Nancy Whiskey

“It is a stupid plan, Daniel. I can think of something better than that. Now get out of my way. I may be needed up there to bind wounds or to translate.” She pushed him away, causing him to hop and collide with the wall.

“If I had a ring,” he called after her desperately, “I would say you are my wife.”

She turned with a startled expression on her face.

“Well, you act the part of a shrewish wife to perfection.”

Then she smiled at him, not desperate or frightened anymore, but with the impish grin that almost convinced him she was now enjoying herself. The last he saw of her was her shapely ankles, until he crawled up the ladder to find her negotiating the terms of their surrender with a rather handsome French captain.

With a sail patching her bow hole, and a cobbledtogether rudder, the Little Sarah made port with the English crew below hatches and a prize crew from the Embuscade in charge. Nancy, Daniel and the wounded were allowed to remain on deck, since they seemed harmless enough, and Nancy, apparently, had asked the French privateer if they could. The captain of the pilot boat that guided them up the Delaware seemed to ignore her shouted recriminations against the French ship that followed them. Nancy was preparing a withering testimony against their captors, for she had, with Daniel’s aid, been bandaging some ghastly wounds, and she now recalled the beheaded seaman.

“What is going on, Daniel?” she asked of the commotion at the docks. “Why would they be cheering a French pirate?”

“The American public is rather fickle, and the new French ambassador, Genet, has taken the city by storm, or so I hear.”

“But this is disgusting.”

“It would be politic not to say so.”

She looked belligerently at him, but the worry in his eyes assured her compliance, for he did look so appealing when he was hard-pressed.

“Daniel,” she whispered. “What about Trueblood? The French pirate knew he was on board, for he asked specifically where he was.”

“What did you tell him?”

“That he was taken over the side by the cannon fire.”

“Did he believe you?”

“I think so.”

“I saw him swim to an American cutter an hour ago, while we were being guided up the channel.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Now, if we can just get safe on shore.”

The British crew, including their wounded, were ferried to the docks in a lighter and given their freedom. Daniel refused to go with them. On the quay the English captain had a one-sided discussion with the French privateer, pointing to Nancy, where she stood at the rail with Daniel. Two French seamen tried to part Daniel from her, and he resisted, until Nancy cast a stream of oaths at them that set them back on their heels. The French captain grinned and motioned his men away. He had himself rowed back to the prize and boarded it, and now took Nancy’s hand in such an obvious offer of protection that it took both seamen to restrain Daniel from attacking him.

Nancy did not cringe, but answered him quite volubly, causing a crease to appear between his brows. A snapped order brought seamen scurrying with the Rileys’ trunks and those from the Tallents’ cabin. Nancy’s baggage was pulled open and her store of herbs and salves discovered. Another rapid interchange in French ensued as she knelt to repack her precious medicines.

To Daniel’s utter surprise, the baggage was all piled into the lighter and Nancy was helped down into the boat. He was left to hand himself down into the tippy vessel as best he could. He had to shove over onto the seat by Nancy to make way for her father, who still looked blearily drunk and scarcely aware of what was going on.

“Whatever did you say to him?” Daniel demanded as they were rowed to the quay.

“I’ll tell you later”, Nancy said, stroking his cheek with one small hand and looking at him fondly. This was done so much for the Frenchman’s benefit that the effect was quite spoiled for Daniel. He struggled onto the dock and pulled Nancy up beside him.

Trueblood was there in different clothes, to help her father up and unload their belongings. He looked rather surprised to see them released so expeditiously.

“You are rather damp, Trueblood,” Nancy chided. “You may catch cold over this.”

“I do not think so,” he said with a wink to Daniel.

“All safe then?” Daniel asked.

Trueblood nodded.

“Let us go home then,” Daniel said with a sigh of relief. “By the by, just what did you say to that fellow that got us dumped on the dock, bag and baggage?”

“Porter, here!” Trueblood commanded to a cartman, who came to load their effects, including Sergeant Riley.

“I don’t think I will tell you.”

“Whatever it was, it fairly shocked the captain.”

“Probably because he did not realize you have a mistress in keeping.”

“But I have not—By all that is holy, you never told him you were my mistress.”

Trueblood chuckled at Daniel’s discomfort.

“I will thank you to lower your voice so as not to make it common knowledge,” Nancy warned, her small chin coming up in mock resentment.

“That does not account for his eyes bulging in that way, or for him thrusting us and ours from the ship as though we were a couple of lepers.”

“No, that was when I told him I needed my herbs for my cure.”

“But—but you are not ill,” Daniel sputtered.

“Oh yes I am, with the pox.”

“What?” Daniel staggered into Trueblood.

“Not really, but I thought it would hasten our departure. Daniel, do not gape so. For you do not yet know.”

Trueblood was by now losing a valiant struggle to contain his guffaws.

“I have shocked you,” Nancy surmised.

“Of course you have shocked me,” Daniel shouted. “A girl of your tender years should not know anything about such matters.”

“Forgive Daniel,” Trueblood gasped. “He has a habit of underestimating women.”

“How is he unique in that respect?”

“Touché,” Trueblood countered. “I wish you would take Nancy home, Daniel, before you say something indiscreet. I will see to the baggage.”

“Something indiscreet?” Daniel shouted.