Chapter 11 – The New Moon at the Half Moon

The Half Moon was a long and low thatched cottage in the centre of the village. The road swept passed and on to London. Jack and Delphine went to the stables at the back of the pub, but no-one was there.
“Wait here. I’ll go inside. If I don’t come out after ten minutes start riding.”
“But where shall I go to?”
“To London. Find your brother.”
Delphine nodded slowly. “But I have no idea how to find him.”
Jack shrugged his shoulders. “I’m sure there must be a way.”
Jack walked back round to the front door and stooping under the low doorway he stepped inside. A blazing fire burned in the fireplace. The two occupants of the chairs by the fire turned and inspected the new entrant. Jack took off his hat and nodded politely. A large busted woman with ginger hair piled high on her head looked enquiringly at Jack.
“Good evening young man. What can I get you?”
Jack came up close to the bar so he could speak without being overheard.
“Um. I’ve come to collect a horse for Robert Goody.”
The woman continued to look at him, but said nothing.
“ A friend of ours left it. A French man – Georges Cadoudal , he should have come yesterday?”
Still silence.
“I’m Jack, Robert’s step-son.”
“I’m sorry I don’t know what you are talking about. “
“My cousin Matthew was supposed to fetch it. But there was a problem last night.”
Jack noticed from the corner of his eye that one of the two men had got up from the fireplace and was coming towards him.
“A problem ye say?” asked the man.
“Yes. Something unexpected come up.”
“What sort of unexpected something?”
This wasn’t working. Jack began to worry that Delphine would panic and leave.
“I’m sorry but, I have someone with me. She’s outside with our horse. Do you mind if I put it in the stable and bring her inside?”
“You’ve left a girl outside in the dark on her own? What kind of gentleman are you?”
“Arthur. Go outside and bring the poor love in. And tell Frankie to clean down the horse.”
“Have you come far?”
“Warblington shore, we left late last night, just after Georges. The girl outside, she’s Georges’ sister, Delphine Cadoudal.”
At last the woman smiled. She lowered her voice a notch.
“Delphine you say? George left a message for her, I was to pass it to Matthew. Let me go get it. I'm Queenie, pleased to meet you Jack. sorry about before, you can't be too careful these days." Her voice rose again. "Sit yourself down by the fire lad. I’m betting your thirsty. Let’s get some ale down you and warm you up.”

Jack sat down and the other occupant of the chairs stood up, tipped his hat and made his way over to the bar. Jack guessed he would be trying to find out who he was. He hoped that the Queenie knew better than to say. A few minutes later Delphine walked into the bar. Jack stood up and she came over towards him.
“I was worried, is everything alright?“ she whispered.
“Yes, I think so. I’m sorry I left you for so long.” Jack lowered his voice and nodded his head towards the bar, “She didn’t believe me.”
Delphine took off her hat and flopped down onto a big red armchair with gold brocade piping. The chair had seen better days, and was overstuffed with horsehair which sprouted from the corners of the cushion. Queenie brought over two foaming flagons of ale, her hefty bosom momentarily hidden from view by the pewter cups. As she put the drinks down, Jack looked up and realised he was staring directly at her breasts and quickly turned his head away. Delphine giggled. Jack’s blushed.
Queenie pulled a letter out from inside her dress, and gave it to Delphine. It was still warm from where it laid against her flesh.
“ Here’s the note your brother left. I promised I'd keep it safe. And trust me there''s noweher safer than these two beauties." She winked at Jack. "I’ll leave you alone for a bit, to read it. It’s too late for you to head back tonight, shall I make up a bed for you both upstairs?”
“Delphine nodded absent mindedly as she opened the sealed envelope, it felt heavy.
“We will need two beds. In separate rooms.” said Jack empahitcally.
“Oh. Right you are.” The woman looked as if she was about to say something more, but then thought better of it, nodded her head and walked away. Fortunately Delphine was too engrossed to have noticed the exchange.
“What does he say?” asked Jack.
“I’ve not finished yet.”
Jack sipped on his beer and waited for Delphine to finish. She put the first page down on the table and continued to read. Jack tried to read the words upside down. But he realised that it was in French so his efforts were pointless and looked around the pub.
The two men who had been there when they arrived were now drinking their beers at the bar. Jack tried to catch their conversation. lt seemed to be mostly about sheep. It definitely wasn’t about dead customs officers. Jack relaxed a little and saw that Delphine had almost finished reading.
“Well?” he asked when she had put the two pages back in their envelope.
“It’s fine.”
“What’s fine?”
Delphine lowered her voice. “ I’ll tell you later.” As she put the envelope down on the table it clinked. “Look after this carefully, Georges has put some money inside for me.”
“Oh.” Jack answered intrigued and a little bit miffed that she knew what was in the letter and he didn’t.
The landlady came back.
“You look a little bit the worse for wear for your journey. I took the liberty of running you a bath.”
Delphine looked at the woman.
“Pardon?”
“I thought you might like a bath?”
“Oh Mais oui. Merci madame. That is most kind of you. I am, as you can see, quite filthy.”
“Come with me, we’ll soon fix you up. You’ll probably want to get out of those clothes too?”
“Oh yes. But how can I? I brought nothing with me.”
Delphine looked at Queenie who smiled back. “Don’t worry I wasn’t offering something of mine. They would never fit a slip of a girl like you. But my brother’s wife should have something that will do for now. I’ll send over to her. “
“Oh that would be so nice. I stink, and I know I stink. I fell in the mud on the shore. The smell of crabs has followed me all the way here.”
“I’ve put the tub in your room. It’s this way.”
Delphine got up and followed Queenie past the bar and through a door at the end of the room. The door opened into a corridor of four doors, two on each side.
“These are the guest rooms. I’ve put you in this one, it’s got a nice view over the garden. I’ve put Jack in there.” She pointed to the room next door. Queenie opened Delphine’s door and inside was an oak carved four poster, hung with white muslin curtains. A large tin bath stood at the foot of the bed. The bath had high sides and was lined with cotton to protect Delpine’s delicate skin from the metal sides.
“This is most kind of you.” Said Delphine.
“This door connects to the room next door, Jack’s room. Should you need it.”
Delphine blushed crimson red. “No, no. This is fine.” Queenie went to leave.
“Please.” said Delphine.
“Yes?”
“Don’ tell Jack the door connects us.”
“Of course not. If you don’t want him to know, I won’t mention it. I’ll be back in while with some clothes. In the meanwhile there’s a robe you can use.” Queenie patted Delphine gently on the arm and left the room shutting the door behind her.
Delphine went over to the bed, on top of the robe lay a bar of soap. She picked up the soap and sniffed it. It smelt of roses. She lent over the bath and tested the temperature of the water and found it to be perfect. She placed the soap on the stool which stood in front of the bath. A jug was already on the stool. Delphine could not wait a moment longer to wash the mud out of her hair. She stepped on to the stool and into bath. She laid down and the warm water enveloped her body. She bent her knees, tipped her head under the water, and ran her hands through her hair, detangling it as best she could with her fingers. It felt good. She sat back up and reached out for the soap. Taking it between her hands she dipped it in the water, rubbed it and created a lather, then she gently soaped her hair a section at a time. She savoured the clean scent of the soap and the warmth of the water. She was not going to rush this, it felt so good to be out of those dirty clothes at last.

Back in the bar Jack was looking at the envelope that Delphine had left on the table. He knew that he would have time to read it and she would never know that he had opened it. But the temptation was tempered by the knowledge that he would probably only understand a few words. He would have to wait till delphine was ready to reveal the contents. Jack finished his ale and went to the bar. Queenie came out of the kitchen with a plate of peese pudding a lamb chop. Jack’s eyes widened, his mouth salivating.
“You hungry dearie?”
If the hours of being in the open air had sharpened his appetite, the beer that was in his belly had finished the job. He was ravenously hungry.
“Am I hungry? I’m starving!” Jack said.
“Well get your teeth into that love.”
Jack hesitated. “Queenie?”
“Yes dearie?”
“I don’t have any money to pay you.”
“Don’t you worry about that. Mr Georges was very generous while he was here. Gave me a gold guinea for his room and supper and when I said I couldn’t change it, he said not to worry. What was left over’ll more than cover the two of you for a night.”
Jack relaxed. “In that case. I’d love some.”
Quenie handed over the plate. “Another beer?”
“Why not!” said Jack.