Chapter 34
Marianne woke up to a subtle, undulating movement. She was ravenous and nauseated at the same time. Where was she? How did she get here? Why wasn’t she at the manse with Drew and Andrea?
The compact chamber’s door ajar, Robert toed it open and walked in carrying a small tray which exuded the smell of toast and tea.
“Robert, where are we? Why have you brought me here and not taken me home?”
“My dear, calm yourself. Everything will work out. I’ve brought you something to eat. You’ve not been well and are in desperate need of sustenance.” He laid the tray on a small table at one side of the room. He poured tea and added sugar and cream. He always knew how she liked her tea. He handed her the tea, then spread something that looked like butter and honey on the toast.
Marianne took a tentative sip. It had no bitter taste. She was sure she had been drugged every time Robert had given her a drink of water from that flask. She had never seen him drink from it. It was the only explanation for her being somewhere away from home and with him since luncheon. How many days ago could that possibly be? Why had it been necessary to drug her?
After a few sips, Robert took the cup and saucer away and handed her the plate of toast. Even before she took a bite her stomach growled with need. It wasn’t much but it was more than she’d had . . . in how long?
“Robert, you need to tell me everything. Where are we? Why am I in this small chamber? Why is it moving? Are we on a boat? I want to see Drew and my daughter. Take me home immediately.”
Robert took her empty plate. She had eaten most of the toast before she started asking all of her questions. She held the remainder in her hand. “You must be patient, Marianne. There is no need to worry. I have everything under control. We were on the road three days because I had to have repairs made on the gig. We’ve been in Bristol since yesterday morning. It took me that long to find passage. It seems everyone in Britain is sailing to the Americas. We’ll be sailing as soon as the captain is ready and the hold has been filled. Possibly as soon as the morning tide.”
Marianne, who had been sitting on the side of the bed built into the cabin wall, set the last of her toast on the tray. Now she stood up and stared at Robert in disbelief. “What do you mean, we could sail on the morning tide? I’m not sailing anywhere, especially not to the Americas. I told you I have decided to stay with Drew. I want to be with my daughter and raise her. I want to build my life with Andrea and Drew. Get me off this ship now.”
“Marianne,” Robert crooned softly as he gently took her hand in his.
But she would have none of it and jerked it away.
He continued anyway. “You know we made plans long ago. We planned to be together. You promised we would be together. Andrew never wanted you. If he did, he wouldn’t have deserted you all those years ago. It doesn’t matter about Andrea. We’ll have more children. Our children. The captain will marry us once we’re on the high seas. It will be just as we planned, only we’ll live in the Americas instead of England. We’ll start a whole new life there, just the two of us.”
Marianne felt her jaw drop as the last of the sleepiness burned out of her body, fueled by anger and frustration at Robert’s words. “Drew never deserted me. He was kidnapped. And I will not desert my daughter regardless. Our plans were predicated on Drew’s death, but he is alive and well. I can’t be kept to promises made based on circumstances that never came to pass. My future is with Andrea and her father, not in the Americas with you. I am leaving. Now.”
She made to push by him, shoving him aside with her arm as she made for the door. But Robert grabbed her elbow and pulled her back. “No. You’re mine. You’re not getting off of this ship. We’ll leave tomorrow and you will make the adjustment to our new life together.”
Marianne pulled away from him but he was much stronger than she ever expected. The door stood ajar only three feet away. If she could just get through it, she could make a run for it. They were still at the docks. Surely she could find someone to help her and send a message to Drew. He had to be looking for her by now. With travel and time locating an available berth it must have been five days later at least. “Robert, I am not going with you. I refuse your invitation. I will not marry you. I am already married and have chosen to remain so. Let me go or I’ll scream and bring the entire crew down upon us.”
“It will do you no good.” Robert’s smugness chilled her to the bone. “I’ve told the captain you’ve been ill and fighting a fever. I’ve told him you are delirious and not to be concerned if strange noises come from this cabin. No one will come to your aid.”
Marianne had had enough. She raised her right hand and slapped him as hard as she could only too happy to see the red welt raised by the force of her blow. Robert, taken by surprise, let her go to rub his cheek. She made for the door. She had almost gotten it open when he threw his body against it and slammed it shut.
As he grabbed her arm once again, he dragged her away from the door, then smacked her across the face so hard she saw stars and landed back on the bed from the force of it. His face a mask of evil, he said in a low growling voice she had never heard emanate from him before, “I’ve had enough of this. You’re staying here and you’re going with me. There will be no further discussion. If you don’t like it, you’ll just have to get used to it. You’re mine now. You’re mine forever. Andrew and Andrea are your past. Their time is over. I am your future. My time has begun.”
Stunned, Marianne sat on the berth rubbing her throbbing cheek as Robert stormed out of the tiny chamber, slamming the door behind him. No sooner had the door shut than a key turned in the lock.
Marianne reached into her pocket to pull out the sketch drawn by Mrs. Pins and the small piece of sprigged muslin for Andrea’s pinafore. She fondled the fabric as she thought about her daughter, how she had missed having tea with her and her dollies. She had to get home to Andrea. She just had to. And she had to return to Drew. She refused to give up what it had taken her so long to find.