The Serpentine Garden Path

by Edeana Malcolm

  “That is most unfortunate for you, Master Gardiner. However, I do not believe I can help you. I have never heard of this man, Mr. Dean. What is his appearance?”

  “He is a young man, perhaps twenty, tall, well-built, with black curly hair and very blue eyes. He has a most pleasant aspect. Did you see anyone of that description in the coffeehouse yesterday?”

  “Aye. That I did. A most handsome young man. He came in here in the afternoon alone, but he left with a group of men, although he did not appear willing.”

  “Do you know where they went?”

  “I have nae idea. Not at all. Now, if you will excuse me, I must wait upon the patrons here.” The maid left Susan standing alone, not knowing where to go now.

  An old merchant man at a nearby table, who had been watching their conversation, called her over. “Come here and sit down, laddie,” he said.

  Susan did not know what else to do, so she sat at his table.

  “I overheard some of your conversation with the barmaid. Perhaps I can help you.”

  Susan repeated her story while the old salt listened avidly, sucking on his pipe. “That is bad news.”

  “Do you have any idea where they might have gone? Is there a tavern I might go to look for him?”

  “Aye, there are plenty of taverns in Leith, lad, that you can be sure of. But I doubt that is where they hae gone.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “From the sound of it, your servant has been taken by a pressgang. The barmaid said that he did not look eager to go. I am so sorry for you, if that is the case.”

  “I cannot believe it, sir. Mr. Dean is a gardener, not a sailor. He knows nothing of the sea. What would a pressgang want with him?”

  “Dinna forget that the Navy is in great need of sailors with the rebellion in the Americas now on. They take anyone they find. In more peaceful times, they might have tossed tossed a gardener out, but they will train him up to be a sailor, never you mind.”

  “But I cannot lose him, sir. My father will have my hide if I lose the servant he has already spent so much money on. Is there not some way I can get him back from the pressgang?”

  “Perhaps. Your father is rich, you say?”

  Something about the question or the way he asked it made Susan feel suddenly wary. She nodded cautiously.

  “Then ye might be able to redeem him from the gangers. If ye can find him, that is.”

  “You seem to know a lot about the pressgangs, sir. Where would you go to look if you wanted to find him?”

  “Oh, I would never go looking for a pressgang. I am a merchantman, laddie. I am the very man they want. I would ne’er go looking for them to make their work any easier.”

  “But have you any idea where they may have taken Mr. Dean?” Susan asked frantically.

  “A rendezvous. They call the place a rendezvous, but it always changes. ‘Tis never the same place. And then, of course, as soon as possible they would have moved him to a navy ship. If he’s on a navy ship, ye’ll not have any luck getting him out of there. Nae, methinks ye should give up on the servant, laddie. Perhaps, ye’ll have a beaker of ale with me, instead. What say ye, boy?” The old man winked at her.

  Susan felt very uncomfortable, as if he had somehow discovered that she was really a woman and was making an improper proposition to her. Something about the man suddenly brought Fitzwilliam to her mind, but it was a ridiculous thought. They were not at all alike. Fitzwilliam was a gentleman and always polite, but this simple seaman had a kind of leering suggestiveness to him. She needed more information from him, and yet she did not dare to speak with him any longer. “Thank you, sir. You have been most kind, but I must decline your invitation. I must perform my father’s service and retrieve his gardener. Good day to you.” With that, Susan got up and left the merchantman before he could say another word to delay her.

  As Susan walked toward the dock, she made a plan. The old sailor had said it might be possible to redeem Dean. She felt in her pocket for the pin she had attached there, relieved that it was still there. It was worth enough, she was sure. If only, she was not so afraid to carry her plan into execution. Until today, she had only had to pretend at being a man. She could always count on Dean’s protection, but now, alone, she would have to accept not only the freedom of the masculine sex but also its responsibility. Today, she would have to be a man and not merely play one.

  The ships with their tall rigging grew more ominous as she approached. Susan had only ever seen such sights before at a distance from the window of a coach as it crossed a bridge in London. She had no idea which ship was a navy ship and which was a merchant ship. She looked about her for someone to ask.

  There was a young man walking confidently along the dock whistling a tune. Susan approached him.

  “Excuse me, sir. Which of these ships is a navy ship?”

  He gave her a look of dismay. “You’ll not be looking for a navy ship, boy, unless you want to enlist, and then, more fool you.”

  “Yes sir. I want to sign up and see America. Can you direct me to a navy ship.”

  “All right then, but don’t say ye were not warned. There is only one navy ship docked in the harbour today—at the New Quay, a man-of-war called The Eagle set to cross the Atlantic soon with fresh Highland troops for the Americas. I suppose you will want to be an officer, then?”

  Susan ignored his question and asked directions to the New Quay.

  Her legs almost failed her going up the gangplank. The only thought that sustained her was that if she never felt dry land again, at least she would be on the same ship as Dean.

  The officer of the watch stopped her before she boarded. “What is your business, sir?”

  “I need to speak with the captain.”

  “What is the nature of your affair with him?”

  “I have come regarding my servant, John Dean, whom I believe was impressed yesterday. Do you have any new recruits to your ship?”

  “Aye. There were a group boarded just yesterday, an unpromising bunch of knaves. I will take you to the captain, but I doubt you will get anything from him. Not a very pleasant fellow is our captain. No one wants to join his ship. That is why he must resort to pressing. So mind your manners when you talk to the captain.”

  Susan was terrified to meet this formidable captain, and his appearance was as fierce as reported, as fierce as she imagined a pirate’s would be.

  The officer of the watch related her business to the captain while he scowled as he looked her over. Susan felt his evil eye on her and for the second time today feared that she might be recognized as a woman. She wondered what he would do to her if the truth were revealed. Perhaps he would force himself upon her, or… She refused to allow her imagination to dwell on it further, for surely, like a dog, he would be able to smell her fear. She must at least appear bold. She looked the captain directly in the eye.

  “Who is it you’re looking for, Master Gardiner?” he asked

  “I am looking for my servant, Mr. John Dean.”

  “Ah, yes. A strong strapping young fellow. Will make an excellent sailor.”

  “Yes, but he is not a sailor, sir. He is a gardener and knows nothing of the sea.”

  “He can be trained. Looks intelligent enough.”

  “But he is my father’s gardener. I was sent to bring him back to my father’s estate. My father is a gentleman, sir.”

  “Yes?” The old captain raised an eyebrow as if somewhat interested.

  It was time for Susan to broach the topic that she most dreaded. “How much,” she asked, tentatively. “How much do you want for Mr. Dean?”

  “How much are you willing to give me, sir?”

  “I have never negotiated for a man’s life before. I have no idea what amount to offer you.”

  “You speak rightly, young man. We are negotiating for a man’s life. Life is not cheap. Usually someone in your position would offer me ten pounds.”

  “Ten pounds! The king only pays a shilling for his
soldiers!”

  “Take it or leave it.”

  “Well, of course I have not that amount of money with me, and I am too young to have access to bank notes.”

  The captain looked ready to dismiss her.

  “But I have something here…” She reached for her pocket and began to unpin the brooch that was there. “I know it is very valuable.” She took it out and handed it to the captain. “Those are true sapphires, sir, and true pearls. Look at the number and brilliance of them.”

  The captain’s eyes seemed to reflect the gleam of the precious stones. Susan had a little experience with bargaining now; she knew that she had him. She knew it with an instinct that is usually obtained only after much practice in dealing. No matter what he said to her now, she had only to stand firm, and he would falter.

  “It’s worthless to me,” he said, and for a moment her heart was in her mouth, but he did not hand it back to her, so she did not believe him. He was playing with her. “I cannot redeem it for money until I am back in port again and who knows when that will be.”

  “Ah, well then,” she said, playing his game. “Give it back to me. I will go redeem it myself at a jewelers and I shall bring you back the ten pounds that you asked for. If it is worth more than that, I shall pocket the rest.”

  She reached her hand out to the captain, but he did not offer her the pin. She felt great relief that her instinct had been right.

  His eyes still gleamed as he went to the door of the cabin and called a midshipman. “Go fetch the new recruit Dean, will you? Give him into this boy’s custody.”

  The man looked as if he wanted to object, but he thought better of it and turned on his heel.

  The captain looked at Susan. “I think that this Dean must be very valuable. It is not often that I am paid twice for the same man.”

  Ah ha! So Sutton the butler must have arranged Dean’s impressment. She had been right to suspect the man.

  “You may wait outside, Mr. Gardiner.” The captain waved his hand in dismissal.

  She left as quickly as possible and stood on the deck waiting for Dean, her heart beating so fast that she thought it would burst.

  He came, following a step behind the midshipman like a lowly servant. When he looked up and saw Susan, his face flashed upon her that beautiful smile that she had almost forgotten. It was so brief that she was not sure she had even seen it, but it was long enough to recall to her all of the love that she felt for him.

  “You are to go with this boy, Dean.”

  Dean looked at the midshipman, obviously unable to believe it. “What? Off the ship?”

  “Be gone with ye.” With that comment, the midshipman turned on his heel again and left them.

  Dean and Susan stood looking at one another for what seemed an eon, the tension of resisted attraction almost visible between them.

  “How…” he began to ask.

  “Let’s get off the ship, John, before they change their minds.” Her words broke the tension and the two of them walked at the double towards the gangplank. Without a word, Dean took the canvas bag from her and they continued at a brisk pace without stopping until they were well out of sight of the New Quay.

  “We must hire a coach,” Dean said at last.

  “Then you did not manage to book us passage to Dundee?”

  “I did not. The pressgang found me before I was able to accomplish that. I do not wish to travel by sea now, if you do not mind.”

  Susan laughed. “Do you have any money for a coach?”

  “Aye, I have. Fortunately, they did not take the few coins I have left. It should be enough to get us to Dundee. Now, we must go back to Edinburgh to settle our bill at the inn.”

  “We cannot go back to the inn. That horrid butler was there, and I do not wish to encounter him. Did you know that it was he that sold you to the press gang?”

  “The butler Sutton from Kirke Hall?”

  “The very man.”

  “How do you know this?”

  “He was at the inn looking for you and the innkeeper told him where you had gone to book passage. The captain confirmed that someone else had given money for you before me. I can only presume it was Sutton who paid to have you captured.”

  “And how did you pay for me?”

  “So many questions! Let us first obtain passage on a coach, and then we will have leisure to discuss all that has passed.” Susan remembered all the time she had spent alone on coaches thus far.

  As if he noticed her apprehension, Dean said, “We will sit together on the coach this time. I have no wish to be separated from you again. You cannot imagine how afraid I was that I would never see you again.”

  Susan smiled at him. “Yes, I think I know precisely how you felt.”

  Chapter 25

  A short time later, Dean and Susan sat across from one another, the only passengers in the coach that afternoon traveling inland away from the coast, exhausted and relieved.

  “I feel terrible about cheating the innkeeper in Edinburgh of the bill. We must remember to pay him when we pass that way again as husband and wife.”

  Susan smiled. “That will not be necessary as I have already paid our account with the innkeeper.”

  “How did you manage that? Do have a secret cache of coin, Susan?”

  “I gave the innkeeper the silver buckles from my shoe.”

  “How clever! And how did you redeem me?” Dean looked worried.

  “I found the brooch in the shoe, and I used that.”

  Dean nodded but said nothing.

  “How did you come by the brooch, John?”

  “You did not recognize it?”

  ”No. When did I see it before?”

  “It was the pin that Fitzwilliam had on his gown at the masquerade. He gave it to me as a gift for you.”

  “My stomacher pin! Of course. I should have recognized it, but it never looked so fine on the stomacher of that gown.”

  “That is the peril of having too much finery. One never realizes the true worth of what one has.”

  Susan considered this statement. How could anyone suspect that a brooch was worth the value of a man’s life? She felt no sense of loss now that it was gone. If the truth be known, she did not feel any loss at all in leaving her old life behind. She had something more valuable, something that she was finally sure of—the love of a man.

  After a few moments of silence, Dean spoke again. “There is something I need to tell you about that brooch. When we were in Edinburgh at the gown shop, you asked me if I would purchase shoes and jewelry, and I refused your request. I think you understand why now, as you have found your wedding shoes. Fitzwilliam gave them to me, and also the stomacher pin, as a wedding gift for you when I spoke with him in London just before our departure.

  “You surprise me, sir. I would not have thought Fitzwilliam capable of such generosity towards us.”

  “The man surprised me by his gesture, also. I think that, in spite of his lack of moral compass, he had a kind heart and was sympathetic towards star-crossed lovers. He called us Romeo and Juliet, and when I was so rudely snatched up by the press gang, I was afraid he had foretold our destiny.”

  Susan shuddered. “But we have found one another alive.”

  Dean took her hand and squeezed it. “That we have, which is all that truly matters. Nevertheless, I had anticipated with great pleasure the occasion of presenting you with the brooch, as it is a Scottish tradition for the groom to give his bride a pin before the ceremony.”

  “It is no matter, John. The pin has found a much more important use, and ‘tis not the gift but the thought that counts, as they say.” Changing the subject abruptly, Susan asked, “How long before we reach Dundee?”

  “Due to our late start, we will not arrive until sometime tomorrow. Tonight, we will be obliged to stay in Stirling.”

  “But what if Sutton overtakes us?”

  “Aye, the butler. I had forgotten that the man was still on our trail. He must have gone to Gretna Gre
en, and, not finding us there, made his way to Edinburgh. Do you suppose he knows that we are going to Dundee?”

  “It seems very likely that my father has made enquiries to discover your hometown in Scotland, in which case, we may presume that he will follow us there. On the other hand, he may have gone home, now that he has foiled our wedding plans by having you impressed into the navy.”

  “I do not think we can presume that. He has not found you yet and I doubt that he will go home without you.”

  So, it was just as Susan had suspected. She was still being hunted.

  “You have no reason to fear the villain. I will stay beside you until our wedding, and I will not let him snatch you away. You cannot be compelled to go against your will. This is Scotland, and you have the legal right to marry, even without your parents’ consent, from the age of fourteen.”

  “Is it so? It seems a very young age to know your own mind.”

  “So what age would you set for consent, Susan?

  “Sixteen, I think. A girl knows what she wants at sixteen.”

  Dean smiled. “Does she now? Is she still so certain that what she has chosen is the best thing for her?”

  “Aye, sir,” she tried the local language tentatively. “I have learned a great deal on this voyage. I learned that I love you enough to set aside my fear and rescue you from the King’s navy.”

  When she was finished speaking, he took her hand, looked into her eyes and said, “I believed that I loved you before. I told myself that I loved you in spite of what you were, which to me seemed to be a spoiled, impulsive, and unruly girl. Today I can say that I love you because of who you truly are—a woman as brave and fearless as any man, my equal in every way. I thank you for restoring my liberty to me, Susan.”

  “I hope that you still love me in spite of what I am, for I am still impulsive and unruly. If I were not, I would never have rushed out alone to rescue you. I would never have dared to play the part of a man so whole-heartedly.”

  “That I know, and I cannot think why you did it. When I consider how cold and half-hearted I have been towards you in the last few days, I am heartily ashamed. Mr. Fitzwilliam had warned me that you would not understand about money.”