"I know, Mr. Macgregor. It was fine firing."
"Thank you, sir," Macgregor said. Then he said, looking at the shore off binnacle head, "You ordered a salute, sir."
"Thirteen guns, Mr. Macgregor."
"Aye aye, sir," said Macgregor. He glanced up at the flag which Barney had ordered left flying for their entrance into the city. "We'll show 'em what a navy can do, sir! Why there must be two hundred shotholes in her mizzen stays'l alone, sir."
Barney smiled. He glanced once more at the "General Monk"; then he left the deck.
He stopped before Douglass' door. He knocked, and it flew open. He gathered her close in his arms.
He knew very well he was dirty, disheveled, bloodstained. "I couldn't wait any longer," he whispered.
"I want to look at you," she answered, leaning back in his arms. She cupped his face in her hands.
"I have a habit of standing on the binnacle head," he said apologetically. He drew her over to the cot and sat her down on it. He put his arms around her and she rested her head on his shoulder, and kept tight hold of one hand. Finally she said:
"I love you, Barney."
He squeezed her hard. They were both silent. After a few minutes he said, "I don't worry about your being happy here, darling. Even if I am a bit like New Jersey."
At the sound of his voice she looked up at his face. He was thinking he couldn't tell her yet what the despatches meant. Not quite yet. He couldn't tell her either that he expected Morris would give him the command of the "General Monk." He wanted to surprise her with that. He said, "I mean I'm a bit raw sometimes. But productive."
Douglass nestled her head closer into his shoulder. She laughed. "Go on, sir."
Barney kissed her. "And while the land does not seem to change, it does, subtly. We have terrible mosquitoes. I'd like to build a house down on the point."
"The war, Barney," she said solemnly.
"Will be over soon. We'll have plenty of time." He drew her closer and kissed her again. "That is like heaven," he whispered. "I
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asked you once if you dropped from heaven. Do you remember?"
"I remember, Barney," she answered.
"And I'll have to leave you now. I must dress. We'll be in port soon. It won't be long, sweetheart." He rose. He went to the door. From the cot she watched him, and she remembered, too, how many times she had heard those words. But this time was different. She said:
"I'll wait, Barney."
About Author
Jan Westcott was born in Philadelphia, the home of Captain Barney. The daughter of a classical scholar, she found inspiration for her first novel in the Encyclopedia Britannica: THE BORDER LORD, published in 1946.
Famous now as a leading author of historical romances, Jan Westcott's other books include CAPTAIN FOR ELIZABETH (1948) and THE HEPBURN (1950). All have been major book club selections, and the enthusiastic reading public continues to grow.
CAPTAIN BARNEY is Jan Westcott's first novel with an American back ground.
Printed in the U.S.A.
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