Chapter Thirty-Five
Freddie stood outside the house in Newport Street and waited.He had left a note there earlier that morning that he wished to see Will Saunders.He was continually being reminded as to how much he had previously relied upon the use of servants in the day-to-day running of his life.
When he checked his pocket watch for the fourth time and saw it was close to eleven o’clock, he opened the front gate and headed up to the door.A sprightly, old butler answered and after Freddie had shown him his card, he ushered him into an elegant drawing room on the second floor.
“I shall let Mr.Saunders know you have arrived,” he said.
Freddie was busy examining an odd collection of glass eyes when he heard the door to the drawing room open.He put down a large, red eye and turned to see Will Saunders enter the room.
“Good morning, Will.I hope I am not disturbing you at this hour.”Freddie held out his hand and was relieved when Will took it.
Will looked to the bowl of glass eyes and raised an eyebrow.“I hope you are planning on stealing a few of those.I promise I will make every effort to forget how many of them are in that bowl.They belong to Hattie’s father.This is his house.We are renting it while he is in Africa.The man has terrible taste in decorating,” said Will.
Freddie’s gaze fell on the elegant chairs that sat about the room.There was nothing terrible about them.They spoke of a keen sense of taste and wealth.
“Those are mine.I brought them back with me from France,” said Will.
Freddie felt sick.While playing the Rude Rules with Eve he had made fun of Will and his time in France.“I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am for all the foolish things I said to you.How I could have dared to mock you when you had served our country so bravely.”
He had a good many other people in London and at home to apologize to, but it felt right to attempt to make amends with Will Saunders.Freddie held him in high regard.Many other men of London high society would not permit their wives to work with the downtrodden, indigent population of the slums.Will was a special breed of man.The fact he was Eve’s brother added a special significance to their relationship.
The butler who had answered the door entered the room carrying a tray with a teapot and cups balanced somewhat precariously upon it.Will walked over and took the tray.
“Thank you, Mr.Little.I shall take it from here”.Will placed the tray on a nearby coffee table and offered Freddie a seat.“I expect you miss having servants.I must admit the first time I had to light a fire it took me over an hour.”
Freddie raised an eyebrow.It had never occurred to him that anyone else in his acquaintance would have had to do the domestic chores he was currently undertaking.
Will looked up from pouring the tea.“I was supposed to be a lowly shipping clerk during my time in Paris.I couldn’t exactly maintain a house, let alone a retinue of servants.I was a bachelor for the first few months I was in France.But enough about me.What can I do for you?”
Freddie sat forward on the finely handcrafted French chair and clasped his hands.He had practiced his speech for the best part of the previous evening, but when it came time to make his case, he feared his nerves would fail him.He cleared his throat.“Have you ever heard of the Bachelor Board?”
Will fixed him with a steely glare.“I had heard rumors of it when I was a young man, but never paid much attention.I was busy with other matters.Why?”
“Eve and I were playing in a series of challenges in order for me to gain entry to the board.Though, at the time we were playing, she did not know the true purpose of the game.She simply thought it was a silly game and that we were having a spot of fun.”
“Go on,” replied Will.
“I won the right to join the Bachelor Board.But with my father having cut me off after I had jilted Eve, I couldn’t stump up the blunt for my membership.That’s when Osmont Firebrace made me an offer to rent my body out to other members of the board.Before I had a chance to refuse him, he drugged me.I expect it was in order to rape me and then force me into doing his bidding in exchange for keeping silent.Fortunately, I was able to escape his office before the drugs took a complete hold.”Hot tears came to his eyes.He had buried the memory of that afternoon deep in his mind, refusing to allow it to resurface.He knew, however, that if he was to get Will’s support, he would have to tell him the truth.
Will sat silent, watching him, then rose from his chair and headed over to a small cabinet.When he returned, he was bearing a large glass near filled to the brim with whisky.
“Forget the tea.Get this down you.I promise to send you home in my carriage,” he said.
“Thank you.”
The hour that followed was the longest and hardest of Freddie’s life.By the end of it, Will Saunders knew the whole sordid story.When Freddie finished relating the events at Rosemount Abbey, he sat with his head bowed.He had never felt so ashamed of himself in his life.His father had been right; he had brought disgrace on their family.
“Well that explains the outrageously stupid name you gave your dog.I am sure he is grateful you decided to give him something more suitable.Which now brings me to the question of what you wantmeto do to about Osmont Firebrace?”said Will.
“I need to do something about Firebrace and his friends.You are the one person who I feel I can come to for advice,” replied Freddie.
Will sat back in his chair and looked at Freddie over his steepled fingers.The room was so quiet, Freddie could have sworn he could hear Will’s brain as it churned over the ugly revelations.
“Tell me this: are you doing this out of some sense of civic duty or is it purely revenge?”asked Will.
Freddie considered the question for a moment.He hadn’t expected such a forthright discussion, and now he was silently kicking himself for having underestimated Will.He was a spy, you bloody fool.
“To be honest, there is a little revenge included in the piece.The game cost me the love of a wonderful, spirited girl.And yes, I was the one who made the choice between Eve and the board—that failure is completely my own.But the members of the Bachelor Board are predators who prey on the insecurities of younger sons.I was a fool to be blind to their real motives.I also have no doubt that if Lord Godwin’s family had not stepped in, the board would have offered him a seat and he would be caught up in their web.These men have to be stopped.I just don’t know how.Eve suggested I speak to you.”
