Keeping Katherine [Excerpt Only]

Chapter One

England, 1811

Lieutenant James Cayley let out a pained groan as he forced his green eyes open. He was met with darkness, and a throbbing pain in his side. His stomach cramped painfully with hunger. He shifted his weight, beginning to position himself to sit up, gritting his teeth to prevent a sound from escaping his lips.

He sat up and surveyed the familiar underground prison. It was dark for the most part, except the occasional torch that the guards used as they maneuvered around the room. His eyes had grown used to the lack of light. The scent of blood and death filled the prison, and often made James gag. He ignored the stench and inhaled deeply, not realizing that it'd trigger someone to stir.

"Lieutenant Cayley?" A weak voice called, and James' eyes snapped open. Very little stimulated a response from James, but his pity for this human always got the best of him

"Still here," James replied, his throat scratchy from lack of water. There was a sigh of relief, before a bit of shuffling in a cell near James's. James opened his eyes, and glanced over to his left to see a much younger boy in the cell adjacent to James's.

It was Ellis Byron, who was at the young age of six and ten. Ellis, like James, was a second son of a lord and was sent to the navy to hopefully earn title and wealth. It was for this reason, a sense of understanding, that James felt closer to Ellis. The protective instinct reminded him of the one he had with his mother and sister.

James and Ellis sailed together on a ship that was named Defence. They were fighting for the British in the Peninsular War against Napoleon, spending most days in the peaceful North Sea or English Channel. They sailed under the orders of Captain Dominick Marten, a strict but well respected man. James had grown to like the ship, he managed to find the waves and the air peaceful.

A few months ago, the Defence was sailing around what James believes to be the Jutland Peninsula. He was in Captain Marten's office discussing strategy when there suddenly was commotion on deck. He could hear the feet pounding against the wood, and the loud curse words that were being exchanged in between orders. The two of them rushed on deck, to find a terrified crew scrambling. James looked out at the horizon and saw the problem immediately. They were heading straight towards a massive hurricane.

James did not know the exact moment he realized that the ship was going to wreck. His mind wouldn't allow him to accept defeat when the papery sails tore, the wheel began to lose all ability to steer, or when the mast crashed down onto the deck, crushing a crew member to death. It was as if his brain had grown numb to the fear around him.

James washed up near Ringkøbing, Denmark. He managed to reunite with Ellis whose terror was getting the better of him. They began heading south, and James believes they wandered too close to the French border, and were captured as a result. Ellis and James had been by French ever since. They were stuck in these cells waiting for the day of their execution.

Spending all day in a cell made him think of home a lot. He missed his family, who he hadn't seen in years. He missed his mama's cooking, and his sister's demanding behavior.

Most of all, he missed her. It'd been years since he'd seen the beautiful Katherine Vane, and long ago, he accepted that she was no longer his.

Not marrying her the moment his father announced that he was leaving for the navy was the hardest decision he ever had to make. He wanted nothing more than to sweep her up her up into his arms and run to the nearest church. Of course, he knew that her father would disown her and their marriage would begin with her questioning if her marriage was worth it.

James glanced over at Ellis, and he frowned at the sight of him. Ellis had several bruises up his arms, and a large cut above his eye. He had a large piece of cloth fashioned into a sling holding his arm.