“What about my earring?” Henrietta whispered. He nodded and held out his palm. She turned away and dug into her corset, drew the earring out, and handed it to him.
He waited on deck as they climbed into the row-boat. “You might take this on account.” He held the dangling jewel-encrusted earring up.
The captain reached for it.
“When I am in the boat,” her father said.
There was a moment’s anxious silence. Then the captain nodded. “Go.”
Her father jumped down into the rowboat. Once the captain had the jewel in his hand, he signaled the sailor and they were rowed ashore.
The innkeeper accepted them without question, despite the sorry state of their clothes. He said news of shipwrecked aristocrats had reached him before they had reached shore. They were shown to his best rooms and assured that his cook would prepare a meal fit for their rank.
A doctor examined Philippe and gave them encouraging news. He appeared to have withstood the rigors of the trip surprisingly well.
After a trip to his bank, Anthony paid the captain who waited in the tavern. Henrietta and Verity went shopping. They chose dresses at the haberdashery, buttoned to the neck, one gray and one green from the limited selection, plus soap, hairbrushes, toothbrushes, and toothpowder. Amazing how these simple items could produce such delight. A bath was brought in and set by the fire. They eagerly stripped off their clothes which reeked of fish.
Her father and Christian wore new shirts and stocks. Although not dressed in the elegant clothes they favored she still thought them handsome. The cook had outdone himself. Soup, clams, and a baked loin of mutton was brought to the table for the extremely appreciative diners, to be followed by nuts, sweet meats, and plum pie.
“We are like sisters,” Henrietta said in the bedchamber they were to share.
She perched on the end of the bed in her nightgown, trying to remove the knots from her long hair. “Are you happy to be in England?”
Verity slipped beneath the covers and laid her head on the pillow with a deep sigh. “I am thankful everyone is safe.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“It’s too soon for me to be happy.” Verity shrugged. “I must make a life for myself here. It would be foolish to return to France now.”
“There are many French émigrés in England.”
“Oui. And I’ve left no one behind that I will miss.”
“You have us; we care about you.” Henrietta hated the sadness in Verity’s voice, especially when she was so happy. In the bedchamber next to theirs was the man she loved and soon would marry.
“How sweet you are, Henrietta.” Verity’s voice trembled. “I’ve come to care for you and your… father very much.”
“I believe you love him dearly.”
“Oui,I love him.” Verity sighed. “But try to understand. Your father is a viscount. I am not of your world.”
“I know my father. I doubt that will worry him.” As she said it, Henrietta wondered if it was true. Even after the incredible adventure, she knew little about London society, but there were rules for everything, and if one broke them, they could be ostracized. Verity was an admirable woman who made her father happy, but perhaps returning here did change everything. Her father would be alone after she and Christian married. It would be wonderful if he and Verity could stay together.
Verity wiped her eyes. “You must help him to forget me.”
“Papa is very determined. He goes about calmly getting exactly what he wants. Although he was a young man when he met my mother, he persuaded her to marry him and brought her back to England.” Verity’s tears were infectious. Henrietta sniffed. “Mama never seemed to regret it.”
“Your mama was a lady. A baron’s daughter.”
“That’s true.” Henrietta climbed into her bed. “Oh, a real bed, and so comfy!”
She snuggled into the feather mattress leaned over and blew out the candle. “I remain optimistic that you and my father will marry.”
“There are other considerations.” Verity’s soft voice came out of the darkness.
Henrietta yawned. “What would they be?”
Perhaps Verity had fallen asleep, for she didn’t answer.
