Pink Skies

Portsmouth Harbor, New Hampshire- 1904

My hands held tight to the soft white linen with the embroidered initial of my wife Loretta. The handkerchief, which I found tucked under a loose floorboard in our home was a not a gift from me. Nor were the letters that handcrafted fabric was wrapped around. At first it brought me tears that my young wife twenty years my junior had betrayed me while I was at sea. Then when I came out of my despair another feeling came forward. I placed the piece of wood under my bench near the starboard.

“Sure, you want to trust the open sea today, Captain Donovan. You know what they say about pink skies?” Davie the harbor master pointed up to hue of light rose.

“Thirty years of casting lines, I have never lost a mate. Those old tales are for the weak, Davie.” I turned to move netting pushing the white cloth back in my pocket. “New sailor coming aboard for a special trip out to Isle of Shoals. Word is the cast is high for some cod.”

I then heard the heels of my wife’s laced boots clamoring down the wooden planks.

"Henry, I brought you some extra bread and soup. How long did you say you and John would be gone?” I looked up to catch the slight grin across my wife’s face. A look formed to show sterile concern for my welfare.

“Just going for the night, my dear and I’m not bringing John this trip." I took the bag of bread and stew from her hands. “I have a new mate coming this journey, came highly recommended by the clan at the pub.” I kissed her forehead and turned her around. “Here he is now.”

I watched my wife’s grin drop ever so slightly as she watched Bellamy Fields, a young lad from two towns over, board my ship. Bellamy’s eyes rose as well as recognition set in. I offered him a hefty sum for this endeavor. Half paid prior to our departure and the other given upon return. My turn to smile. “Hey young lad come meet my one and only.” I think I saw a slight tremor as he approached. Loretta gathered her composure and held out her hand. Bellamy put down his knap sack and fishing rod.

“Nice to meet you Mrs Donovan. “

“You as well. What did you say your name was?”

“Bellamy Fields. Very nice to make your acquaintance.”

I smiled at these two who thought me a fool. “Well now mate,” Bellamy lowered his head. “Are you ready for some fishing?” I shoved the bag of bread in a thrust to his gut which almost knocked him over.

“Hold tight mate we can’t have any lost sailors.” I held his arm to steady his feet.

Loretta quickly exited as she knew her disposition was sketchy at best. “Be safe, there may be a storm. I will pray for you both.” She scurried down the planks.

I smiled as I watched her hurry back into town much more concerned about the outcome of this ship now that Bellamy had joined me.

“Well let’s find our way to the sea, shall we Bellamy!’

Our journey started out calm as we left the harbor. I asked Bellamy to clean the starboard with more salt water even though I had already done so several hours earlier while I adjusted the sails. Before long we were out near the Isle and anchored down. I prepared the stew and bread Loretta brought while Bellamy opened the whiskey, I told him was a necessity for this trip. After dinner, we continued to drink. Well Bellamy continued. I nursed my shot glass with one serving as I needed to be alert.

Turns out Bellamy was not used to the bottle and could not handle his liquor as I suspected. I refilled his cup several times over until I could see the haze cover his eyes. He sat in a trance with glass hanging from his hand. When it fell to the floor, he woke startled but could not get up. The boat started to rock as waves were in an upheaval.

“Pink skies sailor take warning.” Left my lips as I pulled out the letters and began to read to my wife’s lover the words he had written to her.

“I cannot wait until the old man is gone again, so I may have your lovely body all to myself.”

I laughed out loud. “That is some writing Bellamy! Good God! Just call you Bellamy Emerson.”

He started to move in his chair, I could see the distain and hatred in his eyes as he looked right at me.

“She does not love you, old man. She only married you for your money. Your wife loves me!” He jumped up staggered over to where I sat and spit in my face. I grabbed the loose board from my house that I had tucked under my bench. As he turned around, I felt the release of my pain move through my hands. The wooden plank belted through the air and across the backside of his head. He flew with the wind which had set in and bounced off the starboard that he had cleaned that morning. Overboard to the rocks of shoals. His eyes wide open as I watched him bleed in a stupor. The skies had said the storm was coming and at that moment the rain started.

I watched Bellamy start to realize he would die. I could see his panic as his body started to thrash. He tried to stand up on rocks and reach for the ship but between his drunkenness and the water cascading around him he could not find his balance and tumbled over. I heard him scream and then quiet. Quiet with my thoughts. Somehow letting him die would not change the betrayal. Word would eventually get out that I had let him die. There would be sympathy for him.

No, I had never lost a man at sea! No, he would not take my reputation along with everything else from me!" I grabbed the lifebuoy and flung it out to the rocks. He reached for it and held while I hoisted him back onto the ship. I dragged him below and wrapped his wound.

He slept and was still out when we arrived in the harbor the next morning. Loretta was there to greet us. She boarded the ship and came below to ask if we were okay through the torrential waves.

“I’m fine my dear. Your young lover in waiting had a bit of an accident. Do not worry he will not remember a thing.”

Loretta eyes widened as she looked down to see Bellamy’s head wrapped in the handkerchief that once held his love letters to her.