CHAPTER 18
Anne
In a pale pink dress and looking as regal as a queen, Anne walked along the busy Bristol street in the afternoon sun, Sara at her side. Aware of many disapproving looks and whispered comments following her progression, Anne regretted her hasty decision to leave the confines of the Drummond household, but she’d been driven mad by her inactivity for the past four days and had resolved to do something about it.
“You look like a princess, Miss Anne. Visiting from a far-off land. That’s why people are staring at you so.”
Although it was nice of Sara to say, Anne knew that was not always the case. Before, when she’d been dressed as a simple maid, she’d glowered and scowled at anyone who had dared stare at her. Now she was no longer a nameless girl among many, but wore the clothes of a lady. Some people might be less inclined to be discourteous to her face, but that did not mean they accepted her. She doubted they ever would.
As long as she remained in England, she would always stand out.
Due to the number of pedestrians crowding the streets, Anne and Sara had left the confines of their carriage to walk up Broad Street. Their destination was a shop located near the parish of Saint John, a place for travelers to offer prayers before a journey.
She’d had no idea how tedious her life would become when she’d accepted Drummond’s generosity. While she didn’t miss Margery ordering her around, Anne realized that being industrious had helped to pass the time more quickly, and now she found herself wandering through the large rooms of the house, not quite knowing what to do.
Drummond himself had been absent the past four days. Despite the presence of the other maids in the house, Anne was lonely, and she’d wished more than once that she still had Teach’s book to read. Drummond’s library was stocked, but nothing caught her attention like the story of Dampier’s travels.
Thoughts of the book naturally brought Teach to mind, and Anne wondered when he would once again return home. Not that it was any of her business. He was where he belonged, since he and Miss Patience were to be married.
The thought of Teach and Miss Patience together left a bitter taste in Anne’s mouth, and she did her best to redirect her thoughts whenever they turned to him.
“Are we almost there, Miss Anne?” Sara asked, noticeably unnerved by the number of pedestrians surrounding them.
Anne nodded. “Yes, but I’d like you to wait outside the shop for me. It shouldn’t take long,” she said. She hoped that it wasn’t too late to retrieve the items from Drummond’s household, for it had been a month since she’d sold them.
“I’ve never seen the streets so crowded before, miss.”
“Nor I,” Anne admitted. The atmosphere among the throng could be described as festive, with an undercurrent of expectancy, as if the crowd were waiting for something to happen. Anne didn’t understand it and was therefore caught off guard. As far as she knew, it wasn’t a holiday.
“How’s your mother?” Anne asked in an attempt to distract the girl.
Sara frowned. “As well as can be expected. She’s able to get up a bit, but she still has an awful lot of pain.”
“Perhaps you should take some time off to tend to her,” Anne suggested.
Sara’s eyes widened. “Oh no. I can’t afford to do that, miss. All my money goes to help her, to pay for the doctor. If I don’t work, who will?”
Sympathy tugged at Anne’s heart. “I don’t mean for you to quit. I’m simply suggesting you take a few days to be by her side. Heaven knows I don’t need you waiting on me hand and foot.” Aside from this excursion, Anne hadn’t gone out, except to walk through the gardens.
What she wanted more than anything else was to take another ride through the countryside, but Sara didn’t know how to ride, and Anne wasn’t sure she’d want Sara to accompany her even if she could. “I shall talk to Mr. Drummond about it. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”
“But I can’t afford—” Sara began.
Anne took Sara’s arm in hers. “Nonsense. I will help pay for any missed wages. There is no need for you not to be with your mother,” Anne insisted, knowing how important it was to care for loved ones, especially when they were ill. Drummond had given Anne some extra coins, in the event that he missed something while filling her wardrobe. Like with everything else he did, he had thought of every last detail, and Anne wanted for nothing.
Except companionship.
By sending Sara away, Anne would be sacrificing the one person in the house with whom she could converse, but she would feel even worse if she kept Sara by her side for selfish reasons. In truth, it was only a superficial relationship, and a few days apart would not make much of a difference to Anne.
To Sara’s mother it could make all the difference in the world.
“Thank you, An— I mean, Miss Anne. That’s most kind of you.”
Smiling, Anne remained silent, grateful that the shop front appeared up ahead. But a sudden shout amidst the crowd drew her attention. She and Sara exchanged curious looks as answering cries could be heard along the street. People shuffled back and forth, and more than one stepped on Anne’s toes. Almost as one, the movement of the crowd surged forward, sweeping Anne up in its wake.
Alarmed, she drew Sara’s arm more tightly through hers as they were jostled to and fro by the group surrounding them. “Stay with me, Sara,” Anne cried, her voice rising as she tried to speak above the noise of the throng.
Torsos and shoulders bumped Anne from every side, and Anne heard the telltale rip of her hem. Unable to see above anyone’s head, Anne held on to Sara and hoped the two of them would not be separated. She had no idea what had caused the chaos. She only wished she could find a way out of the crush.
“Miss Anne!” With a frightened shriek, Sara was torn from Anne’s side, her eyes wide with fear.
Anne struggled to get back to the girl, but like a drop of water fighting against a current, it was no use. She lost sight of Sara’s terrified face as more people pushed in around her. Her own heart pounding, Anne fought a rising tide of panic. Elbowing her way through the mob and gasping for breath, it took her several minutes to reach the front stoop of a shop. It was not her intended target, but at least she was situated above the rest of the onlookers and had a clearer view of what was going on.
Two sturdy horses pulled an open cart filled with five rough-looking men. It was clear they were some sort of prisoners, for their hands were tied with ropes.
People jockeyed for a better position to see the cart, and the roar from the streets was thunderous. Anne couldn’t tell if the crowd jeered or saluted them, for some people threw produce, while others threw flowers. Frantic to find Sara and get out of the city, Anne searched for any sign of the girl, but to no avail.
When the cart drew up in front of Anne, she couldn’t help staring at the men contained inside. They weren’t men at all. Beneath their scraggly facial hair and unkempt clothing, they appeared to be only a few years older than Anne herself, and an unexpected twinge of sympathy pierced her heart. She didn’t know what they’d done, but the hardened expressions on their faces spoke of a world of adversity and suffering that far surpassed her own.
Raising her voice to be heard above the noise, Anne addressed an elegant woman pressed alongside her. “Who are they?” she asked.
The woman gave Anne an incredulous look. “Have you not heard? They’re pirates. Caught stealing from several merchant ships and bringing their wares here to sell.”
That was why so many people crowded the streets. No doubt hoping for a glimpse of the bandits. “Where are they taking them?”
“Back to a ship for transport. They’ve just been questioned by the local constable.”
Anne stared after the retreating cart, wondering what had driven the occupants to choose such a life. Had they done it to escape something, such as poverty and hunger? Or perhaps they had longed for a better future and had done the only thing they could think of to attain their goals. “What will happen to them now?”
The elegant woman shrugged. “Most likely they’ll be taken to Execution Dock in London and hanged,” she said, her voice detached. “That’s where all pirates go to dance the Marshal’s dance.”
Anne didn’t know what the Marshal’s dance was, but she knew it couldn’t be good. The woman’s indifference upset her, although she couldn’t explain exactly why. Anne had never met those young men, nor did she know if they’d killed anyone. But their wasted lives were surely worth grieving. Did they have any family? Someone who would mourn their deaths once they were gone? If they’d been born under different circumstances, what could they have achieved?
Watching the progression of the prisoners, Anne and the rest of the crowd waited until they disappeared from view. Slowly the throng dispersed, allowing movement once again along the busy street. Carriages proceeded with caution, and pedestrians bustled about, the spectacle forgotten as they continued with their daily lives.
Anne remained where she was, trying to control her churning thoughts. Images of the five prisoners hanging from nooses taunted her, and she resolved to return Drummond’s items as soon as possible. If someone had caught her stealing, she would have found herself in their position.
“Anne? What the devil are you doing here?” a familiar voice ground out beside her.
Anne’s mouth went dry, and her heart clenched painfully in her chest.
Teach.
Turning, she met his thunderous green gaze, momentarily caught off guard by his proximity. She willed her tight throat to relax. “I . . . I, um, came into the city to do some shopping. With Sara. Oh, I have to find Sara!”
“I just saw her and sent her home in my carriage. She was beyond worried, but otherwise unharmed. Why did you choose to come to the city, today of all days?”
Relieved to know that Sara was all right, but annoyed at the criticism in Teach’s voice, Anne decided to launch her own offensive. “I didn’t know I needed to report my whereabouts to you. Your father doesn’t request it of me. Besides, aren’t you supposed to be with Miss Patience?”
Teach’s jaw clenched. “She’s ill and might be suffering from the same ailment that plagued me. I left her estate late last night and only just returned. I heard that you’d gone into the city.”
So he’d decided to come after her. If he dogged her every move, she’d never be able to return the stolen goods. “As you can see, I’m quite all right.”
“Were you harmed?” he demanded, his eyes raking her from head to toe, taking in her muddy and torn hem. “Who did this to you?”
“I’m fine. Sara and I were separated by the crowd. Someone stepped on my skirts, that’s all.” Anne’s cheeks burned with embarrassment and frustration. “I didn’t know the city would be like this. Otherwise I would not have come.” She almost wished she hadn’t.
“You saw them, then?” Teach asked
“Yes.”
Teach muttered something under his breath. “You shouldn’t be here.”
He was the one who shouldn’t be there. “If you’d like to return to your father’s estate, please don’t let me keep you.”
“I’m not about to leave you here by yourself.”
“You sent Sara home by herself.”
“In the safety of the carriage. With my driver.”
Anne was confused by the different emotions his presence stirred in her—attraction and resentment as well as yearning and exasperation. She’d never felt like this about anyone before she’d met Teach. It was a bit overwhelming. “I’m sure you have more pressing matters than to accompany me.”
“I wouldn’t say they’re more pressing, but they do concern you. I was on my way to see your father’s solicitor. He sent a note this morning. My father was busy, so I came in his stead.”
“What did the solicitor say?” Anne asked.
“Only that he’s had some news about Henry. Would you care to join me?”
“I still have some errands to attend.”
“In that case, I’ll accompany you.”
Anne’s heart dropped. “But the solicitor—”
Teach waved a hand. “He’ll simply have to wait. He didn’t specify a time for the visit. I’ve given my driver instructions to wait for me at Mr. Cogswell’s office, once he’s delivered Sara safely back to the estate. Now, where did you need to go?” Teach asked, preparing to take her by the elbow.
It was all Anne could do not to stamp her foot. Her cage might now be wrapped in silks and lace, but nevertheless she was still trapped by her circumstances. “I will go with you to see Mr. Cogswell.” And come back for the silver another day.
“Are you sure?”
Anne nodded. She could not deny her curiosity about Henry. If her father had left instructions for her to be cared for, then she wanted to know what, exactly, that entailed.