Isabella Rockwell's War (28 page)

“No. We get
dinner as well.” Midge let out a sigh of delight. Despite the
weight he’d put on over the last three months, he still had a
little way to go before he could be described as a picture of
health. At least his bones had disappeared and his eyes were no
longer sunken.

“Look, there’s
Princess Alix.” Alix’s shining brown carriage drew up, pulled by
two gleaming chestnuts who matched the colour of Alix’s velvet
cloak and hat. The crowd on the dock stirred to find royalty
amongst them.

Alix came and
stood next to them.

“Come on you
two, time to board. Here,” she handed Isabella a large basket. “A
little something for lunch.

“Mmm yummy.
Thank you.”

“Ere Miss,
have you seen Zach? I thought he’d be here by now.”

Alix patted
Midge’s shoulder.

“Look, there’s
a big line to get aboard, even for first class. It’s the first boat
of the spring, I suppose. I bet you tuppence he’s here before it’s
your turn to get on.” She turned to Isabella. “Have you got
everything you need?” She asked for the hundredth time.

“Yes. I’ve got
Midge, tickets, luggage, money, a letter of introduction to Prince
Ernest’s cousin in Bombay, my father’s bag, your ring and now a
picnic. What more could I possibly need?”

“Cooee!
Isabella!” There was a honking from the first class line, and a
riot of feathers. “I don’t believe it, how marvellous! We’re on the
same boat. You and your… erm… little friend, must come and have tea
with us….”

Isabella hoped
she was hallucinating, but when she shut and opened her eyes the
Molesey’s were still gaily waving at her from their place in the
line to the upper class deck.

Alix laughed
so hard, she had to turn away.

“Zach!” Midge
undid his arm from Isabella’s and ran to Zach. He looked handsome
and healthy in his clean clothes with Lily swinging off one
hand.

“Sorry
Midgelet. I had some business to attend to.”

Isabella
frowned. “What business?”

Zachariah
laughed. “Not dodgy business, Mrs Suspicious. I just found out
Prince Ernest has arranged a commission for me in the army.” He
smiled broadly. I’ve got to go and pick up me uniform
tomorrow.”

Alix looked
thrilled.

“Why, that’s
wonderful news. How kind of Uncle Ernest.”

Zachariah
nodded. “He’s been really good to us, what with the house for the
kids and all. Makes me feel much better about leaving them to go
abroad, knowing they’ll be well looked after.”

“Do you know
where you’ll be posted already?” asked Isabella.

Zachariah
nodded. “France first, not too far. Prince Ernest said I could come
back in a year to visit the kids. William will take good care of
them though, I’m sure.”

Alex touched
his sleeve. “I’ll keep an eye on them. You’ve been responsible for
them for a long time. It’ll do you good to let others take
over.”

“Yeah. I’m
tired of being angry all the time.” He looked over at Lily who was
playing with the bracelets on Alix’s wrist. “I think me and Lil’,
we deserve better.”

Tears came
suddenly to Isabella’s eyes.

“Anyway,”
Zachariah continued in a more normal voice. “Prince Ernest wanted
me to give you this.” Isabella took the envelope of cream vellum,
sealed with the royal coat of arms. “He said to open it on the
boat.” Zach bent down and hugged Midge. “Good luck, Midge. I’ll see
you again one day, I’m sure. Have a safe trip.”

Midge’s eyes
filled with tears. “Thanks, Zach. I’ll miss you. And I’ll miss all
the others. Will you tell them?”

Zach smiled.
“I will.”

Zach turned to
Isabella. “Good luck Miss India.” Isabella stuck out her hand, but
Zach laughed and pulled her into a big bear hug. Lily jumped with
glee and hugged their legs.

Isabella
pulled away and rubbed her nose.

“Sorry, I
thought I wasn’t going to cry.” Alix’s little hand crept into hers.
“Thank you for everything, Zach. You saved my life.”

He smiled,
showing a tiny glimpse of the man he might one day become.

“We’re even
then.”

She
gulped.

“We’re
even.”

A small crowd
was forming as people recognised Alix. Over her shoulder Isabella
caught the glint of gold brocade on scarlet.

“You must go,
your guard is on its way over.”

Alix couldn’t
speak and just nodded her head.

“I’m sure we
will meet again. Take care until then.”

Alix hugged
Isabella tightly, then Zachariah led her away through the
crowd.

When the boat
finally pulled away, Isabella spotted a carriage, sitting on a
jutting headland, past the East India Docks and the Isle of Dogs.
When she raised her arm to wave, she thought she saw the faintest
flicker of a blonde head in the pink evening light.

Midge came up
to the rail next to her.

“You gonna
open that letter then?”

“Maybe,
nosey.”

“Come on, lets
go and see our cabin… it’s dead posh this place…” He scampered away
in front of her dodging gently swaying passengers, some of them
dabbing their eyes, as they said goodbye to the old country.

To Isabella
however, the gathering swell of the Thames made her think of home,
and the ship’s bell, when it rang for dinner, gave her a strange
feeling of comfort.

How much had
changed.

She would miss
Alix terribly, but there was a different road laid in front of her
feet and, for the first time in her life, she felt ready for
it.

Back in her
cabin, Midge lay on the thick feather counterpane and pressed his
nose to a porthole. The cabin had deep blue carpets and was full of
polished wood and brass. A tray of tea things sat on an ornamental
table.

“Mrs Rodriguez
just came to check we’re alright. I don’t know why we needed an
escort, I’ve been living on me own since I was two.”

Isabella
smiled. “You weren’t on your own though, were you? You had
Ruby.”

Midge nodded.
“Yeah. She always looked out for me.” A solitary tear slid down his
cheek. “I miss her.”

Isabella sat
down next to him. “Me too.” She paused. “Shall we go and see if Mrs
Rodriguez wants to have dinner with us?

Midge looked
up. “Is it dinner time?”

Isabella
nodded. “Why don’t you go and ask her. I’m just going to wash, and
then I will meet you in the lounge.” The door behind Midge closed
with a quiet click and Isabella, once she was sure he wasn’t coming
back, reached for Prince Ernest’s letter.

She could hear
his gravelly voice as she read it.

“
My dearest
Miss Rockwell

I hope this
letter reaches you safely and that your voyage is progressing
without incident. I had hoped to see you off, but urgent business
takes me elsewhere.

In the time I
have known you, I have come to believe you possess the qualities of
courage and honour, which I would except to find in the best of my
soldiers. It was of no surprise to me to find that your father was
Sergeant John Rockwell, the man recommended to me as the best
soldier of King William’s First Horse. The man we sent to find
Christopher Jolyon.

In the months
since you saved the life of Princess Alixandrina Victoria Hanover,
I have been gathering as much information on his mission as I have
been able. The last sighting of him was in Jhelum, but it is there
his trail went cold. Then only yesterday, intelligence came to me
that a man had been found wandering in the Vale of Ush. As he
appeared native, he was taken in by the Chitrali tribe, but he is
without memory and has not been able to tell them where he is from.
It is my belief he may be your father.

I hope this
information warms your heart and gives your feet direction.

A toast to
your future, and may we meet again.

Ernest of
Hanover

Isabella
re-read the letter, then folded it up and placed it back into her
knapsack. Her hands were sweating and she had to wipe them on her
dress.

There was a
knock. It was Midge. He rattled the door handle.

“Are you
coming? I’m starving.”

Isabella got
to her feet just as the ship lurched, and she put a hand out to
steady herself. Then she walked to the door and opened it.

“I’m ready.
Let’s go!”

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