Ship of Dreams

SHIP OF DREAMS

Brenda Hiatt

Kindle edition

Copyright 2000 by Brenda Hiatt

Originally published by HarperPaperbacks, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

This is a work of fiction. Though many actual historical places, persons and events are depicted in this work, the two primary characters and their story are fictional. Any resemblance between those characters and actual persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental.

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License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Dedication

For Leroy Barber, without whom this book would never have been written.

Thanks, Dad!

by Brenda Hiatt

CHAPTER 1

The bride hath paced into the hall,

Red as a rose is she;

Nodding their heads before her goes

The merry minstrelsy.

—Samuel Taylor Coleridge

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

"Murder? Impossible!" Della stared at her landlady in disbelief, but the woman only nodded her neat gray head.

"Murder," she repeated. "That's what they're saying in the streets. Mr. Potts claims it was the Doctor Mirabula's Sovereign Remedy for Ague you sold him that carried off his wife last night. And that apothecary, Mr. Willis, is telling everyone who will listen that it must be true."

The bristle brush she'd been pulling through her thick, carroty curls hung suspended as Della absorbed the words. "That's preposterous! I mixed that remedy myself. It contains nothing but vanilla, quinine, and a jigger of brandy. It may not cure the ague, but it's perfectly harmless. More likely it was one of Mr. Willis' own brews at fault."

Mrs. Lewis shrugged. "I wouldn't be surprised. But be that as it may, I've turned away four people already this morning wanting their money back on your remedies, and I fear there'll be more. This could take an ugly turn, dearie."

"Yes. Yes, I suppose it could." Remembering the vigilante sweeps of the previous year, Della shuddered. More than a few accused 'criminals' had been hanged without benefit of trial, based on sketchy evidence, at best. Standing up from the dressing table, she crossed the tiny room in three steps and cautiously parted the yellow chintz curtains to peer out at the street below.

A crowd had gathered two blocks away, in front of the
Euphemia
, once a landlocked ship and now converted to a hotel. Even from this distance she could hear the high, nasal voice of Mr. Willis as he shouted and gestured toward Mrs. Lewis' boarding house. The apothecary had been trying to put her out of business for months, seeing her as his greatest competitor. Now it looked as though he might succeed.

Selling patent medicines had been Della's most successful enterprise yet, first in the outlying mining towns, then in Sacramento, and now in San Francisco. A dash of this and a dash of that, and she could command far higher prices than her sewing or produce had ever brought in. Of course, most of her remedies were useless, which caused her the occasional twinge of conscience. Still, she'd always made certain they would cause no harm, in accordance with Hippocrates—and in contrast to others peddling medicines, to include Mr. Willis.

"They're getting louder. What will you do?" The landlady wrung her hands vigorously, as though to compensate for Della's immobility.

"Do?" She turned from the window and shrugged. "Why, leave, I suppose."

Mrs. Lewis stared. "Leave? Leave San Francisco, you mean? But if you're sure your tonic did no harm—"

At that moment, Della felt far older than her twenty years—older even than Mrs. Lewis. "Of course I'm sure. But that may not matter." Quickly, she weighed her options.

She could face her accusers, attempt to prove her innocence and clear her name. But the Coroner was a friend of Mr. Willis, as was the Chief of Police. And even if she prevailed against all odds, most of her customers would desert her.

Two weeks ago she'd squandered most of her money on a new dress, in hopes it might elevate her social standing—a business investment of sorts—and she had yet to be paid for most of the past two weeks' sales. Now she likely wouldn't be, which meant she'd have nothing to pay
her
creditors when they came knocking. Which they would do any moment, as today happened to be Steamer Day, the twice monthly date when all San Francisco businesses—and individuals—settled up accounts.

"At best, my business is ruined," she said to Mrs. Lewis, at the end of her ruminations. "At worst, I'll be charged with murder. Leaving is the sensible thing to do."

She left unsaid what they both knew: once a charge was brought, the verdict would depend as much on public sentiment as on the truth of the matter. Justice was too often swift and careless in this sometimes overly exuberant young city—especially when a prominent man like Mr. Willis had incentive to affect the outcome.

"You're paid through the end of the month," Mrs. Lewis reminded her, pale blue eyes crinkled with worry.

Della smiled at the woman's kindness. "Consider next week's rent my gratitude for your help in this matter." She glanced out the window again, at the milling crowd. "They'll be heading over here at any moment. Hold them off as long as you can, while I slip out through the kitchen. You've always been kind to me, Mrs. Lewis, and I thank you." She absently kissed the landlady on the cheek, already planning her escape.

As the woman bustled out of the room clucking to herself, Della's mind worked rapidly. With a decisive nod, she pulled out her largest valise—the trunk would be too heavy—and began throwing necessities and her most valuable possessions into it. The brooch and rings that had been her mother's, her real silk scarf, her silver handled hairbrush. No room for her bottles of Carter's Consumption Cure or Doctor Brown's Brain Tonic. Nor for her new hooped dress, the beautiful but expensive green dimity with the seed pearls that had taken her savings.

She'd wear that, she decided. Being dressed like the cream of society might give

 
her more choices. Besides, she couldn't bear to leave it behind. She could pack the old lilac one she had on. Her mother's wedding ring she slipped onto her left hand. She could pose as a married woman—a widow, perhaps. That would give her more freedom.

Unable to afford a maid, Della only owned dresses with front closures, so she was able to change quickly and unaided. Throwing an ivory shawl over her tell-tale red hair, she tucked her few remaining twenty dollar gold pieces into her bodice and headed down the back stairs, suitcase in hand.

"She's not here, I tell you!" came Mrs. Lewis' shrill voice from the front of the house. "She went out just after breakfast to make some deliveries."

Dear Mrs. Lewis. Della would miss her—the nearest thing to a mother she'd had in years. Just now she had no time for sentiment, however. At any moment, someone might think to check the back of the house.

Lifting her skirts out of the dirt with one hand, her valise clutched tightly in the other, she set out at a brisk pace up Front Street toward the wharves, grateful that at least there was no mud just now. And what another stroke of luck that this had happened on Thursday, the day the steamer sailed!

Lady Luck had always been Della's good friend, getting her out of more than one tight place in recent years. She trusted the good dame would come through for her again today. With a glance at her pocket watch, she quickened her pace. This was going to be close.

When she neared the crowded docks a few minutes later, passengers had already begun boarding the elegant Pacific Mail side-wheel steamship,
Sonora
. Steerage passengers, from ragged to respectable, stood in lines to have their tickets and papers checked, while those sailing second and first class proceeded with more decorum. Della focused on the latter, thinking hard.

She'd be safest in first class, and she could just about afford a ticket, assuming any were still available, but it would take every bit of her money. Many of those aboard did not plan to sail, she knew, but were merely seeing friends off, and would debark at the final boarding call. Perhaps she could pretend to be acquainted with a first-class passenger, then buy a steerage ticket once aboard? It would be risky ...

"Hoy, there!" came a shout from behind her. "Has a Miss Gilliland boarded this ship?"

Her heart in her throat, she forced herself to keep walking along the wood-planked street, which at this point became a wharf, extending out into the bay. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a uniformed policeman hurrying to question the crewman taking the steerage tickets. What a mercy she hadn't joined that line! Without slowing her stride, she veered toward the first class section, keeping as many people as possible between herself and the police officer. Dressed in her finest, she easily blended in.

A loud cheer from behind her made Della glance back. A luxurious, decorated carriage had stopped, and as she watched, a couple, obviously just married, stepped out. Their wedding party and other well-wishers cheered again. Then they were being swept toward the steamer—toward Della.

Seizing her chance, she donned a bright smile and joined the throng. Carried along by the crowd, she hurried up the gangway and onto the promenade deck—and away from the police search, which had now progressed to the second class passengers.

Hordes of wealthy people jostled each other politely as they made way for the large wedding party. Even in her tight situation, Della couldn't help analyzing the faces and voices, trying to guess which ones had made a killing in the gold fields, which had made fortunes in business, and which had been born into money. Experience had made her an excellent judge of character.

Moving a little bit away from the wedding party before someone realized she didn't belong, she scanned those on deck for a likely face—someone who might be persuaded to help her. The nouveau riche tended to be less generous than those who'd had their wealth longer, she'd discovered ...