A Mother's Shame (21 page)

Kitty was there scrubbing down everything in sight, and one look at Maria’s pale face told her that something was wrong. When Maria took her cloak off and flung it onto the bed, Kitty’s mouth gaped open as she saw her in all her finery.

‘Why, Maria,’ she gasped. ‘Yer look right lovely. Are they Miss Isabelle’s clothes yer wearin’?’

‘Yes, they are, and I’d be most grateful if you would help me to get out of them,’ Maria answered as she swiped a tear from her cheek.

Ten minutes later she was back in her own clothes; she had removed the ribbons from her hair and tied it back into the neat bun she normally wore. Thankfully, Kitty had not pressed her for any explanations, and Maria was grateful for that at least. She still had the rest of the journey to get through and knew that she must try and hold herself together. She put Isabelle’s clothes away, and then when Kitty departed she sat on the bed and waited for her mistress’s return with some trepidation.

The afternoon had darkened by the time Isabelle put in an appearance. She had obviously been drinking some of the rum that Maria had noticed was being passed around the salon, and her eyes were feverishly bright.

‘Help me get undresshed,’ she slurred as she staggered towards the bed.

Maria laid her book aside. It looked like there was a difficult evening ahead and it was still quite early. In fact, they hadn’t even eaten yet, but looking at the state Isabelle was in, there was no way she was going to make it to the dining room. Flopping onto the side of the bed Isabelle sat there like a limp rag doll as Maria struggled to undress her.

Eventually she managed to get her mistress into her nightgown, and as she then turned to pull back the bedclothes, Isabelle suddenly leaned forward and was violently sick all over the cabin floor.

The smell was nauseating, but instead of apologising, Isabelle merely flopped onto the bed, croaking, ‘And clean that mesh up, it shtinks!’

Disgusted, Maria gritted her teeth and headed to the deck where the mops and buckets were stored. On returning to the cabin, she was relieved to find that Isabelle was out cold, which was just as well because the way she was feeling right at that minute, she would have been in grave danger of giving her a tongue-lashing. Eventually the mess was cleaned up, but there was nothing she could do about the lingering smell – although she wafted the door to and fro in a desperate effort to clear it. Maria decided to go and get her meal in the dining salon and bring something back for her mistress on a tray.

After shrugging herself into her warm cape she headed for the deck where a solitary sailor was sprinkling salt to try and make the planks less slippery for anyone who cared to venture onto them. She ate a solitary unappetising meal of salted pork and vegetables that had been cooked almost to a pulp, then after loading a tray for Isabelle, she stepped back out onto the deck and began to pick her way gingerly back towards the steps that led down to the cabins. It was very dark now and the lower deck was deserted with no sound but the pounding of the waves against the side of the ship and the wind whipping the sails. A thick mist had descended, and as she moved on, a number of barrels containing the precious drinking water loomed out of the darkness. She was almost past them when another dark shape stepped out in front of her and she almost dropped the tray with shock as it blocked her path.

‘Would you kindly move out of my way? You startled me,’ she said crossly. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, her heart skipped a beat and she tried to tell herself that she was seeing things. But then the man spoke and she knew that he was all too real.

‘Lennie!’ she gasped – and yet Lennie was dead – wasn’t he? In a nightmare vision, he was leering at her, and as he bent closer, his foul breath, reeking of rum, made her want to retch.

‘B-but I thought you were dead,’ she said in a voice that trembled.

‘Thash what yer were supposed to think,’ he slurred. ‘An’ all the others what I owed money to. But here I am, large as life. Seems we were meant to be together, after all.’

Holding her head high, she focused her eyes on his nose, which she saw was broken now. Revulsion ran through her. How could she ever have thought she was in love with this man? ‘I suggest you move right now,’ she said, her voice belying the fear that was growing in the pit of her stomach.

‘Elsh what, me beauty?’ His eyes were mocking her. ‘I’ve been watchin’ you fer a while an’ a right pretty little thing you are an’ all. I never really realised it before. Why not be nice to your Lennie, eh? You’ve no call to act so ’igh an’ mighty. Not wi’ my flyblow growin’ in yer belly.’

Rage and humiliation flooded through her, replacing the fear, but there was little she could do but try to side-step him without dropping the tray, although her hand itched to smack his face.

‘How dare you talk to me like that!’ Her eyes flashed fire. ‘I strongly suggest you let me go on my way this very minute otherwise I shall make sure that the Captain hears of your despicable behaviour.’ She was still reeling from shock but he merely chuckled, a low raspy sound that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand to attention.

‘An’ do yer really reckon that he’d take the word of a little trollop like you against one of his own men? Now come here. Yer know yer want it just like yer did that night in the churchyard.’

The tray clattered to the deck then as he lunged at her. Maria opened her mouth to scream but she was too late; he already had one hand clamped across it whilst the other grabbed her around the waist and began to drag her into the shadows cast by the enormous barrels. She began to kick and fight, but Lennie was a powerful man and her strength was no match for his.

He flung her to the deck and the breath was instantly knocked out of her. She felt the cold air on her legs as he began to haul her skirt and petticoats up and heard the sound of buttons popping as he tore at the bodice of her dress. His work-roughened hands pinched and clawed cruelly at her tender skin and pain seared through her.

‘No – please!’
Her voice came out as a whisper as she continued to struggle, and now she felt his calloused hand on the soft skin of her inner thigh and terror shot through her. She managed to free one of her hands and seconds later had the satisfaction of feeling him wince as her fingernails raked down the hardened skin of his cheek. But it did nothing to deter him; in fact, it seemed to have quite the opposite effect.

‘Eeh, I like a gal wi’ a birro fight in her,’ he chuckled as his hand slipped inside her pantaloons and found her most private place. Then his mouth fastened on her pert nipple and pain exploded as he bit on it.

Tears were coursing down her cheeks now, and opening her mouth again she emitted another scream but this time it echoed across the decks as his heavy weight fell on her. And then suddenly she felt him being lifted off her and she heard a scuffle taking place as someone whacked him firmly on the chin and he dropped to the deck like a dead weight.

‘Maria? Oh my dear, are you all right?’ Suddenly she was held in Josh’s arm and sobbing as he tried to pull her skirt down with the other.

‘He . . . he tried to . . .’

‘I know.’ His voice was soothing. ‘But it’s all over now and believe me, after I’ve told the Captain what he tried to do, it will be a long time before he attempts that again. There are plenty of women on board who are willing to pleasure the sailors, without him needing to pick on one who is not. Now, let’s get you back to the cabin. Do you think you can stand? Look, let me help you up then you can lean on me.’

He lifted her, which was just as well for her legs had turned to jelly, then taking her weight he tenderly wrapped her cloak about her to hide her near naked-breasts and led her towards the stairs.

Once inside the cabin he glanced towards the comatose, snoring figure of his sister with contempt before helping Maria into the chair. After pouring her a glass of water he pressed it into her shaking hands and she gulped at it gratefully as his arms came around her again. She leaned against him as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do and sighed as she felt him softly kiss her forehead. It was a feather-light kiss but it made the blood in her veins pump wildly and she wished that the moment might never end. And then he suddenly released her and she instantly felt bereft, as if she had lost something beautiful and precious.

‘Th-thank you,’ she muttered eventually when she had managed to calm herself a little. ‘If you had not come along when you did, he would have . . . would have . . .’

‘Don’t think about that now,’ Josh urged as he gently stroked a stray curl from her brow. ‘I did come along, and that is the main thing. But now I must get someone to help you. You are in no state to be on your own just yet. And then I shall go and see to that drunken oaf on deck. I’ll fetch Kitty to stay with you, shall I?’ And without waiting for an answer he headed for the cabin door.

He was back within minutes with a very concerned Kitty close on his heels. The girl had grown to love Maria unreservedly and was horrified to hear what had almost happened to her.

‘Eeh, Maria,’ she choked as she dropped to her knees and placed her head in her lap. ‘I can scarce believe what Master Josh has just told me. But don’t worry, yer safe now. I’ll look after yer.’

Satisfied that Maria was in good hands, Josh turned and left, informing her, ‘Don’t leave her alone tonight please, Kitty.’

‘No sir, yer can be sure I won’t. But would yer just call down to the single women’s quarters an’ tell Miss Henshaw where I am, else I’ll be fer it.’ Scrambling to her feet, Kitty gently took the cloak from Maria’s trembling shoulders then rushed to the wash basin to get a cloth to bathe the bitemarks on her breasts.

‘He ain’t no better than an animal,’ she said angrily as Maria flinched. Bruises were already appearing on her breasts and Kitty had no doubt they would be black and blue by morning. She then sighed as she looked at Maria’s torn dress. It had been such a lovely dress too, but then knowing what a dab hand Maria was with a needle, she’d no doubt be able to fix it when she had the inclination to, poor sod.

Up on deck Joshua was staring down at the figure of Lennie, who was still out for the count.

‘Stick him in the hold until morning,’ Captain Dickens roared at two sailors who were standing beside him. ‘I will not tolerate such behaviour aboard my ship. Tomorrow morning he will be tied up to the mast and given twelve lashes. We’ll see if he is so keen to try and take advantage of my passengers after that.’ He then bowed to Josh, and strode away.

Just as promised, Lennie was dragged from the hold at the crack of dawn and his shirt was stripped from him as he glared malevolently at the Captain, who stood with his arms behind his back, grim-faced. His wrists were then tied high above his head and he shivered in the icy morning air.

The whole crew had been ordered on deck to witness the punishment and they stood silently as Captain Dickens nodded towards a sailor standing behind the disgraced man. The man was holding an evil-looking six-foot-long leather whip; with a flick of his wrist, it whistled through the air.

‘Proceed, Able Seaman Mohammed. It will be twelve lashes.’

‘Aye aye, Cap’n,’ the sailor replied.

Lennie cast one more glare towards the Captain from red eyes, but then as the whip cracked and connected with his bare back he howled in agony. A wound opened up and blood began to trickle down his back.
I’ll have me day wi’ that bitch,
he swore to himself.
Aye, I will – if it’s the last thing I ever do!
By the time the Able Seaman had administered six lashes, Lennie was jerking like a marionette on a string but the Captain was not about to show mercy. Following the tenth lash, Lennie suddenly went limp and it was obvious to all present that he had passed out as he dangled at the end of the ropes that bound him. One young seaman, who was on his first voyage, dropped to the deck like a stone in a dead faint but everyone ignored him. And then it was over and another sailor rushed forward to throw a bucket of cold water over Lennie’s back, making the deck swim red with his blood.

‘Now cut him down,’ the Captain instructed sternly. ‘And let this be a lesson to all of you.’ He then turned and walked away to the poop deck, leaving his crew in no doubt whatsoever of what was in store for them, should they ever disobey him.

When Josh entered the ladies’ cabin the next morning he found poor Kitty almost run off her feet. She had spent the entire night running between Isabelle, who had continued to be ill all night, and Maria, who lay in her tiny compartment looking as white as a ghost. She was obviously now in deep shock.

‘You look tired, Kitty,’ Josh commented sympathetically but she merely smiled.

‘Oh, I’s all right, sir,’ she responded as Isabelle pulled herself up onto her pillows. ‘But neither o’ these pair has had a very good night, an’ that’s a fact.’

‘Oh, be quiet, girl, and fetch me a glass of water,’ Isabelle said irritably. She had a splitting headache and was dehydrated.

‘I hardly think there is any need to talk to the poor girl like that when she has spent the whole night caring for you,’ Josh told her sharply.

‘I shall speak to her any way I choose. She is only a servant.’ Isabelle then glanced towards Maria before asking, ‘And what is wrong with
her?
I thought it was her job to care for me, not Kitty’s.’

‘Maria had a rather unpleasant encounter with a seaman when she was on the way back to the cabin with your meal last night. But don’t worry. The matter has been dealt with and the sailor has been punished.’

Pushing her thick curtain of hair over her shoulder, Isabelle raised an eyebrow. ‘What do you mean – an encounter? Are you trying to tell me she was raped . . .
again!’

‘No, no, not at all, but it may have come to that if I had not heard her scream.’ Josh went in to Maria, who was lying very still staring sightlessly at the ceiling of the cabin. Gently taking her hand he asked, ‘How are you feeling today, my dear?’

It took a while for her to register that anyone was speaking to her but then the grip on his hand tightened momentarily and when she looked at him he saw recognition there.