Miss Whittier Makes a List (46 page)

Fu
tt
rell, fully unifo
r
med, tipped his ta
ll
hat to her.
“
We have a ship, Miss Whittier! A ship!
”

She could think of nothing to sa
y, but it did not matter. Spark
was not listening or even looking at her. He spoke over her shoulder to Mrs. Paige.
“
When my other
uniforms
come from their alterations in the village, have them posted to the H.M.S.
Clarion
in
Portsmouth
harbor.
”
He picked Hannah up off the ground.
“
My darling, it is a commerce raider of the new
Falmouth
class!
”

“
There is a
party
tonight,
”
she reminded him, her voice subdued.

He set her down and grinned at her.
“
My orders say to report at once to oversee refitting, Hannah.
”
He turned away, his voice impatient with command.
“
Mr. Futtrell, do you have any idea how she handles under all sail?
”

“
Surel
y tomorrow would be soon enough,”
she said, her back straight, her hands twisted tightly in front of her. He was not listening, and she repeated herse

“
I couldn
’
t possibly wait that long, my dear,
”
he
said and nodded to the coachman,
who climbed into the box.

She stood in
silence for a long moment, tak
ing in the coach ready to travel, and the sun only just now coming over the horizon.
“
Daniel, you were going
to leave without saying goodbye,
weren
’
t you?
”

“
I left a note in the front hallway,
”
he replied as he opened the carriage door.
“I’ll
be back in a couple of weeks, when things are in order. We
’
ll have a few days before we sail for the blockade to get married.
”

“
You
’
re leaving me to face a houseful of guests tonight that I do not even know?
”

“
You
’
ll do fine,
”
he said carelessly.
“
Come,
Mr.
Futtrell. There
’
s not a moment to lose.
”

She began to cry, the tears sliding down her cheeks.
“
I did not think thee was so heartless,
”
she gasped through her tears.

He took her arm then and pulled her close until they were chest to chest.
“
It
’
s war, my dear.
”
He kissed her hair.
“
Forgive me if I sound sentimental, but
England
sorely needs what I do best. The sooner I am back on the blockade, the sooner some other poor captain can put into port before he goes crazy with the strain.
”
He ruffled her hair.
“
But I
’
m only going now to get the revictualing started. I
’
ll be back before you know it.
”
He kissed her
one more time and climbed into the carriage, closing the door behind him. The coachman snapped his whip and they were off down the lane.

She was still standing barefoot on the gravel drive when the sun rose and
Mrs
. Paige, her eyes filled with tears of her own, came out to help her inside.

Men are beasts, and my son is no exception,
”
was one of Lady Sharp
’
s few repeatable comments when Hannah threw herself into her
before the sun was much
higher and told her the bad news, choking back her tears.
“
Daniel only comes to go away. I would not wish him on a dog,
”
she said as she accepted a cup of tea from Mrs. Paige and indicated that the housekeeper should join them in a council of war.

“
Well, Hannah, do we cancel?
”
she asked, her voice crisp with decision, when the tea was drunk down to the leaves.

Hannah took her gaze from her own bare toes to regard Lady Spark with something approaching affection. There was nothing of defeat in the dowager
’
s voice. If anything, her chin was raised higher than usual, and her lips pursed in a firmer line. It began to dawn on her that this was a woman for a crisis.

When Hannah said nothing, Lady Spark threw back the covers and hunted about for her slippers.
“
My dear girl, if you wish to break off your engagement to this supremely selfish man, I would not be surprised, but after all, we have prepared a wondrous amount of food, and I really can
’
t think any
other man
will ever treat you better, the male sex being what it is. Savages. I wonder why we submit so willingly to them. Well. Hannah? Are you a jellyfish or a woman?
”

It was curious commentary, and Hannah smiled in spite of her misery.

“
Come, come, dear girl, do you love that worthless Jack Tar or not?
”
Lady Spark demanded, sounding surprisingly like her absent son.

“
Oh,
I love him,
”
she said, and believed it with all her heart.

Lady Spark clapped her hands and nodded in triumph to Mrs. Paige.
“
Excellent! To celebrate that absurdity, I say we place an additional order for more of the most expensive smuggler
’
s champagne and make Daniel pay through the nose for his perfidy.
”

Hannah laughed.
“
He can pay dearly for more cut flowers, too! I think I actually saw a few bare spaces in the dining room.
”

Lady Spark embraced her for the
first
time.
“
Now you are thinking like a woman! Hannah
Whittier
, I believe you will be a credit to the Spark family name. Living extravagantly at the expense of men is always the best revenge! It really should be the motto on our family crest
.
”

Hannah let herself be swept along that day by Lady Spark
’
s curious energy. She hurried from task to task at the dowager
’
s command, and realized late in the afternoon as she dragged herself upstairs for a quick soak in the tin tub that Lady Spark had been making sure that she had not a spare second to repine. She twisted her hair high on her head and sank into the lemon-scented tub gratefully. I will be too tired when this evening is over to do anything but drop down dead into dreamless slumber, she thought as she scrub
bed
he
rs
elf vigorously.
“
Thank you,
my lady
,
”
she said out loud, secure in her heart that she would have no difficulty loving her future mother-in-law, even if her own son did not.

While it was true that butterflies collided against each other in her stomach as she greeted the dinner guests, they soon settled down. No one was even slightly surprised at Daniel Spark
’
s absence.
“
We know seafarers, Miss Whittier,
”
the vicar explained to her as he grasped her hand in wel
come.
“
I
suppose at one time or other, half the females in my parish have been where you are.
”
He laughed and released her.
“
It only has come to you sooner than most! Let us blame Napoleon, but not let the beast of
Corsica
spoil our evening.
”

As she greeted the guests, she debated whether to use her Quaker
“
thee,
”
and decided she would. If we are to be neighbors, they must come to know me as I am, she thought. And if I am quaint, well, what of it? Daniel does not mind, and did he not promise me that he would be my mirror? Dressed in pale gray, her unrul
y curls subdued with a lace cap,
she moved gracefully among her guests, wishing that her own mother could see her. And whenever conversation flagged, Lady Spark slipped adroitly into the gaps and smoothed them over until everyone was full of champagne and
good
feeling.

With genuine regret, Hannah allowed her company to
depart
after tea in the parlor. She shook their hands again, promising to pay return visits, and assuring them of invitations to the wedding. When the last guest
departed
, she sank into a chair in the parlor and looked at Lady Spark, who sat beside her.

“
I would say that went off remarkably well, considering that neither of us knew a single guest,
”
Lady Spark commented as she kicked off her shoes. She glanced sideways at Hannah and they both dissolved into giggles.

“
Oh, dear,
”
Hannah said finally as she wiped her eyes.
“
Did I drink too much champagne?
”

“
I fervently hope so!
”
Lady Spark said, the militant light back in her eyes.
“
I don
’
t know about you, but I could feel the pounds sterling just rolling down my throat, and it felt so good.
”
She
started to laugh again,
and Hannah joined in. After another moment of glee, she patted Hannah
’
s leg.
“
Well, my dear, do we stay here and wait for that sailor to
return
, or do we go back to
London
and order a half dozen new dresses?
”

Hannah smiled at Lady Spark with genuine affection.
“
I think I will remain here with Mrs. Paige another week or two. If he does not return by then, I will see thee in
London
.
”

“
I approve, Hannah,
”
the
dowager replied
.
“
At any rate, I will return to this godforsaken wilderness for your wedding.
”

“
Thank
thee!
”
Hannah rose and stretched her arms high over her head.
“
And now, please excuse me. Since thee has driven me like a slavemaster all day, I am tired down to my toes.
”
She leaned forward impulsively and kissed Lady Spark.

Lady Spark re
turned her kiss,
and touched her cheek.
“
I cannot credit it, but my son
seems
to have done something very smart in the way of wife-hunting.
”

“
He fished me off a grate in the middle of the
Atlantic
,
”
Hannah said.

“
My dear, that is merely philanthropy, and not love,
”
Lady Spark teased,
and smiled at Hannah.
“
Now,
go to bed before you drop!
”

She woke in the morning with renewed optimism, and a willingness to admit that as long as
England
was at war with
France
, she would rate a pale second in Captain Sir Daniel Spark
’
s life. It was a fact she could live with. I am nearly eighteen, she thought, and this war will not la
st forever. And when it is over, I will be first
in his heart. I can wait in line behind Napoleon until then. Others are doing it
.

Soon Daniel would return from
Portsmouth
, fu
ll
of his new ship, distracted by plans to refit and supply, swearing at quizmasters, and leaping up from the dinner table, or whenever the wind changed direction. She had seen her brother Matthew prepare for whaling voyages, and she knew the signs. He would stew about this and that, eat his food with dogged determination, his mind miles away.
Wh
en we are married, I will offer him what comfort I can, and I will swallow my fears and wave him off from our front door, hoping to God that he will ret
urn
.

Marriage to a seafaring man was not a career for the faint of h
ea
rt
,
he told herself, but I can manage. And when he is in my bed, I will make him forget the life that has chosen him, even if it is only for a few hours. She sighed and sat up, restless with thoughts of the man she would call husband soon, and who would father her children.
“
Oh, hurry up and get back here,
”
she said into her pillow before returning to sleep.
“
I am ready for mischief.
”

Lady Spark endured another week in
Dorset
, then threw up her hands over breakfast one morning and said that she could not suffer another hour of country silence.
“
I would almost give a year off my life for news of a really juicy scandal,
”
she declared as she shook her head over another of Mrs. Paige
’
s muffins.
“
And too many more of those will mean boiled potatoes and vinegar water until I can fit into my clothes again!
”

“
I shall stay another week,
”
Hannah said as she accepted another muffin.
“
Mrs. Paige and I are doing an inventory on household contents.
”