I Will Fear No Evil Part 41

"Nor Olga. Now beat it." Jake eyed his sails, decided he could point a touch higher, reached out with his right hand to the running rigging controls, kept tapping a switch to shorten his main sheet, his eye on her mainsail, while he handled the wheel by touch till he had her settled down on a tighter tack. Then he adjusted his jibs and relaxed.

"Good morning, Captain."

"Tom, save that for witnesses. It's all very well for Mrs.

Salomon to want me dubbed with an honorary t.i.tle but we all know who's the sailing master by our ship's papers. You're skipper and have the responsibility; I'm just the owner and unlicensed first mate. Eunice ought not to do it-but we have to cater to the little darlings. Speaking of little darlings, how are your two this fine morning? Didn't see Eve at breakfast."

"She ate before you got up, sir. Seen her and told her she's goin' to have to wear pants from now on, except in the pool or near it."

"Don't see why she should, the other gals don't unless it happens to suit them. I just don't want her swarming into my lap, naked as an eel and twice as lively. Gives me delusions of youth."

"I'll clamp down on her, sir."

"Tom, I don't don't want the child 'clamped down on.' I want everybody to enjoy this cruise-one big happy family. Ask Hester to tell her quietly that old Uncle Jake loves her but doesn't like to be pawed. A lie, that last, but an official lie. Speaking of the pool, how's the filter?" want the child 'clamped down on.' I want everybody to enjoy this cruise-one big happy family. Ask Hester to tell her quietly that old Uncle Jake loves her but doesn't like to be pawed. A lie, that last, but an official lie. Speaking of the pool, how's the filter?"

"Filter's okay, was just a clog in makeup feed line. Kelp. No huhu."

"Has the surgeon tested the water?"

"Safe."

"That's good. Tom, when I was a kid, striking for quartermaster third, we used to swim off the boat booms and thought nothing of it. But today even the Pacific Ocean can't soak up all the crud they dump into it. You can put swimming call on the bull horn and take the Skull-and-Crossbones sign off the pool."

"Aye, aye, sir."

"Half a second while I make eight bells." Jake reached out with his left hand, picked the last touchplate of a row of eight; the quadruple double Bong! Bong! marking the beginning of the forenoon watch rang through the vessel. He then picked still another touchplate and sounded swimming call himself. "Tom, if a man didn't have to eat or sleep, he could sail this wagon around the world by himself. Three men could do it easily. Even two." marking the beginning of the forenoon watch rang through the vessel. He then picked still another touchplate and sounded swimming call himself. "Tom, if a man didn't have to eat or sleep, he could sail this wagon around the world by himself. Three men could do it easily. Even two."

"Maybe."

"You sound doubtful, Tom."

"Even one man could, sir-if nothin' never went wrong. Something always does."

"I stand corrected. And with two pregnant women aboard-three if you don't keep a close eye on Eve-"

"Oh, Dr. Garcia got her on the junior pill. I don't take no chances, sir."

"So? Tom, my respect for you-high-has just increased. She's safe from her Uncle Jacob . . . but I make no promises about any other male in this bucket. There is something in salt air that hikes up the metabolism. And there is much truth in the old saw about 'when they're big enough, they're old enough and nothing can be done about it.' Better to roll with the punch."

"She is and she has and we did-I had this here talk with the Doc. Hester and me don't expect no more from Eve different than we did ourselves. Anybody knows when a broad starts getting broad she's goin' to land on her back."

"Yes, everybody knows it-yet most parents don't believe it when it comes to their own kids. I know, I had a family law practice for years. Tom, you're such an allaround sensible man I'm surprised that you ever got in trouble."

His sailing master shrugged. "Comes o' believing what I was told, sir. 'M chief officer of this rust bucket and Captain says keep my lip tight and see nothin' and we make ten times as much on one voyage. All fixed. Only he got smart and hung onto the bribe money hisself. Thought he could run it in the dark. You'da thought he'd never heard of radar. Wham! Wham! Coast Guard." Finchley shrugged again. "No complaints, sir, I was a fool. But two years and four months and I get this much better job driving for Mr. Smith-as-was. Smellin' like a rose. Not so trusting now, is all. Don't trust too much, you don't get your a.s.s burned." Coast Guard." Finchley shrugged again. "No complaints, sir, I was a fool. But two years and four months and I get this much better job driving for Mr. Smith-as-was. Smellin' like a rose. Not so trusting now, is all. Don't trust too much, you don't get your a.s.s burned."

"Yet you don't seem cynical. Tom, I think the major problem in growing up is to become sophisticated without becoming cynical."

"That's over my head, Counselor. I just think people are okay, mostly-even that silly skipper-if you don't strain 'em more than they're built for. Like that piece of standing rigging there. Rated three tons. Pro'ly take five and no trouble. Don't Don't put six tons on it." put six tons on it."

"We've said the same thing, I think, but your ill.u.s.tration is vivid. Beat it, Tom. If there's no work to be done, grab sack time. Or pool time."

"Yes, sir. I want to inspect the starboard hull; it's making extra water. Pump can handle it but I want to know why why." He touched his cap and swung down off the platform.

Jake c.o.c.ked his own cap against the sun, relaxed and started to sing: " 'A sailor's wife a sailor's star shall be!

" 'You ho, we go, across the sea!

" 'A sailor's wife a sailor's star shall be, " 'A sailor's wife his star . . . shall be be!"

His wife climbed up behind him and kissed the back of his neck. "Is that for me, dear? Or for 'Nancy Lee'?"

"Always for you, my darling. Besides, I can't remember the part with 'Nancy Lee' in it."

"I wonder if you ever remember a girl's name. You call all of us 'darling.' "

"Merely because it's true. But you are the only one I call 'my darling.' 'my darling.' And I do remember your name-it's 'Salomon.' " And I do remember your name-it's 'Salomon.' "

"Jacob, you must have been a prime menace when you were a bluejacket. With that Hebrew blarney you could talk your way into anything. Then out of it, with no trouble."

"No, Ma'am, I was a sweet, innocent lad. I simply followed the ancient code of the sea: 'When the hook's up, all bills are paid.' "

"Leaving little Jewish b.a.s.t.a.r.ds behind in every port . . . and thereby improving the breed. How about Gigi? Going to improve the breed there?" She dug her thumb into a spot over his hip where his slight pot bulged out from sitting "Some dish, eh, keed?"

"Madam," he said haughtily, "I do not know what you are talking about."

" 'Tell that to the Marines, the old sailors won't believe you.' Jacob my love, I feel certain that you know the second Mrs. Branca almost as well as you knew the first. But I have no wish to prove it; I simply offer my congratulations. Gigi is a darling, I love her to pieces. I was not throwing asparagus." (Tell him she squeals, twin.) (I will not!) "Woman, you get your exercise jumping at conclusions."

(Then tell him it happened where Troy Avenue crosses Gay Street, near the Square-a neighborhood you you know well, twin.) (Eunice, I want Jacob to feel easy about such things-I am know well, twin.) (Eunice, I want Jacob to feel easy about such things-I am not not trying to harpoon him.) (You aren't equipped to, Joan; Jake is the original Captain Ahab.) (Eunice, you have a dirty mind.) ( trying to harpoon him.) (You aren't equipped to, Joan; Jake is the original Captain Ahab.) (Eunice, you have a dirty mind.) (Whose mind? I don't have one. Don't need one.) mind? I don't have one. Don't need one.) Mrs. Salomon dropped the subject, opened her s.e.xtant case, took it out.

"Will you give me a time tick, darling?"

"Are you going to shoot the defenseless Sun?"

"I'm going to do better than a Sun sight, dearest. The Sun, the upper limb of the Moon, and-if I'm lucky and can spot it again-Venus, for a three-star fix. Want to bet on how small a triangle I get?"

"Even money on fifty miles for the short side."

"Beast. Brute. Cad. And me an expectant mother. I was more than ten times that close yesterday evening; I'm getting the hang of it. I could could cheat-I could get a point fix by querying Point Loma, then fudge it on the chart." cheat-I could get a point fix by querying Point Loma, then fudge it on the chart."

"Eunice, why this pa.s.sion to emulate Bowditch? One would think that radio and satellites and the like had never been invented."

"It's fun, darling. I'm going to hit that nav exam for a flat four-oh and get my limited license. After I've unloaded this pup in the hopper and we no longer have to stick to coastal waters, I'm going to do a 'Day's Work' every day all the way to Hawaii. Betcha I make landfall at Hilo under three miles. Oh, it's not necessary, dear-but what if it turned out to be? Suppose war broke out and everything went silent? Might help to have a celestial navigator aboard. Tom admits that he's hardly taken a sight since he got his mate's ticket."

"If he ever took one. Yes, it could be useful, my darling . . . because if war broke out in earnest and we were at sea, we would not go on to Hilo. We would make a sharp left turn and go south and get lost. The Marquesas. Or farther south, the farther the better. That way our kid might live through it. Easter Island if you think you can hit it."

"Jacob, by then I'll split it right down the middle. Or any island you pick. Sweetheart, I wasn't playing games when I asked for the whole old-fashioned works-all the charts, all the pilots, three key-wind chronometers and a hack, this lovely s.e.xtant and a twin like it in case I drop this one . . . and please note that I always always put the lanyard around my neck. All the H.O.s and the Almanac. I'm no use as a deckhand now-so I decided to become a put the lanyard around my neck. All the H.O.s and the Almanac. I'm no use as a deckhand now-so I decided to become a real real navigator. Just in case, just in case." navigator. Just in case, just in case."

"Mmm. My darling, I hope we never have to run for it . . . but have you you noticed that I keep this vessel fully stocked at all times even though we anchor almost every night and can shop for supplies any time we wish?" noticed that I keep this vessel fully stocked at all times even though we anchor almost every night and can shop for supplies any time we wish?"

"I've noticed, sir."

"Nor is it an accident that I gave Doctor Bob an unlimited budget and saw to it that he equipped for any conceivable obstetrical problem."

"I did not notice that, quite."

"You weren't meant to, nor was Winnie-no need to give you gals something to worry about. But since you have been doing the same sort of planning ahead, I decided to tell you. Bob used the time the 'p.u.s.s.y Cat' was being refitted in taking a refresher in O.B. And he spent twenty times more money on our sick bay than one would expect for a seagoing yacht."

"I'm pleased to hear it, sir. With such foresight, money can do almost anything. Except turn back the clock."

"It even did that that in your case, beloved." in your case, beloved."

"No, Jacob. It gave me added years . . . and this wonderful body . . . and you. you. But it did But it did not not turn back the clock. I'm still almost a century old. I can never turn back the clock. I'm still almost a century old. I can never feel feel young the way I once did-because I'm young the way I once did-because I'm not not. Not the way Winnie is young. Or Gigi. Jacob, I have learned that I don't want want to be young." to be young."

"Eh? Are you unhappy, dear?"

"Not at all! I have the best of two worlds. A youthful, vital body that makes every breath a sensuous joy . . . and a century of rich experience, with the wisdom-if that is the right word-that age brings. The calmness. The long perspective. Winnie and Gigi still suffer the storms of youth . . . which I don't have and don't want. I've forgotten the last time I had a tranquilizer but I think it was the day they unstrapped me. Jacob, I'm a better wife for you than either of those two lovely girls could be; I'm older than you are, I've been where you are now and understand it. I'm not boasting, dear; it's simply true. Nor would I I be happy married to a young man-I'd have to spend my time trying desperately not to upset his delicate, youthful, unstable balance. We're good for each other, Jacob." be happy married to a young man-I'd have to spend my time trying desperately not to upset his delicate, youthful, unstable balance. We're good for each other, Jacob."

"I know that you are good for me, my darling."

"I know I am. But sometimes you have trouble remembering that I am not not truly 'Eunice,' but 'Johann.' " (Hey! What is this, Boss? We're truly 'Eunice,' but 'Johann.' " (Hey! What is this, Boss? We're both. both.) (Yes, beloved, always-but Jake needs to be reminded of Johann-because all he ever sees sees is Eunice.) "For example, Jacob, a while ago you thought I was twitting you about Gigi." is Eunice.) "For example, Jacob, a while ago you thought I was twitting you about Gigi."

" 'Thought,' h.e.l.l-you were were."

"No, dear. Close your eyes and forget that I have Eunice's voice. Think back at least ten years when I was still in pa.s.sable health. If your older friend Johann had twigged that you had kicked the feet out from under some young and pretty woman, would he have twitted you?"

"Huh? h.e.l.l, yes. Johann would have slipped me the needle and broken it off."

"Would I have, Jacob? Did I I have, Jacob? Did I ever ever?"

"You never caught me."

"So? I-might have congratulated you, Jacob, just as I did today-had I felt that I could do so without offending you. But I would not not have twitted you. Do you recall a young woman whose first name was-or is-Marian? Last name had the initial 'H'-your pet name for her, 'Maid Marian.' " have twitted you. Do you recall a young woman whose first name was-or is-Marian? Last name had the initial 'H'-your pet name for her, 'Maid Marian.' "

"How in the in the h.e.l.l h.e.l.l?"

"Steady, darling-you let your helm fall off. That was sixteen years ago, just before I asked you to spend all your time on my affairs. So I ordered a fresh snoopsheet on you before I put the deal up to you. May I say that the fact that you had dealt so carefully with her her reputation was a strong factor in my deciding that reputation was a strong factor in my deciding that I I could trust you with anything, too?-including my power of attorney, which you have held ever since and never abused. May I add, too, that I could trust you with anything, too?-including my power of attorney, which you have held ever since and never abused. May I add, too, that I wanted wanted to congratulate you on both your good taste and your success as a Lothario?-for of course I then had to have to congratulate you on both your good taste and your success as a Lothario?-for of course I then had to have her her snooped, too, and her husband as well, before I could entrust snooped, too, and her husband as well, before I could entrust my my grisly secrets to you. But-also of course-I could not say a word." grisly secrets to you. But-also of course-I could not say a word."

"I didn't think any part of that ever showed."

"Please, Jacob. Do you recall that you once told Eunice that you could hire a man to photograph her in her own bath-and she would never know it? As we've noted, money can do almost anything that is physically possible. Part of that snoop report was a photograph of you and Marian in what you lawyers call a 'compromising position.'"

"Good G.o.d! What did you do with it?"

"Burned it. Hated to; it was a good picture and Marian looked awfully pretty-and you looked all right yourself, you lovable old goat. Then I sent for the head of the snoop firm and told him I wanted the negative and all all prints prints now now and no nonsense-and if it ever turned out that even one print had escaped me, I would break him. Get his license, bankrupt him, put him in jail. Were you or Marian ever embarra.s.sed by such a picture? Blackmail, or anything?" and no nonsense-and if it ever turned out that even one print had escaped me, I would break him. Get his license, bankrupt him, put him in jail. Were you or Marian ever embarra.s.sed by such a picture? Blackmail, or anything?"

"No. Not me-and I'm morally certain she wasn't, either."

"I guess he believed me. Jacob, do you still think I was twitting you about Gigi? Or was I congratulating you?"

"Uh . . . maybe neither. Maybe trying to wring a confession out of me. It's no go, wench."

"Please, Jacob. Stipulating that I was mistaken but sincere-which was it? Now that you know how I behaved about Marian."

"Eunice-Johann! You should have been a lawyer. Subject to that stipulation, I concede that it must have been a sincere congratulation. But one I can't accept, I haven't earned it. Now, d.a.m.n it, tell me how you came by this delusion." You should have been a lawyer. Subject to that stipulation, I concede that it must have been a sincere congratulation. But one I can't accept, I haven't earned it. Now, d.a.m.n it, tell me how you came by this delusion."

"Yes, dear. But not this minute; there comes Gigi herself." Joan put her s.e.xtant back into its box. "Sights will have to wait anyhow; this reach has taken us in so close I've lost my horizon for the Sun. Hi, Gigi, you pretty, pretty thing! Give us a kiss. Just me, Jake is on watch."

"I'm not all that busy. Eunice, hold the wheel." He accepted a kiss while still seated, then took the helm back from his wife.

Joan said, "Been swimming, dear?"

"Uh, yes. Joan Eunice, could I see you a minute? Mr. Salomon, would you excuse us?"

"Not by that moniker I won't; you'll have to call me 'Jake.' "

"Stuff it, dear," his wife said cheerfully. "She wants a hen conference. Come along, dear. Captain, try to keep us afloat."

They found a spot in the lee of the lifeboat. "Got troubles, dear?" (Eunice, are we about to have a beef over Jake? Surely not!) (Can't be, twin. That affair started over two weeks ago . . . and both Gigi and Joe were relaxed about it from scratch. Which means just what we thought: It actually is a return engagement-and Jake lied to protect a lady's reputation. Predictable.) "Well, sort of," admitted Mrs. Branca. "Uh, might as well say it bang. Next time you anchor and send a boat in . . . Joe and I want off."

"Oh, dear! What's wrong, Gigi? I did so hope you would stay at least the month we talked about-then as much longer as you wished."

"Well . . . we did expect to. But I got this seasickness problem and Joe-well, he has has done some painting but . . . the light's not right; it's too bright and . . . " She trailed off. (Twin, those are excuses.) (Jake?) (Can't be, I tell you. You've got to make her come clean.) done some painting but . . . the light's not right; it's too bright and . . . " She trailed off. (Twin, those are excuses.) (Jake?) (Can't be, I tell you. You've got to make her come clean.) "Gigi."

"Yes, Joan?"

"Look at me. You haven't missed a meal since Roberto put you on the seasick pill. If Joe prefers floodlights to sunlight, we'll clear out the dining saloon and it can be his studio. Put your arms around me and tell me what's really really wrong." wrong."

"Uh-Joan, the ocean's just too darn big! big!" Gigi blinked tears and said, "I guess you think I'm a baby."

"No. It's big. Biggest ocean in the world. Some people don't like oceans. I do. That doesn't mean you you have to." have to."

"Well, I thought thought I would like it. I mean, you hear about it. What a wonderful thing it is to make an ocean trip. But it scares me. Uh, it scares Joe, too; he just doesn't say so. Joan Eunice, you've been awful good to us-but this isn't our scene. Joe and I, we aren't fish-we're alley cats. Always lived in cities. It's too I would like it. I mean, you hear about it. What a wonderful thing it is to make an ocean trip. But it scares me. Uh, it scares Joe, too; he just doesn't say so. Joan Eunice, you've been awful good to us-but this isn't our scene. Joe and I, we aren't fish-we're alley cats. Always lived in cities. It's too quiet quiet here. Especially at night. At night the quiet is so loud it wakes me up." here. Especially at night. At night the quiet is so loud it wakes me up."

Joan kissed her. "All right, darling. I knew you weren't having quite the happy time I wanted you to have. Didn't know why. I'll have to visit you at your place-where it's nice for all of us. I I don't like the city, it scares don't like the city, it scares me. me. But I like it, loads, in your studio-as long as I don't have to go outside. But is that But I like it, loads, in your studio-as long as I don't have to go outside. But is that all all that's wrong? Has anyone upset you? Or Joe?" that's wrong? Has anyone upset you? Or Joe?"

"Oh, no! Everybody's been swell."

"You called Jake 'Mr. Salomon.' "

"That was because I was upset-knowing I had to tell you."

"Then you both feel easy with Jake? I know he's impressive, he even impresses me. me. Nothing uptight there?" Nothing uptight there?"

"Oh, not a bit! Uh, knowing we were walking out on Jake upset us as much as knowing we were walking out on you."

"Then may Jake and I both both come visit you? Stay a few days?" (Will she duck this, Eunice?) (Why ask me, Boss? You just asked come visit you? Stay a few days?" (Will she duck this, Eunice?) (Why ask me, Boss? You just asked her. her.) Mrs. Branca dropped her eyes, then looked up and said bluntly, "You mean a Quartet? All the way?"

"All the way."