Melaynie's Masquerade
by
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CHAPTER 10
As an exhausted Melaynie and her equally tired brother slowly walked homeward in the twilight, Melaynie’s mind was on the details and last minute plans before departure. Although her determination had not wavered, she was feeling twinges of guilt at her betrayal, especially since her father was so easily fooled. Her latest absences had been explained away as a knitting project with her friend Anne. She planned to use Anne’s name as her means to leave the house the evening of their departure, praying that her father didn’t choose to do something entirely out of character, like searching for her at Anne’s home. She could hardly let Anne in on the deception.
Tonight David would have to cut her hair; she couldn’t leave this important detail to the last day. She would wear her muffin cap at home to conceal its shortness. Instinctively, she put her hand up to feel the hair tucked inside her cap, and in her self-absorption failed to notice the familiar figure walking towards them.
It was her father! And just when she was feeling she could easily anticipate his habits. What could he be doing leaving the print shop so early? Would he recognize her? After all she was his beloved daughter; there might be some unknown sense that would inform him. There was nothing to be done but to brazen it out. Darkness was falling fast, and the shadows might be all she would need. She elbowed David quickly and then furtively pulled her hat lower.
Edward drew up in front of them, his attention all upon David.
"Son, I was finished early and thought to catch you aboard ship. I am very curious about this Drake fellow. Are you to sail soon, then?"
David stopped and smiled down upon his earnest father.
"I am all in, Father. We have been loading all this long day, or I should take you myself. We are set to sail on Whit Sunday eve."
"I am sorry to see you go, son. Shall we walk home together then?" Edward Morgan caught himself, realizing he had been rude and gestured at David's young companion. "Is this a fellow younker?"
Melaynie looked quickly at her father, gave the tiniest of shy smiles and then looked down at the ground. David touched his father's sleeve to divert his attention.
"This is Christopher, Father. I am afraid he is a green captain’s boy, too tired to speak. He had a great deal to learn today."
"He looks familiar. Do I know you, son?" her father asked.
Melaynie kept her eyes on the ground and let her shoulders sag to indicate her weariness. She mumbled a negative response.
David barely caught himself before he blurted out "she." "He comes from Compton, Father."
"My wife had family in Compton, the Cushings. Perhaps you know them, young man."
"Uhuh," Melaynie mumbled negatively and wondered how she was going to get out of this. How would she get back into the house to change her clothes? Would he discover her ruse just before her dream’s fulfillment?
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About the Book
What’s a girl going to do when she wants adventure in her life, and men have all the fun? Melaynie Morgan is an independent-minded young woman in Plymouth, England, but it’s the 16th century, and women are expected to dress elaborately and attend to womanly duties. Forget about doublets, swords and sailing ships. Melaynie refuses to let her conventional background deter her. She disguises herself as a captain’s boy and signs on with privateer Francis Drake to plunder Spanish treasure in the exotic Caribbean. In the chess game of Renaissance politics it’s an undeclared war of opposing religions, but Queen Elizabeth’s Protestant England and King Philip’s Catholic Spain are maintaining a guarded peace. Into that mix comes Plymouth’s Drake, waging his own private war with Spain. Melaynie finds more than she bargained for during her year in the tropics serving Drake – from disease, death and danger to a romance with a Spaniard and a friendship with an ex-slave. She returns to England wiser but secretly pregnant. Her daughter Joan grows up unaware of her true parentage until the Spanish Armada brings a bittersweet and surprising reunion.
About the Author
After a long career in journalism and book editing, Victoria Giraud turned her attention to her abiding love for history, an interest fostered during her university years at the College of William and Mary in Virginia. Fascinated with the career of England’s Sir Francis Drake, she has written both a novel and a screenplay with Drake as one of the main characters. Raised as an Army brat at posts all over the world, Giraud now makes Southern California’s Conejo Valley her home.