by Jens Kuhn
Anna sighed. “Dear captain. It was me who wanted to come here. So don’t worry. Just get us the wine you promised and then we will sit here and pull this cape around us for warmth.”
Baker swallowed. “Very well, I will get the wine.”
“I really was starving,” Tapper said to the man on the opposite side of the table as he dug into his stew. They sat in one of the numerous small taverns of the old town and the man who had brought Tapper here was, of course, Gray.
Tapper gulped down the rest of his beer and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “Now, mister, what do you want me to help you with,” he asked.
Gray smiled at him. “Are you not at all curious about how I found you down there?”
Tapper frowned. “Yes, perhaps I am. But I’m yet more interested to know what you want from me. I’m a sailor, mister, not a spy.”
“I know that, bosun. Yet you were definitely spying recently or you wouldn’t have been down there...”
Tapper blushed. “Alright, but it wasn’t really for my own sake. I was...,” he stopped himself.
“You were trying to help Miss Anna, were you not?”
Tapper’s mouth fell open. “What do you know about her?”
Gray took a sip of his beer. Indicating Tapper’s empty mug he said: “You want another one, bosun?”
“I’d rather have you answer my question.”
Gray laughed. “All right, bosun. Let me just make this clear: in this line of work, we do not tell people too much. It isn’t good for us and it isn’t good for them, either. So just be assured that I know Miss Anna very well. Actually she came to me asking for help finding you.”
Tapper’s eyes widened. “She did? Why isn’t she with you then?”
Gray shrugged. “We didn’t find you so she went to turn the case over to the police.”
“But then you found me...”
“Not really. I knew where you were all along.”
Tapper took a deep breath. He was beginning to get angry with this man. “Listen, mister, if you did know it all the time, why did you let me rot down there for so long? Why didn’t you get me out right away?”
Gray looked at him calmly. “Two reasons: first I needed to make sure your two rebels weren’t around. Second: I couldn’t have Anna around either.”
“Why the hell not.” Tapper almost shouted.
“Because I need her to think you are not a free man.”
Tapper sat speechless.
“Look, bosun, are you sure you don’t want another beer?”
Chapter 14 – Allies
Captain Baker felt hot, despite the chilly air in the great cabin of HMS Tartar. He felt hot, partly because he was completely at a loss with himself and this situation, partly because he was sitting close to a lovely woman under a great furry cape, only heads and arms sticking out, sipping claret. He felt the closeness of Anna’s body, her warmth, her scent and every time he glanced at her he saw her white throat, and he wanted to trace the line of it down under the edge of the cape towards what he knew was there.
He took another sip of wine, trying to calm down. When he looked up again he saw her smiling at him. “Tell me, captain, what are you thinking? You have suddenly become so quiet.”
Baker blushed. “Oh...I...um. I was just enjoying the wine and the...um...company.”
Anna looked at him, her eyes wide. And so deep, Baker thought, so deep he wanted to find out if there ever was a bottom. He moved his face closer to hers.
“Do you enjoy my company, then?” Anna said in a low voice, her eyes still on his.
Baker put his glass down on the bench next to him and lifted both his hands towards her face. Softly he put them against her cheeks, fingertips just brushing her ears. “You have the most intriguing eyes I’ve ever seen,” he said. “They are... bottomless, they make me want to drown in them.”
Anna opened her mouth slightly, moistening her lips with the tip of her tongue.
“Please do drown, captain,” she whispered.
Baker put his lips against hers, still looking into her eyes. Then he closed his own as their mouths melted together in a deep kiss. He let his hands slide down the sides of her neck until he was under the cape, feeling her collarbones, the soft skin above her breasts, then the round flesh itself, until stopped by the fabric of her dress.
He gasped into her mouth as he felt her hands on him, feeling their way over his uniform, finding him ready and caressing him through the fabric of his breeches. Pulling her towards him, he lowered his face into her throat, working at the complicated lacing on the back of her dress.
Moaning softly, Anna pushed him backwards until he ended up on the bench with her on top of him. Her hands were still working on his breeches, finally releasing him. She held him, squeezing him softly as he freed her upper curves and buried himself into her soft white flesh.
Later, they lay exhausted under the cape, breathing the sweet smell of their lovemaking, still touching each other as to not let the magic of the moment disappear.
Baker started to speak first. “Miss Anna ... I... you are amazing...”.
He felt Anna’s hand touch his face. “I know.”
He almost heard her smile. Baker continued. “Ever since I saw you at the theater I haven’t been able to stop thinking of you.”
“I know,” Anna said again.
Baker hesitated. He really had no idea what to do with this woman. She was so utterly sweet and delicious and passionate, he had never met the like before. Not in the upper circles of British society, well that perhaps was to be expected, but not in the taverns of the seaside towns of the world either. Well, yes, there were passionate women in those taverns, but none had ever captured him with her eyes like this. At the same time, however, he realized that there was no future in this at all. He was a post captain in the Royal Navy, what was he supposed to do?
Anna’s hand was still touching his face. Softly, deliciously. Baker sighed. “Miss...”
“Will you not call me Anna?” she whispered into his ear.
“Of course... Anna. Um, I wonder... how long... um.”
“How long until dinner?” Anna moved her face towards his until Baker could feel her breath against his lips.
“No.” Baker sighed. “That dinner is probably cold long since...didn’t you hear the knock on the door?”
“Oh,” Anna stuck out her tongue and touched his upper lip with the tip of her tongue.
Baker shivered. “Fortunately they’d never dare come in without permission. What I meant was; how long will I have the pleasure of your company?”
“Quite a while my dear,” she said, tongue playing over his lower lip.
“You see, I’d very much like you to sail me to Norrköping.”
Baker gasped in astonishment, then in delight as he felt her mount him again.
Eric af Klint sat alone in the dining room at Beckens inn, staring forlornly into a mug of ale when bosun Tapper entered. Eric, seeing him, almost jumped out of his chair. “Bosun Tapper! Christ, where have you been!”
Tapper hastened to Eric’s table and sat down heavily opposite of the gunner. “It’s a long story,” he sighed.
“I’m in no hurry, bosun,” Eric replied, waving to the waiter for another beer. Tapper, however frowned. “Sorry, but I don’t have time. Is Anna here?”
Erik shook his head.
“Where is she then?”
“I don’t know.” Eric took another sip at his beer. “ She went off on some cloak-and-dagger-business and I did not ask her where to.”
Tapper considered that. This was not going as it was supposed to and he didn’t like it. For a moment he thought about confiding in the gunner, but Gray’s voice was still in his head. It was too dangerous to tell people things these times. Especially officers. Not that he didn’t trust Eric, after all they had sailed together and fought together for a season. Still, there were other things to consider. Karin for example. He sighed and gulped down a considerable part of his beer. Wipin
g his mouth with the back of his sleeve he made his decision.
“Well, sir, I have to run. Must at least see Karin and tell her I am fine.”
“Of course,” Eric agreed. “She’s supposed to be at work?”
“Aye,” Tapper said, already on his way out.
He arrived at the bathing house half an hour later. Not bothering to take off his clothes he stormed right into the hot steamy sauna. Karin was just about to throw a bucket of water onto the hot stones above the stove in order to create steam that would make the air more moist and thus feel hotter than it really was. Turning as she heard him enter, she dropped the bucket and gasped in relief. “Carl,” she cried and ran towards him, throwing her arms around him.
Tapper held her tight, his hands feeling her soft curves through the thin fabric of her linen gown.
“Karin,” he whispered into her hair, feeling the moistness of her tears against his neck.
The heat of the sauna felt intense, but he didn’t care. He could have stood like this and held her for the rest of his life, Tapper thought. But then he heard Gray’s voice in his head again. Softly, he pushed the girl back at arm’s length and looked her into the eyes. “Karin,” he said softly. “I must go away for a while.”
“What?” her eyes widened. “But you just came back.” Her voice faltered. “Where have you been, what happened?”
“Please, darling. I can’t tell you. It’s for your own good.”
“But...”
“Please. Trust me. I must go and help Anna.”
“Oh.” Karin blushed.
“No, Karin, please...” Tapper felt at a loss. “Listen, I...” He saw her eyes moisten. Softly he took her face between his hands and kissed her.
“I love you, Karin. Please trust me.”
She nodded, her eyes closed.
General Döbeln sat in a poorly heated fisherman’s hut on one of the many islands overlooking the sea between Åland and the Finnish mainland. However, now it was not the sea he was staring at, but a foggy stretch of whiteness, ice and sky blurred together. He blinked, trying to make out some different shape or color in all this whiteness, something that could indicate that the Russians finally where coming.
There had been reports of some scouting parties being visible far out, but no sign of the main army. And it was getting late, the weather becoming warmer all the time. If they were to come at all, they must come any day now, Döbeln thought.
He was interrupted by a knock on the door and the entry of a young officer, carrying a despatch bag.
“Ah, ensign Dillquist, you are back at last,” Döbeln said.
“Yes, sir, sorry about the delay, but the situation in Stockholm...,” his voice trailed off.
“Tell me about it.”
“Well, the despatches...”
“I’ll read those later. Tell me in your own words,” Döbeln demanded.
Dillquist cleared his throat. “Well, first there is the revolution...”
“What revolution? The King is still the king is he not?”
“Yes, sir. But there are rebel troops on their way from Karlstad and...”
Döbeln rose out of his chair. “Karlstad?” he cried. “That Adlersparre became a traitor at last!”
Dillquist said nothing to that.
“Well, continue!”
“Eh, yes and the king is said to be looking to Norrköping for help.”
“Norrköping? But my army is much closer!” Döbeln frowned.
“Yes, sir, but there are the Russians to consider. It’s all in the despatches. Your orders, sir...”
“I know my orders. I am to defend Åland or die trying. Which I am going to do, the latter that is.”
Bosun Tapper arrived at the Kuhlin’s house half an hour after he left Karin. He wasn’t really sure if Kuhlin was the right person to talk to, but frankly, there was no-one else. The gunner would help, of course, but he was just a gunner and Tapper instinctively looked for a person who could command a ship, if that was what was needed now.
He was served the usual coffee and vodka, before he even had a chance to talk. Then, sitting in front of the fireplace he put his request to the commander.
“Well, sir, I am sorry to bother you with this...,” he blushed.
“Come on, bosun, out with it,” Kuhlin smiled encouragingly
Tapper coughed. “You see, I know you don’t want to become involved in this revolution business...”
“Indeed I won’t.” Kuhlin narrowed his eyes.
“...but, it’s about Anna now.”
“What about her? Surely she can fend for herself. Always has.”
“Well, not in Turku last summer, sir...”
Kuhlin nodded. He and af Klint had saved her then. But that had been mostly a military operation, where the enemy was clearly defined.
“Go on,” he said.
“Now, you see, I tried to help her a little during those last few days and got myself into a bit of trouble...” Tapper then told Kuhlin about his adventure.
“Oh.” Kuhlin said. “And this Gray person, he thinks Anna is off getting herself into serious trouble?”
“Yes, sir.”
“But can you trust him?”
“I don’t know, sir. But if he is right, then Anna is in danger. If he is trying to trick me, well, I can’t see what he would gain from that.”
Kuhlin thought about that. Tapper was of course right. Anna was apparently siding with the wrong people in this mess and Gray didn’t think he could convince her otherwise, or protect her himself, because he knew she would never trust him. Not on this. Kuhlin sighed deeply.
“Bosun, I really hate this. I really hate politics. But I agree that we should try to help her.”
“Thank you, sir”. Tapper looked relieved.
“Still, bosun, how on earth are we to do that?”
“We need a boat I think,” Tapper said.
“But the ice is still thick in the archipelago. We won’t get out to sea.”
“Then we must find a boat further south, sir.”
Kuhlin nodded. “Or go the whole way by land. We need to talk to af Klint. I am sure he would want to come with us. And he has a sleigh.”
Chapter 15 – Breaking out
They began working at dawn the next morning. Baker had assembled his officers in the great cabin in order to discuss the operation. They were standing around the table on which lay a chart of the southern archipelago. Anna was sitting on the aft bench, listening to the discussion, a faint smile on her mouth.
“Any questions, gentlemen?” Baker asked after having explained his plan.
“Um, yes, sir, if you don’t mind me...,” the first lieutenant said.
“Pray go ahead, Mr. Reeman.”
“Well, sir, this whole operation...um...is the ambassador involved at all. I mean, is it official?”
Baker’s eyes narrowed. “I am the captain of a frigate, Mr. Reeman. When I have business it is always official.”
“Of course, sir. No offense, sir.” Reeman blushed.
“None taken. Still, I’d rather hear your questions about the specific operation at hand. That is, if there are any?”
There were none. Thus dismissed, the officers left the great cabin and went to instruct the crew. Captain Baker sat down besides Anna and took her hand in his.
“You are very attractive, when you are in command,” she said softly, smiling at him.
“Do you think so?” Baker lowered his face towards her and kissed her, softly first, but then deeper, his arms now around her waist.
“Oh yes,” she moaned.
Four hours later, they walked down onto the ice in order to inspect the progress of the operation. The ship’s hands had drilled holes into the ice, ten yards apart and in two straight lines about one cable length from the ship’s bows towards the open water which barely could be seen two nautical miles further to the southeast. The holes were big enough to take three charges of gunpowder each, sausages of canvas, filled with the ex
plosive and equipped with slow-burning fuses.
Anna, her arm on the captain’s looked up into his face, eyebrows raised. “Will this really work, my dear captain?”
Baker shrugged. “It better has to or I will face serious depreciation of my authority.” He smiled. “But let me explain how it is supposed to work. See, what we are trying to achieve is to break up the ice into floes a few yards across, and then push those floes under the ice to the sides in order to create a canal through which to tow the Tartar out to sea.”
Anna nodded. “Have you done this before?”
“Never.” Baker smiled. “But some time is the first time for everything is it not?”
Anna returned his smile. “Indeed my dear captain, it is.”
The first lieutenant appeared and lifted his hand to his hat. “We are ready to light the first charges, sir.”
“Very good, Mr. Reeman. Get the people off the ice and then light the charges.” He turned to Anna. “Come on, my dear, we need to go back to the ship”.
Eric af Klint didn’t like it. In fact, he was starting to despair. Sure, he had known it all along when he gave in and accepted his feelings for Anna. He had been sure that he would never be able to keep her for himself for any longer period of time. And he had so not tried to, either. But being in love does things to a man and it’s not always easy to restrain oneself. Although he knew he must.
But now this. Not only did she take up her clandestine career again – that was only to be expected after all. But she did it out of vain loyalty to an idea that hadn’t been real for years. Everybody knew that the king could not last if Sweden was to be saved as a nation. Still he had not said anything to her, being afraid he would push her away. He had decided to let her fly, hoping she would do the right thing and come back to him in the end. And she still might. If she survived this revolution, or coup d’etat or whatever it was supposed to be called.
He sighed and looked at Kuhlin and Tapper. “Alright, of course we will go after her. There’s no other way, is there?”
