‘Anyone?’ Hugh puffed.
The woman shook her head and closed the door. A smouldering fire made it hard to see in the smoky darkness. There were two or three chairs around the fire grate and a table at one side. I could see stairs leading up from one corner. In the other a curtain hung over what might have been a kitchen.
‘Keep the clothes on,’ ordered Hugh as Sam tried to pull the dress over his head. ‘They’ll search.’
I couldn’t see how these clothes would give us enough disguise. I hoped Hugh had another plan. ‘Can’t we get out of the city?’ I asked.
‘Too dangerous,’ Hugh said and he walked to a small window that opened out on to the dockside. ‘They’ll be at the road gates now, you’d be found.’ He turned back to us, ‘They’re already down on the docks.’
It was hard to see anything through the grubby window and now we could hear shouts and whistles. The docks must be the next most obvious place for escaped prisoners.
‘Won’t they find us?’ Sam cried. ‘They’ll know we haven’t left the city.’
‘Not if my plan works.’ Hugh sounded quite pleased with himself. ‘Just after the explosion I had two riders take to the road. They were to shout to each other, one making sure that the town guards heard the name Carter. They’ll still block the gates but it’ll take time before they catch my riders on the open road, if they do at all.’
Would that work? Would they really believe we’d escaped? ‘What next?’
‘You wait here,’ Hugh said. ‘I’ll be back later. Nancy’ll look after you. She’ll get you upstairs. Stay there and don’t go out.’
‘What if they come searching in here?’ Sam was jumping at every shouted noise outside.
‘Nancy has an idea,’ Hugh said with a faint chuckle and after that he turned and left.
We weren’t going to hear much from Nancy. She looked almost as nervous as Sam. With Hugh gone she kept darting to the window, peering out through the grime.
‘What’s your idea?’ I asked her, more to stop her driving me crazy with her anxiety.
She still didn’t answer.
I tried something different, ‘Anything to eat?’
That was something she could understand. She ducked under the curtain and we heard some thumping around before she returned with some bread and cheese, and two mugs of weak beer. Sam smelt it suspiciously, I took a small sip and it tasted pretty much like the beer they’d given us in the time of the Black Death, so maybe things hadn’t changed much. I drank the rest.
Nancy wouldn’t let us eat in the room. She shooed us upstairs. There it was even more cramped. A small bed stood against the wall on the side of the docks. Another smeared window above it and outside weeds had grown down from the roof so you couldn’t see out.
We sat on the bed and ate. Slightly better than the jail bread, if only just. Nancy was watching us, as well as often turning to the stairs as though expecting someone to come crashing through her door at any moment.
When nothing happened she told us her idea. Sam and I listened. Nancy could see that we were more than a bit confused so she went over it again.
She told us to stay in the room, ‘In case they come, so I can warn you and you can get started. Make it good or we’ll all be for the drop.’ She disappeared for a moment and returned with a large basin of water and an almost clean towel. ‘Do something with this, make it look like you know what you’re doing.’
I thought about her idea, wondering if it made any sense. Not to me. ‘Sam?’
He shook his head. I knew we needed to be ready and we couldn’t aim to do this in a hurry when they searched the house. We had to try and I knew Sam had the best voice for this. ‘So Sam, you take the bed. Strip off your tunic from under the dress. I’ll get busy with the water.’
Sam gave me the sort of look you might get from your pet dog – absolute confusion but wanting to help. I gave him a pat. If we had to do this I knew what I’d have to do and Sam wasn’t going to like it.
It wasn’t long before we heard the noise of people searching houses along the dock front. If their loud shouts at the door weren’t answered immediately, the sound of smashing wood followed quickly. Only a few doors away.
I pushed Sam on to the bed.
‘Try the noise,’ I pointed at him.
Sam let out a small squeak. Nowhere near convincing.
‘Louder,’ I said and I think I was only saying it in a loud whisper so perhaps it wasn’t encouraging enough.
The banging came to our house. Nancy let out a shout and opened the door quickly. I suppose she didn’t want to have to repair the wood after the searchers left.
‘What do you want? Disturbing all of us at a time like this,’ Nancy said loudly and repeated her words which I guess was for our benefit.
‘Out the way, every house is being searched,’ came the firm voice of one of the men.
We could hear them making for the stairs.
‘Now,’ I poked Sam and he gave quite a good high pitched wail.
‘What was that?’ said the man.
‘You can’t go up,’ Nancy shouted. ‘It’s my sister, she’s having the baby. The midwife’s with her.’
Now Nancy had launched her plan, now we had to pretend to be two women. Sam needed to play his part. He was having the baby. He gave a yell. It didn’t sound like the noises you hear on the TV, nowhere near loud or painful enough. I grabbed a part of him and gave a hard squeeze. A very hard squeeze.
I thought the noise Sam made was enough to mean he was having twins.
There was a wild laugh from below.
‘Still have to see,’ the man demanded and must have pushed Nancy out of the way. We heard loud boots on the stairs. Sam wailed again. Looking very suspiciously at me as I started to do things with the bowl and water.
The man burst into the room.
‘Out, out,’ I yelled in the highest voice I could manage. Luckily the house was dark and I kept my back to him. Sam screamed, this time in real terror; maybe we both imagined the hanging rope at that moment.
‘Alright, alright.’ The man backed off with Nancy tugging at him.
She chased him down the stairs, saying he should be ashamed of himself, barging in when a woman was giving birth. It was hard not to laugh as we heard the door shut and the men move on to the next house. Nancy was up the stairs in a flash and made sure Sam kept on yelling.
The noise of searching moved off down the row of houses on the dockside.
‘Just so long as I don’t have to make the crying baby noise as well,’ croaked Sam, his throat dry from screaming.
‘No need,’ said Nancy. ‘I’ve already got one. She went downstairs and came back with her own baby, just waking. ‘Had him out the back and he’s a good boy, slept through it all.’
He didn’t sleep much longer and soon gave enough cries to prove that Sam had done his bit. I don’t think he forgave me for the painful squeeze that got the best cry.
All Aboard
-5-
Hugh returned as evening arrived.
‘So many ships,’ Hugh squinted through the window, the harbour side was alight with lanterns and as busy as during the day. He turned to us, ‘Since that war with the French ended the port has been busier and busier.’
War? What war? I wondered. Surely it wasn’t the same one that started in the time of the Black Death? Sam saw my face and whispered, ‘Napoleon,’ and it still didn’t mean much.
We were back down in the tiny smoke filled front room. I jumped with every noise, glancing at the door expecting someone else to barge in looking for us. Sam was just as jumpy and making me worse.
‘How do we get out with all those people around?’ I asked after we had been standing in silence for as long as I could bear.
‘A lot of people is good, easier to hide in a crowd.’ Hugh gave a nervous grin. ‘Mind you, you’ll have to stay in that disguise. Nancy told me how well you did having a baby.’
Sam let out a grunt. Nancy and her baby had disappeared; just the three of us left. I wondered what we were waiting for.
More time passed before on the water side of the quay a man started swinging his light, backwards and forwards.
‘Right. That’s him.’ Hugh waved us to the door.
‘Where are we going?’ muttered Sam.
‘Out to sea. It’s the only way.’ Hugh tugged at my arm and we were out through the door. ‘Don’t run, just keep your head down and make for the light.’ He pushed us forwards.
I turned, ‘Aren’t you coming?’
Hugh shook his head and I think he mouthed, ‘Good luck. She’ll probably kill me.’
I wanted to ask him why he’d done this. It had to be worth more than that gold belt. Had he just saved us from Miss Tregarthur’s plan to have us hanged? Why? But there was no time to find out.
Sam and I started across the wide dockside, making for the man swinging his lantern. It wasn’t easy to get to him through the bustling mass of people.
The sight in front of us was fantastic. Huge sailing boats stood at anchor across the bay, some with sails flapping gently in the breeze, others with bare skeleton masts silhouetted against the rising moon. Shouts and smells hit me. Groups of people everywhere, calling to each other, offering every sort of service. Braziers burning with hot food, men with jugs of beer, dogs running around barking at anything, even a couple of goats bleating as a child poked them with a stick.
We made it across to the man. He said nothing and jumped back down into a small boat, where two other men sat ready with the oars. Sam and I followed with difficulty as my skirt caught against something on the dock wall, nearly throwing me into the water. That raised a laugh as the boat was pushed out from the side and the men took strong pulls on the oars.
Around us small boats of women moved between the larger boats, selling food and drink and most likely something more. Drunken men lurching along the water front added to the piles of vomit, but that wasn’t the main smell. Raw sewage floated in the scummy water. I shivered, thinking that I’d nearly fallen in.
No words were said. The man with the lantern signalled for us to sink down in the boat. It became much quieter as we headed out into the bay and it was obvious we were headed for one of the ships. It already had its sails unfurled and strained under the power of a strengthening breeze.
I turned again to look at the shore. Had I heard shouts? Had we been spotted, or had someone given us away? Perhaps the men at the oars heard the noise. They rowed faster.
I looked again. Two boats, loaded with men, launched out from the harbour. More loud voices. One man aimed a gun, the sound of the shot echoed across the water. I heard a splash but it was a long way off.
I’d been more worried about what was happening behind us, so I wasn’t expecting the bump as we hit the sailing ship. It towered above us. Shouts started from men on board, voices sounding frantic. A deep rumble came from somewhere on the ship, the sound of the anchor being pulled up. Another shout and a rope ladder was thrown down, we scrambled up.
Sam swayed dangerously above me as a hand reached out and hauled him onto the ship. Getting up the ladder became more difficult because the ship had started to move. With a snap the sails tightened to the wind. We all made it over the rail and I collapsed on the deck.
More gunfire sounded from further away. There was no catching us now. I wondered about the small rowing boat, abandoned as we joined the ship.
As if he read my mind the lantern waving man said, ‘Not mine anyway, just borrowed it for the occasion.’ He laughed and not in a very friendly way.
We were off into the night. As we headed out to the open sea the waves grew stronger, foam glistening in the moonlight. The ship creaked and groaned under the power of the sail.
‘They’ll not catch us now,’ said an older man who reached down and pulled me to my feet. I staggered with the movement of the deck. ‘You can get below and get out of those clothes,’ he said in an amused voice. ‘If you stay dressed like that there’ll be trouble – men here haven’t had shore leave. They’ve not seen a woman in a while, they might think you’d do just fine.’
Sam almost ripped off his dress, forgetting he’d left his other clothes back on shore in the little house.
‘Get them below.’
‘Aye captain,’ said one of the crew to the older man.
We almost crawled across the deck. The ship was now pitching heavily into a full sea. I slipped down the last few steps, disappearing into the dark of the hold. We were pushed into a small cabin. Sam found some different clothes that had been left for us. I didn’t have time to change. I was at the porthole window retching my heart out.
When a watery grey light brought dawn into our cabin I was lying on my bunk and groaning. Sam was awake and he brought me some water. I took a drink, a small sip, before launching myself back to the porthole window, more retching.
‘Captain says your sea sickness will be better in a couple of days,’ Sam said but he didn’t sound convincing. I let out another groan. How come he was alright?
I think Sam said he was going to look around. I didn’t take much notice.
‘Should have left me to hang,’ I mumbled as he left.
I stumbled back to my bunk. It wasn’t easy. The boat was rolling and pitching. I had to wedge myself against the cabin walls. Just a bit better when I was lying flat…no it wasn’t…make for the window…nothing left to vomit up.
I stared out. Difficult to tell where the sea ended and the sky began. Up and down we crashed through the waves, spray flying in the air. Could this ever get better? Back on the bunk I must have fallen asleep.
Waking again to a brighter light I tried to think of other things, but there was nothing good in my mind. Jenna’s face kept coming back to me, how she looked when they led her off. She wouldn’t know that we had escaped, hadn’t been hanged. Now she was being taken across the world, her and Ivy. Would we ever get to see them again? Hugh hadn’t given any clue as to where this ship would take us. We had nothing of value left, nothing to sell, and we were stuck on this boat.
Oh why did I think about the boat again? Back to the window.
Sam came back. I saw his face. I hadn’t made it to the porthole every time. The cabin was a mess, must have smelt terrible.
‘More water,’ he said holding out a tin mug. ‘Captain says you have to drink.’
‘Or what?’ I managed through the groans. ‘Or I’ll die? Good idea.’ The water hit my stomach and bounced back up.
‘Err … I’ll be back later,’ Sam left with his hand over his nose.
I was left to my thoughts. If I didn’t think of Jenna I turned to thoughts of Mum and that was even worse. Had she died back in the caveman battle, or had we left her with all those screaming Neanderthals? They’d been going to eat me so they probably…
Even cannibalism made me think of food. The boat seemed to leap into the air and smashed down on the sea with a loud bang. I smacked into a beam jutting out across our cabin as I dived for the window again. I tumbled onto the floor, rolling in something wet and smelly. I’d bruised my shoulder and it felt easier and safer to lie there. I gave up with thinking. Perhaps I’d hit my head or passed out.
I came round with two sailors heaving at my arms, heaving and laughing.
‘Right girl she is,’ one said.
I realised that I was still wearing the dress, now badly soiled. He wasn’t right about the gender thing though, I was sure if Jenna had been here she wouldn’t have been like me. Ivy would probably have been more miserable and probably out on the deck telling everyone about it.
Sam helped pull the dress off, I’d kept my old tunic on underneath, and the two men carried me up onto the deck. I tried to stand but collapsed back down with the roll of the boat and more laughter from the crew.
There was a sudden hush as the captain came forward and prodded me with his toe.
‘Wash him down,’ he said, before walking off.
A bucket of cold sea water was emptied over me and another. I tried to roll into a ball, but they stretched me out and drenched me. Sam appeared.
‘At least you smell better,’ was all the comfort he gave.
Now that I was freezing and shivering I didn’t feel so sick. Sam wrapped me in an old piece of sacking before disappearing again. There weren’t any towels around. He dragged me across the deck and I sat with my back to the rail. Between the waves of sickness and my aching tummy I had time to look around the big wooden sailing ship. Two tall masts carried the sails. There must have been twenty or thirty men on board. Everywhere was so busy. The captain and another crew member stood near the wheel and kept shouting orders, pull this, set that, heave away, run up a sail, take down a sail. Above me men leapt in the rigging. The sea was a little calmer now, not that it made me feel better, just less likely to hurt myself if I stood while my stomach heaved over the side.
Sam came back.
‘What’s happening?’ I asked in a slurred voice.
‘Captain says we’re nearly over some Bay of Something and the weather should get better.’ There was a catch in Sam’s voice. If I’d been alright I would have asked him to explain.
‘I have to get back down again,’ he said looking behind him.
‘Where?’ I groaned.
‘Galley,’ he whispered as though he didn’t want to tell me.
Tregarthur's Prisoners: Book 3 (The Tregarthur's Series) Page 4