AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His lordship said nothing to this as he watched her giggle at something Warren Beverly had whispered into her ear. He wondered if she was in love with the rogue, for they looked quite comfortable with one another. The notion burned.
“Look, I will take my chances and have a go at her, if you really need me,” Jasper offered banteringly.
“She won’t have you.” His lordship’s mood turned ugly as he considered Warren Beverly and Miss Moorely.
“Won’t she? Why not?”
“Freddy is a lord, you are only a knight … and your fortune while considerable is nothing compared to Freddy’s or mine,” his lordship answered with an accompanying laugh and then dodged a punch to his shoulder.
At that moment, a young blond man no more than five and twenty came rushing at them. “Oh, you here, Danny? Where did you come from? Where are you staying? You must bring your things in the morning and stay with us. I have some prime blood I want to show you, and a new stud, straight from the colonies. Needs a bit of weight as he lost some on his journey here, but he is sound and … you must come,” Lewis Tucker insisted quite excitedly.
Sir Jasper laughed and said, “You must forgive my brother. He is overly enthusiastic.”
His lordship reached out and clapped Jasper’s youngest brother on the back. “Lewis, it is good to see you. I don’t think I have seen you since your wedding. Where is your bride, by the way?”
His face lit up as he turned and pointed out a pretty little dark-haired girl happily conversing with another group of young women. “Elizabeth will insist you come. You will come, won’t you?”
“We shall see.”
Jasper frowned and said, “Lewis, we can talk about that later. For now, did you find out what all that fuss was about earlier?”
“Aye, and you were right,” Lewis answered portentously. “’Tis no little matter.”
“What then?” Jasper urged him on.
“Well, but, Jasper, you will never credit it,” Lewis answered, his eyes open wide.
“Until I have heard it, I don’t suppose I shall,” replied his brother impatiently.
His lordship laughed and said encouragingly, “Go on then, Lewis, out with it. What fuss? What are you two talking about?”
“The special gold shipment which was meant to go overseas … to Wellington,” whispered Lewis. “It has been stolen. No doubt about it. Spoke to Tuthill before I came here.”
“What?” Sir Jasper took a step and looked over his shoulder. “What the devil are you saying? That is impossible. No one even knew about it.”
“Well, Tut thinks the cargo never made it to the docks. He says even if it did, it never made it onto the ship, though I am inclined to think it never made it to the docks at all,” Lewis said on a hushed note.
“This is damnable business,” Jasper said, pulling at his bottom lip. “How much has already leaked out?”
Lewis nodded. “Here is the thing, Jasper. Tuthill’s guards although sworn to secrecy … well, they may have had loose tongues. That is what I think. They go for a pint to the tavern, and before you know it … they tell a friend … who tells a friend. At any rate, ’tis out and about. A shipment of gold coins meant for Wellington and our troops … gone.” Lewis suddenly stared at his brother accusingly. “Certes! You didn’t come for a visit, did you? You came to oversee that blasted shipment.” Clearly Lewis had taken offense.
“Don’t be absurd,” Jasper said impatiently. “My being here has naught to do with the security of that shipment. That is another department’s mission.” As soon as Jasper said this he went silent and thoughtful.
“Hold up a moment,” his lordship said. “I know something about this particular shipment. I had heard it was supposed to have gone out to Wellington weeks ago.”
“Quite right, Danny. Unfortunately too many of us knew that a decoy had been employed.” He seemed to mull this over. “What this means is that we have a traitor … and a thief amongst our own,” Jasper said grimly.
“Could the traitor actually be someone in your department?” Lewis asked, looking around. “Because … who then would he be working with here?”
“Not necessarily in my department. I worked with the Home Office on this plan, but very few of us knew exactly when the shipment of gold was due to leave. This is a sad day.” He shook his head. “I am afraid I must leave. I should have been kept informed, which is another thing I don’t quite understand. How did the scoundrels pull this off without us knowing? And you are right on the mark, Lewis. If we have a traitor, he must be working with someone in the New Forest. I am … appalled.”
“Aye, this is an ugly business. But tell me, how do these scoundrels expect to spend their ill-gotten gold?”
“I don’t know. That is a good question, and one that leads me to believe that they must be keeping it hidden somewhere nearby,” Jasper said, grimacing. “I had better get word to the Home Office immediately.”
“But wait, Jasper … you will never credit this, but the gossip is that Frederick of Radburn might be able to identify one of the culprits!” Lewis st
uck in.
