The Hidden Legacy

by Julie Roberts

  The captain smiled, showing a row of broken teeth. He was utterly repulsive. No better than Cuba John, with the same vile mind and ways. She shuddered, physically showing him how disgusting he appeared to her.

  Madame Lightfoot threw a leather pouch onto the table. ‘There is your fee, Captain Raimunda, in guineas. She brings no baggage and has no family. You are quite safe. I hope you can deliver her untouched. I’m sure one of the governors will be looking for a pure English wife. So if you want a prize purse, see she arrives so.’

  She turned to leave.

  ‘Wait, you can’t go, you can’t leave me here.’ Meredith reached out and grasped Lightfoot’s arm. ‘Please, take me back. There’s still time to find the Turner.’

  Her fingers were prised away. ‘It’s too late. Frederick has outwitted us all. I misjudged him. He was nothing more than a doting old man praising his young protégé. If the original is ever found, it will be too late for me.’ The venom in her voice filled the cabin. ‘I don’t care what you do with her. Feed her to the sharks for all I care.’

  Lightfoot’s retreat from the cabin left a void, all the odorous air dragged out behind her. Meredith was too stunned to move, feel any reaction. She was abandoned to this captain for as long as he wished. Her paid passage was a bribe to keep Madame Lightfoot’s secret.

  ‘Ah, so I have a choice, señorita; you or gold? It’s a long way to Botany Bay …’ His words trailed away, but his eyes never left her as he stroked his beard and smiled.

  Meredith trembled as shock and disbelief set in. She was cold, for she had left that afternoon wearing only a light gown and shawl. Why hadn’t she guessed the message was a trap? Oh, why hadn’t she waited for Adam? He was so capable, so strong and able to look after her. A sob shuddered through her and she sank to the floor, closed her eyes and waited. Even her father would not have sold her into this.

  A hand gripped her arm. ‘There is a place for you to sleep. I have kicked my first mate out with the rabble. Soon you will wear the beautiful gown I have for you, señorita; a Spanish red gown and a flower for your hair.’ He spoke in a soft coaxing voice, but when she looked up at him he was dribbling from his mouth.

  A rage, so deep and full of hate, ran through her. ‘Take your hand away, sir. I will not be handled by you or anyone else. I don’t want your gown or your flower. I will stay wherever you put me, until I reach my journey’s end.’

  His hand moved and he grasped her hair, pulling her head back. His face lowered slowly until his lips touched hers and he said. ‘Eight months is a long time, señorita. We shall get to know each other well before then.’ He pushed her away and shouted in Spanish. A sailor came in. ‘Put her in Diego’s cabin and lock the door.’

  She prayed Diego’s cabin was at the other end of the ship, but she was pushed into the cabin next to the captain. Her life was ruined; she was to become the ship’s whore. She would sink below that of a warder’s wife. She would become a person that Adam would shun with disgust if he ever saw her again.

  The key grated in the lock. This was to be her prison cell for eight months! The cabin was small with little room to move and lit by a lantern hanging from a beam. A narrow mattress lay secured inside a wooden frame and Meredith wrinkled her nose at the smell of stale urine in a chamber pot in the corner without even the courtesy of a cloth cover. And the promised red gown with layers of white petticoat lay on a shelf fixed to the wall. Tears touched her eyelashes; the captain’s intentions spoke volumes for the appalling life he had planned for her. The stiffened bodice was cut low, its lace-frilled edge designed to attract the eyes of the suitor.

  The floor tilted with a movement of the ship. Any hope of escape was gone.

  Adam waited only long enough to see which ship the dinghy moored under. He raced along the quay looking for a small boat with its oars in. The last in the line proved his prize. Untying the rope, he jumped aboard. His strong even strokes pulled him swiftly out into the current and into the darkness.

  Coming in close to the ship Adam saw a dinghy bobbing gently in the ship’s shadow. A light swung above and Madame Lightfoot descended the rope ladder.

  Instantly her plan was clear. To protect herself, she had abandoned Meredith to a fate worse than death. This type of ship had no passenger accommodation. Her captain only wanted to fill his hold and lower decks with a full cargo list.

  He could see the current was slack and the tide was about to turn and run out to the sea. He didn’t have much time. Minutes later the sailor rowed towards the quay.

  Adam reached the rope ladder. He let the dinghy go with the current; he couldn’t risk discovery by the returning sailor. Slipping over the gunnel, he saw the deck hatches were battened down, the rigging set and the ropes coiled ready for the run down the estuary. The native tongue of Spanish sailors carried clearly from below. His knowledge of their language was scant; he would have to be careful not to confront one. Adam felt the ship pulling on the anchor. The crew would soon be swarming on to the deck like ants. He had to find Meredith before the ship reached the wide estuary mouth.

  There was one thing he had to thank his father for – know your ships well, my son, business starts from the hold to the topsail. The captain’s cabin was aft and the unthinkable of what could be happening to Meredith ran through him like a knife.

  He discarded his jacket and shirt to look more like a sailor. Boots and stockings followed, leaving him barefooted. Ruffling his hair, he pulled it forward onto his forehead. What he needed was canvas pants, the fine woollen breeches were too conspicuous indeed, but there was nothing to hand. He threw everything overboard.

  He needed something to carry. Wedged between two bundles of canvas he found a tar barrel and hoisted it to his shoulder and sauntered towards the aft deck. The night sky was clear, quiet like the eye of a storm deceiving the unwary of the trauma to come. Unexpectedly, the stench of sweat, tobacco, and garlic wafted before him and a hand gripped his free shoulder like a vice. Spanish words filled the air. ‘¿Qué estás haciendo?’ A squat muscular sailor stepped out of the darkness and barred his way.

  Adam didn’t have time to try and translate and he grunted, ‘El capitán y señorita requieren vino ahora.’

  The sailor didn’t release him, just stood silent, menacing; then slapped his shoulder and walked past, muttering, ‘Señorita, señorita, bah.’

  The crew were stirring; he had less time than he thought. He reached the aft stairs and listened; all was quiet. He put the barrel behind the open door and descended with caution. The creak of the ship made it difficult to hear anything that would lead him to Meredith. There were several doors and he tried the first, which was an empty cabin. The next was a well-stocked storeroom. There were two left and he guessed the one directly in front of him was the captain’s cabin.

  He put all his hopes into the one on his left. The door was locked and he took a penknife from his breeches pocket and slid the blade between the door and frame. The steel point didn’t reach the lock. Adam shaved the door frame to widen the gap. He could hear the shouts of the sailors above readying the ship to sail. Sweat broke out on his forehead; any moment a sailor could come down the stairs and see him. He pushed the knife blade in and under the lock. One swift wrench and it split away from the frame and came open.

  Meredith lay on the cot, her face to the wall, curled up like a kitten. Was she asleep or drugged? He moved quietly inside and closed the door. Gently touching her shoulder and stroking her hair, he hoped to awake her gently. Without any warning she turned and became a mad woman, aiming a small weapon at his face, his eyes. He grasped her wrist but she brought up her other hand and clawed at his bare chest with fingers turned into talons. She was terrified and didn’t recognise him.

  ‘Meredith! It’s me, Adam!’

  Her eyes grew wide and he could feel her pulse hammering against his fingers. ‘Can you hear me? Meredith, it’s me. I’ve come to get you off this ship and take you home.’

 
Her fingers slackened and he eased a whale bone from them and threw it on the floor. Lifting her from the cot he cradled her in his arms. ‘Oh, Meredith, I thought I had lost you. What have they done?’ He kissed the softness of her neck and then her mouth. Her response was hesitant; then she seemed to understand and kissed him back, kissed him with passion.

  ‘Oh, Adam, you came for me. How did you know I was here? I know I should have sent a message, but there wasn’t time and then everything was all a trick and …’ A sob filled her throat and Adam rocked her. ‘… She has given me to this captain who is sailing for Botany Bay. He said such awful things about what would become of me.’

  He brushed her lips with another kiss. ‘Nothing is going to happen to you now, I won’t let it. We have to get off this ship before it reaches the estuary. Can you walk, my love?’

  Meredith tightened her arms around his neck. ‘I want to stay with you, just like this, but yes, I shall be all right.’

  Adam set her down and looked round the cabin. In the dim light his gaze stopped at the red gown. There was no doubt as to the purpose of such a garment, but the jewelled bodice was ripped almost to shreds.

  ‘I take it you had no intention of wearing that.’ He nodded to the table. ‘And I take it that’s where the whale bone came from.’ A moment of pride ran through him, but in truth, the whale bone would have been useless as a weapon.

  ‘You’re a very resourceful lady, Miss Sanders. I think the captain would have had a very interesting time with you.’

  ‘I would sooner die than let him touch me. The bone was either for him or me.’

  ‘Then I thank God I got here before you had to make the choice.’ He raised her hands to his lips – he had come that close to losing her.

  A rumbling sound ran through the cabin. ‘They’re raising the anchor. Let’s go.’ He blew out the lantern candle and listened. ‘Can you swim?’

  ‘Of course, I …’

  He placed his finger to her lips; voices were close by, arguing. English sailors; and their words grew louder. ‘… the cap’n thinks he can keep her locked up forever. Let me tell yer, I want a bit of that. I don’t mind second helpings.’ The other man laughed. ‘I’ll have fun watching yer flogging then. He might even toss yer over to the fishes, yer know what a temper he has.’ A commanding voice yelled down the stairs and there was a scurry of feet fleeing up to the deck.

  The crew were mutinous even before the ship left the river. Without doubt their captain ruled by the whip. The sailors’ argument reinforced his own thoughts – the captain would show no mercy if they were caught trying to escape. Each moment they remained on board they were sailing into unbelievable danger. He had to get Meredith overboard and away within the next few minutes.

  Adam held Meredith’s hand and felt her tremble. ‘Don’t speak, just follow me and do as I say.’ He led her along to the stairs and whispered close to her ear, ‘I’m going to the top, tie your skirt around your waist.’ The fear in her eyes were more telling than any words and he pulled her to him and kissed her hard. ‘Be brave, my love.’

  His bare feet made no sound on the wooden treads. He waited below the doorway and could hear orders being shouted. Raising his head he surveyed the deck. He crept out, crouched and looked behind him. On the upper deck the helmsman was standing with another man; Adam guessed it was the captain. Sailors were working everywhere now, pulling ropes, tending the sails. This was their best chance of escape. He beckoned Meredith up.

  ‘It’s now, Meredith. Are you sure about swimming?’

  ‘Swim or drown, Adam, I have no choice.’

  He took hold of her hand. ‘Don’t be afraid. I’m with you now.’

  They crept across the deck and Adam chose a space between the cleated ropes. The gunnel was too high for Meredith to slip over. He would have to help her, which would give any sailor full view of them. But there was no alternative if they were to escape.

  ‘I’ll lift you to the top of the side and then you must jump. Don’t hesitate if you hear them raise the alarm. Don’t look back. I’ll be right behind you.’

  ‘But if they see us, there are so many of them, they’ll get you. I won’t leave you behind, Adam.’

  ‘You must. I can deal with them if I don’t have you to worry about. Please, Meredith, don’t wait.’ That now familiar rebellious look came into her eyes and he repeated, ‘Just jump.’

  Then before any more words could be exchanged he pulled her to him, lifted her, and then fate played a damning blow – a voice shouted, and then more voices joined in. Above them, the thunderous voice of Captain Raimunda carried clearly in the night air. ‘The woman, get the woman, kill the man.’

  Footsteps pounded and Adam balanced Meredith on the side. She looked down at him, her face white, her eyes full of terror. ‘Adam, I won’t …’ He pushed her over.

  They were coming for him; the leader with his sword raised ready to cut him down. He heaved himself up, straddled the rail and, as he swung his leg over, pain spread across his shoulder.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  The shock of the cold water took Adam’s breath away as he sank deep. Surfacing, he looked up at the ship. The captain was at the side and in a gesture of farewell he raised his hat in a salute.

  Adam trod water and circled, looking for Meredith. He couldn’t see her in the dark and the moonlight made the water flash with bursting stars as the rush of the tide ripped towards the widening banks.

  ‘Meredith! Meredith!’ Adam could feel the strong current and panic rolled through him as he twisted and turned looking for her. Suddenly, in a patch of flat water, he saw her.

  She was floundering, her arms thrashing, and he kicked hard, not taking his eyes from her. Then she was gone. He dived, knowing he had but a moment to find her before she was lost to the murky bottom of the Thames. Instantly he was in a world of demons: shredded clothes passed like wraiths and a dead man slid past, touching his hand. Adam forced more power into his legs. Had he saved her only to let her die? Then he saw her struggling to surface.

  Adam grasped her arm and pulled her to him, put his arm round her waist. His lungs were now empty of air and the urge to take a breath and drown was paramount. He gave one fierce stab of his feet and struck out with his free arm upwards. The river was not going to take her life, even if it took his.

  He broke the surface gasping for breath and let the current take them. He heaved Meredith around her middle and water spurted from her mouth, she choked and more water spewed out. She coughed; then opened her eyes.

  ‘Meredith! Can you hear me?’

  ‘Yes.’ Her reply was weak, but that was all he needed.

  Slowly, using the current, Adam steered them towards the bank and a stretch of beach. The mud sucked at his feet as he pulled Meredith through the shallow water and lifted her into his arms. Her eyes were closed, but her soft breathing caused him no concern. In the moonlight her face was so white. A primitive urge to protect her flowed through him as he waded forward out of the river on to the grass. He twisted round and saw only flat open ground, nothing to offer them shelter.

  ‘Damnation! We have to find somewhere warm or we will die of the cold.’

  Adam drew Meredith closer to him. She was either in a faint or something worse. He had to find a place for them to rest. He walked along the bank, carrying her. The darkness hid everything, only the river flowing down to the sea gave him any direction. A breeze strengthened behind him and he shivered. His bare feet were cold and his breeches clung to his legs. Meredith fared no better; he muttered a prayer, ‘Please, find us a warm place to rest.’

  After all the trauma they had just shared he chuckled as a thought passed through his mind – he had worried about the propriety of taking Meredith to The Grapes Inn, now he was with her almost naked – could things get any worse? He glanced down at her and in the glimmer of the moon her lips looked grey. She was so slight in his arms and he cradled her closer. There had to be somewhere to t
ake shelter.

  He began to think fate was truly against him, when out of the night a large shape formed. Seconds later it became a building and then sounds of voices and music grew louder. The solitary dwelling was an inn. He stopped. This wasn’t what he had in mind, a public drinking house, but he had found nothing else and there was warmth inside that they both desperately needed.

  He pushed the door open with his shoulder. Inside, the clientele were men with pigtails in dark tunics, and burly sailors with beards wearing coarse canvas. They stopped talking and eyed him with interest. Adam decided Dello Murphy was a far better persona as he kicked the door closed.

  ‘Innkeeper, I be needing a room, with yer hottest water and a fire.’ The inn was a typical riverfront drinking house. He didn’t know how far they had drifted down stream, but with Chinamen present it couldn’t be far from Limehouse.

  Behind the counter, the innkeeper pointed a finger. ‘What’s been happening to you?’

  ‘A slight little accident by the river; the colleen slipped.’

  The sailors shouted coarse and loud comments; raised their tankards and the innkeeper grinned. ‘Got too frisky did yer and tumbled into the river?’

  Adam grinned back. ‘Summin like that. She wants me coins, but I wants a bit more before I gives it her. The room, man, have yer got a cosy one fer us?’

  ‘Come on through, the back un’s me best. Real goose feathers, that should warm yer up and I’ll get me girl to do the rest.’

  Adam went to pass into the back, but the man put out his arm. ‘Let’s see yer coins first, me dandy man.’

  ‘Come up after I’ve got rid of this load, I’ll make it worth yer while.’

  A Chinaman shuffled over to Adam and bowing, he asked, ‘Mister like a little opium, make your woman happy?’ A sly smile creased his face. ‘Happy man you can be until the dawn.’

  Adam gave him a cheeky grin. ‘Thank ’ee, but not needed tonight, she’ll be blooming rosy once I get her warm.’ He winked and looked towards the others. ‘Ain’t that right, me ’earties?’ Without waiting for any more interruptions, Adam went up the stairs.