Chapter 59: And Then ... Part 1

Cal wandered into the dining room and saw her father with his tea and a mountain of books stacked around him.
"How are the plans for the memoirs?"
"If I try to write about everything I've done, the book would fill a library. Whittling down the pile is turning out to be more of a chore than I'd thought."
"Pick the stories that changed your life."
"No one wants to read about when I met your mother, or the day you were born."
Cal poured herself tea and put jam on a slice of bread.
"I don't know, it wouldn't be a bad thing to have a human side to the fearless explorer, remind people you cared about more than discovering the world."
"Do you mind if I use some of your sketches from over the years?"
"Mind? Of course not, I did them for you."
"I guess we'd better finish up and get dressed, the Baroness will not be pleased if we are a second late."
"Not every day you get to marry off your only daughter." Cal stood up and saw the look of pain cross Sir Shillingsworth's face. "It's OK, Father, I don't plan on staying single my whole life. I'm waiting to find someone who doesn't throw a fit if I have to fix an engine or slay a monster."
"Don't wait too long."
Cal laughed and hugged her father.
"I'm in no rush."
Hans deposited them outside the church, then drove home with the steam carriage. The crusher she'd added, powered from the main engine, kept the coal from jamming up, but Hans didn't quite trust it yet.
"Come, come, Sir Shillingsworth, the Baron is waiting for you. Tell him some of your wonderful stories so he doesn't wear his shoes out pacing the floor. Calliope, dear, come with me." The Baroness walked into the cathedral and through a side door. "Your Captain Cully has come with a few of the crew. Could you greet them and make them comfortable?" She opened the door and let Cal in. "I'll be back in a few minutes to take you to Crysabel."
"Hello, Cal." Henrichs waved. "Tragic news. The Captain has kicked me off his ship. Seems he needed a Captain for another tub, now that every peer in the land wants to send expeditions out across the seven seas."
"Congratulations, I guess." Cal saluted.
"The boat's a disaster. Engine room is outdated, hull needs fixing. Doesn't even have a decent crane."
"I see." Cal looked over to see a wicked grin on Captain Cully's face.
"I want Joliu, and I'll need another trainee."
"Two." Henrichs' mouth twitched.
"What are you plotting?" Cal looked at Henrichs severely, then back at Captain Cully.
"We were talking." Captain Cully came over. "About what a terrible waste it is to leave you locked up in the engine room."
"I like the engine room." Cal's heart thumped.
"I need a first mate." Henrichs grabbed Cal's numb hand and shook it.
"First mate?"
"You have a gift for command." Captain Cully put his arm around her shoulders. "I want you to develop it. No reason you shouldn't have your own ship someday, maybe not too far away."
"I need a first-class engineer, but once you have the engine room running, anyone can run it." Henrichs put her arm on around Cal's shoulder from the other side. "How about it?"
"How can I win against you two?" Cal grinned. "It will be an honour to serve with you."
"Welcome to the Kestrel." Henrichs pumped Cal's hand again.
The others in the room, Thomas, Bran, and Joliu, cheered.
The Baroness opened the door as if she'd been signalled.
"That jacket you have is very nice, but a bit plain." She lifted a jacket up and handed it to Cal. "Try it on, we used Crysabel as a model."
"First mate's braid? How long have you been plotting this?"
"Henrichs wanted to make you second mate on the Peregrine, but once we needed the new ship, this works even better." Captain Cully took her old jacket and nodded his head as Cal tried on the new one. "Looks good on you." He took her engineer's pin and transferred it to the new one.
"Come on, Crysabel has been bursting keeping this a secret." The Baroness tugged at Cal's arm.
Cal followed her to the room where Crysabel wore a gown which blended the best of the city's high fashion and the gown from Finches Harbour.
"You look beautiful." Cal carefully hugged her friend. "I couldn't be happier for you and Pentam."
"What do you think of your promotion?" Crysabel grinned at her. "I just about died when they told me, and I couldn't say anything. The jacket looks good on you. I can't wait to sail with you."
"Sail with me?" Cal shook her head; things were happening too fast for her to keep up.
"I insisted our first voyage be on your ship. Pentam's talking about visiting some islands on the other side of the world."
"And when does he plan to leave?"
"He's found some people already to come, maybe in a couple of months? Pentam said if anyone could get the Kestrel in shape it would be you."
"Wonderful."
"Almost time." The Baroness clapped her hands and the bridesmaids lined up, each holding a small bouquet.
A boy in a suit opened the door and they began the entry into the cathedral. Soon it was Cal's turn. She breathed deeply, straightened her back and walked down the aisle. There was a collective gasp from the congregation, then from somewhere near the front clapping began until it rang through the church.
Pentam smiled and nodded to her. Cal broke with the plan and shook his hand.
Then Crysabel entered the sanctuary and an astonished look washed over him. Cal watched the bride enter on the Baron's arm. She looked every bit as besotted as Pentam.
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