Part 1: The Journey to Africa
Chapter 4
"Departing for Africa"
A few days after her last tea party with her friends, Jane woke up early from her bed and dressed herself in a yellow shirt and green skirt for the adventure of a lifetime. After many years, she would follow her father to Africa to study Gorillas and fulfill a dream that she had always had since finishing school. She looked at her home on Cherry Tree Lane one last time as the carriage carrying her and her father headed off into the distance towards Southampton, where the ship taking them to Africa was docked and waiting to depart. Arriving at the ship, Jane was just one step up the gangplank away from leaving her civilized world behind.
"Jane," said Archimedes. "It's now or never, my child. Are you ready?"
"I am daddy," she replied and the two of them walked up the gangplank where Clayton was waiting for them to arrive. He was dressed in his hunter clothes and carried a rifle in his left hand. Jane was of course disgusted at Clayton as he did make unnecessary advances towards her when they first met.
"Well, Professor and Jane," said Clayton. "I hope you are ready for this amazing adventure. The gorillas of Africa await your arrival."
"We are only going to study gorillas, Mr. Clayton," said Jane. "I'm pretty sure they know that."
"Knowing from my experience, Miss Porter," he replied. "These creatures will be dangerous at times, so you need me to be with you at all times."
Jane snuffed at the comment and Clayton beckoned a sailor over to them.
"Now, these fine gentlemen will escort you to your rooms," he said. "I must speak with Captain Gerard about when it would be best to depart."
So, Jane and Archimedes were led down to their rooms and Jane got to work unpacking her suitcase of all the clothes and personal items that she brought with her. Sitting down on the bed and taking her boots and gray stockings off, Jane looked at a special picture of her mother, Mary, who died giving birth to Jane. Mary had always told Archimedes that Jane was to lead a civilized life in England and not make any ladylike travels to unwanted and dangerous places in the world. But, of course, Archimedes had always told Jane from the day she could walk and talk that she must always follow her heart wherever she goes.
A little while later, Jane went up to the dock and she and her father looked out towards Southampton one last time as the ship headed out towards the opening Atlantic and down towards the coast of Africa. For the next few days, Jane spent most of her time finishing up on her latest drawings and one of her favorite hobbies was drawing. Jane had once thought of going to art school and when her father had gotten her interested in gorillas and studying them, she decided to not go to art school, but she still drew as a hobby and as a distraction from the civilized life that she had to get away from at times.
One night as Jane was having dinner in the dining hall with her father and Clayton, Jane had wanted to tell her father of what she was planning to do aside from studying gorillas.
"Jane, I am very proud of you," said Archimedes. "I knew that part of the reason you wanted to come was to draw pictures of life in the jungle. Maybe when we return to London, you could maybe put them in the museum of art or something."
"I could Daddy," said Jane. "But, I want my work to speak for itself. I may be leaving my civilized life behind, but I want to at least keep some structure while we are on this safari."
"Indeed," chuckled Clayton. "A beautiful woman like you only coming to a dangerous jungle just to draw pictures. I knew that you raised a headstrong woman, Professor, but never like this."
"Not all of the jungle is dangerous, Mr. Clayton," said Jane. "Daddy says that there are places that are very beautiful to take in."
"Not as beautiful as you," whispered Clayton staring at Jane's breast. Jane saw his eyes looking towards her and placed her napkin at the top of her yellow shirt. She had removed the collar and purple necktie just before coming down to dinner.
"Mr. Clayton, please!" cried Jane. "I am not a prize to be won on this safari, do you understand? We hired you to protect us, not to hurt me, is that clear?"
"Yes, Miss Porter," said Clayton. "My apologies, madam."
So, they dined on Roast Beef and Turkey for dinner and Jane, feeling very humiliated by Clayton's behavior, left the dining room and returned to her stateroom, slamming the door behind her.
"Who does he think he is?" she snarled. "I may look beautiful like any other woman from London, but he knows when the lines have been crossed. If he ever does this again, I will tell my father and we will return to England and fire him right there!"
Jane kicked off her boots in anger and lied back down on the bed looking up at the ceiling of her stateroom. As she looked up at the ceiling, she had to realize eventually that there were going to be evil men about who would want to invade her personal space. Bobby had tried to do so on several occasions during her tenure in Finishing School, but she told him to stop until she was ready to do so and he did, but Clayton was completely different from Bobby. It seemed he had much more than just advancing towards her and Jane knew it. However, for the sake of her father and their once in a lifetime trip to Africa to study Gorillas, she had to let it go and focus on what she was going to do.
Meanwhile, Clayton had gathered several men in his stateroom and he was holding a meeting of his true intentions.
"You see, gentlemen," he said. "I have only agreed to accompany Professor Porter and his daughter to Africa, because I have always wanted to get my hands on these creatures and bring them back to London."
"Well, you hired us to help you," said a thug. "We have knowledge on how to capture these beasts and we as your servants, will fulfill that promised right to the end."
"Are the cages in the hold?" he asked. "And the nets and sacks as well?"
"Every single last one of them," said another thug. "They are all waiting to be used at your disposal sir, when the moment calls for it. Our men will be armed with them at your command sir, you have our word."
"I will let you know when the moment comes my friends," said Clayton. "When everything is all said and done, we will be the richest men in England and it will all be thanks to these beasts that we are going to capture."
"But what about the Professor and his daughter?" said yet another thug. "They might catch on to us and ruin the plans. Worse, the captain and his crew might suspect us as well."
"Don't worry my friends," said Clayton. "If they start to catch on, we will do them in. But, not before killing the professor and having the lovely Miss Jane Porter all to myself. Soon, that beautiful flower that has blossomed into a beautiful young woman will be mine all to myself."
"Aw, come on, Clayton," said a thug. "Can we have her as well?"
"Yes, but then she is mine," said Clayton. "We will strip her of her clothing and then rob her of her virginity as a celebration of our victory, gentlemen. Our glory days will come soon enough."
The thugs and Clayton all laughed evilly with the door closed so that no one could hear them of their intentions. However, as he stood on the bridge, Captain Gerard could not help but feel suspicious of Clayton's intentions. But, he nevertheless continued his duties of getting Jane and Archimedes to Africa so that they could start their safari.
Little did he know later on that he would find out the truth about Clayton's intentions, but it would be too lateā¦
