the steps? It’s our only chance.’
He hesitated, as if weighing up the consequences of such an action, and then he nodded. ‘All right. I’d offer to row him out to the ship, but I’m working.’
‘I just need to get him into my boat. I can manage after that.’
‘I’ll have words with your pa, Essie. I saw him walking to the Grapes earlier today and he wasn’t even limping. I reckon he’s fit enough to return to work, but it suits him to loaf around the house, drinking ale.’ He walked off and Essie hurried after him.
‘I’ve got you, cully.’ Ben hoisted Raven over his shoulders like a sack of coal and descended the steep steps, disappearing into the darkness.
‘I’ll see he gets safely on board,’ Essie said hastily. ‘You’d best go home.’
‘I’m coming with you.’ Lady Alice hitched up her skirts and made her way down the steep stone stairs until all that could be seen of her was the tip of the ostrich feathers waving from the crown of her bonnet. Essie followed with a reckless disregard for safety and Sadie was close behind. It was very dark on this unlit part of the foreshore and the river looked eerily calm and menacing. Ben helped Raven into the boat and steadied it as Lady Alice climbed in to sit beside him, followed less elegantly by Sadie, who landed in a heap.
‘You ought to go home, my lady,’ Essie said urgently. ‘I’ll make sure he reaches the ship safely.’
Lady Alice’s face was a pale oval, her eyes dark shadows in the dim light. ‘No, I won’t rest until I know that he’s being looked after properly. I want to see the captain and pay him well.’
‘And I got to stick with her ladyship. I ain’t staying here on me own and that’s for certain,’ Sadie added, although there was a tremor in her voice and she sounded close to tears.
‘You’d best get going,’ Ben said urgently. ‘The tide is on the turn and if you delay the ship might sail without him.’
Essie reached up to kiss him on the cheek. ‘Thank you, Ben. I’m very grateful.’
‘I’ll call round when I finish, just to make sure you’re all right.’
‘I will be. Don’t worry about me.’
‘Let’s get this boat into the water.’ Ben untied the painter and Essie helped him drag the boat to the water’s edge. ‘Get in and I’ll give you a push.’
Essie bundled up her skirts and leaped on board, settling quickly and taking up the oars as she had done on countless occasions when she was with her father. She began to row, heading into Limehouse Reach and using every last ounce of strength in an attempt to reach the Santa Gabriella, but the small, overloaded craft was low in the water and the wake created by a passing paddle steamer spilled over the gunwales, leaving them ankle-deep and in imminent danger of sinking. Essie hailed the Gabriella and a rope ladder was flung over the side, but getting Raven on board was no mean feat. He managed to haul himself painfully step by step until willing hands reached out to drag him on board. Lady Alice followed but Sadie cowered in the rapidly sinking boat, refusing to move.
‘I can’t swim. I’ll fall in and get drowned,’ she moaned, covering her face with her hands.
‘We’ll both drown if we stay here,’ Essie said urgently. ‘I can’t bail out fast enough so you’d better grab the ladder and jump for it.’
Sadie dropped her hands, gazing at Essie in horror. ‘I can’t.’
‘Yes, you can, and if you don’t go now it’ll be too late.’ Essie reached out to grasp the ladder. ‘Hold on to me. We’ll go together.’
Sadie clutched her round the waist and Essie took a deep breath. ‘Now!’ she cried, clinging onto the rope with both hands as the boat sank beneath them. Shouts from above encouraged her to hold tight and they were hauled up the side of the ship, inch by inch until they were dragged over the side. Essie landed on the deck with Sadie falling on top of her.
‘Pa will kill me,’ Essie murmured.
When she opened her eyes she was lying on a narrow wooden bunk in a tiny cabin. A lantern hung from the ceiling and it swayed to and fro with the movement of the ship.
‘Are you all right, miss?’ Sadie jumped to her feet and leaned over Essie, peering into her face. ‘You fainted dead away.’
Essie raised herself on her elbow. ‘What’s happening? Are they going to put us ashore?’ She looked down at her bare arm and realised that beneath the coarse blanket she was stark naked. Sadie was wrapped in what looked like a sheet. ‘Where are my clothes?’
Sadie sank back on the chair, which appeared to be the only other item of furniture in the cabin. ‘I undressed you, miss. Our duds were soaked and they’ve taken them away to dry.’
‘But we must get off this vessel at the first opportunity,’ Essie said urgently. She sat up, wrapping the coarse blanket around her. ‘I have to go home and look after Pa. Where is Lady Alice? What does she say to all this?’
Sadie shook her head. ‘I dunno, miss. I was put in here with you and I’ve been sitting here for ages, waiting for you to wake up, and I’m frozen.’
‘Give me your sheet.’ Essie swung her legs over the side of the bunk. ‘You can have the blanket.’
Reluctantly, Sadie unwrapped the cotton sheet and handed it to Essie, snatching the blanket to cover her bare flesh. ‘What are you going to do?’
‘I’m going to find someone who can give me some answers. You’d better wait here.’ Essie opened the door and stepped outside into a narrow passage. She could feel the engine pulsating beneath the deck as her bare feet padded along the corridor to the next cabin. She knocked on the door.
‘Who’s there?’
Essie breathed a sigh of relief as she recognised Lady Alice’s cultured tones. ‘It’s me, my lady. Essie Chapman.’
The door opened and Lady Alice stood aside to let her in. She was wearing a man’s velvet dressing robe and her long blonde hair hung loosely about her shoulders. ‘Are you all right, Essie? I was afraid you had injured yourself.’
‘I’ve got a sore head, but that’s all. I want my clothes and I must get home before Pa wakes up.’
‘I’m going to find the captain and order him to put us ashore, but first I need to make certain that Raven is being cared for. You can come with me because I don’t want to wander round this ship on my own and in a state of undress. It’s highly improper.’
The sudden desire to laugh took Essie by surprise. They were in a dire situation, having aided a felon to escape the law, very nearly drowning in the attempt, and now they were on a ship, bound for heaven knows where. It was utterly ridiculous, but she could see the funny side even if they were in serious trouble. ‘I’m sorry, my lady. I know I shouldn’t find it amusing.’
Lady Alice stared at her, frowning. ‘No, it most certainly isn’t the least bit comical. Raven might die from blood loss, and I’ve put myself beyond the law by helping him to escape. I don’t know what I was thinking.’
‘You said you wanted to pay the captain to look after him, my lady. Did you lose the money when my boat sank?’
A slow smile curved Lady Alice’s lips. ‘I had it concealed around my waist.’ She moved to the bunk and drew back the coverlet to reveal two large leather pouches. ‘These are filled with gold. If I’d gone overboard I would have sunk to the bottom of the river.’
‘Were you going to give it all to the captain?’
‘Don’t be so naïve, Esther. Of course not – I’ll treat him generously, but this is for Freddie. He sent word some time ago that he’s ill and in desperate need, and this will help him in more ways than one. He’ll be able to hire a good lawyer to plead his case and