being seen?’ Lady Alice demanded.
‘There are plenty of drunken men staggering around the streets of Limehouse every night,’ Essie said drily. ‘And we haven’t much choice. Help me get his jacket on and we’d better set off as soon as he regains consciousness.’
Raven was weak from loss of blood but he was able to walk, albeit slowly, and Sadie danced on ahead clearing the way and poking fun at Raven, telling the other drunks that he was her dad who had been boozing in the pub all day, and they were taking him home. Essie had been wary about drawing attention to themselves, but oddly enough it seemed to work, and Sadie was in her element. Negotiating the steep, slippery steps proved to be more difficult and it was a considerable drop to the stony foreshore. As they hesitated on the wharf Essie was beginning to think that their efforts had been in vain when she spotted Ben walking towards them. At first she was inclined to hide behind Raven, but she could see the outline of the ship anchored in Limehouse Reach, and she knew it was only a matter of time before the vessel sailed. She left Lady Alice and Sadie supporting Raven, who was drifting in and out of consciousness, and she hurried to meet Ben.
‘I’m glad it’s you,’ she said breathlessly. ‘We’re in desperate need of help.’
He took in the scene with a single glance. ‘Who are these people?’
Essie could see that he was not going to be fobbed off with fairy tales and she gave him a brief outline of the events since she had brought Raven ashore.
‘Well, I’ll be damned. What have you got yourself into, Essie? You could end up in jail for this.’
‘I know that, Ben. I didn’t choose to be involved and I wouldn’t have been if Pa hadn’t had the accident. Anyway, it’s too late now and I simply have to get Raven on board the Santa Gabriella.’
‘What about the woman and the kid? Are they going, too?’
‘No, but we must move quickly. Will you carry him down the steps? It’s our only chance.’
He hesitated, as if weighing up the consequences of such an action, and then he nodded. ‘All right. I’d offer to row him out to the ship, but I’m working.’
‘I just need to get him into my boat. I can manage after that.’
‘I’ll have words with your pa, Essie. I saw him walking to the Grapes earlier today and he wasn’t even limping. I reckon he’s fit enough to return to work, but it suits him to loaf around the house, drinking ale.’ He walked off and Essie hurried after him.
‘I’ve got you, cully.’ Ben hoisted Raven over his shoulders like a sack of coal and descended the steep steps, disappearing into the darkness.
‘I’ll see he gets safely on board,’ Essie said hastily. ‘You’d best go home.’
‘I’m coming with you.’ Lady Alice hitched up her skirts and made her way down the steep stone stairs until all that could be seen of her was the tip of the ostrich feathers waving from the crown of her bonnet. Essie followed with a reckless disregard for safety and Sadie was close behind. It was very dark on this unlit part of the foreshore and the river looked eerily calm and menacing. Ben helped Raven into the boat and steadied it as Lady Alice climbed in to sit beside him, followed less elegantly by Sadie, who landed in a heap.
‘You ought to go home, my lady,’ Essie said urgently. ‘I’ll make sure he reaches the ship safely.’
Lady Alice’s face was a pale oval, her eyes dark shadows in the dim light. ‘No, I won’t rest until I know that he’s being looked after properly. I want to see the captain and pay him well.’
‘And I got to stick with her ladyship. I ain’t staying here on me own and that’s for certain,’ Sadie added, although there was a tremor in her voice and she sounded close to tears.
‘You’d best get going,’ Ben said urgently. ‘The tide is on the turn and if you delay the ship might sail without him.’
Essie reached up to kiss him on the cheek. ‘Thank you, Ben. I’m very grateful.’
‘I’ll call round when I finish, just to make sure you’re all right.’
‘I will be. Don’t worry about me.’
‘Let’s get this boat into the water.’ Ben untied the painter and Essie helped him drag the boat to the water’s edge. ‘Get in and I’ll give you a push.’
Essie bundled up her skirts and leaped on board, settling quickly and taking up the oars as she had done on countless occasions when she was with her father. She began to row, heading into Limehouse Reach and using every last ounce of strength in an attempt to reach the Santa Gabriella, but the small, overloaded craft was low in the water and the wake created by a passing paddle steamer spilled over the gunwales, leaving them ankle-deep and in imminent danger of sinking. Essie hailed the Gabriella and a rope ladder was flung over the side, but getting Raven on board was no mean feat. He managed to haul himself painfully step by step until willing hands reached out to drag him on board. Lady Alice followed but Sadie cowered in the rapidly sinking boat, refusing to move.
‘I can’t swim. I’ll fall in and get drowned,’ she moaned, covering her face with her hands.
‘We’ll both drown if we stay here,’ Essie said urgently. ‘I can’t bail out fast enough so you’d better grab the ladder and jump for it.’
Sadie dropped her hands, gazing at Essie in horror. ‘I can’t.’
‘Yes, you can, and if you don’t go now it’ll be too late.’ Essie reached out to grasp the ladder. ‘Hold on to me. We’ll go together.’
Sadie clutched her round the waist and Essie took a deep breath. ‘Now!’ she cried, clinging onto the rope with both hands as the boat sank beneath them. Shouts from above encouraged her to hold tight and they were hauled up the side of the ship, inch by inch until they were dragged over the side. Essie landed on the deck with Sadie falling on top of her.
‘Pa will kill me,’ Essie murmured.
When she opened her eyes she was lying on a narrow wooden bunk in a tiny cabin. A lantern hung from the ceiling and it swayed to and fro with the movement of the ship.
‘Are you all right, miss?’ Sadie jumped to her feet and leaned over Essie, peering into her face. ‘You fainted dead away.’
Essie raised herself on her elbow. ‘What’s happening? Are they going to put us ashore?’ She looked down at her bare arm and realised that beneath the coarse blanket she was stark naked. Sadie was wrapped in what looked like a sheet. ‘Where are my clothes?’
Sadie sank back on the chair, which appeared to be the only other item of furniture in the cabin. ‘I undressed you, miss. Our duds were soaked and they’ve taken them away to dry.’
‘But we must get off this vessel at the first opportunity,’ Essie said urgently. She sat up, wrapping the coarse blanket around her. ‘I have to go home and look after Pa. Where is Lady Alice? What does she say to all this?’
Sadie shook her head. ‘I dunno, miss. I was put in here with you and I’ve been sitting here for ages, waiting for you to wake up, and I’m frozen.’
‘Give
