His face was becoming red, and I heard my mother creep through the doorway. She likely heard his raised voice. I wasn’t sure if her presence would protect me this time.
“You’re unmarried at nineteen years of age. What’s worse, you think you’re too good for the nice man I arranged for you. You’re a useless spinster. Do you have any idea what sort of vile gossip your poor mother must endure each time she goes to the market?”
I bit my lip to stop from reminding him that he was the only person who ever spread stories about me. Everyone else in the village pitied me, I was pretty sure. His complete lack of logic, and the way his moods turned on a penny, made most of the townspeople avoid him entirely.
Then father’s clenched eyes shifted as he smiled wickedly. “Change into your nice new black dress. We’re leaving in five minutes.” He spun on his heel and bolted out the door.
Although we had no idea what was happening, mother helped me dress as quickly as possible. Her hands shook as she helped me into the layers of ruffled fabric, fastening the long row of buttons down my back.
“Where is he taking me?” I asked, my throat tight.
“I have no idea.” She’d always been meek, her voice never raised far beyond a whisper. No wonder father thought he could control her completely.
By the time we raced downstairs, father had his good hat and jacket on. “Say goodbye to your mother. You’ll not see her again.”
“Mother?” I cried, turning to reach out my hand to her. My arm was already gripped by father’s strong hand as he roughly dragged me out the door.
“Waste of food. Waste of education. And time,” he muttered as he marched me down the path. “I’ve always said that you
were worthless.”
From the fire in his eyes and the set of his jaw, I honestly wondered if he was going to kill me. There was a cliff just through the forest that was rumored to be a good place for tossing bodies, but that was believed to be just a scary story. Surely my own father couldn’t throw me away like old scraps?
“Please,” I begged, trying to keep my voice low and meek. “I was just watching the boats. I only took a tiny break to rest my fingers. I can learn how to work harder.”
“No. You’re a waste and a disgrace. Best to have you gone from this village completely. Now we’ll see if you’re worth at least a few coins.” He looked me up and down as I skittered beside him. “Maybe one coin.”
We were headed for the pier. Before I had any idea of what was happening, my boots clacked on the wooden slats, as I was half dragged to the very end.
Father stopped in front of the new ship. “Ahoy,” he called out. “Would you travelers like to purchase an extra deckhand?”
My mouth was suddenly dry as paper, and my heart began to race. I’d heard rumors of parents selling their children, but I thought it was an act of desperation. Why would he want to be rid of me this badly? I knew he wished every day that I’d been a son, but how could he blame me for that?
Looking up at the beautiful ship, I saw the name painted proudly on the side. The Fortune’s Favor. I didn’t know how being sold as if I were a side of beef could be considered fortunate. Perhaps this time my father’s attempts at tarnishing my reputation had simply hit a new low, and he would drag me back home soon.
But he looked awfully determined this time.
~ Chapter 2 ~ The Captain ~
* The Village Docks *
Whenever I heard a raised voice when we visited a small town, I assumed it was the local toughs trying to run us out. It made no sense, since we brought them goods they would never find in this area. Then we spent most of the money we got for the cargo at their shops laying in supplies. Why would we buy things if we were bent on thieving?
Then I heard what the man was saying. Pulling on my coat and striding out to the deck, my eyes widened with surprise at the girl being dragged behind an angry man. I did not approve of the way his fingers were obviously digging into her arm. And I did not approve of restraining a grown woman as if she were a child having a tantrum.
“What’s this then?” I asked, stepping closer. From the way a few of the local dock men were gathering, this was not an everyday situation here.
“My tramp of a daughter has likely already been lusting after you. She’s brought shame to our family by turning down a suitable husband. How many pieces of gold for a healthy young girl?”
The idea of trading and selling humans had always turned my stomach. I’d heard of families selling their slowest son. They'd keep the smart one to run the family business, and the biggest one to do the labor. I’d heard of families selling one child to save six more.
But to sell a perfectly good woman, to a total stranger? That was pure evil.
Leaning over the edge of the railing, I took a good look at the folk gathered. I could see a few of the fishermen from two towns over. They were digging in their coin purses and having a frantic whispered conversation while ogling the poor lass.
This man was throwing the poor girl away. If I didn’t take her in, some unscrupulous bastard would.
Looking down at her wild, terrified eyes, I could see she wasn’t a tramp. From the cut of his clothing and the size of his belly, the father wasn’t starving.