Convictions (18 page)

Jennie thought about confronting Red Bull when he returned, but remembered too well his cruel streak and the despicable things he’d done to Lizzie. He’d lie and deny it. How she loathed the man! She had to avoid him at all costs. Her curiosity was roused though. What had he hidden away? Maybe she’d mention it to Nate, instead.

“Oh my God, look!” Hildy shrieked and pointed behind them.

Out of nowhere, another ship appeared on the horizon. Several people around Jennie gasped. No one else said a word, nor did they move. Was it chasing the opium ship? Or would it stop and rescue them? Should they keep a low profile or try to signal it?

Nate and the others were coming back slowly, scanning for floating items. They hadn’t noticed the ship yet. Red Bull was still searching the wrecked captain’s quarters.

Nervousness rippled through Jennie. What if this ship was full of pirates, or murderers? Or worse? She reasoned that if it was another unlawful ship, it simply wouldn’t stop. She pushed away the dreadful notion that it could be another convict ship. Should they hail it?

Suddenly Fanny let out a shrill whistle. The men heard it. The women pointed toward the ship without a sound, half hoping they weren’t being noticed by the approaching ship’s crew. The men hastened their pace, except for Red Bull.

The wind had increased somewhat and the ship came into full view faster than the previous one. The men reached the platform and quickly began unloading their bits of retrieved items.

“It’s another three-masted ship, but smaller,” Nate said, once they gathered to discuss their options.

Meadows said, “The tell-tale black hull with a white strip is absent too, so it’s not a clipper ship.”

When it came closer Jennie noticed the prow. It had a long bowsprit and a figurehead of a woman with arms drawn back, proudly forging ahead, her sky blue dress flowing behind her.

“Probably not an illegal ship,” Meadows agreed.

“Shouldn’t we be doing something to let them know we’re here, then?” asked Alice.

Trust Alice to point out the obvious
, thought Jennie. Her words galvanized everyone into action. They all began shouting and waving. Jennie hollered with the rest of them, admiring Alice. She was a plucky little soul and smart too.

Jennie eyed the darkening sky. The clouds were becoming more ominous, the wind gusting cooler. She wondered if they would be seen in time for the ship to stop. Would they be rescued this time?

A piercing whistle rent the air. Nate had found the bosun’s pipe. He blew as hard as he could, over and over again. The shrill
cheeping carried a long distance over the water. All were silent as they waited. Then there was a faint answering whistle.

The ship’s sails slackened, then the ship zigzagged across the water until it seemed to be on a direct course with them. Jennie watched anxiously, a blanket of uneasiness keeping her
and the others from being too certain. Then the ship was almost
upon them, the name clearly emblazoned on its side: The
Lady Margaret.
Flying a Union Jack.

Jennie’s heart soared. They were going to be saved.

Then came a sudden thought. She swallowed hard. If this was a British ship, would she still be subject to her conviction and sent on to Van Diemen’s Land? Her thoughts dallied there for only a moment. Anything was better than perishing on the ocean. Or so she hoped.

Closer, closer the ship came. Everyone cheered.

And then it slipped past them.

An outpouring of protest charged through the group. They howled and swore. Alice whimpered, and Sarah hugged her hard. Jennie was stunned.

All at once the ship heaved to. It seemed to pause. There was a collective gasp as the ship drifted to a position several furlongs away and came to rest.

Jennie let out a breath she didn't know she’d been holding.

Within minutes a jolly boat with four men was lowered from the stern.

Jennie laughed and cried. Alice and Sarah hugged. Everyone clapped and cheered. The large platform started rocking.

“Hold still,” commanded Meadows from the other side.

“Stay where you are so we are balanced. We don’t want to topple now,” Nate shouted.

“This will take some time, so be patient,” said Meadows.

Coombs and Edwards joined the two other men. Red Bull was still a distance away, but they could see him paddling over as fast as he could.

The men talked amongst themselves. Jennie saw them gesturing and pointing, trying to figure out how to get everyone safely off the conjoined rafts without capsizing. The women babbled around her, as the jolly boat drew closer and angled next to the platform where the men stood.

An occasional word drifted over to Jennie from the conversation between the two groups of men. She gathered that the
Lady Margaret
was a merchant ship, with Scottish sailors, not British.

“That’s all we bloody need. The Scots to poke at us,” said Hildy quietly.

Jennie well knew the distrust and hatred that existed between the Brits and the Scots, though she didn’t really understand why.

Fanny crawled over to Hildy and mumbled, “We’re really between the devil and the deep sea, ain’t we?”

Murmurs of agreement came from some of the women.

“Hush! Be grateful they’re willing to take us aboard at all.” Sarah glared at Hildy and Fanny. “We can certainly leave you behind, if you’re happier with a raft.”

Chastened, Hildy and Fanny clammed up. The others were subdued. Unexpectedly the men’s voices rose.

“I’m staying here until everyone is on board,” Meadows argued.

“As the only surviving officer, and therefore the most senior, we need you to speak to the captain of our vessel,” said one of them.

Jennie watched Meadows glance around, his lips pursed grimly.

“Take me to him then,” said Meadows. He assumed his responsibility with reluctant grace, giving his first order. “You’re in charge of the evacuation, Nate.”

Nate gave a slight nod.

Relief flooded Jennie. She certainly didn’t want Red Bull in charge of anything.

Coombs started to object. Edwards stood by silently. Luckily, Red Bull was still too far off to protest against Nate, who was clearly the youngest guard and much younger than Coombs, who didn’t qualify to manage the prisoners.

Meadows held up his hand. “He has proved quite capable of organizing the safe deliverance of these women. This whole operation has succeeded because of him.”

He stared at Coombs. “You and Edwards are important in assisting the women to follow Nate’s directions. If they do not, it will be on your head.”

He turned back to Nate. “Get them loaded. Who do you want to go first?”

Nate took a deep breath and stepped forward. “We’ll start with those on the outer edges on this side…”

Before he could finish speaking, a few women pushed forward,
wanting to be first. The platform jiggled as they piled to the edges.

“No! Stop!” shouted Nate. “Wait your turn!”

Everyone halted.

“As each person boards the ship, the rest of you will need to shuffle to help keep the balance. I and the other men will help you do this.” Nate pointed to a couple of women closest to him. “You and you, come first.”

As the women stepped forward, Nate took the place of one and directed the sailors from the
Lady Margaret
to help them board the jolly boat.

He turned to Coombs. “Make your way to the other side and see that the women stay there and only move when told. Wait for my signal to have them come forward one at a time.”

Nate turned to Meadows a little nervously. “Sir, if you come with me, we’ll help the more severely injured women next.”

Meadows nodded.

As each woman trod forward, Nate took her place. Then he switched with the next one, continuing to the centre. Meadows followed the same process. Nate relaxed a little and soon had the women shifting where he needed them.

Jennie marvelled as Nate shuffled and directed everyone, until he and Meadows reached a badly injured woman. They manoeuvred their way back with her first, much the same way they’d come. The
Lady Margaret
sailors transferred her and each of the other immobile women onto the jolly boat.

Red Bull finally pulled up to the platform, wedging his raft in close, a jubilant grin on his face. His earlier pain seemed to have left him.

With Nate’s continued orchestration, the boat was soon full of the infirm. “One more space,” said Nate, nodding to Meadows.

Red Bull brushed past Nate and tried to climb aboard.

“Halt!” Nate shouted, grabbing his meaty arm. “You have to wait your turn.”

“There’s a space and I’m here, so I’m going.” Red Bull jerked away from Nate’s hold.

“No, you’re not.” Nate leaned into his face.

“Who says?” Red Bull glared back.

Jennie could see Meadows was torn. He didn’t really want to go in the first boat, but he had to. Red Bull was clearly out of line, and it was his duty to put an end to his insubordination.

“Nate says,” Meadows stepped forward. “And so do I.”

Two of the
Lady Margaret
sailors moved to head off Red Bull, who stopped, looking startled.

“I have a right to go first as head of the guards left. Besides, I’m injured,” Red Bull pulled up his shirt to show the bandages around his middle. "I’m going.”

“You have no rights at all.” Meadows shoved his hands into Red Bull’s chest.

Red Bull stumbled backwards onto his makeshift raft, loosely tied to the platform and was almost swamped overboard.

“You follow my orders now.” Meadows glared fiercely at the burly man. “And I say wait your turn, as Nate has directed. I’ve given him command to manage this rescue operation.” Meadows made an attempt to straighten his shirt. “And show some decency, not to mention respect in helping the others.”

Red Bull glowered at Meadows. Then he gave Nate an insolent look and curled his hands into fists.

Jennie wondered if Nate was second-guessing his earlier decision to rescue the unscrupulous man.

Nate’s mouth was set firmly as he stared Red Bull down. Red Bull broke eye contact first. His face full of anger, he stepped to the middle of his own small raft and turned his back on everyone. He stared toward the chunk of captain’s quarters, rocking in the water some distance away.

The crew from the
Lady Margaret
pushed off with Meadows, who gave a last look of concern.

Nate began loading their own jolly boat, patiently helping and manoeuvring everyone to keep balance. Coombs and Edwards would row them. Those remaining on the platform settled in for their turn, glancing at the uncertain sky.

Jennie figured she would be among the last ones rescued with Alice and Sarah, because of their position on the platform. At least they would be together, even if the rain came soon and the crossing was miserable.

“We’ll all get to go at the same time,” said Sarah, echoing her thoughts.

“I’m scared.” Alice hugged Sarah around her stout waist. “I don’t want to go without either of you.”

Jennie was scared too. What was Meadows going to say to the captain of the
Lady Margaret?
Would he tell them they were convicts and recommend they be locked up again? What kind of conditions would that mean? She barely heard Nate explaining things to the women.

“The ship is headed to South Africa to trade for salt and gold, but we’re not far off from Tenerife, and they may be willing to transport us there.”

“What will happen to us then?” asked Jennie. She left the rest of her questions unasked. Would the Scottish captain try to get them on another ship bound for Van Diemen’s Land?

“We’ll have to wait and see.” Nate touched her shoulder. Jennie was transfixed by his steady gaze.

A sudden collective gasp came from behind them. Nate and Jennie spun around to look.

Across the water at the Scottish ship, an injured woman in a net halfway up the side, swung wildly over the open sea. The woman flailed and screamed. Nate took in the situation at once.

“The net’s the only way they could get her up the hull with her injuries. A rope must have let go.”

“Stay still!” From across the water, Jennie heard one of the
Lady Margaret
crewmen yell.

Those in the boat at the bottom shouted for the woman to stay calm. The more she flailed, the more she twirled and swung in and out against the ship.

Jennie’s muscles tensed as she watched the crew strain to pull the woman up. One sailor climbed up the rope ladder and reached to grab hold of the net. He stretched too far and almost fell. Another sailor climbed down from the ship’s railing. He snagged the net with a hook and pulled it in closer to the hull. The two sailors between them managed to grab the fallen rope and yard it upwards to their mates. At last the terrified woman was hauled to safety. Jennie let out a heavy sigh.