Chapter XXIX: Pop a Cork
A/N: Sorry about the long wait. And I also lost my Microsoft Word subscription. But I am still writing onward. Here we find out Patrick Hearst's fate among other things. As always, thank you to cowgirlbookworm, I don't know what I would do without you. Languages are bolded. Looking forward to seeing what you all think! SSD
They were down to the wire. This morning Cecily, Will, Michael, and Fabrizio were as tense as long tailed cats in a room full of rocking chairs when they found out that Judge Abbot was ready to deliver his verdict.
His sister was nearly breaking his fingers when the judge started speaking: "I cannot imagine what it was like that night as I was not there. Scared, trying to stay alive, and just trying to keep the situation under control. That being said, it does not excuse murder on the high seas. Or repeated attempts to have the direct witnesses murdered. Patrick Hearst, I find you guilty of murder. And given that you have tried to evade justice for your crime, I sentence you to death by the electric chair, to be carried out as soon as possible."
Taking a breath, the judge focused on the witnesses, "I would like to thank all four of you for putting up with this and apologize for the disturbance this has caused to your lives. Mr. Murdoch, Mr. Turner, you two are both free to leave for England at your earliest convenience."
"Thank fuck for that," Will exclaimed. Judge Abbot ignored the outburst.
Cecily clung to him. "Ai tros Roland?"
"Mae hi drossod," he replied smoothing and kissing his sister's hair.
Fabrizio let out, "Grazie a Dio!" and crossed himself.
Michael crowed, "We'll be home in time for Christmas!"
Antin came up behind them. "Now that this turkey shoot is over, let's get back to the hotel. Get cleaned up, dressed to the nines, and go *out* to dinner! Your fathher mentioned this place called Sherry's that supposedly excellent."
After all the hell they've been through, a meal like this is certainly worth the expense! Antin grinned as he sipped some whiskey.
The first course was beef consomme. Warm and rich it seeped into everyone's bones. No one was talking, just enjoying the food.
The marshal next to him was looking at the place settings for the silverware with eyes the size of the plates on the table.
"Outside in, kid," he whispered. The younger man nodded in thanks.
Soon the halibut was brought out. The marshals had joined at Cecily and Roland's insistence, as a "reward for putting up with all of us".
Fabrizio seemed to be particularly savoring the halibut. "This is some of the best fish I have ever eaten, and I've eaten fish that was cooked only hours after it was caught," he declared before returning to eating.
Next was a Cornish Game Hen. Antin had never eaten this before. It was light and savory, but still quite chickeny.
The steaks did not last long at all on anyone's plates. There was a garlic rosemary sauce with it, that was making him reconsider his stance on rosemary.
The former witnesses, while enjoying their food, were enjoying their drinks even more so. He could hear snatches of Spanish, Italian, along with Welsh. Roland was drinking too.
Shortly after the venison, Antin saw Adam in his US Navy uniform of all things. He hoped nothing horrible had happened.
When his subordinate finally saw him, he picked his way of to their table.
Seeing the alarm in Antin's eyes once he came level, Adam reassured him, "Nothing's wrong. I just have a letter for Lieutenant Murdoch that his wife wanted him to have quickly."
"What kind of news is it," Antin inquired.
"The best kind," Adam had a smile as big as his home state of Texas.
Antin felt his own smile grow. He had a pretty good idea what this letter was about.
He couldn't hear what Adam said to Will and could only see their faces in profile.
It was a good view. Adam handed the letter to Will who opened it at speed.
Thankfully the Scotsman's chair was right behind him when his legs gave out!
Cecily managed to grab the letter before it hit the floor. Her cheeks turning as pink as the dress she was wearing.
Giving Will a look she groused,"I DIDN'T MEAN IT AS A DIRECT ORDER!"
Matt had just turned 30 years old. And he was still terrified of his mother.
He was to keep Ada company. Not that it was a hardship. Everyone would be coming home from New York today. Antin had sent a telegram about the celebratory activities the night before.
Enough alcohol had been consumed by everyone to kill a horse. Each. Rafaela was preparing her hangover cure whatever that was. It made every 40 Thief present and Uncle Albert shudder with fear. His mother had been allowed to see the recipe and agreed with all of the ingredients.
Matt's foot was bothering him quite a bit, despite soaking it the night before. He'd been going up and down more stairs than usual, as his uncle's house did not have an elevator. The pain made the walk slower than Matt would have liked.
After he had noticed Ada had stopped for the third time, Matt apologized, "I'm sorry for being so slow today. My foot's acting up."
The older woman smiled, "It's alright. I have a close friend with an affliction like yours. I'm used to it."
"You have a friend who fell off a horse as a child," Matt dodged the statement as he usually did.
"Mhm. My friend has a clubfoot. And unless I'm very much mistaken, you do as well," Ada replied matter of factly.
Matt stumbled over his feet at the shock of someone figuring it out. No one ever had outside of family. Ada quickly kept him from falling.
While he was grateful for her keeping him from falling on his face, Matt replied, "I doubt severely your friend had to endure 3 surgeries and the lifelong hatred of her father."
Cecily winced at the train whistle. The amount of alcohol she had consumed the night before had been ungodly. She, Roland, Fabrizio, and Michael had indulged to try and drown out Will's waxing lyrical about Ada. And had only mostly succeeded.
She'd spent most of the ride sleeping on Roland's shoulder. Fabrizio was sleeping on a chair. Turner, on another chair. Will was laid out on a couch and had not moved since they'd left New York.
Looking up as they were getting into the station, Cecily again winced as Antin banged the door open. He had a wild, panicked look on his face, eying Will with unease.
"What is it Antin," Roland groaned.
"Ada elected to come with your father to the station. And I've got her husband here stinking drunk," Antin hissed.
"Well, he was celebratin' for a good reason," Michael grinned.
"I'm sure she'd understand," Fabrizio snickered.
"I'll wake him up," Cecily made to get up, but Roland tugged her back down saying, "You can barely stand, how do you expect to walk over there?"
"I'd figure it out!" This was the opportunity of a lifetime.
Malcolm strode over to the couch Will was lying on, hauled off, slapped him across the face, sending the other Scotsman flailing to the floor. Which led to a shouting match in Gaelic that required no translation but provided much entertainment.
The train at a halt, Will demanded, "Open the bloody doors faster, I want to get to Ada! What should I do when I first see her?"
"Kiss her feet," she and Roland suggested in tandem.
"How are you able to move," Cecily groaned just looking at him.
Will ignored them both to fly out the door.
Their father strode in glaring at them.
"What were you thinking drinking that much," he snarled.
"We were trying to drown out Will talking about Ada..." Cecily began but went silent at her father's look.
"You both know what this means. Rafaela's hangover cure!"
"No! Anything but that!"
After being told that it would help them feel better, all hungover parties were willing to take Rafaela's (in)famous hangover cure. Albert smirked once he heard the violent retching coming from his children's bathrooms.
"This is your own fault and you should've known better," he crowed.
He heard no replies. Even if they were able to reply, Albert doubted they'd say anything civil.
Heading to the library, he ran into his beloved, crazy sister.
"Is everything running smoothly," she asked grinning.
"Yes. Everyone has taken the "cure" and paying for their night of drinking. Then they will sleep," Albert giggled a bit.
Flouncing down on a couch, "Did you tell Will about the coming guests?"
"No. That can be a surprise for him and Ada. Cecily as well. I have a feeling Harold is coming with them."
In the short time Harold Lowe had gotten to know Charles Lightoller he had grown certain of two things:
1. The man was completely mad.
2. His wife was both a saint on a mission from God and just as mad as he was!
The man's children were demons, who could only be controlled by their mother. As they'd been dogging his every off duty step, Harry suspected that Sylvia Lightoller had for whatever reason sicced her boys on him.
"You of all people, should not be allowed to reproduce," he slumped at the table of the officer's mess, exhausted from both his watch and those boys.
"Well then, I guess that's that. I have to tell Sylvia that I'm going to throw the boys overboard. So are you going to help me drown my children Mr. Lowe," Lights drawled, tilting his chair backward.
"I am not suggesting drowning them you git. Just get them to stop following me around, driving me up the banana tree!" Harry moved for some coffee, thankfully it was still quite hot.
Lights started laughing before replying, "It's only practice Harry. Sylvie has to sign off on your training before you marry Cecily after all."
After choking on his coffee he spluttered, "I thought her father was the one who had to agree to me marrying her?"
"The marriage itself yes. But I think my wife and I are more than capable of judging how well you care for the results of your procreation," Lights was laughing even louder now.
"Dydw i ddim yn cael digon o dâl," he groaned whilst massaging his temples, trying to stave off a headache, closing his eyes.
While his eyes were closed, a steward entered the mess. Lights chuckled, pulled him to his feet saying, "The wife wants a chat!"
"Oh no! Keep me out of it! Harry tried to make his escape to the bridge but Charles held firm.
Sure enough, just outside of officer's country was Sylvia. With the boys, who were calm for once.
The glowing Australian woman grinned upon seeing her husband dragging him.
"Relax Mr. Lowe, I don't bite," she drawled.
"She scratches," Lights snickered which earned the Lanc a swat upside the head.
With their parents distracted, Roger and Trevor pounced on him him for a hug. Which Harry didn't mind too much.
Upon fully recovering from that disgusting "cure" Will set himself to the task of fussing over Ada. Anything and everything she needed he would get for her so she wouldn't over exert herself. Rigel was staying by her side, except for when he needed to see to his business.
This time he was getting her a book and some water. Upon his return, Ada glared at him saying, "I could have gotten that myself you know."
Priscilla snorted. She'd been helping Ada while he was gone and would be until they returned to England.
Ada sat reading for a while, whilst Willl tried to read but failed. He couldn't help but stare at his gorgeous wife, who was, much to the joy of them both, pregnant.
"I'm going upstairs to use our bathroom. I can do it myself," Ada declared when she got up from her chair.
She had barely walked 5 steps before he'd swept her up into his arms.
"Will Murdoch, put me down or I'm going to vomit on you," Ada shouted as he strode towards the stairs. Rigel was following them with Priscilla.
Another voice cut through the room, "Lieutenant Murdoch, put your wife down before you drop her!" It was Doctor Kelly, glaring at him.
"I won't drop her, I'm not drunk. Well, not anymore," Will replied.
"I was warned you'd likely be a mother hen to your wife. But I didn't think you'd be this bad. Put. Her. Down! You and I need to talk. Alone." The Navy doctor narrowed his eyes at him.
Will put Ada down slowly and watched her ascend the stairs. He was so occupied in watching her, he completely missed Doctor Kelly walking forward to smack him across the back of the head.
"Come on now. Sit down. She'll be fine. Ada is in good health for her current state. Excellent health really, this trip has done her well," the Yank doctor pushed Will lightly down onto the couch.
"But I don't want her to be under any strain," Will insisted.
"Light exercise is alright. You don't want to keep her cooped up, she'd go mad."
"But what if she trips? Or falls?" Will wanted to rip his hair out by the roots from nerves.
Taking a breath, the doctor said, "There's a difference between chaining her to the bed and being careful. I doubt severely Ada would appreciate you attempting to do such a thing."
Chuckling Will said, "No she wouldn't. Ade would skin me alive once she got free!"
"So don't try to essentially do that. She'll tell you when she wants help." Then the doctor smirked, "When she's feeling better, she'll be the one wanting to tie you to the bed!"
Damn Yanks, can't taken them anywhere!
Mina stalked towards her son's room. There were guests incoming and Matt needed to be presentable.
Ada had told her what she'd said. While her intentions had been good, the New Zealander had put her foot in her mouth up to her arse.
Matt had been brooding and drinking for days. It had only been a matter of time before he would run into someone who couldn't be fooled. And the Lightollers definitely wouldn't be fooled either.
Barging into the room, Mina saw Matt sprawled on the bed, only in his pajama bottoms.
Wasting no further time, she tipped the mattress to one side, turfing her son out of bed.
Matt hit the floor, swearing viley in Welsh. Scrambling to his feet, he spun around to see her.
"Good morning. Be thankful I didn't throw the curtains open or give you Rafaela's cure. Shower, shave, then get dressed. And wear your proper shoes today! You've been inflicting needless pain on yourself and I'm tired of you moping about someone figuring you out. We will talk about it, but not now. Get to it," Mina pushed him towards the shower.
On her way back downstairs (where there were guest rooms but Matt was stubborn) she ran into Rosalyn, Antin's Australian wife.
"Do the Murdoch's realize who's coming yet," Mina asked.
"No. They haven't twigged to it yet. Antin's kept a tight lid on the news threatin' everyone who knows. He's showin' off extra cause the kids and I are here," the blonde smirked.
"I cannot wait to see the looks on their faces," Mina grinned back.
They soon heard a happy shout of joy and an exclamatory greeting in Welsh.
"And Cecily's seen her man," Rosalyn stated.
"No surprises that the Lightollers are teasing them both," Mina rolled her eyes at the banter she could hear as she walked closer.
"What are they saying now?"
"Harry and Cecily are giving as good as they're getting. Though they are using Welsh. Mr. Lightoller may not understand the words, but defintely understands the tone," Mina was thankful her niece was taking the children present into account.
A/N 2: What fun to see Will's reaction! Looking forward to seeing what you all think! SSD