Secret of Greek Fire — Part Eight
Kidnapped
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While Herbert and Howard work on the Airship, Jacqueline entertains her suitors. Too late she discoverers that her bargain with the Egyptian Prince, Abbas, has backfired.
Abbas released her. “Come with me. First, we will go to my ship and you can see what lavish accommodations I have for you. And then, we will go see Her Majesty together.”
He took her hand and pulled her along. Her mind froze and she was suddenly powerless to resist.
“But… but, what of my other callers?” she protested.
“We are betrothed now. They will be turned away.”
Jacqueline rode in Abbas’ carriage through London. She sat stiffly; although, she allowed him to hold her hand. She kept her other hand holding a handkerchief to her nose; Aunt Edith had been correct — the London streets stank. It had been several years since she had been in the center of the giant city, but she didn’t gaze at the marvels. She kept her eyes transfixed on the back of the carriage driver and tried to imagine how she could escape Abbas’ plan to snare her into matrimony.
They stopped at the wharf east of the Tower of London. She looked upon the ships with wonder.
“I’ve never actually been aboard a real ocean-going ship,” she said, as Abbas held her arm and guided her along the gangplank.
“Ah, then this will be a wonderful time for you. Let us take some time and I will tour you.”
She looked where he pointed and listened to what he said as he showed her around the ship. However, her mind was still thinking about something she could say to Queen Victoria to convince her that the marriage was unsuitable.
“And this is my stateroom,” Abbas said, ushering her into the large room under the aft deck. “Of course, this will be your accommodation during our voyage.”
She looked out the large windows, down at the water. He came up behind her and closed the curtains.
“Why don’t we have some tea,” he said, and a cabin boy entered with a tray.
Jacqueline and Abbas sat at the table in the center of the room and sipped tea. He pulled out books and showed her drawings of Egypt. He told her about the Pyramids and the Sphinx.
“There are so many wonders for you to see,” he said. “You will have a marvelous time exploring.”
She had to admit, he did make it sound like an enchanting land. There were constant noises outside the cabin. She paid these no mind as there had been men performing various tasks ever since they had come aboard. At one point, the ship shifted, rolled slightly to one side. Seeing a flash of concern in her eyes, Abbas said, “Cargo, the men are loading cargo for our journey home.”
“Abbas, don’t you think we should be getting on to Buckingham Palace. It’s getting late in the day. At what time does Her Majesty stop receiving visitors?” She bit her lip; she should have remained silent and let the time pass.
“Hmm, you are probably right. I have been so distracted, telling you about my homeland, that time has gotten away. We will delay our visit. Let us have dinner and then I shall see you home. In the morning, I will collect you and we will go see the Queen.”
Jacqueline smiled; she was delighted with the delay. She would spend the night conjuring up a plan.
***
Herbert tossed the wrench to the ground. “What is wrong? Why won’t this work?”
“It does work, after a fashion,” Uncle George said. “We are successfully converting the wild spirit gas to liquid, but only a few drops at a time. The problem appears to be that too much hydrogen is escaping without being combined with the carbon. If only the temperature was higher, then perhaps…”
“But we know a higher temperature is not necessary,” Herbert responded. “We know the ancients could not construct a furnace with a higher temperature than what we are using.”
Howard added, “We know the process works. Abbas Pasha gave us ten gallons. He must have created that using this process, there is no other way. Maybe we have something missing from the catalyst.”
“We have the composition of iron and copper specified in the scroll,” Uncle George said, as he turned once again to study the papers. “Herbert, are you certain you have correctly translated this?”
“I’ve studied it and studied it. Abbas did the initial translation for me, but I have confirmed his work.”
“Well,” Howard said, “there is something wrong. At this rate, it will take a year to accumulate ten gallons.”
Uncle George asked, “Do we know for certain that Abbas generated the ten gallons in a day?”
Herbert shrugged. “He’s lied to us before, but I don’t see how he could have been storing the liquid the entire time I was in his household.”
“I’m starving,” Howard said, changing the subject. “It’s dinner time. Let’s get something to eat, and then regroup.”
The three men returned to the house and the dining room; they did not change clothes for dinner.
“Where is Jackie?” Howard asked.
“She’s not with you?” Edith questioned.
“No, not for hours.” Herbert thought for a moment, and then added, “She was called to the house to receive one of the suitors and never returned. That was hours ago.”
“I didn’t know that!” Edith snagged the arm of the maid. “Mary, did you greet a caller today? Did you summon Lady Fredrick?”
“Yes, ma’am, it was the foreigner, the man from Egypt. He came, and talked with Lady Fredrick for some time, and then…” The maid paused, realizing she was going bear the brunt of her master’s wrath. “The two of them left together.”
“What!” Herbert rose from his chair. “She left with Abbas Pasha without a chaperone?”
The girl sheepishly nodded.
“Listen to me, Mary,” Uncle George said. “Did you happen to hear what they said?”
She nodded. “I wasn’t in the room, the parlor, but I was at the servants’ entrance ready with a tray should her ladyship request tea. I wasn’t eavesdropping, but I did hear Lady Fredrick accept his proposal of marriage. They left to first show her his ship, and then to visit the Queen.” She swallowed. “This being the case, I didn’t see how it was improper for them to go without a chaperone. Besides, she didn’t ask for one?”
Herbert slammed his fist down on the table rattling the dishes. “That lying rake! That conniving, lying snake of a man! Oh, my God in heaven, what has he done?”
Howard crossed the room and gripped Mary’s shoulders. He gave her a light shake, and said, “What else did he say? Surely, you heard more.”
“Uh… uh, he said, Queen Victoria would compel Lady Fredrick to marry him when he promised to sign the treaty after they were married.” She swallowed again. “He said they would travel immediately to Egypt where they would be married.”
“How did he know to involve the Queen?” Herbert asked.
Mary shook her head. I don’t know. She said some things at a whisper which I didn’t hear.”
Howard said, “She must have told him she was the Queen’s cousin.”
“Why would she do that?” Herbert asked, but no one had an answer. He continued, “I think this whole thing is a lie. Her Majesty has not been involved in any of our negotiations. She would never grant him an audience if he simply showed up at the Buckingham Palace gate.” He turned back to Mary. “You said they were going to his ship first. Are you certain of this?”
The maid meekly nodded her head. “That’s what I heard him say.”
“Thus, we know his subterfuge,” Herbert said. “We know Abbas was planning on sailing today after the high tide. His plan is to get Jackie aboard his ship, and then set sail with her as his captive. Doubtless, he will force her to marry him in Egypt.” He looked to Howard. “What time is the high tide?”
Howard contemplated the question for a moment. “It was an hour ago. By now, they must be sailing down the Thames, riding the current. They are long gone. They will be out to sea in another hour. There is no way to catch them.”
“Ah, but there is,” Herbert announced.
THE END of Part Eight
Part Nine, In the clutches of the Egyptian Prince
Copyright ©2023 by S. M. Revolinski All Rights Reserved
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