by Val Wood
‘Aye, well, I daresay there’ll be trouble, but it won’t make price go down,’ Annie said, with the philosophical air of someone who had seen it before.
‘Oh, yes, and I was just in time to see them pull some poor soul out of the river.’
Annie stopped dead in her tracks and Toby turned in surprise.
‘Who was it?’ she asked in a barely audible whisper.
Toby shrugged. ‘I don’t know. Just some poor beggar.’
‘Was he—? Did tha see his body? Did he just drown, or tired of life, was he? Or was he killed or what? There’s been a lot o’ murders. Fights and that. I know, I’ve seen ’em. Fighting over women or a wager on dog fights. Drunks and that.’
She started to shake. ‘I’ve seen ’em fished out – all swollen they are. Had he been in ’river long – could tha tell?’ Her voice got tighter and tighter as she fought the fear inside her.
‘Annie! What morbid curiosity.’ Toby put his arms around her as if he feared she would take flight. ‘Annie! It was a woman. It was some poor old beggar woman that they pulled out of the water. She’d been there for days by the look of her. It wasn’t a man!’
She pulled away from him and retched violently onto the grass. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said, straightening up and wiping her mouth. ‘It allus makes me sick when I hear of it. It makes me that afeard. I allus think that’s how I’ll end me days.’
She made her excuses but she knew he didn’t believe her. Still, she didn’t mind, for he took her arm solicitously as they walked on, and he didn’t question and he didn’t probe, and she was comforted for she knew that if he ever should find out, that it wouldn’t matter, he would still be her friend.
A low whistle and croak greeted their arrival at the creek and Toby responded with a similar cry. A dim light from a lantern showed and from out of the reeds appeared the short figure of the man they had met previously. He handed the lantern to Toby and then helped Annie down the bank and into the boat which was just below. She kept her head averted but she sensed his curiosity.
To her surprise he too climbed in after Toby and each took an oar as they cast off.
‘Take the lantern, but keep the light low until I tell you.’ Toby handed the light to Annie and she noticed that he didn’t speak her name. ‘Don’t let the light out, but keep it hidden.’
They came to the end of the creek and waited at the edge of the reed-bed, dipping softly on the gentle tide. Annie’s eyes adjusted to the darkness and as they waited she saw the dark shape of a ship coming silently up river, looming large against the backdrop of the sky.
She wanted to ask. Is this it? Is this thy brother’s ship? But she dare not risk Toby’s anger or let the unknown man hear her voice, not until Toby told her that she could.
Suddenly the ship was abreast of them, her sails trimmed as she was brought up.
‘Come on,’ Toby muttered. ‘Here she is.’
‘Nay, wait. Wait for ’signal,’ whispered the other man, and Toby stayed his hand, grasping the oar tightly.
‘There it is!’ A light flashed, then another.
‘Show a light, show a light,’ Toby uttered urgently and Annie held up the lantern and opened the shutter wide.
‘Now close it. Now open it.’
She did as she was bid, her heart hammering painfully against her ribs and her throat constricted with fright.
‘That’s it, come on.’ An answering light on the ship showed them that this was the vessel they were waiting for and Toby and his partner pulled hard towards it.
Annie turned her head as she heard sounds from the reed-bed, a lapping of water as wooden oars made contact with the water, and behind them she saw a fleet of small boats emerging from hidden anchorages along the side of the river.
‘Toby,’ she breathed. ‘Look. Behind us.’ She tried to keep her voice low. ‘Are they with us, or against us?’
Toby glanced over his shoulder and she saw him smile in the darkness. ‘They’re with us. It’s the rest of the team.’
Damn thee Toby Linton, she thought. Why didn’t tha tell me there’d be others. I’m nearly sick with fright. I thought it was ’customs after us.
She was still fuming when they lay alongside the ship and she heard the sound of a whispered greeting and soft laughter as a jack ladder was thrown over.
The other man in their boat scrambled up first and as Toby made the boat fast, he whispered to Annie. ‘Go on then, up you go.’
‘What! Tha must be mad. I can’t climb up there.’
‘Course you can. You’ve just learnt to ride a horse, haven’t you? Now you’re going to climb aboard a ship.’
‘But, I can’t!’ She looked up at the dark wall of the ship towering above her and the ladder swinging from side to side. ‘I’ll get stuck. It’s too high. If I fall, I’ll drown.’
Her voice started to rise in protest and Toby hushed her. ‘Get up that ladder or else I’ll put you over my shoulder and carry you up.’
‘Why can’t I stay here and look after ’boat?’ she began, but she saw an obstinate look on Toby’s face as he took a step towards her and she hurriedly turned away and reached her hand for the ladder.
She felt it sway as she put first one foot and then the other on the wooden rung and she clung desperately with both hands.
‘Move up a step, then I’ll steady it from the bottom,’ urged Toby. ‘Go on, you’ll find it easier as you get higher. Push your weight towards the hull.’
She was glad of the cloak which covered her as she climbed higher, for she was aware of her bare legs and the gaze of the men in the other boats staring upwards as she climbed. Mrs Trott never did this, she thought grimly. They’ll think you’re Mrs Trott, she mimicked, recalling Toby’s previous remark. I’ll give him Mrs Trott when I’m down from here.
Somehow she reached the top and hands reached out to pull her aboard. Hands which were more than willing as they made contact with her body and lingered as they felt the shape of a woman.
She lashed out with her hands and feet. ‘Don’t touch me,’ she hissed. ‘Keep tha hands to thyself,’ and they took her sharp words so literally that they dropped their hold of her and she fell in a heap onto the deck.
‘Who have we here?’ A lantern was held up above her and she squinted to see the face in shadow behind it. She caught a glimpse of a gold earring and a silk scarf knotted casually around a muscular neck.
‘A new team member, Matt,’ Toby came up the ladder behind her and jumped on board. He put his hands beneath her armpits and hauled her to her feet. ‘Let’s do the introductions below, shall we?’
He gave out instructions to the men who were following him on board and then turned to the stern, taking Annie’s arm, to follow his brother to his cabin below decks.
Annie looked on silently as she watched the brothers open their arms wide, and with a great guffaw, embrace each other with genuine affection. Curiously she gazed at Matthias Linton. He was taller and slimmer than his brother, his body hard and lean. His hair was as fair as Toby’s was dark, his beard short and curly, and even in the dim light of the timbered cabin she saw that his face was tanned and his eyes a brilliant blue, much bluer than hers and bigger and wider than Toby’s brown ones. But the facial differences ended there, for they both had a straight nose and Matt had the same gapped teeth, which smiled now as he looked at her.
He’s laughing at me. She ran her fingers through her tangled hair which had become windswept, despite the hood, as the breeze had run through it as she’d sat in the coggy boat and climbed the swaying ladder.
‘What waif have we here, Toby?’
‘No waif, Matt,’ Toby answered with a lazy smile. ‘This is my friend, Mrs Hope, though I think she might let you call her Annie, when we’re out of earshot of the men.’
‘Mrs Hope!’ Matt took hold of her hands, stretched her arms wide and perused her, turning her this way and that. ‘Annie! Are you sure she’s not a stray whom you found wandering along the river-bank? Though, i
ndeed, – no, I can see by her borrowed finery, that she could well be a lady.’
She snatched her hands away, she was suddenly aware of her torn and tattered skirt which she still hadn’t mended. ‘Mrs Trott let me borrow her cloak. And I’m no waif or stray. I was on a journey until thy brother persuaded me to join him in this prank. And,’ she said, lifting her chin. ‘I’ll not allow thee to call me Annie, ’til it suits me.’
‘Well said, Annie.’ Toby was idly watching them spar. ‘Don’t let him bully you.’
‘I’ll not do that, sir.’ She gazed intently into Matt’s blue eyes and saw a mocking challenge. He put his hand to his heart and gave a taunting bow. ‘I’m used to bullies,’ she sneered. ‘They come in all shapes and sizes, and seemingly in every class, though I’m surprised to find thy brother’s one.’
‘It’s just a game with him,’ Toby said, as if his brother wasn’t there, and sat down on a leather bench seat which ran around one side of the cabin. He put his arms behind his head and stretched out his legs. ‘Don’t take any notice of him.’
He’s not used to being answered back, Annie thought. That must come of being captain of his ship, of giving orders and being obeyed. Well, he’s not giving me orders, so he needn’t think he is. I don’t have to come on this lark if I don’t want to.
Matt turned away with a shrug and reaching into a locker, took out a glass decanter. With an exaggerated show of respect he invited Annie to sit down. He placed the decanter and three glasses on the table, pushing aside a pile of charts and nautical instruments and poured a measure of brandy in each.
‘To a successful run,’ he raised his glass, ‘and the good ship Breeze. God bless her.’
‘And those who sail her,’ Toby replied, clinking his glass against his brother’s. ‘You must take care though, Matt. The military are out this way, so I hear, and today I saw two strangers riding towards Hessle, they could well be customs men.’
‘If you get this run away safely, then if they board us they’ll only find an empty ship.’ Matt tossed his brandy back and poured another. ‘We got all the other stuff away off Spurn, the fishing smacks were waiting to trade and we slipped past the revenue cruiser without them even knowing.’
He threw his head back and laughed. By, he’s handsome, Annie thought begrudgingly as she saw his eyes light up in merriment.
‘They’ll be hopping mad when they realize we’ve gone and they have to wait until the next trip.’
Annie took a sip of brandy. The strength seared her throat. It was fiercer and more potent than any she had tried before and she coughed as it slid down her throat. Her eyes watered as she spluttered and caught her breath.
‘Mrs Hope! I do declare I had forgotten you were there.’ Matt leant to pat her back. ‘The liquor is stronger than a lady of your sensibilities is used to, I fear?’
‘No,’ she gasped, and took another sip. ‘It’s fine,’ she said. ‘But I generally take a drop o’ water with it.’
‘But of course, how forgetful of me. Do forgive me.’ Again he gave her a mock bow and she wanted to throw the brandy at him.
He moved across to an alcove lined with books and took a jug of water from the lower shelf and brought it to her.
She lifted her glass but abruptly drew it back and placed her hand over the rim. There was a dead fly floating in the water. ‘Beggin’ tha pardon, Captain Linton,’ she said, trying to sound squeamish. ‘But I onny ever drink fresh water.’ She had many times drunk muddy water from the Humber without ill effect, but she intended to score from this hectoring adventurer. ‘I fear thy jug of water has seen much company.’
He flushed and taking the jug, opened the cabin door and threw the water out onto the deck, calling as he did so for the cabin boy.
Annie rose to her feet. ‘Don’t bother on my account Captain Linton. If tha’ll excuse me, I’ll wait on deck ’till tha’s finished tha business. I’m in need of some fresh air.’ She gave him a small curtsey and passed in front of him looking defiantly into his eyes. A small shudder passed through her at the silent mettlesome response. He made her feel very strange. A deep piercing sensation stirred her blood; some kind of agitated passion stung her, as if she had been scorched by fire or touched by fever.
She shivered as she waited outside the door. Tha’s bitten off more than tha can chew, Annie. Tha’s meddling wi’ fire. Yet though she felt she was in dangerous waters by antagonizing Captain Linton, a small smile touched her lips. Here was an emotion she hadn’t tasted before, and she felt lightheaded and giddy as if she had drunk several bottles of wine and not just a few sips of stolen brandy.
She leant her head against the closed cabin door, ahead of her was the companionway leading to the upper deck, but she decided she would wait here for Toby rather than brave the winks and nods of the seamen above.
The sound of raised voices reached her from within the cabin. She heard Toby answering some question of Matt’s. ‘I want her to join us, Matt. She’ll be useful. She’s sharp and clear-headed, and,’ he added in an obstinate tone. ‘I like her.’
Then Matt’s voice came clear and strong.
‘I know I’ve trusted your judgement before. I’m not denying that. But this is not a game we’re playing, Toby, and you’re forever finding strays; so tell me, which scrap heap did you find this rag-bag on?’
She caught her breath. He’s talking about me. Anger flooded her. I’ll show thee, Captain bleedin’ Linton, just see if I don’t.
10
‘Heave ho, my lads. Make ready. Make ready.’ Matt called the order as he took her arm to help her over the bulwark to climb down the perilous ladder, and she heard the pad of running feet hitting the deck as the men rushed to obey. Toby had gone down first and the men from the other boats had already cast off and were rowing swiftly back to shore. There was a shallow swell with only a slight roll but she stumbled slightly as she prepared to climb over and he steadied her with the pressure of his hand against her shoulders.
She felt a shock run through her as his fingers clasped her. She looked up and for a second, thought that he had felt it too, for there was a sudden uncertainty in his eyes, which disappeared as quickly as it had come, replaced by a cool taunting stare. He gave a small bow and raised her hand, touching her fingers with his lips. ‘Farewell, Mrs Hope. ’Till we meet again.’
She nodded. ‘God speed.’ It was a phrase she had often used when her husband had set sail for arctic waters. It was almost a superstition to say it, but this time she meant it. It would be a pity if this fine captain should meet disaster just because she failed to utter the words.
He looked taken aback for a moment, the derision fading from his eyes. ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘You’re very kind.’
‘No, I’m not,’ she said softly. ‘I’m not kind at all. No more than thee.’
They watched from the reed-beds as the ship weighed anchor, their coggy boat low in the water from the extra weight of bags and barrels which had been loaded into her. Dawn was breaking in the east, streaking the horizon with white and rose, a soft halo lighting the grey canopy of sky. As the flush of day progressed and the wind freshened, the schooner, full rigged, seemed to take a deep breath, filling her sails with the breeze. She heeled smoothly windward and began to make headway in perfect harmony with the elements.
‘She’s beautiful isn’t she?’ Annie breathed, forgetting for the moment her animosity towards the captain of this graceful vessel which sailed swiftly up the estuary towards the Trent Falls. ‘There’s wicked mudbanks in ’river, so I hear tell.’
‘So there are, but he’s a good seaman, and so are his men.’ Toby shaded his eyes as the ship sailed further into the distance.
‘Can we get off Master Toby? We’d best get this stuff moved afore it’s light.’
Annie looked at the man in the boat. She could see him quite clearly now, as indeed he could see her, as the day lightened. He was a cheerful pug-faced individual and he reminded her of someone.
‘Sorry, Jo
sh.’ Toby spoke absentmindedly, reluctantly drawing his eyes away from the schooner as it faded from view, then realizing his error glanced at Annie.
‘It’s daft, us not having a name,’ she said. ‘We’ve got to be called summat, even if we don’t use our own.’
Josh grinned at her. ‘Well I knew tha wasn’t Mrs Trott as soon as I saw thee, even before I saw thee climb ’ladder,’ he added impudently.
‘How?’ Toby and Annie spoke together.
‘Why, Mrs Trott’s never got such a nice turn of ankle,’ he said, his grin turning up his cheeks so that his eyes almost disappeared. ‘And I ain’t never seen her without her boots.’
‘Annie!’ Toby said reproachfully. ‘You gave the game away.’
They emptied the cargo, hiding some of it, the barrels of brandy and half ankers of geneva, in the bushes and long grass at the side of the creek, until such time as they could come back with donkeys-and-traps to retrieve it. Some of the waxed bags of tea and tobacco they concealed within sacks which they carried over their shoulders.
As Toby and Annie made their way back towards where they had tied Sorrel, Josh waved his hand, climbed a bank and disappeared into a wood.
‘Now that we’re on our own I want to talk to thee,’ Annie began.
‘Ssh, keep your voice down, there might be soldiers about, or the revenue men. Those men that I saw earlier in the day, I’m pretty sure were customs officials. They had a look about them, a smell of the law.’
Annie found it difficult to convey her annoyance and anger when she could only do it in a whisper. Nevertheless she told Toby what she thought of him for not telling her to expect the other men in the boats.
‘If I’m going to come in with thee, tha’s got to trust me, tell me the plan. If I don’t know ’rules, how am I expected to obey them.’
‘I’m sorry Annie. But I had to know how you would react, you might have gone into a blind panic, refused to go on board, which you nearly did,’ he added, giving weight to his argument, ‘—anything, and then it would have been too late if I’d told you all we were doing.’
