The Winter Sea

The captain’s eyes were slightly narrowed as with recognition. He said, ‘Your servant, Mr…?’

‘Moray.’

Certain now above the handshake, Captain Gordon said, ‘I do believe we met three years ago, before your father’s death.’

‘I do recall our meeting.’ Moray’s voice, though even, held no warmth, and sounded to Sophia’s ears a little like a challenge.

Captain Gordon, having thought a moment, said, ‘At the time, as I remember, you were in the service of the King of France.’

‘Aye. I serve him still.’

‘And was it he who ordered you to Scotland, with a price upon your head?’

‘’Tis not a soldier’s place to ask who gives the order,’Moray said. ‘My duty but demands that I do follow it. I could no more have refused to come than ye could have refused to hoist the Union flag upon your mast.’

The countess, stepping in, said, ‘Thomas, Mr Moray does well understand the many dangers of his being here. ’Tis why he did decide it best that he remain with us at Slains.’

Her voice, as always, calmed the waters. Captain Gordon said to Moray, ‘I did not mean to suggest that you were reckless.’

‘Did ye not?’

‘No.’ With a charming smile, the captain added, ‘And you are quite right—were it my choice, I would not sail beneath the Union flag. In confidence, I may not sail beneath it long.’

The earl asked, ‘Why is that?’

‘I may soon be obliged to quit the service.’ Captain Gordon’s shoulders lifted lightly in a shrug that held regret. ‘In consequence of the Union, I soon shall be required, as will all officers, to take an oath of abjuration which demands that I renounce King James, and say that he has no right to the throne.’

The countess said, ‘Oh, Thomas.’

‘I have worn this uniform with pride for many years, but I do not intend to now betray my conscience,’ Captain Gordon said. ‘I will not take the oath.’

‘What will you do?’ the countess asked him.

Captain Gordon glanced again at Moray, and for a moment Sophia was afraid he might be thinking, as the earl had feared, of those five hundred pounds, and of the life of comfort they might buy him. But the captain’s thoughts were something different. He said, ‘If I did believe the French king would accept my service, I would gladly sail my frigate straight to France at the first notice of his pleasure.’

Stepping round Sophia’s chair, the earl reminded him, ‘It may well be that you shall find yourself in service to the King of Scotland, if God favors us.’

‘Then let us hope for that.’ The captain turned his thoughts to other things. ‘What has become of the French ship that did deliver Colonel Hooke and Mr Moray to you?’

The earl replied, ‘We did desire the captain of that ship to sail to Norway, and return to us in three weeks’ time. It is our hope you will be able to avoid him.’

A faint frown settled on the captain’s handsome face. ‘I can but promise you I will appear no more upon this coast for fifteen days, and I do beg you to contrive that your French captain should not stay long in these seas, for if we meet too frequently I do not doubt but that young Captain Hamilton, who sails behind me in the Royal Mary and shares not my loyalties, will grow suspicious. As indeed,’ he added, ‘will my crew. I have on board my ship an officer, three sergeants, and three corporals and two drums, along with forty-one good sentinels, who must remain with me for the duration of my cruise. To keep so many men in ignorance,’ he said, ‘will not be easy.’ After thinking for a moment, he went on, ‘The last time Colonel Hooke did come to Slains, I gave to his ship’s captain certain signals to display, that I should know him if we met upon the seas. Do you remember them?’

The earl looked less than certain, but the countess nodded. ‘Yes, we have them still preserved.’

‘Then, if you will communicate those signals to the captain of your French ship when he does return, I will try to avoid him, should we meet.’ That said, he turned and let his smile fall warmly on Sophia. ‘But our talk, as always, grows too dreary to amuse such gentle company. And I would rather hear of Mistress Paterson’s adventures here at Slains.’

She saw the countess smiling, too, appearing pleased by the attention that Sophia was receiving from the captain.

‘Sir,’ Sophia said, ‘I have had no adventures.’

‘Then,’ he told her, ‘we must see that you do have some.’

Moray stood and watched without expression, but Sophia felt the weight of his grey eyes upon her, and she felt relief when a young maid appeared within the doorway to announce that dinner was now ready to be served.

But her relief did not last long. The captain offered her his arm. ‘May I escort you?’

She could not have told him no without offending nearly everybody present, so she nodded, rising, but she had forgotten Moray’s gloves, beneath her. When she stood, one fell, and Captain Gordon bent to pick it up. ‘And what is this?’

Sophia could not think of what to answer. Trapped, she kept her eyes intently on the floorboards while she tried hard to compose a fitting explanation, but before she found the words, she saw two boots step casually in front of her as Moray crossed to take the other glove from the chair on which Sophia had been sitting.

‘I did wonder what became of these,’ said Moray.