“You arrived in the nick of time; you know that, donʼt you?” Henry said as he was watching Oscar wrap the bandage around Henryʼs torso, tying Henryʼs arm closely to the chest.
“I do indeed,” Oscar answered gravely. “I just knew that something had gone wrong when you did not turn up. Damian might be a terribly stupid fool, but still he is clever and on alert all the time. I was quite certain he would cross your plans in one way or the other.”
“We will not be able to return to England anymore, not in a short while anyway...” Henry mumbled glumly, staring into space.
“Well, we are all in the same boat, arenʼt we?” Oscar replied. “I suppose we will just have to wait until a little dust has settled on everything.”
“What about your doctorʼs office in Oxford? What about your house?”
“A good friend of mine has agreed to take over my patients. And as for my house, I will have it sold and the money and my belongings sent to me as soon as I have come to a decision whether I will stay in America or not.”
“You must have a very close confidant helping you in this regard. I mean, someone who doesnʼt tell anyone about our whereabouts.”
“I do have a close confidant,” Oscar remarked with a grin. “And it is a woman actually: my housemaid Holly. I know she would go through hell and high water for me.”
“Donʼt say you told her everything,” Henry said, slightly outraged. The thought of Oscarʼs housemaid being in the know of the whole undertaking didnʼt appeal to him at all, as he found that housemaids in general tended to be nosy and unable to keep anything to themselves.
“I didnʼt tell her everything, but I am quite sure that eventually she will find out anyway. Please, do not worry about it too much, though. I believe to know her well enough to be able to claim that she is trustworthy. I gave her a more than generous tip and she agreed to act on my behalf. She will organize the sale of the house and all that is in it. I promised her that in return she could keep some of my furniture for herself, which she was more than delighted about. She lives from hand to mouth, you must know, with her husband suffering from an eye disease which is gradually leading to complete blindness. I have helped her so much in the past that I am certain she will not stab me in the back. And in all seriousness, it doesnʼt matter much if she is on our side or not. If Damian wants to find out where we are, he will find out. I suppose that tomorrow our faces will be printed on the front page of all London newspapers. I suppose that the man I got the tickets from will be on our side and will not do anything to harm us. He will not betray us. But the coachman who brought us to the port will surely not refrain from telling everyone that he saw us—provided he remembers anything. After all, he was pretty drunk. But then again, we havenʼt really committed a crime, have we? I mean, if Damian tries to accuse us of kidnapping Sarah, all it will take is a statement of hers saying that she came with us out of her own will. So, I daresay, the only thing that hinders us from returning to England is Damianʼs personal wrath and possible vigilantism—which, of course, is bad enough...”
“Do you believe that Damian will come after us?” Henry asked with a frown.
“I honestly doubt that he will go that far. He has a very promising military career ahead of him and not such an amount of time at hand to invest in chasing us. Eventually he will give up and find himself another rich family that he can marry into. But as I said, it is probably better not to accidentally run into him on British ground in the near future.”
“He might send someone to America on his behalf, a spy of some sorts...”
“Letʼs first get there for a start,” Oscar tried to calm Henry down. “And if you are truly worried, you can still move to the countryside, change your name and grow a beard.”
“That is actually not such a bad idea at all,” Henry answered. “If I manage to look as worn out and down-at-heel again as during the previous months, nobody will ever recognize me anymore. But I am afraid Sarah wonʼt recognize me either...”
Henry laughed bitterly.
“And then again,” Oscar added, “that blow with the potty might have damaged Damianʼs brain so much that does not even know anymore what actually happened and who we are.”
The two men chuckled.
Oscar finished wrapping the bandage around Henryʼs body and was now fumbling in his suitcase for some disinfectant to apply to Henryʼs scratches and bite marks.
“What actually made you decide to come with us? And why didnʼt you tell me?” Henry asked.
“After my row with Priscilla, I suddenly felt I had nothing really to lose. Apart from that, I found I could do with a little change of scenery. It was actually you who kindled that adventurous fire in me. Now I am still not too old to do something like that, to leave home for good, I mean. And as for not telling you, well... is it too shameful to admit that I felt quite insecure about it all and that I wanted to leave myself the option to duck out before getting on board? In case I had decided to not go, I would not have lost face and would not have appeared like a pathetic wimp in front of you and Sarah...”
Oscar gave Henry a sheepish smile.
“Now, thatʼs it,” he added and tucked the disinfectant back into his suitcase. “You must avoid all kinds of movements which might strain your torso. If you stick to that and keep resting, you will be absolutely fine.”
“What about her and the baby? Will they be fine as well?” Henry asked, throwing a worried side glance over to Sarah.
“All she needs is a rest now, Henry, just like you,” Oscar answered softly.
Henry could see from Oscarʼs slightly troubled face that he was unable to provide the answer Henry had hoped for; that he couldnʼt give him the assurance that the strain and the excitement had not been too much for Sarah and the unborn child.
“We will keep an eye on her over the next days,” Oscar said, sensing Henryʼs nervousness. “I suppose she will be fine as long as she begins to eat properly again soon.”
Henry let his hand gently run over Sarahʼs hair. Then he lay back down in bed, put his free arm around her and pulled her close.
Oscar walked over to the wash basin and splashed some water into his face. Then he lay down in his own bed and let out a little sigh.
“Surprisingly comfortable these beds, arenʼt they?” he said. “And just look at that!”
Oscar had detected a knob above the nightstand and pressed it. The next moment, the light went out. Oscar pressed the knob again.
“Have you noticed that this lamp is not lit by gas? It is run with electricity,” he said. “Isnʼt that so revolutionary? I hope that one day everyone will be able to afford it and not only the very rich.”
Oscar was reverentially staring at the lamp on the ceiling while switching it on and off a couple of times, just for fun. Eventually he let it switched off and the room was shrouded in pleasant darkness again.
“Oscar?” Henry asked after a little while of listening to the sounds of the engines and thinking about nothing in particular.
“Hm...?” Oscar murmured.
“Thank you for everything.”
“You are welcome,” Henry heard Oscar whisper.
Then he fell asleep.
* * *
When Henry woke up in the morning, the room was bright with the sunlight which fell through the small porthole.
Opening his eyes, he saw Oscar standing in front of the wash basin. His best friend was shaving and appeared all merry and game for anything despite some dark shadows under his eyes which Henry got aware of when he saw the reflection of Oscarʼs face in the mirror. The strenuous night that lay behind them was obviously taking its toll, and Henry wondered if he looked equally worn out.
Probably worse...
Oscar dried his face with a towel, turned around and grabbed a shirt which lay on his bed.
“Good morning, Henry,” he said. “How is the pain?”
“If I donʼt move, donʼt speak, and donʼt breathe, it is quite bearable,” Henry answered drowsily.<
br />
An empathic smile appeared on Oscarʼs face.
“It is good to see that you have not lost your humor. That is the best precondition for recovery. Take another one of these painkillers if you need them. As for me, I will go and get us some breakfast.”
He put on his jacket and checked his face in the mirror once more. Then he headed for the door.
Henry noticed Sarah stir at his side. All night she had lain in his right arm, the one which was not in the sling, with the result that his limbs had gone numb and were all tingly now. But he didnʼt mind at all. He turned his head to look at Sarah and planted a tender kiss on her forehead.
Slowly Sarah opened her eyes and blinked at him.
“Henry, you are here,” she whispered, sounding a little bit surprised. “So it was not a dream then...”
“No, it wasnʼt a dream,” Henry said and smiled.
She flung her arms around him and smothered his face with fervent kisses.
“Oh God, I love you so much, so much,” she breathed.
“I love you, too…“ Henry answered, returning her eager kisses.
“Where are we?” she asked.
“I donʼt know. Right out on the sea anyway,” Henry answered.
Sarah looked uncertainly about the room, which she had not really taken notice of upon their arrival, as she had been too tired and exhausted.
“Where is Oscar?” she asked.
“He has gone to get us some food.”
“You know, I am not really hungry at all.” Sarah smiled sheepishly at Henry. He didnʼt fail to notice how uncomfortable she began to feel at the thought of eating something.
“Things canʼt go on like that, Sarah,” Henry said softly. “You are free now and donʼt have to go to India. There is no further need for starving, donʼt you think?”
Sarah nodded quietly, but Henry could sense that his argumentation had not really convinced her.
“Is your arm broken?” she asked with a side glance over to the bandage around his chest.
“No, the rib.”
“I am so terribly sorry, Henry. It is all my fault…” Sarah whimpered. “If only I had come with you three months ago, then I would have spared you all of this pain...”
“Sarah, it is alright, donʼt worry about it,” Henry answered, trying to soothe her anguish. “Having you near me now is worth all the pain. There is only one thing that is on my mind, one thing that you need to tell me, Sarah.”
“And that is?”
“Do you regret it now? Having come with me, I mean. Please, be honest with me.”
An angelic smile spread on Sarahʼs lips.
“No, Henry. Not at all. Thanks for everything that you have done for me; for risking your life...”
There was this dreamy look in her eyes again, a look that told him that she believed he was a hero, a look that he had never really liked and which had made him feel uncomfortable because it had filled him with the worry that he would not be able to live up to her fantasies about him.
But then he noticed that his attitude towards this had changed. He realized that he suddenly did feel like a hero indeed. After all, had he not had a real menʼs fight with his rival? Had he not almost died in Damianʼs headlock? Had he not rescued Sarah?
Yes, I am a hero... he thought proudly, and with a grin he leaned over and kissed Sarah on the lips again. And when she cozied up to him and passionately returned his affections, he felt how he got in the mood to make love to her, something which he had been craving for seemingly endless months. But then the door opened and Oscar entered the room, carrying a huge tray.
Henry and Sarah immediately let go of each other and Sarah abruptly sat up, her cheeks getting slightly red.
Oscar, who had become aware of the sexual tension which hung in the air, just smiled.
“Do not worry, you two,” he said in his typical casual manner, which conveyed a high level of indifference towards prudery and etiquette. “We are not back at Partridge Mansion. Sorry for disturbing you there, but I guess one cannot live on love alone. I have got a hearty breakfast for us.”
Oscar took his suitcase which contained his practitionerʼs utensils and placed it in the middle of the room in the narrow space between the two bunk beds. Then he positioned the tray on top of it and by doing so created a provisory table.
Henry immediately felt his mouth water upon seeing all the delicacies his friend had brought. There were fresh bread rolls, apples, bananas, pears, roast bacon, scrambled eggs, sandwiches with tuna, sandwiches with ham, sandwiches with cheese, and pastries with different kinds of jam fillings. And there was coffee, tea, and fresh orange juice.
“I did not know what you preferred, so I brought a little bit of everything,” Oscar said.
Henry carefully sat up, grabbed a ham sandwich and a plate with scrambled egg. He took a sip of the coffee and found that breakfast had never tasted so good. He wasnʼt sure, though, if it was just because he was starving, or if it was because he had lived on Mrs. Potterʼs culinary disasters for a little bit too long.
“What would you like to have?” he asked Sarah, who was crouching next to him.
But Sarah, who had been silently watching the two men falling upon the food on the tray, just shook her head.
“Thank you, but as I said I am not really hungry,” she answered politely.
Henry ripped off a piece of his ham sandwich and handed it to her.
“Come on,” he said softly. “Just try a little bit. It is very good actually.”
She hesitated at first, then she took the sandwich and began to listlessly nibble at it. Oscar didnʼt say anything, but Henry saw him casting his niece a worried glance.
They were sitting on their beds for a while, with Henry and Oscar munching away on their sandwiches and Sarah quietly staring into space, when Oscar finally asked her, “Are you really alright, Sarah?”
Sarah nodded.
“I was just thinking about mother and that nobody will look after her grave now...” she mumbled.
Oscarʼs eyes grew huge.
“Oh my God! I entirely forgot!” he exclaimed. He quickly put his coffee cup aside, bent down and began to fumble in one of his bags which he had stuffed in the free space underneath his bed.
After a little while he produced an urn: The urn of his sister Melissa. There was still some soil sticking to it. Oscar carefully wiped it off.
Sarah let out a shriek of joy and surprise, while Henry was just incredulously gawping at Oscar.
“You didnʼt...”
Oscar proudly placed the urn on the nightstand.
“I did indeed. I do recall that my sister quite often dreamed of traveling to distant places. Unfortunately, she was never granted this wish as long as she was alive.”
Oscar patted the urn.
“There you go, dear Melissa. Who would have thought that you would end up in America one day.”
Henry momentarily got a little bit sentimental upon thinking about his motherʼs and fatherʼs grave which he had left behind in London. After all, he could have hardly taken their coffins with him. He hoped that maybe one day he would be able to return to England and visit them once the dust had settled on everything. Until then, he would cherish his parents in his heart.
“How can I possibly thank you all for everything that you have done for me?” Sarah breathed, still stunned by sight of the urn.
“By trying to eat again properly, Sarah,” Oscar said tenderly.
Sarah nodded quietly. And with a coy smile on her face she took another reluctant bite of Henryʼs toast.
* * *
The little food she had eaten had not stayed inside her for very long.
“We must take it easy on her. We must not rush her,” Oscar explained. “This has been going on for quite a while now and we can not expect her to change that habit from one day to another. At least she feels safe and relaxed now. Thatʼs a good start.”
Despite the pain and Oscarʼs advice to keep resting, Henry had decid
ed to get up and join his friend for a little walk. Sarah had fallen asleep again and so the two men took their time to check out the facilities the ship had to offer.
On their way, they encountered a library, a smoking room, a room for exercises, a room for games, and a music room where Henry sat down at a piano for a moment and played a simple tune with his free hand. There were also a banquet hall and two restaurants; one for 1st Class and one for 2nd Class passengers. All rooms were very luxurious with wonderful pieces of ornately carved furniture, heavy velvet curtains, and polished crystal chandeliers.
Henry & Sarah Page 43