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Authors: Christina Courtenay
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something that sounded like ‘idiot’, but there was nothing he could say out loud without being impolite. She didn’t wait for him to comment in any case, but jumped up and headed for the house as if the devil and all his helpers were after her. Her heart was beating like a drum and she was terrified something would stop her from reaching the safety of her room. She only hoped her legs would carry her that far. They were shaking so badly, she was beginning to doubt it. Just as she neared the back door, Jacob caught up with her.
‘No one wants you, just disappear upstairs,’ he hissed.
She threw him a startled look. ‘What? Oh … thank you. I … you have no idea how much I appreciate your help.’
‘Actually, I think I have. I’ll try to speak to Father again, but I doubt he’ll listen. I’m sorry.’ He smiled a little sadly. ‘Now go, quickly.’
Hannah didn’t need to be told twice.
What was she to do? Hannah paced the tiny bed chamber, too agitated to sit down.
She simply couldn’t go through with this marriage. But did she have a choice?
During the past few days an idea had taken root in her mind and it refused to go away. She needed to escape and the more she thought about it, the more she came to the conclusion that she only had one option. She had to seize her chance and leave with Rydon and her brother. If she didn’t act now, it would be too late.
‘Why shouldn’t I go?’ she muttered. If she refused to marry Mr Hesketh she would be in disgrace anyway. Besides, no one would miss her, she was sure of that, except for Edward, but he’d be going to sea soon himself on one of their father’s other ships. Her sister hated her, her father mostly ignored her and to her mother she was nothing but trouble. You need a steadying hand, her father had said. Well, Hannah disagreed if that hand belonged to Ezekiel Hesketh.
The ships were leaving the day after tomorrow and she intended to be on board when they did.
‘Hannah, fetch me the beeswax, if you please. The maids have done a terrible job on this table, it needs doing again. And why are you smirking, pray?’
Hannah had been loitering in the hallway, waiting for an opportunity to sneak into the store room unseen. Here it was, handed to her on a plate as it were, which was why she found it hard to keep her expression straight. ‘Yes, Mother.’ She tried harder to school her features into a more solemn expression.
‘Lazy servants, I cannot trust anyone these days,’ Mistress Marston muttered. ‘And you, why are you skulking about? Don’t you have chores to attend to? I marvel that you can stand idle when there is always so much to be done.’
‘I finished my tasks, Mother.’
‘Finished, indeed. Why didn’t you say? Well, off with you then. What are you waiting for? And when you come back, I’ll find you something else to occupy your time with. Mark my words, you’ll have no time for idleness once you’re married.’
Hannah set off on her errand with unusual alacrity and her mother threw her a suspicious glance. Normally, Mistress Marston could have expected only grudging willingness from her daughter. But Hannah was in good spirits today since gathering together the things she needed for her adventure had proved surprisingly easy.
With the house in an uproar because of Kate’s forthcoming nuptials, no one was paying much attention to Hannah. So far, she had acquired almost everything she could think of and hidden it in a sack at the bottom of a clothes chest in her bedchamber. A blanket, a comb and a knife, spoon and wooden bowl had been squirrelled away. Also the boy’s clothes she planned to wear, which she’d purloined from Edward’s room.
All that was left to steal was some food and drink. She knew she couldn’t bring much, only what was absolutely essential for her survival. Some bread and cheese, a pie perhaps and a chunk of smoked ham or sausage. She reckoned victuals to last her three or four days would be enough.
‘No one wants you, just disappear upstairs,’ he hissed.
She threw him a startled look. ‘What? Oh … thank you. I … you have no idea how much I appreciate your help.’
‘Actually, I think I have. I’ll try to speak to Father again, but I doubt he’ll listen. I’m sorry.’ He smiled a little sadly. ‘Now go, quickly.’
Hannah didn’t need to be told twice.
What was she to do? Hannah paced the tiny bed chamber, too agitated to sit down.
She simply couldn’t go through with this marriage. But did she have a choice?
During the past few days an idea had taken root in her mind and it refused to go away. She needed to escape and the more she thought about it, the more she came to the conclusion that she only had one option. She had to seize her chance and leave with Rydon and her brother. If she didn’t act now, it would be too late.
‘Why shouldn’t I go?’ she muttered. If she refused to marry Mr Hesketh she would be in disgrace anyway. Besides, no one would miss her, she was sure of that, except for Edward, but he’d be going to sea soon himself on one of their father’s other ships. Her sister hated her, her father mostly ignored her and to her mother she was nothing but trouble. You need a steadying hand, her father had said. Well, Hannah disagreed if that hand belonged to Ezekiel Hesketh.
The ships were leaving the day after tomorrow and she intended to be on board when they did.
‘Hannah, fetch me the beeswax, if you please. The maids have done a terrible job on this table, it needs doing again. And why are you smirking, pray?’
Hannah had been loitering in the hallway, waiting for an opportunity to sneak into the store room unseen. Here it was, handed to her on a plate as it were, which was why she found it hard to keep her expression straight. ‘Yes, Mother.’ She tried harder to school her features into a more solemn expression.
‘Lazy servants, I cannot trust anyone these days,’ Mistress Marston muttered. ‘And you, why are you skulking about? Don’t you have chores to attend to? I marvel that you can stand idle when there is always so much to be done.’
‘I finished my tasks, Mother.’
‘Finished, indeed. Why didn’t you say? Well, off with you then. What are you waiting for? And when you come back, I’ll find you something else to occupy your time with. Mark my words, you’ll have no time for idleness once you’re married.’
Hannah set off on her errand with unusual alacrity and her mother threw her a suspicious glance. Normally, Mistress Marston could have expected only grudging willingness from her daughter. But Hannah was in good spirits today since gathering together the things she needed for her adventure had proved surprisingly easy.
With the house in an uproar because of Kate’s forthcoming nuptials, no one was paying much attention to Hannah. So far, she had acquired almost everything she could think of and hidden it in a sack at the bottom of a clothes chest in her bedchamber. A blanket, a comb and a knife, spoon and wooden bowl had been squirrelled away. Also the boy’s clothes she planned to wear, which she’d purloined from Edward’s room.
All that was left to steal was some food and drink. She knew she couldn’t bring much, only what was absolutely essential for her survival. Some bread and cheese, a pie perhaps and a chunk of smoked ham or sausage. She reckoned victuals to last her three or four days would be enough.
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