Their first night at the whaling-station was blissful. They shared a beautiful room in Solle’s house with four beds, warm and soft. They were so comfortable that they were unable to sleep. Late at night a steward brought them tea and cakes, and they lay in bed, revelling in the luxury of it all. Outside a dense snow storm, which started two hours after they arrived and lasted until the following day, was swirling and driving upon the mountain slopes. They were thankful that they’d made it to a place of safety, for they might not have survived out on the mountains that night. Deep snow lay everywhere when they got up the next morning.
After breakfast Solle took them round to Husnik in a small cutter. When they reached Husnik that Fyrday morning they were warmly greeted by the magistrate and the other members of the little community. Moored in the harbour was one of the largest of the whalers, the Northern Lights, owned by a Laudanese company but now laid up for the winter. Captain Blake, an old friend of Gudge, happened to be in Husnik with his ship, the Narwhal, loading oil, and he at once volunteered to take them wherever they needed to go. There is a brotherhood and sisterhood of the sea—those who go to sea in ships, serving and suffering, living in the wind and the ocean, bring into their own horizons the perils and troubles of their brothers and sisters. They started work that day to prepare and stow the ship. Within a couple of days the Narwhal would be ready to sail.
The others landed on the Fyrday afternoon. They were already showing signs of increasing strength under a regime of warm quarters and abundant food. Bill looked woefully thin after he’d emerged from a bath. He must’ve worn a lot of clothes when he landed from the boat, and Gudge didn’t realise how much he had wasted till he saw him washed and changed. The strain had told upon him more than on the rest of them.
The rescue had come just in time.
Gudge and Dee carried the large crate into the hold and stacked it with the others. When they emerged onto the deck of the Narwhal, the sun was setting. The others were taking the final loads down. Their muscles ached with the satisfaction of a job well done.
“That’s us done,” Gudge said. “And still some daylight.” The two of them leant against the gunwales, watching the seal swim past, the ships at rest in the harbour. It was hard to believe that mere days before they had been at the limits of endurance, and that soon they’d be on their way. The Narwhal was a fine ship with an excellent crew. They were in good hands.
“Where are we going?” Dee asked.
“Kersnik. A fishing village north of the Grout. We have friends there. That’s where she’ll expect to find us.”
“Are we going to find them?”
“I don’t know. She wouldn’t have sent us off unless things were looking grim. She’s rarely wrong.”
A few seabirds landed on one of other ships, squabbling over something. One of them took off, and the others made chase.
“You did well on the crossing,” Gudge said. “The others listen to you, you know.”
Dee shifted, suddenly awkward. “Oh I dunno.”
“They do. They all do. And with good reason. You listen too.”
Dee looked down at the water. “Thank you,” she said after a moment.
Gudge patted her on the back. “Let’s get some food.”
They all served themselves dinner in the community mess hall. Dinner was an enormous squid soup, bubbling in a large vat, and bread. They ladled out the soup and sat down together at the long tables, tearing off hunks of the crusty bread piled up in baskets, liberally slathering them with butter, and dipping them in the hot soup.
“Oh my god, this is delicious!” Penny exclaimed.
Anastasia sipped her bowl. “Mmm, so garlicky.”
“What’s that spice?”
“Yeah, I don’t know. It’s kind of peppery but—”
“I think it might be nimjin?”
“It’s quite mild though. Almost sweet, but still with a real bite.”
“Maybe it’s a different variety? I don’t know. Anyway, so moreish.”
“I know, right? So meaty.”
When they’d finished eating, they all sat there satiated, clean, enjoying the warmth of the hall. Mole and Song got everyone a cup of tea. It was nice to be back together again.
Next episode: Gudge