Ch. 12 Hunted
Jim continued to spur the horse until we reached the coastline. He let the horse fall back to its own pace for which I'm certain the horse was grateful. It wasn't until then that I realized I was crying. I kept my face buried in Jim's back as we slowly trotted along the road. Soon Jim steered the horse to the side and stopped. He helped me slide off the side before he jumped down beside me. I watched him as he pulled something from the saddlebag.
"You should change out of those clothes before we reach the ship." He held out a small bundle tied with a string. Taking it, I nodded. He pointed to the Cliffside which I instantly recognized as the place I had gone cliff-diving. I found the small path that led down to the cave and changed into a plain pair of brown pants and a faded shirt. I stared down at the tattered dress that Diana had specifically chosen for me that morning. I guess I had just stolen it. I rolled it into a ball and threw it into the back of the cave and quickly washed off the blood from my face before I went back up to Jim. He was patting the horse's neck and he smiled when he saw me.
"What is it?"
"Your hair."
I reached up to my head, feeling the braids and knots in my hair. I pushed my fingers through them so that any trace of my lady-like hairdo was gone. When I finished I found Jim waiting atop his mount to help pull me up behind him. We left at walking pace and arrived at the docks soon afterwards. The ship was abuzz with action. The crew was readying the ship for another voyage, to where they didn't know, but who needed to know when Manheim was the captain. I hadn't heard a single one of them complain about following his orders. Probably because they came back from each trip with heavier wallets than when they left.
I knew I should be glad to be leaving that place behind and back to sea where I felt I had a greater chance at getting back home, but I couldn't shake the feelings that I'd had in the catacombs and in the dining room with Bryant. I wanted to know what had really happened to Jim's mother and Bryant's fiancé. Manheim was sure to know something more about it. And perhaps he would know of a way to help Jim. I would try and find a time to speak to him privately.
We left the horse to fend for itself as we quickly boarded the ship. Jim received a few salutations and I got a few annoyed glances thrown my way, but for the most part I was ignored. We were soon recruited to join a group to help with the sails and while Jim climbed the ropes I stayed put on the deck in case they needed assistance with anything. Suddenly I was yanked back by my shoulder and pulled into a corner. I twisted my neck around to see Reed who was trying to hide me with his skinny frame.
"Reed! What are you doing?"
He shushed me. "Wha' are ya doin' back 'ere? If Yates sees ya, 'e'll kill ya!" He dragged me over to the small room that was under the stairs and pushed me in.
"Reed, wait! He wouldn't—" I tried to protest but he pushed me down on my rear and said,
"Ya saved my life, I ain' lettin' 'im near ya!" He shut the door sharply and I heard a click.
I immediately tried the door and—big surprise—it was locked. I sat back against the wall and waited. Hours passed before I heard the lock click again. The door slowly opened and Jim peeked around the edge.
"Oh. I thought you would be asleep." He stepped in and shut the door. "Aren't you tired?"
I snickered. "Yeah, but there's just so much excitement that I didn't want to miss anything. Are we out of the harbor yet?"
Jim closed the door behind him and took a seat next to me. "Yes. We've been out of sight of the harbor for some time now. You don't need to worry about Bryant anymore." He wasn't watching me now. I studied his face. His hair was already starting to grow past his ears again. The white line of the scar was bright against his red ear. I reached out and pushed his hair away. He looked over at me curiously. I had wanted to use Jim's full name since I first heard it and I couldn't resist using it now.
"James." I could see he was surprised by it. "James, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for everything." My forehead leaned into his shoulder. He was silent and merely reached his hand over to hold mine. A loud clanking noise made me jump and Jim let go of me. He told me to stay put while he went to go see what was happening. I waited anxiously for only a few moments before Jim came back.
"What is it?"
"It's the captain. He has some important correspondence he said he must wait for before we continue so he had the anchor dropped. Don't worry, you're very safe where we are now."
For some reason I didn't agree.
It took only six minutes for Jim to fall asleep after he sat down again. I know because I counted the seconds so that I didn't have think about him. I remembered the way I'd acted when I hit Jim after flying through the widow. Why had I kissed him? And repeatedly, too? I was so embarrassed that I couldn't look at Jim again when he sat next to me. Jim slept the rest of the daylight away leaving me quite bored. I tried not to think too much because most of it was unpleasant. But I did think about one thing. Manheim.
I needed to speak to him and this would be a good time, with Jim asleep, and me with time to kill and too many horrible dreams waiting to enter my head the second I shut my eyes.
When the sun went down the noise of the crew went with it. I waited for a time before tip-toeing out of the cabin and up the stairs to the captain's room. The moon was full and bright, lighting up the floor of the ship. I lifted my hand to tap on the door but it opened suddenly before my fingers even touched it.
"Miss Russel. What a surprise." Manheim moved aside, motioning for me to enter.
'Okay, that was even weirder than normal.' I hesitated. 'Don't go,' I told myself. Or more like my gut was telling me, but before I could say anything his hand was pushing me in and closing the door.
"Please, sit. I was just going to see if you were awake. I wished to have a few words with you." He sat on his desk while I stood next to the door, ready to jump at the chance to leave when I was done.
"Yes, well I wanted to talk to you, too . . . about some things." Now that it had come down to it I couldn't bring myself to talk about any of it, at least not with him. I cleared my throat, thought of an excuse and said, "I just wanted to thank you for being so willing to leave so soon."
"Certain events rather pushed me to it."
I waited for him to tell me more but he just stared at me.
"Okay, and if that's all then I'm just going to go," I said uncomfortably reaching for the handle.
"I heard that my brother, Lord Bryant, has made you an offer of marriage." I froze, suddenly remembering the conversation I overheard between Manheim and Bryant. I turned back feeling extremely uncomfortable.
"You do not seem surprised to find that Lord Bryant and I are brothers."
"Jim already told me."
"Ah. I see. I'm quite astonished, Imari, that you refused Lord Bryant, as well as curious as to why you did so."
"S-several reasons, I suppose."
"Such as?"
"He's old. "
That didn't seem to cut it.
"I don't like him." I tried to push the image of the two corpses out of my head. "He…he scares me."
"Scares you?"
I looked across at him and he seemed to be studying my face. His was slowly shifting into a knowing look.
"Ah. You went in the catacombs. And what you saw there…did you find it interesting?" He grinned. My back hit the wall. "It was the only place we could think of to hide the body that we were sure no one would look. But it seems we were wrong."
I pointed an accusing, shaking finger and whispered,
"You? You killed that woman? Not Bryant?"
"Of course. Why would he kill his own chances at gaining the title and inheritance? It was the perfect opportunity so I took it. Accidents happen all the time when gentlemen go out hunting and the little vixen just happened to get in my way. Nicholas wanted to tell Lady Bryant but she would never believe him over my self which I took little pain to convince him of. And in any case I could have blamed it on his wild temper."
My throat was dry and scratchy.
"What does this have to do with me?"
"You were next on Lord Bryant's list."
"But you already know that I don't want to marry him. That's why I'm leaving." He held his smirk in place. "I don't want to marry you either."
"That's most inconvenient. However it doesn't make a significant difference either way. All I have to do is keep my brother from marrying for another year and I inherit everything. Marrying you only means that I would have achieved it sooner."
"Then if that's all I'll be going." I opened the door and heard the cocking of a pistol. My body froze in place.
"Pardon me for not explaining myself fully," he came close up behind me. "I'm afraid that I can't let you leave with all the information you possess without a little reassurance that your lips stay closed on the matter." He rubbed the end of barrel against my temple and tapped my shoulder with his other hand.
"I-I promise I won't say anything!" My body shook like a limp, pathetic rag.
"No, that won't do at all. I need something a bit more substantial. More permanent. No I'm afraid there is only one solution." He backed off and told me to turn around.
"I'll scream."
"And I'll shoot. I don't believe that will do much to stop the process that comes afterward. She screamed too. Now turn around."
I looked back at him without turning completely and saw that his arm was completely extended and the gun was pointed directly at my left shoulder blade..
Perfect.
"Quick now."
And I was. Stepping close I spun around, grabbed his extended wrist and rammed my forearm into his locked elbow. The crack was deafening. Manheim yelled in pain as the pistol clattered to the floor. I ran out the door, Manheim on my heels—literally. He grabbed my foot and I tumbled down the steps. He took this chance to run back and grab his weapon. I sprinted to the rigging immediately after hitting the deck and climbed with all my might trying to put as much distance between us. With any luck the pistol would misfire or Manheim would be a poor shot—not likely.
It wasn't until I had climbed about fifteen feet that I noticed how much wind there was. The ropes were whipping about making my panicked climb even harder. My foot slipped through one of the holes and I hugged the rigging with my eyes closed. When I opened them again I saw Manheim with his gun pointed up at me. His other arm hung lifelessly. He grinned sadisticly.
"I must say that you are a great deal more sport than the others! Little Jimmy's mother didn't resist at all. Yes! I killed her. Don't look so shocked!"
I pulled myself free and moved wildly up the ropes again. "JIM!" I screamed.
The pistol fired and a rope split just above my head.
"MANHIEM!"
Jim was charging Manheim as the confused crew started spilling out onto the deck.