Secrets of the Realm

by Bev Stout

  "Abigail told me you made certain she would never return. Thank you, sir."

  "You need to spend time with Abigail. Since your disappearance, she has been more short-tempered than usual. She has missed you terribly. We all have."

  "Now where do you suppose that girl has run off to?" Lady Spencer said.

  "She probably took Mr. Montgomery for a stroll in the garden," Annie said.

  "It will be dark soon. That girl is going to be the death of me," Lady Spencer said.

  "You have nothing to worry about, ma'am. I can assure you, Mr. Montgomery is a man of good character. In fact, he is the son of Roger Montgomery, the Earl of Leeds."

  Lord Spencer muttered under his breath, "He is, undoubtedly, Roger's wayward son."

  CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

  The back entrance opened to a garden of mature trees. The scent of roses filled the air. No longer wearing her shoes, Annie, discarded her stockings, as well, before going off the stone path. She felt the fertile soil squeeze between her toes.

  Hidden among the foliage and deepening shadows, Annie found Mr. Montgomery and Abigail making polite conversation. He pushed her on a swing hanging from an oak branch while Abigail sniffed the fragrance of a freshly picked rose in her hand.

  "And exactly what does a first mate do?" Annie heard Abigail ask.

  She tiptoed closer, straining to hear every word.

  "I work more closely with the men than the captain does. And if he should become ill, or die, God forbid, I take command of the ship." Mr. Montgomery said.

  "Fascinating," she said. "Now kiss me, Mr. Montgomery."

  "I assume you mean your hand, milady."

  "You assume wrong, Mr. Montgomery." She closed her eyes.

  Annie anxiously waited for Mr. Montgomery to make his move. Inching forward to get a better view, she grabbed hold of a drooping branch. When it snapped off in her hand, it got Mr. Montgomery's attention. He spun around, and in two leaps caught Annie before she hit the ground.

  With Annie nestled in his arms, he sheepishly said to Abigail, "Force of habit!"

  "I am supposed to be in your arms, not her!" Abigail tapped her foot. "How long have you been watching us, Annie?"

  "Long enough." Annie looked up at Mr. Montgomery. "She fancies you, sir, but be forewarned, she is a handful."

  "I will take note of that," he replied.

  * * *

  Candles flickered above the dining room table from two cut-glass chandeliers.

  No sooner had Annie sat next to Abigail, she heard footsteps echoing on the hardwood floor. Twisting his cap in his hands, a teenage boy appeared in the dining room. He looked toward Lord Spencer. "Robert said you wished to see me, sir."

  Appearing uncomfortable, the youth checked out his surroundings. Annie could barely contain herself while she observed him taking in the ornate furniture and embroidered drapery. Then his eyes met hers.

  "Annie? Annie!" he said.

  "Erik!" Annie jumped to her feet and raced to him.

  He grabbed her by the waist and twirled her in the air. Just as quickly, he gently put her down as if he was afraid she would break. "My, my, you are a lot prettier than I last saw you. And, I hate to admit it, but you actually look like a lady."

  She ruffled his red hair. "And you are as handsome as ever, Erik Moore."

  He clutched Annie's hand so tight her fingers hurt. "I never thought you would return. Did you make it to London?" he asked.

  "Aye."

  "Aye, you say. You made it to the sea, didn't you?" He laughed as he slapped his cap across his knee. "If you met up with any pirates, I hope it wasn't in that dress!"

  "Oh Erik, I have so much to tell you!"

  Gerard moved from the arched doorway to Erik's side and cleared his throat.

  "I think he wants us to sit," Annie said.

  Erik murmured. "Here? I'm rather dusty." He confirmed that fact by smacking his cap against his trousers once more.

  "Erik, for heaven's sake, sit!" Lord Spencer ordered.

  Erik thumped Gerard on the back before draping his arm around Annie's shoulder. Once he took his place across from Annie, a tureen of soup was served. Lord Spencer made a toast to everyone's health and to their good fortune in having Annie back in their lives. Mr. Montgomery followed with a toast to the family's kind generosity.

  "I will drink to that," Erik said.

  Halfway through the first course of goose, rabbit, and fresh fruits, Annie wondered if her stomach would burst. After the eating utensils and tablecloth were replaced with new ones, she could only look at the second course placed on the table.

  "Annie, aren't you hungry?" Lady Spencer said.

  "Everything is quite wonderful. But after hardtack and salt pork, I am not used to such rich food."

  "Oh, my," Lady Spencer said.

  Unlike Annie, Erik barely took time to breathe as he shoveled each portion into his mouth.

  The meal concluded with fruits, small cakes, jellies and cream. Lord Spencer and Mr. Montgomery enjoyed a glass of Taylor's Port while Lady Spencer sipped sweet wine.

  A manservant behind Annie placed a trifle in front of her. She gazed at the layers of cake, fruit, custard and cream. "You remembered."

  "How could we forget?" Lord Spencer said.

  Lady Spencer smiled at Mr. Montgomery. "That was the first dessert Annie had in our home. When I heard that her aunt and uncle had taken her in after her parents had died, I told Benjamin we must have that child over for some sweets. To think that was eight years ago—seems like yesterday."

  Lord Spencer looked fondly at Annie. "You stole our hearts from the moment you stepped out of the carriage. I still remember that awkward curtsy of yours."

  "Aunt Mary made me practice it all night."

  Lady Spencer's eyes welled up with tears. "Annie, you were simply enchanting. When I saw you, I knew immediately that you would be a perfect companion for our daughter. She had scared off all her other playmates."

  "Being I was so young, you must have had some doubts I could do the job," Annie said.

  "Never. Despite your gentle manner and tender age, I knew you would be able to hold your own with our arrogant daughter."

  "Mother, please, Mr. Montgomery must think I am a monster."

  He laughed. "Headstrong, perhaps, but I could never think of you as a monster."

  Annie took two bites of the dessert. She licked the cream from her lips before putting her fork down.

  "Is the trifle not prepared properly?" Lord Spencer asked.

  "Oh, no, it is perfect in every way, but I simply don't have much of an appetite.

  "How can I ever thank you for being so kind? I feel as though I never left." Annie saw jubilation flash across Abigail's face.

  Annie pushed her chair away from the table. "May I please be excused?"

  "Certainly, you have had quite an exhausting day," Lord Spencer said. He turned to Abigail. "Go with your mother to the drawing room while Mr. Montgomery and I retire to the study. Erik, I assume you must have some work to do at the stable."

  "Yes, sir. But if you don't mind, I will take these fine vittles back with me. We don't want 'em to go to waste, now do we." Erik scraped his food onto a delicately embroidered napkin. "Don't worry, sir, I will bring your napkin back as good as new."

  "That won't be necessary," Lord Spencer said.

  Annie hugged Erik before she hastened upstairs to Abigail's bedroom.

  * * *

  Annie plopped herself down, lightly bouncing on Abigail's bed. She moved aside a glass-eyed doll before resting back on the plump pillow. So soft, certainly more comfortable than my hammock, she thought.

  Annie sniffed the air. Abigail's room smelled of fresh lilac. Nothing smelled musty or damp. Scents, Annie realized she missed.

  "Are you alright?" Abigail asked as she entered the room.

  "I just needed some time alone."

  "I understand, but now that you are back, I don't want you out of my sight even for a minute. It will be
like old times. Remember how we used to comb out each other's hair?"

  Annie ran her fingers through her short locks. "Not quite like old times."

  "It will grow out."

  "Maybe," Annie said, "I don't want it to."

  CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

  Three weeks had passed since Annie arrived at Spencer Estate. She watched as Erik saddled her favorite chestnut mare.

  "I have seen you or Anthony saddle Chelsea a hundred times. I am certain I can do it myself," Annie said.

  Abigail sat tall on her black gelding. "You don't ride side saddle anymore and I let you wear trousers when we ride together, but I put my foot down when it comes to saddling your own horse, Annie. There are just some things ladies simply do not do,"

  Abigail turned to Annie's cousin. "Erik, hurry up. Robert has a picnic waiting for us at the lake."

  "Maybe you should be wearing the trousers," Erik said under his breath.

  "I heard that, Erik," Abigail said. "Annie, your cousin needs to mind his tongue."

  Annie grinned at Erik. "Mind your tongue."

  As hard as she tried, Abigail couldn't keep from laughing. "One Moore is bad enough, but two are impossible."

  Annie reached into the stall where Lord Spencer's blood bay Thoroughbred stood. Standing sixteen hands tall with a white star in the middle of his forehead, the magnificent steed nuzzled Annie's closed hand.

  "Miss Annie, if you are thinking 'bout asking me if you can ride him, my answer will always be the same: No," Anthony, said.

  Annie opened her hand revealing a carrot. "Why not? Lord Spencer seldom rides him," Annie said to the dark-haired groom.

  "I do as I am told which is what you should do. I keep Phantom exercised. He is always ready for a good run, but he is too much horse for you, Annie."

  "But he likes me. See?" Annie rubbed Phantom's nose while he chomped on the carrot.

  "Everyone likes you, Annie, but when it comes to you riding Phantom, the answer will always be the same," Anthony said as he handed Erik a shovel to clean the stalls.

  Grudgingly, Annie mounted Chelsea.

  * * *

  That evening, Annie and Abigail took turns reading Shakespeare sonnets to each other. When their eyes became heavy, they closed the book and reclined on their pillows.

  They talked about every topic except one, Annie's experiences on the Realm. When Annie tried, Abigail would place the back of her hand across her pale forehead, grab her silver pomander containing smelling salts and say, "Oh, please, Annie, your stories will surely give me the vapors."

  However, one resident of the Realm remained a popular subject, Mr. Montgomery. "I cannot wait for tomorrow. Do you think Matthew is as excited about seeing me as I am about seeing him?"

  "I am certain he has thought of nothing else. After all, he has visited you almost every day since I arrived here," Annie said.

  "He writes me the sweetest notes," Abigail said as she pulled one out from under her pillow. She clutched it to her heart.

  "I am anxious for tomorrow evening as well. I cannot wait to see Doc and Captain Hawke. Did you know this will be the first time in over three years that Doc has stepped off the Realm?"

  "He must be quite fond of you, Annie." With a sly grin on her lips, Abigail said, "I am curious. Did you ever think of any of the men on the Realm in a romantic sort of way?"

  "I thought you didn't want me to talk about the Realm."

  "I don't, but I am curious about the men. So answer the question. Did you have any romantic interests?"

  "Certainly not. Such thoughts would have been too dangerous."

  "As Shakespeare once wrote, 'the lady doth protest too much.' Annie, you are not fooling me. You are trying so hard not to smile. Someone did catch your eye. Who is he?"

  Annie thought a moment. "Ambrose Barrette."

  "Tell me more."

  "There isn't much to tell, but Barrette is mighty fine looking, black hair past his shoulders, the darkest eyes. Not as dark as Captain Hawke's eyes, mind you, but dark nevertheless." Annie smiled up at the canopy. "If I tell you anymore, you might get the vapors."

  "If something scandalous happened, I want to hear all about it."

  "I saw Barrette without his shirt on."

  Abigail's eyes widened. "Oh my, now that is scandalous!"

  Annie enjoyed Abigail being interested in her love life for a change, even if she didn't really have one.

  "However, since he thought I was a boy, it wasn't all that scandalous. Besides, he was only changing his shirt. But then again, Doc had a feeling…" Annie giggled.

  "Don't stop there," Abigail said.

  "It is just silly."

  "I do not care if it is silly or not. I want to know what Doc said."

  "Alright, I'll tell you. Doc said Barrette didn't look at me the way a sailor looks at another sailor. I told him it was just his imagination, but once when Barrette and I were alone in the fo'c'sle, he started to brush a strand of hair from my face and I saw that look. At least, I thought I did. Anyway, it gave me goose bumps."

  "Annie, you are beginning to sound more like a girl every day."

  "But seriously, Abigail, since I've been here, I realize that Barrette is nothing more than an amusing and annoying friend."

  "A friend who just happens to be mighty fine looking, especially without his shirt on," Abigail reminded Annie. "Is this Barrette fellow better looking than Mr. Montgomery?"

  "It is impossible to compare the two." Annie said. "And while Mr. Montgomery is indeed a handsome bloke, I look at him the same way you look at your brothers."

  "What about Doc?"

  "That's easy. I see him as my father. And I say that with all due respect to my real father. He would have loved Doc as much as I do."

  "I remember you saying something about Captain Hawke dresses like a drunken toad. I'm curious. What does he look like?"

  "Oh my, there is no describing the captain," Annie said.

  "What do you mean?"

  "He is like no other."

  "Is he handsome?"

  "I will let you be the judge of that when you meet him."

  "Oh, I understand. You are being diplomatic. Captain Hawke is a craggy old man, doesn't have all his teeth, and he's bald."

  Annie laughed. "I could not have described him any better than if he were standing in this room.

  "Abigail, I always wondered how jealous you would be if you knew I was in the middle of the ocean surrounded by all these men. You have always been such a flirt."

  "Not anymore since Matthew came into my life." Abigail looked dreamily off in space. "I cannot wait for tomorrow."

  "Neither can I. I must tell the captain what I have decided." Annie extinguished the candle on the bed stand. "Good night, Abigail."

  "Good night, Annie."

  CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

  With her feet dangling over the edge of the canopy bed, Annie watched Abigail admire herself in the freestanding mirror. She wondered how one person could stare at herself for so long and not be bored.

  "How do I look?" Abigail asked.

  Annie assessed Abigail's lavender silk brocade gown accented with gold thread. "You needn't wear such a fancy dress to impress Mr. Montgomery," she answered.

  "I shall do whatever it takes to win Matthew's heart."

  "I think you have already done that. But remember, he is a sailor, a man whose first love will always be the sea," Annie said as she slid off the bed.

  "I am certain I have made dry land most appealing to him," Abigail said as she pinched her cheeks until they glowed a rosy pink.

  Annie nudged Abigail out of the way and stared at her own image in the mirror. "Sometimes I wonder who this stranger is. I barely recognize her. What do you suppose the captain will think when he sees me?"

  "I will tell you one thing, Annie, he won't see that little street urchin he hired as his cabin boy anymore."

  "Really?" Annie said.

  "Oh please, Annie, don't you have any idea how lovely you ar
e?"

  Annie continued to stare at the mirror. "Me? Lovely?"

  "You little scamp. I see that grin," Abigail said as she grabbed Annie's hand. "It is time to go downstairs and wait for our guests."

  * * *

  It was dusk when Gerard announced, "Mr. Matthew Montgomery and Doctor Arthur Cromwell."

  "Doc!"

  Annie ran to greet him. She threw her arms around his thick waist. Her head rested a moment on his chest before she touched his deeply lined face. Gone was his grey stubble, but his bushy mustache remained intact as did his furrowed brow. "You look positively dashing, Doc." she said.

  He patted Annie's hand. "My goodness, Mr. Montgomery was right. He said you were as lovely as an Arabian princess."

  "She certainly is," Lord Spencer said as he welcomed his arriving guests.

  Annie peered around Mr. Montgomery. "The captain, is he still in the carriage?"

  "Captain Hawke has been delayed."

  "I understand he is at the Hollingsworth Estate," Lord Spencer said. "I assume he is conducting business with Samuel."

  Terrence Cudney, a long-time friend of Lord Spencer, asked, "Is it true Hollingsworth exports all of his wool to the American colonies on the Realm?"

  "You are quite correct, sir, but Captain Hawke's visit is more pleasure than business," Mr. Montgomery answered.

  * * *

  Lord Spencer escorted Terrence's wife into the dining room where Lady Spencer had already taken her place at the head of the table. The Cudney sisters, Catherine and Hannah, quickly found their places on either side of their mother. Mr. Montgomery needed no prompting to sit across from Abigail while Annie stared at the empty chair between him and Doc. She slipped off her shoes and wiggled her sore toes under the table.

  Once the first course was over, servants replaced the linen tablecloth, plates and eating utensils with clean ones. An hour into the second course, Annie sat straighter in her chair when she heard the door knocker banging in the foyer. She listened with excited anticipation to the firm boot heels drowning out the butler's shuffling footsteps.