Finding Him

41l Italy

“Lord Talbot?”

Daniel's fingers tightened on what he assumed was the railing of the ship. He bowed his head slightly and ignored the voice that beckoned him.

“Lord Talbot!” The voice seemed closer and he knew if he paid attention, he would hear the person's approaching footsteps past the sound of the sea and wind. “Lord Talbot. ”

Heaving a sigh, Daniel turned to the side.

“I knew you were familiar! You must be Lord Talbot's son, are you not? ”

For a second, Daniel thought to deny the man's observation but he doubted he would get away with it. He was the spitting image of his father, in his mother's words.

“Yes.” He nodded, wanting to be left alone. He hadn't chosen to journey on his father's ship because he hadn't desired the attention. Unfortunately, nearly all of England's shipping business was familiar with his father and his brother.

“It is such a great honor to have you on my ship. My name is Thomas Walters, I worked with your father, until I was fortunate enough to own my own fleet...”

Something bumped into Daniel from behind, pushing him forward. Stunned, he managed to regain his footing and turned around, his face, he knew, a reflection of his wrath.

“What, on God's green earth, is wrong with you?!” He cursed, the frown on his face deepening.

The sound that followed was unexpected, nearly ripping his heart apart; it was the sound of a child crying.

“I-” He suddenly couldn't speak. He hadn't meant to snap at the child, he hadn't even expected it to be a child! But it was no excuse for his rudeness and while he meant to apologize, he didn't know where to start.

“Helena?!” A woman's voice drifted to them. She appeared to be racing in their direction. “Helena!” Someone gasped. “Oh, forgive me my lord!”

“Shouldn't you be working?” Thomas snapped. “Get back to work, and take the child with you! I can't have her running into my guests!”

“Yes, of course.”

As Daniel listened to them walk away, the child sniffing silently, a wave of regret washed over him. He should have apologized to the child and to the mother. He shouldn't even be here, on a ship, his wife and child behind in Birmingham. Perhaps the child wasn't really his, but he could love him nontheless, he could be his father. He could protect him...

Thomas must have resumed talking but Daniel stopped paying attention. He was in no mood for pleasantries.

Avoiding the Thomas however, proved impossible. He had Daniel's cabin changed to what Daniel knew, just by the feel of the mattress against his back, to be a luxurious cabin. It seemed spacious as well and while Daniel sought to protest the move, Thomas was headstrong. It took a while, but Daniel finally realized that Thomas was a distraction, a good distraction that helped to take his mind off the pain and anger he felt. Thomas distracted him in the day time but at night, he laid awake thinking of Hadassah. He tried not to think of the baby or his brother. He tried not to think of his own misfortune. He instead thought of the life they had in Rye, the times they spent together, the times they danced. He would then fall asleep and dream of losing her, watching her get married to his brother and having a child for his brother.

Daniel's eyes snapped open, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. Sweat drenched his shirt as he pushed himself to a sitting position and turned his attention to the door where there was a consistent pounding.