Chapter 13

Struggling under the weight of the bucket, I went ahead and entered the cabin. I left the bucket, and the lantern in a corner lit because I would need it again when I would go down to the hold again for the second bucket.

I looked around the cabin. Everything was spotless. Why did I have to clean an already spotless area? I thought angrily. But I couldn't say anything, nor could I protest. I had to do as I was told.

I decided to take the items in order to not forget any of them behind without cleaning it. I dipped the cloth in the water, tightened it with both hands to remove the excess water, and began to wipe the items with the wet cloth and carefully put them back in the exact place where I took them from. Most of them were made of metal and were heavy.

I continued cleaning them without paying attention to what each one was. All I cared about was why the Captain wanted so many things in the cabin, and now I have to clean them myself?

Due to my inexperience, my movements were slow and awkward. I hoped that I would get used to the work with the passing of the days, and my movements would gain more confidence.

After I finished with the library, the only thing remaining for cleaning was the Captain's office. I rinsed the cloth in the bucket and started from the chair.

There were some navigational instruments on the desk, an inkpot accompanied by an elegant writing feather, some books, some notebooks, and a globe. I cleaned the rest and left the globe last. I carefully took it in my hands from its base, and after cleaning it, I set out to explore it and try to understand where we were. I had trouble because the names of countries, seas, and any other information provided by a globe were written in a language that I couldn't understand.

"What are you doing?" I suddenly heard a voice right next to my ear.

Terrified, I let out a small scream, and the globe I was holding almost fell off on the floor if two hands didn't hold it. Those hands were male hands, and his presence made my heart start beating faster told me that it was Captain Carter.

I had left the door open, and that's why I didn't hear him entering the cabin.

I turned around, and our eyes met. His hands were on mine.

"I'm sorry…, I didn't…. I just wanted to…," I mumbled, trying to excuse myself why I was dallying. I felt my cheeks burning.

I lowered my eyes in shame, but my shame skyrocketed when I noticed that he was naked from the waist up, and I immediately raised my staring eyes back to his face. A smirk of confidence was formed on his lips, and for a moment, a strong desire aroused inside me to hit the globe on his head.

But his burning gaze on mine made that feeling disappear immediately.

Why does he make me feel this way every time I look at him? I was angry with myself that every time I fell into the trap of his eyes, and every time he was stepping away, leaving me breathless and alone.

I got even angrier with myself and perhaps disappointed by the fact that apart from his intense look at me, I hadn't noticed any other emotion in him. He always seemed cooled and indifferent towards me.

With his hands still on mine, he placed the globe back in its place.

He had raised his eyebrows and seemed pensive about something. I wish I hadn't found my trouble from the first day.

He took one of my hands and stroked it.

"This is not hand belonging to a maid. It is soft and without calluses." he observed and looked at me, waiting for an answer.

I lost the ground under my feet, and my heart began to fade away.

"Yes…" I started talking with my mind worked hard, figuring out a good excuse to patch things up.

"It's because I didn't wash clothes at Lady Brielle's house, washerwomen were coming every week. Hands mainly acquire this rough texture from washing clothes, and also I didn't do heavy work. Probably is that the reason."

I answered him and took a deep breath.

"Probably," he repeated and let go of my hand.

He didn't ask me any more questions about it and feeling relieved, and I wished he had believed what I had told him.

He looked around the office, checking the place.

"I see you have cleaned the rest. Everything is shining."

I frowned in disbelief. Everything was sparkling, and before I cleaned them, I thought.

Our views about cleanness probably differed as to what I saw clean and what he did. Now I understand why Jimena sent me to clean his already shiny cabin.

"And you put everything back in exact place, good!" The Captain continued and smiled contentedly.

"I'm glad you like it Captain. I'm sorry, but shouldn't you sleep now?" I asked him.

He looked at me and grabbed the back of his neck. "Yes, indeed, I slept for a while but I woke up a little abruptly and now I need to read something to fall asleep again," he replied and looked at the library.

It was an excellent opportunity to ask him if he had any book available for Brielle, but in the end, I didn't dare to ask. I don't know why. Something held me back.

"So, tell me, what you were looking for on the globe?" he asked me and showed me the globe with his eyes.

I looked at him a little puzzled, but then I remembered. I had completely forgotten it, and I was impressed that he remembered it. "I was trying to figure out where we are." I replied, trying my best to keep my gaze on his face as it kept slipping down, wanting to see his beautifully sculpted body again, and I tried to imagine how it would felt under my hand.

He reached the globe, brought it to the right place, and showed it to me, pointing it with his finger.

"We are here and we are heading to this port. To the port of Good Luck." He replied by dragging his finger, joining the two points with an imaginary line.

"To the port of Good Luck?" I asked him. That was a strange name for a port.

"Yes, that's how people call it." He confirmed his words to me.

"Why do they call it with that name?"

"Because it's told that all ships leaving from there, are taking with them a piece of good luck on their voyage."

"That's interesting. Thank you very much." I replied.

"You are welcome. So, I will let you continue your work, but before that I would like to say to you that I appreciate very much that you agreed to help out Jimena with her duties."

"Don't mention it, it's my pleasure." I replied even though it wasn't the exact truth.

He smiled at me and, turning his back on me, approached the library, picked up a book, and left, greeting me by raising his hand that was holding the book. I watched him leaving; besides his broad, muscular shoulders, I noticed that he was holding a jug in his other hand. And then I understood.

He was heading to the kitchen for a water refill, and passing out of the cabin, he saw me as the door was open.

I returned to my bucket. I noticed the crystal clear water, and with a sigh, I went out on the deck and threw it into the sea, thinking that a lot of pointless waste was made on this boat.

I went down to the hold one more time, filled the bucket, and returned to the cabin.

When I had finished wiping the cabin, I struggled to get on my feet, trembling with fatigue. All my bones creaked complained.

I wiped my sweaty forehead with the back of my hand.

If I felt so debilitated from the first hours of the day, my future on this trip appeared bleak.