans. He knew firsthand about the opportunities to stray in that city.

“Do you follow politics at all, Monsieur Champney?” Mrs. Blackstone’s voice captured his attention.

“I’m afraid I keep busy with other pursuits. While I was in Europe, I was plunged into the political world of the king and found it to be sordid and dangerous. My father, however, is well versed in political matters.” Jean Luc resumed his seat to the old lady’s right. “I suppose he needs to since he’s a businessman.”

“I’m sure you’re right.” Mrs. Blackstone sipped from her teacup. “I don’t get out much these days, so the newspaper is how I stay abreast of the world. I was reading this morning of a race for the Illinois senate.”

Jean Luc adopted an interested expression. “I’m surprised such a race is covered in the local newspaper.”

“Perhaps you haven’t yet realized how interested we are here in national developments concerning slavery and abolition.” Mrs. Blackstone put down her teacup. “I read all I can about national policies.”

He could not imagine spending that much time perusing anything. He preferred more athletic pursuits and the excitement to be found in gambling salons, although he limited his time there to avoid more disasters.

“You must be quite the scholar.” Jean Luc tried to infuse admiration into his voice while glancing at her hands to see if her fingertips had been blackened from all the newsprint she perused. He hoped her penchant for reading had not rubbed off on Lily. While he appreciated a sensible woman, he had no desire to woo a girl who knew more about every subject than he.

Before Mrs. Blackstone could answer, Lily returned. She was tying the ribbon on a pretty straw hat and had a lacy shawl draped over one arm.

Jean Luc stood and offered his arm. “I am so glad you can join me.”

“It’s sweet of you to invite me.”

Mrs. Blackstone waved them out of the room. “Enjoy your outing, Lily, but don’t be late for dinner.”

A frisson of irritation passed through Jean Luc. Did the woman think he was untrustworthy? Stifling the feeling, he smiled and bowed toward her before leading Lily out to his carriage.

After getting her settled, Jean Luc took the reins and set their vehicle in motion. “Before we get onto another subject, please let me apologize for the antics of the man I recommended to you.”

“You don’t need to apologize.” Lily put a hand on his arm.

Jean Luc tightened his muscles in response, hoping she would be impressed with his strength. “Yes, I do. You are very kind to forgive me, but I need to tell you how devastated I was when he reappeared here in Natchez.”

She removed her hand. “I really wish you would not persist, Monsieur Champney.”

He pulled the carriage to the side of the road under the spreading branches of a live oak so he could concentrate on his passenger rather than his driving. “But I must. I must make you believe I had no idea what kind of man Captain Steenberg is.” He placed a hand over his chest. “I would never have put you or your family in harm’s way. I was so relieved to see the
Hattie Belle
sailing into port yesterday.”