“Then we should be able to come and go as we please,” she replied. “There’s no one to stop us.”
“It’s not that simple,” he said. “The Japanese still watch the waterfront, and I’m sure they have patrol boats randomly search vessels as they leave the harbor.”
We left for the docks, maintaining a wary eye for the enemy. The full face of the sun still rested on the eastern horizon, sitting on the ocean and spreading hues of yellow, orange, magenta, and red across the sky. A truck approached as we passed the main road, but we hid behind some vegetation and then hurried down the hillside. When we reached the wharf, Thomas led us to a distant section of the pier where some of the larger boats prepared to cast off. After scanning the area, he came to an abrupt halt, startled and confused.
"They left without us," he said. “I was sure he was going to wait.”
“What made you so certain?” Sir Gregory asked. “The captain was a fellow Frenchman,” Thomas said. “I trusted him.”
“So what do we do now?” Sir Gregory wondered. “Can we find another boat?” Lady Jane asked.
We were in a dangerous position. Although there were many white people on the docks intermixed with locals, it was clear they all earned a living from the sea: fisherman, tenders, laborers, and the merchants who supplied them. We had no reason to be there, no purpose or position. We looked suspicious, standing there with our baggage, and even those who worked the docks and were accustomed to minding their own business had started to stare.
I saw a Javanese man on the deck of the boat beside us. He was watching us closely, eavesdropping on our conversation.
“U schijnt om in probleem te zijn,” he said in Dutch. “You seem to be in trouble.”
We looked at him suspiciously, wondering if he had ulterior motives. We didn’t know whom to trust.
“I’ll talk to him,” Thomas said.
He boarded the trawler, and he and the man conversed in hushed tones.
“Look!” Lady Jane said.
A truck was at the end of the dock. It was moving slowly in our direction, the driver stopping periodically to pose questions to those on the wharf.
"Thomas," I called. I pointed at the approaching enemy.
The conversation became more animated. After several seconds of discussion, Thomas handed the captain some money. The man smiled and crossed his arms. He looked towards the Japanese truck.
“Hurry, Thomas!” Lady Jane said.
The vehicle came closer. Thomas looked at the truck and then handed the man more money. The captain shook his head.
“Thomas, do something!” shrieked Lady Jane.
“We’ve got to get out of here,” Sir Gregory said, eyeing the captain with disgust. “Let’s try another boat.”
Thomas started to retreat when the captain grabbed his arm. They traded words, the discussion brief, and then he again held out his hand. Thomas gave him one more bill, but I couldn’t see the denomination. They shook hands.
“He’ll take us,” Thomas said, the irritation on his face evident. “Come on. Let’s hurry.”
The truck driver saw us boarding and increased his speed. The docks were filled with people, preparing to cast off for their daily excursion, and they hampered the enemy’s progress.
The captain motioned to the crew and issued a command in Javanese. A half dozen sailors reacted, the engines started, and the lines were cast off. We chugged out to sea, just as the truck halted in front of our vessel.
The soldiers scampered to the edge of the dock, pointing to the ship and yelling. Some leveled their rifles, but no shots were fired. The distance between us grew, and they eventually got back in the truck and drove away. We continued cruising through the harbor, and minutes later we sped to the sanctity of the open seas. No Japanese patrol boats were nearby, but one was visible on the distant horizon, towards Surabaya. It didn’t pursue us.
Once our safety was assured, we were introduced to the captain. He seemed friendly enough, a thin man with black hair and a smile that never left his face even when it shouldn’t be there. I just didn’t like his negotiating tactics.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“Australia,” Thomas said. “”We should be in Darwin in three or four days.”
The crew were all Javanese, none of whom spoke English. Most knew a spattering of Dutch while the captain spoke the language fluently. I suspected from some of his reactions to our conversations that he spoke English also. After proper introductions, we were led to two cabins. They were small, as you’d expect on a trawler, but clean. Lady Jane would occupy one while Thomas, Sir Gregory, and I shared the second.
"Not exactly a world-class hotel," Sir Gregory observed with a grin.
“I suppose it’s better than sleeping on deck,” I said. “Not by much,” he replied. “But I’m not complaining given where we’ve slept recently.”
We stowed our belongings and went topside, watching Madura disappear behind us and the coast of Java pass beside us. We had escaped. The Japanese were gone; we were destined for Australia and the next chapter of our lives.
Thomas went to the bridge to discuss something with the captain while Sir Gregory and Lady Jane sat on a bench by the stern. They seemed to be involved in a personal discussion, one that didn’t deserve to be interrupted. I hesitated a second before I strolled away and overheard a bit of the conversation. Sir Gregory was asking Lady Jane to come back to India with him, and he seemed to present a strong case. They had spent most of their lives together, their families were intertwined, they were of the same culture, class, and custom. I couldn’t hear Lady Jane, so I wasn’t sure if she commented or concurred. As badly as I wanted to move closer so I could eavesdrop, I respected their privacy and walked away.
I went to the ship’s bow and leaned against the railing. With the enemy behind us, and Australia in front of us, I needed to make some decisions. My original commitment to my boss at theTimes had been hopelessly blown off course; I had barely spent a week in Singapore. Now I had the opportunity to return to London. Or I could stay in Australia, still running from Maggie’s memory. Somehow, I didn’t think that was the right thing to do. I couldn’t escape from a shadow. I had to accept what had happened and move on. I still had a life to live. I resolved to return to London.
Even though I had arrived at a logical conclusion, I still hadn’t convinced myself. As badly as I missed London and my family and my dog and theLondon Times office and the dozens of other things that make someplace home, there was something that London didn’t have, and that was Lady Jane.
CHAPTER 43
The sun streamed through the porthole, announcing the arrival of another perfect day. I stretched and yawned, saw that Sir Gregory slept soundly, snoring just a bit, but Thomas had already departed. He probably wandered the ship, talking to the crew and learning the unknown. I listened to the waves beat against the hull for a few moments, mystified by the perfect rhythm they maintained, before I dressed and went topside.
We traveled due east, using the calmer seas near the many islands that stretched from the shores of Java. I made a mental note of where we were. I knew we had left the southeast coast of Java, passed just south of Bali and then skimmed beside the irregular coast of Sumbawa. I studied the scenery as masses of land, green and mountainous and majestic, glided by on the horizon. Vessels of various sizes, from tiny fishing boats with a single occupant to massive ships carrying the world’s cargo, sailed the same waters. And so did a Japanese patrol boat.
It had appeared just as we reached the shores of Sumbawa, cruising through the waves, hugging the coast. It maintained a measured distance, not close enough for us to see those on board, but near enough to see the Japanese flag and the guns that sat on deck. The captain and crew watched it warily. We did, too. It was hard to determine if they were following us, had the same destination, or were only traveling beside us for a brief stretch of our journey.
Later that day after we neared the western coast of the island
of Sumba, we charted a southeasterly course to the open seas. Our Japanese shadow did the same. The possibility of a coincidence was rapidly diminishing. Now we wondered when and where they would attack.
Thomas and I were watching the enemy, wary of their motives, when Sir Gregory told us the captain wanted us. He collected Lady Jane, and then met Thomas and me on the bridge. The captain and his mate were there with one of the crew. They faced us with grim looks on their faces. The remaining crewman then gathered near the two entrances. They had rifles with them.
“I forgot to mention that I had actually planned on going to Sumba,” the captain said in broken English. “That’s where I unload my cargo.”
The tension was suffocating. The crew fingered their rifles; the captain studied us arrogantly, his arms folded across his chest.
“That’s not a problem,” Thomas said. “We can get off in Sumba. We’ll find another way to Australia.”
“It’s not that simple,” the captain replied.
“Why not?” Thomas asked.
“Because I don’t want to take you to Sumba.”
“But we paid for transport to Australia,” Sir Gregory reminded him.
I could tell by the crew’s expression that nothing pleasant would result from this conversation. I looked at Lady Jane. She showed defiance, a bit of anger, a little fear.
“Your money was well invested,” the captain said. “You escaped the Japanese.”
“What are you going to do with us?” I asked.
He nodded to the crew. A sailor approached each of us with rifles drawn, the barrels poking our backs. Amid our protests they prodded us on deck, opposite the patrol boat trailing us. They led us towards the stern where a wooden rowboat was waiting. Our bags were already in it.
“I’m too kind to kill you,” the captain said.
“So you cast us adrift?” Thomas asked.
The captain shrugged. “It seems like a good compromise.”
“We’ll never survive,” Sir Gregory interjected.
“That’s your problem, not mine,” he said. “I want no trouble with the Japanese. And they’ve followed us for a day. If they decide to board this ship, you won’t be on it. And that’s not negotiable.”
The crew lowered the rowboat over the side, and it splashed into the water. Two ropes attached to each end kept it tethered to the ship’s rail. Once the boat was situated, the crew forced us over the side and down a rope ladder. They motioned for Sir Gregory to go first. Lady Jane followed.
“You’re next,” the captain said to me. He was smiling, as he always did, and I remembered why I didn’t like it. Bennie had worn the same sly smile when he’d slit the Japanese soldiers’ throats.
I climbed down into the rowboat. Thomas was last. Then they let the line loose. The boat bobbed on the waves, moving slowly away from the mother ship. The ocean stretched before us, reaching the horizon in all directions. There was no land in sight.
The captain waved. “Have a nice trip.”
CHAPTER 44
The freighter and Japanese patrol boat continued on course and were soon just specks on the horizon. Either the enemy wasn’t interested, or they’d never even seen us. Both ships chugged along, heading southeast with no decrease in speed.
I didn’t think anything could be worse than fleeing the Japanese, but the vast expanse of water surrounding us offered a more formidable enemy: Mother Nature. The rolling waves and surging tides controlled our destiny. We would probably die of thirst or starvation before we were ever found. Every prior obstacle we had faced could be attacked and confronted, combated and conquered. But not the ocean.
It was an overwhelming realization with no conceivable outcome but death. I thought about how I would live my life differently if I survived. I would treasure family and friends, savoring every second I shared with those I loved. I would make amends with those I hadn’t treated well and thank those who influenced me or shaped my future. I would strive to be a better person, to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us, and to enjoy every waking moment I was fortunate enough to experience. If I only had another chance.
“We do have oars,” Sir Gregory offered. “And I was a champion oarsman at Oxford.”
“We don’t even know which direction to go,” Thomas said. “George, do you have any idea where we are?”
I thought about it for a moment. I recalled the islands we passed, comparing them to maps I had memorized as a child and those that were on the table in the cottage, beside the radio. I definitely wasn’t as sharp as I used to be. If I could only remember more detail.
“I’m not completely sure,” I said. “But I think we’re southwest of the island of Sumba. If we row northeast we should reach land. But I don’t know how far away it is.”
“Then we’ll row northeast,” Lady Jane said, confident in my mental abilities.
Sir Gregory and I started rowing. He quickly showed the technique he had learned in college, and we were propelled across the waves. Unfortunately, given the size of the boat compared to the strength of the sea, it didn’t appear that we were making much progress.
It took very little time for me to tire. I didn’t have the physical stamina to continue, especially not at the pace Sir Gregory set.
“Can you keep up with me, George?” he asked, eyeing me with concern.
“I’m trying,” I said, pulling the oars forcefully, sweat dripping from my forehead.
“That’s it,” he coaxed. “Keep rowing. You’re doing well. Establish a rhythm. Use your legs and body weight more than your arms.”
I was gasping. My muscles burned. “I tire very easily. It’s from a childhood illness.”
"We should stop rowing," Thomas said. "We're at the mercy of the tides anyway. Let’s just drift on the waves."
"While we die of thirst," Sir Gregory mumbled. He put down the oars and surveyed the horizon.
"I have some gin," Thomas said. He withdrew a bottle from his knapsack.
Sir Gregory frowned. "That will make us thirstier."
Thomas emptied his knapsack. It contained two quarts of gin, a box of cigars, some fruit and cheese, several sets of clothes and five large bundles of money.
"We won't last two days with those provisions," Sir Gregory said. “We’ll have to find a way to get water. And maybe catch fish.”
It could have been worse. The men on the freighter could have killed us. Or they could have kept our belongings. At least we had some hope.
Thomas repacked his knapsack, leaving out a bottle of gin. "We won't eat until morning." He took a healthy swig.
He handed the bottle to me. I passed and offered the gin to Lady Jane and Sir Gregory. Each took a sip but refused when offered more.
The skies were overcast, clouds hiding the sun, and rain seemed imminent. Thomas spent the next hour arranging some canvas in an attempt to capture raindrops. It was a good idea, although I doubted it would work. We had to try something, and, if nothing else, it occupied our time.
When night arrived, the cloudy sky produced a blackness so opaque we could barely see our hands in front of our faces. Sounds from the rolling waves lulled us to sleep, soothing and serene and interrupted only by our boat’s creaking clapboards as they protested the strain the ocean placed on them.
We slept sporadically. It was difficult to be comfortable in the body of the boat, and the strangeness from complete darkness, the moon and stars not offering any light, made us uneasy. We knew we were in danger; we just didn’t know from what. Thomas, Sir Gregory, and I took turns standing watch, but if land was near, it was invisible in the dark. We barely even saw the relentless waves.
When the sun peeked over the horizon, we found that a light rain had left about four ounces of water in Thomas’s container. We rejoiced at our good fortune and decided to enjoy the precious liquid. Thomas carefully poured some water into the lid of the gin bottle and gave it to Lady Jane. She savored it thankfully, like a fine French wine. He refilled the cap.
"Keep the
moisture in your mouth for a moment," he suggested. "You'll enjoy it even more."
She followed his advice. As the liquid bathed her gums, a look of bliss crossed her face.
I was served next. I gratefully consumed my portion and was amazed at how enjoyable two sips of water could be.
Sir Gregory took his two sips, and then Thomas drained the remainder of the life-saving fluid into his mouth. It might be the last water we ever tasted.
When the sun crept higher the heat became unbearable. After a brief discussion, we voted to skip our midday meal, hoping to conserve what little rations remained. We tried to catch fish, fashioning a spear out of one end of an oar, but it was far more difficult than we’d believed. As our efforts continued, we spent the afternoon talking about the war, Singapore, Europe, and then more personal matters.
“I’ve known Jane since she was a child,” Sir Gregory said. “I’m twelve years older than her, so I watched her grow up. Even as a youngster she was different, a bit difficult. No one could tell her what to do. And if they tried, she did the opposite.”
“Gregory, I’m sure they don’t want to hear about my childhood,” Lady Jane said sweetly.
“No, we would,” Thomas said, urging him on. “Tell us.”
Sir Gregory continued. “My first memory of Jane was when she had just arrived in India. Our families were driving in New Delhi when we approached a traffic light. Jane had never seen one, and was fascinated by the device. She was convinced that little fairies were inside, changing the colors. I think that’s when I fell in love with her. And the years since haven’t changed that.”
He made me feel guilty. I had no right to love her. Sir Gregory had lived his entire life for her, seeing no future without her in it.
“You’re certainly quiet, George,” Thomas said. “What’s bothering you?”
I didn’t want my jealousy to show. I decided to change the subject.
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