Winds of Fate [Books IV-VI]

Chapter 198.1: On the Same Side

When they return, the ship is barely humming with the muted conversations of the still clueless Uriah and Nigel, Aggy and Maddy together in one table. Eugenie has elected herself as the cook in the galley in Vic and Obbie's absence, and once they arrive there, she is currently handing Douglas a bowl of a creamy soup and sweet bread. The young woman gasps and waves eagerly.

"Ey!" Douglas grins, obviously ignoring their exhausted faces. "Why are you two back so early?! Shoo! We don't want you here!"

Anton just raises a brow and pulls out a barrel for her to sit on. Eleanore wordlessly follows, the letter still in her hands. By now, the rest have noticed, and Maddy squeals. "Nellie? Nellie!"

"Damn, girl," Aggy happily leaves the old men and plops down next to her with a mug of cold ale, "I didn't know you miss us this much. I was nearly bettin' you were on your way to retirement, ha!"

But when she doesn't answer, Aggy peers at her.

"You okay?" She scowls and touches her arm. "What—you're hot!"

"She needs to rest," Anton dryly says, his face no longer smiling as he gets freshwater from the barrel in the galley. "And we had a letter delivered by Torkin this morning. Where is James?"

"Ah!" Uriah suddenly slaps the table. "Exactly! The Governor, aye? Now that is too bad. Did anyone tell him our girl just got married?"

Nigel squirms. "That sounds like a bad idea."

Uriah shrugs. "But why is he like this, then?"

Aggy holds her hand. "You okay?" She asks again. "You look..."

Eleanore would have laughed if she weren't feeling worse than when they were back in the inn. But she has a meeting to see through. Matters to settle. Those worries cannot let her rest either. Anton returns to her side and hands her a cold cup of water, which she drinks greedily, the water both painful and soothing all at once. She gives it back to him, now increasingly ashamed of what everyone might think. "I'm fine... I just..." She sighs. "I need to nap. Oh... what happened to Jim, then? Where is he?"

Uriah almost speaks up but Aggy goes first.

"Yeah, well. See, Millie sprained her ankle... trying to climb the ship or... I don't know how she did it. Looked painful," Aggy explains as she and Anton listen, and Torkin and Poco supporting that with nods. "Jim got me to help. I know nothin' about that, and we had to wake Doctor Wells up so he can teach me what to do... and still hide him from Millie." She sighs. "I think I lost a couple o' pounds climbing that damn stairs twenty times alone."

"And Millie? She's fine?"

"She is, don't worry!" Aggy chuckles. "Well, apart from having to rest that foot for a couple of days and being useless now to her Lord Neville..."

Oh, no. Eleanore meets Anton's eyes, and he just shakes his head and crosses his arms over his chest. She closes her eyes. As a lady's maid before, she knows full well how horrible poor Millicent must feel right now. Within her heart, she says a prayer for the girl and her aching foot.

"Jim saw to it she's returned safely. Honestly, what's with Neville and his little maids?! He likes sending women to do his work! I'll never forgive him for doing that to Maddy back in Nassau!"

"Aggy." Eleanore raises a hand. "We have to focus."

Aggy still seethes, while Maddy nods and caresses her belly, worried.

"Eh, I did pass by Jim and the young lass as they were leavin'," Uriah helpfully reports. "Knowin' Jim, he is beholden to see the girl is well... and probably, just probably, to see Neville."