by Lucy Langton
“My boy, Fitz! What a pleasant surprise to see you,” Lord Cardinal said as the gentlemen rose and Lord Cardinal quickly embraced his nephew. “It feels like ages since you’ve come to visit me.”
Lord Cardinal took to a chair as he gestured for the gentlemen to sit again. “My my, you two look exhausted. Pray tell, where did you journey from?” Lord Cardinal asked as he looked to his nephew.
“Uncle, we’ve just come from Portsmouth. You remember my good friend, Mr. Livingston, Lord Willcox’s son?” Fitz explained as he looked towards Gregory.
“Ah yes, Mr. Livingston. How is your family faring these days?” Lord Cardinal asked as he turned his focus on the young man.
“We are good as we can be, sir. Have you heard about the pirate attack on Portsmouth about a week ago?” Gregory replied, tears pricking his eyes as he prepared to tell his tale once more.
“My goodness, the news is all over London. Such a dreadful business, and all those poor souls who lost their lives trying to defend the port. And would you believe, just this morning I heard a rumor that a young girl has been kidnapped as well,” Lord Cardinal exclaimed with a shake of his head.
“Indeed, sir, a young girl has been missing. That would be my younger sister, Miss Maria Livingston,” Gregory confirmed. He watched as Lord Cardinal’s eyes grew large before the man leaned forward and patted Gregory’s hand in comfort.
“Your family must be suffering dreadfully so,” Lord Cardinal said softly, completely surprised by the news. Having no children of his own, Lord Cardinal could not fathom what Lord and Lady Willcox must be experiencing right now. He felt terribly sorry for them.
“Indeed, sir, my mother hasn’t been well since the attack,” Gregory said somberly as Lord Cardinal sat back in his chair and rested his hands in his lap, seeming to feel the same weight Gregory did.
“Uncle, we’ve ridden here from Portsmouth this morning in hopes of speaking to you about your good friend, the admiral. I remember meeting the man a few times here in London and was hoping you still had a good relationship with the man,” Fitz explained, pulling his uncle’s attention back to him.
“Of course. Admiral Reed and I are still very close. I invite him and his men to dine with me at least once a week when they are in Town. But you know how busy these men of the navy are. You never know when they’ll be in from the sea,” Lord Cardinal said as Fitz did his best to keep his patience with his uncle. Who could be a little flitty sometimes.
“I’m so glad to hear that, Uncle. Do you know by chance if Admiral Reed is in Town? We are hoping to speak with him and see if we can rescue Maria from these pirates,” Fitz explained as he watched his uncle carefully. He felt he could even see the moment when the older man finally understood why he and Gregory had ridden all this way.
“My goodness, you’re right. I shall send my footman forthwith to Admiral Reed’s home and request his presence immediately. Just two nights ago did he dine here at the house with his officers. Surely he hasn’t gone back out to sea quite yet,” Lord Cardinal said as he stood and pulled the servant cord by the fireplace. A few moments later, Mr. Stevens appeared at the door.
“Yes, my lord?” he said as he came into the room.
“Please send Williams to Admiral Reed’s home requesting his immediate presence for a very pressing matter of the upmost importance,” Lord Cardinal explained. Mr. Stevens nodded his head and was quickly out of the room, calling for Williams in the hallway.
“There then. We shall wait for the admiral to arrive. Till then, shall we go on to the dining room? I’m sure dinner should be ready,” Lord Cardinal suggested, his mind now focusing on his next meal.
“Thank you, Uncle,” Fitz said as he rose with Gregory, quick to follow his uncle.
“Yes, thank you, Lord Cardinal. My family is indebted to you,” Gregory spoke up as they walked down the marble floored hallway to the large dining room.
“No thanks is needed at this time, gentlemen. Let’s first see what the admiral can do for the cause,” Lord Cardinal said with a small smile on his face. “But wouldn’t it be grand if we could rescue the fair maiden from the pirates? What a tale that would be.”
Inwardly both Fitz and Gregory sighed heavily, knowing they were working with a very simple man.
Chapter 11
The next morning when Horus banged on her shanty door, Maria was ready for him. “Wake up ye…” was all he was able to bark out before Maria quickly opened the door.
“Ready for the morning orders, Horus,” Maria said proudly, having taken the time to smooth out her clothes and fix her hair back into the kerchief she’d been using. Horus just looked dumbstruck, before he closed his mouth and tried to glare at her instead. It only caused Maria to smile more.
“Well, ye think yesterday was too easy for ya, huh? Well, I think you’d be suited well in the kitchen. Go help Marvin prepare the meals for the day!” Horus yelled before he stomped off, clearly not used to either people being this cheerful, or dealing with a woman in general.
Maria didn’t wait to be told twice. She shut the shanty door behind her and took off down the stairs to the main deck. She ignored the other pirates as she crossed the main deck, heading for the narrow stairs that led to the kitchen. She wasn’t looking forward to being kept below deck all day in a humid area, or working with Marvin who hadn’t said a single word to her yesterday when she’d helped Leonardo dish out all the rations. But she had to keep her spirits up in order to be prepared for any opportunity of escape that came her way.
In her mind, Maria felt that one day she’d be free from this ship. Eventually they’d have to stop in a port for new supplies. Even if the ship traveled to the other side of the world, she would discover a moment in which she could escape and make her way back home. Till then, she simply needed to keep her chin up and ignore the cruel men around her.
“Marvin! Ready to create delicious food!” Maria called as she came down the stairs and moved into the kitchen, a small space that was opened on both sides to allow those who were passing out rations to come and go. There was only one small metal stove that had to be kept with only a little burning wood inside to prevent the ship from catching fire. A porthole was above the room, allowing the smoke to leave the space, but never allowing fresh air to come in.
“Why ye so cheerful this mornin?” Marvin asked. Maria placed her hands on her hips as she looked at the older man. He reminded her of a pig with more hair on his face and exposed chest than on his head. His belly was large, and to make matters worse, he was rather short.
“Because if I wasn’t cheerful, I’d die of despair,” Maria replied as she stepped into the kitchen and looked into the pot boiling over the stove. “Gruel again, Mr. Marvin?”
Marvin grunted as he turned his back to Maria and began chopping potatoes. “A lady such as yerself must be used to all sorts of luxuries, like cooks making French food every meal of the day,” Marvin said with a loud laugh. “But here, missy, we only have so many ingredients. Potatoes, flour, and water from the sea.”
“And what about these vegetables?” Maria asked as she started looking through the kitchen, examining different crates and barrels. She was surprised when she found a barrel of oranges. “And there is fruit here, too!”
Marvin laughed again as he continued chopping away, the sound displeasing to her ears. “The vegetables are for the Captain and his chosen few. The oranges are the crew’s currency upon the ship. There’s only so many they get per voyage and today is not the day,” Marvin explained, finding the young girl’s naivetés quite humorous.
“And what about all these delicious smelling spices?” Maria asked as she sniffed at the bundles hanging from the rafters over the crates. They smelled heavenly and Maria couldn’t wait to try them.
Marvin just shrugged his shoulders as he looked over at Maria. “The men are always happy with what I give them. Why change that now?” Marvin said as he went back to his work.
“You see, Marvin, I don’t believe that
’s completely the truth. They eat because they’re hungry. But what if we used these spices to help with the taste of the gruel? Surely they would be happier with that,” Maria suggested as she took down a bundle from the rafter and opened it a little, taking a deep breath.
“And what would a lady such as yourself know anything about cooking?” Marvin said, turning on her with his knife drawn. Maria simply narrowed her eyes at Marvin, not willing to give into her fear of being trapped with the man all day.
“I’ve been trained from a young age what it takes to run a successful household. And that always included preparing meals for large parties. I may not have spent much time in the kitchen, but I do understand flavor,” Maria said, straightening her posture as she approached Marvin. “And this dried parsley would enhance that pot of gruel immensely.”
Marvin just growled at her as he went back to chopping the potatoes. Satisfied, Maria took a handful of parsley and tossed it into the pot before she took the potatoes and added them to the dish. Maria did her best to look at this experience with cooking as an experiment. She couldn’t wait to discover how food tasted with different spice combinations. At least she had something to take her mind off the full day’s work ahead of her.
~*~
Maria was finishing up dishing out the last portions of salted meat stew when the exhaustion of the day finally hit her. Though the stew was practically the same thing as the gruel, minus the flour, she felt that it was a little bit of an improvement with the spices she’d added in when Marvin wasn’t looking. She’d spent the day cooking, scrubbing pots, bowls and cups, and arguing with Marvin over the food. But she tried her best to keep a smile on her face as she wiped her sweaty hands on her trousers, ready to make her way finally back onto the top deck and across to her small room.
“Good job, green thumb!” Marvin called to her as he finished putting away the last of the dried dishes. Maria just gave the man a small wave as she climbed the stairs and stepped onto the main deck.
The wind whipped by her and Maria took a deep breath of fresh air, holding it in her lungs a few moments before letting it go. Her skin was sticky with sweat, and as she walked over to the gunwale and looked down at the water below, she wished there was a way she could swim in the water to rid her skin of the grime that had settled there. She knew that she smelled rank, too. But as she gazed into the beautiful water below, she noticed a small boat tied to the side of the ship. Her eyes widened as she looked over the boat, following the cords of rope that bound it trailing up to the main deck and fastened to a post a few feet away from her. But as she looked at the cords of rope that could possibly lead to her escape, she realised that there was a lock around them, preventing anyone from stealing the skiff, unless they had a key.
Maria sighed then as she left the side of the gunwale and headed towards her room, keeping her eyes to the planks of the deck in hopes of avoiding the pirates and the fact that these men didn’t wear shirts when working. It was a startling fact that she’d forced herself to get over yesterday when she’d helped Leonardo deliver the rations for every meal. She hadn’t even dared to look up at James when she approached him for the afternoon meal, worried that she wouldn’t be able to take her eyes off him again.
Now she just walked as quickly as she could towards the wheelhouse despite the cruel things she heard being said about her. Maria didn’t take their words to heart, knowing that they were just mean pirates who didn’t have much to live for. In a way, she pitied them knowing that at one point they’d been small children who were raised into the men they were today. And as she thought of them like that, she wasn’t able to feel hurt by their words.
Reaching her small room, Maria shut the door firmly behind her and let her mask of strength fall. She crumbled to her plush blanket and pillow, pulling them to her face as she nestled into them, inhaling their spicy aroma that brought her much comfort. She laid there for a long time, sending up several prayers before exhaustion completely took over and sent her into a dreamless sleep.
~*~
Lord Crawford sat in his uncle’s study one night after dinner. He was feeling pleased with himself, knowing that Admiral Reed was doing all he could to ready a ship to go after Maria. He could envision her returning, feeling overjoyed that he’d set in motion her rescue. She would practically fall into his arms, full of devotion, and readily accept his proposal of marriage. He could even imagine what it would feel like to kiss her luscious lips, something he’d daydreamed about many times before when dining with Lord and Lady Willcox.
“I wish to speak to your privately, nephew,” Lord Cardinal spoke up, blowing out of a puff of smoke from his pipe.
“Certainly, Uncle. What is it that you wish to speak to me about?” Fitz asked, focusing his attention on his only living relative.
“While you and Mr. Livingston were visiting with Admiral Reed and the rest of his officers down at the navy office, I had a Mr. Green come pay me a visit,” Lord Cardinal said, causing Fitz’s eyes to grow wide and his skin to shiver. He tried to compose himself, but his uncle had always been a keen observer despite how he acted around guests.
“I see you already know why Mr. Green would come to pay me a visit, a day after you arrived in Town. It’s no wonder that you’ve been spending your time in Portsmouth, trying to win the heart of an Earl’s daughter,” Lord Cardinal said as he began to laugh, shaking his head at his poor nephew.
“They have no idea…” Fitz began to say but was quickly cut off by his uncle.
“Of course, they don’t, my boy. If they knew, you wouldn’t be welcomed in their home anymore. In fact, I’m just surprised they don’t already know,” Lord Cardinal said as he took a long drink from his evening port.
“I suspect that Mr. Livingston does,” Fitz confessed, turning his head away from his uncle, unable to meet the man’s gaze.
Lord Cardinal nodded his head as he regarded his nephew. “I’m sure he’s at least heard a rumor or two. All I can say, Fitz, is that you’d better find a way to rescue this daughter of an Earl and save yourself from total financial ruin. I will not be aiding you in this matter,” Lord Cardinal warned as he pointed a finger at Fitz.
“Of course, Uncle. I appreciate your discretion in the matter,” Fitz said as he rose from the chair and bid his uncle goodnight.
Once he shut the study door behind him Fitz made his way towards the stairwell, looking for the solitude of the room he’d been given by his uncle. It was kind of him to open his home to both him and Gregory, and after their meeting with the admiral and his officers, he was confident they’d be able to locate Maria after some time. But now that he knew that his uncle was aware of his grim past, Lord Crawford knew that marrying Maria was his only way to regain his status in society.
Chapter 12
The pirates had enjoyed Maria’s food so much that the next morning when Horus came to collect her, he assigned her the same task for the day. And though Maria wasn’t particularly fond of Marvin, at least she discovered a way to work with the man. Instead of telling him what to do, like she would a cook in her own home, she started asking him what he thought about various changes in the dishes he was already used to making. In this manner had she been able to almost enjoy her day working in the humid kitchen.
As Maria took the steps in the evening to the main deck, she was looking forward to once again being able to rest her head and get as much sleep as she could till the next day. But as she spotted Horus walking over to her in the dim light of the setting sun, she had a sinking suspicion that her duties weren’t over for the day.
“Enjoyed yourself, did ya?” Horus asked as he gestured towards the kitchen below. “I bet making tastier gruel must be fun for you.” Horus sneered at her as he pointed to a small group of men standing port side. “You’ll be joining them for the evening as you keep watch on deck. There will be other men to relieve you towards midnight,” Horus explained as he narrowed his eyes at Maria. “Have fun.”
Maria glared at Horus as he
walked away from her, whistling as he did so as though he was pleased with himself. She didn’t know why this man was finding pleasure in her exhaustion, but she figured that pirates had very little to find pleasure in while sailing the seas. Taking a deep breath, Maria made her way to the other pirates who were standing together with orders to watch over the ship as night set in. Maria simply stood near them, not wanting to associate with them, but neither wanting to be punished for not following orders.