Chapter 13/ Reunions
On the eighth day, they reached their destination. On the deck, they found themselves in a huge cavern. The Mary Kate was moored near, with sailors all over working. She had been repainted and renamed.
They were led up a set of stairs to a warehouse. The place was piled to the ceiling with boxes and crates. There was one large item, or items, shrouded under a tarp. As they passed near it, they saw a portion of it uncovered. It was the Aurora, deflated.
They were moved on to a hall of doors. Two were unlocked. They were separated and locked in.
Katharine looked around. A holding room? There was nothing in it but a chair and a small table. Sometime later, the door was opened. Andrew appeared in the doorway and was locked in with her. The reunited couple immediately held each other tight and kissed. Before Katharine wanted him to, Andrew let her go, taking her hands in his to kiss them.
He looked like he hadn't slept in days. His clothes were rumpled. They were the same ones she had last seen him in. She must look a sight, too. She had been given a comb, but hadn't been able to do much more than wash her hands and face. Her hoops had been re-donned before leaving the ship. It hid the fact that her petticoats were hopelessly crushed.
Andrew led her to the only chair in the room and settled against the wall, facing her. "I don't know how long we can talk," he whispered. "I need to tell you what is happening. These people want to take over the fleet. They need cargo ships to run weapons to various places across Europe. I think they plan to do the same thing on our other routes. They want me to organize it for them."
"Not with my ships," Katharine whispered. "The captains would never agree to smuggle weapons."
"Nonetheless, that is their plan for us," Andrew huffed, looking away. "I'm to go back to Scotland and set it up as soon as the Mary Kate is ready. She will be heavily crewed with our captors. They will be armed to down any opposition. Think of it, Mary Kate. Our home port is a small, isolated island. The company has a longstanding excellent reputation. If they take it over, and I think, if they reached the port with strong enough numbers, they just might do it. They could turn our island into an armed camp. The company would become a courier branch of their organization."
"That can't happen," Katharine whispered. It came out a bit too loudly. They both looked at the door. It was hard to keep quiet when confronted with such madness.
"It won't happen if I can help it," Andrew said with similar conviction. "I promise you that." He hesitated at telling her just what he was planning to do about it. He looked down at her hands, still resting in his. She looked askance at him. He met her eyes and showed her some of his pain. There was a battle going on in his head over love for her and duty to the family.
"You will be held here to ensure my cooperation," Andrew said.
Katharine stood up and held him tightly, giving him as much comfort as a wife could before telling Andrew what he needed to hear.
"You do what you think best," she whispered close against his ear. "You know what these people are planning will do, and you know what our plan is. This won't be an easy takeover. There will be a fight. My being held hostage here wouldn't change anything."
She took a breath and let it out slowly. There was more she should tell him, but the next words would have to be all she said. If she added one more thing to his troubled heart, Andrew wouldn't be able to do what he needed.
"Phileas is here," she said. "We came by ship. He is in the room to my left. Don't worry about me. You know his background. If there is any way, I'm sure Phileas will get us out of here. Rebecca shouldn't be discounted either. She is still free. Do what you must, my love. Take heart and don't give up. You promised, remember?" She gave him a long kiss. He took her in his arms and held her so tightly she couldn't breathe.
A key rattled in the door. They ended their embrace as the door opened. A man in a dark blue uniform walked in looking like the ones she had seen on the ship and in the cavern. The man himself looked malicious. There was no other word for it.
"I trust you have assured yourself that she is well and has been well treated," their captor said? You are to leave here tomorrow night with the tide. Tonight, he will join you for dinner.
An armed guard gestured Katharine toward the door. She gave Andrew's hand a squeeze before letting go. "Till dinner then. I do hope you brought my trunk," she said to the man at the door. "I would like to make myself more presentable after such a long voyage."
The bravado was for Andrew's sake. She left the room as if she hadn't a care.