Between Tradition and Modernity 2

Lilly would have considered the Colonel’s house more than appropriate, but Lavinia didn’t seem all too excited about it. It was a nice bungalow, surrounded by an outgrown garden of which they couldn’t see much in the dark. It looked as if the Colonel had paid someone to look after it, but apparently, there was no servant around.

»Does Papa expect me to roll myself into a blanket and to sleep on the floor, like I am one of his troopers?«

Lilly turned away so Lavinia couldn’t see she was rolling her eyes. Sure, there would be beds inside, and even if they had to spend a night on the couch, they wouldn’t die from it. Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the other coach, and she saw Nesrin and Daisy lead Sayana into the garden. Lieutenant Blacksmith stiffened, and Daisy, having inspected the garden, stuck to her role and approached Lilly, curtseying:

»Madame, I propose that one of us will stay with Sayana at the pavilion, to have an eye on her. The other can serve you and Miss Lavinia!«

Obviously, Lavinia considered having just one maid to be a bit sparse, but she had to agree upon it, as it prevented Sayana and the Lieutenant from having to see each other. In addition, she thought that the two were Lilly’s and Marguerite’s maids, whom she could not give orders as she pleased. So, Daisy and Sayana withdrew to the pavilion, a wooden hut some 30 yards away from the house, whilst the others entered.

The interior was clean, but the air was stale and hot, and Lilly was about to ask about a ventilation when she remembered which time they were in. Lavinia, however, did a quick inspection of the rooms, led by Blacksmith who had already been here before.

It turned out the house, that lacked an upper floor, had just one bedroom, plus two chambers with bunk beds that were meant for the servants. Blacksmith said that he wouldn’t mind sharing one of the servants' rooms with Caleb, as the other soldier would return to the barracks.

»I slept much worse at the Crimean! And like this, I am at your service once you’ll need me, Miss Lavinia!«

However, Lavinia didn’t want to hear anything about either Marguerite or Lilly having to sleep in the other chamber, as they weren’t ordinary servants.

»The bed is big enough for two, and I can sleep in the easy chair! Don’t hesitate, I’ll accept no refusal! Now, if your maid lays the table, I hope your batman will get us some food soon!«

Lilly apologized with her eyes at Nesrin who put plates on the table whilst the others sat down on the veranda. Soon, Caleb arrived with a coach, accompanied by an Indian carrying two covered trays and a basket dangling from his arm.

»Unfortunately, it’s just some Curry with rice, Sir!«

To Lilly, this sounded marvellous, whilst Lavinia shrugged it off, at if it was just another inconvenience. Marguerite had no idea what a Curry was, and so, she just waited in silence as Caleb carried the trays inside whilst Blacksmith went to the carriage with the Indian. The girls thought that he would just pay him off, or maybe give orders for the breakfast. Instead, he asked the Indian:

»Does the ›Golden Dragon‹ send you?«

»That’s right, Sahib! It seems that Harry knows your name, which is quite a reputation. Now, what do you want for your money?«

Blacksmith had paid five Pound, about a quarter of his annual income. Well, if things worked out the way he hoped, he would be promoted soon.

»In the pavilion, there is a woman – a Black. She’s lost her mind, and she continues telling inappropriate things! I need her gone for a while!«

The Indian, who, like all men Harry had employed, spoke excellent English, replied with a raised eyebrow:

»A ›while‹ – that’s quite unprecise!«

Blacksmith thought for a few seconds.

»Just a few days, a week the most! Just get her somewhere outside the city and then let her go again! Oh, and no violence in any form! I wan her to be able to return in the service of her Mistress, I just need her gone until I can leave Miss Lavinia alone and move back to my men!«

The Indian nodded.

»That will be five more, to assure our silence!«

Blacksmith grabbed the man’s arm, but the Indian just kept looking at his eyes, knowing that he had the longer lever. The Lieutenant took a deep breath.

»I’ll give you the money! But-«

His grip on the Indian’s arm tightened.

»If you come up with any further demands, I will not stay quiet either! It may cost me my rank, but though the authorities may not be able to drain Harry’s business completely, it will cause more inconveniences than the whole thing is worth! You got me?«

The Indian just bowed his head, and Blacksmith angrily paid him the demanded sum. Now, he was the proud possessor of ten Shilling Sixpence in cash.

»The black girl in the pavilion! It will soon be done, Sahib!«

As on keyword, Caleb now returned with the empty trays, and once the carriage had vanished, he said to his batman:

»If tonight, you hear some noises from the garden, just pretend you are still sleeping!«

»I’ll sleep, even if the house is under attack by cannons, Sir!«, Caleb replied, and the two men returned to the house.

***

At the pavilion, Daisy had almost immediately freed Sayana from her blindfold, gag and straightjacket, as she had promised to stay calm. Of course, Daisy was curious what had caused her outburst on the ship.

»This Lieutenant Blacksmith! I could sense his aura when the ship was approaching, and it grew stronger when I saw him! He is somehow related to Nyala!«

Daisy looked at her.

»You mean he’s your grand-grand-nephew? Well, I must say he doesn’t show much of a resemblance to you!«

However, some 140 years had passed since Sayana’s little sister had vanished, together with the pirate who seemed to have fallen in love with her. If they had had children, and these children and their offspring had had white partners, it was likely that today, the descendants of that family would be white, too. Lieutenant Blacksmith had a tan, but that could be from the sun, and he had dark curly hair. Anyway, he didn’t seem to appreciate having met his Grandaunt, and that was what Daisy told Sayana. The witch sighed.

»I have sworn to protect my sister, and I failed! However, if I would hear that she was happy, that she lived a free life, I would feel better. And if not – I just want to know for sure what has happened to her, even if I will never be able to see her again!«

Daisy took her in her arms. She could understand her feelings, though at the moment, she couldn’t do much about it. So, they had just talked and waited, only interrupted once by Nesrin, who had brought them some food, complaining that to stay in their roles, both Marguerite and Lilly were bossing her around as if she was a real maid. As on keyword, Lavinia had called for her from the house, and so, Nesrin had left again. Sayana and Daisy ate, meanwhile talking about another thought that had come up within Daisy’s mind:

»Maybe, that’s why we are here, instead of Martinique in the 21st century! Because you were partially focussed on Nyala, and so, we somehow landed here, where Nyala’s youngest offspring has landed somehow!«

Sayana looked at Daisy.

»I need to see him!«

Daisy tried to persuade Sayana that tomorrow was another day, but she insisted that she only wanted to look from the window.

»If they discover you, they will put you back into the straightjacket, and maybe also punish me, for not looking after you!«

»That’s why I need your clothes!«

Sayana had only been wearing her loincloth when she had been restrained, and now, she only had a light blanket loosely draped over her shoulders. Daisy hesitated, but at the same time, she felt a slight tingle by the memory of what she and Sayana had already done to each other.

»I will pretend that I am you! Lilly and the others won’t betray me, and to Lavinia and the Lieutenant, we all look the same!«

She stated that she would only silently look from outside, and if someone noticed her, she would excuse that she was Daisy who had just relieved herself. So, Daisy took off her shirt and the pants, leaving her in just her white lacy panties. Sayana let the blanket slide from her shoulders and stepped so close the tips of their breasts touched.

»Thank you, Désirée!«

Daisy let out a fluttering breath as the touch caused the tingle to increase. She then watched Sayana put on her clothes and sneak out of the pavilion. Then, she looked at the bottle of wine Nesrin had smuggled in for them.

»Well, I think I have earned a sip or two! And if Sayana needs some emotional support after coming back, she may wake me up!«

***

At the house, Blacksmith had withdrawn, so the girls were sitting together and having some small talk that Lilly found more and more straining – not only because she had to translate mort of it to Marguerite and back, but because she had to take care that neither her nor Marguerite’s word betrayed the fact that they came from different centuries. So, she tried to make things easier by letting Lavinia talk:

»So, what brings you here? I mean, your father has to do his service, but why didn’t you stay with your mother?«

Lavinia had mentioned that her mother still lived at Sussex. However, now, Lavinia grew pale, and when she answered that her father had spoken so interestingly about India she had wished to see it, it was clear to Lilly that she was dodging her question. Shortly after, they decided to retire; once again, Lavinia insisted to sleep on the easy chair, and neither Marguerite nor Lilly protested too much, for it allowed them to talk freely in the bedroom.

»Phew! That wasn’t dinner conversation, this was hard work!«

»You should watch it from a maid’s perspective – Miss Lilly!«, Nesrin scoffed. She had followed the two under the pretence to help them undress. Marguerite, who, despite the language barrier, had been able to relax more, for the habits during dinner resembled her own time, only now remembered that Nesrin wasn’t really her maid, and she took her hand.

»Did I hurt you?«

Nesrin made pouting lips.

»You complained because I touched your glass when I refilled it!«

»Even I know that this is not done!«, Lilly insisted, and now, Nesrin’s lips trembled, and she couldn’t oppress a chuckle. Marguerite kissed her lips and hugged her, and Nesrin sighed.

»At least, it’s an improvement towards the pirates! What do you think, shall we try to sneak over to the others?«

Lilly went for the door and peeked outside. She could see the light of a candle shine from the living room, and she whispered:

»Maybe, Lavinia’s still awake! We should wait for a while, until she sleeps!«

She sat down on the bed, a king-size model with a canopy and mosquito nets, though it seemed that currently, there were none. When she sank down to the mattress, she heard a crack, and she let out a gasp.

»Damn it, this corset’s killing me!«

However, she decided to keep her dress on for their secret meeting, for if Lavinia or Blacksmith would see them, he would become suspicious if they were in their nightgowns. Marguerite also lay down, and then, Nesrin cuddled against her, too.

»Are maids allowed on the furniture?«, Lilly joked, and Nesrin replied by threatening to poison her Mistress’s tea. Then, they fell silent, waiting for the right opportunity to sneak outside.

***

Sayana didn’t need any aura to find the room Blacksmith was in, for he had left the window open, and she could hear the snore of his batman sleeping in the same room. She sneaked closer and looked inside, only able to locate the Lieutenant because he still wore his white uniform trousers. It seemed that he was also sleeping, for he hardly moved as Sayana watched him, though she couldn’t see his face.

»Nyala’s – what could he be? Her great-grandson?«

She had never had a formal education, and the European concept of numbering years had also never been important to her. It felt strange to know that Nyala was dead now, even if she had had a long and happy life. And so far, her offspring hadn’t shown any affection towards her.

And yet, Sayana couldn’t stop looking at him, and she didn’t notice how time passed as she stood there, by the window, and looked at the Lieutenant’s bed.

***

The two men climbing over the wall were no amateurs, and so, they produced no sound as they then approached the pavilion that lay in silent darkness. One of them produced a small lantern with an adjustable blind, and once they had reached an open window, he let the beam of light carefully wander through the room, like a finger searching for something.

The men could see an ottoman, and from one end, a pair of naked feet protruded. According to what they could see, the feet belonged to a black woman. They withdrew the lantern, and one of them whispered:

»I can see only one! Must be her!«

His comrade nodded, and he reached for a bottle at his belt, pulling the plug. It contained a cloth that was thoroughly soaked with a smelly liquid, and he held it ready as they now climbed inside. Once again, they looked around, but it seemed that the only person except for them was the woman on the ottoman whose breaths they could now hear. They approached and bent over the ottoman’s backrest. What they saw made them smile under their black masks.

The woman was sleeping on her back, and she was naked, except for something skimpy that barely covered her crotch. The one with the cloth unfolded it carefully and then draped it over the girl’s face, so soft she didn’t wake up.

They then watched as the cloth slightly billowed under her breaths. The girl inhaled the fumes, getting a bit unruly, but still, she didn’t open her eyes. The two men stood ready, and when she sighed and her eyelids flickered, their hands darted forward.

One pressed the cloth over her mouth and nose, the other one grabbed her hands, and they both leaned onto her.

»Mhm? Uuhmm! Mhhrrmm!«

The girl now moaned, and her eyes widened when she figured out she was attacked. She tried to break free, but she already had inhaled some of the narcotic, and the two men were leaving her no chance. Her struggles quickly became weaker, and her mews and muffled screams turned into wheezes and then, she was silent and didn’t move. Her eyes twisted, and the men waited for another minute before they withdrew.

They listened carefully, but there was nothing but the sounds of small animals in the garden. One of them now tied her wrists behind her back, whilst his comrade stuffed her mouth with a large scarf before he tied another cloth between her lips. When he had then knotted the narcotic-soaked cloth over her mouth and nose, his comrade had also tied her ankles, and he then loaded the unconscious girl over his shoulder.

They climbed over the wall little later, where they had placed a wicker basket. With another thong, they tied the girl’s wrists and ankles together before lowering her into the basket. As they carried it through the dark lane, they knew that their attack had lasted less than five minutes.

***

»EEEEKK!«

The scream made Lilly, Marguerite and Nesrin who had dozed off jump up from the bed, and they drowsily looked for something to defeat themselves with. Nesrin, who was not restricted by a corset, grabbed a candle holder and, holding it like a club, stood beside the door. Now, the girls could hear agitated talking, and they could hear it were two women speaking French.

»That’s Sayana!«

They stepped onto the corridor, only to be nearly overrun by Lieutenant Blacksmith who had taken off his jacket and boots, but was otherwise fully dressed, and who had his revolver in his hand. In the living room, Lavinia and Sayana, who was dressed in a shirt and pants, were talking, and it seemed that Sayana was ignoring the fact that Lavinia’s French was very intermediate.

The arrival of the others had a slightly soothing effect, and it turned out that Lavinia had shrieked because Sayana had stormed into the house, waking her up. However, Sayana had only done so because Daisy had vanished.

»What do you mean by ›vanished‹?«, Lilly asked, whilst Lavinia demanded to know why Sayana was running around without being restrained. In the commotion, Nesrin noticed a shadow by the window. With a scream, she threw the candle holder, and Blacksmith reflexively fired a shot. There was a curse, and moments later, someone staggered inside: it was Caleb, pressing his hand to his side. Blacksmith dropped his revolver.

»Caleb, oh no, I just thought-«

The soldier tried to tell he was okay, but he then collapsed and had landed on the floor, had it not been for Lilly who grabbed his arm and managed to lead him to the couch. Suddenly, Sayana reached for the dropped revolver, grabbed it by its barrel and handed it to Blacksmith.

»Look if someone’s outside! I’ll take care of him!«

She had of course spoken French, but it seemed to help the Lieutenant that he was given a clear order; he grabbed his revolver and left. Sayana, who had some experience in treating wounds, now started to boss around the other girls. Lavinia, who had grown pale by the sight of the blood, was ordered to get some liquor, whilst Nesrin prepared hot water and Lilly tore one of her underskirts to create bandages. Marguerite, who, being raised at a plantation with slaves, had seen wounded men before, helped to steady Caleb and instilled him some gin whilst Sayana took care of his injury. When the Lieutenant returned from the garden, she had cleaned the wound, found that the bullet was not inside his body, and was just applying a provisional bandage. Caleb was biting down his pain, but he was conscious and when Blacksmith apologized, he shook his head.

»Such things – can happen!«

»He needs better treatment and much rest – but he will make it!«, Sayana, washing her hands, reported. The Lieutenant looked at her as if he was noticing her for the first time. He seemed to search for words, but in the end, he just mumbled »Thank you!«.

He then reported that he hadn’t found anyone in the garden – but also no sign of Daisy. There was a clinking, but it was just Lavinia, trying to put some gin into a glass with her hands trembling like aspen foliage. Lilly took the bottle from her hands.

»Now, fuck conventions and drink!«

She pushed the bottle’s neck into Lavinia’s mouth, forcing her to drink. The girl coughed and chortled, and some of the gin spilled over her chest, but she then swallowed and seemed to relax a bit. Nesrin meanwhile presumed:

»Maybe, she just had to relieve herself!«

Sayana shook her head.

»We only had one set of clothes – those I am wearing!«

She then confessed that she had looked inside the house. When she had returned to the pavilion, Daisy had vanished, and she had decided to alert the people in the house. Lilly gulped. The idea that their friend had disappeared wearing nothing but her panties wasn’t meant to calm her down in the slightest.

»G-Golden Dragon«, Caleb now ached, and Blacksmith felt for his forehead.

»He’s feverish! Miss Lavinia, do you have any Laudanum?«

The redhead didn’t react, still shocked by the events, but now, Nesrin told him that she doubted it would help.

»He needs medical treatment, not drugs!«

»Oh, maids in trousers are the best medical experts, eh?«, he barked. Sayana, who hadn’t understood the words, but the tone of this conversation, put her hand on Blacksmith’s arm.

»Tranquille, Johnny!«

Perhaps it was her using his first name, but Blacksmith indeed calmed down. Caleb ached, once again uttering the words »Golden Dragon«. The Lieutenant now found back to his professional attitude.

»He has to go to the hospital!«

A memory shot through Lilly’s head, and she showed the others the carriage she had seen in a corner of the garden. It was some kind of load rickshaw, not more than a platform on two wheels, but they upholstered it, and embedded Caleb on it. Now, the question was who would get the injured man to the hospital.

»I hate leaving you alone, but if I as an Officer accompany him, he will get faster and better treatment!«, the Lieutenant stated. Sayana quickly grabbed the gin and a few pieces of the torn underskirt, in case Caleb would need a fresh bandage, and Blacksmith didn’t object to her company. Nesrin now  objected that someone had to stay at the house, too.

»Whatever happened to Daisy, they might come back, perhaps, to leave a note or something else!«

She didn’t mention that »something else« could also mean the kidnappers would come for them, too, but now, Marguerite insisted on staying with Nesrin, and Lilly also didn’t want to leave her. Suddenly, Lavinia stepped forward.

»Lieutenant, I presume the Private’s rifle is still in his room?«

Blacksmith nodded, and Lavinia fetched it. With a forced smile, she explained:

»I grew up in rural Sussex, and I sometimes went hunting with Papa! We can hold the position until you will return!«

»Just avoid firing on your own people!«, Blacksmith commented with a sarcastic look on Caleb. Then, he grabbed the handles of the rickshaw and carefully walked on whilst Sayana kept an eye that Caleb didn’t fall off.

Lavinia managed to wait until they had disappeared from the yard. Then, she dropped the rifle and staggered to the next chair, sitting down and her chest was heaving as she again trembled. She didn’t even notice that Marguerite and Nesrin held each other’s hands. Lilly slung her arm around Lavinia, hoping that the shivering girl wouldn’t notice her own fear.

»D-don’t worry, e-everything w-will turn o-out f-f-fine!«

***

»Uuhmm?«

Daisy blinked, noticing that it was still dark in the room. She wanted to wipe her eyes, but her hands were stopped on their way to her face. The girl shifted her position, and she heard a rattle. She wanted to lick her lips, only to realize that something big was blocking her mouth.

»Uuhmph! Mhhmm!«

Suddenly, her memory returned like a shower of icy water. The soaked rag pressed on her mouth, the men pressing down on her! Daisy rose, only to feel that something held her back. She screamed through her gag, but then, as there seemed to be no one to react, she forced herself to calm down and to analyse her predicament.

She was inside a small room that looked like a cave or dungeon. It was sparsely lit, and on one side, Daisy noticed some vertical bars. Again, she sat up, only to fully notice her other restraints.

Her hands were cuffed in front of her body, and a chain connected these cuffs to similar ones around her ankles. She could reach her face when she bent her legs, only to feel a leather mask covering the lower half of her face. It kept some big leather object inside her mouth, and when she felt for the straps, she noticed that her gag was secured by a small padlock. Another chain went around her neck, so she could lie down and stand up, but only move in a very small radius.

Not that her dungeon contained much to explore. It measured some three by three yards, and her neck chain prevented her from reaching the bars. The only furniture was a pile of shabby blankets, and only now, Daisy realized she still was only clad in her white lacy panties. Luckily, the cell was a bit chilly, but not really cold.

In a corner, she noticed a gridded opening in the floor, measuring the size of a hand. She guessed that it was meant for relieving herself, for there was no bucket, let alone a toilet. With her eyes adjusting to the dark more and more, Daisy noticed further details:

The source of light was a candle placed on the other side of the bars. It was huge, reminding her of the one she had been given for her Holy Communion. She also noticed that behind it was a black curtain, separating her cell from the rest of the dungeon, or wherever she was imprisoned.

In a corner, she then saw a pile, and it turned out to be three leather hoses, each of which seemed to be filled with some half a gallon of liquid. Daisy opened one of them and could smell it contained some tea. She once again tried to remove her gag, but when her breath accelerated, she noticed that a little air came through her mouth, too, and she then could feel that in the centre of the leather pad covering her mouth was a very small opening. Obviously, a thin tunnel went through the big plug in her oral cavity.

Daisy positioned herself on her back and carefully uncorked one of the hoses. Then, she crouched so she could reach her face and spilled some of the tea over it, trying to hit the opening. Half of it ran down her cheeks and throat, but Daisy managed to drink a few sips, allowing her to quench her thirst a little. The tea was cold, but it was strong and even contained some sugar. After she had half emptied the hose, she stopped. Her joy of having been able to drink was washed away by another realization about her captivity:

The candle would burn for long hours, maybe a few days, and the tea would also allow her to sustain for some time.

Whoever had locked her here did not intend to visit her regularly. She would have to remain chained, gagged and locked, with not the slightest idea where she was, for at least a few days.

Again, she screamed through her gag, only stopping when the echoing moans made her feel her helplessness even more.

***

Lieutenant John Blacksmith hardly noticed that the sky was already getting brighter when he staggered out of the Bombay Military Hospital. In the midst of the night, he had had to insist on his rank more than once, but finally, a surgeon had been found and taken care of Caleb who meanwhile had lost his consciousness.

In the time it took the doctor to help his batman, Blacksmith had filled a report, feigning a plausible story about him and Caleb preventing a robbery; before running away, the unknown gangsters had fired a shot, wounding Caleb, and Blacksmith had seen the priority in saving his batman’s live and thus not tried to follow the criminals in the dark lanes of Bombay.

A kind nurse had offered him some coffee, and he had waited with impatience for the return of the surgeon. Finally, the man approached, and Blacksmith felt as if a heavy rock was taken from his shoulders when he noticed the man was looking tired, but confident.

»He will make it! It will take some time before he can return into your service, and he will keep a scar to impress the Ladies, but I see no reason why he shouldn’t tell this story to his grandchildren in some decades!«

Gratefully, Blacksmith shook the surgeon’s hand, and the doctor patted his arm.

»You also have to thank yourself, young man! The first aid you did to his wound was excellent, I couldn’t have done better! Without your care, his wound would sure have become septic when you arrived here! It’s no exaggeration that this man owes his life to you!«

He left, and Blacksmith sank against the wall. It was the second time someone praised him for having saved Caleb – but unlike on the Crimea, he hadn’t done anything this time. The one to praise was Sayana he had left outside to avoid curious questions.

As he left the hospital, other thoughts returned that had been washed away by the worries over Caleb’s well-being: Harry’s men had obviously abducted Daisy, mistaking her for Sayana.

The obvious solution was to inform the men of the »Golden Dragon« about their mistake, hoping they would arrange an exchange. With a little bit of luck, he would manage to stay unsuspicious. However, Blacksmith didn’t like the idea in the slightest.

It wasn’t the fact that Harry’s men would perhaps demand additional money. Some of his comrades would help him with a few Pounds if he asked them. However, Sayana no longer was just a nuisance; she now was the woman who had saved Caleb’s life. And despite the social barrier, his batman was the closest he had to a real friend.

When he stepped through the gate, Sayana approached from the shadow. She had slung a blanket over her shoulders to hide she was wearing man’s clothes, but except for the guard by the door, they were alone anyway.

»How is he?«, she asked, and Blacksmith could hear the true concern in her voice. He had to gulp before he could answer.

»He will make it! And the doctor said that it was your work!«

Then, though the guard could still see them, he hugged her.

***