Seacrets (15 page)

As Daniel walked away, Godsey shook his head, pitifully, and thought "Captain's got it real bad for that girl. He's got to accept the fact she's dead, plain and simple. Godsey, himself had come to that fact, some weeks earlier, when she had not showed at the Turlington's. He had cried his tears then. He felt as though he had let her down, as well as her father. He took out his handkerchief, blew his nose into it and stuffed it back into his vest pocket, then returned to his stable chores.

§

Maura was in her bed chamber, sitting before the vanity mirror. Katy was fussing all around her, putting the finishing touches on her coif and lip coloring. Maura was utterly appalled at her appearance. She had never worn lip rouge or coloring, of any kind to her eyes and cheeks. She felt cheap.

Katy dressed her hair with bright colored feathers and brushed a bit of rouge to Maura's décolletage area. Maura's breasts were overflowing from the top of the undersized black and red dressing gown, Katy had chosen for her first coupling. Maura wanted to burst into tears, but
would not give in to her feelings of despair.

"There, now ya be ready for any fine gent." Katy chatted away, behind Maura, looking at Maura's reflection in the mirror.

"If they were fine gents, they would be home with their wives and daughters, instead of here breaching their vows!" Maura quipped.

Katy slapped Maura's face to the point of leaving a welt on the girl's cheek. "You listen ta me miss high and mighty. You ain't part o' that life no more, ya hear?"
Her eyes glared with hatred for Maura. "You don't have no say anymore 'bout nothin'. You belong ta Kilern and ta me. Get that inta ya head, straight away. This is ya life now. No other!" Katy reached for her bourbon glass and took some ice from the glass to place on Maura's cheek, to try and get the swelling to go down. "Now look what ya made me do ta ya. No gent is gonna want a beat up ole hag. Keep that on ya cheek ‘til the swellin’ goes down and I'll come back and check on ya in a while." As Katy swaggered to the chamber door, she turned to Maura and said, "You be ready when I send the gent up to ya. And don't ya be givin' him no hard time of it or you'll get worse than what I just gave ya." Katy slammed the chamber door behind her and bolted it shut.

Maura looked at herself in the mirror and began to sob uncontrollably. She thought to herself. "I must escape from here, tonight, before Katy comes back. I'll climb out the window. If I fall and break my neck, so be it. At least I'll die trying ta escape. I can not just give myself over ta this life. I cannot! I will not!" She stood up, walked to the window and looked out of it. It was a long way down. At least two stories high.

She looked around the room for something that might help her to reach the ground. She looked again at her bed and then grabbed for her bed linens. Pulling them from the bed, she tied them together with the tablecloth and three long dressing gowns. She hung them out of the window and tugged hard on them to test their strength and length. They were long enough to reach the first landing. She'd have to jump the rest of the way. She tied one end to the bedpost and then made her attempt to escape out of the window.

Maura sat on the window sill, terrified at the height she'd have to jump from, but then realized that is how desperate she had become to escape this vile life. She gave one more tug, for reassurance, and then jumped out of the window. With her eyes shut tight she swung down and to the right, crashing her body into the side of the building. She knew she would be bruised from stem to stern, come morning, but if she made it out
, it would all be worth it.

She
opened her eyes and realized she came up immensely short, with regards to reaching her destination.  She would have to jump a greater distance than she'd figured. When she stopped swinging from the bed linens she saw she wasn't that far from the tree outside her window. She pushed her feet out and away from the tavern's outer wall and attempted to try and reach the great oak and wrap her legs around one of it's larger, more secure limbs. It took several tries, but she finally made it.

I
nside the tavern, Katy kept hearing an odd thudding noise. It was difficult to discern of its origin, as the usual nightly arrivals were becoming noisier by the minute. Between the piano, and loud drunken voices, Katy was always ready for some headache remedy, by dawn. Katy spied the clock on the wall to be around twenty-two bells. She thought she would check to see if Maura was ready for her big debut.

Outside Maura had
at last reached the oak tree and was hanging on for dear life with her legs straddling a great limb. She remembered climbing much greater trees than this one, as a girl. She grabbed the limb with both hands and let her feet fall free. She hung for a moment and then let go, falling to the muddy ground, hands and knees covered. Maura could care less how filthy she was, at the moment. She was free.

Katy swung
open the chamber door wide and called out to Maura. "Come now girl. Enough of this childishness.  Come out from underneath the bed and get ready for ya gentleman caller'." Katy stood for a long moment in silence. Then she felt a breeze come from across the room. She saw the linen trailing out of the window and waves of fury washed over her.

Then fright over took her feelings of rage. She knew Kilern would not be happy and would most likely take it out on her sorry old hide. She rushed to the window and looked out but saw only the torn and tattered bed linens hanging from the tree. Katy slammed her fist onto the sill and cursed Maura "I will find that little wench, and when I do she will rue the day she misused my kindness, she will."She slammed the window shutters closed and stomped out of the room.

§

Maura had run around back to the livery. She thought to borrow a horse from one of the tavern patrons and leave a note of promissory. She washed off as much of the mud as possible in the horse trough. Then looked around for an old blanket to wrap herself into for the night. She found an old black woolen cape, hanging on a hook by one of the horse stalls, and donned it.
She climbed atop an old paint, and rode out of the stable bareback, arms tightly wrapped around the horse's neck. She rode as fast as she could. She wasn't that far from the docks. She could smell the salt sea air. She thought it might be a hopeless venture, but mayhap Daniel's ship was still docked there and her belongings were still aboard. Daniel had mentioned his last voyage would have been the one they she sailed over on.

If he hadn't sold his vessel as yet, then it may still be docked in the harbor. If not, then she would try and find out where he may be reached and obtain her belongings and a small loan of some sort
. Surely he would not cast her aside after what they had shared. Could he have forgotten her already? She had not forgotten him.

The night air was crisp and clear. It was springtime in New England. The atmosphere had a wet mossy flavor
. Even so, there was still a cold, raw snap to the air, especially at night by the water's edge.

Maura could see several frigates docked at waters edge but was still too far away to detect which one, if any, was the Arabella.
She slid down off of the horse and tied her dressing gown sash around the animal’s neck and secured the horse to a post near the far end of the dock. She wanted to be able to make a quick get away, if need be. She shrouded her head, with the hood of the cape to try and disguise her identity. She knew it would be a matter of time before Katy would discover her missing and would be out scouring the docks looking for her.

Maura cautiously began to make her way down towards the ships. As she approached the first ship she knew it was not the Arabella. It was too small a vessel. She continued on down the dockside.
As she was approaching the second vessel, she saw a tall dark masculine figure walking towards her and intuitively hung her head downward to disguise herself.

§

Daniel stood in the portal of his cabin staring at his bunk, one final time. He could not be in here without thinking of he and Maura and the passion that they had shared. His one and only regret was he did not take her that night. It was not for lack of want. Oh he did want her. That he could not deny. Feeling as though he'd hit another dead end in his quest for an answer to her disappearance, he shook his head in an effort to try and push her, once more, out of his thoughts. He backed out of the portal and closed the door.

As he walke
d down the gangplank he kept thinking he felt a presence. A familiar feeling. He felt he had lived this moment before, but could not remember where or when. As he walked off the gangplank and onto the dock, he looked up toward the far end of the wharf and could see a figure walking towards him. The closer he got to the figure the more familiar the feeling became. He could see it was a slight dark shrouded figure.The same type he remembered seeing in his
dream
, before leaving Ireland.

Maura was too frightened to look up at the passerby, for fear it
was someone that would bring her harm. She lowered her head and shrank further into the hooded shroud.

Daniel had let the figure pass by him, but
then could not resist speaking. When she got within a foot or two past him, he stated in a firm voice. "Stop. You I say. Stop! Turn ta me and show yourself".

             
Maura thought she was dreaming. She recognized the voice as Daniel's. Slowly she turned toward him. She lifted her face to look at him and pulled the hood from her head.

             
The moonlight shone on her face. Daniel's eyes grew wide. He was speechless. The scene was surreal. 

             
"Daniel." Maura softly spoke his name. Her voice echoed in his ears. She reached out to touch his hand when a blast rang out, encircling her in a billowey cloud of gun smoke. Her eyes widened as she was thrust forward into Daniel's arms and went limp.

Daniel
witnessed the color drain from her face and felt a warm fluid flow from her upper back as he held her securely to his chest. He pulled his hand away to see it was streaming with blood."Oh my God, Maura, no!" Daniel's voice echoed behind him as if someone else were screaming Maura's name. He looked up to see who had shot his beloved, but the offending beggar had disappeared into the night fog. He turned his attention back to Maura, laying her down on the dock and ran down to the dockside yelling for anyone to come and help.The dock was suddenly filled with onlookers. Daniel returned to Maura. He scooped her into his arms and quietly rocked back and forth with his cheek pressed up against hers and wept openly.

ξ

Chapter
Twelve

"Daniel!” A voice rang out over the crowd. Daniel looked up to see his brother Aiden standing over him. "Daniel, for God sakes man, what has happened here?"

Daniel was frozen with grief. He could not answer
. He held onto Maura, as though someone would try to take her from him. Then another voice yelled out above the crowd.

"Captain, sir, What's...oh my God, sir, ‘tis Maura!" Godsey was in shock.

"Maura who? What in God's name has taken place here tonight?" Shouted Aiden .

"I come ta town expecting ta help my brother sow his final oats o’ bachelorhood and I find this horrible scene. And who in God’s name is Maura?"

All at once Daniel came to his senses when, to his amazement, he felt warm breath on his neck. "She's alive! Godsey, she's alive!" Daniel motioned to Godsey to bring the carriage and help him get her to his home. He asked his brother to bring Doc Kerrighan to Hargendon Manor to tend to Maura. "Please Aiden, hurry. I'll explain later. Hurry man!"

Once the carriage reached Hargendon Manor, Daniel wasted not a moment’s time in getting Maura to his bed chamber.

Daniel's mother, Mary, stood at the bottom of the huge winding staircase, shouting after her son, "Daniel, What is all o’ this chaos! I demand an answer!"

"Mother, please, I need ya help immediately. I shall explain as much as I can, as I am not
secure in the events of what or why this tragic event has taken place.I need ya help ta make Maura ready for Doc Kerrighan's examination of her wounds." Daniel shouted out orders as if he were aboard his ship.

Mary could see her son was quite upset and decided not to chide him at this time for his curtness toward her."Turn her t
o her side, Daniel. I'll need to undress her so that we can see the full extent of her wounds." Mary instructed.

As Mary undressed Maura, she could see the manner in which she was dressed and assumed Daniel had been to the local brothel, celebrating his last night of freedom as a single man, and something must have gone dreadfully wrong. Maura had a good sized entry wound from a lead ball pistol in her left shoulder and had lost quite a bit of blood.

"Let's leave the rest ta Doc Kerrighan. He'll know how ta handle her from this point." She covered Maura with Daniel's comforter, from the bottom of his bed. Mary stood beside her son, placed her hand to his shoulder and then spoke in a calm tone. “You must tell me who she is and why you were with her when this happened. I'll need ta be able ta apprise our family attorney of all the details in case there is somethin' that needs defendin'." Mary continued to try and pry more information out of her son.

"Mother, I know this girl. She came over from Ireland on my last trip." Daniel started to tell his mother of the tale of how they met
. "I was supposed ta deliver her to the Turlington's, upon her arrival. Her dying father had sent on ahead her dowry to the Turlington's and she was supposed to work for them in their mercantile and eventually marry Thomas." He continued. “On the day we docked she disappeared without taking her belongings or receiving her pay for working the ship..."

His Mother interrupted. "What do you mean working the ship? I thought you said Godsey made arrangements for her ta sail, because he and her dying father were friends?" She questioned
.

"Please Mother, let me finish. Maura originally posed as a cabin boy on the ship, ta avoid being taken by the mates...get my meaning, Mother?"

Mary raised her eyebrows in response to that statement, letting Daniel know she got his meaning. "Go on" Mary said with an understanding tone to her voice.

"I did not know for many weeks, myself, she wasn't a lad. Mother I have ne'er seen a female the likes o' her. She could do most anything a lad could do." His eyes trailed over to Maura's direction.

"But son it looks, by the way she's dressed, she has had ta succumb ta the business of the streets in order ta survive these many months since ya had returned ta Boston. God knows what she's picked up along the way. She could have any number of ailments. We must be very careful, Son." 

"Are ya tellin' me she canna stay here, mother?" Daniel's eyes were full of disappointment. "Then I shall have her transported ta my flat in town." He was incensed at his mother's suggestion that Maura was not welcome here.

"No son I'm not sayin' that. Remember ya are ta be married today. How is ya new bride goin' ta take ta all of this?" Mary reminded her son.

Without a moments hesitation Daniel flatly stated, "I will not be getting’ married today, mother."

Shocked by that statement Mary replied, “What are ya talkin' about, Danny? Everyone in the whole town has been invited! Mallory's father will have an absolute fit. An absolute fit, I’m tellin’ ya!" Mary was worried about her son being sued for breech of promise, or worse.

"Let me be worryin' about that mother. Right now all I can think about is this girl and how I let her down by not keepin' a better eye on her. ‘Tis my fault, mother, she ended up the way she did. In a brothel, no less. I feel horrible." Daniel knelt beside the bed and held Maura's hand.

Doc Kerrighan immediately came to Daniel's bed chamber and began his assessment of the situation. "Well she's got a pretty good sized hole in her shoulder and she's already beginin’ ta show signs of a fever. She's not out of the woods, yet, Danny."

Doc and Daniel were school mates, but then went into different professions. They always remained the best of friends. "I want ya ta go downstairs and wait for me ta tell ya when it's alright ta come in and see her. I can probably get the lead out o’ her back but she still has ta survive the infection
. There’s no guarantee she won't still die, Danny." Doc's eyes were pleading for Daniel's understanding.

Daniel did not want to hear anymore talk of death. "You just make sure she doesn't die...ya get my meanin
’?" Daniel pushed past his friend and out the door.

Doc knew Daniel was
only speaking in a blusterous tone from feeling the stress of the situation, although he was worried this would not end well. He asked Mary to stay and help him with the extraction and dressing changes afterward.

Mary agreed
... They began.

§

              Daylight was finally breaking, giving promise to a new day. Daniel was awakened by his friend, Doc. "She's still alive, Danny...just barely. She's gonna need a lot o’ tendin’ to. Ya Mother will change the dressing everyday and I've left an opiate to dull her pain.

It's best to allow the fever to persist some as that is a good way for the body to rid itself of any infectious process. If she can make it through the day and her fever can break within the next 24 hours, then she's got a fightin’ chance ta recover." He patted his friend on the shoulder and left
for home. Doc had been up all night and was dead tired, himself. "Send Godsey after me, if things turn bad."

Daniel took the steps two at a time, until he reached the top and entered his chamber. His mother was asleep in the chair, beside the bed. He nudged his mother and told her that he'd watch over Maura for a while and for her to get some sleep. Mary did not argue. As she was leaving, Daniel's brother Aiden came in to find out what all the drama was about, last eventide and who was this girl lying bloody in his older brother's arms.

Daniel and his brother talked for quite awhile. Aiden was captivated with whole sorted star-crossed lover’s story. "Now the question is what are ya goin’ ta do about Mallory?" Aiden put it to his brother. Aiden never had any love loss for Mallory. Truth be know, he could not stomach her. But there was the matter of the loan repayment and promise Daniel made to marry Mallory. "Many a man has spent their lives in the stockades because of scorned lovers and unpaid debts." Aiden stated with concern.

"I don't know, brother...I don't know. I'll figure it out." Daniel's voice was hoarse
.

"Well ya better be figurin' it out pretty damn fast, as ya are supposed ta be walkin' the plank...er down the aisle with her today, my brother." Aiden was rubbing his neck as he stated that reality.

"Aiden stay here with Maura. I've got ta go to the Gilmore house and break the news of the cancelation of the wedding." He stated.

"I hope ya know what ya are doin' brother. There's goin’ ta be hell ta pay when
Miss Priss doesn't get her way
and
her daddy is not goin’ ta be none too pleased either. Aiden jested with his brother. “Truth be known, Danny I'm more worried I'm goin’ ta have ta visit ya in the stockade. I don't envy ya brother, not one bit." Aiden finished his sermon, grabbed hold of the blanket and snuggled down in the chair next to Maura, as requested.

"Don't worry about me Aiden. I'll fare alright." And he went on his way.

§

Leif could see a dust cloud at the end of his carriage drive. As the rider got closer he could see that it was Daniel.
"Daniel my boy. Don't ya know it be bad luck ta see ya bride before the weddin’?" Leif's tone was more of a worried question than a fact.

"Leif, I'll not drag this out. I'll not be marryin' Mallory today." His tone was coldly matter of fact.

Mallory's mother, Gwyneth, was in the door’s archway and began to feel the blood rush from her face then began to swoon from the prospect of how her daughter was going to take all of this. Luckily a house servant was near by and caught hold of her and sat her down in the foyer. Gwyneth fanned herself to keep from completely passing out. The anxiety over what tumult was to befall the household when Mallory were to find out and be sufficiently humiliated, was too much for her bear.

"What do you mean, sir? You had made promise ta my daughter and now ya rescind? Has my daughter done something ta warrant such an insult?
” Leif was in a full rage at this point.

"Not that I am aware, Leif." Daniel lied, knowing full well Mallory had not been faithful while he had been gone and could certainly prove it if he had to. But in trying his best to be sensitive to the family name he did not want to bring anymore hurt or shame to this household, if he could help it.

"Then why, son, would ya insult my daughter and my family, this way?" Leif was pleading for an answer. "’Tis just cold feet, son. Every male goes through that before he takes the plunge inta matrimony. You'll get over it, I'm sure of it." Leif was trying to hold his temper and this deal together for he knew it meant his very survival. He dabbed at his forehead with his handkerchief to keep the beads of sweat from pouring down into his eyes.

              “Leif, I am fully aware my father owes ya a debt o’ gratitude and a debt of funds. I plan ta pay his debt in return for your excusal of my promise ta wed your daughter." Daniel was cold in his calculation of his proposal.

Leif was furious. "Your father promised a lot more than just a repayment of a debt. He promised me inheritance of half his holdin’s for my gettin' his arse out o’ trouble. He would’ve ended up in the stockades if I hadn't o’ helped him out. No, you'll not be gettin' out o’ this one so easy. I'll take ya ta book in court ta gain those holdin’s, if I have ta. I'll ruin ya family. Mark my words, Hargendon." Leif slammed his fist down on the porch rail.

"I doubt you'll be doin' any such thing Leif.” Daniel decided now would be a good time to pull out his ace. He tried to avoid this but Leif was leaving him no choice with his threats toward Daniel’s family name.

“I know on good account Mallory has not been faithful ta me while I was at sea. Everyone in town has seen her with that Turlington fellow. I think the courts would surely make me repay the debt my father owes ya but they will see that Mallory has broken her promise of betrothal, only to me, and to no other. Do ya wish ta have your daughter's name dragged through the mud?" Daniel's facial expression was hard and cold. He was determination to win his point with Leif.

Leif's expression was one of defeat. He hung his head low.

"Now here is my proposal. I will pay you what my father owed you with a considerable amount of interest, along with takin’ the total blame for the disolvin’ of the weddin’ promise to save any embarrassment on Mallory's part. Ya can all wag ya tongues about what a bastard I am, and none will be the wiser. But if ya drag my name through the mud, any further than is necessary, so as ta prevent me from earnin’ a livin’, either here or at sea, I in return will do the same ta your family the likes o’ which ya have never seen. When I get through with you and ya daughter,
you
will be in the stockades for tax evasion and
she
will be wearing the scarlet letter of a whore. Do ya get my meaning, Leif?" He extended his hand to seal the deal between them.

Leif reluctantly extended his hand, in return.

“I will have my accountant settle up with ya in an agreeable amount that I know you will not be disappointed in.” He assured Leif.

“I'll have a courier drop it by in the morn.”

Both men were awkwardly silent for a few minutes then Daniel turned and strode to his horse.

Leif felt as though he had been slapped hard. His face was hot with rage. If he had a gun, at that very moment, he would have impulsively shot Daniel in the back. He clenched his fists and leaned on the porch railing. In his mind he made a solemn promise
.
I will seek revenge on you Hargendon for being cheated out of my rightful fortune and secondly for the humiliation of my daughter.