As Arenis predicted, the next day they interrogated us one by one. They started early in the morning, after breakfast. Two guards came to our cell, pointed a finger at me and told me to put my hands through the opening in the bars so they could handcuff me. They took me to a small room that smelled stale, with nothing in the middle but an iron table nailed to the floor and two chairs facing each other. A man with short hair and grey eyes was waiting for me inside. One of the two guards grabbed me by the arm and forced me to sit down. The other one extended a chain and tied me to the table so that I couldn't escape or even move.
I was shaking with nervousness and the grey-eyed man noticed.
"Good morning, I'm Inspector Bright. So..." he began, as the two guards stepped away and positioned themselves in front of the door, ready to intervene if I freaked out or attempted to escape in any way. "A lady aboard a pirate ship... You know, there are rumours about Captain Arenis. It is said that in her bed she takes girls. Are you her lover?"
"No," I replied. I noticed the two guards cast an amused glance at each other and one of them couldn't help but smirk. I gritted my teeth. "I'm not her lover."
"And for what other reason, let's hear it, did Captain Arenis keep you on board if not to satisfy her own needs?"
"I repeat. I am not her lover."
"Do you know you're being interrogated? Do you know it is not convenient for you to lie? Lies will come back to haunt you at trial."
"I'm not lying. I am not Captain Arenis' lover, nor am I a member of her crew."
"I beg your pardon?"
"They kidnapped me."
There was a moment's silence and finally Inspector Bright burst out laughing heartily. "Stop making up lies."
"I'm telling the truth. They captured me and stole all my family's property. They tried to make money from my kidnapping, but when all that failed, they forced me into that unclean life."
"Do you mean to say that you are Eveline Adler?"
When I heard my name, I was completely taken aback. "How... how do you know my name?"
The inspector's face hardened. "Bloody bitch. You're not Eveline Adler, you're just making up this nice little story to save your own skin, aren't you? Who are you, really? What's your name?"
"I'm Eveline Adler. I really am Eveline Adler."
"Eveline Adler is dead. It was Captain Arenis who killed her and you probably saw it with your own eyes. What is your name?"
"She didn't kill me! I'm right in front of you!"
"Impossible."
"I'm telling the truth! I am Eveline Adler!"
"Will you stop lying!?"
I gaped at the anger in his tone of voice. For a moment I had the impression that he wanted to hit me in the face. His eyes flashed with anger and disgust.
It was then that one of the two guards intervened. He stepped forward and observed me more carefully. "Wait, Inspector... I don't think she's lying," he said.
Inspector Bright became altered again. "What? But this is absurd! She can't be Miss Eveline Adler-"
"Give me a second. I'll be right back." And so, the guard disappeared through the door, running. The inspector then stared at me with rancour, and I returned his gaze without relenting. Be convincing. Arenis told me. She knew they wouldn't believe me. The man took out a flask from his jacket, uncorked it and brought it to his lips, drinking in big gulps. What was it? Whiskey? Rum? Must have been something strong.
"You must believe me. I'm Eveline Adler. My parents are Douglas and Mabel Adler. I have three siblings, Mary, Gideon and Henry. I was born in London on March 4, 1693."
"Anyone could know that."
"What can I say or do to convince you? You don't know me. Have my family call here and you will see that they will recognize me."
The door swung violently open. The guard entered in a hurry; he held a newspaper in his hands. He set it down on the table and began flipping through it quickly. "I'm sure it's in here somewhere... It was in the paper two weeks ago..." he said, his fingers quickly flipping through the pages. The inspector looked at him cynically and waited for him to find what he was looking for. "There it is! The portrait!"
I noticed with amazement that at the bottom of the page was my portrait printed in the newspaper. I recognized it. It was a penniless artist who had created it. My mother, eager to help him, had earned him some money by assigning him the task of making portraits of all her children. I was eighteen then, but I hadn't changed much, so the resemblance was obvious.
Inspector Bright grabbed the paper and put it close to my face. He widened his eyes in wonder.
"Without a doubt, sir, it is her," the guard sentenced.
"Goodness, it can't be... Is it really you?"
"I'm Eveline Adler."
"Oh, my God. Oh, my God... you are alive..."
"I don't understand what's going on, Inspector."
The man was a little embarrassed, now, for the way he had addressed me just a few moments before. When he realized who I really was, he assumed a more polite, respectful manner.
"Your story is known throughout the colonies, all the way to England. A broken family, a kidnapped daughter, a stolen fortune. Everyone knows your name, everyone knows what happened to the Adlers. They all thought you were dead, that pirates killed you..."
I blanched. I couldn't believe it. News of my kidnapping had spread across the Atlantic.
The inspector was so moved that he almost cried. "Oh, how wonderful, a story with a happy ending! Your parents will sparkle with joy..."
"Are they okay? What happened to them?"
"They're fine, don't worry. Because your story has spread everywhere, many people have begun to donate to them. They are able to get by because of people's charity."
Relief flooded over me, loosening the knot that had been tightening in my stomach for all those months. At night, in dreams, I had always seen my family begging in the streets, hungry and cold, wearing rags and dirt staining their faces. It was so good to find that they had not suffered, that they were all right.
"But what happened to you? Why were you dressed like a pirate?" asked the inspector.
"They turned me into one of them, telling me that if I refused, they would sell me to some brothel in Nassau."
The man shook his head, indignant. "I'm so sorry. It is surprising, at any rate. You have survived all sorts of horrors. You are an admirable woman, Miss Adler."
"Please tell me all about it. Why is there a picture of me in that paper, why did Captain Thorpe capture us?"
"Fortunately, your mother never gave up hope. All these months she was convinced you were still alive and that's why there's your portrait in that paper, Miss Adler. She hoped that someone would recognize you and bring you home. As for Arenis... Well, there was a large price on her head. Before long the whole of South Carolina and Maryland knew that name, the name of the woman who had taken everything from the Adler family, the woman who had kidnapped and killed the daughter of a decent man. Now, at last, we can do justice."
"Thorpe so..."
"He had heard about the reward he would receive if he captured Arenis."
"You did kill him in the end, though."
"They were pirates, Miss Adler. They deserved to die."
"What's going to happen now?"
"We'll find you a suitable accommodation for now. "
"And then what?"
"And then you will go home, Miss Adler. You will board a ship to take you to South Carolina, to your family."
My eyes filled with tears of joy. I almost missed letting out a sob. "Really?" I murmured.
"I'm not messing with you. You will return to your family, do you understand? They will be so relieved and happy. All of them. To know you're alive, reconciled with your family... It almost feels like a miracle."
I could go home. I could see my parents and my brothers. I could leave behind that life so full of danger and resume living as I had always done.
"You will testify in court, won't you?" asked the inspector.
"Testify?"
"Yes. Arenis and her crew will pay for what they have done to you. "
I swallow.
"I'm very sorry for addressing you so rudely earlier-I thought you were a real pirate."
"Don't worry about that."
"I don't want to bore you any further. You really need to rest. You look like you haven't slept in a month. But you must come back tomorrow. I will send for you."
"Why?"
"For the written deposition."
"I see..."
"I'm so pleased to have met you, Miss Adler," he said, then turned to the two guards. "Escort her out and contact Mr. Dawson. Explain everything to him. This young lady needs a good hot bath and a soft bed. Make sure she gets them."