Part 9 (1/2)
After checking on Dimples and Rainbow that night, Ailish went to bed still without an answer. The stakes were so very high. Her da always said if you want to catch a rat, you have to bait the trap. Then he would add with a chuckle, ”Of course, it doesn't hurt to think like the little rodent either!” She was going to have to be as devious and deceptive as Dalton. As she drifted off to sleep, her mind whirled with a thousand thoughts.
Wednesday morning, Ailish awoke from a vivid dream that had left her feeling excited and eager. Woven into that vaporous landscape of grey mist and black dust had been the blueprint for her master plan. She could remember it all with crystal clarity, especially the parts with Davy. He'd seemed so real in her slumber world and what was truly strange was that in her dream, Davy had held out his hands to her and she'd taken them, holding tight as a wonderful warm tingle made her want to laugh and dance. She had to admit, he was special. She'd never dreamt about a boy before, ever!
In the crew's mess, Ailish indulged herself in a large and hearty breakfast, noticing that she was putting on weight from the regular and abundant meals. Her borrowed clothes were becoming a little tight. Next, she stopped by the testing caboose for a quick visit with the lads before going on deck. Moving about the huge s.h.i.+p, she could sense that tension was still running high. It was like living in a powder keg with Rufus Dalton waiting to light the fuse.
She stood at the bow, watching a pod of dolphins jump and dive in their ocean playground. As they raced ahead of the s.h.i.+p, the sleek animals would leap from the water in a joyous display, then fall back, their splashes creating a brilliant rainbow in the bright morning sun.
Her dream plan would be dangerous to implement, but if she were going to get Dalton to lead her to the horse, she needed something daring. If anything went wrong, it would spell disaster not only for her, but for Paddy, because despite his warnings to stay away, she would need his help.
The one thing essential for her plan to succeed was smooth sailing from here to Heart's Content. She knew if there were any more problems with the cable, the captain would arrest Paddy, proof or no proof. It was only because Captain Anderson was such a fair man that he hadn't thrown the big Irishman in the brig already.
There was no time like the present to put her plan into action. She waved goodbye to the dolphins, then went to find Paddy.
After asking several crewmen if they'd seen him, Ailish finally discovered he was in the machinery storage hold. She found him near where she always met Davy. He was hoisting a large wheel out of a box and looked up when she walked over.
”I told you to stay away from me.” He set the wheel down on a dolly then wiped the sweat from his forehead and added kindly, ”It's for your own good, boy.”
Ailish smiled. ”I know you're only looking out for me, but I have a way we can solve both our problems and sink Dalton in the bargain.” She clambered up on what she now thought of as Davy and Ailish's crate and sat swinging her leg.
He raised a quizzical eyebrow at her. ”Both our problems? I'm the one he's going to throw to the sharks. What dark deed has he done to you?”
This was the opening she'd waited for. ”Well now, Mr. Whelan, I'm glad you asked. Do you remember several days ago, I tried to tell you why I had to stay on the s.h.i.+p?”
Paddy waited for her to go on.
”It's because I'm following Rufus Dalton. He took something from my da and me in Foilhummerum Bay and I'm here to get it back.”
Paddy frowned, and then he studied her face. ”There was a young girl on the wharf the morning we sailed. She was looking for Dalton.”
Ailish stopped swinging her leg. ”That girl was me.”
He stepped back. ”What are you talking about?”
”She is me. Well, I am her.” She began again. ”My name is Ailish O'Connor and Rufus Dalton stole a small statue from my family and it's stashed somewhere on the s.h.i.+p. Our future is wrapped up in that horse figurine. My da and I are going to Newfoundland and he's going to be a fisherman and I'll run our grand house and maybe I can go to school anda”
”Whoa! Hang on, lad, I mean la.s.s.” He ran his hand rapidly back and forth through his hair as though trying to shake out a confusing problem. ”Start at the beginning and for the love of all the saints, go slowly.”
She could see Paddy was now thoroughly confused. ”Have a seat.” She indicated one of the crates. ”Davy likes that one.” He settled himself and she told him the whole story, including her father's b.l.o.o.d.y injury, evading Dalton the day she ended up in the sheep pen and the frightening search of the crew chief's smelly room.
”I won't leave this s.h.i.+p without that horse,” she concluded, sounding very sure of herself.
Paddy's jaw was set in a firm line. ”That Dalton's a thief is no surprise, but the savagery of his attack on your father sickens me. He needs to pay for his misdeeds and return your property. As for me, Dalton knows he has me at the point of his sword. One more problem with the cable and I'll be lynched or in the brig, then there's no one to stand in his way as he steals my inheritance.”
She could tell his eyes were gazing into the past when next he spoke.
”The Great Famine nearly wiped out my entire family. Without that money, those few that survived and escaped to Canada will end up in paupers' graves, as surely as the ones who starved to death in Ireland.”
”We won't let him rob you too.” Ailish took a deep breath and began to lay out her plan. ”A little meeting with Mr. Dalton is called for where you say there's rumour someone on board found a treasure a” a statue of a golden horse all encrusted with jewels a” and that this mystery man plans on selling it as soon as we reach port.”
Surprise lit up Paddy's face. ”Golden? Jewel-encrusted? That sounds like something Dalton would kill for. I'd say your father had a lucky shamrock to survive that attack. Tell me la.s.s, how did your da come by this treasure?”
”He bought it from a Russian soldier who needed a wee bit of travelling money. He said it was out of the czar's palace in St. Petersburg.”
”I can see why the likes of Mr. Dalton would find that irresistible.”
”When he hears it's been taken, he'll want to go and check.” She looked very pleased with herself. ”That's when I follow him to his stash. Once he sees it's there and you're full of malarkey, he'll go back to tell you, probably with his fists,” she added apologetically. ”When he's talking to you, that's when I take it for real.”
”That sounds like it will put your world right.” He rubbed his stubbly chin. ”But you said this plan would take care of my problem also. How do you propose we do that?”
”Simple. We offer to trade the horse for that incriminating picture out of the newspaper and Dalton's guarantee that he'll tell the lynch mob they have the wrong man.”
Paddy shook his head vehemently. ”No. You said that statue was all you and your da had to make a better future. I won't let you sacrifice it so I'll be safe.”
Ailish felt positively impish when she answered. ”Don't worry about that. Dalton forgets this is the Great Eastern a” the legendary s.h.i.+p that's laying the transatlantic cable from Ireland to Newfoundland! Now let's get started.”
14.
Foiled Again!
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Paddy sent a message to Dalton that it was
important they meet in the machinery storage hold. While they waited, Ailish busied herself extinguis.h.i.+ng most of the gas lamps so that it was dimly lit and the shadows hard to see through. Not only would this help her spy on the meeting, but the darkness would also hide her when she followed Dalton out of the hold.
They didn't have long to wait.
”Have you found your senses, Whelan?” Dalton asked as he strode in, trailing two large crewmen behind him.