Grae clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll take a look with you. Oh, Joseph, this is Arista. Arista, this is Joseph, my right-hand man. He’ll be the second in command on this next trip—isn’t that right, Joe?”
Joe grinned and shook his head. “It’s nice to meet you, miss. And no, I’ll not be his second in command. I’ll feed this bunch, but I won’t be telling ’em what to do unless they set foot in my galley.”
“You’re the cook?” she asked.
“Not just a cook. Joe is a genius. The meals he manages when we’re down to the last crate of dried parsnips and some dried fish would make you weep. I wouldn’t sail without this man.” Grae beamed at Joe, who actually looked like he was blushing now.
The banter between the two men belied their friendship. It was clear that there was a deep bond there.
“Will you be okay here for a few minutes?” Grae asked her.
“Of course. I could stand here all day and never grow bored with it.”
Joe grinned at her, then raised an eyebrow at Grae. “Found a like-minded soul, I see.” Grae smiled right at her and it warmed her heart. That look made her feel like the only person in the world. Now a blush was filling her face.
“I’ll return him posthaste,” Joe said, practically dragging Grae back down the deck behind him.
Arista walked to the very front of the ship and stood at the rail. A light breeze ruffled her skirts and brought the thick odor of the river to her nose. What did the ocean smell like, so far out at sea? The river was a muddy brown color, but she imagined that out at sea, it was so blue that the sky and water blended together. The ship swayed and bowed again, but this time Arista kept her balance. Already she was getting used to being on a ship. She could do it. Go all the way to India.
Lost in her daydreams, she didn’t hear Grae return several moments later.
“It’s a much better view when you’re at sea,” Grae said.
She turned and found him holding a tray with some bread, cheese, and exotic-looking fruit that was yellow with bumps all over it. “Joseph insisted I bring you something to eat. Said a good wind would blow you away.” Grae set the tray on a barrel next to the rail and motioned her over. “So what do you think of the ship?” He watched her expectantly, as if her answer really mattered to him.
“It’s amazing. I’ve sat and watched the ships from the wharf for years, but never imagined what they looked like from this side. It really is beautiful.” She smiled at Grae and he stared back at her. The moment was perfect.
For once, the grey fog that sat heavy on London had parted and the sun shone down on them. Birds chirped and the sounds of the men getting the ship ready were almost comforting. She felt like she belonged for the first time ever. Nothing had ever felt so right.
“Are you really a widow?” His question took her by surprise. She’d all but forgotten the ruse that had brought her to his parents’ home.
She shook her head. “That was just a story made up to explain why I was there.” She wanted to trust him, more than she’d wanted anything in her life. “Tell me more about your travels,” she said, walking to the front of the ship. She needed a moment to collect herself. “What’s it like, being at sea?” She closed her eyes and tilted her face into the breeze. She wanted to imagine every detail he told her. Grae moved next to her and the fresh scent of cedar joined all the other aromas filling her lungs.
“Indescribable. Sometimes, when I see the coast coming into view, I don’t want to come home yet. Once the ocean gets into your blood, it stays there forever. My father took me out on his ship when I was only four that first time. Ever since then, I couldn’t stay away. There is no freedom like water as far as you can see.”
Inside her chest, Arista felt her heartbeat thumping wildly. That was what she’d always envisioned. What she wanted to feel. “Tell me about something you’ve seen.”
Grae thought for a moment, then turned to her with a grin. “There are ports along the Indian coast that make you think you’ve gone to another world. There are the most beautiful animals roaming free. Women carry great baskets of fruits on their heads. You’ve never seen such colors. And the smells. Spices and tea and smoke.”
“That’s what I want. A place with color. London is so grey. It feels…hopeless most days.”