Overboard! by Michael White

Author:Michael White [White, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: EDP
Published: 2016-08-30T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

~ Masquerade~

Two days passed in a flurry as deliveries arrived at the Drowned Duck in either very small or very large packages with hardly any middle ground between them. Daisy was suspiciously absent from the common room and all the deliveries made their way pretty rapidly up the stairs to her room upon their arrival. On the Friday morning most of the crew occupying the Inn were surprised to find when they made their way downstairs for a hearty rat breakfast that Daisy was already sitting there with both Boom and Bones at hand. They were leaning over the table they had taken, whispering conspiratorially, though they did stop when the room started to fill up.

As per usual Neep was almost the last to arrive, but a seat was set to one side on Daisy’s table for him. After breakfast Daisy rose and banged her hand on the table to get attention. Slowly the room fell into silence.

“Thank you.” said Daisy, smiling. “Not just for your attention now but your patience during our stay here also.” There was a general murmuring about the room as if in expectation. Finally, they were going to do something!

“As you know I have been invited to be a guest of Mister DeNeuf’s masquerade ball this evening. An invitation that we know that The Beak has shown such an interest in that he has been observing our movements extremely closely. I feel also that Captain Jenkins will be in the city already, and ready to show his hand at the ball.” A ripple of agreement ran around the room. It was after all just the kind of thing that mad pirate captain would do.

“So to that end we have a plan ourselves. We need the map Jenkins has, and he needs the key that we have. He has taken the bait I feel and comes to liberate Mister Neep in the hope that he has knowledge of the key, which of course he does not.” Neep smiled at Daisy, silently attempting to reconcile her position with his view of piracy. His conclusion was not terribly flattering, the words “decoy” and “sacrificial lamb” looming large in his mind.

“Nevertheless we need that map. So to that end I will attend the masquerade ball with Mister Neep with the aim in mind of securing the map…” Daisy paused, turning her attention to Neep who was sitting with one hand stuck straight in the air as if he were attempting to get the attention of his teacher. “Yes Mister Neep?” she asked.

“You want me to go to the ball with you?” he asked simply.

“Yes. As I have already stated, Captain Jenkins thinks you have information he needs. It is best I keep you close to hand. There is also the small matter of raising hi interest if he thinks that you are there as well, of course.”

“Could just throw him in the brig to keep young Mister Neep out of harms way.” Came the suggestion from a table by the door.

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