Page 45 of The Duke With the Dragon Tattoo
Veronica’s father had been a wealthy shipping magnate, after all. She knew more about boats, navigation, and the sea than most men did.
Creeping to the door, Lorelai realized it wasn’t the kind that could be locked from the outside. Which made sense. Why would the captain of a pirate ship ever hazard being locked in his own quarters?
Her fingers rested on the latch, and she paused.
What if he’d placed a guard at the door? The unscrupulous Moncrieff, perhaps. Or the Rook might have stood vigil, himself.
Shivering at the thought, Lorelai opened the little brass peephole in the door and pressed her eye to it. The short hall was full of shadows, but empty of pirates so far as she could tell.
Stepping back, she eased open the door and let the pistol precede her into the predawn gloom. She peeled her shoulders away from her ears when she found herself alone. Releasing a shaky breath as quietly as she could, she lifted her skirts and leaned on the rail, careful not to trip down the three wide steps into the narrow hall.
She’d been too terrified yesterday to marvel that theDevil’s Dirgeboasted the accommodations of a luxurious steamship, but with decidedly rougher occupants. She’d stared at the glowing sconces all night, and had idly wondered how on earth electricity could be found on a ship. She’d never before heard of such extravagant possibilities.
As she dragged her lame foot upon lush red carpets, she wondered if this was what Pierre Aronnax felt whilst exploring theNautilus.Flabbergasted, terrified, and more than a little impressed.
There was no time to dawdle, or explore, she reminded herself. She had to find Veronica.
Where had Moncrieff said he’d stash her? The blue room? That could be anywhere.
Dim electric lights reflected off the ambient mist stealing through the hall like a wary dream.
Lorelai searched what little her panicked memory had stored from her abduction. The captain’s quarters from which she disembarked were located off the main deck below the open aft deck. The luxurious accommodations took up the entire rear of the ship on this level, which was why it had so many portholes and windows from which to enjoy the view. She stood at the end of a hall that had four doors, spaced evenly apart, two on the right and two on the left.
If her guess was correct, these were also accommodations for officers or important guests.
It would be folly to make much noise, as whomever the Rook chose as his officers had to be almost as unprincipled and ruthless as he.
As she crept up the hall, Lorelai found the last door on the right had been bolted, from theoutside.
What were the chances that the Rook kept prisoners other than her and Veronica anywhere else but the ship’s hold way below deck?
Truthfully, she had no way of knowing, but anyone she found that wasn’t Veronica could become a potential ally. All to the good, in her estimation.
As silently as she could, she slid the bolt free and unlatched the door, revealing blue carpet that she took to be a fantastic sign.
Opening the door all the way, she called in a loud whisper, “Veronica?”
She almost dropped the pistol to devastating effect as the heavy candelabra Veronica swung stopped inches away from denting her temple.
“L-Lorelai?” They collapsed into each other’s arms. The younger woman shook with the effort not to dissolve into sobs, still clutching the makeshift weapon. “I thought you were—that he—oh God! Your dress! Are you all right?”
Lorelai pulled back, pressing a finger to her lips. “I’m fine, darling. For now. Listen to me. We haven’t much time. If we’re to get out of this, our best chance is on a lifeboat. Do you remember seeing them? Do you know where they are or how to release them?”
Veronica was shaking her head, her pale features ghostly in the eerie mists. “This is a faster steamship than I’ve ever encountered,” she whispered. “And we’ve been aboard for several hours. We could be anywhere by now.” She paused, peering past Lorelai into the corridor. “Wait.” She ventured forward, slipped into the hall and rounded the corner.
“What are you doing?” Lorelai caught up with her, and linked their arms so they could cling together.
“There are many kinds of fog.” Veronica sagely pointed toward the open passage door to the deck completely concealed by thick wisps of mist. “Thiskind only gathers near land.Ifwe get to the lifeboats and row far enough awayfrom this ship and out of the clouds, we might have a chance.”
Lorelai squeezed her, blessing all the gods she could think of for the clever woman and her merchant-class knowledge.
“It’s better than being stuck here, I think.”
Veronica nodded her agreement.
They crept to the door expecting an army of pirates to stop them at any time. The ship remained eerily quiet but for the constant sounds of the engine.
“The lifeboats are just beyond the galley, secured below the deck.” Veronica pointed to their left. “We’ll have to crawl down a ladder on the outside of the ship. Once we reach it, we’ll have little time as the wheelhouse will most definitely be manned by a navigator and he’ll likely see us if the mist dissipates even a little.”
