Saved By The Pirate (Book One)

47. The Truth

Christopher

Nearly drunk and nearly there, Christopher's heart leaped. He was only a short distance away. If the winds were on his side today, the two ships would be side by side in no time. Christopher just hoped that Daniel didn't notice a pirate ship behind him.

***

Anne

Maybe it was because I didn't feel like going back to my room, or perhaps it was because I wanted to learn more about this new Daniel, but I went to the gallery. After putting my stuff down (and trying to calm myself down), I went back to meet Daniel, where I prayed I didn't have to face something embarrassing again.

Daniel stood in the middle of the gallery, focuses on the sack of potatoes that sat in a corner. If he hadn't kidnapped me, I would have made a joke about it.

Hearing my footsteps, Daniel turned his head. "I'm trying to decide what to make," he said, turning back to the potatoes and then to the other ingredients on the counter.

As if on instinct, I walked over to the potato sack, grabbed three, and then walked where there was a knife and cut them up, all while Daniel watched.

"What are you making?" He asked.

I still felt annoyed by his presence, and I wondered if it would be this way now - if I would come to hate being around him.

I grumbled 'dinner' under my breath, not wanting to say anything more. Daniel didn't say anything, either.

After cutting, I laid the potatoes onto a pan on the stove. "Start a fire," I told Daniel. He followed my orders and crouched down, starting a fire in the furnace below.

I felt awkward around him, and I was still furious. Why must it be this way? Why? It felt strange, being angry at Daniel. I've never been mad at him, not before he left me without telling me where he went.

He stood up, looking at me. "Want me to handle, or would you rather do it?" It was an innocent question, and since he could probably handle the cooking, I let him, leaving the stove and pulled up a chair. I watched as he used a few spices to savor up the meal, and was surprised to find that he knew what he was doing.

"Where did you learn to cook like that?" I asked, playing with my hair, not wanting to make eye contact with him.

"I watched the kitchen staff cook, and they showed me a few things."

I was a bit curious. "You could afford kitchen staff? You didn't tell me you were..." I let my voice trail off as I concluded Daniel's wealth - Christopher's wealth. How had I not seen it before? Christopher's mother. She wore an exquisite dress and the painter who painted it. No working-class family could afford to have a portrait painted of them.

Not unless they had money.

"Yes. Christopher's father was a tradesman. He had money." His voice was tight as he said it. This topic was hard for him.

"I wanted to be like him," Daniel continued. I still didn't have the heart to glance in his direction, though I wanted to. If things weren't this way, maybe I could have been the friend Daniel needed me to be.

But I didn't think it could ever be the same again, not with the way things were turning out. I loved Daniel, but how could I marry him knowing what he did to me?

At last, I couldn't help myself. If things were going to be this way, I wanted to hear the truth, the whole truth.

"Why?" I asked, feeling the prickle of tear, darling fall down my face. I could tell Daniel knew this because he was silent for a moment before answering.