THE STORY SO FAR
1837. Eighteen-year-old Caroline has arrived at the quayside home of her seafaring father Captain Brook. Caroline’s mother died in childbirth, and she was brought up by her father’s sister. While waiting for her father to return from sea, Caroline goes out alone and is almost robbed. She is saved by Sam, a handsome young man who takes her to the tavern where he works. There, she is tended to by the tavern owner Lucy Cooper, who reacts oddly when she learns who Caroline’s father is. Days later, Caroline receives an invitation from Lucy to visit her again. Caroline can’t stop thinking about Sam, so she sneaks out. However, she is spotted by the housekeeper Mrs Mabbit. When Captain Brook returns, he is angry Caroline disobeyed his instructions and prohibits her from going out unaccompanied as the town is dangerous. Distraught at the thought of never seeing Sam again, Caroline decides to go back to the tavern in the dead of night.
Her heart pounding, Caroline pulled up her hood and darted into the inky night, her cloak billowing behind her.
It was close to midnight yet men still moved about on the decks of the moored ships, while others drunkenly staggered along the quayside, holding each other up or singing loudly while waving bottles of rum.
Caroline paid them no heed. She flew across the cobbles like a windswept cloud passing before the moon.
A woman, slumped in a doorway, called out, ‘Hey, dearie! What’s the hurry?’
Caroline didn’t answer or look back. As she
