Chapter 1Early 19th Century
Leah closed the door of her cramped cabin and climbed the steps to the deck. She couldn't wait to get a breath of fresh air. But just as she reached the main deck the rocky motion of the ship sent her sprawling directly into the path of Captain Hurst. Leah gasped then looked up into his craggy gray whiskered face.
Captain Hurst extended his hand as she pulled herself up from the deck. His eyes were dancing with merriment as he said, “Good Morning, Leah. Are you enjoying your voyage aboard the Liverpool?”
Leah quickly recovered from her unladylike spill. Couldn't he see she just fell? She made an effort to frame an answer mindful of the manners learned at an earlier age. She chooses not to remember the lumpy pillow and prickly blanket from the previous night.
