Author's Note: This is the next chapter... no 22 till Wed... though... I want you all to think about this one some... And no, I will NOT tell you what is going on so, don't ask. Thanks to Heather and Nicole, and reviews are nice. Meg
A man stood in the shadows of a doorway where he was unseen. He watched as the lady rubbed her eyes and sat up slowly. A servant rushed in with a tray and she ate silently and dismissed the servant as she lay back down against her pillows. He slowly stepped out. "Is someone there?" she asked as she looked around.
"Milady, it is good to see you."
He was still covered by a cloak, and she could not see his face. She looked as if she were trying to discern where she had heard his voice before. "Who are you?" she demanded.
He laughed at her and her face paled. She looked scared as he brought the handkerchief to her face and she faded out of consciousness. "I believe we have an appointment." He sneered at her unconscious form as he carried her out. No one was around and it would be easy to go down to the bottom of the ship. No one ever went there.
Lord Rochester, Baron Francis, Lord Clayton, Lady Clayton, and several servants stood in the hall. It was late afternoon and the ship was in confusion. "I say, what is the meaning of this?" Baron Francis complained quite loudly.
One of the servants came forward obviously nervous. "Forgive me, my lord, but we were told to wait to all the guests had assembled." The baron did not look pleased by this.
Lord Clayton turned to the company and calmly asked, "Where is Lord Hepburn?"
The same servant answered hastily, "He is being summoned."
Lady Clayton sipped on a glass of wine not phased by the commotion going on. Lord Rochester also did not look concerned as he puffed on his cigar. D'Artagnan approached them looking confused. "What is going on?"
The servant joined them again. "Milady has disappeared." Everyone stared at him. "The captain has ordered a search of all the cabins."
Lord Rochester sighed, "And we are to stand here all night?"
The servant shook his head, "No, we are to escort you to the dinning area for dinner while we search." They all shrugged as he led the way.
Once in the dinning area d'Artagnan turned to them. "This is all odd, is it not?"
Lady Clayton just frowned. "I doubt it, probably just letting her out for some air and they wanted an excuse to move us."
The baron laughed, "Well for God's sake, they should have just told us. I do not care if the lady wants to go out unseen." Silence returned as everyone pondered this.
As they reached dessert, the same servant had appeared. "Milady has been found, you may return to your cabins when ready." He bowed and left.
D'Artagnan frowned. "I find this whole thing suspicious."
Lord Clayton shrugged. "As long as I get to sleep in my cabin, I do not care." The others readily agreed with him. D'Artagnan still had an uneasy feeling about the whole thing as he walked back to his cabin.
She was slowly waking. It was dark, extremely dark and the air was damp and cold. She struggled to say something before she realized her mouth was bound. Her feet were free but her hands were tied behind her back and as she looked around, she had the sinking feeling that screaming would do her no good. No one came near here; no one would hear her. She was still weak and in no condition to try to fight. She fought back the tears, as someone entered, her captor no doubt.
"A little snack milady," he said as he sneered at her. She could hear the hate in his voice. He pulled her gag down roughly pulling some of her hair and she bit her lip to keep from crying out. She would not let him see he had hurt her; she refused to give him that pleasure.
He shoved a sandwich in her mouth and she fought her reflexes to vomit and tried to swallow. Crumbs fell and she was very hungry so she licked off as much as she could. He then brought a cup up to her lips and shoved it down her throat. The water tasted good, or what she managed to get down as half of it fell down her face. She once again she fought the reflex to gag. "One more," he said as he shoved the last sandwich in her mouth. She swallowed and again licked off the remaining crumbs from her face. She was sticky and her hair was down all over her face.
As he started to pull her gag, back up she fought the impulse to kick him; it would do her no good. She had no strength to run and if she kicked him, run she would have to. "Why are you doing this?" She asked weakly. She was starting to loose consciousness again.
She heard him laugh again. "Do not worry, milady, if all goes well. You will not be harmed." That was all she heard. "Well, not much," he added to her unconscious form. He found it funny how servants could be bought. The servant had told the doctor she was resting and doing much better, so the doctor had bought it and stayed away. No one knew she was still missing and by this tomorrow, it would not matter.
D'Artagnan walked in his cabin and shut the door. He frowned slightly as a servant appeared. "A letter, my lord," he said bowing as he exited the cabin.
D'Artagnan opened the letter and read it, confused. It gave instructions to wait for an important letter at dawn and to tell no one or bad things would happen. That bad feeling he had earlier returned in strength. He could no shake his instincts which told him that mysterious lady was involved and he wondered why him of all people. Why did he care? His instincts also told him he did care and he would pay close attention or else he would regret it. He tossed and turned in bed that night, waiting for dawn to arrive.