Warley: A BRAND NEW thrilling historical naval adventure (The Decoy Ships series Book 2) by Christopher C. Tubbs

Author:Christopher C. Tubbs [Tubbs, Christopher C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lume Books Historical Naval Adventures, A Joffe Books Company
Published: 2024-06-06T00:00:00+00:00

London

Freyja returned to Poole with Tom and stayed with the family until it was time to leave for London, to prepare the Warley for its next voyage. The whole Daalderop episode had deeply disturbed her, and she spent a lot of time talking to Anne, whom she seemed to treat as her mother.

“Take care of her; she is vulnerable when it comes to relationships,” Mary told him as he pulled his coat on for the trip to the Big Smoke, as London was called in the countryside. “And I think she sees you as a father figure.”

“That’s all I need,” he grumped, then smiled and hugged her. They had said goodbye in a passionate and loving way the night before.

“See you in a year. Next time you can come with me, as little Tom will be old enough.”

Their goodbyes said, Tom and Freyja climbed into the carriage. The driver flicked the whip and the horses started out. It was April. The lanes were lined with blackthorn and wild cherry blossom and the banks swathed in primroses and celandine. The fields were dotted with dandelions and cowslips. Birds sang their stories of nests and challenges over territory. As the day warmed, early butterflies emerged.

Freyja decided she liked Dorset in the spring and travelling by coach gave her ample time to admire the countryside. Tom had decided to travel to Portsmouth to use a Company ship to get to London, rather than rough it on a coaster from Poole. This was only partly in consideration of Freyja, whom he watched looking out the window at God’s own countryside. There was no better place to be in the spring, in his opinion.

“What is the black and white bird?” she asked.

“That’s a magpie. If you see one on its own you should say ‘Good morning, Mr Magpie, how is your wife today?’ to ward off bad luck.”

“Why are they unlucky?”

“I don’t think they are, but most people believe seeing a single one is bad luck. There’s a rhyme. ‘One for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl, four for a boy, five for silver, six for gold, seven for a secret never to be told’.”

Freyja laughed. “People are the same about ravens at home, but we don’t have a rhyme.”

Portsmouth was just as it usually was: dirty and smelly after the fresh countryside air. The stench of humanity hung over the place like a cowl, along with the smell of rotting fish. The Company ship was at the dock, and they went aboard immediately upon arrival. Tom had timed everything perfectly, and they settled down for the short trip around the coast. The tide was at its height at a half after two in the afternoon, when they slipped their moorings and trotted past Portsea Island and Gosport before turning east with the wind on their stern.

They had cabins. The trip would take at least a day, depending on whether they had to hold at the Downs. Tom had talked to the captain, who said he expected to pick up a pilot as soon as they entered the estuary.

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