Seacrets

by Adrianna Wingate

  As he walked down the gangplank he kept thinking he felt a presence. A familiar feeling. He felt he had lived this moment before, but could not remember where or when. As he walked off the gangplank and onto the dock, he looked up toward the far end of the wharf and could see a figure walking towards him. The closer he got to the figure the more familiar the feeling became. He could see it was a slight dark shrouded figure.The same type he remembered seeing in his dream, before leaving Ireland.

  Maura was too frightened to look up at the passerby, for fear it was someone that would bring her harm. She lowered her head and shrank further into the hooded shroud.

  Daniel had let the figure pass by him, but then could not resist speaking. When she got within a foot or two past him, he stated in a firm voice. "Stop. You I say. Stop! Turn ta me and show yourself".

  Maura thought she was dreaming. She recognized the voice as Daniel's. Slowly she turned toward him. She lifted her face to look at him and pulled the hood from her head.

  The moonlight shone on her face. Daniel's eyes grew wide. He was speechless. The scene was surreal.

  "Daniel." Maura softly spoke his name. Her voice echoed in his ears. She reached out to touch his hand when a blast rang out, encircling her in a billowey cloud of gun smoke. Her eyes widened as she was thrust forward into Daniel's arms and went limp.

  Daniel witnessed the color drain from her face and felt a warm fluid flow from her upper back as he held her securely to his chest. He pulled his hand away to see it was streaming with blood."Oh my God, Maura, no!" Daniel's voice echoed behind him as if someone else were screaming Maura's name. He looked up to see who had shot his beloved, but the offending beggar had disappeared into the night fog. He turned his attention back to Maura, laying her down on the dock and ran down to the dockside yelling for anyone to come and help.The dock was suddenly filled with onlookers. Daniel returned to Maura. He scooped her into his arms and quietly rocked back and forth with his cheek pressed up against hers and wept openly.

  ξ

  Chapter Twelve

  "Daniel!” A voice rang out over the crowd. Daniel looked up to see his brother Aiden standing over him. "Daniel, for God sakes man, what has happened here?"

  Daniel was frozen with grief. He could not answer. He held onto Maura, as though someone would try to take her from him. Then another voice yelled out above the crowd.

  "Captain, sir, What's...oh my God, sir, ‘tis Maura!" Godsey was in shock.

  "Maura who? What in God's name has taken place here tonight?" Shouted Aiden .

  "I come ta town expecting ta help my brother sow his final oats o’ bachelorhood and I find this horrible scene. And who in God’s name is Maura?"

  All at once Daniel came to his senses when, to his amazement, he felt warm breath on his neck. "She's alive! Godsey, she's alive!" Daniel motioned to Godsey to bring the carriage and help him get her to his home. He asked his brother to bring Doc Kerrighan to Hargendon Manor to tend to Maura. "Please Aiden, hurry. I'll explain later. Hurry man!"

  Once the carriage reached Hargendon Manor, Daniel wasted not a moment’s time in getting Maura to his bed chamber.

  Daniel's mother, Mary, stood at the bottom of the huge winding staircase, shouting after her son, "Daniel, What is all o’ this chaos! I demand an answer!"

  "Mother, please, I need ya help immediately. I shall explain as much as I can, as I am not secure in the events of what or why this tragic event has taken place.I need ya help ta make Maura ready for Doc Kerrighan's examination of her wounds." Daniel shouted out orders as if he were aboard his ship.

  Mary could see her son was quite upset and decided not to chide him at this time for his curtness toward her."Turn her to her side, Daniel. I'll need to undress her so that we can see the full extent of her wounds." Mary instructed.

  As Mary undressed Maura, she could see the manner in which she was dressed and assumed Daniel had been to the local brothel, celebrating his last night of freedom as a single man, and something must have gone dreadfully wrong. Maura had a good sized entry wound from a lead ball pistol in her left shoulder and had lost quite a bit of blood.

  "Let's leave the rest ta Doc Kerrighan. He'll know how ta handle her from this point." She covered Maura with Daniel's comforter, from the bottom of his bed. Mary stood beside her son, placed her hand to his shoulder and then spoke in a calm tone. “You must tell me who she is and why you were with her when this happened. I'll need ta be able ta apprise our family attorney of all the details in case there is somethin' that needs defendin'." Mary continued to try and pry more information out of her son.

  "Mother, I know this girl. She came over from Ireland on my last trip." Daniel started to tell his mother of the tale of how they met. "I was supposed ta deliver her to the Turlington's, upon her arrival. Her dying father had sent on ahead her dowry to the Turlington's and she was supposed to work for them in their mercantile and eventually marry Thomas." He continued. “On the day we docked she disappeared without taking her belongings or receiving her pay for working the ship..."

  His Mother interrupted. "What do you mean working the ship? I thought you said Godsey made arrangements for her ta sail, because he and her dying father were friends?" She questioned.

  "Please Mother, let me finish. Maura originally posed as a cabin boy on the ship, ta avoid being taken by the mates...get my meaning, Mother?"

  Mary raised her eyebrows in response to that statement, letting Daniel know she got his meaning. "Go on" Mary said with an understanding tone to her voice.

  "I did not know for many weeks, myself, she wasn't a lad. Mother I have ne'er seen a female the likes o' her. She could do most anything a lad could do." His eyes trailed over to Maura's direction.

  "But son it looks, by the way she's dressed, she has had ta succumb ta the business of the streets in order ta survive these many months since ya had returned ta Boston. God knows what she's picked up along the way. She could have any number of ailments. We must be very careful, Son."

  "Are ya tellin' me she canna stay here, mother?" Daniel's eyes were full of disappointment. "Then I shall have her transported ta my flat in town." He was incensed at his mother's suggestion that Maura was not welcome here.

  "No son I'm not sayin' that. Remember ya are ta be married today. How is ya new bride goin' ta take ta all of this?" Mary reminded her son.

  Without a moments hesitation Daniel flatly stated, "I will not be getting’ married today, mother."

  Shocked by that statement Mary replied, “What are ya talkin' about, Danny? Everyone in the whole town has been invited! Mallory's father will have an absolute fit. An absolute fit, I’m tellin’ ya!" Mary was worried about her son being sued for breech of promise, or worse.

  "Let me be worryin' about that mother. Right now all I can think about is this girl and how I let her down by not keepin' a better eye on her. ‘Tis my fault, mother, she ended up the way she did. In a brothel, no less. I feel horrible." Daniel knelt beside the bed and held Maura's hand.

  Doc Kerrighan immediately came to Daniel's bed chamber and began his assessment of the situation. "Well she's got a pretty good sized hole in her shoulder and she's already beginin’ ta show signs of a fever. She's not out of the woods, yet, Danny."

  Doc and Daniel were school mates, but then went into different professions. They always remained the best of friends. "I want ya ta go downstairs and wait for me ta tell ya when it's alright ta come in and see her. I can probably get the lead out o’ her back but she still has ta survive the infection. There’s no guarantee she won't still die, Danny." Doc's eyes were pleading for Daniel's understanding.

  Daniel did not want to hear anymore talk of death. "You just make sure she doesn't die...ya get my meanin’?" Daniel pushed past his friend and out the door.

  Doc knew Daniel was only speaking in a blusterous tone from feeling the stress of the situation, although he was worried this would not end well. He asked Mary to stay and help him with the extraction and dressing changes afterward.
/>
  Mary agreed... They began.

  §

  Daylight was finally breaking, giving promise to a new day. Daniel was awakened by his friend, Doc. "She's still alive, Danny...just barely. She's gonna need a lot o’ tendin’ to. Ya Mother will change the dressing everyday and I've left an opiate to dull her pain.

  It's best to allow the fever to persist some as that is a good way for the body to rid itself of any infectious process. If she can make it through the day and her fever can break within the next 24 hours, then she's got a fightin’ chance ta recover." He patted his friend on the shoulder and left for home. Doc had been up all night and was dead tired, himself. "Send Godsey after me, if things turn bad."

  Daniel took the steps two at a time, until he reached the top and entered his chamber. His mother was asleep in the chair, beside the bed. He nudged his mother and told her that he'd watch over Maura for a while and for her to get some sleep. Mary did not argue. As she was leaving, Daniel's brother Aiden came in to find out what all the drama was about, last eventide and who was this girl lying bloody in his older brother's arms.

  Daniel and his brother talked for quite awhile. Aiden was captivated with whole sorted star-crossed lover’s story. "Now the question is what are ya goin’ ta do about Mallory?" Aiden put it to his brother. Aiden never had any love loss for Mallory. Truth be know, he could not stomach her. But there was the matter of the loan repayment and promise Daniel made to marry Mallory. "Many a man has spent their lives in the stockades because of scorned lovers and unpaid debts." Aiden stated with concern.

  "I don't know, brother...I don't know. I'll figure it out." Daniel's voice was hoarse.

  "Well ya better be figurin' it out pretty damn fast, as ya are supposed ta be walkin' the plank...er down the aisle with her today, my brother." Aiden was rubbing his neck as he stated that reality.

  "Aiden stay here with Maura. I've got ta go to the Gilmore house and break the news of the cancelation of the wedding." He stated.

  "I hope ya know what ya are doin' brother. There's goin’ ta be hell ta pay when Miss Priss doesn't get her way and her daddy is not goin’ ta be none too pleased either. Aiden jested with his brother. “Truth be known, Danny I'm more worried I'm goin’ ta have ta visit ya in the stockade. I don't envy ya brother, not one bit." Aiden finished his sermon, grabbed hold of the blanket and snuggled down in the chair next to Maura, as requested.

  "Don't worry about me Aiden. I'll fare alright." And he went on his way.

  §

  Leif could see a dust cloud at the end of his carriage drive. As the rider got closer he could see that it was Daniel. "Daniel my boy. Don't ya know it be bad luck ta see ya bride before the weddin’?" Leif's tone was more of a worried question than a fact.

  "Leif, I'll not drag this out. I'll not be marryin' Mallory today." His tone was coldly matter of fact.

  Mallory's mother, Gwyneth, was in the door’s archway and began to feel the blood rush from her face then began to swoon from the prospect of how her daughter was going to take all of this. Luckily a house servant was near by and caught hold of her and sat her down in the foyer. Gwyneth fanned herself to keep from completely passing out. The anxiety over what tumult was to befall the household when Mallory were to find out and be sufficiently humiliated, was too much for her bear.

  "What do you mean, sir? You had made promise ta my daughter and now ya rescind? Has my daughter done something ta warrant such an insult?” Leif was in a full rage at this point.

  "Not that I am aware, Leif." Daniel lied, knowing full well Mallory had not been faithful while he had been gone and could certainly prove it if he had to. But in trying his best to be sensitive to the family name he did not want to bring anymore hurt or shame to this household, if he could help it.

  "Then why, son, would ya insult my daughter and my family, this way?" Leif was pleading for an answer. "’Tis just cold feet, son. Every male goes through that before he takes the plunge inta matrimony. You'll get over it, I'm sure of it." Leif was trying to hold his temper and this deal together for he knew it meant his very survival. He dabbed at his forehead with his handkerchief to keep the beads of sweat from pouring down into his eyes.

  “Leif, I am fully aware my father owes ya a debt o’ gratitude and a debt of funds. I plan ta pay his debt in return for your excusal of my promise ta wed your daughter." Daniel was cold in his calculation of his proposal.

  Leif was furious. "Your father promised a lot more than just a repayment of a debt. He promised me inheritance of half his holdin’s for my gettin' his arse out o’ trouble. He would’ve ended up in the stockades if I hadn't o’ helped him out. No, you'll not be gettin' out o’ this one so easy. I'll take ya ta book in court ta gain those holdin’s, if I have ta. I'll ruin ya family. Mark my words, Hargendon." Leif slammed his fist down on the porch rail.

  "I doubt you'll be doin' any such thing Leif.” Daniel decided now would be a good time to pull out his ace. He tried to avoid this but Leif was leaving him no choice with his threats toward Daniel’s family name.

  “I know on good account Mallory has not been faithful ta me while I was at sea. Everyone in town has seen her with that Turlington fellow. I think the courts would surely make me repay the debt my father owes ya but they will see that Mallory has broken her promise of betrothal, only to me, and to no other. Do ya wish ta have your daughter's name dragged through the mud?" Daniel's facial expression was hard and cold. He was determination to win his point with Leif.

  Leif's expression was one of defeat. He hung his head low.

  "Now here is my proposal. I will pay you what my father owed you with a considerable amount of interest, along with takin’ the total blame for the disolvin’ of the weddin’ promise to save any embarrassment on Mallory's part. Ya can all wag ya tongues about what a bastard I am, and none will be the wiser. But if ya drag my name through the mud, any further than is necessary, so as ta prevent me from earnin’ a livin’, either here or at sea, I in return will do the same ta your family the likes o’ which ya have never seen. When I get through with you and ya daughter, you will be in the stockades for tax evasion and she will be wearing the scarlet letter of a whore. Do ya get my meaning, Leif?" He extended his hand to seal the deal between them.

  Leif reluctantly extended his hand, in return.

  “I will have my accountant settle up with ya in an agreeable amount that I know you will not be disappointed in.” He assured Leif.

  “I'll have a courier drop it by in the morn.”

  Both men were awkwardly silent for a few minutes then Daniel turned and strode to his horse.

  Leif felt as though he had been slapped hard. His face was hot with rage. If he had a gun, at that very moment, he would have impulsively shot Daniel in the back. He clenched his fists and leaned on the porch railing. In his mind he made a solemn promise. I will seek revenge on you Hargendon for being cheated out of my rightful fortune and secondly for the humiliation of my daughter.

  Now he had the task of breaking the news to Mallory, as he turned to enter the house he viewed his wife fanning herself in the foyer, quite certain she heard every word that had passed between the two men. What he didn't know was that Mallory had also been in the foyer and heard what had transpired and was furious. She did not choose to stay and hear the whole of it. She was a woman scorned. Daniel Hargendon would surely rue the day he humiliated me, to be sure, she thought. He'd pay. Oh yes, He would sorely pay, one day, for the pain he has caused she and her family.Today was not that day. But Daniel Hargendon, mark my words, ya should keep a careful watch on ya back, in future. That was a silent promise Mallory Gilmore had made to herself, on one of the darkest days of her life... Her wedding day.

  Ӝ

  Chapter Thirteen

  When Daniel returned to Hargendon Manor, a constable was waiting for him. He immediately thought he was going to be arrested for breech of promise. That Leif Gilmore had arranged for his arrest. But that was not the case.

  Constable Sullivan was
sitting in the library, awaiting Daniel's return, to ask him questions about the night before’s shooting and also about what he might know about a murder in the local brothel. "Sorry ta bother ya sir, it bein’ ya weddin' day an’ all, but I've got my job ta do. I'm sure ya understand, sir." The constable said, hat in hand and bobbing his head in apology. "Now sir it seems ya were found with the victim, a Miss McCoveny?

  It appears she, ah, worked at the ah, Tavern?" Sounding embarrassed.

  "Yes that's correct, Constable. What of it?" Daniel was short in his tone.

  "Well it seems she was shot in the back and taken here for treatment? What can ya tell me about that? I mean how did it come ta be she ended up shot in the back, sir?" He continued pressing Daniel for answers.

  "I don't know the answer to that question. I'd like ta know that myself."

  Daniel continued. "I was down on the dock checking on my ship and she just came out o’ the dark, walked towards me and when I spoke ta her she turned and the next thing I heard was gun fire." Daniel tried to look unaffected.

  "Why bring her here, sir? Did ya know this woman, before last eventide, sir? The constable continued with his probing questions.

  "Why would ya think that I had been with her?" Daniel replied.

  "Well everyone down on the dock said ya was cryin’ over her body. That ya seemed ta know who she was. Is that so, sir?" Sullivan was relentless in his quest for answers.

  "I knew her as well as any woman you'd meet in a brothel, I suppose." Daniel turned his back to the constable. "I think ya witnesses were mistaken in their description of events." He lied. "I was merely tryin’ ta save another human beings life. Nothin’ more. I bent ta keep her warm and also ta keep her from going into shock, from the loss of blood, until help arrived. I brought her here because it was the closest place. And also because of my close ties with Doc Kerrighan." Daniel further explained to the constable.