Page 57 of Until My Last Breath

God help her; she wanted to die.

But Mr Darcy’s face slowly appeared before her, his dark eyes on her, his warm, soft lips on her sore ones, kissing her with such passion that took her breath away. He had risked his life to save her. “If I live and you live…”she had said.

She shook her head, bringing both hands to her eyes as if the movement could bring back her hope, or escape the dark hole engulfing her soul.

She could not die. She could not give up.

A thunder interrupted her sombre thoughts. They had spent almost the whole day docked because of that storm.

A sparkle of hope rekindled.

She stood and went to the porthole, seeing the wild waves and darkening sky with different eyes. Every minute they had spent waiting to set sail, was another minute Mr Darcy could use to find her.

She grabbed this small hope as a drowning person would grab a piece of floating wreck in that sea.

She would believe. And trust. And wait. And with the help of God, Mr Darcy would find his way to her.

Outside, Mr Fisher’s voice shouting orders startled her.

She closed her eyes in prayer.

They were departing.

Chapter 9

14th April 1816

Darcy awoke with the sound of men shouting. He looked through the porthole. Against the pink and orange dawn, he could see the figures of the men working frenetically. A smile graced his features. ‘After the storm comes the calm’ is the saying, and he would believe it.

“Morning, Darcy,” Richard said, joining him at the porthole.

“Morning, Richard.”

“It seems the preparations for us to leave have already started. We should go on deck and see the captain.”

Darcy looked across at Dr Alden and noticed the old man was still deep in his sleep. “Would you mind helping me to change my clothes? This thing…” Darcy said, pointing to his wrapped shoulder.

Richard smiled at Darcy. His cousin seemed a different man. More human? The look in Darcy’s eyes, as he asked for help, was not the same since last year: arrogant and full of self-importance. But there was something beyond humbleness. Darcy’s expression this morning was hopeful and determined.

And that was exactly what they needed.

Once they got dressed, they went up to the deck. Mr Lynch was already there, working; his face had that glad expression of someone being back home.

There were men everywhere, and none of them was idle. CaptainWalker was at the stern of the ship, shouting his orders, when he saw Richard and Darcy. “Morning, gentlemen.” He had a grin on his scarred face. “I hope you slept well, because I have good news. I received a letter about half an hour ago. Commodore Norton gave orders for us to set sail as soon as possible and do whatever is necessary to finish this piracy business once and for all. He also advised me to allow your presence on the ship, something that is not usual on a mission like this,” he said, giving Darcy a significant look. “If everything goes according to my plans, we should be setting sail by noon. We can reach the island six hours earlier than I originally planned. Now, if you will excuse me.”

Darcy turned to his cousin and smiled. “We will find her, Richard. I know it. God help us, we will.”

Richard patted his cousin’s good shoulder. “Yes. We will.”

Excited, Richard excused himself and went back to the cabin to write the news to his father, together with another one, more personal, to Miss Bennet. He hoped to come back, and court and marry her. But in the inconvenience of not being able to do so, he would like her to know of his regards for her.

As soon as his letters were written, he went back to the deck and asked one of the men to deliver his mail to Captain Owen in the constable’s house.

Dr Alden joined them at the upper deck and received the news with equal enthusiasm.

In the next couple of hours, the frenzy on board the ship was beyond anything the three gentlemen had ever seen. Members of the crew were running from one side to the other, carrying goods and heavy munition, shouting commands in incomprehensible words, pulling ropes and turning wheels. Around eleven o’clock, when everything was as it should be, Captain Walker gave the command everyone on board was anxiously expecting. “Mr Chase, haul short the anchor and make sail. We have a pirate ship to capture.”

“Aye, aye, Captain,” Mr Chase replied. “Haul the anchor and make sail!” he shouted to the crew, the order echoing throughout the ship. In afew minutes, they were leaving the port as the hoisted sails were billowing with the power of the wind.

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