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To my mother, Marie Isabelle Evans,
and my grandmother,
Isabelle Fleda McCubbin Moreland (1904–1985),
who listened and selflessly gave of their time.
War of 1812
Admiralty Orders to
Captain James Moreland of HMS Isabelle:
Seek and destroy all enemy frigates along the coast of North America.
Search the crew for deserters.
Sink the ship or re-flag her for England.
1
Tuesday, June 1, 1813
Early Afternoon
Aboard the USS Serendipity
“SAIL, HO!”
Emily awoke with a start. Loud voices sounded overhead on the weather decks and a drum rolled in the distance. Rubbing her eyes, she looked around at the sumptuous furniture and large galleried windows of the cabin, and, with a fresh pang of fear, remembered Captain Trevelyan. She was a prisoner on his ship, the USS Serendipity. For how long she had been in captivity, she was not quite certain. Still vivid in her mind was that dark morning when Trevelyan had seemingly come looking for her, taken her from her ship at gunpoint, then forced her to watch as its groaning timbers were set afire. But had that been three weeks ago, or four? And did time really matter anyway? It had done little to lessen her guilt and grief. Her days were all the same. The views beyond the windows were all the same. There was no sight of land out there … only sea.
The voices grew louder. The crew moved swiftly on their decks, shouting orders to one another. Beyond the thin walls of the cabin Emily could hear Trevelyan speaking to one of his young servants. She climbed out of her cot and crept to the door, opening it a crack to listen.
“Captain Trevelyan, sir, they’re sayin’ there’s a man-o’-war two points off the larboard.”
“My spyglass please, Mr. Clive.”
“Is it one of ours, sir?”
Trevelyan squinted through his spyglass for some time. “Take a look for yourself.”
“She’s British, sir.”
“British, yes, but she’s not just any ship, Mr. Clive. That’s the Isabelle.”
“The Isabelle, sir?”
“She has seventy-four guns and two decks, the lower one equipped with a full battery of thirty-two-pounders. Been in service for over thirty years …” Trevelyan lowered his voice. “And I’ve been waiting for her for almost nine.”
“A seventy-four, sir? She’ll have a large crew, then.”
“I doubt it, Mr. Clive. Britain has been warring far too many years now. My guess is she is horribly undermanned and what crew she possesses will be poorly trained, made up of thieves and lunatics from the emptying of English prisons.”
“Did ya once serve on the Isabelle, sir?”
Trevelyan was slow to reply. “I know her well, Mr. Clive. Now get to your station. And if you see Lind, ask him to come to my cabin straightaway.”
Thinking Trevelyan would sweep into his cabin at any moment, Emily hurried back to her cot. But no one came, not even a crew of sailors to take down the cabin’s surrounding bulkheads in order to utilize the cannon housed inside. For what seemed like hours, she lay still, trying to shut out the noises of the Serendipity’s men readying themselves for battle, fixing her attention on the ship’s gentle rise and fall on the waves. Finally, just as she felt herself drifting back to sleep, the sound of heavy footsteps jolted her upright. Trevelyan came through the door, pulling off his bicorne hat. He scratched his straw-coloured hair and stared long and hard at her.
“Out of your cot, madam. There will be no laying about this afternoon. In a matter of minutes the cannons will be sounding.”
Emily climbed out and stood, looking away from his cadaverous face.
“At this moment, the crew is lighting our guns against the enemy,” Trevelyan continued. “Therefore, as it won’t be convenient for you to wash my shirts or polish my silver today, I shall give you a pistol so you can help shoot a few of King George’s men.”
“I will not take up arms against my countrymen.”
“You may have no choice.”
“I doubt you would trust me with a pistol in my hand. Our definition of enemy differs … sir.”
Trevelyan smirked and turned to reach for his sword, which hung on the wall by his own cot. Emily searched the water beyond the windows for a glimpse of the Isabelle.
“If you’re figuring this will be your escape, you can forget it. The Serendipity may be a smaller ship, but she’s faster and more easily manoeuvred. Of course, you have already seen evidence of her capabilities against larger ships with more guns.” He sheathed his sword with a violent thrust.
Emily looked at him with dead eyes.
There was a swift knock at the door.
“Enter!” said Trevelyan. Lind lumbered into the cabin, a coil of thin rope in his hands. He stank like a barnyard. Emily grimaced as he approached her.
“Tie her up, Lind.” Trevelyan eyed Emily’s tattered clothes, then added, “In my latrine.” He moved towards her, gripped her face in his scarred hands, and forced her to look up into his dark eyes. “I’ll see you afterwards, once we have our prize.” Releasing her with a shove, he added, “Perhaps then we could order you a bath.”
Emily’s eyes widened. There was a sick sensation in the pit of her stomach. Whatever did he mean by such an odd remark?
Replacing his hat, Trevelyan gave a low laugh and left the cabin.
Almost immediately, the first round of guns fired from the Serendipity. The blasts shook the ship’s walls and floorboards. Through the rattling windows, the Isabelle came into view, close enough for Emily to see her open gunports and her gun crews huddled around the short-barrelled carronades on the weather decks. The sight of the British colours flying from her mainmast and stern caused Emily’s chest to tighten.
Boom, boom, boom! The Isabelle fired back. The Serendipity’s hull shuddered with each blow. Emily had to steady herself against Trevelyan’s desk. All the while, Lind slowly unwound his rope and laughed, showing her his collection of mossy teeth, then with one sudden motion he lunged forward and grabbed her around the waist.
“No use in fightin’ me, lass. Old Lind will win,” he cackled, leering at her. “I’m gonna tie ya in thee toilet and then I’ll go searchin’ out thee captain’s private store o’ rum. We might as well enjoy ourselves while thee lead flies.”
Emily rammed an elbow into his soft belly. As he keeled
