At three bells of the afternoon watch, Charles ordered the outer jib and mizzen sheeted and the last of Zeelandia's mooring lines slipped from ashore. I watched and listened from where he had stationed me, out of the way at the rail in the port forward corner of the quarterdeck. While he gave more instructions to Master, the brisk breeze filled the fore-and-aft sails as the hands hove in the sheets, drawing us slowly sidelong from the wharf in Saint Michaels.

When Master barked his next orders, I looked aloft to watch twelve men sidle out to the ends of the yards on the foremast and mainmast. At another order, they released the gaskets as they sidled back in, letting the square sails fall from the yards to be sheeted by those below. Such wonderful coordination. In a trice, another six sails set.

I breathed a deep sigh. To sea again. But no longer alone. And much less fearful of discovery.

As the sails took hold of the breeze and Zeelandia gained way, I reflected upon what Charles had said while we dined: No proper man would have interest in examining the details of another man's bum, much less that of a young boy.

Steward might have seen, but he would not have dwelt, and this eased me. I returned my mind to the present when I heard Charles order the wheel half a turn to port, and I watched as Zeelandia swung slowly, putting our stern to the wharf, to Barbados, to my past.

Master continued calling orders, and I saw smaller and smaller adjustments being made to the sails while Zeelandia settled onto her course. When she had, the hands relaxed from their positions, but I kept mine to continue watching and listening.

In the port aft corner, secluded from others on deck, Charles was in a discussion with the officers and the midshipmen. I recognised Mister Jenkins from the auction and the mid who had sat at the table with him – I assumed this would be Franklin, the one who had erred in cyphering. With the creaking of the rigging and the swish of the water, I was not sufficiently close to hear their quiet words.

I wondered whether it would be proper for me to join them. Charles had said to remain here until we were well underway and the activity had slowed, and it seemed it had. Should I?

As I sidled a bit closer along the rail, hoping to hear, Charles saw me and called, "Boy, come join us here."

"Aye, Sir," I replied as I hastened the remaining distance across the deck.

"Mid Franklin tells me you have not been introduced."

"No, Sir. Only to Mid Edwards and to Mister Jenkins."

"Then we shall right that." Charles introduced Mister Cogswell and Mister Matthews and the mids, Franklin and Gilbert, then he said, "Boy's father was a sea captain, raised from cabin boy, such as was I, and he tutored well, instilling in young Cavendish a fundamental understanding of navigation greater than I had my first years aboard."

I felt my face warm as Charles paused and raised a finger. Then shaking it, he continued, "I had been informed that Boy has been taunted by some, and I will not abide this."

Then looking at each of the three mids in turn, he said, "And word has come to me about malicious stories being spread. This shall stop. We are all here to work together for the greater whole. There is no place aboard for pettiness and divisiveness."

He swept an arm past Misters Jenkins, Cogswell and Matthews. "Among the duties of an officer is to maintain a high standard of behaviour and to set an example for the crew." Then looking again at the three mids, he continued, "And this you must follow as midshipmen if you wish to progress. Is this understood?"

The mids nodded and said, "Aye, Sir," in near unison.

"Remember this well: Word spreads fast aboard, both the good and the bad." He waved a pointed finger back and forth at the three mids. "Ensure I hear only good about you."

After the three had again said Aye, Sir, Charles continued, "Fine, then. Now, we have a ship to sail. Who has the watch?"

"I have it, Sir," Mister Jenkins replied.

"We shall continue to sail at best speed, steering northwest, half west to make west-northwest, half north. About two hours after sunset, we should raise Saint Vincent and Santa Lucia on either bow as we sail between them." Charles paused and pointed up. "With the clear sky and the full moon, they will show well. Call me when sunset approaches and when any sail is raised."

"Aye, Sir. Steer northwest, half west, all sails pulling. Call for sunset and any ship."

"Very well. You have the ship."

"Aye, Sir. I have the ship."

Charles turned and headed toward the hatch coaming, and I followed. When we arrived below in the great cabin, he said, "Berating someone in the company of others is not to be done, except in an instance and manner such as this. I accused no individual since each knows his participation. Also, having the officers present allows them to know the problem and to further counsel their mids."

"Yes, I sensed that." I wrapped my arms around him and laid my cheek on his chest. "That was so sweet of you to tell them of my understanding."

"They will all now see you in a different way." He stroked my back. "Offer some of the respect you deserve."

We were silent in our embrace for a while, then I asked, "Is it safe to sail in the dark toward two islands, hoping to pass between them?"

"We will have strong moonlight."

"And if the clouds obscure the moon?"

"There will still be light, though reduced, and the islands are three and four thousand feet high, so they will show from a great distance. Besides, the gap is forty miles wide and only ninety miles from here. It would take a gross steering or compass error to cause us to miss it."

"The compass. Father said it points to a different north in each area. How do we trust it?"

"We shoot each sunset and sunrise, and using tables of the sun's declination from the Equator, we adjust the variation."

"Aha! He had told me this, but I forgot. Seems I have forgotten a lot of it."

"Not forgotten, Camille. Misplaced. You have not had the opportunity to use much of your knowledge, and we shall remedy that. When you see its use, it will all come back."

"Will you show me with this evening's sunset?"

"This is one of the reasons I had asked to be called for it. That and having you sight the Pole Star and calculate our latitude. I wish to reinforce my words to the officers and mids to dispel any doubt which might remain."

I hummed a sigh, then I tilted my head up to receive his kiss.

A passionate interlude later, I asked, "Shall we continue this on the bed?"

"I was about to suggest we do."