Sabbath's 2 Darlings- The 12: Book Two

31. One Tail Down

For the first time since Ottaline was struck, that night there were four at the dinner table. She had also relented and moved downstairs to make things easier on everyone else. Soup was simple but also the only thing Providence thought she could make well.

Granville and Idris mostly talked about man things so the sisters stayed in their own conversation.

"...map the tunnels."

The words caught the girls' attention and they looked at Mr. Idris.

"What if Richmond catches you down there?" Granville asked. "He'll wonder how you found out."

"I'll just have to make sure I don't get caught," Idris said. "The girls say they only followed one tunnel that led below the house but what of all the others they saw? If the Richmonds have been smuggling gold then I bet that's how."

"But we've been up and down the beach and we've never seen any tunnels," Providence said.

"But you never saw them in the cemetery either." Idris said. "Esau Richmond is right about one thing. His family does run this town, but without their booty they can't do it?"

"What are you getting at, Idris?" Granville asked.

"Ottaline first put the idea in my head when she asked me once how the Richmond's make their money," Idris said. "Then I started wondering why all of a sudden he's buying up inexpensive land and wanting to demolish his wood."

"And?" Granville asked.

"They are going broke."

"Broke?" Granville gasped. "Impossible. They have wealth as deep as the sea."

"Had," Idris said. "But money doesn't last forever. I've seen his books and noticed a lot of heavy spending in the past few years alone. They want to give the image of having everything together but they don't. It's like an egg, perfectly smooth on the outside but when you crack it open...a mess."

"The fool," Granville scoffed. "They really did count their chickens before they hatched. And all those years of paying me to stay inside this house."

"You have contributed to their downfall in more ways than one," Idris said. "Now we all know how the Richmond's operate. They won't be destitute. They will do whatever it takes to keep their family name on top."

Granville's eyes went wide. "My God, you don't think they'll target another merchant ship do you?"

Idris looked grave. "If it ain't broke..."

Silence consumed the room as Providence looked around the table. History was repeating itself. Mrs. Madeline St. Cloud had been a child when she left Drinking Water but she still remembered the horrible things that happened there and was too afraid to return, but her husband was here. Mr. and Mrs. and Brigit Heritage had stood up against the Richmonds and nearly ruined them. They were all dead but their son and brother was here. Her mother Catherine Sabbath and her father John Sabbath had refused to obey their whims and both had been killed for it, but their daughters were still here. They were all here and they were about to do the same things.

"It could get dangerous," Providence said softly.

"We'll need a plan," Idris said. "We'll need list of all merchant...no all ships that pass this port and for good measure anywhere near here."

"I could do that," Granville said. "We'll also need to plan ahead in case we are found out and need to leave. It can't hurt to have a little extra food stored away."

"I can get that!" Providence said. "No one will suspect my shopping."

Granville nodded.