Hannah could not believe what was happening to her. Had she been kidnapped? She was blindfolded and her hands were tied behind her back. She was comfortable although the carriage ride was very rough and fast. She supposed they did not want to be caught. What could they want? She knew if they stole her jewellery that, that would have satisfied any calibre of thief.
It seemed that there was only one person with her and that was the driver of the carriage.
After a time the carriage came to a stop. The carriage bounced as the driver jumped down. Then someone was grabbing Hannah.
"Let go of me. Stop. What are you doing? Where are you taking me? I demand an answer." She was ignored.
The lone man lifted her up and threw her over his shoulder as if she were a feather. He then carried her up an elevation. Now she felt rocking. Was she on a ship? She felt like she was on water. There was no point in talking to this person that carried her because he was ignoring her anyway.
She entered what she thought was a cabin and was placed, quite surprisingly, gently on a sofa. Then the person put a cloth over her nose and mouth. She could feel herself falling asleep again. Then the person left the cabin. She heard a lock, click. Frustrated, confused and fatigued Hannah lay down and tried to make herself comfortable and fell deeply asleep.
What seemed like hours later she woke up. She opened her eyes and she could see. Her blindfold had been removed. She had been released of the prison which held her wrists. Somehow, unbeknownst to her she had been moved to the bed and had a blanket put across her and a soft pillow put under her head. There was water to drink at the bedside. The cabin was beautiful. Teak walls and furniture. Beautiful fabric upholstered the furniture. And a porthole. She got up and looked out the porthole and all she saw was water as far as the eye could see.
She found the door to the bathroom. There lie in all its splendor a copper bathtub, deep and inviting. How apropos to have a copper bathtub on a ship, very nautical. She ran the water. She could not remember the last time she had a bath. It seemed that she was away from her home and comfort for eons of time. She found bath salts and bubbles, in fact she found every kind of luxury in the cabin and the bathroom. Plush towels, plush robe. The entire interior of both rooms was luxurious. 'These are very nice captors.' Hannah thought.
As the bath ran Hannah began to explore further in her room and found panel doors that blended in with the far wall. As she put her finger into the recessed finger pull, she slid the doors open to find another room, a sitting room with a writing table, settees and every luxury imaginable. What was going on here? Her mind swimming in confusion.
She went back to the bathroom, bubbles rising high in the tub, she slipped off her clothes, letting them fall where she stood and slid in. "Ahhhhh.... how wonderful!" She closed her eyes and took in all the pampering. Who knew what was going to happen to her in the near future? She had braved danger before so she was not going to worry excessively in advance. Just enjoy the pleasures of the moment. The setting she was in made her fears wane.
As she lay there, questions and pondering kept rearing its ugly head. Where was she being taken? What did they want? If a ransom was being demanded they were going to have to demand it of her, as Talbot was nowhere to be found. There was no one else in her life that could pay or cared to pay. All she had was Henry and the other servants and Mrs. Berg. Surely she would pay and then Hannah could compensate her at a later date. Oh! What was she thinking? Her mind was racing and speculating on all contingencies. She had to stop herself and just try to relax, enjoy the bath. It was a good thing that she locked the bathroom door, for she heard someone coming into the cabin and shuffling around in there. She did not make a sound. Then the person tried to open the bathroom door. Hannah froze in the tub, holding her breath.
The handle on the door made a clicking noise as the person tried to open it. When that stopped there was dead silence. She supposed they were content that she was in the bathroom and had not escaped.
After her bath she returned to the bedroom part of the cabin and there on the bed was a beautiful tray laid out for her. A gourmet meal. Roast lamb, mint sauce. Mashed potatoes and parsnips. Glazed carrot and onion baked in butter and honey. Red French wine? And what is this? Crème brûlée for dessert?! What kind of a kidnapping is this? Highly suspect at every turn. Hannah looked at it all and sighed!
After she ate she was feeling very relaxed and sleepy. She lay down on the bed and put a light throw over her and decided to nap.
She slept deeply.
It was dark when she heard the door unlock and someone walked it. She opened her eyes a slit and saw the shadow of a stout man coming towards the bed. She trembled and kept her eyes shut pretending to be asleep. He stood over her bed and looked at her and then simply took the dinner tray and left the room locking the door behind him. Hannah was still trembling after he left. How unnerving that was. Who was he? What did he want with her? They seem to be saving her for something or someone. Who was it? She did not get the feeling that they were going to kill her otherwise they would not have been feeding her so well.
In the morning the same thing was repeated. The stout man came in with a breakfast tray ladened with crêpes filled with strawberries and strawberry confiture and double thick cream and scrambled eggs with chives cut into them slathered with butter. Freshly squeezed orange juice and strong coffee, cream and sugar.
Something dubious was afoot.
