Chapter 8 London
"You there man!" Jakes looked up from the deck of the Red Witch at the well
dressed young woman on the dockside. She looked completely out of place in the
hurley burley of the East India Dock. A hansom cab stood behind her "Yes, my
man, I am talking to you."
Jakes looked up again, "What can I do fer yer missie?"
"For a start you can answer me with a little more respect and then you can tell
me the whereabouts of Lady Beatrice d'Lisle."
"And who might be askin' for 'er missie?"
"Lady Penelope Merryfield although that is really none of your business."
The arrogance of the reply put Jakes back up. "Dunno about any Lady missie. We
only hes two girls in our crew, Emma who is the captain's mate, and Beatie who
is just a deck hand."
Penelope stamped her foot and again demanded to see Lady Beatrice.
"Sorry missie, I can't do that but....."
"What's up Jakes?" Emma came on deck.
"That missie up there says she's a lady and is lookin' fer a Lady Beatrice
summat, Miss Emma."
Emma recognised Penelope and knew she was an erstwhile friend of Beatrice's and
had heard stories of their activities together. Now, having been used to being
spoken to with respect, Emma's hackles rose when in a shrill, haughty voice
Penelope said, "Emma, take me to your mistress at once! This dolt here doesn't
seem to know who I am talking about."
Emma climbed the ratlines so she stood a little above Penelope and made it hard
for the girl on the quayside to see her clearly against the sun and keep out of
the way of the traffic which threatened to spray mud over her clothing. "First
of all Miss Penelope Merryfield, you are not a lady, unless that is, you married
a titled gentleman in the six weeks we have been away." Penelope went red in the
face at what she saw as the insolence of the girl. "Secondly, I have no
mistress. For the next half an hour or so until the captain returns, I am in
charge of this ship. Is that right Jakes?"
It was a slight exaggeration but Jakes dutifully said "Yes, Miss."
"Lady Beatrice," Emma continued, "Although she is still fully entitled to use
that epithet, on board here is a plain deck hand and is known a Beatie. Hence
Jakes would not have known who you were talking about. I cannot take you to her
at the moment because she and her partner Jaz are ashore shopping but the should
return before eight bells when the cook serves a meal. If you would care to
wait...." Emma paused, she could see Penelope was fuming although trying to keep
herself under control.
"Of course I will wait but do you expect me to stand here of this wretched quay
and wait?" Several of the crew returned and jumped across the gap between the
wooden piles and the ship's rail and, grabbing a rope, swung lithely on to the
deck. Sensing something unusual, they stood around watching the scene.
"Are you asking for permission to come aboard, miss Penelope?"
"You don't really expect me to ask YOUR permission do you?" Penelope spat the
words out with contempt. "Get those layabouts to put a plank across that is if
you really are in charge of this boat."
"Do you want us to help her on to the Red Witch, Miss Emma?" Razer was on the
quay listening to what was going on. "There's an easier way than a gangplank."
Emma could see the glint in his eye.
"Yes, Razer, give her a hand. Once she is on board she is subject to ship's
discipline so she has to behave herself." Razer nodded to his mate and then
called out, "Ready a'board?" It was a call they used when heaving full sacks on
the ship. Before she could understand what was happening, Penelope's arms and
ankles were gripped between the two men and she was swung backwards and forwards
a few times before being flung to the waiting arms of the men on deck. Laughing
they sat her on a hatch. It was certainly an easy way on to the ship but a very
undignified one for a woman who thought she was a lady.
By now Penelope's fury knew no bounds. She let forth a torrent of abuse at Emma
and the crew, more of whom were arriving. When the words had no apparent effect
she picked up a rope and swung the end at Emma who had now returned to the deck.
An hard fist grabbed her arm before is could be used. It was one of the older
deck hands. "I think she needs to cool off a bit, Miss Emma."
"Yes, Frank," Emma replied and I think the Thames is the right place to do it."
"Don't you dare touch me. I'll see you hung for this treatment!"
"Take her dress off and put her in a bosun's chair," Emma ordered. "Careful with
that dress men. No leave her underthings on." The chair was a swing-like seat
mainly used to pull men up a mast to work. They sat her in, tied her hands above
her head and then to the halyard that led to the end of the main yard arm. By
now a crowd of dockers and the crews from other ships had gathered on the quay
to watch and shout suggestions as to what should be done with her. Penelope
could have died from the shame and embarrassment. Soon she was swing over the
waters of the Thames now flowing briskly in the ebb tide.
"You can still apologise to all the crew for your behaviour," Emma called but
the only reply was an unladylike "Bitch!"
Her feet were just about the foul river water when Beatrice and Jaz arrived.
"What are you doing with Penelope? Beatrice asked. "Just cooling her temper a
little," smiled Emma. Beatrice went to the rail and called out, "These people
won't stand any nonsense, Penelope. Just say you're sorry and maybe I can ask
them to bring you back."
"Oh, Beatrice, tell those stupid men and your jumped up maid to haul me back.
They all deserve a good thrashing for the treatment I have received. They are a
lot of morons. Idiots. Do they really think they can treat a lady in this way?"
"Sorry Penelope. I am under them. Only the captain could spare you and even he
probably wouldn't, not after what you just called his crew. I know at first hand
what punishments he deals out. You look to be getting off lightly."
The mate and the bo'sun had now arrived but stood back. They didn't want to
spoil the morning's sport. Emma gave the signal to finally lower the girl into
the water. Her legs touched and she was swept kicking and screaming into the
stream. Gone now were all thoughts of dignity. The water was cold and smelled.
It washed over her breasts and soaked all her under garments till they clung
tightly and revealingly to her body. Finally she was lowered until her head just
ducked beneath the waves. They held her there for a few seconds before Emma gave
the command to bring her aboard.
Rory arrived to witness the final ducking. He could see it would be foolish to
interfere with the men so he allowed it to continue. Penelope now a soaked and
shivering wreck was dumped on the deck in front of Emma. "Bo'sun, would you
please detail two men to remove the remainder of her clothes and rub her down
until she is dry. See they keep their cocks in their pants and then have her
brought to my cabin."
"Yes, Miss Emma, We'll see to that with pleasure." The Bo'sun was grinning as he
said it.
"Beatrice and Jaz, perhaps you would like to come to my cabin too." Turning she
saw Rory, "Sorry Rory, I didn't know you were back. That is Miss Penelope
Merryfields, she was one of Beatrice's sadistic friends before we set out on
this trip." She went on to explain what had happened.
Penelope was dumped in the cabin and given a blanket to wrap herself in. She was
much quieter and subdued. Beatrice sat in front of her cuddled close to Jaz as
usual. Penelope noted the fading bruises on her face and broken nose. "Did they
do that to you?" she asked. "Not really and I still have many more all over my
body." She lowered her seaman's pants a little and showed her.
Eight bells rang. Rory asked, "Miss Penny, would you care to stay for lunch? It
may help to get some warm food in you, and then afterwards we'll give Beatie a
half hour off work so you two can chat together."
They talked while they ate and Penny found out why they hadn't arrived on the
packet boat and in turn they heard how Lord Henry had driven to Newcastle when
he had been notified Beatrice hadn't arrived in London. At the quay he learned
they had taken the Red Witch and from the agents had found her route and
probable destination time in London. It wasn't then difficult to persuade the
dockmaster with a few coins, to let Penelope know when the ship arrived.
Jaz was very reluctant to leave Beatrice alone with the woman but was sent away
with a promise she would call him if she needed him. Penelope was utterly amazed
at Beatrice's change in attitude towards men and life in general. She was
astounded by the stories she had to tell about what happened to her. How Emma
rescued her. How Emma was now in semi charge of the ship and how she was a lowly
deck hand and didn't really mind it. She hated the sea sickness but in good
weather there were compensations. "Penelope, I may have been through a lot of
pain but really my life is now much more fulfilling. These people hated me when
I first came on board. For over a week I was just a hole to put their cocks in.
Any one and every one used me. But after the brothel experience only Jaz has had
me and he does so with love. His is my protector. All the others treat me with a
respect I never knew at home. Here they respect me for what I am. At home they
respected me through fear of the whip."
Beatrice's half hour off work turned into a hour until Jaz came to say she was
needed to help splice some rope. Penelope again looked astounded. "They actually
make you work? With your hands?"
"Yes. Put your dress on and I will show you," and when Penelope looked
uncertain, she added, "No one will hurt you if you are with me and don't shout
obscenities and them." As they passed the cook Beatrice asked if he had sent any
food to the cabbie still patiently waiting. She was assured he had. Penelope was
even more surprised he had been thought of.
For a while, she watched Beatrice thread and tuck rope ends and then decided she
ought to go. Will you be going back to Newcastle or will you come with me to my
London place?" From what she had seen, she already knew the answer. In any case
how could girl with a bruised, distorted face attend a society ball? "I'll send
the cabbie with your trunk. We collected it from the packet boat and you may
want some of the dresses later."
Beatrice took her back to the captain and Emma. Without any hesitation, Emma
shook her hand and said she was sorry for what happened earlier, then with a
laugh added, "It will give the men something to talk about for years to come.
You will be famous on every dockside in the kingdom." Penelope didn't wish for
that sort of fame but after what Beatrice had told her, she had much more
respect for Emma.
******
Lord Henry was waiting at the dock in Newcastle when the Red Witch sailed in. He
had received word from Penelope a few days earlier. His eyes scanned the deck
but he couldn't pick out his daughter. He could see Emma by the wheel but most
of the others were either scattered around the deck or hauling on a long warp to
slowly pull the ship into her berth. Then he thought he spotted her but was
still uncertain. What looked like a woman in men's clothing was at the end of
the warp coiling it down. Her face was hidden but when she looked up he knew for
certain it was Beatrice. Beatrice was doing manual work. How could that be? The
only thing he knew she used her hands for was to wield a cane or finger herself.
Yet here she was with a bunch of scruffy, swearing men, seemingly quite a home.
When the warp was all in, Beatrice produced some short lengths of twine from a
back pocket and tied the coils neatly. One of the men took the heavy bundle a
stored it away. Now Beatrice could look up and to her horror saw her father. All
the way from London she had debated what to do when she arrived at Newcastle.
Should she go straight home and back to her old life? Certainly she wouldn't
return to her old ways. Her life over the past two months had changed her
completely. Should she stay on the ship for another voyage or two. She wasn't
keen on that either. The sea was fine when the weather was good but now it was
turning colder with more frequent storms. While to some extent she had overcome
seasickness, it still reoccurred in bad weather. However, she didn't want to
leave Jaz. Two months ago she would have treated him with utter contempt but now
she loved him. He was more of a man than most of the fops in her social group.
He could control her firmly and he had a good sized cock which filled her with
pleasure. He loved her too and looked after and protected her. He showed her how
to do things, how to make things, how to treat others. No she didn't want to
leave him. But would he leave the sea? She couldn't see him fitting in at the
mansion. Nor could she see her father accepting him as a suitable mate for her.
What should she do?
Seeing her father brought all the questions to the fore again but they were
interrupted by a yell from one of the crew, "Beatie, finish coiling down some of
these other lines." She immediately turned and set to the task. Could this
really be his daughter? Lord Henry could hardly believe what his eyes told him.
Emma had also spotted her former employer on the quay and wondered what he
thought of his daughter working. Soon the deck was reasonably clear and work
began on removing hatch covers. Beatrice had disappeared into the store room.
Emma invited her Lord Henry on board. Henry was not pleased, "Why," he thought,
"Was a maid acting as hostess when his daughter, a lady, was doing men's manual
work?" Nevertheless he stepped aboard. "Perhaps Sir, you would care to sit in
our cabin while I see what Beatrice is doing."
"LADY Beatrice to you girl!"
"I'm sorry Sir, but we don't have that distinction on this ship. Here she
answers to Beatie."
"You insult her girl!"
Just the Rory put his head round the door. Emma, still acting like a hostess
formally introduced them.
"Where's my daughter captain?"
Just then eight bells sounded. "Grub time," Rory said, "She will be on deck for
that. I'll send her here and she can bring a plate for you too. Then we'll leave
you alone for a while and the two of you can have a chat."
"Please be seated M'lord. I am sure your daughter will be along shortly. You
will notice quite a change in her. She is not the person she was. She has been
through a lot of pain but has also received friendship and help as well as
love."
"I will hear what she has to say for myself and then I will take her back to the
hall with me. Now get out before I have you thrashed for insolence."
"I am sorry you feel that way, Sir. On this ship only the captain and a few
others are above me in status. All others, including Beatrice, take orders from
me."
There was a knock at the door. "Come in!" called Emma. Beatrice entered still
wearing her seamen's clothes and bringing two plates of food. Emma smiled at her
and the smile was returned. Beatrice turned to her father, "Sorry I wasn't
expecting company so I'm still in my work clothes."
Emma took her departure.
"What is the meaning of this Beatrice? Why are you working as a deck hand? Why
is your face bruised and your nose bent? What on earth has been going on? Did
these people do this to you?"
"Stop father, stop." Beatrice held up her hand. "It is a very long story which I
may tell you one day. For now it is sufficient to say that although I have been
punished on this ship the marks you still see were done to me in a German
brothel nearly two months ago. They are healing well but it will be a little
while before they disappear and my nose will probably be forever crooked."
"I'll see them hung for this!"
"No father, these people are my friends. Perhaps the only real friends I have.
They make me work, yes, but they looked after me. I didn't have to work when
Emma raised enough money to pay my fare but I decided to. I decided that for
myself. No one made me."
"But you are a Lady Beatrice. Ladies don't do things like that. Go and change
into some proper clothes and I will take you home. You can't travel with me
looking like that."
"No, father. I am not coming with you. I will come for a visit in two days time
when the ship is unloaded and my job ends but I will decide my own future from
now on. My face won't let me be a debutante and any of your friends who says he
wants to marry me will only be doing it for the money or estate. In any case I
have a man and I will live with him either married or not." All through the
conversation Beatrice's voice was quiet, in complete contrast to Lord Henry's.
"Girl, you don't know what you are saying. Before you left you regarded all men
with abhorrence, now you say you have a man you want to live with! One of these
seamen? You must be joking! You are out of your mind. I won't allow it."
"Father," Beatrice spoke with conviction, "If I wish to wed a seaman, then I
will. Even if you cut me off without a penny, I do still have money of my own.
Enough to buy a house or start a business. But as yet I haven't decided what to
do. These last two months have been incredible. I have been through hell and
come out the other side. When I first stepped on this ship, I was a hated woman.
Now every one would do what they could to help me. I am respected. Was I liked
and respected at home? You know the answer to that as well as I do. I was
respected only because I wielded a whip, a whip I had never felt and had no real
idea of the pain it caused. I had servants raped. You have raped too. Now I have
been raped myself, many times and I know from bitter personal experience what it
is like and I will never do it again. I have changed father."
"They raped you? Whipped you? We could hang the lot of them for that!"
"No father, I wouldn't say anything against them. They are my friends now. No
one rapes me now, but I do spend my nights with the man I love. I am probably
pregnant."
"They have turned you into a slut!"
"No father, into a woman. A woman with values and now a little skill, not much
but I am learning."
"I've heard enough. Get your clothes and be ready to come with me in fifteen
minutes."
"No father, I will not. You do not seem to have understood one word I have said.
I am staying here for two more days at least. Then what I would like to do is to
come home to you for a week or two to see how I fit in. Then I and I only will
decide on whether to return to the ship or move into a place of my own."
"How do you know I won't lock you away?"
"Father, despite what you say now, you love me and will allow me to do what is
best for me." She went and threw her arms around him and with tears gave him a
hug. Breaking away he took his hand, "Come," she said, "I'll give you a tour of
my world. Its squalid, it smells, it's damp and at times miserable but it has
been my home through many experiences. Come."
Lord Henry wanted to refuse but his daughter's enthusiasm drew him along. As she
passed member of the crew she spoke to them and they always answered with
pleasantries and humour even though it vexed his lordship to hear her called by
the common name, Beatie. She showed him where she slept and mentioned she was
against the ships side while Jaz was nearer the edge. Henry thought the space
hardly adequate for one person let alone two. He was astounded that she slept in
a room with a dozen other men and yet she said they didn't molest her.
She took him to the area where she worked with Jaz on the sails and showed the
bag she had made and how she could splice and back splice a rope. Returning to
the deck she found Jaz and introduced him as 'her man'. "He's protected me,
nursed me and saved me from a lot of harm," she told he father.
"And given you a baby!"
"I don't know that for sure yet." Jaz asked if it was really true and again she
repeated it would be a few more weeks before she was certain. Jaz seemed
delighted and even in front of her father gave her a cuddle and kiss. Lord
Henry's face darkened but Beatrice simply said, "Now father don't be grumpy
again. I am happy to have his child and I think he will make a good father."
"When he is away at sea all the time I suppose," challenged her father.
"No Sir, if she does have my baby I get a shore job sailmaking. I'll look after
the kiddie. We might be poor but we won't starve."
Beatrice took her father aft again and saw Emma. "Father, Emma has done much for
me that she need not have done especially as I thrashed her in order to make her
accompany me. She has also saved the ship a lot of money and made a pile
herself. She really is a private secretary as well as being the Capt'n's woman.
She's the one who organised my release from the brothel and with Jaz tended my
wounds."
It was time for Henry to go. "Will you not change and come with me?" he asked
again.
"No father, but I would be pleased if you would ask Jones to pick me up in a two
days time." Henry was amazed that she didn't order him to send Jones. "I will
stay with you for a week or two and decide what to do with the rest of my life.
At the moment everything is a whirlwind. So much has happened. I must talk with
Jaz too to see what he wants to do. Perhaps a week or two apart will help us
both know our own minds."
They went to the carriage. Jones was patiently waiting. "Jones, would you mind
coming to pick me up from here in two days please?" For a moment Jones was lost
for words. He vividly remembered the abuse he got for being late on the outward
journey. "Certainly Miss Beatrice."
