ship loaded with strange men.
I rose up to tip myself over the safety rail, when my arms were grabbed and I was hoisted back on board.
‘You cannot leave yet, my lady,’ said the bandit who had thwarted my escape attempt. ‘There’s someone who wants to see you.’ He set me on my feet and pushed me in the direction of the cabins. FROM THE TRAVEL JOURNALS OF MRS ASHLEE DEVERE
At the British consulate in Marseilles we learned of the hotel Lord and Lady Devere were residing at, and at the hotel we were advised that the couple were not expected back from boating until later in the day.
This confirmed Albray’s claim that we would find Lord Devere off the coast in a small leisure craft. Mr Devere was not as ready to believe everything Albray said as I was and my husband felt the need to check my knight’s story before rushing off to hire a boat and crew.
Cingar proved true to his word. At the docks, he was greeted warmly by many mariners who were all willing to negotiate a good price to service our needs. The field of bidders was narrowed down when we told them that we’d most probably need to purchase passage to Italy, and might even require passage as far as Alexandria.
In the end, it was an Italian captain who secured our payment. He went by the name of Falcone Bellaccino, although his crew referred to him as Captain Falco. He was bound for Napoli and then Sicily, and did not object to taking a few detours. His vessel, a medium-sized trade ship, was stocked, crewed and ready for immediate departure which was very much in his favour. We were assured that, once the last of the ship’s cargo was offloaded in Sicily, Captain Falco was prepared to take us anywhere in the Mediterranean that we wished to go—as long as we were prepared to make it worth his while.
Cingar, Jessenia and another male from the gypsy band would accompany us to find Lord Devere. We would need to sail the hired leisure vessel back to port. Without doubt, Lord Devere would wish to join us in the pursuit of his wife, provided that my brother-in-law had not been too badly hurt during Susan’s abduction. The other men of Cingar’s clan who had escorted us to Marseilles would return the horses to the gypsy caravan. Cingar promised that his clan would take the greatest care of Destiny, my treasured steed. I’d never thought to become so attached to an animal, and I knew I would miss this horse during the journey ahead. Be that as it may, I could not bring myself to subject the thoroughbred to a prolonged sea voyage to a far-off land with a climate vastly different to the lush lands of France.
Albray had told me exactly where we would find Lord Devere’s boat, and my husband did not have the means or time to check this particular claim. Captain Falco was understandably curious about our certain knowledge of the position of our friend’s missing craft, and even how we knew the craft was missing—given that our brother and his wife were not expected back until later this day. We convinced the captain that it was our best guess, and as we were paying him well he didn’t mind obliging our whims.
I held no misgivings, knowing that Lord Devere’s vessel would be found exactly where Albray had said it would, but Mr Devere was clearly surprised when the lookout spotted a small boat adrift.
‘Are you sure this is James’ vessel?’ My husband persisted in his suspicions as the captain brought our larger vessel alongside the leisure craft.
Albray served my husband a presumptuous glance. ‘May your wife banish me from her service forever if I am wrong.’
Devere found this challenge uplifting, since he would be pleased by the outcome either way. Although Albray was but a ghost, my husband clearly resented another male being so close to me and I did my best to ignore his jealousy. Despite my marriage vows and my love for my husband, Albray was still a most trusted ally. I was not prepared to give up his counsel short of completing the quest my dear Lord Hereford had set for me.
Devere and Cingar boarded the smaller vessel and then aided me to embark—sea travel was a new experience for me and I was yet to find my sea legs.
My husband was relieved to discover his brother bound and gagged in the cabin, but still alive. The discovery was also heartbreaking, as Susan’s disappearance was now confirmed.
‘Thank god, Earnest,’ Lord Devere exclaimed when his gag was removed. ‘How on earth did you find me so quickly?’
‘I have a gift,’ Earnest replied, cutting through his brother’s bonds.
‘Lady Devere has been abducted,’ the lord advised in a panic.
‘I know,’ Earnest answered calmly.
‘How could you know?’ Then he waved off his irrelevant question to ask a more pressing one. ‘Do you know who took her?’
‘We have a suspicion,’ Earnest advised his brother.
‘We?’ James queried and upon looking around to sight me, the lord’s mood soured as he got to his feet. ‘The catalyst of this entire mess,’ he accused, ready to unleash his pent-up rage on me. The lord’s light-body, usually free of blemish, now sported a growing dark mass over his heart.
‘I am as concerned as you for Susan’s wellbeing. She is my oldest and dearest friend—’ I tried to head off the impending outburst.
‘You have a fine way of showing your friendship,’ he snapped. ‘Expecting my wife to lie for you and place herself in danger several times over, all to satisfy
‘This was not my wife’s fault!’ Earnest diverted his brother’s anger toward himself. ‘If anyone is to blame, it is me.’
‘Absolutely correct,’ James agreed. ‘You and your mysteries.’ He glanced from my husband to me. ‘Allow me to let you in on a little secret I’ve discovered during this misadventure of ours. There is only one great mystery in this world and that is how two individuals, in a world of people, can find true love and happiness the like of which I and my wife shared! And now, thanks to your duplicity with each other, the one soul I truly care about has been stolen from me and taken god knows where!’
My brother-in-law’s words bit deep into my heart, for I had found my true love at the cost of my dearest friend losing hers. I cast my eyes downward in shame and spotted a piece of torn fabric lying on the floor of the cabin. ‘Is this yours?’ I retrieved the item that captured my interest.
‘I cannot believe you, Mrs Devere.’ James was clearly vexed by the distraction.
