27. Jonto
Jonto
Three days later saw them sailing away with Norae, her three cats, a nanny goat, and all of her worldly belongings settled comfortably on board.
Jonto and Isla had taken to enjoying late-night strolls along the deck, where they spoke of their childhoods, their parents, and anything else that came to mind.
Seeing that the Captain had no plans to ruin the lady’s reputation, Pris and Robert had given them more privacy than when they’d first boarded the ship.
At Jonto’s request, however, for propriety’s sake, Ilona remained on deck whenever they were together.
She didn’t necessarily shadow the couple but stayed close enough to say she’d chaperoned them at all times should anyone in Fachan’s Bay have the temerity to suggest the lady’s honor had somehow been compromised.
That night, as they walked along the starboard gunnel, Isla, who’d become comfortable in the Captain’s presence during the privacy of their evening walks, ran her hand through the crook of Jonto’s arm.
Covering her hand with her own, Jonto fervently wished they didn’t fit together so perfectly.
A warmth spread through her body every time they touched, whether it was a simple shoulder bump as they walked, or this type of intimacy that conveyed a trust she wasn’t sure she could honor.
After her indiscretion on the island, Jonto always ensured she remained chivalrous and well-mannered.
She gently squeezed Isla’s hand and broached the subject uppermost on both of their minds.
“Hopefully, having Norae return with us will convince the King he has nothing to worry about as far as Windsong Hall is concerned, especially since you and I have made a deal regarding your herd of sheep.”
Isla remained silent for a long while, but eventually, she nodded. “We can hope, can’t we?”
“Isla, we need to talk about what you want to do if things don’t go as planned.”
“I won’t leave my home if that’s what you’re asking.”
“You may have to.”
“I guess we’ll see when we get there, won’t we?
I can tell you I won’t marry Montfort.” She stopped and turned to face Jonto.
Glancing this way and that to ensure they were alone, Isla stepped close and whispered, “My lord, there’s something I’ve been needing to speak to someone about. Can I trust you with a confidence?”
Placing a hand over her heart, Jonto nodded. “I swear I’ll keep your confidence, Isla, unless it endangers my ships or my crew.”
Blushing, Isla pulled in a deep breath. “We’ve only known one another a short time, but because I’ve come to trust you and, after seeing your acceptance of Ilona and Babette, I know you won’t judge me. I need you to understand why I’ll never marry.”
Jonto waited patiently for her to get up the courage to say what she needed to say.
“I’ll never marry a man unless it’s strictly a marriage of convenience.” She stared into Jonto’s eyes, willing her to understand what she was saying.
With concern and understanding in her eyes, Jonto whispered, “Because you prefer women to men?”
Isla blinked rapidly, “I…I don’t know, but I do know the idea of…” she paused as she groped for a delicate way to say what she needed to say, “…relations with a man is repugnant to me.” She studied Jonto’s face for a reaction. “And you aren’t the least bit surprised, are you?”
With a casual shrug, Jonto confirmed Isla’s suspicions. “I guessed, but I didn’t know. But why tell me this now?”
After another furtive look around, Isla continued to speak in hushed tones.
“Because a marriage with a monster like Montfort would never be one of convenience, and therefore, I’ll never allow anyone, King Jaydon or otherwise, to force me into his marriage bed.
I’m telling you this because I have to know.
If something were to happen to me, would you take in Lily, Tansy, and Perrin if the King takes my land? ”
The matter-of-fact way Isla referred to her situation worried Jonto.
Not to mention the fact that she didn’t like her phrasing, “I won’t leave Windsong Hall,” coupled with, “If the King takes my land.” Add to that the cryptic, “If something were to happen to me,” and her thoughts turned to dark intentions and outcomes.
“Well?”
Jonto shook herself out of her reverie. “Well, what?”
“Will you take them in if they no longer have a home?”
“Of course. I’d take all of you in, you included.”
That startled a laugh out of Isla, who stopped and turned to face the sea.
The breeze blew her hair off her shoulders as she leaned into its gentle caress.
“I hardly think the King would allow me to disobey his will and move in with you at Kraken’s Rest. Don’t you worry about me.
It’s my servants’ well-being that most concerns me.
Well, my horses, too, but I’ll sell them before I let him get his hands on such prime stock. ”
Over the last several hours, the headache that had started as a minor inconvenience had grown into a steady throbbing behind Jonto’s eyes.
If she were a man, the answer would be so patently simple.
She’d marry the woman, and that would be that.
But it wasn’t that straightforward, and the impossibility of the situation had given her several sleepless nights where she did nothing but toss and turn, trying to come up with a solution that would satisfy everyone.
There wasn’t an easy answer, so she didn’t try to give one.
They resumed their stroll and eventually climbed the stairs to the fo’c’sle.
They heard murmuring as they walked forward, and to both their surprise, they found Celie and Norae leaning against the railing, talking quietly to one another.
Their hips were touching, and Celie was leaning into Norae’s shoulder.
It didn’t look like Norae minded the contact all that much.
In fact, judging by her relaxed stance, she rather enjoyed the touch.
Jonto blinked several times, trying to come to terms with what she was seeing.
She’d known Norae liked women but had no clue the same might be true about Celie.
Well, now that she thought about it, Isla had said that Celie had been her mother’s companion, but for whatever reason, she’d thought she’d been just that—her close friend and companion.
Perhaps Jonto had been too focused on Isla to spare much thought for her older friend. More the fool, she.
Isla pulled her to a stop and stared at the two women as though they’d both grown two heads.
The women must have sensed someone behind them because they moved apart and turned around.
Celie grinned. “Oh, it’s you two. It’s such a beautiful, clear night that I’m surprised there aren’t more people out stargazing.
” She put her hand on the small of Norae’s back.
“Norae’s not only versed in reading the cards.
She’s also an expert on astrology and the constellations.
She’s been reading my future in the stars. ”
In the evenings, Norae had sat on the deck with her tarot cards, reading people’s futures and speaking about the mysterious role the fates played in their lives.
Jonto, Isla, and the others had sat and watched as, one by one, the crew shyly approached her to hear their fortunes.
Most of the crew knew Norae personally because Jonto had allowed them to take shore leave to visit with the woman her people referred to as the witch of the veil—someone who looked beyond this life to see the secrets of the unknown.
Isla’s grip on Jonto’s arm relaxed, and she smiled at her irrepressible friend. “And what do your stars foretell?”
“That while I’ve had a wonderful life to this point, the best is yet to come.” She shook her head. “Your mother used to say something similar. She’d say, ‘Celie, yesterday was wonderful, but every morning we awaken is a gift we need to embrace.’”
Isla’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I wish she were here. She’d fix everything.
I know she would.” The breeze blew through the rigging, bringing with it the creaking of the wooden masts, the rattling of the ropes, and the slight whistling sound as it passed through the lines and sails.
Isla stepped forward and rested a hand on the railing.
She stared into the night sky as though she could find her answers in the heavens.
“What do the stars foretell of my future, Norae?”
Norae remained silent for so long that the pulse in Isla’s throat became increasingly pronounced.
Isla had confided in Jonto that she hadn’t yet asked for a reading because she feared what might be revealed.
She’d let slip that looking into Norae’s dark eyes while she read her future wasn’t an option, that she had the unreasonable fear that opening herself up would allow the witch to reach into her soul and see things that no one should ever see.
Even so, she’d confided that as she’d watched Norae read other people’s futures, she’d felt an aura surrounding the woman she couldn’t explain away by simply declaring herself an unbeliever.
Jonto knew the feeling, had experienced it before, and felt it now.
As she watched Isla’s hands tremble, she knew that instead of soothing her already frayed nerves, the otherworldliness surrounding the witch terrified her.
When dark-skinned arms settled next to Isla’s on the railing and Norae finally spoke, the strength of her words—her absolute belief in them—stiffened Isla’s shoulders in anticipation.
Norae’s voice dropped into the lower register she used during her spiritual sessions.
“When you first arrived at my home and asked for my help, I spread the cards all night asking for insight on your future, Lady Brighton, because I knew that if I threw myself into your future, my life would become inextricably linked with yours. Each time, the cards were different. That tells me that you’re coming to a crossroads in your life.
At times, our future is ordered and easily followed.
But in every life, there comes a time when outside influences disrupt the patterns we’ve so carefully set for ourselves.
And while we like to believe we have a choice in how our lives will go, the fates laugh at our naivete.
It appears you’re at that juncture where those fates control your life entirely. ”
Isla’s question slipped out in a near whisper. “Do you see darkness?”
“That was one possible outcome, yes.”
“And the other possibilities? What else did you see?”
Norae pulled in a breath and stared into the darkness. “Despair or happiness. Prosperity or poverty. Freedom or servitude. I saw them all in the cards, Lady Brighton, with none more prominent than any other.”
Isla pushed back from the railing and hurried from the deck.
When Jonto moved to follow, Celie put a hand on her arm. “No, let me.”
Watching as Celie descended the stairs to the main deck, Jonto felt a heaviness settle on her shoulders like a cloak. She turned back to her friend. “I’d hoped you’d seen a happy, bright future in her stars.”
Norae slowly faced the captain and leaned against the railing. She crossed her arms and looked deeply into Jonto’s eyes. “One of her cards was the Queen of Cups.”
“What does that mean?”
“It represents compassion. Emotional depth. But more importantly, it symbolizes a strong connection with water or someone connected to water.” Her unwavering attention unnerved Jonto.
“I laid your cards too, Captain because our lives have always been intertwined. Since you’re responsible for bringing her to me, I needed to see your hand in her life and, therefore, in mine.
” She paused, turned to face the sea, and rested her hands on the railing.
“And what did you see?”
“Not what, Captain. Who. Other than the fact that Nico has been your constant companion, he figured prominently in your future decisions. His card appeared twice next to the Chariot. You’d do well to take the time to listen to what he has to say.”
“And what exactly does that mean, that his card appeared next to the Chariot?”
“The Chariot can represent someone who helps guide another through obstacles and challenges, a task he’s dutifully performed for the last ten years.
He’s been a constant, steadying presence in your life.
There’s something else, though, and you’d do well to heed this, Jonto.
” She turned back around and held Jonto’s gaze.
“The Eight of Swords came up every single time I laid out your cards.”
“Meaning?”
“Its primary message is about being trapped or restricted in some way. It can also refer to self-imposed limitations and a feeling of indecision. Or, to put it another way, a lack of the clarity needed to make a decision. When combined with Nico’s Chariot, the cards are sending you a sign that you must rely on and trust Nico to have your best interests at heart.
Listen to his advice, Jonto. For all our sakes. ”
With that, she was gone.
Ilona stepped out of the shadows and came to stand next to her. “She’s pretty scary when she gets like that, but, honestly, I’ve never known her to be wrong, Captain. I think you’d do well to listen to her advice.
With a nervous chuckle, Jonto put her arm around Ilona’s shoulders and guided her to the stairs.
“If she only frightens you, my friend, you’re lucky.
She doesn’t frighten me when she says things like that.
She makes my blood run cold and twists my tripes into knots.
” She patted her on the back as they descended to the main deck.
“Let’s go to bed, shall we? Tomorrow’s another day. ”