Days At Sea

Chapter 4 - There Is Absolutely No Way

Spinning around in surprise, Isabella tightened her grip on Celeste. A robust woman, maybe in her mid-40s, was standing in the doorway with an astounded expression. She was in a nightdress, holding a lantern and looking at Louie. Isabella turned to him, tense and half-standing, to see whether this was someone they needed to run from again. Louie's face lit up, and a smile graced his face.

"Auntie Catherine!" He exclaimed, running to hug her. Isabella found it sweet that he still showed such physical affection to his family, even though very few grown men still hugged their aunts with such genuine enthusiasm. Catherine hugged him back briefly but then held him at arm's length while she studied his face.

"Why have I got three injured, dirty adults and a small child in my kitchen?" She asked sternly, looking around at them with wide eyes. Isabella got to her feet, trembling and exhausted, but she wanted to make a good impression and let this woman know they weren't a threat.

"Please, we won't bother you for long. I promise we just need to regain some strength. We're in a difficult situation, but if you let us stay here until nightfall, we'd be eternally grateful." She said in a rush, clutching Celeste and running her fingers through her tangled blond curls, hoping the child's presence would help their case. She looked at Hugo, who was grimacing and looking concerned. Catherine watched Isabella; her eyes narrowed, but they softened as she observed the girl sucking her thumb. Louie began to babble.

"Catherine, we must hide here until it's dark enough to leave. I know you'll be angry that I could make such a reckless decision, and you have every right to be. You understand why, though, don't you? I couldn't watch another innocent person suffer - I could do something this time, and I had to. I had to, Catherine. They can't suffer." He rambled on in French to his aunt, his eyes full of emotion. His voice trembled on the last sentence, and Catherine suddenly drooped. She stared at her nephew with an expression of painful understanding.

"Louie..." She whispered, her eyes wide yet sympathetic. "What did you do?" 

The seriousness of her hushed voice was more alarming to Isabella than shouting or anger, and the sudden gravity of what Louie had done weighed on her. She was doomed either way, as was Hugo, but Louie could have sat back and let them hang. 

Louie's lip trembled, and he suddenly looked much younger, like a small boy pleading for his mother's reassurance. 

"I saved them." 

His voice was small, and Catherine's face fell as understanding flooded her eyes. She looked back and forth between them all, trying to speak. 

"You mean to tell me that I've got three criminals in my kitchen?" she said incredulously, staring at them. Isabella hardly thought Celeste counted as a criminal but disliked mentioning this. Catherine backed away, momentarily seeming to be thinking about running for help. Louie took hold of her hand.

"Four criminals. If they get captured, I will too, and we'll hang together," he mourned. His aunt stared at him, shaking.

"You understand what you've done?" she lectured. "You can't stay here, not even in the country. All of you must get away from here. What were you thinking, Louie? You've doomed yourself for a life of exile." Catherine exclaimed tearfully.

"We should go to Italy," a quiet voice interrupted. Everyone turned to look at Hugo, who had sat up straighter and was looking at Isabella intently. "The navy will think you're dead. Nobody will be looking for us there. You must have family or somewhere to go," he said. Isabella thought for a moment.

"My mother's there. I haven't seen her since I was 11." Isabella said doubtfully, the thought bringing up painful recollections she would rather forget.