Jane Feather - Charade Unknown (great books to read .TXT) 📖

yachts' owners who must find only a sober crew and everything inshipshape readiness for departure.

The

Black Gull

wasunmistakable, her gangway down, her paintwork andtrim pristine. Danielle stopped on the quay and told Molly to resttheir burden. The girl did so with a heavy sigh and Danny, wiping herdamp brow with her sleeve, felt a pang of guilt for the maid swathed inthe thick cloak. Her own head itched beneath the cap but she dared nottake it off and scratch the sweat-soaked curls. Her shirt was stickingto her back and the worsted britches clung hot and damp to her thighs.Poor Molly's clothes

were uncomfortably tight and constricting at thebest of times. She must be abominably uncomfortable.

"Courage,

mon amie"

Daniellewhispered and was rewarded by a tremuloussmile on the pink face.

"We will wait until someone heads for the

Gull

and then we follow."

It didn't take long and the cover was better than Danny had hoped for.An entire procession of laden-bearers appeared from the Pelican andmade for the gangway of Linton's yacht. "Come, Molly. You will becomfortable very soon." Danielle heaved the portmanteau onto hershoulder, Molly took the

other end, and with one final effort they trotted across the quay tomingle with the procession.'

"Oy! You there!" A seaman accosted them as they gained the head of theramp.

"Watcha want?" Danny demanded, breathing heavily. "This 'ere weighs aton, mate."

"Watcha got?" he inquired, stepping closer.

"Books." Danny spat disgustedly over the side of the ramp. "Can't thinkwat 'e wants wiv 'em."

"Nah!" the sailor agreed contemptuously and spat longer and furtherthan Danny. Having made his

point, he appeared to lose interest in thetwo struggling bantams and returned to oiling the thick coils of ropethat must be made to run smoothly through their cleats.

Danny headed unhesitatingly for the companionway. No one took anynotice of them at all. Had she seemed uncertain of her direction theywould have found themselves in difficulties, but she remembered the wayall too well. There were few people below decks and those they met werefar too busy to ask questions or offer advice to a pair of lads whoseemed to know what they were doing.

Danielle closed the door to "Petersham's" cabin and leant against itwith an exultant laugh. "Journey's

end, Molly. Now all we must do isremain undiscovered until we are well into the Channel. It will takeperhaps two hours from the time we weigh anchor, depending on the windand tide, before the yacht cannot safely be turned to beat back againstthe tides." She looked around the small cabin with a slight shudder ofmemory.

"For the moment we will stow the portmanteau beneath the bunk. Therewill be room enough there for me also, should anyone chance to enter.You may hide in the wardrobe." She pulled open the door to a narrowspace set in the cabin wall. "It will be a squeeze, but I think youwill manage."

"Yes, my lady," Molly murmured, throwing off the heavy cloak andhelping Danielle to shove both cloak and portmanteau beneath the narrowbunk.

"It is a great nuisance that there is no key to this door," Dannygrumbled. "But I will listen and if I hear footsteps we must hideinstantly. It is unlikely, since I cannot imagine why anyone shouldwish to come

in here, but we must be on our guard."

Lord Julian had bespoken a room at the front of the Pelican overlookingthe busy scene on the quay. He chose not to visit the taproom or strollaround the town once he had recovered from the rigors of his night'sdrive, having a lively dread of coming upon Linton who wouldundoubtedly evince interest in his young cousin's presence in Dover.

At two-thirty, he positioned himself at the window and watched. To hiseyes, the two small figures were unmistakable and he whistled inunheard congratulation as he saw Danielle and Molly blend with thegroup entering the

Black Gull

.His heart paused as he witnessed theexchange between the sailor and Danielle. Of what was said, he remainedin ignorance, but the results were clear. The two figures did notreappear as he maintained his lonely watch, aided by Mine Host'sexcellent burgundy, and late afternoon saw Linton appear in his racingcurricle. To Julian's relief, his cousin strode instantly on boardwithout availing himself of the Pelican's hospitality.

At six o'clock the

Black Gull

weighed anchor. Julian, with a heartfeltsigh of relief, consigned Danny and her bewildered maid to Justin'scare and went below to seek out the landlord and consult about hisdinner.

Justin visited his cabin briefly on his arrival in order to change outof his driving dress and into the britches and shirt that would standhim in better service on deck. He was blissfully unaware of the twofigures next door, cowering in wardrobe and beneath bunk at the soundsof his arrival. Once comfortable, he returned to the deck to eat dinnerwith Forster in the wheelhouse where they discussed necessary matterspertaining to the yacht's seaworthiness and exchanged amiableconversation of a nautical kind.

It was a beautiful night. Justin stood his turn at the wheel withpeaceful pleasure as the guiding stars came to light, bright againsttheir velvet background. It was a time he would have liked to haveshared with Danielle, he reflected. Even her sensitive stomach wouldhave been unaffected by this milk calm sea, and her pleasure in thepure elemental quality of stars, sea, and gentle wind would haveenhanced his own. Their progress would be slow this night and he hadconstantly to catch afading breeze, turning the wheel until the sails bellied, far from fullbut sufficient to maintain way.

Once they had weighed anchor, Danielle relaxed her guard on the door.No one would have need to disturb them now. But the yacht moved slowlyand she waited in punctilious patience for three hours, an hour overher original estimate, before leaving Molly and slipping into the nextdoor cabin. They were both hungry, but Danny was convinced Justin wouldregain his cabin within the hour and once the explosion