Twelfth Night at Eyre Hall Read Free Page A

the lady has all the money!”
    I nodded.
    “Well, she’ll be free again when you’re
a captain, if you play your cards right.”
    I didn’t want to listen to him, but his
words brought hope to my heart once again. I had kept my feelings under control
for almost a year. I was surprised and disturbed by my rekindled emotions. Could
I go back to Jane?
    “We can help each other, my boy. We both
win. You get your precious lady, and I get to join the ranks of the Admiralty. You
have saved my life and my reputation by saving my ship, and now you are in a
position to procure me with a most honourable retirement and pension. However,
make no mistake of it; you will gain more than me. I’ve just offered you a new
lease on your life.”
    He was right. Although I was dreading
the bad news in the letter, I was also feeling hopeful for the first time in
over a year.
     “I’m still a romantic, and you’re in
love. I want to help you.” He poured himself another brandy. “Well, what do you
say?”
    “I need to read my letter first, sir.”
    He handed it over casually. I felt my
blood pumping from my temples to my fingertips. I held my breath, in an attempt
to stop my hand from trembling as I reached out for the envelope. The man
facing me smiled triumphantly.
    “You’ll make an effort to keep yourself
alive now, won’t you, Lieutenant Kirkpatrick? And don’t worry too much about your
sister. If I have rightly guessed the reason for her distress, I can help you
with that too. I know several young and honest naval officers who would be only
too eager to oblige. They would make good honest husbands and fathers. Trust
me. Marriages of convenience work out more often than not. I can vouch for that
myself.”
    He squeezed my shoulder affectionately. “Remember,
Lieutenant, death is the only situation that cannot be mended. Anything else
can be repaired. Women tend to overdramatise, while we men find solutions. Read
your letter, and then we will talk again. Susan is not the first young maiden
to find herself in such dire straits, but she could be luckier than many.”
    ***
    My fingers were still trembling when I
opened the letter minutes later in my cabin. I shuddered as I saw the date. It
had been written almost two months ago. If Susan had been in danger it might be
too late to help, and what if something had happened to Jane?  How could I have
abandoned the two women I loved most? I read, unable to control my racing
heartbeats.
    Venice, 20 th September.
    Dearest brother,   
    I hope you receive this letter in
good health. I have heard there are many storms in the Bay of Biscay, where you
told me you would be headed in your last letter, before crossing the English
Channel and returning home. I miss you, Michael. We had never been parted
before, and it has been such a long time!
    Mr. Greenwood has a friend in
Venice who is a sea captain, but I dared not speak to him of you, or your ship,
lest Adele should find out and inform Mrs. R. Adele has asked me if I had heard
from you and if you were well; I told her I knew nothing, as you instructed.
She seemed concerned, and I would have liked to tell her you were well, if
nothing else, but I knew that would bring further questions, and I could not
risk her interrogations.
    You need not worry about Mrs. R.’s
health. She was unwell, but Adele tells me she is completely recovered now, and
has been in London with her editor, proofreading her new novel. She married Mr.
Mason, as arranged, on All Hallows, although she insisted no one should attend.
Adele was not in agreement with the marriage, but she said the mistress has her
reasons.
    I have enjoyed the year spent in
Venice, and I shall miss it dearly, but I am also glad we are returning to
England shortly. As I told you in my last letter, I have greatly improved my
Italian and my knowledge of art and history. I am confident that I will be able
to secure a position as teacher in a private girls’ school on my return to
England. I do