them by the Marblehead merchants. When it came to business and bargaining on their goods, they were ruthless. But by the third day, the entire waterfront seemed to know of Gordon and Nicole—how his vessel had been seized and used in the British blockade, how the British had then arrested Gordon as a spy, how he had escaped through the endeavors of an American army sergeant and this woman rumored to be a titled lady. Whenever Nicole walked their meandering lanes and stopped in merchants’ shops, people offered the sober greetings of those who shared the strain of sea-bound lives and the privations of war.
Finally toward the end of the fourth day, she and Gordon took a walk around the dockside and up into the surrounding hills. They felt they had done all they could in preparation for embarking on the morrow. It was a warm afternoon and a welcome escape from the ship’s cramped quarters. Nicole slipped her hand through Gordon’s arm. “I will be overjoyed to be on our way come morning,” she murmured.
Gordon tipped his hat to a pair of ladies and waited until they had passed. “The thought of how I have bartered over supplies these past few days leaves me no end of weary.”
An older gentleman veered off the other sidewalk to make his way across the lane toward them. “A word, if you please, Captain,” he called.
Bearded and shaped like a seasoned barrel, he wore a greatcoat puffed out over a vast chest. “The name’s Darren, Captain Goodwind. I skipper yon vessel Hannah .”
Gordon gave a proper bow. “At your service, Captain Darren.”
“Word’s been passed about concerning your troubles and your journey ahead.” He bit hard on a long clay pipe, sending aromatic puffs skyward with each word. “Left a good impression around these parts, you and your crew.”
“It has not hindered your traders from squeezing every farthing from our meager purse,” Gordon answered sardonically.
“Aye, they’re a rapacious lot,” he replied with good humor. “Now then. We’re expecting you to be setting sail soon. How do you aim to set yourselves beyond the reach of yon Redcoats?” “I would be grateful for any advice you could give, sir.”
This was clearly the response Captain Darren had been seeking. “Come moonrise in two nights, our fishing vessels will be making their way home. They will be taking a southerly course and no doubt will be meeting up with the blockade. The Brits don’t sink the fishermen. But they do have a mind to rid them of a goodly portion of their catch. Blockade duty being what it is, they’re as eager for fresh food as any.”
“I don’t understand,” Nicole said. “Your fishermen know they will be caught?”
Gordon nodded slowly. “They are a decoy.”
Darren’s keen pleasure at Gordon’s perception showed in his smile. “Myself and another vessel, we’ll be charting a northerly course outbound. You’d be welcome to tag along ’til we’re safely away.”
“I am indeed obliged, Captain,” Gordon said. “We shall delay our departure and be ready to sail with the midnight tide two nights hence.”
Chapter 12
Anne awoke as the carriage swayed around a bend in the road. She leaned forward to peer out the window. The sea stretched before her in the early morning light. Its expanse only reminded her of the coming farewell.
Anne looked around the passenger coach at the sleeping travelers. Judith leaned upon Charles, who rested against the opposite side, steady snores escaping with every breath. Anne smiled in spite of herself.
The farther they had traveled through the night, the closer they had come to the ship and separation. When Anne could hold her eyes open no longer, her last sight had been of Thomas sleeping directly across from her, with John sprawled across the remainder of the seat, his head in Thomas’s lap. Now her son and husband lay curled up together. Sometime during the night Thomas had stretched out, and the boy had crawled up to lie across his
Finally toward the end of the fourth day, she and Gordon took a walk around the dockside and up into the surrounding hills. They felt they had done all they could in preparation for embarking on the morrow. It was a warm afternoon and a welcome escape from the ship’s cramped quarters. Nicole slipped her hand through Gordon’s arm. “I will be overjoyed to be on our way come morning,” she murmured.
Gordon tipped his hat to a pair of ladies and waited until they had passed. “The thought of how I have bartered over supplies these past few days leaves me no end of weary.”
An older gentleman veered off the other sidewalk to make his way across the lane toward them. “A word, if you please, Captain,” he called.
Bearded and shaped like a seasoned barrel, he wore a greatcoat puffed out over a vast chest. “The name’s Darren, Captain Goodwind. I skipper yon vessel Hannah .”
Gordon gave a proper bow. “At your service, Captain Darren.”
“Word’s been passed about concerning your troubles and your journey ahead.” He bit hard on a long clay pipe, sending aromatic puffs skyward with each word. “Left a good impression around these parts, you and your crew.”
“It has not hindered your traders from squeezing every farthing from our meager purse,” Gordon answered sardonically.
“Aye, they’re a rapacious lot,” he replied with good humor. “Now then. We’re expecting you to be setting sail soon. How do you aim to set yourselves beyond the reach of yon Redcoats?” “I would be grateful for any advice you could give, sir.”
This was clearly the response Captain Darren had been seeking. “Come moonrise in two nights, our fishing vessels will be making their way home. They will be taking a southerly course and no doubt will be meeting up with the blockade. The Brits don’t sink the fishermen. But they do have a mind to rid them of a goodly portion of their catch. Blockade duty being what it is, they’re as eager for fresh food as any.”
“I don’t understand,” Nicole said. “Your fishermen know they will be caught?”
Gordon nodded slowly. “They are a decoy.”
Darren’s keen pleasure at Gordon’s perception showed in his smile. “Myself and another vessel, we’ll be charting a northerly course outbound. You’d be welcome to tag along ’til we’re safely away.”
“I am indeed obliged, Captain,” Gordon said. “We shall delay our departure and be ready to sail with the midnight tide two nights hence.”
Chapter 12
Anne awoke as the carriage swayed around a bend in the road. She leaned forward to peer out the window. The sea stretched before her in the early morning light. Its expanse only reminded her of the coming farewell.
Anne looked around the passenger coach at the sleeping travelers. Judith leaned upon Charles, who rested against the opposite side, steady snores escaping with every breath. Anne smiled in spite of herself.
The farther they had traveled through the night, the closer they had come to the ship and separation. When Anne could hold her eyes open no longer, her last sight had been of Thomas sleeping directly across from her, with John sprawled across the remainder of the seat, his head in Thomas’s lap. Now her son and husband lay curled up together. Sometime during the night Thomas had stretched out, and the boy had crawled up to lie across his
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