Anna couldn’t help a sigh, nearly certain that the news of her bandage was going to follow her everywhere. ‘Sir, it was all I had,’ she reminded him patiently.
‘Well, then… TheHartfordwill continue to shepherd us.’ Anna heard the relief. ‘For which I am grateful.’ And this was for Captain Tyler. ‘I owe peace of mind to you Yankees.’
She nodded. ‘We’ll get our luggage.’
‘We’ll help,’ Captain Tyler said. ‘Captain Carlisle is busy.’
He and twoJauntycrewmembers followed her down the companionway. ‘It was a near-run thing, Miss Fontaine,’ Captain Tyler said. ‘La Guerreseems not to have gotten the message of Trafalgar.’
‘Which is…?’ she asked, curious about an American opinion of the war with Napoleon.
‘The Mediterranean doesn’t belong to the French.’
Why are you here?she wanted to ask, but decided to leave those concerns to diplomats. It was enough to be saved from a possibly sinking ship.
Anna retrieved another petticoat then closed her trunk. No sense in being missish about the matter. ‘Captain Tyler, since my patient is wearing my petticoat, look away, please.’
He took the hint, picked up her trunk and closed the door. She stepped into her petticoat as theJauntyshifted in the water and then seemed to settle.
‘Smartly now, Miss Fontaine. I don’t like the way that felt,’ she heard from the other side of the door.
Trunk on his shoulder, Captain Tyler led Anna and her little ones to the main deck and then to the ship’s rail, where grappling hooks snugged the vessels together. His sailors carried their luggage across, then came back.
Anna turned to Captain Carlisle. ‘Thank you, sir.’
He bowed. ‘I wish I could have seen you to Gibraltar.’
‘The French made that hard,’ she replied. ‘Safe sailing, Captain.’
‘You, as well. Thank you again for doctoring my tar.’
Crossing from theJauntyto theHartfordwould have looked daunting to the Anna Fontaine of mere months ago; now, it was something she had to do, no argument. Captain Tyler went first. Allan followed, scrambling down over theHartford’s railing. Pru proceeded more cautiously, but with the same result.
Anna came last, resolutely keeping her eyes on Captain Tyler. She hesitated at the railing, but his hands on her waist neatly carried her over, setting her on the deck. She nodded her thanks, and stared back at theJaunty, sobered by the damage.
‘I’m relieved we could render assistance,’ Captain Tyler said. ‘La Guerreis here and there when we least expect her. Damn the French.’
Below-deck, he opened a door off a common area with a long table. ‘This is the wardroom. Captain Carlisle gave me his last coordinates for Admiral Collingwood’s flagship, which is closer than Gibraltar, if he is still there. We’ll head that way first. Here’s my cabin.’ He smiled. ‘I doubt you’ve slept much. Have a nap, courtesy of the US Navy.’
He lifted Allan and Pru into his hammock, and helped her to another foldaway canvas chair. Anna happily sank into it, thanked him, then closed her eyes.
She woke later to a light tap on the door. ‘We’ve made Admiral Collingwood’s flagship,’ Captain Tyler said. ‘Come up top.’
They followed Captain Tyler topside and looked up to seeHMS Queen, gargantuan compared toHartfordandJaunty. He took a speaking trumpet from his lieutenant. She scanned the officers on the quarterdeck and stopped, hand to her heart, to see Captain Beattie. He tipped his hat to her and blew her a kiss, which didn’t go unnoticed by Captain Tyler.
‘He’s either a cheeky chap or your fiancé,’ he said, then raised the speaking trumpet. ‘Captain Daniel Tyler, United States Navy, of theHartfordout of Boston, hailing His Majesty’s ShipQueen. I request permission to discharge three English subjects.’
‘For what purpose, sir?’ came the reply from a man who looked infinitely grander than the Yankee captain.
‘To render them useful to Captain John Beattie, sir.’
Her ‘useful’ Captain exchanged a few words with theQueen’s Captain. He bowed, took the speaking trumpet and raised it.
‘Send them to us smartly. Where away then, Captain?’
‘Sir, I will shadowHMS Jauntyto Gibraltar, if theQueenso desires. She was badly mauled in a fleet action by the French corvetteLa Guerre.’
The original captain took the speaking trumpet from John. ‘You do not claim theJauntyas a prize of war?’
