Girl on the Orlop Deck Read Online Free PDF Page A

her to be off out of it when she persisted. It was the closest inn to their room in Highbury Street and she’d had hopes of it. But now she came to look at it, it was a deal too grand for her Jem, all those great ships’ timbers and all. Nothing daunted, she crossed the road to Peacock Lane and tried the modest inn on the corner. No luck, although at least they were civil. ‘Try The Dolphin,’ the pot boy suggested. ‘They been busy today.’ So she tried The Dolphin.
    ‘Jem Templeman,’ the barman said. ‘He’s one a’ my reg’lars.’
    ‘Has he been in?’
    ‘In an’ out. You won’t see him again in a long time.’
    She thought he was joking. Men had such odd ideas about what was funny. ‘I’d better,’ she said, ‘seein’ we was married not three hours since.’
    ‘You never was!’ he said, plainly surprised. ‘I means for to say. Three hours since. Well I never.’
    ‘So where’s he gone?’
    ‘He’s been pressed, gel. Gone to sea. Ol’ Peg-Leg an’ Tom Kettle took him. You could ask ’em if they was here. They’d tell ’ee. Half seas over he was. They was darn near carryin’ the feller. Like I said, you won’t see him again in a long time.’
    She felt as if he’d hit her in the stomach. He couldn’t have gone to sea. Why would he do such a thing? He had a good job, a good wife, he was settled. It was his wedding day. Seaman went to sea, or men who needed work. Not Jem. ‘You’re pullin’ my leg,’ she said.
    ‘No, my lover. ’Tis true as I stand here. I seen it with my own eyes. He’s gone to sea. Him an’ half the world. They’re all off to sea today on account a’ we’re at war with France again, d’ye see? Admiral Lord Nelson come down at one o’clock, all in a great rush. He was aboard the Victory by ha’ past three. Thirteen-gun salute there was. I wonder you didden hear it. Made enough noise. There’s been midshipmen roundin’ up their crews all day, an’ luggage comin’ an’ goin’, provisions bein’ took aboard, an’ I don’t know what-all. Given a fair wind, they reckon to set sail tomorrow so I’m told.’
    ‘They may go when they please,’ she said fiercely, ‘but he’d better come back home sharpish. Tha’s all I got to say on the subject.’ And she left the inn in a furious temper. It blazed her to the quayside, which was as busy as she’d ever seen it and so full of carts and carriages it was all she could do to squeeze between them to get to the water’s edge. Livestock of all kinds was being taken aboard, pigs by the dozen, driven and squealing, goats bleating, chickens squawking in crates or being carried two by two and upside down with their heads puzzled and swinging. Everywhere she looked people were carrying provisions or manhandling furniture, sides of salt beef, sacks of flour, hogsheads of beer and crates of wine, sea chests and great chairs, bureaux and tallboys, and pushing among them, a variety of tradesmen were shouting their wares and swearing at the competition. Two hired coaches packed with sailors had collided in the middle of the road, and were now firmly locked together, to the delight of the seamen who were travelling on top and had a ringside seat. The noise and stink of it all were overpowering. How am I s’posed to find him in all this? Marianne thought. T’would take a month a’ Sundays so it would. But he had to be there somewhere. They couldn’t have took him aboard ship already, surely to goodness.
    There was an officer sitting on the nearest bollard smoking his pipe and obviously waiting for someone or something, so she decided to ask him.
    ‘If you please, sir,’ she said, ‘could you be so kind as to tell me where they put the new recruits? Ones what’ve just joined, I mean.’
    ‘Aboard ship I daresay,’ the officer told her, adding rather brusquely, ‘What’s it to you?’
    She bristled against the rebuke in his tone. That would have to be corrected and double quick. ‘If you please, sir,’ she