Chapter 17: Landfall Part 3

"It is indeed. Call a carriage and we will go and rectify your mistake."

"But... I can't... you can't..." the man stuttered and looked terrified. "It is night, it won't be safe for a Lady to travel up the mountain."

"Do you not have men in your employ who can accompany us and keep us safe?"

"I will arrange it immediately, Lady." He turned and almost ran away down the hall.

Cal picked up her satchel and followed him at a sedate pace.

Her father sat in a chair in the lobby.

"I saw the manager run past yelling for the bellhop to call a carriage and get four men to accompany the lady out. That wouldn't be you?"

"There was a misunderstanding the manager is going to fix."

Sir Shillingsworth nodded.

"I think I shall come with you."

"Thank you, Father. Your support means a great deal to me."

He stood up and put his arm out for Cal.

"If you are going to be a Lady, you must act the part."

Cal put her hand on his arm and they walked to the front of the hotel where a carriage waited. The men who'd carried the water to her room stood at each corner of the carriage. They bowed to her, and Cal smiled to them. The manager came out.

"Please, reconsider." He saw Sir Shillingsworth and bowed his head. "Be careful."

"I think you misunderstood." Cal pushed the burn in her gut down and kept her voice polite. "You will accompany us, explain to Meireka the nature of your mistake and return her money to her."

"As you will, Lady."

Sir Shillingsworth helped Cal into the carriage, then climbed in after her, followed by the manager with a look of misery on his face.

They started off slowly to allow the men to keep pace with the carriage.

"I must say, those clothes suit you, my dear. Not what the fashion is at home, but you could set a trend."

"Thank you, Father. Meireka had them sent up for me." Tears pricked at Cal's eyes. Now they were moving, her anger drained away leaving only sadness for the trouble she'd caused.

"Do you remember, the day when I came home to find you playing with a young boy?"

"Francis, I do indeed. We met on a shopping trip with mother and I invited him back to visit. As I recall we were covered from head to toe in mud from the garden."

"Yes, a most riveting sight. I remember being less than kind to the young man."

"Less than kind? Father, you threatened him with arrest and all kinds of misery. He was terrified. I infuriated you worse, by wrapping my arms around him and defending him. You ran him off anyway. I always wondered what happened to him."

"He is a blacksmith's apprentice. Soon after that incident his family moved across town. It took me months to find him. I had to apologize to his father, then his mother, his brother, his sister and placate the dog before they'd let me speak to him. I think having me apologize for my behaviour scared him worse than my yelling at him in the first place. I invited him to visit, but he wasn't comfortable. I kept track of him and when his father died, I made sure he would learn a trade to support his family. He named his daughter Calliope."

"Poor girl. Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I guess I was too embarrassed, first that I treated your friend so badly, but after a while that I hadn't told you the rest of the story. I went off on one of my voyages and it never came up again."

Cal put her hand on her father's hand.

"Thank you for telling me. It might be silly, but there are still days when I dream about what it would have been like to have a friend of my own like him."

"It isn't silly, it is a sign of your great heart."

Cal giggled. "I can just imagine you facing down the whole family, and a dog?"

"Few things have terrified me more, but it taught me a truly essential lesson. No one is above making mistakes, and no one above the need to apologize."

"I was what, seven or eight? I can't believe you took it so seriously."

"I took it seriously because you were seven or eight. I just wish I'd told you sooner."

"Another lesson learned?" Cal looked over at her father and was shocked to discover his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"All that I am, I've learned from your mother, and now you. She'd be proud of the young lady you've become." He reached over to caress her cheek.

"I thought I told you, I was no lady." Cal put her hand over his.

"Being a lady is about more than manners and a fancy dress."

They rode in silence as the homes on the sides of the street shrank and became more rickety.

"We approach Meireka's home." One of the men called from outside.

"He is Meireka's cousin." The manager spoke from across the carriage. "My name is Señor Amunda Calamphi." He bowed low in his seat. "It is my honour to have shared this ride with two such noble people."

The carriage stopped and Señor Calamphi climbed out, then waited like a footman for Sir Shillingsworth who helped Cal from the carriage.