Page 28 of My Gentleman Spy
Chapter Ten
Will had resignedhimself to having to make do on board the ship. Making do, transpired to be a lot more difficult than he hadexpected.
As soon as he and Hattie got on board that afternoon and went to their cabin, Will knew the trip home was going to be an interestingone.
The cabin would have been cramped for one person. With two it was more of a crush. With nowhere else on board to store their luggage, Will’s travel trunk had been dragged into the space between the bed and the end wall. The space it took up effectively cut the small writing table against the other wall in half. The chair at the table was now jammed in hard between the trunk and the edge of the table. The travel bag Will had purchased for Hattie sat on top of thetable.
Between the table and the bed there was enough room for the pair of them to stand, but do little else. It was a tight squeeze to reach the back wall of thecabin.
The only redeeming feature, was the bank of double windows along the back wall of the cabin; the warm light and view of the sea beyond gave the illusion of morespace.
As he closed the door behind him, Hattie turned toWill.
“Whilst not ideal, I can understand that you and I shall have to endure the cramped conditions if we are to make it home. What I do not understand is where the two of us are supposed to sleep,” shesaid.
On his trip down to the dockside earlier that morning, it had not occurred to Will that one cabin, also meant one bed. While the bed in question was sizeable and clearly designed to hold two people, sharing it with Hattie was animpossibility.
“I shall go and speak with the captain. I am certain he will have a spare hammock in the crew’s quarters in which I can sleep. In the meantime, just unpack your things and make yourself at home. I shall come and get you before we sail, so you can say your final farewells toGibraltar.”
* * *
As the Londonbound ship finally drew away from the dock, Will let out a large sigh of relief. He had managed to get Hattie on board theCanis Majorand in a matter of days, she would be back inEngland.
He looked down at his hands as they held onto the ship’s rail, surprised at how tense he had been until the moment the gangplank was finallyraised.
On the walk back to the hotel earlier that morning, he had considered Hattie’s situation. From the snippets of information, he had thus far managed to garner during their short time together, he had what he considered to be a reasonable estimation ofmatters.
Mr. and Mrs. Wright, he deduced were her parents. Hattie’s slip of the tongue at Europa Point had not gone unnoted. Her father had seen the Rock of Gibraltar as they sailed intoport.
The real Miss Sarah Wilson was likely a maid or another missionary. When Hattie had been forced to come up with a false name, she had used the name of the first person who came tomind.
As for the last member of the travelling party, the Reverend Peter Brown, Will had his bets placed on him being the fiancé Hattie had been so desperate to escapefrom.
That left Will with an unexpectedproblem.
Who was left in London for Hattie? He could not return her to England and simply let her walk off the boat and disappear into theunknown.
“I can't say I'm not happy to see the back of this place,” Hattieremarked.
Will turned as she reached the top of the steps and came to stand beside him. She surveyed the town of Gibraltar as it slowly slipped away. He meanwhile studiedher.
She had taken the news of their travelling situation without a hint of displeasure. Had things been so bad with her family and fiancé that she was willing to undergo any form of discomfort just to gethome?
As the ship cleared the head of the harbor, the wind began to pick up. A sudden gust had her staggering on her feet. Instinctively he reached out and took hold of herarm.
“Thank you, Mr. Saunders,” shesaid.
As she leaned over the ship’s railing to get a better look, he continued to hold fast to her arm. The last thing he needed was for her to topple overboard. In the back of his mind was also the notion that she may jump. Foolish though it was, he was still uncomfortable with his charge being anywhere near to the side of theship.
“When did we go back to being formal with one another,” heasked.
He caught the edge of a frown on her face as Hattie turnedaway.
“I don't know. It feels a little too familiar, especially now that we are among other people,” shereplied.
Considering that they would be spending the next week or so sharing a cramped cabin on board the ship, remaining on such a formal basis seemed odd. He had decided that continuing the façade of being an engaged couple was the safest option. He had to convince her to call himWill.
“Just remember the crew think we are a betrothed couple, you might want to show me a little more friendship, if not affection,” hecautioned.
