Prickly and Hard to Eradicate

A fresh breeze blew up from the south and it sent the boom across the deck of the little yawl Jack steered toward the island. He thought a sail would be the perfect remedy for her. She seemed melancholy and had to employ the aid of a sleeping tablet then night before. He reckoned right because her face was aglow with the morning sun and the wind in her hair seemed to be just the ticket.

Bridgid ducked the boom and slid across the deck to heave the sail port.

"Got it Jack" she called and he set the rudder to catch the wind in the canvas. With a snap it went taught and the yawl sped forward bringing a hearty ‘Ha ha!" from the woman. The clang cling clang sounds of a protesting hank that let go made her scramble to the mast to climb up and secure it.

"A little slack, Captain!" she called and he eased her off the wind for a moment. She pulled against the stiff canvas until the hank was secure then sliding back to the deck she took her place next to the mighty man at the wheel.

"I could stay out here forever" Bridgid confessed.

"As could I, Siren."

She looked up at him, studying the expression on his face. He was at home at sea, even on this little sloop. The contentment she felt from him out here on the briny was never surpassed by what she felt on the dirt.

"Have I made a mistake?" she blurted.

He looked down at her, puzzled. "Whatever are you speaking of, Bridgid?"

She paused, looking down at the deck. "Bringing you to Australia, settling in the cottage so far inland. Have I made a mistake asking you to do this?"

He cocked his head and his expression was still one of puzzlement but the length of time he took to reply certainly made her draw a conclusion.

"Bridgid, we have both spent much time in the service of our respective countries. Old habits die hard. Aye, I am in my element at sea however there comes a time when we have to accept changes."

Maybe she read what he was saying the wrong way but the feel behind his tone saddened her. "We don’t have to accept changes. We don’t have to do anything we don’t want to." She lowered her voice and added "You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do."

Jack let out a sigh. Ever since they’d come to the Glen she’d been moody off and on. What the bloody hell was wrong with her. Was her conscience playing up?

"Bridgid, I am with you, therefore I am content."

"Someone told me once that no sailor is content to stay put."

"Every sailor longs for hearth and home."

"Only when that sailor is away from it." her voice lowered with each syllable. She finished what she had to say and she took a rather sheepish step back to sit on the transom.

Jack turned the yawl south into the wind and put it on a port tack. This caused her to brace herself. The wind howled though the rigging for a moment before things got quiet again.

Soon enough they were approaching a small island and Bridgid stood to help with the mooring of the small ship. Sails were taken in and just before they reached a point where the keel would touch sand the anchor was set.

"I guess we’ll have to swim a bit as there’s no dock here, Jack."

"Aye, but will it not be grand, Siren?" he watched as she began to strip off her clothes. He started to do the same before he stopped to take her into his arms. Kissing her with all of his heart and soul he eased back to smile at her.

"You first, my love. I shall follow you."

She smiled back at him. With a nod Bridgid piled her clothes on the deck then she jumped overboard. As she began her swim she stopped after a few yards to insure he was behind her but what she saw made her heart sink. Instead of following her he’d retrieved the anchor and set the mainsail of the yawl. He was standing there on the deck with his shirt open and blowing in the wind as the boat began to sail away. Jack held one hand up to wave goodbye to her as she called.

"Jack! Jack Aubrey what are you doing? Don’t leave me here alone."

His answer stabbed her in the heart as the yawl gained speed. "It is what sailors do, Siren. They leave."

"Nooooo!" she cried as she struggled to swim toward the yawl. Before long she realized it was futile and her energy would be spent. She’d surely drown if she didn’t swim toward the island.

Tears mixed with the briny sea as she was caught in the surf which brought her to the sandy beach. By the time she hauled herself up she was stumbling with fatigue and when she turned to look out to sea, Jack and they yawl had vanished.

Many hours later, Bridgid woke up. She was encrusted with sand and her face bore the stains from crying the tears of confusion. What just happened and why?

TBC