England 1843

The little girl snuggled closer to her father, listening to the rich inflections of his voice as he read to her from her favorite book. Her large gray eyes were filled with wonder and awe as the story came to a finish and her father shut the book. It closed with a gentle clap. Jacqueline looked up at her father, smiling when she saw him looking down at her.

Captain James Darcy put his arm around his beloved three-year-old.

“Daddy?” She said, still looking up at him.

“Hmm?” He hugged her, loving the way her eyes looked like the sky during a storm.

“I love you.” She said, her voice full of child-like trust.

“I love you, too, precious. And I’ll love you forever and always.”

She sighed, feeling safe and secure in his arms. If her father said he’d love her for always, she believed him.

England 1845

Jacqueline gazed with pride at the ship docked in the harbor not far from where she stood. Her ship. She stood on the deck next to her father, wind whipping her shoulder-length, black hair, her eyes caressing the vessel. She stared at the lettering on the port side. Although she couldn’t read, she knew what the letters spelled out.

The Storm.

Those three words sent shivers down her spine. She looked up at her father who was smiling down at her. He placed his large, gentle hand on her small head, loving the softness of her black tresses and the way her thoughts and the way she was feeling played across her delicate features.

“Well, Jack. There she is. Your ship. The Storm Chaser. Beautiful name, isn’t it? And it fits her, too. She looks like she’s about ready to go chase a storm, doesn’t she?” Darcy often spoke this way, asking questions but then going on without waiting for an answer. It was a trait that offended some, but endeared him to those who loved him.

“Yes.” His small daughter breathed the monosyllable word with reverence. Darcy eyed her and then spoke again.

“I think she needs someone to christen her, don’t you, Jack?” He threw a wink in the direction of his crew who all smiled fondly. Young Jacqueline usually accompanied them on voyages, and they all loved her like their own.

“You mean it, Daddy?” Jacqueline’s eyes rounded in surprise.

“Of course, love.” Darcy grinned down at her. He held his hand out to her and she gripped it excitedly, allowing herself to be led aboard her ship for the first time.

England 1847

“But I wanna come!” Jacqueline screamed at her father. “I don’t wanna stay home and go to school with Mrs. Edinburgh!”

“Jack, love, I can’t take you on this voyage. It’s not like the summer. I’ll just be selling and trading some cloth. Nothing a young lady would be interested in.”

The six-year-old stomped her foot. “I’m not a young lady! And I would be in-innerested!” She stumbled over the unfamiliar word even though she wasn’t sure of it’s meaning. Seeing that her father remained unmoved she tried another tactic. Her eyes welled up with tears and she sniffed.

“But Daddy,” she whined pitifully, “you’ll miss my birthday! And seven is such an awful important year. If you miss it, I’ll... I’ll cry for days and days!” She hoped at least a chagrined facial expression would betray him, but she was out of luck. He just laughed at her, his eyes dancing merrily.

“Precious, I’ll be back in plenty of time for your birthday. You must learn to read. I don’t think I’ve ever met a six-year-old who couldn’t read. Mrs.Edinburgh will be here at the house to stay with you and teach you arithmetic and reading and even how to write!”

His daughter’s face was downcast and she opened her mouth once again, but he firmly shook his head. “I’ll have none of it, Jacqueline. You can’t go, and that’s that. You must stay home and get an education.” He ruffled her hair and then was off to speak with Mrs. Edinburgh, the housekeeper. Jacqueline stared after him rebelliously, her eyes sparking gray fire.

For the first time in her young life, Jacqueline did not have what she wanted. She was accustomed to having everything her little heart desired, but now... she was being forced to get an eddication. What ever that was. She crossed her arms across her chest. She would be on that ship when it left on the morrow. She would.

Her mind frantically thought of a way - any way - for her to sneak aboard The Storm and finally she thought of Alec Edinburgh, the housekeeper’s son and the boy who would serve as cabin boy on her father’s voyage. Jacqueline had been extremely jealous, but now Alec would have no choice but to helpJacqueline with her mutiny.