The Ransom Girl

Chapter One

I awoke to the sound of the door clicking closed. My freshly made breakfast placed upon my table, the expertly polished cloche casting my reflection. I got out of bed grabbing my satin robe and slipping it on. Wandering to the table I lifted the silver dome and revealed the warm porridge and some kind of fish, the same drab meal again. To the side was my favourite drink, good old tea, that we have shipped to the Caribbean so we can have some taste of home. My father has been governor of Port Royal since we came here when I was 8, trying to keep the civilised aristocratic way, we drink tea and dress like the King might visit.

Finishing my breakfast I ring for my handmaid, Sarah, to come help me dress. She arrives swiftly, as though she was waiting outside the door, and orders a maid to take away my serving tray.
"Good morning, miss Adelaide. What would you like to wear today?" She said in her singsong voice reserved for me like I was still a child.
"Does it matter? I'm going to be stuck in this house all day again. Just pick whatever you want."
Sarah sighed and shuffled over to the wardrobe that held my expensive, over-the-top gowns and began to look through them.
"I have a secret to tell you." She stage whispered over her shoulder. A ploy to get me excited for the day, I assume.
"What is it?" I sighed,not getting my hopes up. The secret usually meant I was allowed out in the gardens for an hour. Thrilling.
"Your father has planned for you to go to England for the season. In hopes to find you a husband." She was grinning now and I was ready to keel over.
"What?! But I'm too young for a husband! I'm too young to travel to England by myself!"
Sarah's smile dropped "you are eighteen, most girls have their first season at 16! You can't stay here your whole life, you have to marry, and besides you won't be alone because I'll be with you and your aunt is going to be your chaperone."

Waiting for my father to come home felt like waiting for Christmas to come. I think he might be avoiding me on purpose. I have been sat waiting in the front parlour staring at the end of the drive for what seems like days, I want to try and reason with him not to send me away. I have a feeling his fatherly love has ran out after two years of me begging not to go. Looking up from my book that I'm pretending to read I finally see the faces of the carriage horses come in to view. This is it. Jumping up I throw the book down on the window bench and rush to the front door. Standing there is the grumpy looking butler who is eyeing me suspiciously. He swings the door open the same time my fathers footman opens his carriage and I seize my moment. Barrelling out of the door I let the crocodile tears flow.
"No."
I come to a halt. I don't think my father has ever said that to me before. I blink up at him as he blinks down at me.
"But..." I stammer.
"You are going Adelaide and that is final. You are going to be too old soon and I don't want to have my daughter become a spinster." He spits and begins his long strides into the manor. I stand staring at his back wondering what I could do to possibly change his mind.

The next day my trunks are being packed by Sarah and the maids. I'm helpless but to stand there and watch as my belongings are all squeezed into the boxes. I want to stop them, grab things, MY things out of their hands but I'm helpless. In goes my jewellery, my hats, umbrellas. Before I know it my wardrobe is empty and my heart is heavy. I stand in my room staring at the emptiness. Will I ever be back here? I want to scream and cry but it won't come out.
"Darling, I have no other choice." My father says from the open door. "I would be a laughing stock if I had a spinster for a daughter."
"Do you not care how I feel?" I whispered knowing he didn't.
"Darling, it has to be done." So no then. I stayed silent as I heard his clicking heels walking away.  I sunk down to the floor and the tears finally started.  I don't know why I'm crying really.  This is my chance to finally experience life outside of my father's manor, having been cooped up in her for 10 years, only leaving to go to dinners at the houses of the other important people on the island.  I just wish it didn't mean I would be going to basically start my life in servitude of a husband.  What I've read in the books that the maids have snuck in for me is it can be enjoyable but what if he's not handsome and dapper like the love interest in the stories.  What if he's an old wrinkly man.  My sobbing grew louder at the thought.

Morning came again and Sarah was at my bedside urging me awake.  Little did she know I had been up for hours dreading the day.  Keeping my eyes closed I hoped she would just leave and I wouldn't have to go.
"Right, cold water from the well will wake her up I'm sure."  Sarah said to herself.
"I'm up I just don't want to be." I groaned opening my eyes to the dawn sun.
"Ah good timing" She smirked down at me.  "Come on we have to get you fed and dressed.  The ship is ready and waiting for you." 
Crawling out of bed I ate breakfast whilst Sarah did my hair in a daze.  The thought of being on a ship for months was daunting enough, having to meet a husband at the other end was worse.  Soon enough my hair was done and my breakfast was done, I stood in a trance whilst Sarah dressed me in my travel dress and we were heading for the front door.  My father was waiting with his emotionless stare.
"I have never known porridge to last that long."  I just stared.  I haven't said a word to him since our talk in my room. 
"I am going to miss you darling."  He sighed.  I let him kiss my cheeks and turned for the door.  I wouldn't let him see my glassy eyes.

The ride to the docks was too quick and before I knew it we were coming to a stop.  The footman opened the carriage door and I couldn't bring myself to step out of it.  Sarah, who was across from me, prodded my knee with her umbrella.  I finally moved, grabbing the waiting hand I stepped down.  To my surprise there were townspeople lining the cobbles next to the dock smiling and waving at me.  I rarely got to see so many people it was the first thing to put a smile on my face since I woke some days ago.  My fathers guards stood waiting to walk me down wooden dock that felt an awful lot like a pirates plank from my stories.  Sarah, who had enough again, prodded me in the back this time to start walking.  The ship in the distance was one of the smaller Royal Navy ships that my father commanded but it was swift and would get us to England relatively fast.  For that I was grateful.  I haven't been on a ship since we sailed here and that was onboard a massive slow ship that felt like it never picked up speed.  Getting closer to the small vessel I noticed it had men standing waiting on the deck, I must have taken so long they had nothing else to do.  Oops.  Climbing up the ramp I was greeted at the end by the Captain who introduced himself and showed Sarah and I to our rooms.  As I was just about to explore the small space the captain disappeared and we were already underway.