“Vickers, I must return to the Three Cups. Please find one of the male servants to accompany me.” Elizabeth mentally reviewed the arrangement of the cabins they had been assigned.
Fortunately, there was enough room on the ship that the captain had not felt it incumbent upon him to give up his room for her and her husband. She and Geoffrey had, however, been assigned only one cabin. It was large enough to accommodate the two of them—if she wished to share a bed with him, which she did not. Trying to avoid him—which was becoming more and more difficult—might present a problem. “It is possible that I could become quite ill during the crossing.”
“My lady”—Vickers’s eyes widened in shock—“you’ve never in your life been sick on a boat.”
“Be that as it may,” Elizabeth said quietly, “I have never been in such rough waters.” She glanced at her maid who was just staring at her and sighed. “You are most likely right. I doubt if I could successfully manage to pretend to be ill. In fact, if any of the colonel’s men succumb, you and I will be busy helping nurse them. In that case, I shall not have time to do anything but that. It might be a very long night for us.”
“I don’t know what he did, but avoiding him will not solve the problem. That’s what my mother always said.” Vickers looked as if she wanted to roll her eyes.
Under the circumstances, Elizabeth could not blame her maid. Vickers had not been in Elizabeth’s bedchamber for the whole conversation she’d had with Lady Markham and the dowager, therefore, did not know what Geoffrey had said. Elizabeth did not even know if her maid would agree that a love match was necessary for her happiness. “You must trust me that I am following my mother in-law’s and my grandmother-in-law’s advice concerning his lordship.”
“In that case, I’ll keep mum.” Her maid went to do as she had been asked.
Fortunately, no matter how she decided to avoid him, Geoffrey would be none the wiser. He had never asked her about her experience with ships and would no doubt be surprised to learn she had sailed from a very young age with her maternal grandfather.
Several hours later, theSally Annwas ready to sail. Elizabeth had obtained a quantity of ginger soup, ginger biscuits, and ginger tea if the worst occurred and most of the others became ill. All of which were guaranteed—according to the landlady of the Three Cups—to aid, if not cure,mal de mer. Something Elizabeth had no experience with since none of her family ever got seasick.
She had been told that even many experienced sailors suffered frommal de mer. Admiral Nelson being the most famous. She would take a nap that afternoon in the event she did not get much sleep that night.
Four hours later, Elizabeth stood at the rail wrapped in a thick wool cloak. The wind blew briskly out of the south-west, which would make for a quick passage to Ostend. Yet, it also meant the seas would be high.
The crew had raised the first of theSally Ann’s sails, and she began to make her way out of the harbor. For a second, Elizabeth thought she could see Holland, but it was most likely the clouds on the horizon.
Her neck began to prickle and she knew Geoffrey was behind her. “Would you not be more comfortable inside?”
“No, thank you for asking though.” Not that he actually cared about her. She was merely his means to an end. “It is not wet, and I like watching the other boats and the harbor.”
“You must not call her a boat, my dear.” He chuckled. “The proper word isship. A boat is much smaller.”
“I am sure you are correct.” She looked toward the land, wondering how long it would be before they could no longer see it. At least an hour or more. “Have you ever made a long sea voyage?”
“No. My experience is limited to crewing on the Thames or a rowboat on a lake.” He placed his hands on her shoulders, and she wanted to shrug them off before she began craving his touch more than she already did. She had enjoyed making love with him, and missed it. Still, she had to make herself remember that to him it was never more than marital relations. Love never played a part. “Nevertheless, I am certain I shall be able to take care of you should anything occur. Not that I expect it to. Higgins seems to be extremely competent.”
“I’m sure we will be perfectly safe.” The sound of the rest of the sails being set gave her a thrill. Elizabeth had not been on a ship since her mother died and had forgotten how free it made her feel.
“The captain has asked us to join him for dinner.” Geoffrey slid his hands down her arms, and she repressed the shiver of delight she felt at his touch.
“So I was informed.” TheSally Annpassed the mouth of the harbor, and Elizabeth turned to face her husband. “I shall go to the cabin and wash up.”
“I’ll join you shortly.”
She grabbed the rail to steady herself as the ship heeled. The helmsman must have just set their course.
“Careful, my lady.” Captain Higgins appeared next to her. “Would you like a hand getting to the cabin?”
Elizabeth thought about telling him she was perfectly capable of doing it herself, but that would be churlish, and he had done nothing to displease her. “Thank you.” Ignoring her husband’s scowl, she placed her hand on the captain’s arm. “When do you think we will make Ostend?”
“It is eighty nautical miles as the crow flies. With this wind, we should be there in the morning.”
That is exactly what she had thought. They had reached the cabin she and Geoffrey had been assigned, and she inclined her head. “Thank you for your escort, sir.”
“Thank you for not objecting to having the soldiers and their equipment onboard, my lady. I could not have denied them.”
“No, I imagine they could have taken over the ship. But even if we could have refused to take the colonel and his men, we could not. Wellington needs all the soldiers he can get.”
“That he does, my lady. That he does.” The skipper bowed. “I shall see you at dinner.”
“Until then.”
