was very faint
and the wind whipped away the words. Harry, Grace and Edwin were tearing
at the ropes around their waists where they had been tied, but they couldn’t
move them or undo them. The knots had become soaked and the ropes tore at
the skin on their fingers, making them sore and bleed. It was amazing
that they could hear Eleanor at all. The wind was so strong around them
that they could hardly hear themselves think.
The
Sailing Master held on to the rope again to try and reach Eleanor. Then a
gust came across the boat, and the wind turned the rope into a giant whip and
threw him out to sea, never to be seen again.
“Help
me!” cried Eleanor again. “I can’t hold on.”
Only
Eloise managed to loosen the knot around her and she edged along the deck
holding one end of a long piece of rope attached to what little remained of the
mast. She reached Eleanor and grabbed a hand which gratefully wrapped
around her own. The others were suddenly blinded by a squall of rain, so
they couldn’t see what happened next. The rain stung on their faces and
they had to shut their eyes.
As
Eloise held tight to Eleanor’s hand, Guy of Caen crawled along the edge of the
deck. His black cloak bellowed above and he gave the impression of a
giant bat as the lightning started and lit the scene.
There
was no way Eloise could signal or shout at Guy. Even with a tongue to
speak, he would never have heard. She just hoped he would grab Eleanor’s
other hand.
Guy’s
cloak was finally whipped away by the wind, and he managed to stand
upright. But instead of helping, he stamped on Eleanor’s other hand
so that she had to let go of the deck with a scream and only Eloise’s feeble
grasp was saving her from oblivion.
In
spite of all the wind and rain, Eleanor could hear what Guy of Caen said to
Eloise, “We must be rid of her! It is our duty to King Louis of
France! Let her go.”
Eloise
shook her head and uttered a groan from the depths of her belly. A guttural, “ Nooooooooo !” emerged from her mouth. With all her
strength, she pulled Eleanor towards her. Then, she scratched at the eyes and
face of Guy of Caen, drawing blood and making him stagger back to the
edge. He regained his stance before wiping his face and looking angrily
at the blood on his fingers.
Suddenly,
the rain squall passed and the wind changed. Harry opened his eyes and
saw the wind catch the rope Eloise was holding, with Eleanor now firmly in her
arms. It was whipped up and the two of them lost their footing to become
a gruesome pennant, flying in the wind right over the edge of the
ship. Harry looked on helplessly.
16. The Navigator
Suddenly the ship tipped right
back in the other direction and Harry was looking at the sky, his back tight to
the mast. He saw everything in slow motion. The rope was straight
above him. Eloise and Eleanor were both forced to let it go. Down
they flew, their backs towards him. Suddenly Eleanor’s body hit him and
winded him, but he acted as a cushion and he had the presence of mind to grab
hold of her. Edwin had Eloise and they tied them both to the mast, giving
them temporary safety.
When
Harry looked up out to the edge of the boat, Guy of Caen had vanished,
presumably taken by the wind and drowned.
Eleanor
opened her eyes and tried to think about what she had heard in the midst of her
ordeal. It was impossible and despite the noise of the storm, the
exhaustion of the adventure made her pass out into a restless and nightmarish
sleep, with her head resting on Sophie. By morning, she had forgotten all
about it.
Eleanor
woke from the storm with Sophie licking her face. The rain was falling
heavily now and it was pitch black all around. Eleanor licked her lips,
but all she could taste was salt. Then the rainwater refreshed her lips.
The touch of water was delicious. She was so thirsty. She needed
more water, but where would it come from? That
and the wind whipped away the words. Harry, Grace and Edwin were tearing
at the ropes around their waists where they had been tied, but they couldn’t
move them or undo them. The knots had become soaked and the ropes tore at
the skin on their fingers, making them sore and bleed. It was amazing
that they could hear Eleanor at all. The wind was so strong around them
that they could hardly hear themselves think.
The
Sailing Master held on to the rope again to try and reach Eleanor. Then a
gust came across the boat, and the wind turned the rope into a giant whip and
threw him out to sea, never to be seen again.
“Help
me!” cried Eleanor again. “I can’t hold on.”
Only
Eloise managed to loosen the knot around her and she edged along the deck
holding one end of a long piece of rope attached to what little remained of the
mast. She reached Eleanor and grabbed a hand which gratefully wrapped
around her own. The others were suddenly blinded by a squall of rain, so
they couldn’t see what happened next. The rain stung on their faces and
they had to shut their eyes.
As
Eloise held tight to Eleanor’s hand, Guy of Caen crawled along the edge of the
deck. His black cloak bellowed above and he gave the impression of a
giant bat as the lightning started and lit the scene.
There
was no way Eloise could signal or shout at Guy. Even with a tongue to
speak, he would never have heard. She just hoped he would grab Eleanor’s
other hand.
Guy’s
cloak was finally whipped away by the wind, and he managed to stand
upright. But instead of helping, he stamped on Eleanor’s other hand
so that she had to let go of the deck with a scream and only Eloise’s feeble
grasp was saving her from oblivion.
In
spite of all the wind and rain, Eleanor could hear what Guy of Caen said to
Eloise, “We must be rid of her! It is our duty to King Louis of
France! Let her go.”
Eloise
shook her head and uttered a groan from the depths of her belly. A guttural, “ Nooooooooo !” emerged from her mouth. With all her
strength, she pulled Eleanor towards her. Then, she scratched at the eyes and
face of Guy of Caen, drawing blood and making him stagger back to the
edge. He regained his stance before wiping his face and looking angrily
at the blood on his fingers.
Suddenly,
the rain squall passed and the wind changed. Harry opened his eyes and
saw the wind catch the rope Eloise was holding, with Eleanor now firmly in her
arms. It was whipped up and the two of them lost their footing to become
a gruesome pennant, flying in the wind right over the edge of the
ship. Harry looked on helplessly.
16. The Navigator
Suddenly the ship tipped right
back in the other direction and Harry was looking at the sky, his back tight to
the mast. He saw everything in slow motion. The rope was straight
above him. Eloise and Eleanor were both forced to let it go. Down
they flew, their backs towards him. Suddenly Eleanor’s body hit him and
winded him, but he acted as a cushion and he had the presence of mind to grab
hold of her. Edwin had Eloise and they tied them both to the mast, giving
them temporary safety.
When
Harry looked up out to the edge of the boat, Guy of Caen had vanished,
presumably taken by the wind and drowned.
Eleanor
opened her eyes and tried to think about what she had heard in the midst of her
ordeal. It was impossible and despite the noise of the storm, the
exhaustion of the adventure made her pass out into a restless and nightmarish
sleep, with her head resting on Sophie. By morning, she had forgotten all
about it.
Eleanor
woke from the storm with Sophie licking her face. The rain was falling
heavily now and it was pitch black all around. Eleanor licked her lips,
but all she could taste was salt. Then the rainwater refreshed her lips.
The touch of water was delicious. She was so thirsty. She needed
more water, but where would it come from? That
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