Stowaway (A Pirate Novel) (Completed)

Chapter 57 Same Name

It was hours after the dumb waiter delivered her tea and rations on the sixth day that she heard the key in the lock. She jumped up from the desk her heart pounding in antisipation.

Father Leo entered looking much calmer then the last time she had seen him. 

He nodded answering her silent question. "Yes. They left this morning."

Elle sighed in relief. She closed her eyes and willed her heart to slow down to normal. It took them over two hours to clean, straighten and remove all evidence of her  occupancy left over from the past six days.

"You know," Elle said, "you really should have just told me how boring it was in here." She told him as she folded one of the blankets.

"Would you have believed me?" He asked.

"No. But you still should have told me."

"So, you found the books in here boring, did you?" He asked. Elle caught a note in his voice as if he was not sure he believed it.

"Most of them." She admitted. "There was one of poetry I would like a copy of. There was one that made me doubt the authors sanity. But most seemed fairly normal."

Elle straightened the desk and gathered her papers into a stack. She gathered the spent candle stub from one of the holders and placed it in the bowl with the others. She then held the book of poetry in her hands, not remembering picking it up. She caressed the books perfect reddish brown spine.

She slowly walked over to the shelf that the book belonged to. She started to put the book away but hesitated. She knew as soon as she left this room it would be the last time she cast her eyes on the book. Oddly she found it to be a daunting prospect. It was only a book after all. She opened the book and read the first line.

"Are you ready? I think we have everything in order." The priest said from her left.

She closed the book, placed it on the shelf, and caressed it's spine as she drew away.

She didn't notice the look of curiosity the priest sent her.

Her focus soon shifted to to a long awaited event. A bath. She didn't even mind that she would have to heat up gallons of water and lug them to the large tub.

Over the next week she repeatedly answered questions about her absents.

"I needed to get away. - In seclusion. - It was lonely, but it allowed me to think." Were just some of the responses she gave.

Sister Abigail it seemed had not changed her mind about 'Rachel's' supposed engagement.

"Have you decided to marry Talbot Alexander James?" Sister Abigail asked as she inspected a bright green tomato.

"No." Elle said and pulled a small weed from the earth.

"You should consider it. Alexander was a wonderful child. I do not believe many of the rumors, nor should you." The woman said her hands busy search for unwanted garden growth. She sat on bent knees, kneeling a few feet from Elle.
Elle paused. She turned her head to inspect the woman. Sister Abigail gave no indication that she felt Elle watching her. Elle swallowed. "You know him - er - knew him?" She prayed Sister Abigail wouldn't be an unwanted complication.

Elle saw her grin. "I was not always a nun, child. I served as their governess years ago. They were both well behaved." She paused, smiling sadly. "Alexander had a wildness that his brother did not. But they were inseparable. If one got in trouble the other did as well." She glanced at Elle then turned back to her work.

"He had been raised the second son to the Duke. He had been raised knowing his brother, Talbot Channing, would one day take the reigns as well as the title. He would be free to continue his life of adventures. When his brother died I think he suddenly found himself thrust into responsible he  never wanted and was ill equipped to handle it. Then add to that the loss and grief of loosing his brother. He was eighteen." Sister Abigail sighed. "I was gone by then but I know those boys. They had hearts of silver and wills of iron. Channing kept Alexander in order and Alexander kept Channing from becoming stagnant. Almost like they were two people with one soul." Sister Abigail frowned slightly.

Elle blinked to clear her eyes. Sister Abigail it seemed had much more heart then Elle had given her credit for.  "How long where you with them?" Elle couldn't resist asking.

"Fifteen years.  They were sixteen when I left for the church." She gave Elle an almost bitter smile. "I had felt the call to the church for years. But I made a commitment to the children, to the family. At sixteen they no longer needed me and I felt that God did. Regardless of the number of the twelve years I know the boy. He is honorable. He would make a good husband."

"Talbot Alexander and Talbot Channing? The same first names?" Elle questioned confused. She was sure she heard her say Talbot Channing but the missing heirs name was Talbot Alexander James.

"A family tradition. Twins always had the same first name." Her look forward Elle said that she found it odd at first too. Sister Abigail had had years to get used to it and she called them by their second names. This was the first Elle heard of it or of them being twins.

She suddenly felt sympathy for the missing heir. On Sister Abigail's recommendation she also wanted to miss most of the rumors about the man. 

"Will you think about what I said?" The nun asked hopefully.

Elle sighed heavily. She pushed a lock of hair from her face. She didn't answer but Sister Abigail didn't press for a response.

Elle wanted to hear more about the boys. She was enjoying listening to the nun. Besides it felt like Sister Abigail was being less judgemental then before. She also noted that the pressure to get 'Rachel' to agree to the marriage wasn't based on social standing but in a genuine emotion, love for a former charge. She never would have guessed that.