The River Maid

‘You boarded my vessel of your own free will, my lady,’ Captain Falco said smoothly. ‘As to the food, I can only say that the crew have never complained.’

‘They wouldn’t dare,’ Lady Alice countered. ‘And as to the accommodation, I am speechless.’

Captain Falco rose to his feet. ‘Then that is the end of our conversation. Now if you will excuse me I have work to do.’

‘Just a moment,’ Essie said boldly. ‘You’ve ignored my lady’s request, which is perfectly reasonable. Circumstances forced us to come on board, and the least you could do is to set us back on dry land as soon as possible.’

His wolfish smile revealed canine teeth that looked suspiciously like fangs. ‘And your wish will be granted – in a week or so, when we reach Brindisi.’

‘But that’s ridiculous,’ Lady Alice protested. ‘I don’t want to go to Italy. For one thing, I haven’t any clothes to wear, and for another, I will be missed. The police will already be looking for me.’

‘They won’t find you unless they hire a faster ship than the Santa Gabriella.’ Falco bowed and backed out of the small saloon, still smiling.

‘He thinks this is a joke,’ Lady Alice said angrily.

‘Maybe Raven can help,’ Essie suggested. ‘Surely getting him better is the most important thing to do now. I’ve never sailed as far as the estuary, but I know it’s a long way off.’

‘You’re right.’ Lady Alice rose to her feet. ‘Come with me, Esther. I might need your help.’

‘What about me?’ Sadie asked anxiously.

‘You could give our cabin a clean.’ Essie stood up, swaying with the movement of the ship as she gained her balance. ‘It looks as if we might be on board for some time yet.’

‘Not if I can help it.’ Lady Alice steadied herself by grasping the door handle. ‘Come along, Esther. Don’t dawdle.’

Raven was propped up on grubby pillows and fully conscious. He looked pale, and dark circles underlined his eyes, but he was awake and alert. There was no sign of the man who had been assigned to tend to his needs and last night’s bloodied dressings had been left to congeal in an enamel bowl.

‘How are you feeling?’ Lady Alice glanced round the cabin, wrinkling her small nose. ‘It smells foul in here.’

‘I’m all right, Alice. You needn’t worry about me. I’d get up, but I’m not dressed.’

She laid her hand on his forehead. ‘You feel cool enough. Thank heavens for that, at least.’

‘I’m sore but I don’t seem to have a fever. I’ll rise as soon as Hooper returns my clothes.’

‘Esther, I want you to examine the wound,’ Lady Alice said imperiously. ‘You’ll have to do the necessary. I’m sure you’re a born nurse, whereas I am not.’

Essie edged past her, but she hesitated, eyeing Raven warily. ‘Do you mind?’

‘No, go ahead,’ he said, closing his eyes. ‘I suppose you’ll do as you wish, whatever I say.’

His grudging attitude was uncalled for and unfair. Essie folded her arms, glaring at him. ‘You are a very ungrateful man. If it weren’t for me you might be in prison at this moment instead of lying there like a lord, while the rest of us are virtual prisoners on this rusty old bucket of a ship.’

His eyes opened and he stared at her in surprise. ‘Well now, so you can stand up for yourself, Essie Chapman. I was beginning to think that your father had bullied the spirit out of you.’

‘Stop fidgeting or this might hurt.’ Essie unwound the bandage and eased off the blood-soaked pad.

‘I’m going to my cabin,’ Lady Alice said, backing out of the door. ‘Call the girl in if you need assistance, Esther.’

‘Alice never could stand the sight of blood,’ Raven said with a wry smile. ‘Do your worst, Essie. I can take it.’

Hooper, the first mate, had left a pile of torn cotton sheeting, presumably intending to change the dressing at some point. Essie did not think the material looked too clean, but there was no alternative. She worked quickly and was relieved to find that the bleeding had stopped and there was, as yet, no sign of putrefaction.

‘It looks as if you’ve been lucky,’ she said as she secured the bandage in position. ‘But you must rest or you might start bleeding again.’

‘I need to see Falco. I want you and my cousin put ashore as soon as possible.’

Essie met his gaze with a steady look. ‘He says he won’t put into port until we reach Brindisi. Was that your plan?’

‘For myself, yes, but I didn’t know that Alice and her maid would be on board, let alone you, Essie. You helped me, and for that I’m grateful, but I didn’t intend for you to become so involved. This is my business.’

She piled the soiled dressings into the bowl. ‘It’s become mine as well, and short of jumping overboard I don’t see how we’re going to get ashore.’

His eyes lit with a smile. ‘Don’t do that, you might drown and then I’d feel really guilty.’

‘I’m serious, Raven.’ Until this moment Essie had never called him by name, but the time for observing the rules of etiquette was past, and she faced him angrily. ‘You seem to think this is a joke, and I can see the funny side of most things, but this has gone too far. You must make the captain put into port before we leave England.’

His smile faded. ‘You’re right. Send Falco to me. I’ll put an end to this charade.’

Chapter Six

They disembarked in Brindisi after what seemed like a lifetime on board the Santa Gabriella. Despite Raven’s alternate pleas and attempts at bribery, Captain Falco had refused to put ashore in England. Lady Alice had tried everything from tears and tantrums to mild seduction, all of which were ignored, leaving them no alternative but to accept their fate.

If she were to be truthful, Essie had enjoyed some aspects of life at sea. The sunrises and sunsets over the water had been magical and she had seen dolphins playing in the bow waves, a sight that filled her with joy despite the dire conditions on board. The sanitary arrangements left everything to be desired and the food was awful, but, for the most part, the crew were friendly and cheerful, and Captain Falco was not only an entertaining host but was also a talented singer with a beautiful tenor voice that could move Essie to tears. Lady Alice was frequently at loggerheads with him, but even she had to resort to her crumpled handkerchief when the captain came to the end of a particularly passionate rendition of a love song.

The voyage had ended now and it was good to step onto dry land at last. Essie breathed in the scents of Italy. The tantalising aroma of cooking floated on the gentle breeze, mingling with the scent of wild thyme and marjoram from the surrounding countryside, and Essie’s mouth watered at the thought of good food. The air was surprisingly sweet and clean, even allowing for the fact that they were still in the docks and vast catches of fish were being landed nearby, but the heat was stifling, and Essie was in desperate need of a change of clothes. Lady Alice looked pale and tired, probably due to the fact that she had never stopped moaning about her lack of wardrobe and the insanitary conditions on board ship, where fresh water was too precious a commodity to waste on laundering clothes.

‘Find us a hotel, Raven.’ Lady Alice stood on the quay wall, refusing to move. She glanced round, shaking her head. ‘I doubt if they have any decent shops in a place like this, but I must have new garments. We’re all in desperate need of a bath, including you.’

‘I look a hundred times worse than any of you ladies,’ Raven said gallantly. ‘Hooper tried to get the blood out of my jacket, but nothing can disguise the damage.’

‘Yes, you look quite disreputable, so please go and find somewhere for us to stay.’

‘But we are supposed to be looking for the monastery, Alice. The sooner we find Freddie, the better.’

Essie laid her hand on Raven’s sleeve. ‘Another day or two isn’t going to make any difference, and we do look like a band of didicoys.’

A reluctant smile curved his lips. ‘You’re right, of course. I’ll make enquiries in the dock office. They’re bound to know everything. Wait here and I’ll be as quick as I can.’

‘I’m hungry.’ Sadie clutched her belly, which was rumbling loud enough for all to hear.

‘I’m sure we’ll eat soon,’ Essie said vaguely as she watched Raven stride off with a feeling of relief. Her most pressing need was to have food that wasn’t boiled to a pulp or mouldy, and then the luxury of a tin tub filled with warm water and a bar of soap seemed like heaven on earth. Worries about her father and what was happening at home had long since taken second place to the act of survival, but relief was within her grasp and she experienced a surge of optimism. How she was going to get home was another matter, and one that she pushed to the back of her mind. Damp, cloudy London seemed a million miles away from the brilliant sunlight and blue skies of Italy.

Minutes later Raven returned with news that he had found an inn that could cater for their immediate needs and it was only a short walk from the harbour. Lady Alice fanned herself with her hand. ‘Aren’t there any cabs in this place? It’s far too hot to walk any distance.’

‘It’s half a mile at most, Alice. Surely you can manage that?’

‘Just think how nice it will be when we get there,’ Essie said with an encouraging smile. ‘Maybe we could find someone to wash our clothes. They’ll dry quickly in this heat.’

Lady Alice seemed about to argue when Captain Falco joined them. ‘How may I help you, my lady? You look a little perplexed.’

‘My cousin wants me to walk to the inn.’

Captain Falco’s dark eyes gleamed with amusement, but he put his head on one side, giving her a sympathetic smile. ‘Perhaps it would help if you took my arm, my lady. I have business with the landlord. I will make sure that you are given the respect due to an English lady.’

Essie held her breath, half expecting Lady Alice to brush his offer aside, but she seemed to revive a little and she laid her hand on his arm.

‘Thank you, Captain. You are a gentleman.’ Lady Alice shot a resentful look at Raven. ‘Captain Falco understands a lady’s sensibilities.’

Raven shrugged and walked on. ‘Come along, Essie. You too, Sadie. Or do I have to carry you both?’

Essie and Sadie fell into step behind him, leaving Captain Falco to assist Lady Alice.

The inn was a squat, square building, whitewashed and cool-looking beneath a terracotta-tiled roof. Hens pecked busily in the dust and goats roamed around freely, looking for anything remotely edible. The cockerel stalked about, fixing his beady eye on each of them in turn, and it seemed to Essie that he was eyeing the feathers on Lady Alice’s bonnet with suspicion, perhaps seeing them as a possible rival. Lady Alice herself was visibly wilting in the unaccustomed heat, but Captain Falco was being very solicitous, and his undivided attention seemed to please her. They were met in the doorway by the landlord, who bowed and smiled, welcoming them with gestures as if he were performing in a pantomime. He then embraced Captain Falco, speaking to him in rapid Italian. Essie had picked up a few words from the crew, but not enough to understand what he was saying.

Captain Falco slapped their host on the back. ‘Giacomo welcomes you all to his humble hostelry,’ he said grandly. ‘Unfortunately he does not speak English, but you will find him very accommodating.’

Lady Alice was suddenly all smiles. ‘Thank you so much, Capitano. You’ve been very kind, but we must not detain you. I’m sure you have much more important things to do than looking after us.’

‘There is nothing more important than taking care of a beautiful lady,’ Captain Falco said, taking her hand and raising it to his lips. ‘We will be in port for several days and I hope to see you again.’

Essie glanced at Sadie, who was watching open-mouthed. ‘Perhaps we ought to see our rooms,’ she suggested tentatively. Raven was looking bored and frankly sceptical and she was afraid he might say something to offend the captain, and then they would lose the help of the only person who spoke English fluently. She tapped Lady Alice on the shoulder. ‘You should go inside, my lady. The sun will ruin your complexion.’

‘Indeed it will.’ Lady Alice clicked her fingers to attract the landlord’s attention. ‘I want a bath tub filled with hot water, my good man. And I need the services of a dressmaker who can work quickly.’

The landlord turned to the captain, shrugging and holding his hands palm upwards with a bemused look on his plump face. Captain Falco drew him aside and after a brief conversation the landlord went indoors shouting orders to his employees.

‘Come along Alice,’ Raven said impatiently. ‘You’ve caused enough of a stir amongst these good people. Let’s go inside and I’ll order a meal.’

‘Bath first, food later.’ Lady Alice marched into the inn, her fatigue apparently forgotten, and Essie hurried after her with Sadie following close behind.

The interior was dark but surprisingly cool, and a flustered maid led them up a narrow wooden staircase to the first floor. The rooms were small, clean and sparsely furnished but after enduring the confines of a tiny cabin for over a week it seemed like heaven to Essie, even though she still had to share with Sadie. There were two beds, set against opposite walls with a chest of drawers beneath a window that overlooked the harbour. A rag rug was the only splash of colour in the room where everything was white, including the bedspreads.

‘I wonder if Lady Alice has got her bath,’ Sadie said, grinning. ‘I hope she lets us use it because I know I smell something chronic.’

‘Me, too.’ Essie sat down on the bed and took off her boots, wriggling her toes. ‘I think Lady Alice is used to getting her own way. She’s probably got a dressmaker in her room as we speak, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she had a new gown by this evening.’

‘I feel like a ragbag.’ Sadie glanced down at her grimy skirt with its frayed hem and a small tear where she had caught it on a nail. ‘Mrs Dent wouldn’t approve at all.’

‘Stay here,’ Essie said firmly. ‘I’ll go and speak to her ladyship. I know she said we could have new clothes, but I need to remind her.’ Essie left the room and marched along the corridor to knock on Lady Alice’s door.

‘Enter.’

Essie opened the door and stepped into the room, which was larger than the one she shared with Sadie. It was furnished with a brass bedstead, covered with a multi-coloured patchwork quilt, a painted wooden washstand and a clothes press. A large window overlooked countryside and distant hills. A bathtub had been placed in the centre of the floor and it was already half full.

‘Unbutton my gown, Essie. I can’t reach.’ Lady Alice stood stiffly to attention while Essie undid the tiny, fabric-covered fastenings. ‘I believe I have a dressmaker coming shortly.’ Lady Alice glanced over her shoulder. ‘Maybe she can do something for you and the girl as well. I can’t be seen with servants who look as though they’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards.’

‘I’m not your servant, my lady.’

‘You work for me, don’t you?’

‘That was different. I was helping you and Raven, and I became embroiled in your affairs, but it wasn’t my choice to be here.’

‘Nor mine, come to that.’ Lady Alice stepped out of her gown. ‘You can unlace me while you’re here. What did you want, anyway?’

‘It was to ask if we might have the bath water after you, and I was going to remind you that both Sadie and I are desperate for new clothes.’

Lady Alice turned to face her and her petulant expression melted into a charming smile. ‘Of course you may have the bath after me, in fact I insist upon it. I just hope they have some decent soap because I have a sensitive skin. As to clothes, if this woman is any good with her needle we will all have new gowns, although Sadie’s will be suitable for a child of her age, and mine will be grander than yours, which is only fitting.’

Essie threw back her head and laughed. ‘You are priceless, my lady. Here we are, miles from home, on the run from the law, which makes us equals, but you still think you’re better than us.’

Apparently unabashed, Lady Alice raised a delicate eyebrow. ‘And I am, naturally. My late father was the Earl of Dawlish and we can trace our family tree back to William the Conqueror. Your papa is a boatman.’

‘And you can’t dress yourself without someone to help you. Maybe there’s a lesson to be learned there somewhere.’

Lady Alice recoiled and for a brief moment her smile faded, then a gurgle of laughter escaped her lips. ‘All right, Essie. Given our situation perhaps we are equals, but that will change when we get back to England.’

‘When we return home we will probably be thrown into jail.’

‘But I will have a better cell, and I can afford to hire a good lawyer.’

Essie was saved from replying by a knock on the door and she went to open it. A flustered maidservant stepped into the room carrying a ewer filled with steaming water, which she emptied into the tub. She bobbed a curtsey and hurried from the room.

‘Enjoy your bath, my lady, and please don’t allow the water to get cold.’ Essie left the room, chuckling to herself. Title or no title, money or lack of it, they were sisters under the skin.

It was only later, when she was bathed and had washed the salt from her hair, that the reality of her situation came crashing in on Essie. She was alone in her room, sitting on the bed, wrapped in a skimpy towel, when she had a sudden vision of her father pacing the floor at home. He would be wondering what had happened to her, or more likely, he was in the bar at the Grapes, drowning his sorrows in rum punch. Then there was Ben. She could not begin to imagine what he must be thinking, but one thing was for certain, Ben would be distressed by her sudden disappearance. The boat had sunk, and Pa would be out of a job – but there was nothing she could do about it now. Her fate and Sadie’s seemed to be inextricably tangled up with that of Raven and Lady Alice, and there was nothing to be done other than to see the adventure through to the bitter end. Essie combed her hair, staring out of the window at the sun-bleached scene. During the sea voyage Captain Falco had provided them with necessities from a seemingly limitless supply of combs, hairbrushes and hand mirrors, which led Essie to suspect that they were not the first female passengers he had entertained on the Santa Gabriella. If he had produced a gown or two it would not have come as a surprise.

Essie jumped at the sound of someone tapping on the door. ‘Come in.’

The maid who had supplied the bath water entered the room, this time carrying a bundle of garments. She dropped them on Sadie’s bed. ‘Capitano Falco.’ She stood, arms akimbo, eyeing Essie curiously.

‘Capitano Falco?’ Essie repeated dazedly.

‘Sì, Capitano Falco.’ The maid nodded, pointing at the clothes and then at Essie.

‘For me?’ Essie studied the young woman’s face, liking what she saw. Olive-skinned and dark-eyed with glossy black hair and plump cheeks, the maid was handsome rather than beautiful, and she was obviously curious. ‘Grazie,’ Essie said, recalling the word from her attempts to converse with the crew of the Santa Gabriella.

A wide smile almost split the young woman’s face in two. ‘Prego.’

Essie seized the opportunity to introduce herself. ‘I am Essie,’ she said, indicating herself with a hand gesture. ‘Essie.’

‘Filomena.’

Essie smiled and held out her hand. ‘Buon giorno, Filomena.’

‘Buon giorno, Essie.’

They shook hands solemnly and then, as if by mutual consent, they broke down in giggles. Filomena was still laughing as she left the room, and Essie let the towel fall to the floor as she stood up to examine the clothes. No doubt the captain had conjured them up from somewhere; she had complete confidence in his ability to handle any situation, having seen him as master of the ship and its crew. But Captain Falco aside, the thought of wearing clean clothes was almost too much to bear without shouting for joy. There were two cotton print gowns, both well-worn and faded from many washes, but spotlessly clean. One was smaller and that would be suitable for Sadie, and the other, when slipped over Essie’s head, was a near-perfect fit. Essie could not help wondering if Captain Falco had chosen the dresses himself and she felt the blood rush to her cheeks. It was one thing for a man to be gallant and charming as the captain was, when in a good mood, but quite another for a gentleman to gauge a woman’s size by merely looking at her. However, the dress was cool and comfortable, and for that she could only be grateful. What it looked like was another matter, as there was no mirror in the room, but that was the least of her worries. What to do next was more important.

Essie had just tied the sash about her waist when Sadie burst into the room, pink-cheeked and smiling.

‘Oh, my,’ she said, coming to a sudden halt. ‘You do look pretty, Essie. That dress really suits you.’ Her eyes lit up as she spotted the garment left on her bed. ‘And there’s one for me, too. I ain’t had a new frock since I started working in Hill Street.’ She allowed the towel to drop to the floor, exposing her skinny body still dripping wetly after her bath, which Essie was certain must have been cold and scummy. Such details did not seem to bother Sadie and she slipped the simple shift over her head. ‘Ain’t this just the prettiest thing you ever did see?’

Essie nodded wordlessly. The summery garment suited Sadie’s childish form, and with her damp golden hair curling wildly around her shoulders she looked like a water sprite who had risen from the deep to dance and twirl in the sunlight. For the first time Essie saw a hint of beauty yet to make its stamp on a young face and figure, and more importantly, Sadie was happy and excited. Essie gave her a hug. ‘You look very nice.’

‘I feel good,’ Sadie said, beaming. ‘I almost forgot – Lady Alice wants you.’

Essie left Sadie combing the tangles from her hair, and she went knock on Lady Alice’s door, entering when she heard a muffled response. ‘You wanted me, my lady?’

‘Look at me. Who does he think I am?’ Lady Alice stood stiffly to attention, holding her arms out like a scarecrow. ‘This is the ugliest gown I have ever seen and the material is cheap. I wouldn’t dress a servant in this.’ She looked Essie up and down. ‘Your gown isn’t much better, but then you’re a—’ she broke off, blushing. ‘I mean, you don’t have a position to keep up.’

‘It’s all right,’ Essie said, shrugging. ‘You don’t have to explain, but it’s not too bad. At least it’s clean and tidy.’

Lady Alice held out the skimpy skirt. ‘It’s a peasant’s dress. I expect Captain Falco thinks it’s funny – well, it isn’t. I won’t leave this room looking like a serving wench.’

‘I dare say these garments were hard to come by.’ Essie eyed Lady Alice critically. ‘Our own clothes should be ready soon. They’ll dry quickly in this heat and you’ve sent for a dressmaker, so it’s just a matter of time and you’ll feel like yourself again.’

‘Stop being sensible, Esther.’ Lady Alice threw up her hands. ‘I can’t face Falco looking like this, and I’m hungry. I need food, so you’ll have to go downstairs and order something to be sent to my room. I intend to remain here until my clothes are dry.’

‘Of course I’ll do that, but first I need to know what is to become of me. I’m here by accident, as are you, I suppose. But I want to return to London. My pa will be frantic with worry.’

‘Neither of us intended to travel to Italy, but now I’m here I want to make sure that Freddie is all right. At least I’ll see that he gets the money that Raven intended him to have.’

‘Where does that leave me, my lady? I haven’t a penny to my name.’

Lady Alice sat down suddenly. She reached for her hairbrush and began using it with a faraway expression on her face. ‘I should be in my home in Devonshire, walking my dogs on the cliff top and meeting up with old friends. Dinner parties, soirées, card games, dancing and listening to beautiful music with like-minded people. Instead of which I am here in a poky little room with a bath full of disgusting dirty water, and I’m wearing a gown that is unfit for the lowest menial in my employ.’