O’Rourke raised his eyebrows but said, “Of course, Captain.”
They went out together but only the captain returned.
“What did you say to him, Jimmy?” Mrs. Hardie immediately said.
“Two things. Firstly I told him about Dupré’s invitation. Apparently he’s a bit of a scoundrel as we thought, but one of his crew is known to be a very good cook. I asked him if we should refuse his invitation but O’Rourke thought we had better not. Dupré knows that we are to be ransomed so he is unlikely to do us any harm and he’s a bad man to insult. Secondly I suggested that he refrain from walking out with Lucy.” Captain Hardie looked at her and Lucy felt herself going scarlet. “I told him that people were beginning to look askance at them and rumours are dangerous in her situation. He agreed, quite courteously for a scoundrel, and left.”
“Oh, how could you!” Lucy jumped to her feet and, before anyone could stop her, ran out of the tavern. She reached the street but there was no sign of him and she did not dare search any further. Seething she returned to her room by the back stairs to avoid the Hardies. At that moment she knew she was quite capable of creating the kind of scene that would completely ruin her reputation over their abominable interference.
Chapter Eleven
Lucy was still annoyed that evening when she dressed for dinner. Temper had brought the colour to her cheeks and her eyes were suspiciously bright as she put on a white dress with a black sash and gloves. Mrs. Hardie was obviously expecting an apology but when it did not come, she spoke more sharply than usual. She ordered Lucy up to her room to tie a lace fichu around her neck. Lucy opened her mouth to say she would do no such thing but Mrs. Hardie’s words made her bite back the angry retort.
“That dress is lovely but a little too revealing for dinner on board a pirate ship. Captain Dupré is a man; do you want to encourage his attentions? O’Rourke warned us not to look for trouble. If you won’t heed my words, heed his.”
Remembering the urgency of O’Rourke’s warning, Lucy capitulated and did as she was told. She was not looking forward to the evening but, in the end, everything went well. The captain had invited other guests, including two English couples. The food was good and the conversation interesting. Lucy enjoyed herself. It was nice to be with other people especially when none of them treated her as if she were a child. She relaxed, laughing and chatting. From time to time, she noticed Captain Dupré’s eyes lingering on her but he did not single her out in any other way. If anyone had asked her later what she had talked about, she would not have been able to answer them. She was comfortable, prettily dressed and the evening passed in a pleasant blur. The only thing that in a small way marred her enjoyment was that O’Rourke was not present. Neither was Captain Rollin. If he had been, she would have pleaded a headache and retired early, so his absence was fortunate.
Time dragged during the following week, for O’Rourke did not call at the inn. Lucy went about with Mrs. Hardie, visiting the sick, calling on the other English people, playing cards with them and chatting. She was rather shocked by the injured sailors. Mr. Barnes in particular was changed from the confident ruddy man she knew. He was white with deep lines of pain on his face. She found it difficult to find something to talk to him about and was glad when a nun came and told Mrs. Hardie they must leave the patients to rest.
The main topic of conversation of all the prisoners in Saint-Malo was how soon they would receive a reply to their letters and be able to leave. This made visits to them tedious. Lucy was soon bored by the social round but it was better than staying alone in her room. She was pleased when Captain Hardie received another invitation to dine aboard the Matou. Mrs. Hardie wanted him to refuse on the grounds that she was in no position to reciprocate the hospitality but, to Lucy’s relief, Captain Hardie possessed no such scruples.
“The man knows our situation and understands that we can’t pay him back. We’re hardly the first foreigners to be here. Don’t be silly, Annie.”
“You just want a good dinner.”
“He fed us well last time.”
“He did, but why should he? That’s what has me puzzled.”
“Our company?”
Mrs. Hardie shook her head. “I doubt it. We aren’t famed for our conversation.”
“You’re too suspicious. Whatever his reasons, we should accept. To refuse would be insulting and I won’t do it.”
This second visit was slightly different. Fewer people had been invited, only Lucy, Captain and Mrs Hardie and a Scottish couple, Mr. and Mrs. McCree, whom they met for the first time. The other places at the table were filled by the Matou’s mate and coxswain, neither of whom spoke much English and appeared tongue-tied in their company. Fortunately Mr. McCree was able to chat to them in French. The mate, a young Breton named Madec, seemed to be having a good time as the wine loosened his tongue but he rapidly became incomprehensible even to Mr. McCree. Captain Dupré talked to all his other guests. However, Lucy thought that he paid more attention to her than the others, asking her questions and making her laugh at some of his stories. She found him good company. There was a gleam of admiration in his eyes and she enjoyed being admired. She was rather sorry when the evening ended.
The following day, Lucy was surprised to find a small package lying beside her plate at breakfast.
“Whatever is this?” she picked it up.
“A messenger brought it this morning,” Madame Arbez told her.
“Who is it from?”
“I never asked.” Lucy looked at her and thought her smile was a little too knowing.
“Why don’t you open it?” Captain Hardie suggested.
Lucy peeled back the wrapping and disclosed a small leather box. She undid the clasp and found a string of pearls nestling on the black velvet lining. Everybody gasped and the other people in the taproom gathered around to see what all the excitement was about.
“Oh how lovely.” Lucy gave a crow of delight and picked up the necklace, holding it up to her neck and feeling its smoothness against her skin. She smiled around at everyone until she caught the frowning glance that Mrs. Hardie shared with her husband.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” she asked.
“May I see that please?” Captain Hardie held out his hand. Lucy was reluctant but she gave him the pearls. Captain Hardie examined them closely. Then he put them into the box and looked at her.
“This is a valuable necklace. You can’t possibly keep it. You must send it back.”
“How can I return it if I don’t know who sent it to me?” Lucy could feel herself shaking as she tried to prevent her annoyance from sounding in her voice.
“You can’t keep it because you have no friends or relatives in this town to give you such a thing. Whoever sent it did so for a purpose. Here in Saint-Malo pearls of this quality are likely to be stolen from someone who had the misfortune to be attacked by a privateer. Do you want to wear such jewels around your neck?”
“You can’t know that!” Lucy protested, realising that all eyes were upon her and most of them were disapproving. “It could have been freely bought and paid for. It has my name on the wrapping, so it’s mine.”
“Lucy, please,” Mrs. Hardie said. “It’s the kind of necklace you would wear at a ball, not to walk about the town. Put it away for now. The captain will discover where it came from. When he does, you can decide what to do with it then.” Lucy turned to go back to her room and Mrs. Hardie followed her.
When they were alone, she said, “I’m sorry, my dear, but I had to say what I did. We can’t be too careful. Such an unusual present is bound to be talked about and rumours are risky things. Those pearls may be a gift from a genuine admirer or they may be a trap. Hide them somewhere safe and don’t wear them for now until my husband discovers who gave them to you and why. Let the gossip die for lack of information. Something else will happen for people to talk about soon enough. If there’s no harm in the gift, then you will be able to put it on with no one to question you.”
That invitation was not issued before O’Rourke returned. The Constanze had made another short voyage and returned with a small vessel in tow. After his ship was reported to be anchoring in the bay, it was not very long before he appeared at the tavern. He asked Lucy to walk with him again. Since the Hardies had gone out and Lucy was sufficiently bored to brave their wrath when they returned, she seized her opportunity. They sat in their usual spot on the battlements and O’Rourke said,
“I hear that you have been dining aboard Dupré’s ship.”
“Yes, twice now and it’s been very pleasant.” Her tone was challenging. “What’s the matter with that?”
“Has he said anything to you?”
“Plenty of things. He tells interesting stories.”
O’Rourke’s eyebrows rose. “Does he?” He fell silent for a moment. “The next time he asks you to go, please refuse the invitation.”
Lucy stared at him. “I certainly shan’t. Why should I? Those two evenings are the only times I’ve enjoyed myself ever since we came to this awful place.”
“You may not know it, but Dupré is a close friend of my captain’s. Both of them are dangerous men, who don’t like to be crossed. There is a murmur in the town that you refused to be Captain Rollin’s mistress. You remember I asked you to be discreet. Who else have you told?”
“Me? No one. If people are talking, you must have told them yourself.”
“I did not. To do so would have been madness. Yet the rumours are circulating even so.”
“If neither of us told anyone, who did?”
O’Rourke shrugged. “We may have been overheard, I suppose, but I was sure no one was near enough when we were speaking of it.”
Lucy sat up straight. “You thought there was someone in the alley… ”
He nodded. “I did. Perhaps… ”
“Who told you?”
“A sailor from the Matou, which is why I don’t want you to go there again.”
“The captain knows?”
“It’s likely. If the crew knows, so does he.”
“Captain Dupré has been very nice to me. He hasn’t made any improper suggestions and he always asks the Hardies or other English people. I’ve never been alone with him.”
“Not yet, but as I have told you he is a close friend of my captain who is not a forgiving man. Stay at the tavern for a few days until the rumours die.”
“I’m sick of this place. There’s nothing to do except listen to boring old cats chattering on about their ailments or the food or their chances of being ransomed. I can’t bear it much longer.”
“Be patient. We should hear from your grandmother soon. Then you’ll be able to leave here, unharmed I hope.”
She stared at him. “You think someone would harm me?”
“Captain Rollin might, once the rumour reaches him. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dupré agreed to help him take his revenge which is why I don’t want you aboard his ship.”
O’Rourke removed his hat and ran his hands over his head. Lucy realised that his hair which had always appeared dark, now had sandy red patches amongst the black.
“What have you done to your hair?” she asked.
“Why?”
“It’s all streaked and blotchy.”
He shrugged. “The dye must be washing out.”
“You dye your hair?”
“If I want to disguise myself I do. I dyed it before I went to London. It’s the most memorable thing about me except for this scar on my hand. I can’t do anything about the scar except wear gloves.” He laughed. “No sense in taking chances.”
“What do you do when you’re in England?” Lucy asked curiously.
“Gather information mostly. I’m sent because I speak the language. Frenchmen nearly always have an accent, especially if they’re surprised or attacked. Often they don’t understand jokes or the things we take for granted. For that reason, a number were captured in the early days of the war and executed as spies. That’s why I’m useful to Captain Rollin and some of the others, not just as a doctor.”
“Mr. Barnes and Harry are singing your praises.”
“Good of them, but they were fit and healthy to begin with. I’m sorry about Tom though. A nasty death for a decent man.”
“You care don’t you?” She felt surprised.
“I don’t like to lose a patient. If there was only some way to replace blood loss he’d have lived but there isn’t, not yet, maybe someday.”
“Perhaps, but we were talking about what you did in England. What sort of information do you collect?”
“The types of vessels in port, which ones are ready for sea and their cargoes.”
“So you can lie in wait and rob them when they sail?”
“Before you look so shocked, don’t think I’m the only one to do such things. Fat George has his spies doing the same thing in France. We lose ships too. At least Rollin doesn’t kill anyone if they surrender. I’m not so sure about some of the other privateers— of both nationalities.”
Lucy rose. “I don’t want to talk with you any more.”
“Don’t walk away. I’ve just told you it is dangerous for you to be alone. I’ll take you back to the tavern now and I won’t call on you again until I have word of your ransom, if you don’t want me to. Give me your word that you’ll stay with other people and refuse Dupré’s invitations.”
“I won’t go out alone but I see no reason why I shouldn’t have dinner aboard the Matou if I’m with the Hardies.”
“Please don’t. I’m worried about you, but perhaps I’m being stupid. The ship’s ready for sea, so maybe Dupré won’t invite you again until he comes back. It’s about time he left; he’s usually out again long before this. When he returns, you may even be on your way to Ireland.”
Lucy glared at him but she walked by his side until they were almost at the tavern when she said, “If he’s leaving, why are you worried?”
He shook his head. “Call it a feeling if you like. Something isn’t right. I’ll know more later on this evening when I dine with my captain. Occasionally his tongue loosens after he’s into the brandy.”
They were at the door by now and Mrs. Hardie, had obviously been waiting for them. As soon as she saw them she pounced.
“Lucy, what are you doing?” She was red-faced with anger.
“Forgive me, ma’am, I asked Lucy to walk with me.”
She whirled on him. “Then you shouldn’t have done so, Mr. O’Rourke. My husband warned you to keep your distance. It does Lucy’s reputation no good to be seen walking with you alone, as you well know. Many people will have noticed you and their tongues will be wagging again. Such behaviour could even lead to her grandmother rejecting her. So I’ll thank you not to do so in future. Good day to you.”
Mrs. Hardie caught Lucy by the arm and pulled her inside, leaving O’Rourke standing alone on the street.
“Indeed, ma’am, if you’d heard what he said to me, you wouldn’t be so cross with him,” Lucy protested. “He warned me not to walk alone and not to dine with Captain Dupré. He is as concerned for my reputation as you are.”
“Is he? Then he should have spoken to you here in the taproom with people all round you. I’m surprised at you, Lucy; I thought you had more sense than to be with him after what I said to you.”
Lucy sat down on one of the taproom chairs. “I’m so bored here with nothing to do. At least he doesn’t talk to me about his illnesses or his chances of being ransomed but I won’t go with him again.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.” Lucy smiled but she was worried. Mrs. Hardie’s words had unsettled her. What if my grandmother decides not to ransom me and I have to stay here? What would happen to me then when the Hardies go home and I am left alone?
Chapter Twelve
That thought worried Lucy for the rest of the day. Before this, she had put it out of her mind but, if O’Rourke was right, she would have to deal with the consequences soon. If the ransom was paid, she would be no worse off than she had been before. There was a way to reach her destination; the other English prisoners had told the new arrivals as much. Letters had been received from the lucky ones who had already returned home. On the other hand, if Lady Mary refused, Lucy had no money of her own to pay for her passage away from Saint-Malo. Could she write to Becky and would Becky help her? Once she had been certain of her cousin’s affection, but not now. Becky was short of money and Caroline’s debut was coming ever closer. Even if she somehow managed to return to England, what would she do when she got there? She had been through the possibilities before and found no solution. Unknown Ireland, without her family’s recognition would be worse. Therefore, I would have to stay in France, she thought, even though I don’t speak the language and I have no skills. Perhaps I was a fool to reject Captain Rollin’s offer so quickly. I should have let him wait for an answer until I knew about the ransom. Despite this, she was sure that she had made the right decision. Something will come up, it must. This reflection did not comfort her but eventually she fell into an uneasy sleep.
The next morning, Lucy was at breakfast with the Hardies when she was surprised to see O’Rourke walking towards them. She was annoyed. He had said that he would not come to her unless he brought news. She felt as if her heart had stopped. Was it possible? He stopped at their table and smiled down at her.
“May I join you? I have something to tell you.”
Captain Hardie nodded but did not look very pleased. O’Rourke pulled out a chair and said,
“You’ll be happy to know that my captain has received a letter from Sir Edgar Ridgeway who has undertaken to pay for Miss Ridgeway’s return. He didn’t haggle over the cost, so we may now proceed to make the arrangements to continue her journey to Ireland.”
Mrs. Hardie smiled, rose and gave Lucy a hug. “I’m so glad for you, my dear.”
Regency Belles & Beaux Page 46