back into their own private hells.
“Look for the first one with its deck lanterns lighted,” Peter said gruffly, adjusting himself on the seat.
The moment the carriage stopped Peter was out and up the ramp of the sailing ship, its deck alive with sailors and stevedores.
“You can’t come aboard,” one of the ship’s officers told him, blocking Peter’s way at the top of the gangplank.
“I must see the Captain,” Peter demanded.
Lydia came up behind him, holding her cloak tightly around her. “A young couple,” she said to the officer. “A Eurasian girl and a young American boy. We’ve got to find them.”
The officer gave a scornful smile. “Oh, yeah. They just came aboard a little while ago,” he said. “They’re in the steering house with the Captain.”
The Captain was an old sea mongrel who delighted in lecturing young, headstrong people such as the two before him. He felt it his duty to talk at length about anything that would help to cool the young, sensual heads of his charges.
When the door to the steering house burst open and Peter and Lydia hurried in he was just reaching for his Bible. “You don’t barge in like that,” he scolded. “I am the captain of this vessel and I am getting ready to marry these two young people.”
“There’ll be no marriage,” Peter said firmly.
“You can’t stop us!” David cried. He and April clung tightly to one another.
“I can and I will!” Peter said, his voice deadly calm.
“April, you must come home,” Lydia said, and at the very same moment, April cried, “Leave us alone.”
“Look here,” the Captain said, “This is my ship. I say what goes on here.”
“If you want to sail on the tide, Captain,” Peter said, “I suggest you permit us to remove these two young people. Here is my identification. I am not unknown in the more influential circles here in San Francisco. Your ship could be detained while this abduction is investigated.”
“Abduction?” The Captain sputtered. “Sir, there is no abduction here. These young persons came aboard of their own volition.”
“And by the time that’s proved to the harbor master’s satisfaction, your ship will be well behind schedule, which I’m sure will not please her owners.”
The Captain cleared his throat. He had been at his business since a boy, and he had learned never to argue with a threatening sea, but always to ride with the waves. He shrugged at David and April and slammed shut the Bible. He was glad to see the whole kit and kaboodle of them off his ship.
As they went down the gangplank toward the waiting carriage, David balked. “You can’t do this,” he railed at his father.
Peter shoved him forward. “I already have.”
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