Restless Hearts by Mona Ingram Read Free Book Online Page B

the captain relax a bit.” He’d been spending all of his time alongside Sarah this past week; it was evident that he wanted to be in charge of his kitchen again.
    Sarah nodded. “He says we’ll be at Valparaiso soon.” She turned to him eagerly. “I’m looking forward to it.”
     
    * * *
     
    The lack of sound was the first thing Sarah noticed when she woke up. She’d become accustomed to the shouts of the crew, the creaks and groans emanating from deep within the vessel, and the sound of water rushing past the hull. She had wanted to be on deck when the ship sailed into Valparaiso harbor, but evidently that wasn’t to be. She lay still for a moment, enjoying the gentle rolling motion, then leaped from her bunk to dress for the day ashore.
    Her reflection in the mirror confirmed what she already knew; she was excited to visit their only port of call. She’d stopped wearing voluminous underskirts and corsets well over a month ago, the tropics had simply been too hot. Jamie had sent a few curious looks in her direction, but nothing that indicated disapproval. As a matter of fact, his gaze tended to linger on her even more now that she could move about unimpeded.
    She stepped out onto the deck and gasped.
    The ship couldn’t have arrived on a more perfect day, and Sarah decided that after the harrowing trip around the Cape, they deserved the brilliantly clear skies that greeted them.
    WindSprite was harbored in the semi-circular bay on which Valparaiso was situated. The town clung to the foreshore, and on further inspection she noted buildings creeping up the numerous valleys that stretched into the forested mountains beyond. Snow-crowned hills rose majestically in the distance and she stood for a moment, taking in the grandeur spread out before her.
    “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Jamie materialized beside her. “What’s your first impression?”
    “I don’t know,” she said. “There’s so much to take in.” She remained silent for a few moments, her gaze sweeping the graceful curve of the harbor. “For one thing, I didn’t expect to see so many other ships anchored.”
    “I suspect most of them are headed to California as well.”
    “No doubt.” She spotted a small rowboat heading in their direction. A man in a formal black suit sat stiffly in the stern. “Who do you suppose that is?”
    “I would imagine it’s the harbormaster.” He paused. “Or whatever they call him here.” They watched as the small vessel bumped against the hull and the man climbed the rope ladder. “We should be cleared to go ashore fairly soon. I spoke with Captain Johnson the other day and he said that the inspection is more of a formality than anything else.”
    Sarah glanced around the deck. “Have you seen Lucy this morning? She had already left the cabin when I woke, which is unusual. We were going to explore the town together.”
    “She was in the galley having her breakfast a while ago, and anxious to get going.”
    “Melissa will be disappointed.” Sarah leaned over the rail. “I can’t imagine that Anna will try to climb down that ladder. Not in her condition.” She didn’t think it necessary to speak delicately about the other woman. Over the past couple of months, Anna’s pregnancy had become obvious.
    “No,” he said, “I suspect you’re right about that.”
    She looked up to see him smiling at her.
    “What?”
    “Nothing.” He sucked in a quick breath. “No, that’s not true. I was wondering if it ever occurs to you that you don’t have to take care of everyone.”
    His words set her back on her heels. “Is that what I do?”
    The look in his eyes was all the answer he gave.
    She gazed into the distance, turning his words over in her mind. “I suppose I do, in a way. The truth is, I enjoy it.” She nodded to herself. “It’s something I just discovered on this voyage.”
    “And you do it very well.” His gaze held hers for a moment, then he looked over her shoulder. “Here comes