The Little Ships (Alexis Carew Book 3)

by J. A. Sutherland

  Dansby and Mynatt asked her to dine with them from time to time, but the two seemed to have grown inordinately closer since their confrontation over Alexis. They were openly sharing the master’s cabin now, something the crew was more easily with than Alexis’ own actions. It was an acceptance that would never occur aboard a Navy ship, and Alexis didn’t understand it.

  She rarely accepted the invitations, in any case, finding herself both uncomfortable at the couple’s displays of affection and, to tell the truth, a bit jealous.

  The closer they came to Dietraching, the system Dansby had discovered was where the Berry March fleet was now based, the more impatient she became. Aside from it marking the end of their voyage, she longed to see Delaine again. It felt like being with him again might help her make sense of her own feelings.

  When they finally did arrive, they found that most of the Berry March fleet was in-system, along with more than a few other Hanoverese naval vessels. Once docked, Alexis fretted about the ship while Dansby and his crew roamed the station, gathering information about the fleet and its officers’ habits.

  “You can’t just go blundering about crying his name through the corridors, Carew,” Dansby said in response to her latest complaint that she wanted to leave the ship. “Not least because your German sounds like a poor New London vidshow of the last war. Let my crew do their job — they know we want this man, they’ll track him down.”

  “And why haven’t they yet?” she demanded. She poured another glass of wine, but found the bottle empty and set it on the common table between the cabins. “Is it so very difficult to determine what ship a man is on and which pubs he frequents? I’d think that would be far easier information to gather than finding illegal goods to fill your holds.”

  “When that man is a naval officer in time of war, yes, it is more difficult. At least if one wishes to remain out of an Hanoverese prison, that is.” Dansby frowned as she rose and crossed to the shared pantry that stored their wine. “And would you want to cut back a bit on that? You’ll want your wits about you when we do locate him.”

  Alexis stopped. Despite his tone, Dansby did have a point. A crewman could return at any moment with word of where Delaine was and she might have very little time to come up with a plan for meeting him.

  “Perhaps you’re right.” She returned to her seat, picked up her half-filled glass, then set it down again. She had been drinking more than was usual even for a spacer these last weeks. She knew it was an effort to avoid thinking about what she’d done to Coalson. Moreover, it was an effort to avoid the nightmares that had come back with renewed force — she thought that might have more to do with her idleness than anything else, though. “Have your men found out anything at all?”

  Dansby sat. He took her half-filled glass for himself, as though he didn’t want her to have even that little bit more drink, and drained it.

  “Some,” he allowed. “There’ve been some changes in the Berry March fleet.” He held up a hand to forestall her questions. “Let me tell it, not pester me with questions.

  “Those worlds have never properly assimilated into Hanover, we knew that or we wouldn’t be here for this purpose to begin with. It’s why they’ve been allowed that fleet in the first place, a ‘local defense force’ that’s a sop to their sensibilities. With this war, though, Hanover seems to be more concerned about them already. They’ve never brought that fleet this deep into Hanover before, and these explanations they make about ‘exercises’ with the Hanoverese fleet proper aren’t sitting well with the Berry March spacers aboard station.

  “Nor are some changes in the command structure. Balestra’s still in overall command, but some Hanoverese officers have gone aboard some ships, and every ship now has a sort of political guide who’s Hanoverese.”

  Dansby rubbed his face.

  “I can’t believe I’m saying it,” he went on, “but I could wish Eades were here to better read the politics. If the Berry March spacers are unhappy with these things, it’s certain those on the worlds themselves are as well. That would seem to bode well for Eades’ mad plan. Still … these political officers worry me. I’ve dealt with them before in Hanover and don’t like it. They’re a bit frightening and it will make this Balestra’s task of revolt much harder. I’d prefer we had Röslein well away from here before she begins her little fun, if you can manage that at all once you speak to her.”

  Alexis nodded. She could understand that. Dansby had signed on to help her deliver the message, not get involved in whatever might come after.

  “And of Delaine? Lieutenant Theibaud? Is there any word?” she asked.

  Dansby nodded. “We should have a place you can make your presence known to him soon.”

  “Where?”

  Dansby waved her back into her seat. “Calm yourself, Carew. Please. It’s a pub he frequents, but always in the company of other officers — some from the Berry worlds, but others are these new Hanoverese officers in the fleet. You’ll have to be careful about approaching him there.”

  Alexis took a deep breath. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her. After all the weeks of travel aboard Röslein, they were almost at the end.

  Chapter 33

  Alexis watched the group of officers at the table around Delaine. She wasn’t sure which would be better, to approach him here or follow when he left. The pub was crowded with Hanoverese naval officers and any conversation here could easily be overheard, but if she followed him one of the other officers might notice and how would she explain that? Perhaps it would be better to wait until another time. But that would entail finding Delaine again. It had taken some days of observation by Dansby’s crew, far more versed in that sort of skullduggery than Alexis, to spot him leaving his ship and tail him to this pub where Alexis might have a chance of catching his eye.

  She glanced toward Dansby, who’d taken a table near the pub’s entrance to watch over her. She moved farther in, pressing through the slight crowd to find a table from where she could observe Delaine. She fought the urge to look around, as she felt out of place and certain she was being watched. Not only because she was surrounded by Hanoverese, no few of them naval officers, but because she was in civilian dress and still not used to it. Despite the shopping she’d forced on Dansby, she’d worn none of the items save ship’s jumpsuits for the entire trip, preferring their comfort and familiarity.

  The pub’s clientele was a mix of civilian and Hanoverese navy personnel, and more upscale, catering to lieutenants and commanders, and those with more than a bit of spare coin, she assumed, given the dress of the civilians present. Delaine was at a table with four other lieutenants and they seemed engrossed in conversation, paying little attention to the rest of the pub.

  The table before her lit up with drink and food choices as she sat down. She sighed a little, thankfully that Dietraching was a sufficiently advanced system that she wouldn’t have to ply her limited German simply to order from a human server. She could recognize enough to read the menu and order a glass of bourbon and a few moments later a floating server lowered onto her table and delivered it.

  “Fräulein, darf ich sie kaufen ein getränk?”

  Alexis looked up from her drink to find a man at the other side of the table gesturing at an empty chair with a hopeful smile on his face.

  “Nein, danke, ich warte auf jemanden,” she said with a smile. While she’d mastered little more of German, despite lessons with Dansby, that was a phrase, and several like it, she’d practiced to recognize well enough, expecting to be approached if she spent much time sitting alone. Thankfully the man simply nodded and moved on, accepting that she was waiting for someone instead of pressing his suit.

  She glanced once more toward Delaine’s table, hoping he’d look her way, when he looked up, laughing at something one of the other men at his table said. His eyes passed over her, then returned. He blinked, frowned, then looked away and back again.

  Alexis’ breath caught as their eyes met. It had been so ve
ry long and she hadn’t thought to see him again, possibly not ever. She caught her lower lip between her teeth and raised her eyebrows slightly. Now that he’d seen her, she’d leave the decision on where to approach up to him.

  The officers at his table had noticed the change in his expression and followed his gaze to her. One of them said something and the others laughed. Delaine said something in return, not taking his eyes from her, and they laughed again. More words were exchanged and more laughter. Delaine kept glancing her way, until finally he stood, said one last thing to the other officers, then straightened his uniform tunic and walked toward her.

  “Ma biche,” he whispered when he reached her table.

  Alexis grinned, though there was a deep pain in her chest. She hadn’t realized how much she longed to hear his pet names for her again. She wanted to throw her arms around him, but that could be dangerous here, as it would have to be explained.

  “Not bichette?” she asked with a small smile, remembering what he’d called her via ship’s signals when she was fleeing Hanoverese space.

  “In that dress, non. It shows you … the word, grown up, oui?”

  Alexis felt her face heat and tried to turn the conversation.

  “Well, calling me that almost got you in a great deal of trouble last time, before I explained to Mister Lain that it means ‘little doe’ and not what it sounds like. It is better than cabbage, though.” That had been the last thing he’d called her, the very last thing before sailing back to Hanoverese space from Penduli Station. My little cabbage.

  “Mon choux,” Delaine said, then grinned. He held up a hand, thumb and forefinger a short distance apart. “It is also the tiny pastry filled with the sweetest of cream. I like them very much.”

  Alexis felt her face heat more and knew she’d just flushed bright red.

  How does he do that? He didn’t say anything the least untoward and yet I’m … damn me, but Naval officers on secret missions for the Queen do not blush!

  “May I sit?”

  She nodded, unsure of how to start. Encouraging revolt and mutiny wasn’t the sort of thing one could just blurt out in a pub where others might hear, so they’d have to find some excuse to leave for a more private setting.

  As Delaine sat, Alexis noticed a commotion at the table he’d left. One of the men was grinning widely and the other three were grimacing and sliding coins across the table to him. She frowned and looked back to Delaine.

  “Are your friends betting on whether I’d allow you to join me?”

  Delaine shrugged. “Henri is my friend. The others, they are le Hanovre and do not know me well.” He nodded toward the pub’s door. “Should we leave together, Henri will know much wealth.”

  Alexis struggled not to smile.

  Well, no, I suppose we’ll not need much excuse to leave this place and seek privacy after all.

  She leaned forward over the table so that they wouldn’t have to speak as loudly and felt a little satisfaction when she saw that Delaine’s eyes were not meeting hers.

  Mister Dansby’s money was well-spent on this dress, it seems, if it can make the most of what little I have — there’s a bit to be said, it seems, for structural enhancements. I wonder how much wealth Henri would come into if I were to wrap my arms around him and kiss him as I long to.

  Instead she forced a stern look on her face.

  “And is this how you’ve spent our time apart? Approaching strange women and betting with your friends on the outcome?”

  Delaine raised his gaze and she realized as she spoke that she was only half teasing. When they’d parted after her court martial on Penduli, she’d never expected to see him again. With the war, especially with them being, ostensibly, on opposing sides, she’d thought it impossible, despite their promise to seek each other out after the war was over. Even messages would have been impossible.

  She’d been approached by other men since — none of Shrewsbury’s officers, of course, but the time they’d spent in ports offered opportunities — and she’d spent pleasant enough evenings with some. No more than suppers on-station and the occasional show in port — there’d been little enough time to get to know someone and less, she admitted, interest on her part. Still she knew it was different for the male officers. She’d seen their disappointment often enough when she’d thanked them for a pleasant evening and ended things.

  Delaine’s face looked stricken, and Alexis realized she must not have had such a teasing note in her voice as she’d thought. Or, perhaps, there had been a great deal of that sort of thing. And, perhaps, it was unfair of her to feel the way she suddenly did, as though she’d been betrayed, when in truth she had no hold on him.

  It’s been nearly two years since I last saw him, but perhaps I don’t care if it’s fair at all and would happily strangle any number of those unknown women at the moment.

  Delaine started to speak, but she held up a finger to stop him.

  “If you say ‘I am French’ we shall have words, I think.”

  “I had thought I was never to see you again,” he said quietly.

  Alexis swallowed hard and caught her lip between her teeth, thoughts running away with her.

  Damn me, but he’s done nothing I didn’t do myself … well, perhaps more, but I certainly had the opportunities. And it’s only by the slim chance of Eades’ plotting that we’re even meeting again and I have no hold on him, but fair or not I want one, though we never did more than kiss — and don’t I wish I’d taken that opportunity on Giron and let him ply me a bit more when we had the chance. I wonder if it’s been any of the women in this room since we’ve been apart … and wouldn’t they look fine as a pile of strangled corpses?

  She took a deep breath and tried to settle herself.

  This is all so very confusing.

  “Alexis, how are you here?”

  The question drew her back from her thoughts, reminding her of her duty. No matter her sudden confusion over her feelings, she had another, clearer, purpose here and concentrating on that would give her time to ponder the other.

  “We have much to talk about. Do you know a private place where we can do so?”

  Delaine nodded.

  “Then let’s be off.” She glanced at the table he’d left where the four officers were paying a great deal of attention to them. “And leave Henri with a much-filled purse.”

  * * *

  Delaine’s idea of a private place turned out to be an establishment that offered private rooms to officers on station. Not just the sleep pods commonly available to spacers, but real rooms with full beds and a bath shared with only one other room. Alexis was a bit put out that he seemed to know the place so well. She was well aware of why male officers kept rooms on-station instead of sleeping aboard ship. Nor was she pleased with the look she received from the establishment’s owner and the thought of what he must think of her.

  None of that was enough, though, to dim her enthusiasm as the room’s hatch slid shut and left them alone for the first time. She wrapped her hands around Delaine’s neck and pulled his face down to hers.

  It was only some time later, after she felt they’d made a proper greeting after so long apart, that Alexis finally explained how she’d come to be on Dietraching.

  “La République, they will come for us? Truly?”

  Alexis nodded. “There’s a French admiral and general … field marshal, you call them, I think? They’re on their way to Alchiba — may already have arrived — with uniforms and supplies. New London has assembled a fleet and troops. It’s all being prepared.”

  Delaine rose from his seat beside her and started pacing.

  “I know that this has been thought of,” he said. “My commodore, she sometimes says things that make me think there is even a plan.” He stopped pacing and looked at her intently. “You are certain of this?”

  Alexis smiled. “I have messages for Commodore Balestra from admirals and generals in both New London’s and the Republic’s forces. When I met with Admir
al Reinier on Nouvelle Paris, he —”

  Delaine was suddenly on his knees before her, grasping her hands. “You have been to Paris?”

  Alexis had to laugh at the look on his face. “I was there for almost three months.”

  “Is it as wonderful as they say?”

  Alexis thought of the days spent in drab offices waiting for some petty bureaucrat to bother speaking to them and night after night of interminable parties that all ran together in her memory, then saw the hope and expectation in Delaine’s eyes.

  “What I saw of it was quite grand,” she said finally. “Admiral Reinier’s home is lovely … they have very impressive forts.”

  They talked for a time about how to go about getting Alexis in to meet with Balestra. It would have to be done covertly, so that the Hanoverese security officer aboard the commodore’s flagship caught no suspicion of what was happening. Delaine could speak to her privately easily enough, but meeting with Alexis would be more difficult. Finally they realized that there was no more they could do until such a meeting was arranged.

  “Alexis, I cannot tell you how I feel. Always I have wanted my world to rejoin La République, and since I left you I have wished to see you again …” He grinned. “You are like some génie to make my wishes come true.”

  Alexis caught her lip between her teeth and looked down. Now that she’d fulfilled at least part of her duty in coming here, she could finally think of more personal things. She’d spent the nearly two years since she’d last seen him regretting what they hadn’t done, and didn’t wish to make the same mistake again.

  “You do have one wish left, you know.” She glanced up quickly to watch his face. “By tradition, I mean.”

  Delaine’s brow furrowed.

  To hear the other officers talk, this sort of thing comes so easily to them. I wonder if the Navy hasn’t issued some instruction manual I’ve yet to read.

  “It occurs to me,” she said, wondering how direct she’d have to be, “that you did take this room for the entire night, and it would be a shame for Henri to come by all those winnings dishonestly.”