Darcy's Voyage: A Tale of Uncharted Love on the Open Seas (4 page)

He walked with long strides toward the front of the ship. He knew he would enjoy being out on the deck, and hoped that at least two things would be in his favour on this crossing. The first was that the weather would be accommodating so that he could come up often and take undisturbed walks. He knew in bad weather he would need to remain below. The other favourable condition would be that he would not be assaulted by single ladies or their matchmaking mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, or friends, looking at him as some sort of prize in the pursuit of a husband. He was in no mood to contend with such intrusions as his thoughts were singularly focused on reuniting with Georgiana and returning her to England.

Darcy noticed a few people had begun greeting one another and were making new acquaintances. Most everyone extended amiable courtesies toward one another, impervious to one another’s standing in society.

As the ship slowly made its way toward the open seas of the English Channel, Darcy continued to quietly conjecture about his fellow passengers instead of converse with them, and stood off by himself, content in his preference for solitude.

At length he was grateful to find his good friend, the captain, up on deck, and he walked over to him. “Good day, Captain Wendell.”

“Darcy! How do you find your room?”

“Excellent, sir.”

“Good. It is one of our finest; only the best for the owner of the ship.”

“Yes, well, I would prefer that you not make that fact known to anyone. I would not want people coming to me with their problems and concerns.”

The captain laughed. “And neither would I want them to do that. Take no offence, Darcy, but I fear your knowledge of sailing and this ship would be most inadequate to help them with their concerns.”

“That is true.” Darcy looked at him wryly. “May I inquire something of you, Wendell?”

“Certainly!”

“If we are now on our way, and as you are the captain, who is sailing the ship?”

“Ah, how often I am asked that question! I do have others perfectly capable of taking the helm. Be not dismayed, Darcy, you are in good hands.”

“I did not doubt that, sir.”

“Good.”

Darcy noticed the young lady he observed earlier coming toward them and pass by them. She nodded to the captain, glanced in Darcy’s direction, and continued on.

“Captain, another question, if you do not mind.”

“Yes?”

“Do women often make this voyage unescorted?”

“Yes, frequently. On each voyage I normally have a handful. They do it for various reasons, usually financial. But do not fear, Darcy, I issue them some commonsense guidelines and try to ensure that there is no impropriety aboard this vessel. You can be confident of that.”

“Thank you, Captain. I am reassured to hear that.”

“Good. I would not want to have to use my upper hand in keeping
you
in line with the ladies onboard.”

“Do not worry yourself, Captain. I have only seen meagrely tolerable women on this ship; certainly none handsome enough to tempt me in the least.”

The captain laughed. “Darcy, you have not changed one bit in the years I have known you. You and your impeccable, fastidious nature. I have seen several whom I would regard as quite pretty.”

“I have no intention on this voyage to give consequence to ladies who have been unable to secure a husband for themselves in England and who are determined to find one aboard this sailing vessel even before arriving in America. It is apparent to me that the ladies on this ship, for the most part, have very little beauty and no breeding at all. Most are decidedly beneath my station.” At this the captain raised his eyebrows. Darcy continued, “As it is, my main goal is to retrieve Georgiana and return her to England, not to seek out a female diversion; let alone secure for myself a wife.”

“You are still the interminable critic. Always determined to be displeased with everything and everyone you meet. Well, Darcy, I shall leave you to your scrupulous musings. If you will excuse me, sir, I need to see to the passengers on my ship.” The captain smiled and walked away, wondering just what it would take to penetrate the Darcy armour.

“Of course,” Darcy nodded as the captain turned and walked away.

Elizabeth’s eyes opened wide and her jaw dropped in derision as she heard the gentleman’s disagreeable assessment of his fellow passengers. She turned and eyed the man who had been standing with his back to her, talking with the captain. She had not intended to eavesdrop, but as she walked past them, there was a vague sense of familiarity with the gentleman, but not such that she could put her finger on. When she saw a bench situated directly behind where they were standing, she decided to take a seat there, hoping to hear something that would help her determine if she had met him before. However, after overhearing his caustic words, she was quite certain she had never made his acquaintance and was even more certain she did not wish to.

At that moment, Darcy turned to walk on and saw Elizabeth sitting directly behind him, her eyes mocking, one brow raised. Darcy tensed, feeling at the moment the object of this young lady’s scorn, believing she had heard his every word. He turned away from her and briskly walked to the other side of the ship.

He certainly seems to think himself above everyone,
she mused.
Not one lady handsome enough to tempt him, and most everyone decidedly beneath his station.
She stood up and brushed her hands lightly over her dress, walking over to the ship’s rail. If Jane were here, or perhaps her good friend Charlotte, she would heartily laugh at this gentleman’s blatantly proud and arrogant manner.

Darcy proceeded to the other side of the ship and leaned against the hull, holding himself stiffly. He watched people coming and going, trying to appear as indifferent and as invisible as he could, so he would be left alone.

The winds picked up a little and the sails billowed out even more. Darcy was anxious to see the Dover cliffs and watch the coast of England as they sailed past. He turned to walk over to the other side of the ship and took in a deep breath, recognizing that first scent of salty air. He contentedly let it out slowly when suddenly a great sound from above caught his attention and prompted him to look up.

Elizabeth had been drawn out of her reverie, watching the land pass by, when the remaining sails were unfurled and, in catching the wind, abruptly propelled the ship faster.

“Oh my!” exclaimed Elizabeth in awe as she glanced up at the magnificent ship in full sail. She brought her hand up to secure the bonnet on her head as she stepped back a few steps to get a better view.

Darcy continued to gaze upward at the magnificent sight as he strolled across the deck of the ship. Being more captivated with the sails than where he was going, he was suddenly dismayed when he inelegantly collided with someone. He looked down and found himself face-to-face with the young lady he had seen earlier.

Elizabeth’s eyes continued to sparkle in delight from the sight of the sails as she turned her gaze to the man into whom she had just collided. Unwittingly, Darcy found himself captivated by those eyes, but when Elizabeth saw who it was, the sparkle quickly departed.

“Excuse me. Please forgive me!” As he said these words and reached out his hands to steady her, a very fleeting memory teased his thoughts. He looked at her, wondering if she would return a look of recognition, but instead she gave him one that reflected an air of indifference, laced with a touch of agitation, as she coolly replied to him that no harm was done.

After Elizabeth collected herself and walked past the gentleman, she wondered, as well, what it was that swept through her mind when they collided. He was of a higher class than she and not someone she would have an occasion to know. So what was that tenuous recollection that touched her mind and then evaporated? She shook her head absently as any sort of remembrance eluded her. She doubted that he would ever have heard of the little village of Meryton, let alone visited it. And when she was in Town visiting her aunt and uncle, it was highly unlikely that he would frequent the Cheapside area in which the Gardiners lived.

Her determined departure from his presence, however, did not remove thoughts of her from his mind. He concluded she was definitely not a woman of society, most likely had very little fortune and connections, and would, by all means, be most ill suited for him. He turned back to the cliffs, which were now growing smaller in the distance, and for some strange reason found himself sighing.

Elizabeth walked briskly away from the gentleman whose character she had determined to be proud and disagreeable, but lingered up on deck as long as she was able to see the coast of England. She leaned against the rail of the ship, letting the breeze lightly play against her face as she kept her eyes set upon the shore. At length it slowly grew smaller and smaller and soon the last vestiges of it disappeared from the horizon. At that moment her stomach quickened and she wondered with a fleeting sense of apprehension whether she had made a sensible decision in making this voyage. Tears pooled in her eyes as the realization hit her that she would be at the mercy of the unpredictable seas, changing weather conditions, and this large piece of floating wood for at least the duration of a month, and then have to endure it on the return voyage. Would she ever see her family and England again?

With land no longer visible, the ship was completely surrounded by a vast array of blues from both the sky above and the sea below. Each was dotted with splays of white, in the puffy clouds and the tips of the waves as the ship glided through the water. The weather was comfortably warm, but the constant breeze demanded that she wear her shawl. She hugged it closer to herself as a chill swept through her. Whether it was from the breeze or a disquieting feeling, she could not settle on.

At length, she decided to make her way back down the steps to her quarters to unpack her belongings. With each step that took her farther down into the dark bowels of the ship, her heart tightened. When she had come down here earlier with her father, she had assured him that the accommodations were adequate and she would manage comfortably in them. But in reality, she hoped she would not have to be confined to this place very often, as it was dark, dank, and very musty smelling.

It was not that the ship’s accommodations were inferior or unclean, but it soon became apparent that it was considerably crowded with people in a tightly confined space. There was very little room to move. They had been assured that the steerage accommodations on
Pemberley’s Promise
were among the finest. Now, however, with the quarters being filled with people, luggage hauled in, and the first indications of sea sickness taking hold, the conditions rapidly deteriorated. In an environment such as this, even the finest accommodations would become daunting. Elizabeth found herself wondering how she would fare down here for any considerable amount of time.

When her aunt and uncle invited her and Jane to join them in America, the Gardiners offered to pay for the return voyage if the Bennets could pay for the voyage over. As it turned out, Jane determined she would not be able to make the long voyage over. Elizabeth, anxious to make the journey, but knowing her family had not the means to spend a vast deal on a trip such as this, insisted they purchase the least expensive ticket for her. That meant she would have to travel in steerage.

As she returned to her simple bed, she readily and easily greeted those around her. This confined compartment for ladies and children would be her home for at least the next month. She sat down upon her bunk, absently smoothing it with a wipe of her hand. A simple pillow, sheet, and two coverlets upon a thin mattress were to be the extent of her bedding down here. This was a big difference from the soft, comfortable bed overflowing with thick quilts and blankets in which she normally slept. She was grateful she had brought along an extra light coverlet in case it was needed.

Elizabeth soon struck up a conversation with a woman who was in the bed next to hers. Mrs. Rawlings was travelling to America with her husband and two daughters, Pauline, who was five, and Penelope, who was seven. She was four months with child, and her husband was in the other half of steerage with the men. In talking with her, Elizabeth was surprised to discover that her children and a few others were doubled up in the beds.

When Pauline began complaining of feeling ill, Elizabeth offered to entertain Penelope while Mrs. Rawlings looked after Pauline.

Little Penelope boldly handed Elizabeth a book she had brought along with her and eagerly climbed up onto her lap, squirming to get comfortable. Elizabeth obliged this little girl who was very close in age to her aunt and uncle Gardiner’s daughter, Amanda. When Elizabeth made extended stays with the Gardiners in London, she enjoyed entertaining her little cousins and, sensing that Mrs. Rawlings had her hands full with Pauline, was grateful that little Penelope was warming up to her very nicely.

Fortunately, Elizabeth knew the story well, for the light coming down the open hatch was dim. She told the story to Penelope with much animation, securing the young girl’s affections and approval. Upon finishing, Elizabeth inquired of Mrs. Rawlings whether she would consent to both of them going up on deck to get some fresh air. Mrs. Rawlings heartily agreed, which allowed her to concentrate fully on trying to help her other daughter feel more comfortable.

Elizabeth held on to the little girl’s hand tightly as they ascended the three flights of stairs and came up to the top deck of the ship. Elizabeth savoured the fresh air as she took in a deep breath, taking delight in the sights about her. There was a gentle wind propelling them forward, and to Elizabeth’s novice eyes, it appeared as though every sail was unfurled. The sailors seemed to have an excellent knowledge of what was required of them, and she watched in delight as they climbed up and down the rigging. It reminded her of the acrobats at the circus she had seen once in town, who climbed the ropes with ease and with seemingly no sense of fear that they might fall.

Penelope, confined so long in steerage, was anxious to get out and run. Elizabeth was afraid to let go of the young child’s hand, so she walked briskly while Penelope ran alongside of her, occasionally breaking into a trot herself. She enjoyed being up on deck again and relished the opportunity to expend some of her own energy and pent-up emotions she had been feeling since leaving the coast of England.

Elizabeth knew the only way she would be able to enjoy herself for the duration of the month on this ship was if she could be up on the deck and walk. It was something she enjoyed immensely at home, and hoped the weather would oblige them and be favourable enough for a brisk walk frequently upon the deck.

Suddenly Penelope squealed and called out, “Daddy!”

Elizabeth looked up and saw a young man rush over to Penelope, sweeping her up in his arms. “Hey, there is my little girl!” He swung her around. “Where are Pauline and Mother?” He glanced questioningly at Elizabeth.

Penelope answered. “Polly is not feeling well, and Mother is taking care of her. Miss Bennet is taking me for a walk on the boat.”

“Excuse me, sir, but I am Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Your wife is tending Pauline who is feeling a bit unsettled, so I offered to bring Penelope up to allow her to get some fresh air and exercise.”

“That is very kind of you, Miss Bennet. I am Jack Rawlings.”

“It is a pleasure, Mr. Rawlings.”

Penelope held on to her father’s hand and twirled around him as they talked. Elizabeth laughed at the playfulness and endless energy of this young girl.

Her father looked down at her as she continued to dance around him. “Penny, remember what we told you. You must engage in calm and quiet activities while on the ship.”

“I am afraid, sir, that, if she is anything like me, she will need to engage in some brisk activity occasionally to make up for the confinement down below.”

“She is a lively young girl.”

“I have noticed.”

He proceeded to ask Elizabeth about how his wife and daughter were faring. She was drawn to his easy manner and evident care and concern for his family.

***

Darcy wandered into the eating area, a large room filled with tables and benches, where the meals would be served and people could congregate and visit. He walked in hoping to find something light to eat or drink and discovered, much to his consternation, that it was filled with noisy travellers who, for the most part, and upon his initial assessment, appeared unpolished and hailed from exceedingly low connections. Most were engaged in conversation, either with friends or family with whom they were travelling or with new acquaintances they had made since coming aboard.

He looked around for some obscure place to sit down where he could be by himself, but none was to be found. People were spread out everywhere and it was irritatingly loud. He scanned the crowd, and not observing anyone whose manners or company looked inviting, at once began to feel uncomfortable. He was able to secure some tea for himself and walked toward the outer wall, one which was dotted with small windows looking out to the deck.

He gazed out the small window as he drank the tea, leaning against the wall with one shoulder, tilting his head as he looked out at the people walking by on the deck. Over the years he had become proficient at putting on this façade of aloofness which, as a rule, allowed him the privacy and solitude that afforded him personal comfort. He suddenly realized he was watching the movements of the lady he had encountered earlier, walking by with a child.

His eyes narrowed as he witnessed this, straining his neck to watch them proceed toward the front of the ship. She was holding on to the young girl’s hand, walking along with her and occasionally allowing herself to slip into a skip or a run. He found himself unexpectedly drawn to her vivacious and unreserved nature. She seemed not at all concerned what others might think of her actions.

With his mind engaged on the scene playing out before him, he gradually became aware of someone standing next to him, disturbing his preoccupation and speculations.

He turned to see a woman standing by his side. She was definitely striking, more so in a fashionable than handsome way. She had been gazing off across the room, but when he turned his eyes upon her, she met his gaze and knowingly mistook it as a sign of the gentleman’s interest.

“Good afternoon, sir.” He was taken aback by her forwardness. “What a relief it is to finally find someone onboard this ship who obviously frequents the same circles in society as I! I can certainly guess your thoughts at the moment. You are thinking how insupportable it will be to spend a month in such tedious company as found on this ship.”

Darcy’s jaw tightened as he pondered his response. “Your assessment is more correct than you would imagine.”

She smiled, pleased with his apparent agreement. “My name is Eleanor Brewster.” She held out her hand, extended with her palm down, in hopes that he might take it and bestow a kiss upon the top of her hand.

She was more than disappointed when he merely answered, “I am Fitzwilliam Darcy,” and gave a quick, short bow.

Despite her disappointment, she asked, “Are you travelling with family?” She looked around him and quickly added, “Are your wife and children with you?” She put on a smile that was intended to evoke a response.

Darcy eyed her suspiciously and felt the all too familiar sense of discomfiture come over him as she continued her ploy of persuasion. The very fact that she claimed to frequent the same circles of society as himself, yet was completely disregarding the dictates of that society by approaching him and beginning a conversation with him, appalled him. She obviously thought herself above the good manners of polite society, having the unrivalled audacity to approach him so boldly.

Every movement of hers was meant to entice and ensnare, but Darcy was more annoyed than allured. He forced a civil smile upon his face and offered a simple, “I am travelling alone.”

This pleased her greatly. Desiring nothing more than to continue the conversation, she asked, “May I inquire, sir, as to why you are heading to the colonies?”

Darcy, lacking all desire to continue this conversation or encourage this woman, replied with a paramount lack of enthusiasm, “Strictly to retrieve my sister and then return to England as soon as possible.”

“Oh, sir, what a kind brother you must be! To have such concern for your sister, to give up at least two months of your life to travel to and fro…” Her hand went up to her neck and she fingered a rather large brooch that hung there as she calculated her next comment. “But perhaps, Mr. Darcy, while you are there, you might find the need for a companion to show you around. I would be…”

“I think not,” Darcy interrupted.

His response was not the one she wished for. Darcy felt a surge of agitation infuse throughout his body and he impatiently excused himself, bowed, and turned away. He quickly finished the tea and set his cup down, anxious to put as much distance as he could between this woman and himself.

As he quickly headed for the door, an older man and his wife entered, followed by a young lady in her late teens. The older man greeted him and immediately introduced himself.

“Good day, sir. My name is Gerald Summers.” He extended his hand and Darcy reluctantly, but civilly, extended his.

“Fitzwilliam Darcy,” was his only response.

Summers jovially expressed his pleasure at making the acquaintance. “And may I introduce my wife, Henrietta Summers, and my lovely daughter, Miss Angela Summers.”

Darcy bowed to both, sensing that the father and mother were eyeing him and going through a checklist of sorts of eligible suitors for their young daughter. He sensed uneasiness rather than eagerness, however, in the young girl’s demeanour.

“May I assume that you are travelling alone, sir?” Mr. Summers inquired.

Darcy nodded reluctantly. “You assume correctly.”

“Good, good! You can complete our table tonight at whist. Can we count on you?”

Darcy took in a deep breath. His natural tendency would lead him to brusquely brush him aside and not give a second thought about putting him in his place. But he knew spending a month with the same people in the confines of this ship required him to make more of an effort at civility, so replied, “Thank you, Mr. Summers, but I rarely play. If you will excuse me…”

Darcy removed himself from a most discomfiting situation for the second time in just a few minutes. As he walked past them, he sighed.
How am I ever going to endure a month on this ship without keeping myself sequestered in my cabin?