The Stowaway

XVI

Nevertheless, a port was bought and poured for her, and placed before her in a cloudy glass. Eliza had no desire to drink it.

As quick as a snake, the sailor had slithered over to her, touching her arm with his. "Well, if you are determined to pay ..." he whispered cunningly, before his hand moved to her rear. Before she could even realise what was happening, he was squeezing her backside.

Eliza cried out in shock and horror as she slapped his hand away. She balled her hand into a fist and threw it with all her might towards the sailor's nose, but he caught her hand effortlessly, laughing, as he batted it away.

Eliza suddenly found herself being lifted, another arm had wound around her waist and she was whipped around. Captain Buckley was now standing between her and the snake-like sailor.

"Yet another skill in which you are inept, Eliza," he uttered, before he threw his fist up as quick as a flash of lightning.

The crunch that she heard as the captain's fist connected with the sailor's nose was sickening, and the subsequent gushing of blood was enough to turn one's stomach right over.

The sailor clutched his nose, blood spilling over his hands and onto the bar and floor. With his spare hand, he seized one of the bottles of alcohol from behind the bar and swung, the glass colliding and shattering against the captain's temple.

Glass and amber liquid went everywhere as every sailor came running towards the commotion. They did not seem to need a motive to engage in a fight as every man seemed to wail on another purely because he was standing in a convenient location.

Eliza's view was quickly blocked as Captain Buckley stood back against her, pushing her with his back against the wooden bar. She could not move if she tried, but it did not escape her attention that he was protecting her from every fist and glass bottle thrown.

The ruckus did not last longer than a few minutes as a pistol was fired in the air by the burly tender as he ordered every man out and onto the street. The captain held onto Eliza's elbow as he guided her out into the blistering sun, as though he was afraid she was going to wander off.

Eliza had to shield her eyes from the sun. She had not experienced such heat before in her life and was quite convinced that there were two suns. The real sun, and then it's weak little brother who shone over England.

"I am sorry, Captain!" Eliza exclaimed as he dragged her back towards the ship.

Her exclamation made him stop in his tracks. Captain Buckley released her elbow and turned to face her, revealing a rather nasty gash above his eyebrow which was weeping blood steadily. "You are sorry?" he repeated, frowning. The motion seemed to pain him, and he immediately stopped. "Why?"

"Oh, the fight!" she cried. "And your face! You have a nasty cut!"

Captain Buckley shook his head. "Eliza, when you have something to be sorry about, I will tell you. Have I not set this precedent?" he asked bluntly.

Eliza clamped her mouth shut, but sheepishly nodded. She knew that to be true.

His face softened for a moment, which looked extraordinarily alarming considering the blood that was dripping down the side. "No man, not your husband, your friend, your acquaintance, or a stranger, has a rightto you," he said firmly. "If I have learned anything –" he continued, but he stopped himself. Captain Buckley did not finish his sentence. Instead, he abruptly turned back around, motioned to Eliza to follow him, and he headed back towards the ship.

Eliza followed, but was still quite in shock as she comprehended the gentleman-like comment of the rough captain. He had defended her honour and protected her like a gallant hero. And he had behaved that way for a reason. He had stopped himself from revealing that reason. It made Eliza wonder. Perhaps he had a sweetheart? A broken heart? She had longed believed that sad, tragic endings were quite the best. To feel such a way for a lost love was quite her ideal.