Seaman Six. His life was never the same after that.
All the memories crashed down on him as he rested his now-wet cheek against his captain’s hand. “Anything for you,” he repeated.
“Good,” Sir B said, sounding almost like himself. “I am nearly certain you will be recalled to the fleet this year.”
Meri gasped. Sir B patted her cheek. “Meridee, we all knew it might happen,” Sir B said. “That was the stipulation of your man’s employment at St. Brendan’s as our resident genius.”
“I know, but…”
“My dear, we have reached that time of national emergency.” With an effort, Sir B turned his attention to Able. “You must obey, of course, but do this: Speak to the Elder Brothers at Trinity House, specifically Warden Captain Rose.”
“What do you have in mind, sir?”
“My Jolly Roger is a dandy yacht to use as a smallish sloop of war,” he said. His voice began to fade. “Carry messages from the fleet to… Admiralty…House. Train the Rats in speed … evasion.”
He was right. Able saw it instantly. He could fit his Gunwharf Rats for fleet actions and relay messages, because the Jolly Roger was fast. “Aye, aye, sir,” Able said, twelve years old again for a millisecond. He kissed his mentor’s hand. “Thank you for everything.”
“You’re welcome. Thank you.” Sir B turned his attention to Meri one last time. Able knew it was one last time. “Keep doing what you do…Mrs. Heart of Oak…your Ben… Able…Gunwharf Rats.”
She kissed his hand, tugged Able to his feet and stood back, her face calm and lovely in its serenity. “We’ll leave you alone with Grace, Sir B.”
Meri took him into the hall, then held him close in a fierce embrace. Only minutes passed. Grace opened the door and motioned to them. They joined her at her husband’s bedside.
Sir B had drifted to sleep, his arm still firm around his infant son. Grace stood between Able and Meri. “He told me he loved me – had for years, wretched man – and not to wait too long to remarry, because George needs a father. What a man I married.”
Meri kissed her and stepped back. Grace lay down beside her dying husband with a sigh.
Able took out his pocket watch. Grace’s arms went around Sir B and Meri covered them with a light blanket. He put his arms around his wife and she leaned against him. He knew how tired she was, his Mrs. Heart of Oak.
The door opened and Junius Bolt came in, Grace’s old retainer and Sir B’s valet of sorts. To Able’s surprise, Smitty sidled in, too. “I heard you leave, master,” he said to Able. “I ran all the way.”
“I’m glad you’re here, Smitty,” Able said, and he was, if puzzled to see him. His face giving away nothing, this most enigmatic of Gunwharf Rats stood beside Junius Bolt.
They waited in silence. Two or three rapid breaths and exhalations, a long one, and the final longer one that went on and on until the room was silent. Able heard an early bird, and then another, announcing a new day. George stirred and stretched in his dead father’s arms.
Able looked at his watch. His dear friend, captain, mentor and almost-father had lived through the Middle Watch and into the Morning Watch. Able heard the imaginary two bells in his head. Five a.m., when the bosun roused the men for another day at sea, another day to protect England and her possessions from harm and folly. Sir B had told Able once that the Morning Watch was his favorite time of day. “I always think of the possibilities, at five o’clock,” he said. “Anything is possible at five in the morning.”
“Two Bells. Five in the morning. Good night, dear captain,” Able said. “We will now stand the watch for you from this moment forward.”
Chapter Three
“I don’t like to wear black, Able,” Meridee said, as she tucked a white crocheted collar into her dress, unworn since Mama’s funeral some years ago. Grace’s seamstress had kindly altered it to fit the fashion of 1805, but it was still so relentlessly black.
“You look nice in black,” was the best her husband could come up with. She knew he was suffering, and felt some regret at her shallow remark.
“Thank you, my love,” she said quietly. “I think the larger issue is that I do not care for this occasion of burying a dear, dear man.”
He held out his arms to her and she found herself at home there, as she had through the last