Madame's Nightshirt
Mrs. Peperium
At Sea
Day 38
Goodness what a fortnight we've had. I shall try with due diligence to capture all that has happened in this space.
Shortly after my last entry we hit a rough spate of weather. The seas were up and the sky grew quite grey and stormy. Christine thought it reminded her of her beloved Brittany and took to walking about the decks unaccompanied. I implored her not to do this. But she's a most headstrong girl in some ways because she has the soul of a romantic. It appears one afternoon while Christine was walking about and thinking of her homeland and probably her lost love, the boat took a great lurch causing her to slip and fall. When she fell, her head hit the deck very hard bringing her nearly to the point of unconsciousness. At the same time, about 8 barrels of Basil's rum the crew had lashed down due to the rough seas broke from their moorings and headed straight for her, rolling and bouncing with great fervor. Christine, in her daze did see the barrels' approach but could not move. Her ankle had been injured most dreadfully and could not bear her weight. She did attempt to stand but soon sunk to her knees. She feared this was her end. She gave a swift prayer to our Lord commending her soul to His most loving of hands and closed her eyes hoping Death would be gentle. The next thing she knew she was in very strong arms and being carried down below to safety. She did not know who her saviour was. There had been no one anywhere on deck during her walk. She was quite certain her saviour was the Archangel Michael. She refused to open her eyes fearing what would happen if her eyes gazed upon his most heavenly of faces. Then she slipped from consciousness.
Father M. was in my suite sharing a pot of tea when the door burst open. There stood Basil with a motionless Christine in his arms. Father M and I sprung to our feet. I asked Basil if Christine were dead. He said no but that she had had a terrible fright and her ankle was injured. I led him into our bedroom where he most gently placed Christine upon our bed. She looked very pale and remained unconscious. Basil straightened himself up and said he would call on us all when she had regained her senses and was ready to receive visitors. Then he departed as quickly and silently as he had appeared. Father M. and I looked at each other and were quite speechless. Christine began making sounds as if she were coming around and our attentions were diverted to aiding her. We quickly determined that in Christine's fall she had sprained her ankle so terribly, it was nearly broken it in two. Father M decided it was best to not move her so that I could nurse her closely. This meant we needed to find accommodations for my Lordship. Father M. thought Basil would share his quarters as he is rarely ever there. Which I'm sure Basil would have. But my concern over leaving my Lordship unattended with Basil's extensive collection of naughty parchments at his fingertips and the long nights at sea caused me to ask Father M. if my Lordship could stay with him instead. He said he could. Father M. left to alert my Lordship that he needed to bunk up with him for at least two weeks. My maid quickly made our bedroom over for Christine's convalescence. After Christine awoke, we cleaned her up, put her in one of my best frocks and did her hair in a most pleasing arrangement. My Lordship arrived just in time to settle her on one of the sofas in the sitting room. And happily, such niceties of attentions did restore Chrisitne to us. As she was enjoying a cup of tea I had laced with brandy for medicinal purposes, I informed her who it was who had saved her. She said nothing.
That evening our cabin was graced not only with the presence of my Lordship and Father M but of Basil as well. At dinner, he had inquired of Father M. if Christine was ready to receive visitors and was told yes. So at about 9 o'clock he came around. Christine kept her eyes downcast while he paid his respects to her and as well as the entire time he visited with us. The next evening Basil again appeared to visit the patient. He was a again greeted with downcast eyes. It was after that visit I realized what had occurred. Basil, when he had rescued Christine from certain death, had captured her imagination. She does have the soul of a romantic. And it appeared by his change of behavior, that Christine had stirred something deep within Basil. Something that had been lost to Basil after his dear wife's early death. He is a most carnal man now. Christine is a most devout young lady. They are a most unlikely pairing had one not known Basil when he was married to my dear Caroline. Basil was a devoted husband then. But, one would not think that now. Can Basil return to what he once was? I do not know. Surely the Church teaches that he can. But will he?
That evening as Christine rested, I decided that Caroline's deathbed request of finding Basil a suitable wife must be given over to God. If I made a mess with Basil and Christine then I would be making a mess of our new life in the New World. I like them both far too much to do that. Besides, my Lordship would kill me. So for the greater good of all of our happiness, if Christine never lifted her eyes to meet Basil's, I swore to God I would let it be. In the morning over breakfast, I told Father M and my Lordship my decision. They were both in agreement. We all politely did not notice the changing in behavior in the Basil and Christine. As the merry evenings of Christine's convalescence passed with all of us gathered together in our suite, my Lordship took to reading aloud, first from The Amoretti by Spenser. Christine is most fond of poetry and Spenser's love sonnets have no equal. She did enjoy them though she never lifted her eyes. Then my Lordship moved onto Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. While Sir Gawain had Christine on the edge of her sofa, her eyes remained steadfastedly downcast the entire time. Only lifting in repsonse to whether she would like more wine or cake. The evening after finishing Sir Gawain, Basil appeared with a copy of Hamlet from his own library of books. Christine adores the plays and sonnets of Shakespeare. Under Basil's care, the Prince of Denmark came to life. Basil has always had a most dramatic flair and his reading aloud is especially good. I was seated next to Father M. when it happened. I gave him a gentle nudge to look in Christine's general direction. Basil, so caught up with own his reading, never saw it. His excellent reading had caused Christine to forget herself. She lifted her eyes to his. But, because he was so occupied, Basil's eyes never met hers in return. Basil has read aloud every evening since. He is still unaware (I think) that he has a most attentive audience in Christine.
This morning we determined Christine to be fully recovered from her fall. She has returned to her rooms and has the constant use of my maid. We are all back as we were before the injury. Almost.
To be continued....
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