The Stowaway

XLI

All of Eliza's sudden stress and anxiety immediately disappeared, and instead, she burst out in a fit of giggles.

Poor Harry's cheeks were red as he shook his head.

"I am glad you think this is funny!" Katy exclaimed as she pulled out another one of her rags. "I am the one whose name is now permanently etched on the part of one's person that is responsible for excrement." She shuddered.

Eliza only laughed harder, needing to suddenly lean on the bed post to stop herself from falling over. "Oh, now Katy, really. I can see how Harry was trying to be romantic!" she wheezed.

Harry huffed while quickly pulling on his breeches from the night before, wincing in pain as he pulled them over his backside.

"Well, at least we know Tom won't be sleeping in the hallway tonight. Eliza won't mindhis," mumbled Harry.

Eliza's head snapped around. Tom had tattooed hername on his backside, too? The thought that she would suddenly be seeing it that evening made her blush with nerves, but the spirit in her made her desperate to laugh with him.

Harry quickly put on a coat and left the bedroom, throwing Eliza a glance that willed her to help him settle things.

Eliza trotted over to the bench and sat down beside Katy, beginning to take out the rags in her hair as well. They had been at her mother's insistence, and Eliza did not mind having nice ringlets for her wedding, and not her usual mess.

Katy sighed, and turned to look at Eliza. She looked quite bewildered as she uttered, "Oh, I love him."

Eliza laughed and cuddled Katy. "Think of it like a stamp, your own personal seal," Eliza encouraged humorously.

Katy rolled her eyes and smirked. "Is that not the true test of love? Your spouse does something ridiculous and yet you love them anyway? And maybe even a little more because of it." Katy rested her head on Eliza's shoulder. "How are you this morning?"

Speaking to Katy's reflection, Eliza smiled. "Ready for my next adventure."

***

Tom stood at the altar of the church, wearing more layers of clothing then he had ever worn in his entire life. He could not tell if he was sweating because of nerves, or because of, what felt like, the seven, undershirts he was wearing.

The church was filled with people that he had never met before. Friends, and obligatory invitations of Mr and Mrs Banes. He had been introduced to several people as the church filled.

One story, which he would need to ask Eliza about one day, was the introduction of a man called Mr Spencer. Apparently, he was Katy's father, and his children, Emilie and Ben, were Katy's siblings. He must have missed that.

There was not a pew available in the church, and there was a hum of excitement in the air, a lot of which was coming from his crew, who were still mighty drunk from the night before, but were on their best behaviour in God's house.

His mother, Mrs Hughes sat towards the back, but in attendance, with her four children, Tom's siblings, John, Marianne, Catherine, and Ned. They had come, and Tom knew that he wanted to speak to them all afterwards. About what, and for how long, he did not know. But speaking was the beginning.

Tom rocked back and forward on his feet to settle himself, and he received a glowing smile from Mrs Banes, who sat in the front row of the church beside Harry, holding onto her infant grandson. Poor Harry did indeed look worse for wear, and Tom wagered he would think twice before drinking again with a seaman.