Chapter 10, part 1

I approached the door. My heart began to pound at the thought that it might be the captain. How likely it was the captain himself would visit us in our room?

"Yes?" I asked, and listening to my voice, I realized that it trembled a little bit.

"Yes, miss? Can you open the door for me, please?" this voice was familiar to me, and I immediately remembered from where. He was one of the men who talk on the deck not long an hour ago, and I eavesdropped on them. If I understood the voice correctly, he was the one who told them to shut their mouth up and continue their work.

Could it have come for that? Was it possible that they had seen me?

In this thought, my heart lost a beat, and then it started beating hard. I hadn't said anything to Brielle, and now it was too late to let her know.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Brielle signal to me with her hand. I turned and looked at her, and she showed me the cap.

With bated breath, I went to her and took it from her hands. I wore it with sudden careful movements covering all my hair.

"Yes. Just a minute." I answered the man and ran to open the door for him.

"Hello." he said to me, and in his eyes, I could see his admiration. I pursed my lips.

"I am Ian, and I would like to talk to the Lady. Is that possible, please?'

Did he want to inform her personally about my indecent behavior before?

I felt my heart beating strong again in my chest.

"Yes of course. Come in." I said, trying to keep a natural reaction.

Brielle got out of bed. "Did anything happen?" he asked him. Her voice hid a concern.

The man bowed to Brielle before speaking. His bow was somewhat awkward but full of respect.

"No, my Lady. The captain sent me to ask you if everything is fine. If the room is okay, and lastly, if you are happy with the bed."

Should the captain have asked me about the bed? It will be mine until we leave the boat, I thought, taking it to heart, and I kept my thoughts to myself.

I watched the rest of the conversation in silence. Neither of them paid attention to me, so I took the opportunity to study the man. He was of medium height with short brown hair and brown round eyes. His skin was as sunburned as the others. The spiky nose protruded considerably from his face, and the back of it created a curve. His lips were skinny.

Brielle smiled warmly at him. "Firstly, I would like to convey to the captain my gratitude for his interest. You can tell him that everything is fine. The room is great. It has exceeded my expectations. As for the bed, from what my maid has told me, she is excited and completely satisfied. Thanked the captain once again on my behalf."

"Of course, my Lady. I will thank him, as well as convey to him everything you have told me. Thank you for your time. "I wish to have a nice journey with us."

"Thank you, Ian. You are very kind." Brielle replied, and Ian left.

I felt so relieved that this was all he wanted, and I promised myself that I would never eavesdrop again in my life.

"What is the mutter? You look very anxious about something?" Brielle asked me.

She knows me so well that I can't hide anything from her. She can understand at any time whether I am worried about something or not. Whether I feel good or not.

I tried to look at her making myself seem indifferent. "It is nothing."

"What's the matter, Serena?" she demanded, raising her eyebrows. "Tell me. I want to know anything that concerns you and if I can help you." She insisted.

I smiled. Brielle has always been done that. She wanted to know what concerns me to try in some way to help me, like today that she had hidden me in the cart. I had to tell her. I wanted to say to her. I decided not to reveal to her what the men had said to each other.

I approached her, wiping my sweaty hands on my skirt, and sat next to her.

"When I left the room to bring some water, some hour ago, I heard the men talking. I hid in a corner and overheard them out of sheer curiosity.

Brielle's eyes sparkled. "And what did they say?"

I laughed softly. I wasn't the only one curious. "They talked about women they had met in their lives. Not sensational revelations at all. But that is not the point. When Ian came here, I thought he wanted to talk to you about that, in case they had seen me eavesdrop."

On the one hand, I felt terrible that I didn't tell her the whole truth, but on the other hand, I didn't want to say to her the exact truth. Besides, there was no reason for me to hurt her.

I thought she would scold me, but the opposite, she started laughing.

"Is that the reason you turned pale? And I thought that something serious really happened. Forget it. As you heard, Ian didn't come for this. So, no one saw you."

"Fortunately not," I replied, rubbing my stomach. All this anxiety and stress made me hungry. "I am hungry. Do you want to eat something too?"

"If there anything left from the supplies we had with us, yes, it is not a bad idea. I am hungry too."

I checked the supplies and all I found was a little bread. After eating our humble meal, we had nothing else to do, so we lay down. Too bad I didn't think about bringing a book with me.

***

Not much time had passed when once again, someone knocked on the door.

I got out of bed, fixed my cap on my head, and opened the door.

"Hello, Alma." I said to the girl, happy to see her.

"Hello, Serena," she said and smiled. "My Lady," She said, turning to Brielle and curtseyed. Then she continued. "The loading of the boat is almost complete, and we will probably set sail soon with the first fair wind. The captain suggested that my mother and I invite you and Serena to eat together before we set sail and start suffering from nausea.

In the first days, nausea will be intense, but you will get used to the sea as the days go by, and sickness will stop. So? Do you accept the invitation?"

She asked and looked at Brielle, waiting for an answer. Brielle started tangling her fingers. That movement didn't appear strange to Alma, but I knew Brielle well. I knew she was in a difficult position. I was sure she didn't know how she should react as a Lady.

I stared at Brielle, hoping she would look at me, and luckily she did for a moment, but that was enough to nod to her.

Brielle took a deep breath and smiled at the girl who was waiting for her answer. "Yes, of course we accept. After all, how could we refuse such a kind invitation? Thank you. How about captain? Does he will eat with us? "

When I heard this question from Brielle, my eyes widened, and I felt my face burning. I looked at the floor with the hope that Alma wouldn't turn to look at me. My heart started pounding as I waited for Alma's answer.

"No, the captain is busy in his cabin. He rarely eats with the crew anyway. Most of the time he eats alone in his cabin."

It wasn't the answer that I was hoping too. The frustration was intense, and for a moment, I felt my eyes clouded over.

As much as my mind struggled with logical arguments to bring me to my senses, yet my heart denied obeying.

It was bounding hard every time I heard his name. It was beating even harder every time I saw him in front of me with flesh and blood, especially when I saw the ocean of his eyes. I felt my knees weak when he approached me, and waves of heat pierced my body at every touch of his.

It was beyond my power. It was something I couldn't control.

That thing controlled me.