Whispering Twilight

by Melissa McShane

  Indeed? Mr. Quinn’s Voice lost some of its irritation. You do sound distressed.

  This time, Bess could not control her inappropriate laugh. I am cast ashore on an alien land, with no shelter, no food, and no idea where I am. ‘Distressed’ is perhaps too gentle a term for what I am.

  She felt Mr. Quinn’s surprise through the contact, and then he said, That is unexpected. Are you injured?

  No. That is a small mercy, I admit.

  You have no means of rescue?

  I have Spoken to the War Office. I will see what they can do.

  Where are you? Not England?

  She had forgotten he, unlike her friends, would not be privy to her travel arrangements. Somewhere in South America.

  South America? Mr. Quinn’s surprise came through the contact clearly again. That is far afield indeed. Why—

  It is a long story, Mr. Quinn. The short version is that our ship was sailing for Panama City and was swept southward by a storm before sinking.

  Mr. Quinn said nothing, but she could feel he was still in contact with her. Finally, he said, Were you on the usual trade route?

  I do not know. I believe so.

  He was silent again, this time for long enough that Bess said, Have you something to add?

  I am examining a map.

  Startled, Bess said, How will that help? I do not know where I am.

  According to this, had your ship continued eastward along the trade route without turning to follow the coast north to Panama, you would have made landfall somewhere along the coast of Peru. Do you know the position of your ship before the wreck?

  I do not. I was told we were near our destination yesterday, before the storm struck.

  Without that information, I cannot plot your probable location. Mr. Quinn sounded annoyed.

  I beg your pardon, Bess retorted, annoyed herself. I did not realize I should have made myself aware of such details.

  My annoyance is not with you, Miss Hanley. I can only give the roughest estimate of where you are, and I regret that I cannot be of more assistance. I believe you will need to head south to Lima.

  Lima? How far is that?

  Mr. Quinn went silent long enough that had Bess not felt the quivering tension of an active connection, she might have thought he had shut her out. I cannot say, he finally replied. It is no more than one hundred and twenty miles, possibly much less depending on how far south your ship was blown.

  One hundred twenty miles. Bess’s legs abruptly felt incapable of supporting her. She sat on the sand and tried to calm her racing heart. That is a very long way.

  I did say it might be much closer.

  He sounded unexpectedly contrite, as if he felt her predicament was in some measure his fault. You seem quite knowledgeable on the subject, she said, her fear subsiding with her desire to reassure him. I know few people who are capable of making such nautical calculations.

  Mr. Quinn laughed, sending a tremor of amusement through the connection. I was perhaps over-educated as a child.

  I cannot be sorry for that now. Mr. Quinn, thank you.

  Thanks are not yet in order. He sounded neither irritable nor petulant, and his confidence calmed her fears.

  Nevertheless, I am grateful. You do not know how terrifying it is to be so lost.

  You surprised me. I had not expected to hear from you again.

  Embarrassment took the place of fear. I should not have pestered you so at the Hainsworths’ dance. You are entitled to privacy.

  To her surprise, she felt an answering sense of embarrassment. I was rude to you. I apologize. Your curiosity was natural.

  I do not understand why you choose to shut yourself off from the company of other Speakers, but I will not trouble you for your true identity, Bess said.

  There was a pause. Then Mr. Quinn replied, Thank you. I assure you, I have my reasons.

  Your experience is very different from mine. My reticulum is a great comfort.

  Then is there no one else who might give you aid? Do not mistake me, I have no intention of abandoning you. But I cannot be the only one in a position to help.

  Miss Emrey with the War Office will relay my condition, and perhaps the Seers will be able to locate me.

  So long as you remain outdoors— Mr. Quinn’s Voice abruptly cut off.

  I know. No Bounder can Bound to an outdoor location, with so many things that move and change filling it. I choose not to let this trouble me, as I have so many other worries begging for my attention.

  She felt his amusement, and it heartened her. There must surely be settlements along the coast before you reach Lima. And I truly think it will not be so long a journey.

  His reassurance rang hollow—how long would it take her to walk more than a hundred miles?—but she said, If the War Office’s Seers can locate me, perhaps I will not need to make the journey at all.

  I believe—it is afternoon where you are, correct? You should start walking. You will need water, and there are likely to be rivers that flow into the sea.

  She had not realized she was thirsty until he mentioned water. Thank you. I am so grateful to have accidentally made your acquaintance.

  Mr. Quinn laughed. I find I do not regret the incident, either.

  She hesitated, then Spoke: May I Speak with you again later? I realize it is an imposition.

  I am not always in a position to respond. But…I will be of what assistance I may.

  Thank you. She felt unexpectedly embarrassed again, as if she had petitioned a king for his attention. But Mr. Quinn had not, after the initial contact, been as irritable as he had when they Spoke at the Hainsworths’; he had, to the contrary, been unexpectedly helpful. Perhaps it was merely the usual intimacy of Speaker contact, but his intangible presence comforted her even more than Speaking to Clarissa had.

  The brief hollow feeling of ending a connection vanished, leaving her with a more conventional ache in her stomach. She needed food, and more importantly, she needed water. She tried not to imagine how hungry she might yet become, stood, and began walking south, turning slightly away from the tide in hopes of finding more solid ground.

  Ahead, the beige smears became streaked with darker, greyer colors, but did not come into focus. Either the land—she thought it might be a cliff—was farther away than Bess had thought, or it truly was blurry and unformed, which seemed unlikely. She sniffed the air, which was tinged with something other than salt brine. The scent was fresh, and sweet, and wet. Marveling at how Mr. Quinn’s prediction had come true so quickly, she hurried toward the source of the smell.

  Her calves began to feel the strain of a gradual incline, and before long she was using her hands as well as her feet to crawl as the ascent became steeper. Ahead, she heard the sound of water rushing downhill, louder than the wind and smelling strongly of minerals. Even Mr. Quinn’s mention of water had not made her as thirsty as the sound of the river. She nearly scrambled on hands and knees, hurrying in her desire to lie flat beside it and put her whole face into the blissful flow.

  The ground beside the river was slippery enough that she controlled that desire, instead sitting next to the river and filling her cupped hands with delicious water. She drank and drank until her stomach was full, then washed her face and shook the last drops from her hands. She still felt hopelessly bedraggled, her gown and her hair crusted with salt and sand, but with her thirst quenched, she could look at her situation with a more sanguine eye.

  Her temples tingled just as Clarissa Spoke to her. Bess. Can you give me the ship’s last known location?

  I fear not. I have Spoken with someone who believes I am no more than one hundred and twenty miles north of Lima.

  Without a location for your ship, the War Office can be no more specific. We will have to depend on the Seers to Dream your location. Clarissa sounded as cool and competent as she always did, a further reassurance.

  I understand. What should I do?

  Wait a moment.

  Bess waited. She became aware
of the buzzing of insects, returning from wherever they had hidden during the storm. It was a soporific sound, and Clarissa’s next words startled her out of an unexpected doze: The Seers need you to stay where you are until they locate you. If you are close enough, they will guide you to Lima. Otherwise, we will send a Bounder to Skip to you. I apologize for my inability to be more specific.

  I understand. Please thank them on my behalf. I know I am no longer part of the War Office, so their assistance is doubly welcome.

  We could not let you wander the wilderness, Clarissa said in amusement. Would you like me to ask your brother Charles to help? I recall that he is a Seer.

  I will contact him myself. The news should come from me, Bess said.

  Very well. I will Speak with you when the Seers are successful, or in twelve hours if they are not.

  Bess let out a long breath when the contact terminated. More sea birds winged past, crying to each other in voices shrill and echoing. She could hear the differences in some of the cries, and wondered how birds identified one another. If they were like her reticulum, they might know each other by characteristics not obvious to anyone not a bird. Or perhaps they were not intelligent enough for that.

  Another tingling in her temples preceded Maria Ellsworth’s Voice saying, Bess, have you made landfall yet? Do not forget, you promised to show me the fauna of Panama.

  Relieved at having a decision taken out of her hands, Bess said, Yes, but not at Panama. Maria, the most dreadful thing has happened. Swiftly she related her adventure, including that she had Spoken to Clarissa. She omitted her conversation with Mr. Quinn, feeling somewhat awkward at admitting to the connection. If Mr. Quinn desired privacy, she felt it would be a violation if she revealed that she knew of an Extraordinary Speaker who had no reticulum.

  When she finished, Maria Spoke, Bess, I do not know what to say. You are not injured?

  I am physically well, if hungry. And I have hope Clarissa will find a solution, and I will be rescued soon.

  I envy you—oh! I did not mean your present condition, I mean that you must be seeing the most marvelous sights.

  Bess smiled ruefully. I have lost my spectacles, so I cannot see much of anything.

  You must tell the others. Let us share your burden, as far as we are capable.

  I will. But I fear being overwhelmed by people wishing to know my condition.

  I understand, but you know they will have to learn of it eventually.

  True. Please excuse me, Maria.

  Bess ended the connection and concentrated on her breathing for a few moments. Speaking to a group of people was difficult, and she was not calm, however much she wished otherwise. She examined her reticulum to determine whom she ought Speak to. There were only a handful of women who were in constant communication with her: Eleanora, Maria, Honoria, Rose. Catherine Tweedy she dismissed with a shudder; the woman was a dreadful gossip, and Bess did not want her “adventure” spread about for public knowledge. Jane Heap—but she was near her third confinement, and Bess realized it had been several weeks since she and Jane had Spoken—and then it had only been about Jane’s children and their antics. Not Jane, then. Mrs. Grantham, who was more of a mentor than a friend, but someone who cared about Bess’s well-being, was an obvious choice.

  She drew in another breath, let it out in a long, thin stream through her nostrils, and Spoke: I APOLOGIZE FOR THE INTRUSION. I HAVE BEEN SHIPWRECKED OFF THE COAST OF PERU AND MUST FIND MY WAY TO SAFETY. I AM UNHARMED AND ANTICIPATE RESCUE SOON. PLEASE DO NOT ALL SPEAK AT ME AT ONCE.

  She ended the connection, feeling it resist her control; a Spoken connection was not a living thing, but at times it was hard not to imagine it so, particularly in Speaking to more than one person at once. She pressed a hand to her forehead, which had not ached until that last Speaking. There. Now, to wait for their responses.

  She closed her eyes and listened to the unending roar of the surf. She could not have swum very far, hampered by her skirts, so surely the boat had crashed near the shore—yet she had neither seen nor heard another living human being. The smears surrounding her grew brighter, and she felt her head and back growing warm as the sun began to banish the clouds. The wet muslin of her gown dragged at her legs, but she could already feel it drying out, stiffening with salt residue. Her tattered shift would no doubt take longer to dry, but she could endure a few hours of discomfort.

  Her temples tingled, then burned with the sensation of more than one person attempting to Speak to her at once. She focused on one connection at random, and Honoria Spoke, Bess, I cannot think of anything to say that will adequately express my feelings. Is there nothing I can do?

  Bess smiled. Only pray for me and for the Seers of the War Office. And keep my spirits up. How is Mr. Clendennan?

  He is well—but I truly cannot believe you wish to hear the details of our life when you are in such need!

  It will keep me sane. Excuse me, Honoria, I must Speak to someone else.

  Bess ended the connection and immediately found herself assailed by Rose’s Bess! Oh, it is too dreadful for words! You will not die, surely?

  Trust Rose to put the most dramatic interpretation on anything. Perhaps contacting her had been a mistake—but no, even Rose was a support, and Bess already felt her spirits rising. No, I will not die, and I have faith that the Seers at the War Office will find me. It is simply a matter of time.

  I knew that dreadful voyage was a mistake. Is Miss Caines with you?

  She was Bounded to safety before we knew the Bounder could not return. It is such a relief to know she is safe. Even if Mercy were deathly ill and beyond the help of a doctor or Extraordinary Shaper, she was surely in better circumstances back in England than Bess was in Peru. She had never before regretted so deeply that Mercy, without talent, could not be part of her reticulum.

  That is fortunate, Rose said. Bess, how can I help?

  And that was why Bess was never truly alone; she was surrounded by people whose first instinct was to offer assistance, even when they were halfway around the world from her. Continue Speaking to me as we have done all these months, she said. You must tell me of your many conquests, and that will cheer me.

  Oh, Bess, of course! Then…is it a thrilling adventure? Oh, how I wish I could have a thrilling adventure! But perhaps it is just as well, for I had the most marvelous time last night! Lord Saxby danced with me and paid me the most delicious compliments! I declare I am the happiest woman alive!

  Bess laughed. I am happy for you.

  Oh, but perhaps I should not be happy when you are not safe. I beg your pardon.

  No, Rose, you should enjoy your happiness. Will you see Lord Saxby again?

  I hope he will call on me and Mama soon. He did not come today, but perhaps he is merely very busy.

  Bess knew Lord Saxby’s reputation as a harmless flirt, but did not like to ruin her young friend’s happiness with rumor. And perhaps he did feel an attachment, after all. I believe, she began.

  Her temples tingled again with the dissonance of a second person simultaneously addressing her. Excuse me, Rose, we must Speak again soon, Bess said.

  She repeated her assurances to Eleanora and to Mrs. Grantham before Speaking at length again to Maria, who told her, I will see what I can discover about Peru’s landscape. Perhaps I can direct you more…well, directly to Lima.

  If you can tell me what edible plants there are, and how I might locate them, that would help, Bess said.

  I will do what I can. I am concerned about your eyesight.

  None of the other women had brought up what was Bess’s principal concern as well, but Maria was forthright and did not believe in mincing words. There is nothing I can do about it, Bess said, save make my way south as best I can. And pray.

  Have you Spoken to your parents?

  Bess closed her eyes as if that could avert the disaster that threatened. I have not. They will be so afraid for me, and I cannot bear to cause them pain. But I should not put it off any longer. I w
ill Speak with you again, Maria.

  The hollow ache did not fade after the connection dissolved, and Bess sighed and folded her hands in her lap. Opening her eyes, she drew in a deep breath and let it out in a long stream through her nostrils. No, she could not put the burden on Mrs. Kearsley to convey this information to her parents. It was small comfort that she would not be able to perceive her father’s reaction to the dire news. Father, she Spoke, focusing on her most recent memory of him, Father, I do not know if the War Office or Miss Emrey have contacted you. I fear I have terrible news.

  She summed up the events that had led to her arriving in this strange place, left out the details of how frightened she was—that could only give him pain he could do nothing about—and ended by saying, I know you will fear for me, and I cannot say your fears are not justified. But I am well, and I promise to Speak with you again soon. If you have any messages for me, please ask Mrs. Kearsley to convey them. And ask Charles to turn his Dreams toward rescuing me. She wiped tears from her eyes, and added, I will not Speak to Mama—you know how anxious she becomes—and I hope you will relay to her my love.

  She ended the connection and stretched muscles that had gone tight as she Spoke to Father. Now to wait for Mrs. Kearsley’s reply. She ran her hand over the soft earth, slippery as wet clay but much grainier, and then wiped her hand on her bedraggled gown. With luck, this little stream would be sufficient for the Seers to locate her, and then…well, at worst a Bounder would Skip from Lima to where she was. Though such a journey might prove too exhausting. Bess’s friend Lady Daphne St. Clair would be capable, but she had unusual stamina even for an Extraordinary Bounder. Still, it was far better than Bess having to walk a hundred miles on her bare feet.

  Her temples tingled, and Mrs. Kearsley Spoke, Miss Hanley, you are unharmed? Oh, my dear, if what your father tells me is even half the story, you must be dreadfully afraid.