“I did. I will remember him.”
“So, you saw him shove a paper in her hand and then she stuck it in her pocket?”
“I missed that part. She was turned away from me.”
“Mrs. Young has been very particular in keeping Miss Darcy away from us, Mr. Smith. I do not trust her.” Lydia was scowling again.
“Lydia, my friend, that look could stop a clock. Please desist.” Beth smirked and Lydia’s scowl turned to chagrin. “Besides, you do not trust much of anyone, so that isn’t saying much. John, what do you think.”
“Oh, now I am allowed to think? I thought I was supposed to just look intimidating. Very well, I will begin to think on the subject and get back with you.”
Now it was Beth’s turn to scowl, “You are cleverer than all of us put together. Please look into it and get back with me forthwith! Something does not seem right with that woman.”
“As my lady wishes. Tim and Tyler should be enough to guard you for now. Do you mind if I follow the boy?” Beth shook her head and urged him on. Timothy and Tyler Wainright were the twin footmen that worked for the Darcys.
~~~~~
John did not have to go far. The boy was watching the group of ladies from an alley nearby and did not try to run when John caught up with him.
“Gooday sir! How ken I help ya?”
“I could use some information. I’ll pay you for it.”
“Good thing I ‘ave some for ya then. What ya like ta know?”
“What was in the paper you shoved in the lady’s hand?”
“It were a note to meet a man at the Brass Duck tonight after dark. I be there. Want me ta watch?”
“What does the man look like? Do you know his name?”
“He not be usin’ his real name. He don’ even sign ‘is name. He’s tall, wheat colored hair, kinda prettyish. Dresses like an aristo.”
“If he has you run anymore notes for him, bring it to me first, and I’ll pay you double what he has to let me read it before you deliver it. I’m staying at Rock House on Royal Harbor. You know where that is?”
“Yep, an ta girl is stayin’ at Seaview Cottage up the road. I knows who ya’ll are.”
“Excellent. You do me right, and I’ll make sure you have enough to live on for the rest of the year.”
John handed him a dozen small coins and Tommy’s eyes got huge. “I’m yer man!” Then he ran off at top speed. He’d go to the widow’s house, give her a couple of the coins, and stash his largess in the secret spot he was allowed to keep there. He had almost two pounds saved up for a rainy day. Someday he might have a place of his own. He had plans!
~~~~~
Mrs. Young did not argue with her charge when she asked to spend the night with her friends at Rock House. She would be glad to have her away when she left to meet her friend that night. She would not even need to sneak! She would just tell the housekeeper she was taking something to Miss Darcy and would be back later and not wait up. In her experience, servants ignored what did not concern them. Unfortunately for Mrs. Young, she really did not know much about servants. They had few when she was growing up a poor parson’s daughter. She couldn’t afford any when she wasmarried. The maid she hired when she was treading the boards was an aspiring actress and was too tired all the time to care about Bernice at all. Every other servant she only knew in passing, so she did not realize that servants made their extra money by paying attention. The loyal ones earned extra coin from their masters and mistresses by passing on information about guests or neighbors and staying mum about the family they worked for. The disloyal ones likely made even more by passing information toanyonewho paid for it. The servants at Seaview Cottage were loyal to their owners, and whomever was currently paying the rent. Mrs. Young was just another servant as far as they were concerned, and Colonel Fitzwilliam had asked them to keep a close eye on her.They would confer with the housekeeper at Rock House the next day.
Chapter Nineteen
The Brass Duck was much nicer than that awful pub near the docks. The blonde man was much more comfortable. The food was tolerable. The cliental were well dressed tourists visiting the seaside. The owner only asked a small deposit on his room, and the rest to be settled when he departed. Little did the proprietor realize that the man had no intention of settling his bill when he left. The boy he found to run errands for him was very reliable, and assured him his note had been delivered, now he simply had to wait for Bernice to show up. Soon they would make their move, collect their money, and he would shake her off and disappear. She did not even know his real name. He had originally introduced himself as Henry Blake. No sense in making it easy for her to hunt him down. There was a scratching at the door which he cracked open to look out.
“Henry! It is so good to see you!” Bernice lunged into the room before Henry could even open the door all the way.
“Quiet woman! Do you want the entire Inn to know you’re here?”
Apparently, Mrs. Young did not care, for she grabbed him and gave him a passionate kiss before he was even able to close the door. Henry thought it was better to succumb than anger the woman. She was under the impression, that once this job was done, they would marry. Ha! If he ever did marry, it would be to a young, nubile, innocent heiress. Not a hag like her. She had just been some actress for him to have some fun with. She had been much prettier in her stage makeup. She was also easy to finagle money from. He had told her a sob story about how Darcy had stolen all his money by cheating at cards, and the colonel had helped him. Now she hated both and would help him in his revenge and get the money they both needed. She was really rather stupid, but at least she was a good actress, and had been raised in a genteel home.
Eventually he peeled her off him and they discussed the new plan. “I see no reason why you should have to spend weeks trying to get the mouse to fall in love with you. I can drug her, we can carry her away to Gretna Green, and then we will force her brother to give over her dowry. OR we could just abduct her and ask for ransom. You would not have to marry the chit at all.”
“It would be more satisfying to make her marry over the anvil. Darcy and the colonel would be devastated. Once they hand overher dowry, we can set sail for America, and neither of us will ever have to see any of them again.”
