The Bad Miss Bennet Abroad

by Jean Burnett

  Ferdinand, believing his beloved to be dead, loosed a volley of shots at the marquis before leaping across the intervening pews in pursuit. The marquis limped away as fast as he could, having been shot in the leg. As the two met up outside the chapel the bare hillside rang with two final shots that left the marquis dead on the ground and Ferdinand badly wounded.

  ‘Laurencia, my beloved!’ were his last words as consciousness left him. The first rays of sunlight were glinting on the purple hills beyond the forest and birds began to sing in the green covert.

  As I paused to rest my aching hand I heard a noise.

  ‘Who is there?’ I called, expecting Eufrasia to come gliding in from the veranda… No one entered but I heard a slight movement outside. ‘Oh do come in, girl!’ I called, but Eufrasia still did not appear. Instead, the lace curtain parted and there stood Adelaide’s beau in all his glory. I looked him up and down and remarked, ‘Do you always appear in a lady’s boudoir heavily armed, sirrah?’

  Not a whit abashed Ramirez clanked his heels together and wished me good day.

  ‘I would be obliged, madam, if you would accompany me to the ship, at the captain’s request. There is a litter waiting outside. Your servants and the baby are already accommodated.’

  ‘What!’ I cried. ‘How dare you, sir? Are you inviting me to be kidnapped? What if I refuse?’

  ‘Then I will be obliged to throw you over my shoulder,’ he replied in a nonchalant manner, carefully moving his weapons to one side. This gave me pause. What was happening; why had Adelaide and the others not put up some resistance? I had not heard as much as a shriek. Of course, Adelaide was totally unable to resist Ramirez and would have followed him anywhere. A baby’s cry reached me at that moment. Baby Sebastian was being taken away! I rushed outside closely followed by Ramirez.

  Two pirates awaited me and they quickly took my arms and almost threw me into the litter where I landed in Adelaide’s lap. ‘Where is the baby?’ I demanded. She indicated another litter waiting alongside. ‘He is in there with the nursemaid.’

  ‘But where is da Silva – and the bodyguard?’

  My maid shrugged. ‘They have been rendered helpless. Tom… Mr Ramirez put something in their midday cachaça.’ She attempted to look shamefaced but failed. I regarded her, shocked to the core.

  ‘I cannot believe that you would assist those wretches, Adelaide. What will become of us – of the baby? You have taken leave of your senses.’ My maid rushed to her lover’s defence.

  ‘They mean you no harm, madam. As soon as a ransom is paid they will release you.’ I noticed that she had not included herself in these arrangements,

  ‘What will you do, my girl? Surely you do not intend to go off with that pirate? It will end very badly for you… and after all I have done for you.’ I gave a snort of outrage. Adelaide remained silent while another thought struck me. ‘Where is Dona Serafina?’

  ‘She hid from the pirates. They did not look for her.’

  ‘And Eufrasia?’

  Adelaide shrugged again. ‘They were not bothered with the slaves.’ If Dona Serafina escaped surely she would alert the count. A rescue expedition would be mounted. Somehow I could not convince myself of this. Captain da Silva and his men will rescue us eventually, I told myself but, again, I remained unconvinced. We were being jolted along none too gently by the pirates.

  Chapter 16

  December 5th

  We were bumped and hurried on our way to the harbour where we were bundled onto Lafitte’s ship. The glimpses I had through the curtains of the litter revealed a complete absence of soldiers – either the count’s men or my own bodyguard. Doubtless they were still sleeping off the cachaça. As I descended from the litter Lafitte swept me a low bow. I was not greatly diverted. His men glowered at us as we passed them.

  The pirate leader made a great deal of the fact that he had made his own cabin available to me, the baby and the maids. I ignored this.

  ‘How dare you seize us in this manner?!’ I screeched at him. ‘You will hang for this, and your crew with you.’ I heard my voice shake a little. I was close to tears of fury and terror – and Lafitte knew it. He gave me one of his crooked smiles that did not reach his cold eyes.

  ‘Stay calm, madame, all will be well. Let us discuss matters in my cabin. May I offer you some refreshments?’ I knew very well that the only discussion would be about money and how much my person would be worth. Baby Sebastian began to wail loudly at this point as if to emphasise the point.

  When we were settled in the cabin, Lafitte leaned towards me in an unpleasantly confiding manner. ‘I must tell you, madame, that I am on a special quest. I am in search of the Fountain of Youth!’ I laughed, assuming he was making a jest.

  ‘We would all like to find that, sir.’

  Lafitte shifted impatiently in his chair. ‘It is said that the Fountain of Youth is hidden somewhere in these parts.’

  I sneered politely. ‘Yes, it could be the pineapples or pomegranate juice or the cachaça, or the açaí berries or a mixture of all three.’ He glared at me and took a slurp of brandy from a silver hip flask.

  ‘I have a document that will lead me to the place where it is to be found. You are young, Madame Lydia, and you do not understand. When your beauty begins to fade and wrinkles furrow your brow you will not laugh at the idea of a fountain of youth. You will seek it in vain in a tub of cream.’

  This speech was delivered in Lafitte’s charming French accent – his only asset – but it puzzled me. ‘It is kind of you to describe me as beautiful, captain, but I had not thought you to be so vain.’ He looked even more annoyed and I felt Adelaide’s shoe attempting to kick me discreetly.

  ‘It is not simply a question of vanity!’ he roared, leaping up from his chair and clutching the table for support. ‘I need time… more time to recoup my losses. I need to roll back the years.’ He began muttering to himself and searching feverishly among the papers heaped on the table before turning to me again.

  ‘I need a fail-safe plan, a second string is the English expression, I believe. The Portuguese will pay handsomely for you and your child but… but if I cannot buy back youth I shall at least be wealthy.’ I remained silent and after a few more slurps of brandy Lafitte left us and went above deck. I concluded that he wished for both money and youth and was not sure of receiving either – hence his bad mood. The nursemaid began to sob with fright and even Adelaide began to look uncomfortable. I silently cursed Lafitte for a ruthless, cross-grained villain.

  ‘I am not convinced that the Portuguese will pay a ransom, or possibly not enough to satisfy Lafitte. We must contrive to escape somehow.’ Adelaide received this announcement with horror. Perhaps her faith in the handsome first officer was beginning to waver.

  ‘How can we do that, madam? It will be impossible – and with the baby too.’ A difficult half hour ensued as I attempted to calm everyone. Eventually, Adelaide begged to be allowed to go up on deck ‘to look around.’

  ‘That would be most unwise,’ I told her. ‘You will be at the mercy of pirate ruffians.’ She blushed and looked coy and I realised she expected to meet the first officer. I waved my hand. ‘Oh, go, Adelaide. Perhaps you will learn something to our advantage, but I doubt it.’ She departed quickly and Sebastian began to wail. My spirits sank into my boots, but I must not indulge in a fit of the vapours.

  When my maid eventually returned her cheeks were crimson and her hair stood almost on end, giving her the appearance of one of the Bacchae after an initiation ceremony. She claimed to have news from Tom. ‘Well, out with it girl!’ I cried. Adelaide tried to compose herself.

  ‘Tom did say that he might be able to assist us in return for something of great value.’

  ‘Such as?’

  ‘Well, I mentioned your necklace from the Prince Regent and he became quite excited.’ I had no doubt of that. So I was to hand over my most valuable asset to a handsome ruffian who might or might not effect our release. ‘And what do you gain from al
l of this?’ I asked my maid.

  She blushed again. ‘Tom has offered to take me with him when the ship sails for North America.’

  ‘With my necklace as your booty? I cannot believe such betrayal.’ It was Adelaide’s turn to look outraged.

  ‘I did it for you and the baby, madam. I don’t trust that Lafitte and I don’t trust Dom Pedro neither.’ She repeated her favourite saying, that I was not lucky where gentlemen were concerned. This was certainly true but Lafitte was not a gentleman, and neither was Dom Pedro for all his blue blood.

  ‘Lafitte will scarcely allow us to escape from under his nose.’

  Adelaide leaned forward and whispered in my ear. ‘Tom says that the men are tired of Lafitte and his strange ways. They think he is cracked in the head and they want to return to the United States. Tom will take over the ship and lock Lafitte in the hold. They will probably put him ashore on an island somewhere.’ I gave her a speculative look.

  ‘They will probably do the same to you, my girl. Women are considered unlucky on board ships and pirates are very superstitious, I have heard. There is an island off the coast of Mexico called Isla Mujeres where pirates are wont to leave their women for long periods. Is that what you desire?’

  She shrugged this aside and we turned to the problem of retrieving the necklace which was buried in the garden of the villa. We decided to send a message to Dona Serafina somehow. She could bring the necklace to the ship. The pirates were unlikely to molest her. Adelaide went off to arrange this with Tom.

  I would have enjoyed being a fly on any nearby wall when Dona Serafina met Tom Ramirez and handed over the necklace. Serafina was fluent in Spanish and would no doubt have had much to say.

  December 4th

  Only a day later, after the sounds of much scuffling and swearing were heard above our heads, we were told that Tom had taken over the ship and the captain was locked in the hold. My necklace lay winking in the lamplight on Lafitte’s table as Tom Ramirez admired it.

  ‘I trust you are satisfied, sir, and that you will release us as soon as possible?’ He nodded, then said that he would put us ashore at a suitable place. We were already heading out of the bay and Paraty was rapidly receding from view. Alarming visions of the Isla Mujeres swam before my eyes. This villain would betray us like the others of his kind. At that moment Dona Serafina burst into the cabin escorted by two members of the crew who appeared to be mortally afraid of her. Perhaps she had put a curse on them.

  ‘Release these ladies at once!’ she barked at Hernandez. ‘A vessel from Rio is entering the bay in pursuit. It is fully armed and it will be the end of you if you are caught. You will hang from the yardarm of your ship.’ Ramirez’ charm slipped visibly at this and he began to curse volubly. ‘I am an American citizen!’ he exclaimed. Dona Serafina replied that he was a pirate and a criminal in Portuguese waters and he would hang regardless. When Adelaide attempted to take his hand he threw her across the cabin.

  In the ensuing fracas we all clambered on to the deck aided by the crew who could not wait to be rid of us. Sure enough, a ship was sighted on the horizon, but we could not tell whether it was friend or foe.

  We were rowed to shore while the pirate ship prepared to leave once more. On shore Dona Serafina hastened us away from the direction of our house to the lonely Chapel of the Generous Woman on the edge of town. When I protested she said we would be safe there.

  ‘What have we to fear now?’ I asked. ‘The pirates have gone and a Portuguese ship approaches. We are saved.’ Dona Serafina looked unimpressed.

  ‘Ask her for the reason.’ She pointed accusingly at Adelaide who sheepishly produced my necklace from her pocket. She had managed to seize it from its pouch while Ramirez was otherwise occupied.

  ‘When Ramirez realises his loss he will come back. He is protected by the count who, I am afraid, has been in collusion with the pirates for his own financial ends.’ Dona Serafina’s pain at this evidence of Portuguese perfidy was palpable. Adelaide protested that she had taken the necklace for my benefit and because Ramirez had thrown her aside.

  At this point I confessed that the necklace was worthless paste which I had caused to be made in Rio. The real necklace was in the care of the Luccombes. Overcome by these events, I collapsed in an empty confessional while Dona Serafina and the nurse resorted to keeping baby Sebastian quiet by mixing a few drops of brandy in his milk. Serafina is proving remarkably useful after all.

  Suffice to say, dear reader, that after an anxious few hours, a ship commissioned by Mr Luccombe docked at Paraty to rescue us. At the sight of this vessel I felt relief and joy that was inexpressible. We had been within inches of a very unpleasant fate… Dona Serafina said that we should give thanks to the Generous Woman whose chapel had been our refuge, and for once I agreed with her.

  I was delighted to find Mr Luccombe himself on board the ship. He scooped us up and we were soon bound for Rio de Janeiro, stopping only to collect our belongings, and Eufrasia. I regretted not bidding farewell to da Silva but there was no sign of my bodyguard.

  ‘Still drunk, I expect,’ commented Adelaide.

  ‘I could not let a servant of the British Crown fall into the hands of a Yankee pirate!’ Mr Luccombe twinkled at me, while simultaneously admiring baby Sebastian. As we were sailing away from our troublesome paradise I quizzed Adelaide about her plans with Ramirez.

  ‘Were you really going to live on board ship with the first mate, after all I have done for you, Adelaide?’ I had, after all, paid her wages quite regularly and enabled her to see the world, if unwillingly. She had the grace to look shamefaced.

  ‘I was that smitten with him, madam, I would have followed him anywhere until I heard what the pirates planned to do. I couldn’t let anything happen to you and the baby.’ I patted her arm.

  ‘You did well, Adelaide, and I am not ungrateful.’ I resolved to pass one or two of my gowns on to her when the time was right.

  ‘Will we be going home now, madam?’ she asked in a hopeful tone.

  ‘I anticipate a return to England, in the first instance,’ I told her. ‘My contract is finished and I am not wanted at the Portuguese court unless Dom Pedro has a change of heart.’

  My maid regarded the baby who was sleeping peacefully. ‘It all depends on the little one, doesn’t it?’ We shall see.

  Chapter 17

  December 6th

  After a long absence, or so it seemed to me, I returned to my Romance. I had left Ferdinand and Laurencia in dire straits. They were both at death’s door but I could scarcely leave them there. My readers would expect a satisfactory conclusion, the triumph of good over evil. I took up my pen again, relieved to have some quiet time at last.

  When Ferdinand awoke he saw that he was within the plain white walls of the monastery’s infirmary. Rows of bottles and containers ringed the room. Despite the pain that racked his body, he recognised the marquesa, Lady Eleanor hovering by his bed, her face furrowed with sorrow and strain. Realisation dawned upon him and he tried to sit up while uttering an agonised cry,

  ‘Laurencia, Laurencia my love!’ The lady, now risen from her own sickbed put out her hand to soothe his brow. Ferdinand sank back in pain and despair and one of the brothers hurried up to his bed, urging him to remain still or his wound would open and bleed again.

  ‘Do not fret, dear boy,’ the lady assured him, ‘Laurencia is alive. She lies yonder.’ She pointed to a bed on the far side of the room. Ferdinand turned his head and saw his beloved lying, still and pale, with her arm heavily bandaged. The infirmarian told him she was merely sleeping. ‘She will recover, as will you, with rest and care.’

  The three unfortunates spent many weeks recovering at the monastery until they regained their strength. Their joy grew day by day as they realised that their enemy was no more and the prospect of a long and happy life lay before them.

  In due course they received an edict from the ruler of those lands that restored Ferdinand’s estates and title. Many of the men who had
been in service with the marquis came to offer fealty to their lawful ruler, and they received a pardon. When the little procession eventually set out for the castle, the joy felt by the two lovers was unspeakable. Now man and wife, they walked hand in hand into their domain to receive the cheers and greetings of their retainers. The Lady Eleanor accompanied them and became an honoured member of the household, living out the rest of her days in peace. However, the privations and sufferings of her imprisonment had fatally undermined her constitution and she did not live long.

  They had found Mademoiselle Serafina locked in her room. She had barricaded the door with heavy furniture but Ferdinand ordered his men to force an entry. As they burst into the room the evil woman screamed curses at them as she retreated towards the open casement. Before they could restrain her she threw herself out of the window into the moat below. Her broken body was seen sinking under the water.

  Laurencia looked on in horror. ‘Despite her cruelty to me I would not have wanted her die in such a manner.’ She shuddered and hid her face in Ferdinand’s shoulder.

  He held her close and said, ‘No doubt she preferred such a death to the years she would have spent in the dungeons of this castle. Do not mourn her, my love!’

  Ferdinand and Laurencia took up their responsibilities and ruled their lands wisely for many years and were beloved by their subjects. Their descendants rule those lands to this day.

  When I laid down my pen I could not help shedding more tears for Laurencia and Ferdinand who had become as familiar to me as members of my family. Their trials and tribulations compared with my own but the outcome for me was less certain. However, self-pity must be avoided, it is so unbecoming. There will be a satisfactory outcome, eventually, I am certain of this. Have I not escaped from pirates, Freemasons, troublesome princes and all manner of ridiculous situations?