Chapter 2

two

E DITH, MOTHER, MARIANNE, and Perry walked to the inland port in awkward silence.

Mother stared at Edith as if asking what had happened with the brother of an earl. Marianne shot furtive glances at him, who, oblivious to the tense atmosphere, hummed a tune under his breath. Life had to be cheerful for Lord Peregrine.

The Rosherville Pleasure Gardens were emptying themselves of the crowd of tourists and promenading people, and soon the inland port was full.

“How is His Lordship, my lord?” Mother asked as they waited to embark on Princess Alice .

“Albert is incredibly busy. He spends more time reading documents in his study than sleeping.” He gave Edith a pointed look. “Surely, too much time spent reading and working can’t be good for the soul.”

“I agree with you, my lord,” Mother said. “I always say the same thing to Edith. It’s good to have a dream and work hard to realise it, but everyone needs a respite. Work and leisure time should both be present in the life of a young woman or man.”

Edith would have plenty of time to enjoy herself once she passed the admission test. Well, not likely. If she was admitted to medical school, she’d face years of hard, intense studying, and she wouldn’t complain. She was looking forward to studying hard.

The steamship was so crowded that she had to squeeze herself between Marianne and Perry, and she was scandalously pressed against him. He didn’t seem to mind the closeness, though.

The thick, oily smell of the burnt coal mingled with the putrid one from the Thames. Her stomach churned. If she didn’t find a spot where the breeze blew some fresh air, she’d faint. The Thames was indeed an open sewer, as some physicians claimed.

She made her way through the crowd, wincing as anonymous elbows sank into her stomach or back. Finally, they reached a less crowded spot on the back of the ship, right next to the handrail.

“So many people,” she said, standing next to Perry. His clean pine tree scent was literally a breath of fresh air.

“If we hadn’t wasted an hour searching for Edith, we would have taken the previous and less crowded steamship,” Marianne said.

“I said I was sorry.” Edith jolted as Princess Alice let out a loud whistle before sailing along the river.

“It’s not the first time you’ve vanished,” Marianne said.

“Girls, please.” Mother’s expression turned stern.

Darkness fell quickly, and only the lamps on the ship shed some light around Edith. Not that there was much to see aside from the passengers’ faces and Perry’s elegant profile.

He cleared his throat. “I was wondering if you ladies would enjoy an afternoon stroll to the park next week. Albert and I often promenade in the park in autumn, or used to before he became overwhelmed with work. The colours of the trees are beautiful.”

“Next week I have my admission exam for the London School of Medicine for Women.” Edith patted her precious book.

“When is the test?” he asked.

“On Friday.”

“We’ll take a walk on Saturday. Would you come?”

“Of course she would,” Mother said, touching her arm.

“Edith needs to go outside more and be in contact with nature as I do,” Marianne added unhelpfully. “That was the whole point of today’s trip.”

Edith raised her eyebrows at her sister. “Contact with nature? Your idea of contact with nature is to open the window of the carriage as you go shopping on Oxford Street.”

“To each their own.” Marianne tugged at the velvet ribbon of her hat. “You, on the other hand, spend so much time at home that you don’t even know what Hyde Park looks like in autumn. Besides, you should get ready for your Season.”

The Season. If she passed the test, she wouldn’t have time for a Season.

Perry leant over the rail. A deep frown marred his brow. “We’ve changed course.”

“What?” Edith asked, glad to change the subject.

“I’ve taken Princess Alice a few times, but this is the first time she’s changed course. She should sail on the other side of the river. This is a busy time on the Thames. Changing routes is dangerous.” He bent further over the rail. “Another steamship is coming. I can see her lights. She’s going to hit us.”

Edith wasn’t familiar enough with Perry to understand if he was pulling a prank or not. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, it’s Bywell Castle . She always sails down the river at this time. She’s going to ram into us.” He raised his voice, his chest heaving. “People, everyone, you must abandon ship.”

No one paid him the slightest bit of attention.

“Abandon ship!” he yelled, trying to weave through the crowd, but he didn’t move an inch.

“Stop pushing, lad!” a man complained, shoving Perry in turn.

“You might be mistaken,” Edith said.

Although someone else shouted ‘ abandon ship ’ from somewhere.

He breathed harder. “Too many people, and too little time. Edith, Mrs. Winkworth, Miss Winkworth, listen to me. You must untie your petticoats.”

Edith gasped, Mother touched her neck, and Marianne covered her mouth with a hand.

“Lord Peregrine,” Edith said, her face burning, “please, I beg you, don’t play silly tricks on us.”

He took her shoulders. In the dim light, his sapphire eyes glowed with a maniacal glint.

“I swear on my soul. It’s not a joke. Princess Alice is going to be speared by Bywell Castle in a matter of minutes. We’ll sink faster than you can realise what’s happening, and your heavy petticoats will drag you down into the water. You must get lighter and jump now.”

“My lord,” Mother said. “This is absurd.”

“Trust me, please. Your lives depend on that.” He sounded honest, but that wasn’t the point. He genuinely believed Princess Alice would sink, but he might be wrong. “Look for yourself.”

Without preamble, he took Edith by the waist and moved her closer to the rail.

After the initial shock of being grabbed and dragged, she stared ahead. A large, tall ship with a pointed hull aimed straight at them. The ship’s lights were getting closer. Edith wasn’t an expert in sailing, but even she could tell there was no chance either of the ships could swerve in time.

“Good lord. Perry is right.” She panted. “We’re going to sink.”

“Edith, please,” Mother said.

“He’s right.” Edith unfastened her petticoats or tried to. The book impeded her movements. Dropping it pained her, but she had to. “We’re about to sink,” she yelled. “Abandon ship!”

Her hysterical scream had no effect on the crowd. Someone laughed; the vast majority ignored her.

“The water is a problem.” Perry helped her untie her petticoats with efficiency. “The river has strong currents, and the water is filthy with the streams from the sewers. But we’ll have a chance of surviving. If we stay here, we’ll die.” He yanked her petticoats off.

“What are you doing?” Mother said.

“Mother, please.” Edith’s plea was covered by the shouts and the piercing peal of the sirens, either from Princess Alice or Bywell Castle .

The ship rocked, likely trying to change course at the last moment.

“Jump, jump.” Perry ignored Mother and Marianne’s protests and yanked their petticoats down none too gently, ripping the fabric.

The sirens rang louder. Princess Alice swung hard, causing her passengers to be tossed and jolted.

“Mother, listen to him.” Edith squeezed her mother’s hand and climbed over the rail.

The inky water was a dark abyss, ready to swallow her. She wasn’t sure she could jump. Marianne shook her head, muttering something Edith didn’t understand.

“Go!” Perry shoved Marianne towards the rail right when a thundering, splintering noise boomed.

The ship swayed right and left like a giant crib. Screams filled the night as Edith was pulled and pushed from every side. Marianne cried out next to her. Mother screamed. They jumped, holding each other’s hands. Edith hit the water, and its rotting smell nearly made her pass out.

Then it was chaos.