| Chapter Eleven - A warning |
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I was tempted to squeeze the trigger at that point of course, the hastily repaired door would have offered limited resistance to the
lead shot. With growing anticipation I pulled the door towards me whilst still concealing my weapon behind it, not quite sure if I was
ready to use it. My eyes searched the darkened corridor, expecting to gaze into the eyes of an aggressor but found only the shadow of
my candlelit form against the adjacent wall. Nothing... Except that is, for a small bundle of official looking papers placed upon the
floor tied with string. As I bent to retrieve them I noticed a small, weathered piece of parchment tucked into them. I returned to my
room, locking the door behind me and sat at the desk with my newly acquired bedtime reading. I cut the string with a bone handled
envelope knife that lay on the slightly battered desk at which I now sat at. It seemed that the door was not the only furnishing to have
disagreed with the previous occupant, I mused. I laid the papers out before me. The initial set of sheets I perused seemed to be an
incomplete set of accounts and then shipping notes relating to goods from india. They did not make happy reading, a gradually
increasing debt with an unfortunate series of lost shipments failing to arrive from various ports. It was at this point that I
recognised a number of the details as relating to my father's business and they hinted at the figure I would need to provide to secure
my family's release. My anger rising, I plunged the knife I still held deep into the desk, causing it shift slightly.
My attention was then captured by the small note floating side to side in a feather-like motion before gently alighting on the floor. In my eagerness to read the offical documents, I had overlooked it. It was a hastily written missive in an untidy hand, the forming of the letters almost childlike. The author either had little experience with the pen or it had been written whilst in motion. I still have it to this day, it read: "William, You do not know me but I am well acquainted with your circumstances. You are embroiled in a scheme of which you know little but I plan to enlighten you. To tell all now would put you in danger, so I will give you further details when it is safe to do so. To assure you my intentions are honourable, I leave details of your father's accounts which I have acquired at considerable risk to my own safety. Study them closely and you will observe that all is not as it seems. Finally, be wary of your companion, Captain Sadeian. He is not who he seems and cannot be trusted - he is using you to his own ends and values you not. If you doubt my words then I entreat you to look into his past deeds and find the proof therein. Yours earnestly, M." I quietly placed it atop the jumble of papers before me, my eyes not focusing on the pale faced, agonised visage of my reflection staring back at me from the mirror facing me. My head was spinning with a maelstrom of unanswered questions and suspicions as I struggled to order my thoughts. The words I had just read poured water on the seeds of doubt I already had in my mind regarding the Captain and they began to sprout deeper roots as a result. I desperately wanted to disregard the words but found I could not, I had to find what the captain was about and as soon as possible. The turmoil I felt abruptly drained me of my remaining reserves of energy. Recognising this, I resolved to sleep on the problem and consider my options in the morning. I snuffed out my candle and retired to my bed for what was a most unsettled night. |
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