Miss Whittier Makes a List (23 page)

Hannah shuddered and hurried to the gun deck, and down the companionway to her room. The Marine sat outside her door this time, his bandaged leg resting on an overturned bucket. He held out a note to her.

She took it over to the ship
’
s lantern and read,
“
Imperative you come to my cabin. We have a matter to discuss. Adam will be there, too. Spark.
”

Hannah folded the note and put it in her pocket. In another moment, she stood outside the captain
’
s door. The Marine there clicked his heels to attention and opened the door for her.

Adam looked up from his contemplation of a handful of papers as she entered, his face grim. Spark stood beside Mr. Futtrell in quiet conversation. Spark motioned her in.

“
Come, Miss Whittier,
”
he said.
“
Have a seat
.
There
’
s something here you must read. Adam, give her that first page.
”

He was all business, standing there in his stockinged feet, far removed from the man who could not bring himself to bury his comrades that morning. She didn
’
t understand his restless energy until she took the paper and began to read.

“
Sit, Lady Amber,
”
he said, pulling out a chair for her. She did as he said, her eyes on the paper, her attention caught.

“
We found this document in a tarred shot pouch,
”
he explained as she looked up,
a question in her eyes.
“
I can only assume that the poor Frog was supposed to throw it overboard and sink it, but our lieutenant of Marines boarded too soon and spoiled his aim.
”

“
This can
’
t be what I think it is,
”
she murm
ured when she finished.

He took the water-stained page from her.
“
It is a communiqu
é
from William Darlington, the acting governor of
Antigua
, to Napoleon himself, damn his traitorous hide.
”
Spark banged his hand on the table and
she
jumped.
“
I have sat at that man
’
s table and eaten his food! And here he is, a traitor to the crown.
”
He took the next pages from Adam, who was sitting quietly now and watching the captain.
“
There
’
s more, Hannah,
too much more.
”

She continued rea
ding
, dis
tra
cted at first by Spark, who paced back and forth across the width of the ste
rn
, then absorbed and repelled at the same time by the document in her hands. It was pages of information about ship strengths of British commerce raiders and ships of the line that sailed in the
Caribbean
.

Spark stopped his pacing and stood behind her chair. He jabbed the page with his finger.
“
And look here! That damned
Darlington
names Lord Luckingham, another traitor within the government itself! I am astounded what men will do for money.
”

She put down the papers and Spark sa
t
beside her.
“
We have
to get this document to
England
,”
he said.

“
But isn
’
t that where we are headed?
”
She looked at the captain, wondering at his restless energy.

He took her hands.
“
Hannah, we
’
re sinking. The pumps can
’
t keep up, and we
’
ll never raise
Portsmouth
. We
’
re going to sett
le lower and lower in the water until we have to
t
ake to the small boats.
”

“
Oh.
”
She let that news soak in, then freed her hands from the captain
’
s.
“
You had a ch
art
on the table this morning. The Azores?
”

He nodded.
“
That
’
s our only hope, Hannah, and the trouble of it is, I don
’
t know if they remain in Portuguese hands, or if the French have taken over. I think within a very short time, we will be prisoners of the French, even if we make that landfall.
”

He took her hand again.
“
I wanted you to know how bad was our situation, you and Adam. I
’
m so
rr
y I ever got you two into this mess.
”

Hannah did not pull her hand away this time.
“
All I really wanted to do was get to
Charleston
,
”
she reminded him gently.

He winced.
“
A hit below the waterline,
Hannah!
”

Adam stirre
d in his chair.
“
Thee has something in mind, doesn
’
t thee?
”
he asked quietly.
“
And excuse me if I doubt it is an apology.
”

Spark gave Adam a measuring stare, and then a reluctant smile.
“
There are no flies on Yankees, are there?
”
he murmured.

“
No, sir,
”
Adam replied.
“
What do you want from me? I
’
d prefer thee did not involve Hannah, if it
’
s to be dangerous. I at least have considerable regard for her welfare, even if thee does not.
”

His words, quietly spoken, hung in the air. Mr. Futtrell, who had been listening to this exchange, tugged at his chin and tu
rne
d away.

“
You think I have no regard for Miss Whittier
’
s welfare?
”
Spark asked, his voice as quiet as Adam
’
s.

“
I don
’
t trust thee,
”
Adam said.

“
Adam, what is thee saying!
”
Hannah cried.

Adam refused to look at her. She wriggled her fingers out of the captain
’
s grasp and folded her hands in her lap.
“
Say on
,
Captain,
”
she said.

“
If we are soon prisoners of the French, you two Americans will likely be
freed
because you are not belligerents. I want you to get this dispatch to
London
.
”

Adam was silent for a long moment.
“
Let me think now. Thee raided the
Molly Claridge,
and took me off. Thee has probably been impressing others like me for years. We ought to be at war with
England
.
”

“
Yes, you are quite right.
”
Spark agreed.

“
Thee has ruined my family
’
s peace and frightened Hannah.
”

“
She
’
s equal to it,
”
the captain said.

“
By God, thee is a cheeky bastard, for someone seeking a favor,
”
Adam burst out, his face red
.

“
I certainly am,
”
Spark agreed, his equanimity unruffled by Adam
’
s charge.
“
I am also in serious like with Hannah Whittier, and would never do her any h
ar
m.
”
He bowed to Hannah, who sat dumbfounded.
“
I don
’
t know you well enough to be in love yet, Lady Amber, but I fear I am dreadfully close. Is that cheeky enough, Adam?
”

Adam regarded the captain in profound silence. Numb, Hannah stared at her hands in her lap, unable to look at anyone in the cabin. The captain stood behind her, resting his hands on the chair back. The very air seemed to crack
l
e with tension.

Finally, Adam sighed.
“
Lord, what a muddle,
”
he muttered.
“
Hannah, what should we do?
”

She considered the matter. If, by some miracle, they managed to raise the
Azores
, the French would see to their release. At the least, they could request passage on a vessel to retu
rn
them to the
Caribbean
. She could be in
Charleston
in a month or less. With any luck, this whole adventure would soon wear into a bad dream, and after all, what did they owe the British?

She looked at the dispatch resting in her lap, wishing it would go away. She thought of the men of the
Dissuade
,
many dead, others wounded, and multiplied that number by the twenty British ships named in the dispatch. If Napoleon continued to be fed traitorous information about the Royal Navy in
Caribbean
waters, he would know how to h
ar
ry the British there. Heating up the war in the Caribbean would mean
Britain
would be stretched even thinner in its blockade of the French and Spanish
coasts
. She could see only more death, more war. It is against everything I believe, she thought as she leaned back in the chair and felt Spark
’
s fingers against her back.>

Hannah scooted forward quickly and slapped the dispatch on the table.
“
Adam, we cannot be party to more death, and thee knows that would happen if this dispatch fell into French hands. I say we get the document to
London
.
”

Adam looked up at Captain Spark, who had not moved from his position behind Hannah
’
s chair, and then back at her.
“
Hannah, we could be home in a month if we do not,
”
he reminded her, his thoughts obviously traveling the same lane as hers.
“
And you think we should risk our lives getting this dispatch to
London
?
”

“
I do,
”
she replied, her voice fi
rm
. She noted the skeptical look on his face.
“
And do not think for one minute it is because I am persuaded by this ra
s
cal standing behind my chair.
”
She paused as Mr. Fu
tt
rell turned away again to hide a smile.
“
I do not feel anything for Captain Spark beyond admiration of his courage. Even you must acknowledge
his courage. But I also do not l
ove the idea of more death in the
Caribbean
. And I do not relish the idea of traitors. What American would?
”

Adam was silent a moment more, then he looked at the cap
ta
in.
“
Very well, sir, we will do as thee asks. I do not know how, but we can try.
”

Captain Spark reached around Hannah and shook Adam
’
s hand.
“
We can work out the details as we run for the
Azores
,
”
he said. He stuffed the dispatch back in its bag and handed it to Adam.
“
I think you and Miss
Whittier
should memorize this document. It may be destroyed, but one of you ought to get through with the message.
”

He took it.
“
Very well, sir. Hannah? Shall I have a go at it first?
”

“
Granted, lad. And thank you.
”

He left the cabin. Mr. Futtrell cleared his throat.
“
As mine is the first watch, I believe I will go to the quarterdeck.
”

“
Call me in four hours,
”
the captain said. He sat down as soon as the door closed.
“
Well, Hannah?
”
He shook his head at her expression.
“
That
mulish look on your face tells me that I may have run out my guns prematurely.
”

She wished he would sit o
n
th
e other side of the table, and not
practically knee to kn
e
e.
She
squirmed in he
r chair. Did he have to regard h
e
r with
those
unn
erving eyes of his? Why were they so light and
memorable
? As she re
turned
his unflinching pale stare, she knew that she could go to her grave and years from now and
still
remember the color of his eyes, and the graceful way he sat w
atching her. It was enough to tr
y a s
tat
ue.
Thank
goodness she did not love him.

“
You can
’
t possibly be in love with me,
”
she said at last, when he seemed content merely to memorize her face and remain silent.

He wagged a finger at her.
“
I did not say I was in love, but only in serious like.
”

“
You are absurd,
”
she said, smiling in spite of her discomfort.
“
You just like the way I make coffee
”

There, if she made a joke of his aspirations that should stop him. Instead, he leaned closer until she could have reached out and caressed his face, had she been of such inclination, which she was not.
“
I like the way your hips wiggle when you climb the rigging, and your cheerful way of doing things, even when your whole world is arse over teakettle
.
”

“
There you go!
”
she said triumphantly
.
“
Your language is vile and you are a notable blasphemer.
”

“
By God
’
s wounds, I certainly am. Some things you
’
ll
jus
t have to take. And I will have to get
us
ed to constant good cheer, which can be a trial at times.
A
re you even cheerful when you wake up? I can
’
t wait to find out, Lady Amber.
”

“
That is none of your business, and don
’
t call me that!
”

“
Well, may I call you Hannah? Seems to me we have progressed to that stage.
”

“
We have not!
”
she declared
.
Then she softened the blow by adding.
“
But since you have already been doing so, you might as well continue.
”

“
And it is my desire to hear Daniel on your lips,
”
he said.

“
You want Mr. Futtrell to stand on the quarterdeck and yell
‘
Ship
’
s discipline
’
?
”
she asked, unable to keep back the good humor that bubbled up in her.
“
I do not, sir.
”

He laughed.
“
Very well! Call me Captain Spark.
”

She stod up to leave and he rose, too, walking her to the door.
“
Really, these are paltry objections, my dear. I would have thought someone with your brains could do better.
”

“
Of course I can,
”
she said crisply, her hand on the knob.
“
You are an Englishman and much too old for me.
”

He leaned his hand against the door as she tried to turn the handle.
“
Those are weighty objections, Hannah,
”
he agreed.
“
I
’
ll always be an Englishman, but I assure you that no pa
rt
of me is decrepit
.
Let me repeat a previous demonstration and add something more.
”

Before she could stop him, he took her face in his hands and kissed her. His lips were as warm as she remembered from their first meeting on the deck of the
Molly Claridge.
The ship yawed them and she grabbed him around the waist to stay on her feet. He pulled her closer until their bodies touched, murmuring something in her ear that made no sense. As she tried to regain her balance, he took her earlobe in his teeth, then ran his tongue inside her ear. The shivers that raced down her back made her moan a little, but only a very little. She wished he would stop, but when he did, she felt absurd tears tickling her eyelids. She wondered how her fingers could ever dig so into his back, and she hoped she had not scratched him.