Chapter 5

Chapter Five - Manchester, England, 1802

​Walter was in his study in his mansion, sifting through receipts and business notes, but not really seeing any of it. His hands mechanically recorded and filed, wrote checks and filed, signed documents and filed. It was a never-ending process that kept Walter's hands busy, but his mind was a complete blank. He couldn't think.

​He had been waiting for 363 days now, waiting for Tobias to tell him he had found Dianna. Now that Tobias had told him, Walter was confused about how he should feel and what he should think. Of course he felt outrageously happy, excited, anxious, and a little scared. He thought maybe he was scared because Dianna might've changed. What if she was actually happy working for the fair? Or what if it would be an awkward and uncomfortable reunion, instead of the joyous one Walter kept picturing? Walter knew he wouldn't be able to stand it if he and Dianna weren't able to connect like they used to. He knew they couldn't simply pick up where they left off, but since Dianna's mother had died when she was so young, Dianna had really been daddy's girl.

​Walter remembered how hard it had been to raise her by himself. He'd had to work and make money and raise a little girl all by himself. None of it was ever easy, but it had made Walter happy. It had filled him with so much joy to see his little girl grow up into a strong, beautiful woman.

​And now, what Walter was most afraid of was that he may not recognize his own daughter, after she had been gone a year.

​"Sir?" Klara the housekeeper asked, taking Walter out of his reverie.

​"Yes, Klara?"

​"Mister Tobias and another guest are here to see you. Should I send them in?" Walter's heart rate quickened. The man who would bring his daughter home was here.

​"No, I'll meet them in the main parlor in a minute." Klara nodded and walked out of the study. Walter stood up and took many calming breaths, before he too walked to the parlor to meet the savior pirate captain.

***

​Josey looked around the large, exquisitely decorated parlor. He had been quite shocked when the carriage he had gotten into with this Tobias Franklin man didn't go to a jailhouse, but instead it rode down the cobble-stone streets of one of the richer streets in Manchester, England. He had been even more blown away when he was escorted inside a mansion that took up half the block and was fit to house the queen.

​Now, he was seated on a plush, crimson red divan across from Tobias Franklin who was seated on a similar sofa. There was also a love-seat placed close to the biggest fireplace Josey had ever seen. There were original paintings hanging on the tall walls, and a huge diamond chandelier in the center of the high ceiling. There were a few bookshelves neatly stacked with many novels, including some foreign literature, Josey noticed. He was quite comfortable on the divan, and he felt much more relieved now that he knew he wasn't being arrested. But that's all he knew.

​Tobias had not said much during their carriage ride here.

​"I want to let my friend tell you everything," he kept repeating when Josey had asked questions. Now Josey wanted to hear what Tobias' friend had to say. He was becoming impatient, the room's quietness playing on his nerves. In the large, quiet room, it was just Tobias, Josey, and a lightly crackling fire in the hearth.

​Finally, the large, heavy, double oak doors opened to reveal a man about Tobias' age. Josey could tell from the man's slightly wrinkled face and the round belly some men acquire when they get older, that he was about fifty. But his sad eyes, with dark, half-moon circles underneath made the man look older. The greys in his hair stood out to make him look withered and there seemed to be a permanent frown plastered underneath his thinning, black mustache.

​The man walked towards Tobias and Josey, who had stood up to greet him. The man walked in a dynamic way, one that made it look like he was gliding regally, but it also made him look tall and manly. His aura radiated rays of power, but underneath that strong essence of power, was a thick line of grief. This man had suffered much too much in his close to fifty years and this suffering seemed to have both weakened him and toughened him up. Automatically, Josey felt a great respect for the man.

​"Hello," the man said in a hoarse but quiet voice. "My name is Walter Desmond. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

​"I'm Captain Josey Thatcher. It's a pleasure to meet you," Josey replied in his deep, rumbling voice, and shook Walter Desmond's hand. Walter eyed him carefully, but not in an insulting way, but a way that seemed as if he were searching Josey, making sure he was worthy of something. When they were done hand-shaking, Josey sat down while Walter and Tobias exchanged muttered "hellos" and brotherly pats on the back. Then Tobias sat back down too, but Walter stayed standing.

​"Captain Thatcher, I have asked my friend Tobias to track you down and bring you to me so that I may ask something of you," Walter began. Josey normally would've lost his temper at this. He wanted to ask something? He didn't have to drag him all the way out here, a letter would've sufficed! But that feeling of respect was still humming inside Josey, so instead he just nodded, to let Walter know he could continue.

​"You see, a year ago, my daughter and I went to a fair to celebrate her nineteenth birthday, and I lost her. I believe she was kidnapped by the owner of the fair. The fair was run by gypsies." Ah, that explained that, Josey thought. Gypsies were known as thieves, as were pirates, but some gypsies were also known as kidnappers. "You may have heard that a few gypsy fairs are going to come together and hold one big fair together in the South of France. I believe the fair my daughter was kidnapped by may be there. I need you to go there, see if she is there, and if she is, bring her back home."

​Josey almost choked on his own saliva.

​"You mean, you want me t-to rescue her, sir?" he asked. This was definitely the strangest thing that had ever been asked of Josey. Josey wanted to bark out a laugh.

​"Yes." Walter replied and that stopped Josey from laughing. The way Walter had said that one single word had made Josey realize how important this was to him. In that one word, Josey had heard all the sadness, anxiety, and depression that Walter had been holding inside of him for this past year. That one yes echoed through Josey's soul and resonated inside his mind. And he knew he could not say no.

​"Well, I don't know, sir. I have me crew to look after, and to feed, and-"

​"I'll pay you as much as you want. In food, in cargo, in money. Whatever you want, I am prepared to give." Walter said, an edge of desperation beginning to peak in his voice. Josey sat and thought for a long moment, considering everything.

​"Alright, I'll do it. But I need payment and information." Josey finally replied. He could see both Walter and Tobias breathe out sighs of relief they had both been holding in. Walter sat down next to Tobias and called out, "Klara!"

​A minute later, an old housemaid entered, holding two small suitcases and a folder. She placed the folder on a coffee table in front of Walter and Tobias and put the suitcases on the floor next to them before she exited the room after being thanked by Walter. Walter opened the folder.

​"This is the map of the South of France. And this is a map of the area where the fair is. It's close to the harbor so you should be able to make a quick getaway," Walter explained, placing two maps on the table in front of Josey. Josey only looked at them for a second, since he already knew the southern French harbor area. Walter continued: "This is a sketch of my daughter that was done a couple of days before the kidnapping. This'll help you identify and find her."

​Josey took more time looking at this. His breath caught in his throat and his heart started a slow, rhythmic breathing. It was only a small sketch, but the picture of Walter's daughter made Josey feel so strange. He thought that he could possibly be looking at the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. The sketch was of Walter's daughter from her hips up, with sunlight in the background. She had pale skin with a pink blush on her cheeks and two tiny dimples as a result of the small grin on her thick, pink lips. Her eyes were such a big, warm brown and were surrounded by long, thick, and dark eyelashes. Her long hair was a deep black, with shades of red clearly evident in her luscious locks. She was wearing a bright blue corseted dress that showed off her thin waist and fully blossomed bosoms. And she had her two small, delicate hands clasped gently together, which gave her a calm, content posture and appearance in the sketch. Josey had never seen a drawing so beautiful in his life, but he forced himself to tear his gaze away from it and turn back to Walter.

​"And this," Walter continued, not noticing Josey's brief silence, "is a letter I have written for her. If you need help convincing her to come with you, just give this to her. Her name is Dianna." Walter paused this time and sighed. The letter was written on a slightly wrinkled and worn page, as if it had been held and read many times. Probably by a worried Walter. Walter shook himself back to reality and continued. "The owner of the fair we went to is a dark skinned man, with long black hair and a beard and a scar on his chin. He keeps to the shadows and likes to watch the fair from hidden corners. I tried to have a sketch drawn of him too."

​Walter placed another sketch in front of Josey. This sketch had no scenery or color, but was just a pencil drawing of a man with dark, curly hair that scar on his chin, and dark, gleaming eyes. Josey could practically feel rays of evil and foulness coming from just that picture. It disgusted him.

​Walter picked up one of the small suitcases and placed it in front of Josey. He opened it to reveal that it was piled high with paper money.

​"This is fifty thousand pounds. Will that suffice?" Josey felt his eyes go wide and his jaw drop. Fifty thousand pounds? Josey had never seen so much money in his life! He managed to close his mouth, swallow, and nod.

​"Good. The other suitcase has clothes and toiletries for Dianna when you bring her. Is there anything else you need?"

​"No, sir." Josey replied. "This trip will take about two weeks, to go there and find her and bring her back. I will send you a letter from France when we find her so you will know we are coming." Walter blinked and felt his heart go soft for this pirate. He hadn't expected the tough Captain Josey Thatcher to be so understanding of Walter's feelings.

​"Well then," Tobias said, speaking for the first time in the whole meeting, "I suppose all that's left is for you to go and rescue our precious Dianna."

~