Mariah Mundi and the Ship of Fools Read Online Free Page A

the Sudan,’ Mariah replied.
    ‘And you, Captain Jack – how are you?’ Tharakan asked as if he had not heard or wanted to hear what Mariah had said.
    ‘Well, very well,’ Charity replied as his hand squeezed Mariah’s shoulder.
    ‘I hear that you have already met Madame Zane. She told me that you had helped them on the train whilst young Lorenzo had his accident.’ Tharakan’s dark eyes flashed about the room as if he searched for someone.
    ‘Did she mention me by name?’ Charity asked.
    ‘As if she has known you for a lifetime. But then again, once you have met Captain Jack Charity then he is never forgotten – eh, Mariah, do you agree with that?’
    Mariah smiled as he examined the buttons on Tharakan’s deep blue uniform with interest. Each one looked as if it had been carved from the pearled shell of a deep-sea creature. Engraved within each pearl was the three-bladed spear.
    Tharakan was even taller than Charity. Mariah thought his eyes, suspended in deep brown circles of wrinkled skin, seemed lifeless. His long dark beard, flecked with blades of grey, hung down to his chest. It made him look like an ancient god of the sea.
    ‘When do we go to our rooms?’ Mariah asked.
    ‘Rooms?’ snorted Captain Tharakan. ‘There is not a single room on the ship – every guest has a suite and nothing finerwill you ever find in the whole world. Not even in Claridges Hotel. Ah,’ Tharakan snorted as he finally saw who he had been looking for. ‘Lorenzo Zane … I must speak with him. Come to the bridge at midnight – you will be surprised by what you see. And bring Mariah.’
    Captain Tharakan walked off without saying goodbye. Mariah watched as he took Zane by the arm and led him away deep in conversation.
    ‘He mentioned Claridges Hotel. Does he know about Room 13?’ he asked anxiously.
    ‘Even if he does then it will be of no consequence. Room 13 at Claridges Hotel doesn’t exist. It is a code for the headquarters of the Bureau of Antiquities, not the place itself.’ Charity didn’t continue because there, coming towards them, picking her way through the hundreds of people in the room, was Madame Zane. As she walked through the crowd of eager sojourners every head turned to look at her.
    ‘She’s coming to talk to you,’ Mariah muttered under his breath, as a small waiter with a scar across his cheek attempted to force him to eat what looked like the squashed remains of a dead crab.
    ‘And we cannot escape.’ Charity grimaced through gritted teeth.
    ‘Captain Charity, I feel I must again try to give you my thanks,’ she said politely as she held out her hand.
    ‘No need – it was Mariah who was of greatest help,’ he replied.
    ‘And so like young Lorenzo – they could be mistaken for brothers,’ she said. She turned to watch as the last bars of gold were placed on the catafalque and covered in a gigantic glass case. ‘We will have to stare at all that gold for the next five days.’
    ‘A fortune for all to see,’ Mariah said.
    ‘Yet so ugly,’ she replied. ‘I feel I have met you before, Captain Charity – do you remember where?’
    Mariah noticed that Charity appeared to be embarrassed. He coughed and covered his face with his hand as if to wipe his brow.
    ‘I can’t say I do. But then I meet so many people. Perhaps you have been a guest at my hotel, the Prince Regent? Do you know of it?’ he asked.
    ‘A friend of my husband stayed there recently, an American … Dedalus Zogel – do you know him?’ she asked.
    ‘We met,’ he said politely.
    ‘I quite forgot,’ she said, interrupting Charity. ‘I have taken the liberty of bringing you a gift. I know it is something quite small but in terms of my thanks for helping me on the train it is just a token. I hope you both like it.’
    Madame Zane reached into her purse and brought out a small wooden box. It was covered in thick black lacquer that made it shine like a mirror. Madame Zane held it in the palm of her hand like a dark