Chapter 3
THE SOUNDS AND sights outside their window made Eleanor and Hannah forget they were hungry and tired.
At last the carriage stopped its incessant bumping as it rolled onto the smoother lanes of the port town.
“Look,”
Hannah exclaimed, “have you ever seen such things?”
They passed mansions that would rival Ingledew, and then buildings connected to each other, three stories tall with turrets and chimneys and six-paned windows.
A church with huge pillars framing the front had them craning their necks to view its spirals.
Their jaws dropped in awe.
But the biggest surprise was the busy wharf.
They had a view of the port as the carriage stopped to let several carriages and wagons pass.
The ships in the harbor were packed in with scant room for the jolly boats to row between them, ferrying goods and sailors to shore.
Most of the frigates and schooners had their sails rolled up, but topsails flapped on a few farther out.
“I’m scared,”
Hannah answered.
“There are so many people.
Men everywhere.
And look at the ladies’ bonnets.”
Eleanor absently touched hers as she stared at the many women on the arms of men in knee breeches and long waist coats, walking close to the buildings.
“Lovely,”
Eleanor said, “but …”
she shook her head “we won’t be staying here.
I’m sure Lady Beth had our trunks filled with things more … useful … for where we’re going.”
She thought of her desire to escape, to look for her mother, to ruin the plan to be a political puppet … a queen.
An undeserving queen.
How could she be a queen when she didn’t know who she was down deep?
She leaned across the space between them and took Hannah’s hand.
“Will you come with me if I should suddenly flee? And stay with me? No matter what?”
Hannah frowned.
“Of course.”
“Good.”
Eleanor’s voice wavered as the carriage suddenly lurched forward and began rolling down the drop toward the wharf.
The driver called out curses on the passing traffic, screamed at his horses, and gave a single thump on the roof to warn the ladies to hang onto something or brace themselves.
For several minutes Eleanor and Hannah shrieked and groaned as they were tossed about the interior.
At last, the carriage stopped and someone pulled the door open almost before they could catch their breath.
“Captain!”
Hannah squealed when she saw who it was.
“You’re alive.”
“I am.”
He kept his eyes on Eleanor, though, and reached for his greatcoat which he’d left on the coach, and grabbed the pistol too, then he held a hand out to help them disembark.
“I galloped the whole way and reached the docks these few minutes past.
Just in time.”
Eleanor was first out.
She stepped down, heedless of the puddles that might seep up the hems of her skirt.
She spied one of the brigands’ grey mares, heaving and sweating nearby.
“You must be quite the horseman to have ridden so far and so fast without a saddle.”
She feared her own panting might match the mare’s.
She moved toward the horse as Hannah descended.
“You must walk the poor thing for a quarter hour at least.”
“Ug,”
he coughed a sort of laugh, “’tis a robber’s nag.
Let someone steal the awful thing.
It has served its purpose.”
There was a suggestion of rancor in his voice that made her inspect his face and find a humorless smirk marring his calm expression.
Both women fought to hide their disgust at his brutal opinion so openly stated.
The driver dropped down.
“Cap’n, have ye whistled fer yer mate?”
Luxbury lifted his gaze to the dock and gave a wave to a soldier there.
“Here he comes.
He’ll help you with the trunks and pay you.
Don’t forget my bag.
I’ll take the ladies and procure two jollies.”
He held both elbows out. “Ladies?”
Hannah started to take his arm, but Eleanor hesitated.
“But the horse.
You need … I’d be most grateful if you’d hire one of those lads to walk him about.”
She indicated a gathering of scruffy-looking boys, beggars probably, or wharf bullies.
She wasn’t sure her command would be taken seriously, but no harm trying out her newly learnt feminine wiles.
“As you wish, princess.”
He saw the ire rise in Eleanor’s face.
“Oh, I beg your pardon.
’Tis a common term of flattery, Mistress Eleanor.
I’ll not use it again.”
He turned on his heel and hollered at a lad, tossed him a coin, and told him to walk the mare to the nearest livery and leave her there.
Only then did both women latch onto the proffered elbows and walk gingerly toward the docks, not venturing to look right or left at the bedraggled dock workers shouting filthy curses, the shifty-eyed merchants hawking their wares, or the stinking fishermen leaving slimy footprints.
“A quick glance left, m’lady, and you’ll see real pirates.”
Eleanor dared to do so and saw two men hobbling along in silver-buckled high heels with tricorne hats under their arms.
They were clad in combinations of colorfully-hued and mismatched garments of embroidered silks and satins.
Eleanor thought it ludicrous that they would wear velvet and lace as well.
One wore a powdered wig and had even powdered his stubbled face like the London dandy who had once visited Ingledew.
She took the liberty of a longer gaze, trusting her steps to the captain’s lead, and deduced that pirates must love garish jewelry including elaborate ear pendants, heavy gold chains, and emerald crosses, no doubt stolen from Catholic ships.
She turned her eyes back to the dock and caught her breath at the sight of the small jolly boat she’d have to climb into.
***
KEIR LED HIS horse, Copper, saddled and packed with sacks of food and oats, out between the stone pillars of Castle Caladh.
The gelding deserved a longer rest after the trip from Fenella’s, but once Keir’s mind was made up, he wasn’t going to change it.
He could, however, save the horse from having to carry his weight.
They’d both rest on the morrow.
He wasn’t in the mood to sing, but humming seemed to calm Copper, especially after they’d both stumbled down a rocky slope.
Keir checked the horse’s legs, running his hands down over the knees, cannons, and pasterns.
All good.
On they went, and as the sky brightened before dawn, he did start to sing, matching the volume of the early morning birds.
His voice was deep and husky; he wasn’t afraid to let loose.
Surprised to hear an echo of the last word when he finished, he stopped leading Copper and scanned the trail behind him.
“Hey-oh,”
he called.
“Hey-oh-oh,”
came the reply.
Keir snorted and waited.
Copper dropped his head low and began nibbling the new spring growth along the trail, unconcerned by the approach of another horse and rider.
Keir huffed out a couple of sighs, resigning himself to the fact his younger brother would be tagging along.
Logan, at nineteen, was a good three years younger than Keir, and much closer in age and temperament to their youngest brother, eighteen-year-old Jack.
But shadowing Keir had been Logan’s custom since he was three, a habit encouraged by their mother.
Where Keir was cautious and restrained, Logan was impulsive and reckless.
Logan had a good heart, though, and he tried to emulate his older brother.
Those traits were slowly rubbing off on Logan.
But whenever Keir was away, Logan would get into mischief with Jack.
“Saw you leavin’,”
Logan said, looking down on Keir’s head from his seat on a horse Keir didn’t recognize.
Keir reached to pat the mare’s neck.
“Who’s this?”
“Won her a week ago from the McDoons. Racin’.”
Keir voiced a disgusted grunt.
“She got a name?”
“I dinnae learn it.”
Another huff.
“Get yerself down and walk beside me.
I’ll not be ridin’ till Copper’s had a proper rest.”
Logan jumped down and faced his brother.
They were the same height, tall for highlanders.
The sons had all taken after their father in coloring and physique.
“So ye’ve been racin’ again.
What had ye put up as yer stake?”
Keir pulled Copper’s head up and they began their trek again.
“I bet the young McDoon a look beneath our sister’s skirts.”
He quickly added, “They was hanging out to dry after Rory’d washed’em.
I didna tell’im that.”
Keir laughed.
They chatted as the sun rose, catching up on castle news.
When they reached a meadow, Keir hobbled both horses and let them graze.
He didn’t share his food with Logan as Logan had his own bulky sack of pantry goods he’d grabbed after the stable boy tipped him off to Keir’s journey.
“Ye haven’t told me our mission.
I wonder … ’tis more of that quagmire of English lunacy? Are ye hopin’ to quell an insurrection?”
Logan opened his sack.
“Somethin’ like that.
There’s a plan to murder the king and replace him with someone more sympathetic to Scottish sensibilities.”
Logan spoke with food in his mouth.
“Mm … I’ve nay heard a fair word … mm … spoken in favor of King George.”
He swallowed.
“Are ye plannin’ to ride clear to London?”
“Aye.”
“And go to …”
he took another large bite of roast mutton “mmm … Kew Palace?”
“They say the king has a room for star-gazin’ at the top of Kew Palace, somethin’ I’d be pleased to see … but, nay, he doesna live there now.
He bought Queen Charlotte a new home, Buckingham House it’s called, and there they’ll be.”
“And there he’ll die?”
Logan dug through his bag for something else.
“We shall see, lad, we shall see.”
Keir leaned closer to Logan’s ear.
“I’ve been commissioned to see it doesna happen.
’Twould be bad for Scotland, Ireland, too, and we’ve a better plan to bring the King to our way o’ thinkin’.”
Logan furrowed his brow.
“’Tis said he weeps for losin’ the colonies.
And that he’s mad.”
“Aye.
And French doctors dinnae do him good.
His opponents be emboldened by his failures.
There be revolutionary stirrings bubblin’ here, as well as in France.
Ole George finds it hard to move from castle to house when mobs break the royal coach’s windows.”
Keir paused and studied the concern on his brother’s face.
“’Twill be all right.
And … I’m pleased ye’ve come along.
That’ll split our father’s ire between us when we return.”
Keir sat down on the grass then and nibbled on his breakfast, explaining bit by bit the intricacies of a plan that needed to tip-toe around two other factions—one that wanted the king to reign and one that wanted to replace him with a royal impostor.
Neither spoke of the elder brother’s nuptials that loomed six weeks off.
***
CAPTAIN LUXBURY HANDED Eleanor a handkerchief to wipe the salt water from her face.
They’d all been splashed several times by an oarsman who offered no apologies.
And then the most unexpected thing happened—the captain warned them to avert their eyes as two naked young men were pushed over the side of the ship.
They splashed the jolly as well when their flailing arms hit the sea.
Stowaways, the captain apprised them.
Eleanor passed the kerchief to Hannah to wipe the splatter away as she watched the poor lads inexpertly frog-kick their way to shore.
The captain helped the ladies board the small frigate then ushered them toward the sea captain’s cabin.
“This is not a passenger ship.
I’m most sorry, m’lady, but the journey won’t be long.
A matter of hours is all.
I’ve paid for you to sit in the captain’s cabin where you’ll be out of the way of ropes and sails and crew hands.”
Eleanor felt much safer out of the jolly and onto the wooden planks of the larger frigate.
There was little sway and her stomach settled as they walked to the stern.
A sudden thump drew her attention back and she saw their trunks landing on the boards.
Beyond the rails she saw the next ship, its figurehead of a naked women holding her attention a moment more.
She’d heard of the wooden sculptures and knew she should exhibit some feminine mortification at the sight, but she did not.
She smirked and redirected her attention to the way before her.
“Here we are.”
Luxbury held the door.
“Thank you … Bernard.”
The working and living space of the cabin was rather large, with the windows along the stern, two long tables laden with loaves of bread and pitchers of beer, a dozen chairs, and a desk.
From the ceiling hung lanterns, but none was lit.
Eleanor turned back to Luxbury to say, “Won’t you sit with us a while? You must be exhausted … and … are you hurt?”
“He is! Oh, captain, your head.”
Hannah, who stood behind him, could see the wound.
“We must tend to your injury.”
As if given permission to sink into an arm chair, he did just that.
“There, that door leads to the washroom, the other to the sleeping cabin.”
Hannah, still holding Luxbury’s handkerchief, scurried through the door and returned at once with it rinsed and ready to dab away the dried blood.
“Perhaps you should lie down,”
Eleanor said.
The ship’s captain strode in then and snorted a gruff greeting.
He waved the women aside and stopped in front of Luxbury, leaned into his face, and growled.
“Where’s me pay, mate, and as there’s two o’ dem, it be doubled.”
Luxbury withdrew his money purse and counted out the coins without an argument.
The skipper pocketed the payment, raised an eyebrow at the women, and left.
Luxbury looked sheepishly at Eleanor.
She knew why.
“Bernard … I thought you said you’d paid already.”
“I … uh … that was my understanding.
Lord Edgeworth’s last words to me were that the payments had been made.
No matter though.
The Lord and Lady of Ingledew are honest people.
They will reimburse me.”? He coughed and glanced toward the sleeping room.
Eleanor read his mind.
“You should lie down.
We’ll be fine in these chairs.”
“I think I shall, but wake me when the bells ring eight times.
That’s when the shift ends and half the crew may barge in ready to eat whatever else the cook brings here.”
Hannah clutched her hands against her bodice. “Here?”
“Where else?”
Luxbury rose and forced a smile toward Eleanor, then ambled to the door and closed it behind himself.
“We’ll be at those wretched sailors’ mercy alone here.”
Hannah gripped the back of the chair Luxbury had vacated.
“I saw some breeches, linen shirts, and grey jackets in the washroom.
We could transform ourselves.
Remove our braids and hide our clothes, stuff our mouths with bread.
They’ll think we’re lads.”
“Be Pascoe and Eldridge again?”
Eleanor shook her head.
“I think we should trust the captain.
He rode all that way after us and got us safely on the ship.”
“I don’t know …”
“Have your feelings for him ebbed?”
“Feelings? He’s clearly in love with you, El, er … Mistress Eleanor.”
She gave a half-hearted curtsy and walked toward the windows.
She set the captain’s kerchief on the desk and studied the ocean view.
“I should be nervous.
Would a lady faint at the sight of it?”
She chuckled.
“But I feel a striking amount of exhilaration.
The sea, El, it’s so vast.”
Eleanor crossed the room to stand beside her.
“It is.
I thought we might escape to the United Colonies, but I doubt we’ve enough coins in my hem to book such a passage.”
“But we could work, could we not? Aboard a bigger ship that makes that voyage? In disguises, of course.”
Eleanor let her breath out.
“It’s a thought.”
***
BOTH WOMEN WATCHED the careful maneuvering of their ship and four other vessels that pulled up anchor at the same time and floated out with the tide.
Sails were unfurled and expert rudder work kept their frigate from colliding with a larger schooner.
Then they caught the wind and passed, moving faster and farther out to sea.
The wharf grew smaller in their sight and then the land seemed to suddenly and completely disappear as they sailed on.
With nothing much to do then, they sat at one end of the long table and began recounting various parts of the journey.
“I can hear the captain snoring.”
Hannah giggled.
She’d grown accustomed to the pitch and roll of the ship.
“It’s almost musical.”
She put a hand through a slit in her skirt to access one of her pockets.
With a bit of two-handed magic, she managed to pull out the pocket—a nicely embroidered bag she’d had to untie from her waist.
“I have some candied figs Cook gave me.”
She held out two for Eleanor.
They enjoyed the sweets in silence for a few moments before Eleanor said, “I am conflicted.
We’ve had so little time to accept our circumstances … my circumstances … I think you could return to Ingledew or perhaps find employment in Scotland, if you wish.
I shall share the coins with you.”
She interpreted Hannah’s expression and knew what she was thinking.
“All right, I see your obstinance.
We shall stay together.”
“Of course, we shall.
And I may be better able to learn of your mother’s whereabouts if I am employed as your maid instead of your companion.
You know how much servants gossip.”
Hannah busied herself tucking her bag back where it belonged.
Should the captain or a crew member enter and see it, there’d be much embarrassment all around as such an item was considered an undergarment.
No sooner had she straightened her skirts than the main cabin door opened and a large man, obviously the ship’s cook, entered carrying a tray of victuals.
He stopped immediately and went wide-eyed.
“Women!”
He made it sound like a curse.
He shook his head.
“No, no, no, no.
’Tis bad luck.”
He scooted sideways and moved along the table, keeping his murky eyes on them, until he reached the far end and could set the tray down.
He made several hand gestures and mumbled superstitious phrases.
Eleanor looked to the sleeping room for help and when the door didn’t open, she said, “’Twill be all right.
Ye need not worry.
We are passengers.”
He backed himself to the doorway he’d entered and said, “Nay, the seas’ll be angry.
They be takin’ their revenge on ships what carry women.”
He glared at them, face red and angry, then he relaxed and a smirk crossed his countenance.
“Only if ye take yer clothes off will we be safe.
Have ye not seen the lady on the prow? She calms the sea for us.”
Eleanor’s recollection of the figurehead sprang to mind.
And so did something she learned from someone important to her: Ingledew’s cook.
She rose and spoke in her best imitation of the hearty woman, “Off with you.
Be gone this instant or I’ll curse you.”
The door slammed shut.
The next instant Luxbury came out of the sleeping room.
“My dear Mistress Eleanor, what goes on here?”
He spied the food on the table and before Eleanor could answer he said, “I … the cook’s been here.
Let us indulge before the gang arrives.”
He moved to fill a plate with meat and bread.
“Have I been asleep long?”
Eleanor reseated herself.
“Three hours at most.
How do you feel?”
“I … I shall live.
Hmm, three hours, you say? We should be close to our destination.”
He walked toward them and set the plate in front of Eleanor.
“The same for you, Mistress Hannah? I should be happy to serve you as well.”
She nodded and he returned with a plate for her and another for himself.
Before he sat, he walked to the stern windows and leaned close.
“Ah, yes, I can get a glimpse of trees.
And islands.
We’ll sail through the channels and make land well before dark.”
He came back and sat next to Eleanor.
Before he took a bite of anything he asked, “I heard you speaking to someone, the cook I assume.
Is it your custom, Mistress Eleanor, to curse those beneath you? Am I in any danger of eliciting such wrath?”
“I’m sorry, Captain.
It was vulgar of me.”
She sighed.
Hannah came to her defense.
“The cook was rude.
She was right to order him away.
He suggested that … well, he made a most lewd suggestion.”
“I was remiss in leaving you unattended.
My sincerest apologies.”
He gave Eleanor an expression that made her think of a puppy she’d once had, a sweet thing she’d scolded for barking and nearly giving away their hidey-hole in the cellar.
“It’s quite all right, Bernard.
We all make mistakes.
I expect to make quite a few if I’m to go through with this … uh, royal ruse.”
“If?”
The captain pushed his plate aside.
Eleanor tried to read his face.
There was something akin to caution in his eyes.
He darted them between the women, pressing his lips tightly while the tip of his nose seemed to scrunch down of its own accord.
“Yes … if.”
Eleanor matched his gaze and said, “I am here of my own free will, am I not?”
There was barely any hesitation before he answered, yet Eleanor felt a chill go up her spine.
“Of course, of course.
Lady Beth and Lord Edgeworth were most eager to give you over to my professional care.
My job is to see you safely to the Beldorney estate. But …”
He gave Hannah a cursory look.
“’Tis a shame you aren’t more of the same … coloring.
There are some risks in what we plan … down the road, when you leave the Beldorneys.
Perhaps we should introduce you, Mistress Hannah, as the future queen.
And Eleanor, you switch identities with her and act as the maid … for your safety.”
Eleanor’s lips parted in astonishment.
Inside her chest her heart flickered against her ribs like a trapped bird.