Dark Tides

Emily stood at the top of the grand staircase and all eyes in the room turned to stare at her. She felt uncomfortable with all the attention but she kept her back rigid and her smile bright. She descended the stairs and her smile turned real as she saw her parents and brothers standing at the bottom, beaming at her.

"Happy birthday, my darling." Bartimus Weldon gave his only daughter a kiss on the forehead and Emily felt her tension ease almost immediately.

"You look beautiful. When did you get so grown up?" Her eldest brother, Henry, pulled her into a hug. "You can come by the college to resume your lessons tomorrow," he whispered. "Use the cleaning staff's entrance around three. Just be careful and remember not to be seen." He drew back and winked. Emily was far more excited at the prospect of learning more about biology and anatomy from her physician brother than she was about the glittering party that was being thrown especially for her. It was her eighteenth birthday, but most people in attendance were there because Emily Weldon was something of a celebrity in London society ever since her disappearance and miraculous return a month before. Her friends were still awed that she had been kidnapped by pirates and lived to tell the tale, though she hadn't spoken to much of anyone since her return.

This was the first public appearance she had made, since the whole family had been in mourning and dealing with the funeral for Ben. Emily had been feeling dreadfully guilty for letting her family think he was dead when he really wasn't, but she had vowed to Ben that she would keep his secret. Normally it would seem in poor taste to throw a party like this only a month after the death of a loved one, but everyone was so pleased to have Emily back safely, and just in time for her birthday at that. And of course all the other young ladies and gentleman were terribly curious to hear about her adventure, so no one questioned it when the Weldons chose to celebrate her birthday in style.

"Miss Weldon, I'd be honored if you would dance with me."

Emily turned and found none other than Gregory Harrington III bowing before her. It took her more effort to fake a smile this time. Gregory had recently been deemed the most eligible bachelor in London and young women were flocking to him like moths to a handsome, rich flame. Now, it seemed, he had turned his attentions to Emily in light of everyone's fascination with her.

"Of course," she said stiffly, allowing him to take her elbow and lead her into the dance floor. The heavy silk of her emerald green gown swished around her ankles and the ringlets her red-gold hair had been done up in bounced merrily behind her head. Gregory moved her effortlessly across the ballroom, every inch the well groomed socialite. Emily could see girls shooting her envious looks and fought the urge to roll her eyes. Handsome or not, Gregory Harrington was immensely dull and completely full of himself.

"You look beautiful," he told her with a lazy grin.

"Thank you," Emily replied, trying not to sound bored. She couldn't help but remember another dance, months before, in a borrowed rose pink dress and with a much different partner. She had caught herself often thinking and wondering about Percy since her return to London. She had never been the greatest lover of meaningless small talk and social etiquette, and now it fairly bored her to tears after her daring high seas escapades. Gregory continued chattering on and Emily smiled and nodded when necessary but she was relieved when the song ended.

Gregory bowed to her again and kissed her hand. "Happy birthday," he said. Emily thanked him yet again and hurried away through the crowd as fast as she could without actually running. She found herself surrounded by other girls her age, their full skirts pressing in around her.

"Emily, we were all so pleased to hear that you'd come home safely," Georgina Hale gushed, her voice full of saccharine sweetness. Georgina was never pleased about anything that happened to someone else, unless it was something humiliating.

"Yes," Rebecca Snowden added, "you must have been so terrified. You look well for someone who was held captive by pirates for months."

"It really wasn't all that terrible," Emily told them. "The pirates were quite nice to me."

This announcement shocked them all into a brief silence, and then they all began peppering her with questions.

"They were nice to you?"

"Did they try to make you walk the plank?"

"Were they....inappropriate with you?"

"Yes, no, and no," Emily said, amused. "They were a bit frightening at first of course, but they were very sweet in the end. They taught me how to steer the ship, and even," she dropped her voice to a hush and all the girls leaned in eagerly, "how to throw a dagger."

"No," Rebecca said in an awed whisper. "How scandalous!"

Emily held their attention for the rest of the evening, girls following her around like a flock of geese. Their chatter even reminded Emily of geese. She was relieved when the night finally wound to an end and she shed her ridiculously heavy dress and climbed into bed. She pulled free the small golden locket that was tucked beneath her dress at all times and flipped it open. A series of holographic images appeared; memories of her time aboard the Silver Spirit. She found that the pictures of Ben, and the few she'd managed to sneak of Percy, were the ones that made her smile most. She watched one of Ben smiling and telling her to stop taking pictures.

"Good night, Benjamin," she whispered to it. She stared for a moment at one of Percy scowling as she threw potato peels at him then snapped the locket closed and fell asleep clutching it in her hand.



The next afternoon she was just about to sneak out the door to meet Henry at the college and was intercepted by her Aunt Marjorie, who was in town visiting.

"Just where do you think you're getting off to, young lady?" Marjorie have her a stern look. "You can't go footling about town without a chaperone."

"But it's such a lovely day for a walk," Emily said, widening her eyes imploringly. "I thought it might be nice to go to the market. Perhaps you'd like to come with me, Aunt Margy? I do so enjoy your company."

"Well." Marjorie's face softened. "Very well then, I suppose it couldn't hurt. You have been cooped up in the house since you came home."

Emily balled up a cloak and kept it tucked beneath her arm. She strolled along the streets with Aunt Marjorie until they reached the open air market. Emily kept a sharp eye out and found who she'd been searching for. Mary Griffith was moving slowly among the booths, carefully selecting fruit. Emily darted away when Aunt Marjorie's back was turned, slipping her cloak on and pulling up the hood. She came up beside Mary and nudged her.

"Mary, it's me. Keep Aunt Marjorie off my trail please."

"Emily Weldon. You and your mischief is going to give your poor aunt a heart attack." But Mary smiled. "Go on. I'll cover for you."

"You are a saint." Emily slipped away into the market crowd, dodging skillfully around shoppers and booths until she saw a familiar figure and stopped dead in her tracks. She hadn't seen Percy once since the day they stepped onto the London docks, except in her locket photos. He was talking to another man and Emily found her feet carrying her towards him of their own accord. She was startled to see him so suddenly. The man nodded at something Percy said and then walked away just as Emily reached him.

"Percy!" she whisper-yelled, grabbing his arm. He stared down at her blankly.

"Can I...help you?"

"Oh!" Emily exclaimed, forgetting about the hood obscuring her face. She reached up and tossed it back. Percy's confusion turned to shock.

"Emily?"

She beamed. "I've missed you! You should come visit me, I'm sure you must remember where the house is."

"I'm not sure that's-"

"It's easy enough to sneak into our garden and no one would even be the wiser, since my room is the only one that overlooks it. Which I always thought was rather odd, because why would you want the bedrooms to have a view of the street instead of the garden-oh!" She spotted Aunt Marjorie and ducked behind a stall selling vegetables. She pulled her hood back up and peered over the stall cautiously.

"Merciful heavens, where has that girl gotten to now?"

"Marjorie!" Mary called cheerfully, cutting the woman off before she could reach Emily's hiding place.

"Oh, Mary, have you seen Emily? That girl has no respect for decency."

"Yes I just saw her in fact. I sent her to fetch some eggs. Don't worry Marjorie, I'll make sure she makes it home safely. Why don't you go see about that parasol you've been eyeing..." Mary led her aunt away and Emily let out a sigh of relief. She rose from her crouch.

"Well I'd best be on my way or I'm going to be late," Emily said apologetically. She touched his arm gently. "I do hope I see you again soon, Percy."

She didn't wait for a reply, but turned and hurried away in the direction of the college, slipping in the staff entrance just as Henry had instructed. Henry was a physician but spent some of his time teaching new medical students. Emily found him in an empty classroom. He looked up and smiled.

"Have you been studying?" he asked.

"Of course. Not that I need to study as much as you did." Emily removed her cloak as Henry chuckled and wheeled over a model skeleton.

"All right, then, if you think you're so smart. Point to and name all the bones."