Part 10 (1/2)

”Nothing of real value was lost, my lady,” said Francesca, belatedly remembering to untie her ap.r.o.n and whisk it from sight behind a carved panel of Bacchus. Twice now she'd been caught looking more like a peasant's wife than the artistic sultana that she'd wished to appear to be, and the last time, with Edward Ramsden, had-but no, she couldn't think of that now.

”A bit of sweeping, my lady,” she said hurriedly, reaching out to straighten one of the paintings, ”and a bit of rearranging, and everything's set back to rights.”

”And so it is,” said her ladys.h.i.+p cheerfully, the white plume in her hat bobbing over one eye. ”Though now I do not wonder that you've forgotten to bring me my drawing.”

Francesca gasped, her cheeks hot with embarra.s.sment. ”Oh, my lady, mi scusi, I am so very sorry! However could I have forgotten? To be sure, it is with the framer-and such a cunning frame, my lady, you will be most pleased by-”

”Hush, hush, little Robin, it matters not,” said Lady Hamilton, chuckling as she squeezed Francesca's hand. ”You've far more important things to consider. Which is truly why I've come to you, to wish you well upon your journey.”

”My journey?” Francesca drew herself straighter, trying to keep her smile in place. ”I am sorry to disagree, my lady, but I'm not leaving Naples.”

Lady Hamilton frowned. ”But clearly you are packing, and I heard from Captain Peters himself that you'd come to call upon him to make arrangements.”

”I did make arrangements with Captain Peters, yes,” said Francesca, swallowing her frustration as she slipped her hands free of her ladys.h.i.+p's. ”He agreed to carry my belongings to London in his hold, but he'd no place between his decks for me to sail as well.”

”No place!” exclaimed her ladys.h.i.+p indignantly. ”Why, I told Captain Peters of your need! I was most specific, too, on account of how the amba.s.sador and I could do nothing for you ourselves. Most specific.”

Francesca flushed again, this time with mingled resentment and shame. ”Perhaps you were too specific, my lady. Captain Peters told me that on account of the distressing news from the north, he'd granted all his cabin s.p.a.ce to true English pa.s.sengers, and he'd no room to spare for anyone who wasn't.”

Her ladys.h.i.+p gasped, one hand arched over the spray of diamonds in disbelief. ”But he has no right to turn you away like that!”

”He says he has every right, my lady,” answered Francesca. Her conversation with Captain Peters in his cabin had been thoroughly humiliating, with him using far worse language than she'd repeat now. Only her pride had managed to see her through it, though if she'd begged and groveled, he might have found a s.p.a.ce for her after all. ”He said he'd leave it to Admiral Nelson and the rest of the navy to rescue the Italian rascals, for he'd not risk his own soul to do it himself.”

Now it was Lady Hamilton who blushed, mortified. ”I cannot believe he'd dare say that to you, to refuse you pa.s.sage because of your being Neapolitan!”

”Half Neapolitan,” said Francesca softly, ”and half English. Che miracolo!”

A miracle, and one that Francesca noted her ladys.h.i.+p wasn't about to address, either.

”For Captain Peters to speak of the dear Admiral in such a way, especially when he is trying so very hard to do the proper thing, is vastly unfair and unkind,” she said indignantly. ”He and Sir William and I have been toiling day and night-day and night!-to make certain that everyone at court will be properly sheltered, and that is not to mention all the English who've been foolish enough to be caught here. It is not right for Captain Peters to speak so, and not fair in the least!”

Already Francesca knew what wasn't fair or right, and yet she couldn't help herself from making certain. ”But Captain Peters was correct to say that the English navy will grant pa.s.sage to King Ferdinando and his people?”

”Well, yes. Yes,” said her ladys.h.i.+p, frowning a bit as she smoothed the plume on her hat. ”If it becomes necessary, the navy will accommodate their royal majesties and all their n.o.bles, even though the Admiral grumbles that it will be a righteous tight fit on board. But we'd hardly leave them behind to be slaughtered by the French, would we? Not that we wish it to be known, of course, on account of the common people panicking and expecting to be rescued, too.”

”Of course,” echoed Francesca, her voice turning brittle. ”How dare we common people have such expectations, eh?”

To keep yourself safe, la.s.s...

”Oh, my dear little Robin, I didn't mean you!” cried her ladys.h.i.+p contritely. ”That is, you're not at all common, but now you understand why I am so cross with Captain Peters.”

”Thank you, my lady,” said Francesca, holding her head high, ”but I shall manage. Surely in this harbor there must be some s.h.i.+pmaster who will not scorn me or my pa.s.sage-fare. Or perhaps I shall stay after all, and simply add portraits of this General Napoleon to my wall, yes?”

”Forgive me, Miss Robin, please,” said her ladys.h.i.+p, reaching out to rest her hand on Francesca's arm.

But Francesca pulled away. She would be strong, she would be brave, and she would do it on her own, the way she always did. She would be strong. She must depend only on herself, and forget the help that would not come from others.

”There is nothing to forgive, my lady. I am doing exactly as you suggested, sending my belongings to my uncle in London for safekeeping. Though we have never met, I believe he should make a better caretaker for Papa's things than the French.”

”My dearest little Robin, I beg you-”