Chapter 7

We looked at each other intensely for a few moments, and then he roved his eyes on my face. His gaze stood for a long moment on the mole I have high on my right cheek near the temple, and then he pinned his gaze in my eyes again.

He stared at me intently. Captivating. I felt my face burning, especially where his hand was still touching my chin. My heart at first lost a beat and then started beating loudly.

"Serena what?" he asked me with a hoarseness coloring his voice.

"Serena and just that. That's my name".

"Without a last name?"

I was taken aback and lost my tongue. "I never met my parents," I finally replied in a trembling voice.

"I see," he said thoughtfully.

"I picked her up from the street a few years ago," Brielle rushed to explain to him.

"And?" he asked her, still fixing his gaze into mine.

"We took care of her. We gave her food, clothes, and a bed to sleep on. I didn't intend to make her my maid, Serena wanted to offer help at home along with the other maids that my husband and I had in work. She told me either that or she would leave."

"Um ... and proud too," Carter commented. "Continue."

"So, instead of letting her go back on the street, I decided to accept her request. I hired her as my chambermaid. When I have decided to leave the Red Valley I asked her if she wanted to come with me. I didn't want to leave her alone. She has no one. She answered me yes, and here we are ".

"I see," the captain repeated, removing his hand from my chin and rubbing his unshaven chin. "Where do you want to go?" he then asked, finally turning his attention to Brielle.

"Captain Carter, all I want is to get out of here as soon as possible. So it would be enough for me to leave us at the next port you anchor, and I will my way after that."

While Brielle was talking to him, I had the opportunity to look at him better.

He was taller than Brielle and me. Lean with a husky body. His skin was tanned like everyone I had seen at the port because of their work under the sun. His layered black hair reached to his shoulders. His eyebrows were well-shaped for a man, but there was a tearing-mark that I found somewhat attractive on his left eyebrow.

I was very impressed by the fact that his clothes were clean and his boots were polished. The two women of the crew would take care of him.

"Do you have to pay?" he asked Brielle.

"Unfortunately I have no money, but I have jewelry," she told him in a low voice, which made him laugh. My heart fluttered to the sound of his gentle laughter.

"You don't need to keep your voice down here. You have nothing to fear while you step in my area," he also told her in a low voice, which made me smile and Brielle laugh, blushing slightly.

"Okay, I will remember that," she replied courteously.

For a few moments, nothing was said from either side, and the captain turned his gaze on me and caught me looking at him. I bowed my head in shame and feeling my face burn like I had a fever.

"Jimena come here!" I heard him calling the husky woman.

"I'm coming, Captain," she replied immediately.

I raised my head a little and saw her get off the ship using the board.

"What's up, Captain?" She approached.

"I would like you to tell Alma to move her things to your room, so we can take the two girls with us. Do you have a problem with that?"

What? Did he just decide to take us with him?

My eyes widened with excitement. I wanted to scream with joy, but I held back.

Brielle and I looked at each other, and I saw her own excitement in her eyes that shone happily.

"No, Captain, of course not. It will be our pleasure to offer our help to them. "

"It will be only for two or three weeks. They will say goodbye to the next port we will catch. This is what they asked for, and you will get the room back after they leave."

"There is no problem, captain. The problem is the beds. My daughter and the maid will be without a bed. I have to make them some kind of mattress ".

"No, don't do that. It is not possible for two girls who work hard all day to sleep on the floor. They should have some rest at night when they go for sleep. So, take that money and men you may need, to go and buy two beds," he told her, putting some money in her hand.

Jimena smiled widely. "I'm going now, Captain!"

"Wait, Jimena. First inform Alma to pick up her things from the room and then lead the girls there to rest for a while. Will they wait here? "

"You're right, Captain!" said the woman, grabbing her forehead. "I didn't think about it due to my enthusiasm. Excuse me".

"It doesn't matter, but you should go now, don't waste any more time," he told her, and the woman left with quick steps.

Brielle walked over to him, smiling. "I have no words to thank you, Captain," she bowed gracefully to him, and it was a gesture that made him smile.

Brielle faced strong opposition when she tried to kiss his hand out of gratitude until she finally gave up on it when the captain ensured her that wasn't necessary.

The captain ran his hand through his hair, looking at us. He seemed indecisive about something, and I wished not to change his mind about taking us with him on the trip.

"Well. I have to go back to my cabin. I have a lot of things to do before we set sail. Jimena will help you with the cart and as you have already heard she will lead you to your room." He informed us, keeping his gaze locked for a few moments into mine.

My heart started pounding again, and my hands began to sweat.

"Yes, Captain, of course. Thank you again. God bless you". Brielle told him and bowed. Seeing her, I imitated her too and bowed.

When I straightened my body and looked at him, I noticed that he knitted his eyebrows while looking at me, and then turning his back on us, he headed to the boat. He climbed the board, and just before he disappeared from our sight, he turned his head and glanced at us over his shoulder.

I exhaled in relief, wiping my forehead from the sweat, and looked at Brielle excitedly.

"Well done, Brielle! You did it! You were really incredible in your role! "

Brielle smiled at me. "Judging by the way he stared at you, I don't think it's my attainment that he agreed to take us with him." She told me teasingly, but it was enough to upset me.

«Brielle! What are you talking about? No way. I am a nothing. Only a maid. "

Our conversation was interrupted by the footsteps we heard coming from the boat, and our attention turned to it. It was Jimena. She got off the ship and approached us.

"Let me show you your room," she told us friendly.

I picked up the cart, ready to follow her.

"Leave the cart, I will carry it," she offered me and took it from my hands.

With carefully calculated movements, she went forward and climbed on the board dragging the cart behind her. She looked behind her a few times to check the course of the cart, and with ease which I admired, she lifted it into the boat.

"Will you come?" she called us at some point.

"Yes, of course," Brielle said, and we headed to the board.

We went up with a little bit of difficulty. Thank god I didn't have to carry the cart as well.

She led us to the room. She came in and left the cart in a corner, then turned to look at us with a smile and told us, raising her arms slightly to the side of her body.

"Welcome on board."