"He didn't try to find you after his mother sent you off downstairs?"
"He was going upstairs to change clothes and I'll wager when he come back down his dear mother had some sort of story for him. Like I ran off after a scullery maid, or got sick or something." Davy draws a long breath. "It was like she didn't want Jaimy to have anything to do with his past life or anybody who was in it. Which is funny considerin' the money that put her family back on its feet come from the likes of us."
I thinks on this and says, "Life ain't fair sometimes, Davy."
"For sure, Jacky."
"What about Liam?" I ask, avoiding the big question for a bit.
"His plan was to take his prize money and light out for his farm in Ireland where his wife and kids were. Whether or not he made it past the press-gangs, I don't know. Saw Snag in a tavern a little later and he seems to think that Liam made it."
Good for you, Liam. I wish you the joy of your farm and your family.
"Jaimy. Did he say anything about me?" I prepare myself for the blow.
"He talked about nothin' but you and I know he checked with every ship that come in from the States to see if you had sent him a letter, but he never got one. There was the Plymouth and the Juno and the Shannon..."
"The Shannon?" I cries, and jumps up. "I sent a letter on the Shannon and the midshipman who took it from me knew where Jaimy lived and swore that he would deliver it to the house and I believed him!"
"And I'll bet he was as good as his word, Jacky," says Davy quietly and shuts up, letting me figure it out on my own. Which I do.
I sit back down on the edge of the bed. "His mum prolly wants him to marry a fine lady. Which I ain't. And which is why she ain't lettin' my letters get through to him. And now he ain't got no letters from me and prolly thinks I've gone off with someone else."
"That's the way I'd cipher it out, Jacko," says Davy. "And the story of you running around in the riggin' of the Excalibur and takin' a dip in your drawers didn't help none, neither."
"You heard of that?"
"Everybody's heard of that," he says, and then mimics my voice. "'Ain't no sailor alive what can catch Jacky Faber in the riggin'!' Oh, you're famous, you are! Famous in legend and song, just like you always wanted!" He rocks back and forth with glee.
"Hush now, you!" I hisses at him. "Someone will hear!"
"Captain Morgan of the Excalibur has let it be known that he will run his sword through you at next meeting, and if he has to hang for it, so be it!" he crows. "And I hope to God I'm there as witness!"
"All right. Enough," I says. "I will have a letter for you on the day after tomorrow, when next you have liberty, to deliver to Jaimy. Be good to Annie or I'll find a sword to run through you. Now get out. We've got to get ready to serve dinner."
Davy gets up and says, "Gladly, as I got someone to meet." With a wink, he is out the window.
Chapter 33
Jacky Faber
In care of Miss Amy Trevelyne
Dovecote Farm
Quincy, Massachusetts, United States
November 8, 1803
Mr. James Fletcher, Midshipman
On Board the
Essex,
on Station
Dear Jaimy,
If you are reading this letter, you will know that I met Davy in Boston when his ship made port here. It was a great joy to see him and it was an even greater joy to hear from him that you were well the last time he saw you.
It was with great sorrow, though, that I learned that you have not gotten even one of the many letters that I have sent to you by way of the ships of the Royal Navy that have come to this harbor. It fair broke my heart, it did, to know that you have not been assured of my love for you and have probably gone off into the arms of another by now. Alas, I have not gotten any letters
from you, either, and that has been the hardest part of my life here, not knowing how you fare and if you think of my poor self, if at all.
I must now write of something that may distress you: In talking to Davy, he said that you said that you didn't get a letter when the Shannon docked there. Jaimy, I sent a letter on that very ship by way of a very kind and honorable officer who knew your address and promised me that you would get the letter. I know he was as good as his word. There's only one thing we can cipher from this: Someone in your house has not been passing my letters on to you. I will not insult you by telling you who I think it is, but I think you will be able to figure it out. From now on I will send my letters to you on your ship direct.
Whoever has been reading my letters knows that I continue in my love for you in spite of your long silence. If you should want to write to me, please do it to the above address, as I don't know where I will be from one day to the next and I am sure that Mistress Pimm here at the school would not give me any of your letters, as she doesn't approve of sailors and she ain't given me any yet.
All that I have written of my life here has been lost and into it all again I cannot go, at least not now. Let it be enough to say that I am happy and have many new and dear friends, but I have been demoted to serving girl because I got in a bit of trouble. After I got busted down I sent you a letter saying if you didn't want me anymore because of that or anything else, then I was releasing you from your vow of marriage to me, which I here repeat again.
I am enclosing a miniature painting I did of myself in hopes that you might like to look at it sometimes. I have done one of you such as my poor memory and even poorer talent serve, and it hangs over my bed. Your ring rests close to my heart.
It filled my heart with hope to hear from Davy that you did talk fondly of me the last time he saw you. I am still your girl, if you still want me to be that.
With all my love,
Jacky
Chapter 34
I'm putting the finishing touches on my miniature painting of Annie—one more little dab of blue right ... there. Good.
We set her up on a stool in the kitchen cause the light's better down there and she's sittin' there all blushin' in my blue dress that I made on the Dolphin, the one with the low front 'cause I copied it from the one Mrs. Roundtree was wearin' that day she set me straight on the facts of life—Mrs. Roundtree bein' one of the ladies on Palma, where we made our first liberty call, and copying my dress from hers, considerin' her particular profession, was prolly a mistake—well, what did I know, at the time?
I really think I got Annie pretty good: honey brown ringlets hanging by her cheeks, a ribbon in her hair matching the dress, her upturned nose all jaunty, and a saddle of light freckles over the blush of her cheeks. I'm right proud of this one and it is with a fiendish delight that I lean over my work and paint the bodice of the dress even lower than it actually is 'cause I know it'll drive that imp Davy stark raving mad with lust when he's far away at sea. And with Annie havin' a lot more on top than me, I say let's make those parts extra plump and peachy, what's the harm?