don’t know where I’m at, who I am, or have any clothing. But that’s all right. Someone will take pity on me. Look at me. I look like a monster! My lips are bloodied and my face is deformed with blisters and welts. Not to mention my leg has a gaping hole. So rest assured someone will take pity on me and either grant me aid or shoot me dead. Or maybe the flies will smell my rotting flesh and eat me. But don’t worry, I will be out of your hair.”
Natasha shot Eli a look that told him to stop her.
“Fine,” he mumbled to Natasha. He walked over to London. He watched the proud independent woman attempt to walk. “Natasha wants you to stay.”
“Thank you, Natasha, but I cannot stay where I am not wanted.”
Eli turned towards Natasha. Natasha began twirling the chicken foot around her neck between her fingers. He took a deep breath.
“I . . . do . . . not . . . want . . . you . . . to . . . leave,” Eli forcefully answered.
“Say it like you mean it,” London pouted.
Eli took a frustrated breath, and through gritted teeth, said, “London, please feel free to stay as long as you like.”
She looked at him. “And?”
“And what?”
“I would like an apology.”
“For what?!”
“You called me crazy.”
“You called me a prostitute.” The rancor in his voice caused her to feel a slight tinge of guilt.
“No, I was asking if you were one. You never corrected me,” she replied.
“I did, too!”
“Did not.”
“Did, too!”
“Well, I do not recall if you did.”
Eli turned to leave only to find Natasha watching the incident, chicken foot in hand. Taking a frustrated breath, he said, “Fine. I’m sorry.”
“Apology accepted.”
“I think you owe me one, too.”
She looked towards the ceiling and giggled.
“London?!” Eli snapped.
“Hmmm?” she questioned as she looked to him.
“You owe me an apology.”
“I do?” she questioned with confusion.
“Yes. You called me a prostitute.”
“Oh. Well, I’m sorry I mistook you for a prostitute.”
“Now, see dere. Aal es betta,” Natasha replied as she walked into the room. She smiled at Eli and patted his arm. Yes, sir, this woman is exactly what he needs.
Chapter Ten
It has been five days since London’s strange dream, which she learned—to her mortification—was not a dream but actual reality. When she did see Eli, he dismissed her with a wave of his hand or ignored her completely—which was fine by her. He seemed to be a man who was in a constant ill disposition. She would hear him yell at Natasha. She would hear him yell at Albert. She would hear him yell at the other servants. At night she would even hear him yell at Meredith—whoever that was.
Her new friends came by and visited with her twice. She liked them. Both women were nice and quite informative. Again, they enlightened her on how she ended up washed ashore. It turned out that a ship that was supposed to be arriving from England six days ago did not arrive. After a little inquiry from some of the locals, it was determined that the ship was attacked by pirates. London shook her head. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that she would have survived a pirate attack.
While visiting with Madison and Kristina, she had learned a wealth of information about the St. John family. The father, Robert, was the Earl of Hyntington, and was considered a black sheep in England. His wife, Elizabeth, was the daughter of a Marquess. They were betrothed at birth. The couple had nine children, eight boys and one girl. Madison excitedly informed London about the new family member, Kristina’s husband, Max. The women spoke extensively about the family’s business and who held what responsibility. Madison’s father-in-law, Jonathan, was Robert’s business partner and the governor of Eleuthera. He also ran a small mercantile store that sold some of the goods Emerald Shipping transported. Eli, the oldest, was the next in line for
Natasha shot Eli a look that told him to stop her.
“Fine,” he mumbled to Natasha. He walked over to London. He watched the proud independent woman attempt to walk. “Natasha wants you to stay.”
“Thank you, Natasha, but I cannot stay where I am not wanted.”
Eli turned towards Natasha. Natasha began twirling the chicken foot around her neck between her fingers. He took a deep breath.
“I . . . do . . . not . . . want . . . you . . . to . . . leave,” Eli forcefully answered.
“Say it like you mean it,” London pouted.
Eli took a frustrated breath, and through gritted teeth, said, “London, please feel free to stay as long as you like.”
She looked at him. “And?”
“And what?”
“I would like an apology.”
“For what?!”
“You called me crazy.”
“You called me a prostitute.” The rancor in his voice caused her to feel a slight tinge of guilt.
“No, I was asking if you were one. You never corrected me,” she replied.
“I did, too!”
“Did not.”
“Did, too!”
“Well, I do not recall if you did.”
Eli turned to leave only to find Natasha watching the incident, chicken foot in hand. Taking a frustrated breath, he said, “Fine. I’m sorry.”
“Apology accepted.”
“I think you owe me one, too.”
She looked towards the ceiling and giggled.
“London?!” Eli snapped.
“Hmmm?” she questioned as she looked to him.
“You owe me an apology.”
“I do?” she questioned with confusion.
“Yes. You called me a prostitute.”
“Oh. Well, I’m sorry I mistook you for a prostitute.”
“Now, see dere. Aal es betta,” Natasha replied as she walked into the room. She smiled at Eli and patted his arm. Yes, sir, this woman is exactly what he needs.
Chapter Ten
It has been five days since London’s strange dream, which she learned—to her mortification—was not a dream but actual reality. When she did see Eli, he dismissed her with a wave of his hand or ignored her completely—which was fine by her. He seemed to be a man who was in a constant ill disposition. She would hear him yell at Natasha. She would hear him yell at Albert. She would hear him yell at the other servants. At night she would even hear him yell at Meredith—whoever that was.
Her new friends came by and visited with her twice. She liked them. Both women were nice and quite informative. Again, they enlightened her on how she ended up washed ashore. It turned out that a ship that was supposed to be arriving from England six days ago did not arrive. After a little inquiry from some of the locals, it was determined that the ship was attacked by pirates. London shook her head. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that she would have survived a pirate attack.
While visiting with Madison and Kristina, she had learned a wealth of information about the St. John family. The father, Robert, was the Earl of Hyntington, and was considered a black sheep in England. His wife, Elizabeth, was the daughter of a Marquess. They were betrothed at birth. The couple had nine children, eight boys and one girl. Madison excitedly informed London about the new family member, Kristina’s husband, Max. The women spoke extensively about the family’s business and who held what responsibility. Madison’s father-in-law, Jonathan, was Robert’s business partner and the governor of Eleuthera. He also ran a small mercantile store that sold some of the goods Emerald Shipping transported. Eli, the oldest, was the next in line for
Similar Books
