Nobody's Saint (25 page)

“I’ll keep her,” Hartford said. “Lead me to your sister’s.”

“Look at her,” Darnley said. Mary Kate whimpered again, and he smirked. “I can handle this little slip of a girl. Elaine has bars on her windows to keep out thieves. I’ll just lock your bride in the bedroom and she’ll be there safe and sound when we’ve found our priest. Go find yourself a whore and celebrate your last night of freedom.”

Hartford laughed. “Marriage shan’t be changing my life any, but if you insist. Take her wherever you like, for now, but have that priest there in the morning.”

For a while, Mary Kate allowed herself to be led through the streets of the city, but she observed sharply both the buildings and people that surrounded her. The buildings were important because she hoped to find the office for the shipping company owned by Diego’s friends. In telling her the story of Geoffrey Hampton, Diego had explained that the former privateer was now a legitimate merchantman, with a business owned in partnership with his former first mate. The citizens offered her reassurance that her dismal appearance would still work in her favor. Granted, her gown was a bit modest and her face lacked paint, but in her rumpled gown and with her disheveled hair, she could be one of the many whores she passed along the way.

If she didn’t happen to spy the office, then she needed to be well enough away from the dock that Darnley might not think to seek her in that direction.

And perhaps it was even less probable than finding the shipping office, but she searched the crowd for Diego’s lanky, familiar form.

They seemed to be approaching a break in the city. At the far end of the street, the rabble thinned out and the buildings took on the appearance of houses rather than businesses. Doubtless, they were getting closer to Darnley’s sister’s house. They walked past a brothel and a group of men gathered under the upstairs window, where a trio of women in sheer shifts held court.

“Good heavens, that’s my grandfather!” Mary Kate cried to Darnley, pointing across the street from the brothel.

“Where?” Darnley said, squinting at passersby.

“Right there, in the white wig and dark coat.”

Darnley craned his neck, loosening his grip on Mary Kate, and she slid her arm out from under his hand. “That man right there. Grandfather!”

“Sir Calder!” Darnley yelled, and he headed across the street, obviously assuming Mary Kate would follow.

She turned and bolted to the cluster of men outside the brothel. There was no time to be fastidious. She grabbed the man nearest the door and pulled him close, dragging him backward into the whorehouse. It seemed to be enough to break the ice, and a half dozen others followed, blocking her completely from the view of the street. As far as poor Darnley knew, she would have disappeared into thin air.

Her unwitting savior smelled to high heaven, and his hands roamed freely, but at the moment, it seemed the least of her worries. She smiled at him and swatted at his hands. “You’ll have to pay for that privilege, I’ll have you know.” Even as she spoke, she craned her neck to see if there might be a back door into an alleyway.

One of the women from the window was already downstairs and tapped her on the shoulder rather forcefully. “Well, ‘oo do we ‘ave ‘ere?”

“No one,” Mary Kate assured her. “Just bringing you a little extra business. You weren’t going to make anything from a bunch of gawkers, now, were you?”

“Well, there’s no room fer ye, ‘ere! Move on and find yer trade elsewhere!”

The man she had grabbed took hold of her now. “I want this one!”

Mary Kate shrugged. “Sorry, there’s no room here.”

“I’ve got me own room elsewhere.”

She started to refuse, then thought better of it. “How far?”

“Nearly to the dock.”

“Perfect!” she said, putting her arm through his. “But my man’s just outside there, and he gets in a foul temper if he thinks I’m not hunting rich enough sport. ‘Tis better if he don’t see me with a common sailor. Can I wear your coat?”

As the sailor pulled the garment off, the woman who had spoken earlier piped in. “Yer poachin’ on our property, I’ll ‘ave ye know.”

Mary Kate looked around. “There’s three of you and six other of these men. You’ll never miss this one.”

“Try it again and ye’ll not be worth a bloody copper when we’re through with ye.”

With an eager nod, Mary Kate agreed never to return. She wrapped herself in the sailor’s tattered coat. It was stiff and smelled of stale sweat and rum, but she hoped it made her gown slightly less recognizable.

As soon as she and her escort stepped into the street, she spotted Darnley’s back. He was standing with several people, talking while they shook their heads at his queries. Mary Kate carefully placed her sailor between her and the Jamaican official.

“What’s your name, love?” she asked the sailor, peering past him.

“Jamie.”

“Well, Jamie, is your room here on this street?”

“Over on Lime Street.”

“Can we head in that direction, now?”

Jamie grinned. “Yer an eager wench!”

“With a fine looking man like you, who could blame me?” She smiled up at him, and he led her quickly down a series of alleys and onto another main road.

She nearly laughed at her good fortune, for the sailor’s room was at an inn very close to the docks indeed. He pointed to the place, and she pulled him to a stop. “I have to get something from a friend at the dock. Wait here and I’ll be right back.”

“What? Wait a minute—”

“‘Tis a surprise, but you’ll like it, I’m sure. Something I was saving for another gent later, but since we’re so close…”

“Something from the docks?” The sailor scratched his head then smiled. “Something from the Orient?”

Mary Kate frowned for a moment. She had no idea what he might be thinking, but if it would appease him, what did she care? She smiled beguilingly. “You’re a clever man. How did you guess?”

He grinned back. “I’ve seen what’s in some of them stalls.”

She had the feeling she might be glad she hadn’t.

“Wait right here?”

“I won’t move. Don’t be long.”

“I’ll be right back!”

Once again, it didn’t take her long to get lost from sight among people and stalls. Port Royal was an easy place to escape notice. If she caught a man’s eye, she smiled regretfully and told him that she had a previous engagement. In the meantime, she went back to watching the crowd carefully. Captain Hampton had said his and Giles’s wives were shopping. How hard could it be to find a white woman and a Negro shopping together?

Harder than she had thought. White women were commonly attended by black servants who carried their mistresses’ purchases. She paused to think about it and suddenly caught a whiff of the sailor’s jacket. She felt a little guilty. He probably couldn’t afford another. But neither could she risk returning it. She took it off and carried it with her, in case she should spy Darnley or Hartford and have need of it again. The slaves shopping with mistresses were dressed in coarse garments. She couldn’t imagine that Giles would allow his wife to dress in that fashion, so she began to look for a light woman and a dark one more clearly equal in dress. She even asked several proprietors of stalls.

Finally, she decided they must have gone to shops located in the town proper, something she had hoped to avoid, given the fact that she was running from two men and had stolen a coat from a third. She also had no idea where to find the kinds of shops that would appeal to the wives of a merchant captain and a farmer.
Mother Mary, help me out here
, she prayed. Desperate, she turned to two women who had been purchasing spices in the stall next to her. They wore clean, well-made gowns of simple fabrics—a good indication they might know of the kinds of shops she was looking for. They were both extraordinarily beautiful, one with the very palest skin and sleek white-blond hair, the other with countless ringlets and skin the color of gold.

“Excuse me?” Mary Kate asked.

Both women looked at her, and their brows lifted in surprise. Too late, Mary Kate remembered the very clothing that had served her in good stead among rougher company left her looking sadly out of place with these two. She ran a hand through her tangled hair.

“I don’t mean to trouble you, but can you tell me where else women such as yourselves shop in this city?”

“What are you looking for?” the fair one asked.

“Well, it’s not so much a what, as a who. I’m looking for two women, a White and an African, only they’re not mistress and slave. The African’s free.”

The golden one gave her an arch look. “There are more free Africans in Port Royal than you might realize.”

Suddenly Mary Kate felt very awkward. It didn’t help that she knew what this pair assumed about her. “Thank you for your time,” she said and turned to go. Another thought stuck her, and she called back to them, “I don’t suppose you can tell me where I’d find a place called Hampton and Courtney Shipping?”

Again, elegant brows lifted in surprise. “What business have you with
Courtney
and
Hampton
shipping?” the golden woman asked.

“The owners are friends of a friend. You know where it is then?”

“And the name of this friend?” the pale one asked.

Mary Kate pulled herself up a little straighter. “At the moment, I may not look as well kept as you, but I assure you, I’m your equal, and it’s no concern of yours. If you’ll not tell me where I might find their office, I’ll be on my way.”

“These two women you seek,” the woman continued, “I presume you are looking for Giles and Geoffrey’s wives.”

Despite her determination to put this pair in their place, Mary Kate jumped at the chance to find someone to help her. “Faith Hampton and Grace Courtney? As a matter of fact, I am.”

“Well, then, you’ve found them,” the golden one said. “I am Grace Courtney, and this is Faith Hampton.”

Mary Kate’s jaw dropped. “But you’re white!”

“I am what I am.”

Mary Kate looked a little more closely, and then felt even more inept than she had a moment before. The woman’s wildly curly hair, the slightly broader nose and full lips all hinted at a heritage beyond Europe alone. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

“Possibly.”

“Grace!” her friend admonished.

Mary Kate smoothed her hair again and tugged at her skirt, wishing she had one of her clean, pressed gowns. “I’m sorry! I truly am. I know what ‘tis like being thought the less of for who your parents are, but I wasn’t thinking anything like that. I promise.”

“Weren’t you?” Grace asked.

“I believe her,” Faith said. “You’re Irish?”

Mary Kate straightened her spine. “I am.”

“But I gather you’ve spent a bit of time among the English?”

For a horrifying moment Mary Kate thought perhaps her accent had revealed that. Mother of God, she was beginning to sound English! “How could you know?”

“Your comment of being thought less of. You’re from the north, perhaps?”

“A village just outside Londonderry. But late from Bristol, England, where I was living with my grandfather.”

“There, you see, Grace? In England the Irish are held in only slightly higher esteem than free Africans here. I don’t imagine that she meant to offend. Apparently you know our husbands and now you know us. We are at a disadvantage.”

“Forgive me! Mary Katherine O’Reilly. I only met the captains a few hours ago, when Diego and I first made port.”

“Diego?” Grace asked.

“Diego Montoya Fernández de Madrid y Delgado Cortés?” Faith said.

“The friend I mentioned.”

“Well, good heavens, why did you not say so?” Grace said.

“Is he here?” Faith asked.

“He is, and I didn’t say so because when you asked me I didn’t yet know who you were, and you were busy looking down your noses at me.”

Faith looked her over again. “Well, you might not blame us for that.”

Mary Kate glanced back down at her rumpled skirt. “I might not, at that. I look a mess, but it’s helped me fit in here, and I needed to do that to get to you. I’m in a bit of a fix, as it were, and it might be better if we could get off of the street. There’s a gentleman or two might be looking for me. Maybe three.”

“We could take you to the office,” Grace said.

“But Geoff’s ship,
Destiny
, would be better,” said Faith.

Mary Kate joined them, and soon she found herself back at the pier where
Magdalena
awaited Diego’s return. Her heart got stuck in her throat at the sight of several naval officers and Darnley on board. She saw no sign of Diego.

She pulled the sailor’s coat back over her gown. “There’s a bit of a problem.”

Grace looked at the deck of
Magdalena
. “Is Diego in trouble?”

“I’m not sure. He was with your captains when I saw him last. But ‘tis me that man’s looking for.”

“This way,” Faith said and led them up the gangplank of the ship that Mary Kate had seen the two Englishmen earlier. Faith and Grace walked so that Mary Kate would not be easily visible to the men on
Magdalena
. They hardly paused to greet Destiny’s crew, marching straight to the hatch that led below deck.

“I’ll get her some new clothes and pull her hair up,” Faith said to Grace. “You go back up on deck and await Geoff and Giles. We must find Diego and find out what this is all about.”

“Oh, I can tell you that,” Mary Kate said.

Grace gave their new acquaintance a reluctant look. “I’d not mind hearing the tale, myself. But very well, I suppose someone must stand lookout, and since ‘tis your cabin, I suppose you should stay and take care of Diego’s latest damsel in distress.” She smiled. “He’s making quite a habit of this.”

The pub was packed with hard-drinking sailors and other locals, and though a few gave Diego’s Spanish dress a nasty perusal, most were too busy imbibing and wenching to take their malice any further. The serving wenches knew that generous coins came from men who were too drunk to keep track of their tabs or who were seeking a few hours of company. There was no money to be made in a brawl, so they kept their customers distracted and happy.