The Gentlewoman's Deception

Ch. 6 // The Seamstress's Apprentice

Her room was small, but Louisa expected as such. What she didn't expect was that the ticket Mr. Taylor had provided to her would be for a single room with herself as the only occupant. Steerage to England had surpassed $8 and was only continuing to rise, so to have a private cabin? Louisa could not bear to think what Mr. Taylor had to give up in order to manage that.

Still, her room was barely five paces long and three wide. She walked over to sit on the cot that was pushed into the corner and set her carpet bag by her feet. The thin mattress sank from her weight, not doing much to cushion the hard bed slats underneath. Just a month of terrible sleepless nights, Louisa huffed. Easy.

On the wall next to her bed, there was a small porthole looking out to the starboard side of the ship. Though it was foggy and looked as if it could crack at a moment's notice, it still allowed a good amount of light into the dark and damp room, nonetheless. Looking out, Louisa saw two seagulls gliding through the air over the harbor docks, waiting to steal some bread from an unsuspecting traveler.

To be free like those birds and not confined by the civilities and etiquette of societal life was more enticing to Louisa than any precious gem or laced silk gown. Joining the Sons of Sovereignty and replacing her father on a secret mission that required her to cross the perilous Atlantic Ocean was more than enough adventure to last a lifetime. The next month aboard this ship was the only true freedom Louisa would have. Once they dock in England, she was no longer the innocent daughter of a physician, but a member of the Ton waiting to present herself in front of high society London, perhaps to even Her Majesty the Queen. If Louisa thought her life changed when she met Mr. Taylor, that would be nothing compared to when she got off The Dresden.

Doing another once over of the room she would be staying in for the next few weeks, Louisa saw a small end table supporting a lamp, a trunk at the foot of her bed, and a dirty mirror hanging on the wall by the door.

"Cozy," she decided. "At least it's somewhat clean and not infested with rats." Louisa shuddered at the thought of living in a dingy room crawling with rodents. She counted her blessings and moved to unpack her belongings, stumbling slightly as the ship lurched while undocking and set sail for the open waters. Those sea legs better come quick, she thought.

The slight rock of the boat caused her to hold on to the wall as she went to stand in front of the trunk. Mr. Taylor had been adamant that Louisa stay vigilant as to keep her identity undercover. How mortifying would it be if she gave her mission away before she even made it to England? Henry Taylor had a slightly zealous demeanor about him, meaning if she were to mess up on her first mission, he would rain disappointment on her. That's why she was going to hide all her personal possessions in the locked trunk at the base of her bed for no one to find but herself.

Louisa knelt on the ground in front of the trunk, careful to not rip the hem of her dress. Her nimble fingers quickly opened the lock and she lifted the heavy lid off the trunk. It was obvious this chest had few owners in its lifetime due to the apparent musty stench of mold. Plugging her nose, Louisa shoved the carpet bag inside and snapped the lid shut. She blew the unpleasant scent out her nostrils, hoping the sour fumes didn't have the chance to fill her small room.

It's like that story of Pandora's Box, she thought. But instead of hope coming out of the box, it's toxic vapors.

Not wanting to waste another minute of the day, and needing to get out of the cramped space, Louisa decided she might as well explore the vessel she would be confined on for the next month. Taking two steps, she reached the wooden door of her room that was fitted somewhat loosely in its frame. As she reached for the doorknob, Louisa caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror hanging off a rusted nail next to the door. Using the sleeve covering her forearm, she went to wipe away the slight sludge that had formed a thin layer over the mirror's surface to reveal a young lady who had changed in the last two weeks.