One look at his smiling face and relaxed expression was enough to tell her that his quest had been successful.
After halting by the table and greeting them all, he confirmed that they would leave later that night, close to midnight. To the children, he said, “It would be best if you, Helga, and Bruno go up and get what sleep you can. We’ll wake you when it’s time to go.”
Given that they’d dined several hours ago and it was past their usual bedtime, the children were tired and readily agreed. As they trooped up the stairs with Helga and Bruno close behind, Diana observed, “I think it’s a case of anything to bring the exciting moment of boarding a ship closer.”
Toby grinned.
Regarding him, she added, “They were as concerned as I was, waiting for you to return.”
He looked at her, then dipped his head. “I would be the same in their shoes.”
Because he cared for them as they cared for him.
She waved to a plate kept warm under an inverted dish. “Your dinner awaits.”
“Thank God.” He slid onto the bench opposite her. “After skulking around the docks, I’m famished.”
She waited until he’d swallowed several mouthfuls of the delicious fish stew and washed them down with a draught of the inn’s ale before asking, “How did it go?”
Without reservation, Toby related how he’d been lucky enough to find the first mate from theIrish Rose, a British merchantman bringing in a cargo of English cloth for the local garment manufacturers. “I was hoping we could contact that ship. The master is Peter Duncan, and he and his crew are entirely trustworthy and very experienced in ferrying Winchelsea’s minions about.” He smiled reassuringly at Diana. “I’ve sailed with him before.”
She looked faintly offended. “Minions? Is that what they call you?”
His smile broadened. “That’s what we occasionally call ourselves. Drake’s minions. We’re all quite sure he sees us in that light, as henchmen he directs hither and yon to do his bidding.”
When she scoffed, he inclined his head and admitted, “In our own way.”
“Of that, I’m quite sure,” she replied. “But to return to theIrish Rose, why so late for us to board? We could have left straightaway.”
“No, we couldn’t, because theIrish Roseis still standing off, but luckily for us, Duncan had already arranged for a late-night docking and unloading, so there won’t be anything unexpected about theIrish Rosecoming in just before midnight. I say luckily, because if he hadn’t already arranged to have that time slot at the dock, it might have been tomorrow evening or later before he was granted leave by the harbormaster to dock.”
When she looked puzzled, he explained, “This is always a busy harbor, and for the larger ships, the tides dictate when they can dock and unload. Because of that, nighttime docking and unloading is often done, and in this instance, that’s worked in our favor, allowing theIrish Roseto be there for us to board tonight, but only just before midnight. She’s due at the dock at half past eleven o’clock.”
“Hmm.” Across the table, she met his eyes. “What are the chances of our pursuers catching up with us before we reach the deck of theIrish Rose?”
They discussed the possibilities, and Toby was surprised by how easily and also by how far the barriers that he normally kept between himself and anyone else over any mission had fallen. As if some central core of him viewed Diana as being inside his innermost circle rather than as someone from whom he needed to maintain a certain distance.
There was no distance between him and her, not on any level, and the realization was a trifle startling.
But the change was real. So very real and definite to boot.
Consequently, it felt entirely appropriate when they switched from their inconclusive suppositions regarding their pursuers and moved on to planning how to approach the dock at the most opportune time. “We need to get there a little before they finish reloading,” he said. “Ten minutes or so before they’re ready to pull in the gangplank and cast off again.”
Transparently envisaging it, she asked, “How do you propose we get there?”
A pertinent point, one they continued to explore—together, with both making suggestions—as the clocks ticked on.
* * *
They wokethe others at half past ten o’clock. By a quarter to eleven, they were downstairs with their bags and cases piled by the door, and all of them were alert and attentive.
Tense.
Toby inwardly acknowledged that as he stood beside Diana as, crouching so her face was on a similar level to the children’s, she explained to the trio what they were about to do and impressed on them the need to be as quiet as possible throughout.
She paused, then straightened and stated the matter simply. “We’re trying to sneak up to the ship without attracting the notice of anyone who might be watching.”
The children’s eyes were wide as they looked from Diana’s face to his.
