Southern Beauty - By Julie Lucia Page 0,43

to be kept waiting. I will catch up with you before you set sail.” He looked at the disappointment in her face. “I promise I won’t leave you for very long,” Malcolm explained mysteriously.

“You’ve said that before. I do not feel comfortable being alone. Is it safe here?” Johanna looked around the dirty ship with disgust. To her it seemed more like a fishing vessel than a merchant ship.

He caressed her cheek and smiled, “I am sorry. I’ll make it up to you. How about I will let you beat me at a game of chess.”

“All right, but I can beat you on my own,” she smiled back. Johanna was taken in by his handsome smile. It could easily make any girl melt. She hesitated but said anyway, “Don’t smile like that for anyone else lest I fear you won’t return.”

“You are the only one for me.” His smile widened and he leaned in and kissed her gently on the cheek.

“Just go. I will see you soon. I will be waiting for you in my cabin.” She pushed him away before she was kissed again. He raised his eyebrows at her words. “You know what I mean.”

He grinned, “Just stay in your cabin, no one will bother you. The captain has strict orders to keep my precious cargo safe,” said Malcolm.

“Your precious cargo?” questioned Johanna.

He smiled again and disappeared into the fog.

“Well that was mysterious,” Johanna said to herself as she walked towards her cabin and locked the door behind her.

The ship’s captain shouted orders to pull up the gang plank for the night. His crew eagerly answered his call. Johanna never dreamed she would be a guest on a merchant steamer. This was a new experience for her. She thought about how it had been a lot of new experiences recently for her. She felt the jerk of the ship pulling away from the dock and her heart skipped a beat. Johanna thought how odd that the boat would pull away from the dock over night. She stood to inquire when she knocked over her handbag and the rocks Marie had given her had spilled out onto the floor. She picked them up one by one and studied them. Their texture was similar to Marie's words.

Johanna caressed them and whispered, "One smooth and one rough." she held them in her hands. It seemed one was smooth and the other two were rough. She then felt the small crack the one had in the middle of it. With her thumb she separated it. To her surprise inside were sparkling gems, "and one a treasure to behold. Okay. What does this mean?" she asked herself.

# # #

Johanna stepped out of her room into a glorious display of colors over the horizon. Her eyes fixed on the crimson sunset. She marveled at its beauty.

“A beautiful sight, isn’t? It doesn’t matter how long I have been out here, I still am awed by God’s splendor.”

Johanna surprised by the captain’s appearance, smiled. She noticed his uniform was impeccable and he wore it well. His tanned skin was apparently aged by the salted sea air and sun. She figured he looked older than his years.

“It is lovely,” she agreed.

“I take it you are going in uncharted territory?” he asked.

“You could say that,” Johanna smiled. “I feel like I am on a new adventure, anything is possible.” The cool sea air seemed to give her a new sense of freedom and courage.

“I am glad to hear that. I am Captain Thomas O’Reilly. Everyone just calls me Reilly. You are Miss Lee?”

“Yes,” Johanna answered. “Could you tell me why we pulled away from the dock? We aren’t leaving yet are we?”

“Oh heavens no, it is for our safety. You never know when you could be boarded by pirates. It makes it harder for them to board the ship,” he said.

“Pirates, I thought it was safe here in the harbor.” She questioned thinking about her ordeal earlier in the week.

“It’s just a precaution. I have never been boarded by pirates and I hoped to never.” He tried to reassure her.

“Oh. I see, Mal…Mr. Graystone should be back within the hour. At least that is what he said,” trying to make herself feel better.

Captain Reilly put his hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry we won’t leave until your betrothed arrives.”

Johanna slightly embarrassed again by the lie just smiled.

“May I ask why you are here in New Orleans?” he asked.

“It’s quite a long story. One I don’t really like to