Sorry! I know I haven't updated for absolutely ages (don't kill me, please) but I'm going through a hard patch at the moment, ok? Updates will be much more frequent from now on! Stay with me! Luv Es xx
Chapter Nine: In which seduction, deception action and reaction lead me to safety, sort of thing...
I swayed out of the library, veil down, a few tendrils of soft hair (washed yesterday) hanging femininely onto my smooth (and tanned most unfashionably) skin. As I expected, as all soldiers are lecherous, and this one conformed to my theory when he commented on my figure (to put it nicely) as I walked past. I paused, and reached up for his hat. He seemed frozen with delight. I laughed, and put it on my head, batting my eyes coquettishly and smiling, swirling my dress slightly.
He relaxed and laughed, stepping away from the door to retrieve it. Aha-the lock on the door, it was a key lock; the key must be brass, large... He put his hat back on his head, while I pretended to be sad he had taken it away from me. I pouted, and he told me it looked better on him anyway, and to my shock, bent and gently kissed me! I didn't have to pretend to be flustered, told him the hat looked much better on me, and stormed off, throwing a teasing smile back at him when I reached the end of the corridor. Yes, he was watching me, and he smiled back, before I rounded the corner. This 'adventure' was turning me into quite the minx!
I had my plan. At three that night I was dressed as Emily, with trousers and shirt underneath. I crept through the house silently, and into the Mayor's bedroom. That man was married, and both of them snored and, convieniently, slept like the dead. I retrieved the key with a thudding heart, and slowly went downstairs.
As expected, the soldiers were still at the doors, but luckily there was only a man guarding the window, not the locked door. I softly opened the door, terrified that the lock would squeal and alert someone, but it didn't. I trod softly to the boxes and began to load the bags. I filled both, and managed to carry all seven to the rooftop. I was carrying more than 6000 guineas, which made me very nervous. They were also incredibly heavy. I laid three bags down, took four, and crawled out onto the roof.
This was where my luck hit again- the roof overhung the beach. I dropped the bags one by one into a neat pile some twenty metres below. I returned and went back for the next four. They too went safely over the edge. I followed them, but climbing. That climb was perhaps the most terrifying part of the entire venture. Until I was four metres above the sand I shook like a leaf in a hurricane. Once at the bottom of the wall, I discarded my maid's outfit and, picking up the bags, ran for it.
My mistake came, when I had safely hidden the bags. I was waiting for Byrne by the shoreline, when some fishermen saw me- as they thought, loitering with intent to steal their boat. I couldn't convince them otherwise, and fortunately they didn't make too much noise, but as I took a beating, I had to restrain shrieks of pain. I shut my eyes, curled into a ball, and pretended it wasn't happening. They left me half an hour later, moaning and spitting blood.
This was how Byrne found me. I was tempted to throw myself at him and cry, damn my cover, but his immediate sympathy was tempered with a sort of respect, and as he gave me some wine to drink from a skin he had bought, and some bread, I felt a little better. I had proved myself to myself foremost, but to others as well, and still nobody knew what I was.
Onboard, Captain Wendon met us as we struggled up the side of the ship (it seemed a lot harder this time). He blinked as he saw me (I obviously looked terrible- half male, half female) and ordered me straight to my cabin to remove my disguise and rest. Byrne was left struggling with the gold, and I dimly remember the Duchess appearing, with Emily, and them putting me to bed, which I sorely needed. As I slept, I drifted in and out of consciousness- at one point; I thought I saw Byrne sitting by my bed. At another, the Captain seemed to be speaking to me, serious eyes smiling for once. Then I slept, peacefully.
When I next woke, nobody was near, and I decided to try and get up. My ribs ached, and a pounding headache began behind my forehead. I slowly dressed, and went into the corridor. The ship seemed to be rolling a bit, so I steadied myself with a hand on the wall. It felt good to be back in trousers- all the dresses and role swapping had been getting confusing. I slowly climbed the stairs and arrived on deck. It was a lovely day, warm and bright, and I noted we were out to sea with no land in sight at present.
Captain Marshe and the 'Pride of Dartmouth' were nowhere to be seen. The Captain was the first to spot me as I crossed to the poop deck; I was savouring the wind in my hair when he exclaimed.
"Westenra! Good God, I didn't expect you up here for at least a day yet! How do you feel, man?"
I smiled shakily at him, noting a warmness in his look, and replied 'much better, sir.' Byrne was grinning openly at me from behind the Captain, and I noticed the Duchess had turned to face me too.
"I would like to offer my thanks and appreciation to your officer, Captain. May I?"
Courteously, he stepped back and allowed her to get closer.
"Mr Westenra..."
Her eyes twinkled, and I felt the headache recede slightly as I tried not to grin back,
"Thank you for your courage and bravery. You will always have a friend in me, should you need one."
She smiled, and allowed me to bow –slowly- over her hand. Byrne looked anxiously at me, and I smiled reassuringly. It must have been a deaths head grin, for his anxious look only increased.
"Thank you, ma'am. I assure you that it was my pleasure and duty."
My Captain stepped forward again.
"I think you should rest for today, Westenra, you have quite extended bruising, which should be allowed to heal. If you and Byrne would join us at dinner, tonight, you might tell us the entire exploit?"
Byrne nodded at me, as I didn't move for a moment, and I nodded stupidly after him and spoke carefully, concealing my weakness.
"Thank you, sir."
Byrne moved to help me down the stairs again, but I held myself rigidly, mostly by force of will, and stepped down by myself. I was almost halfway back to my cabin, Byrne following anxiously behind, when the world began to grow dim, and I fell silently into Byrne's watchful arms.
It all seemed like a dream when I next opened my eyes. I had intense pain in one arm, and the doctor was bending over me- an older man, kind though firm, with a shocked expression. As soon as he realised I was awake, his face went to disapproving.
"I think you have something to tell me, young 'sir'?"
Ah. I looked beseechingly at him through blurry eyes.
"Doctor, I..."
"A life in the navy is not one for young women!"
He whispered sharply back, shaking his head.
"Doctor Thorpe, may I have a word?"
It was the Duchess; my bacon was saved- perhaps? Thorpe nodded respectfully- he had a great admiration for the Duchess.
"Can you keep a secret, my good man? Lady Evelyn is a friend of mine. I would ask that you will do all you can to aid her? She is fulfilling an important mission for me- a matter of life and death."
The man's eyes widened as she emphasised the seriousness of the matter, and he glanced at me quickly. I merely wished she hadn't told him my real name and title.
"Of course, Duchess, it would be an honour, I am simply shocked..."
"Yes, I know, it is very unorthodox, it is true, and if it were any other man than you, a man I feel I could trust with not only my life, but my dear friend Evelyn's, I would have to take immediate action..."
He swelled with importance, and said stiffly, "I will keep Jack's secret as if t'were my own, you may be assured."
I breathed out with relief, and so did the Duchess, but less obviously. I was sure he would keep his word in all but the most difficult circumstances, and it was well that I had an ally on board while I was ill- he could forbid long interviews and visits such that might lead to my secret being prematurely revealed.
"Doctor, how long have I slept?"
He allowed the Duchess to sit by my bedside, and continued to fuss over me- the space was confined enough, and with three people within there was not much space for bustling around, but he made do.
"Two days. The Captain visited earlier today and Lieutenants Byrne and Grange the day before. The cabin boys have been pestering me anxiously for news of your recovery, and the officers are just as bad. It appears that you and Lieutenant Byrne are heroes."
I raised an eyebrow- all that could be done under the circumstances. The Duchess took my hand and squeezed it supportively.
"Emily and I have been nursing you- we only allowed the Captain five minutes, and even then all he did was sit there and look sadly at you."
I smiled; it was good to know I had friends on board, and that the Captain had been sad I was hurt. Sometimes Captain Wendon seems inhuman- distant and so clever that we just can't follow him- sometimes he seems so warm and human that all you want to do is make him laugh. He has a great sense of humour, but it takes a rarely amusing joke to make him throw back his head and give a great bark of laughter that makes everyone around him grin and want to laugh with him. He is both a good Captain and a fine man- a rare combination.
"What has happened? Two days- such a long time!"
I couldn't speak my thoughts properly, still tired, my mind was sluggish.
"Well, we are heading for San Rosado, to meet the governor- the Captain wishes to obtain more drinking water and supplies, and I expect there will be a ball thrown in my honour, so we'll have to stay overnight at least."
The Duchess's voice was calm and soothing, and I realised I had missed female companionship and sensitivity while living in my world of men. Speaking of men-
"Did you happen to meet Captain Marshe, Duchess?"
She nodded. "Yes- a rather fawning young man, constantly surrounded by serving youths, who was extremely rude to Emily! Very handsome though."
I agreed- rude, fawning and handsome, with a penchant for surrounding himself with young boys- had to be Marshe. Reminded me of the Roman Emperors, especially Tiberius and Nero.
"Has he left? I am a little confused- I remember going on deck, but only seeing the Captain you and Byrne?" She soothed me, as I was becoming frustrated at my lack of memory.
"Hush, yes, he's gone- back to Yarmouth, I think. Now, how about some sleep?" That sounded like a very good idea.
