Page 30 of Voyage of Death and Desire

“What do you mean?”

Ms. Francis shrugs. “He went to sea one day and never returned.”

“Was the ship sunk?”

“No, that’s the strange part. He disappeared in the middle of the night. When the ship returned to port, he was never seen or heard from again. Most people speculated that he fell overboard or possibly jumped.” My heart jumps into my throat at the thought of Thorne disappearing.

“That’s horrible.”

She takes a deep breath. “I imagine it was.” She turns back toward the desk. “Now, let’s get you checked in.”

I spend the next few minutes sharing all of my information, or at least the information that I’m willing to share and get checked into Thorne’s home.

Following the woman up the stairs, we pass photo after photo of different ships. “Here we are,” she says, opening a door off the main hallway. Inside, I’m surprised at how lavishly the room is decorated. Thefour-poster bed looks antique, making me wonder if it’s original to the home. Green velvet bedding covers the top, giving it a warm feeling. Wide plank boards cover the floor and are home to a thick rug that matches the bedding.

“Speaking of Captain Rex, this was the room he used when he lived here.”

My heart stops. “Really? This very room?”

“Yes.” She moves toward the headboard of the old bed, rubbing the wood gently. “This is the same bed he slept in. Not the same mattress, of course.” She laughs at her words.

She moves toward an ancient wardrobe. “This is original to the room, along with that washstand.” She points to a small table, holding an antique water basin. “There are quite a lot of items throughout the home that are original. Over the years, many things have broken or been destroyed. This room seems to hold the most.”

“Thank you, Ms. Hawthorne.”

“Call me Francis, please.”

“Thank you, Francis.”

She works her way toward the door. “Dinner will be served promptly at six o’clock. If you will not be eating, I ask that you tell me so that I don’t overcook. Other than that, I’ll leave you be.” I watch the elderly woman close the door behind her and fight the tears that threaten to fall.

After all these years, I’ve found him. I finally found him.

NINE

food for thought

Workingmy way down the stairs, I touch every picture as I pass, longing to learn more about each one. I know without looking that there are five people besides Ms. Francis in the room below: two men, two women, and a child.

The smell of shrimp and grits fills my nose as I move toward the noisy dining room. “Miss Abernathy, welcome,” Ms. Francis greets me as I enter the room. The table in the middle of the room is large enough to seat twenty guests. On the perimeter, several smaller tables are set, each holding a few people. “Sit wherever you like. I’ve prepared a low-country favorite. I hope you’re not allergic to shrimp.”

“I’m not,” I lie. Actually, not a lie, just an omission. I haven’t eaten food in nearly three hundred years. I sit at one of the smaller tables, and she sets a steaming bowl in front of me.

“This looks amazing.”

“I’m glad. Eat up.”

I slide the food around in the bowl, hoping to make it look like I’ve eaten. Moving faster than human eyes can track, I dump half of the contents into a trash can nearby. “Would you join me?” I ask my hostess.

“Are you sure?” she asks.

“Of course. I’d love to ask more questions and discover more history on the home and Captain Rex.”

She giggles as she sits down. “That reminds me. I found an old book that you’re welcome to borrow if you like. After you checked in earlier, I remembered I had a history of the ships that belonged to the Hawthorne Company. You’re welcome to look through it.”

I focus on keeping my expression calm. “I’d like that, thank you.”

“You’re welcome, dear. Not many people your age are interested in history. Especially history from the 18thcentury.”

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