“But Nelson set up a blockade and drove the French out, and then Malta became part of our empire,” he finished.
“Malta was very useful to us, helping us to protect Egypt,” said William, not to be outdone. “One of our ambassadors, I forget which one, called it the Watchtower of Egypt. And then we needed Egypt to protect India, and we needed to keep India safe because of all our trading there.”
“What clever children they are!” said Mrs Bennet. “I do believe they are the cleverest children to ever draw breath.”
Elizabeth privately agreed, although she did not say so for fear of making them complacent.
As William continued to tell them about the island, she had to resist an urge to ruffle his hair, for although she was proud of his learning, she had a momentary wish that he was still six years old so that she could tell him to run along and play. But play had never been a part of William’s character. He even took his sports seriously and pursued them with a gravity that said everything about his consciousness of his position as a Darcy and nothing about a desire to win a game. Indeed, for William it was very true that it was taking part which was important; winning or losing was irrelevant to him. Perhaps it was because he had already won, she reflected, for in the game of life, despite his young age, he had everything anyone could wish for—at least until he started to wish for a wife! And then no matter how large his fortune or how impressive his estate, he would have to prove himself to any woman who was worth winning.
Jane and Laurence ran past, whooping in delight. They were enjoying the freedom of dry land after the confines of the ship.
Margaret told them off as they knocked her when they ran past and then continued pointing out places of interest to her doll.
“How long is it until we reach Egypt?” she asked her mother. “Aahotep was wondering.”
“About another month,” said Elizabeth, and Margaret dutifully relayed the information to her doll.
Paul took the opportunity to buy some art supplies, and Darcy said to Elizabeth, “It was an excellent choice to bring him with us. The portrait of you standing at the prow of the ship with the wind catching your hair is the most lifelike thing I have ever seen. He has caught you beautifully. I am intending to give it pride of place when we return to Pemberley. And some of his pictures of the children are superb. There is an oil painting of John climbing the rigging which is so full of life it could almost be real. And the little watercolour of Beth is exquisite.”
“I agree,” said Elizabeth, twirling her parasol as they strolled along. “And let us not forget the portrait of you with Malta in the background. Although it is only half-finished, he has caught your expression exactly. The paintings will serve as a constant reminder of our travels.”
“This is very different from a trip to the Lakes,” said Darcy.
Elizabeth laughed.
“Indeed. If we were in the Lakes, I would be twirling an umbrella and not a parasol!”
“And speaking of parasols, the sun has faded the silk,” said Darcy, studying her parasol critically. “I think I must buy you a new one.”
They were passing a variety of interesting shops, and Elizabeth had all the fun of choosing a new parasol, which she decided to use straightaway.
“Oh, what a good idea. I am sure I need a new parasol, too,” said Mrs Bennet.
Darcy obliged his mother-in-law.
Edward then took Elizabeth aside and said in low voice, “I would like to buy a parasol for Sophie, but it would be impossible for her to accept such a gift from me. I will gladly reimburse you, Lizzy, if you will buy one for her.”
Elizabeth agreed but told him that no reimbursement was necessary, saying, “You are right; such a gift cannot come from a young man, but from another woman there can be no harm in it.”
Sophie was delighted with the gift, and her blush and smile made it clear she knew from where the thought had originated.
By the time they left the shop, they had bought so many parasols—for Elizabeth decided Jane would like one, and then Kitty and Mary and Lydia must have one too—that the shopkeeper was left with a beatific smile on his face.
“And now we must return to the ship,” said Darcy. “We are dining with the British Consul tonight, and I have some letters to write before we meet him. If you have any letters to write, make sure they are ready by the time we leave for the consulate and he will make sure they are posted for us.”
Once back at the ship, the party split up. The boys were claimed by their tutors, who were using the present location as a springboard for lessons in history, geography, science, and mathematics. Darcy went below to write his letters. Elizabeth and Sophie stayed on deck with the girls, taking out their embroidery.
Edward returned to his cabin, intending to work some more on attempting to decipher the hieroglyphic text, but as he approached the door he stopped when he heard noises coming from inside. He had half a mind to return to the deck, so that his servant could finish cleaning and tidying the small space undisturbed, when his desire to work overcame him and he went in. But instead of finding that his cabin was being cleaned, as he expected, he found that one of the sailors was rifling through his trunk. The sailor looked up, startled, and backed away from the trunk while all the time saying, “I wasn’t doing nothing, honest.” But Edward, with the evidence of his own eyes before him, was incensed and grappled with the man as he tried to make good his escape.
There was a scuffle, but the outcome was never really in any doubt, and Edward ended the wrestling match with a well-placed blow.
He hauled the dazed sailor to his feet and marched him off to the captain’s cabin. He knocked on the door and went in. Captain Merriweather looked up in surprise.
“I came back to my cabin unexpectedly and found this dog rifling through my things,” said Edward in disgust.
“I never did,” said the sailor in a surly voice, though he evidently did not think he would convince anyone.
Captain Merriweather was grave and very apologetic.
“This is a very serious matter,” he said, “and I am sorry you have been inconvenienced. Most of the crew are known to me and have sailed with me many times before, but this man is on my ship for the first—and last—time.”
He ordered a flogging to take place that evening, and Edward, leaving the sailor in the captain’s custody, returned to his cabin. But the incident had unsettled him and he could not work. Instead, he repacked his trunk, thinking how stupid the sailor had been, for there was nothing of value in it. But no doubt the small trinkets it contained would have been sold in the port before they sailed, and the sailor must have relied upon the theft not being discovered until they were under way again, by which time there would have been nothing to connect him to the crime.
News of the incident quickly spread round the ship.
Elizabeth, fetching a shawl from her cabin, was initially sympathetic toward Edward, but when she heard of the proposed flogging she was horrified.
“This cannot be,” she said to her husband. “Think of the children.”
Darcy, too, was unhappy. He opened his mouth to say that they could not protect the children from the world in which they lived, no matter how much they might wish to do so, and that John would see worse in the army. But realising, just in time, that this would awaken all Elizabeth’s maternal fears and protective instincts, he changed his mind.
Instead he said, “Shipboard discipline must be maintained, my love, and the captain has every right to do what he must in order to achieve that end.”
Elizabeth, however, was adamant that the man should not be flogged aboard any ship that carried her children as passengers, and finding herself at an impasse with her husband, she went herself to the captain. Captain Merriweather was obviously unhappy at her interference, but Elizabeth carried her point, and it was agreed at last that the man should be spared a flogging but that he should be discharged and set ashore at once. Satisfied that she had acted for the best, Elizabeth retired to her cabin to dress for dinner.