Convictions (20 page)

“It’s on your head then, Meadows.”

The captain swung on his heels and stomped back toward his cabin.

“Lieutenant Davis, tell the crew to heave to. And see these men have water and food immediately.” Almost as an afterthought, he added, “And get these wretches something to eat too.” He waved his arm over the shipwrecked group.

Relief flooded Jennie. “Thank you, Captain MacGregor,” she called after him.

“Don’t make me regret it,” he growled.

“Thank you too, Nate.” Jennie grabbed his hand and held it in both of hers, pumping it. She turned to Meadows, bobbing her head in appreciation. “Thank you, sir.”

“Let’s just hope she’s alive, and this isn’t all for naught,” he said with a wry expression. “Otherwise we’ve used up one of our goodwill points with the prickly Scots captain.”

Jennie glanced over at Lieutenant Davis. He had a sullen look on his face. When he noticed her staring at him, he glared at her. While still keeping eye contact, he scraped his fingers under his nose, like she’d seen hooligans do in the streets back home when they didn’t like someone. She had no idea what it meant, but judging from the loathing in his eyes, it couldn’t be good.

Within minutes, food was distributed for the men to gobble before they left. They ate as they readied themselves, then headed for the ladder.

Jennie could hardly contain herself as the jolly boat was lowered once again and the three men got in. She knew how exhausted they were from their ordeal, and her heart swelled with gratitude. She hoped fervently that Nate came back alive with Kate.

The captain relented at the last minute and let one of his own crew – Ruddick volunteered – as the fourth rower to speed their expedition. Jennie clung to the mooring ropes on the ship’s stern and watched them thrust away. She found herself praying, to whom she didn’t know. She only hoped there was some greater power that would help.

At some point a piece of hardtack was shoved into her hand. Jennie nibbled on it, the chunks hitting the pit of her stomach with a thud. She’d been so long without food that her stomach wanted to reject it. Jennie managed to keep it down by accepting a cup of water and sipping at it sparingly.

Behind her, she had a vague sense of the others being fed, but she took no note, focusing entirely on the current rescue operation. After a time, Alice squeezed in next to her. The women stood nearby, shuffling occasionally for a better view.

Jennie found the salty air bracing and was thankful to be breathing it in from the safety of another ship, not still out on a raft at sea. Though what fate had planned for her, she didn’t want to imagine. She and her companions were far from safe yet, especially with another tempest forming.

The wind shrilled and the wreckage rocked heavily on the open sea. As the rescuers approached the prone and immobile figure on the hunk of board, every muscle in Jennie’s body tensed. There was a shared intake of breath when one of the men picked up the woman and deposited her limp body into the rowboat.

“It
is
Kate!” Alice clapped her hands.

Jennie breathed a sigh of relief.

“They got her!” The words echoed up and down the group leaning against the railing of the ship.

One step accomplished. Now for their safe return.

The captain appeared and grumbled, “One more mouth to feed
somehow!”

The rowers stopped again when they reached their now abandoned floating platform. Jennie was amazed when they loaded some of their earlier findings into the boat. They even managed to tie the salvaged barrel behind the jolly boat before starting back again.

As they pulled vigorously on their oars, the men watched the brewing sky. Jennie could almost feel their tension as they tried to outrun the impending storm.

Before they could reach the ship, the clouds suddenly burst, and large drops of rain splattered down, pattering loudly onto the deck. Most of the women and crew on the ship ducked for cover, but Jennie stood against the starboard bulwark and let the pounding rain drench her. She was safe and alive. Sarah and Alice were safe. Kate was alive. The least she could do was stay and watch until the boat made it back.

The ship pitched in the heavy waves. Jennie’s stomach lurched. But it had to be much worse for those struggling to get back. The relentless waves crashed against the small boat, flinging it about like a piece of flotsam.

Every nerve in Jennie’s body tingled as she watched the rowers fight against the rolling waves that kept pushing them back. They were not far from the ship now, but for a time they lost more headway than they made.

As the boat dipped and slammed into the water, ocean spray covered them, but they persevered. Some of their salvaged items floated in the water that was gradually filling the boat. No one tried to bail. All hands were needed to keep the boat from capsizing.

“Damn fools,” the captain shouted in Jennie’s ear over the roar of the wind. He bellowed instructions to his men as the boat bobbed and bounced closer to the ship.

How were they going to get Kate on board in this wind? For that matter, how would the men manage it? Standing on her tiptoes, Jennie peered over the side and straight down.

The crew lowered several ropes, a hook and the net. This time it was weighted with ballast. The crew had learned from their previous encounter, and although the wind buffeted those below, they secured the net firmly with ropes and managed to use the block and tackle to their advantage. After several tries, the men in the boat snagged the net and laid Kate in it. Two men climbed onto the ladder ahead of the swinging net to steady it as best they could, keeping it drawn in with the hook, as those above heaved. Through the blinding rain, Jennie saw that Nate and Meadows had waited until the others with the net were up and secured by the sailors on deck.

The ropes were thrown down again and attached to the jolly boat. Dipping and bouncing, Nate and Meadows were able to tie a couple of ropes around the barrel. Only then did they reach for the ladder. When they were more than halfway up, the barrel was raised, followed by the winching of the boat.

Suddenly, the rain stopped, and the wind died down. It was as if someone had waved a magic wand. Everything went silent for a moment or two. Then there was a hubbub of people moving about and nattering excitedly. Convinced the two men would be safe, Jennie rushed over to where the net containing Kate had been hoisted on board.

Jennie helped untangle Kate’s limp body from the netting. Kate was breathing, but barely. There was a large gash on the back of her head. No longer bleeding, and freshly washed by the rain, it was still a nasty gouge. She also had other cuts and scrapes on her body. “Kate.” Jennie gently shook her, but she didn’t respond.

“She’s been coshed by something, I’d say,” said a Scottish sailor, leaning over Kate.

“Let’s hope she’ll come around,” said Sarah tenderly.

The captain pushed through the surrounding crowd. He surveyed the scene and ordered Kate taken under a shelter near the bulwark in the waist of the ship.

“This girl goes with her.” He pointed to Jennie. “The rest of you stay back.”

“Cabin boy!” Captain MacGregor called.

A young lad stepped forward. “Aye, sir!”

“You are to get them what they need.” The captain started to head off.

“Can I help too?” asked Alice, stepping forward. “I’ve helped with injured people before.”

Captain MacGregor raised his eyebrows in disbelief, then he sighed. “How two chits of girls can do doctoring is beyond me.” He paused, seeming to make up his mind. “Go on with you, lass.” He gave Alice a wave of dismissal.

Clutching her leather pouch, Jennie hurried after the sailors carrying Kate. Alice stuck close behind her and the cabin boy brought up the rear. The sailors laid Kate on a blanket in a dry spot of the deck under a scrap of tarp that had been strung up for them.

“Fetch a cloth and water, please,” Jen
nie said, sinking to her knees.

The cabin boy obliged, and Alice gently towelled Kate off, while Jennie tended to the gash in her head, tenderly picking her red curly hair from the wound.

“Is there no surgeon?” Jennie asked the cabin boy standing over her. He looked very young, maybe not much older than Alice.

“The doctor died a week back.” He shrugged.

Jennie groaned inwardly. “Right, then. Ah…what’s your name?”

“Angus, miss,” he said.

“Well, then, Angus…where’s the surgery? We need to sew her up.”

“We don’t rightly have one of those either, miss,” he said.

“No surgery?” Jennie’s voice came out sharp with surprise.

Angus shook his head. “The surgery, or wardroom as we calls it, is used for, well, other things. The doctor had a berth where he kept his medical satchel…but he did most of his work in the galley.”

“Where the food is cooked?” Jennie was incredulous.

“Nowhere else to rightly do things, miss,” he sputtered, his face turning a bright shade of red. “That’s where the knives and saws are for amputations and such.”

He spoke as if amputating a limb was an everyday occurrence, and doing it where they prepared their meals was a sensible thing to do. She was glad they’d been fed hardtack and not soup.

Jennie looked around at the rough nature of the ship. Deck boards were polished but worn, cleats and other equipment showed signs of rust. From the looks of the sails, they’d been mended many times, and the masts looked none too sturdy. Maybe it wasn’t so surprising that the surgery was in the galley, and there was so much need to sever limbs. They no doubt had plenty of accidents.

“The captain has medicine supplies in his cabin,” Angus offered.

Jennie nodded. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Nate and Meadows return on board. Nate stumbled and fell as he skidded onto the wet deck. Meadows collapsed beside him, breathing hard, but smiling. They shook hands and grinned triumphantly.

“We did it,” said Nate. Coombs joined them, and they slapped each other on the back.

They had
rescued
Kate. Now it was Jennie’s turn to
save
her.

She focused her attention back to her unmoving friend, as sailors welcomed the men with blankets and shots of rum. Jennie continued to check Kate for more injuries, testing for broken bones. She found only scrapes and cuts.

Jennie sat back on her heels and unfastened her leather pouch. She set out the little tins. All of them were miraculously safe and dry, if somewhat dented. Opening each, she examined their contents. Besides the dried yarrow flowers and lard, she’d grabbed some pulverized marigolds. She’d make a poultice. At least that would keep the swelling down on Kate’s head. She had no idea what else to do.

“We need a bowl with warm water and another cloth for washing, and a bowl for mixing a plaster and strips for bandages. Oh, and a needle and something for sutures.” She rattled off the list with authority.

“I don’t rightly know where to find some of those things,” he said. “I’ll speak to the captain for you, miss.”

“Well, quickly, then.”

“And a spoon too,” added Alice.

“Right you are,” said Jennie, winking at her smart young friend. She’d forgotten to mention the spoon for mixing the poultice.

Alice grinned and called after the cabin boy, “The cook will have the spoon and bowls.”

Jennie added, “And he should have some water already on the hob too.”

The girls set back to work.

After a time, Alice said, “I don’t think Angus is much older than me.”

“I’m sure you’re right,” Jennie replied.

Alice had a quizzical expression on her face. “Why would he be working on a ship so young?”

“I don’t know, but you could ask him. Here he comes.”

Alice blushed, and dropped her head as Angus returned.

“Captain MacGregor says you’re to join him in his cabin and select what you need.”

“All right,” said Jennie, rising. Angus stayed behind with Alice.

The storm clouds had dissipated, but the afternoon wore on and the sky dimmed as the sun failed. She’d have to hurry to sew Kate up before dark. She didn’t fancy doing anything by candlelight.

When she arrived outside the captain’s quarters, she looked around. Neither the first mate nor anyone else was there to let the captain know she’d arrived. With trepidation, Jennie tapped lightly on the thick oak cabin door, not sure what she’d find when she entered.

Chapter Seventeen

“Enter,”
Captain MacGregor
bade Jennie.

She opened the door and stepped over the threshold into his cramped quarters. The captain sat at an oak table, writing in a book with thick wooden covers. Beside him was a squat bottle of black ink, a pen holder and two leather-bound books. One was open and had a list of scribbles with a column of numbers beside them. Nearby was a large mug holding amber liquid. A rectangular table jammed against the opposite wall held several charts, along with a compass, sextant and a large hourglass mounted on a three-legged stand.

Behind the captain there was a bed. Jennie blushed at the impropriety of being in a man’s sleeping chambers. She looked away quickly.