An Unmarked Grave: A Bess Crawford Mystery by Charles Todd

Author:Charles Todd [Todd, Charles]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery, Suspense, Adult, Historical, War
ISBN: 9780062015730
Amazon: 0062015729
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Published: 2013-01-02T06:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

IT SEEMED TO take longer than usual to reach the mouth of the river. More often than not, unless I was assigned to duty with the wounded belowdecks, I stood at the rail, watching our passage downstream. Instead, here in this stuffy little cabin, I tried to picture it in my mind as a distraction.

Finally I could feel the swells as we left the river behind and met the Channel. That much closer to England. Somewhere in the narrow ship’s passage outside my door I heard someone begin to retch, and then the sound of feet rushing toward the companionway.

I was a good sailor, and I stood at the porthole, the lamp behind me turned off, and looked out at gray water meeting a gray sky. There was always a chance that we would encounter a German sub, and if the weather was good, the chances were doubled. But from my vantage point, there could have been half a hundred out there, and I’d have no way of guessing.

With a sigh, I closed the black curtains and sat down, not in the mood to relight the lamp. I was tired enough to sleep, but tempting as the bunk was, I wanted to stay alert if I could.

I’d just stifled a yawn when I heard the click of the key in the lock, and my door opened a very little.

I reached for the lamp, lit it, and stood there, waiting in its pool of light.

A familiar face peered around the edge. I recognized an officer I had sailed with before on a number of occasions.

“You aren’t about to throw the inkwell at me, are you?” Captain Garrison asked with a grin.

“I promise,” I said, and he stepped into the tiny cabin.

“I was just informed you were on board. Locked away like a common miscreant. What happened, Sister Crawford?”

“It’s a long story,” I told him wryly, “but I’ve transgressed, I’m told, and I’m being shipped home in disgrace to face my hour of judgment.”

He laughed outright. “Good God, Bess, did you take a shot at the First Lord of the Admiralty?”

“Nothing so grand. I was accused of fraternizing with an orderly and in consequence missing my transport to Ypres.” My hand went of its own accord to my pocket. What if I’d been searched and Simon’s little handgun had been discovered?

“I don’t believe it! Hang on—is that the other felon we have in irons belowdecks?”

“Unless he’s an American, I wouldn’t know.”

“Yes, he must be. He told one of my men that his ancestors had shown us a thing or two at Yorktown, and he was ready to have another go at it himself.”

It was my turn to laugh. But what was I to tell Captain Garrison? I decided on the truth. Well, part of it.

“We were both assigned to Ypres. But something went wrong with our transport, and I spent the night in a convent I knew of in Rouen. On his way back to the hotel where he was staying, Barclay was picked up for not having the proper papers.

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