Commanding Heart Read Online Free

the meal, at least, is to your liking?”
    It was too much. Catherine looked in
helpless silence at the captain, her blue eyes watery in her ashen face. She turned
to her uncle and gave her head a small shake of resignation, then stood up in a
sudden, violent motion that knocked over her wineglass in the process.
Lieutenant Matthews, Captain Knight and every man at table watched in startled
surprise as she turned on her heel and quickly left the room.
    Captain Knight kept staring at the
door a long moment after her departure, his eyes burning with anger at Miss
Gibson’s complete incivility. Lieutenant Matthews reddened in embarrassment as
he began to offer apologies for his niece: “”This is most unusual, Captain”
Matthews mumbled, “Most unusual. She is normally a very sensible child; I
cannot imagine what she is thinking. I will go speak to the girl….” he trailed
off uncertainly. At these less than charitable words, Tom Foster sprang forward
suddenly to Catherine’s defense. “Sir!” the cabin boy cried with great feeling.
Each man turned in surprise at Tom’s cry; the boy was painfully shy and such a
loud outburst from him was completely out of character. “Sir,….” Tom began
again, uncertainly.  Tom had been watching Catherine the entire time from his position
of duty by the stateroom door, his heart filled with pity as he watched her
struggle. At Matthews’ poor defense of the young lady, however, Tom could remain
silent no longer: “I believe…,” he stammered, “I believe Miss Gibson might…
might want some… some ginger tea….” he stuttered. Captain Knight raised his
eyebrows in surprise and a guilty look of realization came to Matthews’ face.
“Ginger tea?” the captain enquired: “Miss Gibson is unwell?” Ginger tea was
well known as a cure for illness at sea – but it was not an item much in demand
on a ship such as this with a well-seasoned crew. “Yes, ginger tea” the boy
responded again simply. Lieutenant Matthews cursed himself silently then asked the
captain for leave to find his niece. Captain Knight readily agreed to the
request, then called to the porter and ordered the calming tea for Miss
Gibson’s cabin. As the porter turned to attend his duty, the captain made one
further request: “You will also take bread and some of the best fruit from my
stores. When Miss Gibson is feeling herself again she will be in need of some refreshment.”
    Catherine, lying ill at ease in her
cabin under her uncle’s watchful eye, would never know of this small kindness.
When she rose in the morning, refreshed from her sleep and at peace finally
with the motion of the ship, she enjoyed the offering of bread and fruit with great
relish, never once imagining it was a kindness of the captain’s, not her uncle’s.

Chapter IV
    The following day dawned bright and
clear, golden rays lighting the sky and streaming into the tiny cabin where
Catherine lay at rest. She blinked slowly against the growing light, long
lashes sweeping across pale cheekbones. As consciousness returned, Catherine
was delighted to find she was feeling completely herself once more. The
dizzying sickness of the previous day was long past. Catherine stretched
languorously in her bed, enjoying her returned sense of well-being. Her relief
was tempered, however, by the memory of her ungracious departure from the
captain’s table. The events of the previous evening came flooding back to her,
filling her with a fresh sense of humiliation. When her uncle had found her in
her cabin last night he was all kindness, assuring Catherine none had taken
offense at her unusual departure. Catherine had not been convinced by her
uncle’s words then and a deep flush came into her face now as she remembered
the captain’s stern face as she retreated from table. “He must think me a
complete fool” Catherine moaned with dismay. To date, her encounters with
Captain John Knight had been nothing short of disastrous. While she held