Page 67 of Valour

Hester dropped the mangled feather and gripped Charlotte’s hand on her shoulder. “It’s not that I want to keep it from them. Or deceive them. I don’t want to lose them.”

“I won’t tell a soul.” So many things were rattling through her mind. Thunderstorms when Hester was angry, how there was always the right amount of wind, the storm that only hit the Intrepid in the Atlantic Ocean. The snaps of static in Ernie’s office when she had fought with Septimus.

Hester’s face broke into a tentative smile. “Thank you. Our secret?”

Well, it was a little thrilling to share such a secret, like a bond was forged between the two of them. Charlotte smiled. “Our secret. Although…I don’t think you’d lose anyone if you did want to tell them.”

“Why risk it?” Hester yawned. “I think I am just about done with this day. Sorry if I gave you a fright. Goodnight, my friend.”

Charlotte lay back down on her pillow, listening to the grinding of the ice against the ship and replaying every moment since she’d met Hester Orn. “Goodnight.”

22

IN WHICH THERE IS A THIRD HOLE IN THE ICE

30th September 1915, Weddell Sea

The night watch was in full swing. Charlotte shuffled her chair closer to the stove, where she sat with Rufus, Valerie and Arnold around the stove. Rufus had eaten most of the biscuits already. And they weren’t the dainty sugar dusted biscuits her mother would serve to guests at high tea, but enormous, savoury things that almost cracked your teeth.

“I don’t know where you put them all, Rufus. Eight was a little excessive, don’t you think? I’m surprised you have any teeth left,” Charlotte said, laughing.

“I’d eat another eight, easy,” he said, rubbing his stomach.

Valerie dunked half a biscuit into her warmed milk, the clumps of powder still floating around on the surface. “I’ve found ten seconds is perfect, if you wish to keep your teeth intact.”

Rufus sat forwards. “I found the limit to be sixteen. Then they fall into your drink and make a sort of grainy slurry at the bottom.”

“Of course you would have found the limit,” Valerie said, raising an eyebrow.

Rufus smiled, smug as a cat. “You can all thank me for my extensive experimentation efforts when you don’t have grainy slurry tea.”

Charlotte stood, Marjorie winding between her legs, ears pricked in anticipation of the night-time walk to inspect the ice. Charlotte, however, hated going out to patrol the ship after they had found that second hole three months ago. But needs must. “I shall leave you to your squabbles, children.” She pulled on her mittens and dragged her fur-lined coat on. “See you in half an hour.”

Arnold stood up. “I just need to grab my hat. Give me two minutes.”

“Alright. I’ll meet you down there.” Charlotte left the room, heading through the corridors and up the companionway steps, wrapping her scarf over her mouth and nose, pulling her hat low over her ears. The wind blew strongly from the east, finding its way inside her clothing until she banished it by tucking her underlayers in more firmly.

“Come along, Marjorie. Let’s get this done quickly and then we can be back in the warmth again.” And the safety.

Together, they descended the ramp onto the ice. Charlotte strapped into her skis and Marjorie trotted ahead towards Dog Town, her tail high in the bitter night air. “Wait up, girl. We need to wait for Arnold. No going out alone, remember?”

Snow began to drift down. The wind picked up and blew strands of hair from her braid. With some difficulty in the mittens, she tucked the braid inside her coat and stamped her feet against the cold.

The dogs began howling, their breath misting from them like steam from the kettle. It couldn’t hurt to go and say hello while she waited for Arnold. Why, they’d wake the crew up if they carried on with that racket. She set off down the rows of dogloos, patting each dog on the head as she went. “Hello Sailor. My, your spire looks magnificent this evening. And how do you do, Romeo, you keep your paws off my Marjorie, won’t you?” She passed down the line with a little greeting for each dog.

The wind whipped the loose snow and ice around, making it difficult to see. “Goodness. It wasn’t this windy earlier, girl.” She looked towards the ship. What was taking Arnold so long? He’d probably misplaced his hat again. He was always losing things.

A volley of high-pitched yips and the thud of paws came from behind, and then a black shape sped past. “Sooty?” Marjorie chased off after the black whirl. “Wait! Marjorie!” But the two dogs had vanished into the growing blizzard. Charlotte skied after them, calling their names. White swirled all around, the cold creeping more thoroughly into her clothing. Silly dogs, what did they think they were doing? Sooty was normally so good. What could have scared her off like that?

“Sooty! Marjorie!” But her words were swallowed by the wind, which was now howling. She stopped, unsure of what to do. She was terrified of being out on her own. But would the dogs find their way back if she didn’t go after them? It seemed unlikely in this weather. But if she carried on, would she find her way back? Or would they find her clothing in a pile by a hole in the ice come morning? Oh, if only Arnold hadn’t taken so long! She closed her eyes. No, she couldn’t think like that. She didn’t need a man to help her get the dogs back. She could do it. And besides, it was only men who had been taken so far. She would surely be fine. She clutched her ski poles and set off after the dogs again.

“Marjorie!” she shouted, skiing faster. “I have chicken! Tasty chicken.” It was a lie. She had no chicken, but Marjorie would have to forgive her. She could almost see her unimpressed face.

Tears threatened, but she reined them in. They would only freeze.

And then the awful thoughts started. What if Sooty and Marjorie were lost forever? Marjorie, her one link left with Ernie, her faithful friend. She still remembered the day he’d brought her home, after she had asked for a little lapdog. But he was so besotted with the gambolling ball of fluff that she couldn’t bear to tell him a malamute wasn’t exactly what she’d envisaged.

Charlotte stopped again, biting back a sob. There was still no sign of the dogs. How long had she skied for? And which way was the Valour? She could see nothing in the snow.