Chapter 9/ Pirates rescued

After the events in America involving mummies, human spider queens, and their near loss of Fogg and Rebecca to the monster Abrianna, Jules Verne had been thrilled to do something as mundane as watching over the sickbed of a friend of Rebecca's. The lady had been pale and delicate in illness. Jules enjoyed sitting with her once she regained some strength. Having someone willing to speak his native tongue with him was a treat. His English was very good, but French was more relaxing. The lady turned out to be half French herself on her mother's side. The mother was a diplomat's daughter in the Caribbean. Her father, a sea captain at the time and not yet a duke. They had fallen in love and married through a courtship campaign lasting only four months. If the mother looked anything like the daughter, Jules could well understand the rush to win her.

Rebecca had finally had time to tell him about the finer details of the adventures that led to her association with the Duchess. It left him speechless. Verne couldn't imagine Fogg getting caught up in such normal matters. Imagine, the canny, ex-Secret Service agent being caught in a marriage trap. Even now, it gave him a smile and forced a laugh.

Jules looked in the mirror as he shaved, imagining the scene in the parlor of their family friend's home. It was fit for a romantic comedy. Also, imagine if Fogg had married to this noblewoman.

The possibilities… She is younger and less worldly than Fogg's normal preference, but she is only a few years older than me. She fit Fogg's preferences in appearance, tall, dark-haired, and beautiful.

When the lady's husband came into the hospital room unannounced, Verne had known exactly who he was without being told. Only a husband would have had such deep anguish mixed with all-consuming love, while ignoring every other person in the room the way the Earl had. Jules had turned over the chair at the bedside to its proper occupant and left the room with the others.

Jules finished his musing as he dressed in a light-colored summer suit Rebecca had helped him buy a few weeks before. It fit well and made him look far better off than his status allowed. He was glad of it now, as he was about to have lunch with Lady Katharine and at the hotel. Verne's clothes brought from Paris were too warm for the Egyptian climate. His favorite waistcoat, made of leather, had been packed away. Rebecca had paid for the suit under the guise of her cousin having taken off with him unprepared for Egyptian heat. That was nonsense, and they both knew it. His entire wardrobe was packed every time he left Paris.

Jules suffered Rebecca's charity with a promise to pay her back when he reached Paris, but Rebecca would have none of it. Jules once again swallowed his pride and accepted the gifts, knowing full well Rebecca would win over his protests. His clothes would be expensed to the Secret Service, as would her new summer dresses bought for this hotter climate.

Rebecca was taking over the investigation of the ship's theft. She had told him her worries about that. "These people have a long history of handling their own problems." The story about the double guard on Lady Katharine proved it.

Jules had expected nothing else, having read many stories about Scottish clansmen before ever meeting one. As a boy in Nantes, Jules had enthusiastically read and reread "Scottish Chiefs" by Jane Porter. The heroic legends in the book and vivid descriptions had held his imagination for months. He later got hold of every book he could get his hands on about the region until his father put a stop to it.

"France has heroes of its own you should read about," his father had said.

Jules found himself a bit of a letdown, coming face to face with these people. Lady Katharine was every bit what Lady Marion and Helen had seemed, even in her weakened state. Her husband and cousins seemed no different from any other upper-class gentleman of the times. They didn't even wear kilts. Only Robertson seemed a part of the vision he had of Scotland. He, however, turned out to be American born.

With his illusions dashed, Jules accepted the invitation to lunch with the Scots with less enthusiasm and more deportment. He followed Fogg and Rebecca to the fine hotel where the meal was served. It was a typical English summer meal, not one of local color. The conversation was general, or having to do with transport back to Scotland. Fogg graciously offered the use of the Aurora to cut the travel time for Lady Katharine. They would search the sea for the two ships still on the chase. One was somewhere along the coast of Libya.

After the meal, Jules, Rebecca, Sir James, and Captain Samuel Glenshire went on to the harbor to turn over all the information Rebecca would need for her investigation. Phileas didn't come with them. He was escorting the Earl and Lady to the airship.

The big ship in the harbor was a schooner named the Lorraine. The one stolen had been a clipper. Verne wanted to see that one, if possible. There weren't many of them around yet. Clippers were a new design from a shipbuilder in America. They could get 14 or 16 knots. That also out distanced steamships, which at present were only going 10 knots at their top speed.

Jules was quiet on the way to the harbor, playing with ideas of an electromagnetic powered engine. He was sure it would be far superior to the steam engine if he could work out the design. Passepartout didn't think it was workable yet. Under the valet's vest, hid a gifted engineer. When Verne had a workable design, Passepartout promised to build the prototype for him.

On the Lorraine, everyone settled down to the business at hand, with Jules studying maps on a large table. In Captain Anderson's cabin, cables from other ships, and descriptions of the pirate and his vessel, were laid out.

Omar was known. He went for smaller cargos most of the time. His ship was a well-seasoned frigate. Occasionally, the pirate went after steamers on short hauls by hitting them with long-range cannon fire, disabling their engines. This was a very bold and ambitious change.

A sailor came into the cabin saying he had received a message from the Marianne. "The captain of the Farraday relayed a message that she is heading toward the harbor, sir. Captain, she is towing another vessel, and they said looks like she has taken damage. The other ship is all shot up. Captain Brown is requesting we meet them out at sea."

Rebecca was asked for politeness's sake if she wanted to sail with them.

Of course she did.

He was asked if he wanted conveyance back to the airship. He considered accepting, but Rebecca said they would be back to shore soon and they could catch up with Phileas for dinner. So, they all left the harbor to meet the Marianne.

Jules stayed on deck, watching for the Marianne. Seeing her was alarming. The ship had a few holes above the waterline being repaired and several holes in bulkheads on the upper decks. The vessel she was towing was barely floating. Its masts were gone, leaving splintered stumps. There were large gashes in the hull and signs of fires put out. It was fit for firewood, nothing more. The crew keeping it afloat was the most ragged bunch Jules had ever seen. They had been little to speak of when attacking the Mary Kate, but now they were truly pitiful.

Captain Brown came aboard from the with the captain of the other vessel. It was not Omar. The little grizzly man was possibly Egyptian. He spoke passable French. He said his ship had been under attack when the Marianne came upon it.

Captain Brown said he had thought the pirate vessel had bitten off more than it could chew. He had hailed the other vessel to take what was left off their hands. What was thought to be the defending vessel turned on them. A hard sea battle ensued.

"The Marianne just fought the other off, only because it had spent most of its shot on the pirates. Don't know why they attacked us," Captain Brown said. "Damnably unfriendly thing…"

Abel filled in the other details. In broken French, he told how Omar had sold his soul to devils. He had been ordered to find information on ships. His masters wanted specific information on trade routes, merchant contacts, and they wanted the information current. They also had ordered the captain and owner of the vessel taken. When Omar lost the captain over the side and the lady owner had died, he had been shot down on the beach with his crew watching. Then the devils took their ship and turned them into slaves, but they had freed themselves. The devils then gave chase and would have killed them all had the Marianne not been God's deliverance. The man humbly got on his knees and pledged himself to the British men. After his testimony, the little man was taken back to his ship.

"What do you make of that?" Captain Brown said. "I don't know who his devils are. The ship wasn't identified. It flew no flag and had no name. It left us heading northwest."

"Do you think these other people are also pirates looking for information to set up attacks?" Jules asked.

"Could be. There are easier ways to find out which ships carry what and when," Captain Glenshire said. "What I'm wondering is why they wanted me and Mary Kate? That would suggest a deeper intent than just stealing cargos."

"They might have intended to ransom you back," Rebecca said.

The captains looked at each other and back at the lady, who made that unheard of remark. "Not this company," Captain Anderson said, speaking for them all. "Not unless this bunch is very new to the sea and doesn't ask questions. Even if they had successfully taken Lady Katharine hostage, we would have tracked them down to the ends of the earth."

"You would have risked the life of Lady Katharine like that?" Jules said.

Captain Anderson turned his gaze on the young man with the paternal look of a father correcting an errant child. "This company's reputation goes back several hundred years. We didn't start it; we just maintain it." That came out harder than the older captain had intended. Jules told him just what he thought of such a policy, but the captain raised a hand and explained again, more gently.

"The lady took over this company at nineteen," he said to Verne. "She knows full well what the policy is and didn't offer a single change to it. If either she or the earl wanted that to change, they would have done so by now. It may seem harsh, but so is life and business at sea. It takes a harsh attitude to face it."

"So, what do we do with this information?" Captain Brown broke in. "I'm for taking off after them as soon as we drop off the pile of rubbish I'm towing. The captain's name is Abel. He agreed to guide us to the harbor where the Mary Kate was last seen. It's a hidden place off the coast of Lebanon. Difficult to see from the sea."

"Sir," Rebecca said, "the investigation into the theft of your ship is being handled by me. Your company is no longer involved." Captain Brown looked askance and received an affirmative.

Robertson came into the cabin and asked Captains Brown, Anderson, Glenshire and Jules Verne to excuse themselves. He needed to speak with Miss Fogg. Rebecca insisted Jules stay to hear. The others left.

Robertson sat down and considered his words. Taking Miss Rebecca out to sea and forcing her to use their ships in the investigation was the plan. They needn't have schemed. Fate was arranging it fine. He just needed to impress upon the woman how much she needed them.

"I've been on the pirate ship, talking to the crew," Robertson said. "They were attacked two days ago. The attacking ship took the pirates out, despite the frigate being a heavier built and armed vessel. This enemy arms its schooners to the teeth. They had twice the weaponry such a ship would normally carry. Their first mate tells me there were two ships chasing them until they were overtaken. One of those ships broke off and headed south. Whoever these people are, they have two unfriendly ships we need to find. I would suggest we get back to Alexandria and ask around to find out who Omar's devils are."

Robertson looked at Rebecca, whose full attention was on him. "This is becoming far more involved than just a ship theft. These people don't appear to be pirates themselves. I've been at sea all my life, since the age of eight, and have seen pirates of all kinds. I've dealt with large, organized groups and notorious individuals. This adversary acts like they own the sea. They attack with an assurance and edacity not even the Royal Navy has claim to."

Rebecca heard his words and his intent. The man was being deliberate in his explanations. It irritated her when people assumed she was incompetent. She wasn't familiar with the sea, but Phileas had contacts, and the Navy would be at her disposal. That was more than a match for any pirate, no matter how confident.

"Pardon my saying," Robertson went on, "You may be a fine agent. You may know your way around the intrigues of Europe; but this is not the same thing. You are out of your depth here. You need people that know their way around the seas and waterfronts. The Earl put everything he has at your deposal. I would strongly suggest you take the offer."

"I will consider your and the Earl's offer when the time comes. For now, let us return to Alexandria so we can take stock of the information and make plans. With that, they set a heading back to the harbor."