SHIP OF DREAMS
Chapter Nineteen
2:30 AM. That was the time Murdoch's pocket watch
displayed in the white moonlight. Anne snapped the piece closed, but kept it in
her hand. With the other, she rubbed the gold band Murdoch had given her. In
the silence of the night, she heard the screams of the dying and frightened.
She saw Murdoch's face clearly, and felt his strength surround her. Her vision
blurred as tears welled in her eyes, and she suppressed a sob. She quickly
glanced over at Will, but he was soundly sleeping. She slowly exhaled, relieved
that she hadn't woken him. Will it be rude if I leave tomorrow? I don't want
to overstay my welcome. Maybe I'll leave tomorrow morning. With Harry's
instructions, I have the general idea. I'll just visit a little. I'll stay in a
hotel, and I can take Will. I don't know that he'll stay with Megan, and I'd
hate to burden her with him. Yes. I'll leave tomorrow.
*****
"Do you know the most direct
route to Dalbeattie?" Anne asked Megan early the next morning.
"No, but Robbie probably
does. It's over three hundred fifty miles away, Anne," Megan informed her
friend. She took in Anne's slightly surprised expression. "You didn't know
that, did you?"
Anne shook her head. "I've
never been to Scotland. I've seen little of Great Britain, aside from the
country near the academy."
"Well, it's a long travel.
It will take quite a while. When had you planned on leaving?"
"Today."
"Today?"
"Yes. I don't want to burden
your family."
"You're no burden."
"Still...I would really like
to see Will's family. And...I suppose I should give them his personal items.
They deserve to have them."
"Would you like to leave
Will with us?"
"I just said I didn't want
to burden your family!"
"Will is no burden; Mother
loves him. And Lydia and Penny adore him. He's a younger brother to them. I'm
certain we can manage him. After all, he knows me fairly well now, and it won't
take long before he'll recognize the rest of my family. Please? It will make
your journey easier and swifter. But you must not leave tomorrow. A week from
now. Don’t look at me like that! A week! I want to show you around. And you
must rest. We must make plans."
"Well..." Anne bit her
lower lip. Her forehead creased into a frown as she thought. Will had become
her child over the past few weeks, and she loved him dearly. As she thought of
leaving him, even for a short while, she realized how much she'd miss him. But
I can trust Megan and her family. I would trust them with my life. "All
right."
*****
"Now, since you’ve lived in
a stuffed-up boarding school for most of your life, I doubt you’ll know the
first thing about shopping in London," Megan teased as they wandered the
streets of the city.
"Well, I did shop once in a
small village just—" Anne began defensively.
"London is not a small
village." Megan grinned. "There are pickpockets, so guard your
valuables. And the stall owners will try to cheat you sometimes, so you have to
watch out for that. You have to make sure you get the freshest food. Haggle
until the price drops as low as possible. If you can find a flaw, that’s always
helpful."
"I don’t know that I’m going
to remember all of this." Anne shook her head.
"Well, that’s why you have
me!" Megan smiled. "Now, we need eggs..."
*****
Anne sent the letter from Lowe
and her letter to Miss Temple the next morning. She missed the woman, and hoped
to visit her someday in the future. For now, she was simply too harried to be
pleasant.
"The British Board of Trade
began its investigation the other day. I just heard that. Can’t believe we
didn’t know that." Robbie shook his head.
"When will it end? Will the
witnesses be able to return home soon?" Anne asked. She was thinking of
Lowe and Lightoller.
"The British will do a right
job sorting out this mess. I don’t expect it to end any earlier than the end of
June, perhaps July."
"July!"
"Yes, July."
"That’s a long ways
off."
"Indeed. Was there someone
you wanted to see?"
"Well, I had hoped to speak
with a friend. Perhaps he’ll write."
"Perhaps."
*****
"I hope Rose writes to us
soon," Megan mused aloud one evening as the two women walked home from a
long day entertaining Will.
"I do, too. I miss her. I
wish I knew she was safe. I feel terrible for leaving her alone as we did.
Especially so soon after Jack...after Jack died." Anne shook her head.
"Yes, but we can’t all stay
together for the rest of our lives. Besides, Rose has a fiery spirit to match
her hair. She’s a clever girl. She’ll do fine. And she always has her mother,
if she’s truly desperate."
"I don’t think she’d go to
her mother if she were on the brink of death."
"True. I wonder what
happened to her mother?"
"Ruth is probably living
happily in some large mansion with an army of servants. Cal has probably
already begun the search for a new Mrs. Hockley-to-be. Perhaps he’s already
found her."
"I never liked him, if I may
be so bold."
"Indeed, you may.
Will!" Anne shot the boy a warning look as he ran towards the harbor.
"Come here." The boy immediately ran to the two women, and both took
a hand.
*****
A red Renault parked outside the
Carter household on the morning of the first day of the second week of Anne’s
stay in London, complete with a driver hired by Robbie as a surprise for Anne.
The latter's eyes lit up with joy and surprise when she saw the gift, unable to
believe anyone would go to the lengths of searching for a driver to take her to
Dalbeattie. However, she almost began to weep with joy when she realized that
the driver was indeed the same man who had taken her from Barclay to Southampton
just weeks earlier. It seemed a lifetime ago.
"Write if you have a chance,
and I'll know where to write if Rose sends a letter," Megan called out to
Anne from the doorway.
"I will!" Anne smiled
in return as the chauffeur helped her into the car. She waved to Will, who
waved back, surprisingly comfortable in Megan's arms. She leaned back in the
seat as the driver slid into the front seat. She began to wave to the Carter
family as the car pulled away from the curb, and disappeared down the street.
*****
"I never asked your
name," Anne mused aloud the next day. They had traveled all of the
previous day, and rested briefly during the night.
"Tom," the chauffeur
replied. "Tom Welkins."
"Well, Mr. Welkins, it is a
pleasure to see you again. Thank you for your kindness during our last
trip." Anne nodded with a smile.
"The pleasure is all mine,
Miss Stewart. It isn't every day that I have a passenger as complacent as
yourself." Mr. Welkins winked.
Anne smiled her
polite-but-not-forced smile. It was the smile she had been using ever since
Murdoch had died...her real smile seemed too joyous to use ever again, and she
wasn't entirely certain that she cared if she ever used it again, anyway.