Kathleen E. Woodiwiss - Petals On The River, Kathleen WoodWiss
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//-->Petals on the RiverPetals on the RiverPetals on the Riverby Kathleen WoodwissPetals on the riverbyKathleen E. WoodiwissThis is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidentseither are the product of the authors imagination or are usedfictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations,or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond theintent of either the author or the publisher.AVON BOOKS A division of The Hearst Corporation 1350 Avenue of theAmericas New York, New York 10019Copyright v 1997 by Kathleen E. WoodiwissFront cover illustration byWendy PoppInside back cover author photograph by Nancy CramptonPublished by arrangement with the authorISBN 1-56865-587-8All rights reserved, which includes the right to reproduce this book orportions thereof in any form whatsoever except as provided by the U.S.Copyright Law. For information address Avon books.AVON TRADEMARK REG. U.S. PAT. OFF. AND IN OTHER COUNTRIES, MARCAREGISTRADA, HECHO EN U.S.A.Printed in the U.S.A.To my yrandson, Seth Alexander Woodisiss, who was the inspiration forthe young boy in this book Seth is so engaging and delightful to bearound I couldn't help but want to convey those kind of characteristicsin 24ndre<.I hope I was successful."CHAPTER 1Newpovztes Neu7es, Vicgirtia April 25, 1747The London Pride chafed against the quay as the currents of a risingnor'easter slowly rocked the vessel on her cables. Close above hermastheads, errant clouds tumbled in darkening portent of an advancingstorm. Gulls swooped in and out of the ship's rigging, lending theirraucous cries to the rattle of chains as a double file of thin, raggedconvicts stumbled up from the companionway and shuffled in unison acrossthe weathered planking. The men, hobbled by leg irons and bound to eachother by no more than a fathom's length of chain, were prodded into linefor the bosun's inspection. The women were individually shackled andcould move at their own pace toward the forward hatch where they hadbeen told to wait.Farther aft, a common swabber paused in his labors to observe the lattergroup. After casting a cautious glance toward the quatterdeck, he grewbold at the continued absence of Captain Fitch and his bovine wife andhastily stowed his mop and bucket before ambling across the deck.Strutting like a well-preened rooster around the shabby women, heprovoked a near-solid bulwark of embittered glares with his leering grinand brash manner. The singular exception was a dark-eyed, ravenhairedharlot who had been convicted of lifting the purses of the men she hadbedded and of seriously wounding a goodly number in the process.She alone offered a promising smile to the tar.“I aren't seen the bogtrotter round in nigh a week, Mr, Potts,” thestrumpet remarked coarsely, tossing a triumphant smirk toward herglowering companions. “Ye don't suppose the li'l beggar's gone an'caught her death in the cable her, now do ye? Twould be a rightfittin' comeuppance for biffin' me in the nose.”A small wisp of a woman with limp brown hair pushed her way out of thecluster of women and gave the harlot a crisp retort. “Ye can twist thatIyin' tongue all ye want, Morrisa Atcher, but the lot o' us know m'liedygive ye no more'n ye deserved. The way ye jabbed her in the ribs whenshe weren't lookin', ye should've been the one what spent time in thechain locker! If tweren't for yer li'l lapdoggie here”þshe indicatedPotts with scathing abhorrenceþ“bendin' Mrs. Fitch's ear, m'liedymight've been allowed ta have her say.”Setting his beefy arms akimbo, Potts faced the small, feisty woman.“An' ye, Annie Carver, might've done us all a heap o' good fillin' oursheets with wind from yer ever-flappin' tongue. Ain't no question boutit, we'd have run ahead soarin' free on that gale.”The sound of dragging chains drifted up from the hold, claiming theswabber's attention. His small, beady eyes took on a sadistic gleam.“Well, blimey! I thinks I hear m'liedy comin' now.” Chortling tohimself, he lumbered toward the companionway and hunkered down to squintinto the shadows below. “Eh, bogtrotter? Be it yer own bloomin' selfcomin' up from em lower chambers?”Shemaine O'Hearn lifted seething green eyes toward the broad silhouettelooming over the opening. For daring to defend herself against thisoaf's shipboard doxy, she had spent the last four days isolated in adank pit in the forward depths of the ship. There she had been forcedto scrap with rats and roaches for every morsel of bread that had beentossed to her. If not for her sorely depleted strength, she might haveclawed her way up the stairs and raked the tar's ugly visage with raggednails, but heavy sarcasm was the most she could muster energy for. "Andwhat other poor wretch would this smelly toad have come to fetch, if notme, Mr. Potts?“ she asked, jerking her head to indicate the squat,little man who limped along beside her.”I was sure you had persuaded Mrs. Fitch to reserve those quarters forme alone.“Potts heaved an exaggerated sigh of displeasure, making much of herdisparagement. ”There ye go, Sh'maine, insultin' me friends again.“Her escort reached out and viciously pinched her arm for a second timesince freeing her from the cable her. Freddy was every bit as mean asPotts and needed no coaxing to take his spite out on anyone who couldn'tfight back. ”Watch yer manners, ye highfalutin tootie!“”I will, Freddy,“ she gritted, snatching her arm away from his grubbyfingers, ”the very day the lot of you learn some.“Potts's gruff voice resonated through the companionway. ”Ye'd betterget up here an' be quick bout it, Sh'maine, or I'll have ta teach yenother lesson.“The girl scoffed at the ogre's rapidly diminishing leverage. ”CaptainFitch may have something to say about your heavy-handed ways if heintends to sell me today.“”The cap'n may have his say, alright,“ Potts allowed, bestowing a cockygrin upon her as she struggled to make an ascent hindered by weightyiron anklets and chains. ”But ever'body knows his missus has the finalsay on this here voyage.“Since being hauled in shackles aboard the bark, Shemaine had become
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