Rebecca brought Captain Abel to the docks late in the evening. She carried only a small satchel. She needed a ship to get them to the League's base.
I'm getting too used to having Phileas close at hand. I can't go to the Navy. As much as that frustrated her, Robertson was right. A Navy ship would be spotted long before they could get close. There are ways to get transport. I just must find a ship and talk to the captain.
Down the quay, she saw Robertson standing. He waved to her, like he had been waiting. "Your chariot awaits, my lady," He waved toward the ship beside him.
Rebecca looked askance. She saw the Scots and Jules on the deck of the nearest ship, watching her approach.
Robertson led the way to the small steamer. Once they were aboard, he requested the captain to get underway. Rebecca hadn't planned to take them all with her. Yet, just as before, if she was to avail herself of their conveyance, the Scots were part and parcel. The ship sailed out to sea for two hours.
"Ships to port!" someone shouted. They sailed right for those ships. There were two schooners in the darkness.
"Ahoy," someone on the other ship called. It was a familiar voice, Captain Anderson.
"What is he doing here?" Rebecca turned on the first Scot she saw, Captain Samuel Glenshire, demanding answers.
"Those are not our ships," Samuel said. "The Lorraine and the Marianne met with the Lee Anna II and are on their way to the Atlantic as ordered. The three ships will be seen cruising west, just as directed. They are not crewed by Highland Trade people. We traded ships with friends, heading back home. When they sail past Italy, the villains won't know the difference."
"These vessels are on loan. Our crews are armed to the teeth," Sir James said, coming to back his cousin. "We sail for the League's base. We will let off a shore expedition headed by you to handle what you can. Anything coming into or out of that base by sea, these ships will handle for you."
Captain Anderson came forward. "At your signal, when our people being held are safe, we will come in with explosives and blow the place to kingdom come. You now have your conveyance, and all the help you could ask for. And we will deal with the people who crossed us." His explanation held the conviction of an established fact.
For some reason, Rebecca felt betrayed. These people had no loyalty to her, but she hadn't expected to have the mission taken from her like this. "You were ordered off this matter," Rebecca reminded both men. "The Prime Minister himself ordered it."
"That was before your cousin and our family were taken hostage," Sir James reminded her. "Rebecca, let's not quibble. You don't have Phileas or his airship to give you an advantage. We are offering you two ships full of fighting men. We don't argue that you have the authority of the crown. This is still your mission, and it will be your call on how it proceeds. Do you want us to take you back to shore?"
Captain Samuel added his own plea. "Rebecca, give us the chance to help you. Andrew has already offered you all we are providing. You have our word. We will follow your orders implicitly."
Rebecca considered their words and her situation. She was not happy about it, but she wasn't going to say no. In her mind, it didn't matter if the Royal Navy handled the destruction of the League's base, or they did.
The steamer reached the other ships. Rebecca walked the plank between them and was shown onto the Dover Cliffs and the other was the London Star. The ships were indeed loaded with both men and armory. The crews were half again the normal complement.
She was given a cabin to herself next to one given to Jules. She settled into her cabin for the night.
Because Phileas got himself and the Aurora captured, I'm forced to deal with these people. That wasn't fair to Phileas, but this isn't fair to me at all. These people had better keep their word about following my orders. I will remove heads if anyone crosses me, starting with their chieftain.
Sir James, grinning at her through his supposedly contrite speech, had added insult to injury.