The Lady and the Highwayman

by Sarah M. Eden

  “He knows how fortunate he is to have clawed his way out of the too-often-inescapable pit of poverty and ignorance. He also knows that plenty of others worked as hard at it as he did but didn’t have his good fortune.”

  “He is a good man.” She spoke as much to herself as to him.

  “If we could find the sweep, Fletcher would be a less grumpy man, which a number of us would appreciate.”

  “I don’t know that I would be of much help,” she said, “but if I hear of anything, I will be sure to let either you or he know.”

  He offered his gratitude, then asked, “Would you like to share a hackney? I am certain you would appreciate being out of the rain as much as I would.”

  Sharing a hackney would also save them money, something they could both appreciate. Their conversation was enjoyable and unremarkable, a pleasant way to pass the time until she was deposited at Thurloe School. Mr. Darby utterly refused to allow her to contribute to the cost of hiring the hack.

  “Should you receive an invitation to take supper with us sometime here at the school, I hope you will accept,” she said. “Especially considering I am not fighting you on the matter of our ‘shared’ hackney.”

  He blushed a little—actually blushed. “Will Miss Newport be present for this hypothetical supper?”

  That was a decidedly interesting question. “I cannot imagine she wouldn’t be.”

  He simply nodded, color deepening. Elizabeth rather liked that a man of the world like Mr. Darby blushed as unabashedly as he did. She liked even more that he seemed to be fond of Ana, though when or how they’d met, she didn’t know.

  She stepped through the front door in time to see Fanny, Janey’s sister, stepping from the parlor, carrying the ash bucket and fireplace brush. Her apron was covered with more soot than normal for a routine fireplace cleaning.

  Janey met her eye and immediately grew concerned. “I were careful with the ashes, Miss Black. I really were. But that fire smokes something awful, and even a little swipe sends soot down the chimney.”

  The chimneys had been a headache for months. She’d been meaning to have them swept but had been overwhelmingly busy. Things were looking better now.

  “I understand,” she assured the girl. “In fact, I’m planning to have all the chimneys swept. That will help make your work less messy.”

  “I’d be ever so happy ’bout that, miss.”

  She nodded and kindly dismissed the girl to go about the rest of her work. Hire a sweep, she silently added to her list of tasks. No sooner had the words echoed in her thoughts than she realized the unexpected position that placed her in.

  Hire a sweep.

  Fletcher and the other “Dreadfuls,” as he’d once called them, were attempting to find a sweep. And she needed one.

  Here was her chance to help.

  Elizabeth suspected she would soon be declared the most finicky hirer of chimney sweeps in all of London. She’d sent Mrs. Hale out to spread word amongst the working people in the area that the school was in need of having all its chimneys swept. Setting that particular cheese in her hypothetical trap had brought a great many applicants to Thurloe. But none of them had brought along the young boy she’d once seen in the stables near Mr. Hogg’s school—the one now missing and believed to have been abducted by his former master.

  The strategy had seemed so inspired. She’d wanted to help the Dreadfuls in whatever way she was able. What if she wasn’t really able? What if boring, unadventurous, toe-the-line Elizabeth was the only person she would ever be?

  The housekeeper poked her head inside Elizabeth’s office for the eighth time. “Another sweep, miss.”

  She nodded and crossed to the corridor leading to the kitchen, where she had met with each of the previous applicants. Her heart resided firmly in her shoes. Having her hopes crushed seven times in a row had taken its toll.

  She did need to have the chimneys swept. Perhaps she should simply hire this latest applicant and admit her plan had been ill-conceived.

  Mrs. Hale motioned in the most recent applicant. Elizabeth looked to the door as a surprisingly clean sweep stepped inside. The rotund man’s brows sat in a scowl, though his mouth pulled in an appropriately deferential smile.

  His climbing boy entered behind him. Elizabeth knew the little one on sight: the child Fletcher was searching for. His face bore bruises. His lip was split. He stood with shoulders hunched, not looking at anyone. Elizabeth pushed down her anger at the obvious beatings the boy had endured and addressed the sweep.

  “You are here to inquire after the sweeping job?” she asked.

  “Yes’m.” He stood with hat in hand. The humble mien didn’t fit him.

  She asked his price, then made a lower counteroffer. They bartered back and forth a few times. She kept a subtle eye on the quaking boy. How was she to sneak him away?

  Having finally settled on a price, Mr. Allen, as she’d discovered he was called, pushed the boy into the parlor with more force than was necessary.

  “Pick up your feet, Daniel,” Mr. Allen snapped.

  Elizabeth watched through the open doorway. Mr. Allen kept a close eye on his apprentice. Getting the boy away would be difficult, impossible once he was made to climb up the chimney. She would have very little time to rescue him, and doing so would be dangerous.

  From the corner of her eye, Elizabeth caught a glimpse of Janey slipping from one room to another on the first-floor landing. She took the stairs quickly, catching Janey in an empty classroom.

  “I need your help with something,” Elizabeth said. “It is extremely important and must be kept secret and, in the interest of being fully honest, it entails a certain amount of risk.”

  Far from worried, Janey looked excited.

  “There’s a sweep here cleaning the chimneys. His climbing boy is the one who was abducted from the stables at a school—”

  “The boy Mr. Walker’s been scouting for?” Janey’s eyes pulled wide.

  “The very one,” she said. “I intend to slip him out of the parlor while his master isn’t looking. You must be ready to run with him, straight to Mr. Walker, if you can manage it. If not, then at least somewhere safe until you can get word to him. Can you do that?”

  “Gladly, Miss Black.”

  Beneath her relief, Elizabeth’s heart pounded. This was necessary. Needed. And dangerous. Not only would Mr. Allen be angry and, quite possibly dangerous, if he discovered her efforts, her questionable activities would not do her reputation one bit of good. But she had no intention of not doing all she could to save the boy. His life was of far greater importance.

  “Wait at the door at the very back of the kitchen corridor. You can slip out unseen that way.”

  Janey didn’t hesitate. They moved quickly down to the main floor. Janey turned at the base of the stairs, heading directly for the spot where Elizabeth meant to send little Daniel if she could only manage to secret him away.

  She moved to the parlor. Mr. Allen was spreading thick cloths around the floor in front of the fireplace and barking orders at Daniel to carefully cover the nearby furniture. Elizabeth called on years of cloaking herself in authority and stepped inside the room.

  “I am expecting visitors in an hour’s time.” She spoke firmly but not unkindly. “Do you believe you can be finished with this room by then?”

  He reclaimed his submissive air. “Yes’m. I’ll make certain of it.”

  She nodded. “After this one, I would like you to see to the chimneys in the classrooms on the first floor. The students should be finished with their lessons by then.”

  He gave a quick dip of his head. Darting his eyes toward Daniel, he grumbled, “Don’t dawdle, boy.”

  Daniel jumped at the sound of his master’s voice. Every rigid line of his posture spoke of terror.

  She had to find a way to get Mr. Allen to turn his back so s
he could get the boy away from him.

  “The furniture in this room is of particular worth to me,” she said. “May I ask that you cover a bit more of it? I know that even the most skilled and careful of sweeps can be undermined by a desperately sooty chimney.”

  Though the sweep allowed a flash of annoyance, he masked it quickly. “I’ll see to it, but you did want this done quickly.”

  “Cannot the boy, here, cover the furniture while you prepare your brushes or whatever it is you need to do in preparation?” She made the suggestion offhand as she moved almost indifferently toward the door.

  “You heard the mistress,” Mr. Allen said to Daniel. “Cover more of the furniture.”

  Elizabeth reached the doorway and spotted Ana. She waved Ana over. In a whisper, she said, “Will you step in the parlor on some pretense and make no notice of what I’m doing?”

  To Ana’s credit, though she was clearly confused, she agreed.

  As Ana moved past her, Elizabeth spoke in a voice just loud enough to be overheard by the sweep. “Miss Newport, will you come speak with me when you have a moment? I will be in my office.”

  “Of course, Miss Black.” She moved to the basket of mending kept under the far window as if searching for a bit of sewing.

  Elizabeth slipped out of the doorway but paused just out of sight. Here was the opportunity, if only she could manage to seize it. She spun about and peeked through the open door, attempting to catch Daniel’s eye without drawing his master’s notice. While the man laid out his brushes, the boy obediently covered furniture.

  Finally, Daniel glanced in her direction. With a finger pressed to her lips, she motioned him toward her. He hesitated. She waved with greater urgency.

  He looked at his master and then, mouth drawn and eyes wide, moved in her direction. She caught Ana’s eye and motioned with her head toward Mr. Allen. “Distract him,” she mouthed. She needed to repeat it once more before the message was received.

  Ana stepped nearer the fireplace. “This fire smokes something awful. Are you able to address that while you’re here?”

  “Depends on what’s causing the smoking.”

  Ana had placed herself where Mr. Allen could look at her as they spoke but without either distracting him from his work or requiring him to turn his head in Elizabeth’s direction. As the man explained to Ana what sweeping might or might not do to improve the fireplace’s function, Elizabeth took a silent, deep breath, and leaped feet first.

  She took Daniel’s hand as he reached her and tugged him gently into the entryway and out of view. “Mr. Walker has been searching for you, dear,” she whispered.

  His eyes lit at her mention of Fletcher.

  “Miss Newport will hold Mr. Allen’s attention. I have another of Mr. Walker’s children here at the school—she’ll show you her penny if that’ll set your mind at ease. She’ll take you to him, and he’ll keep you safe.”

  Tears formed in the corners of his eyes but didn’t fall. He had grown very still, clearly torn between hope and fear.

  “You must go quickly,” she said, pulling him toward the corridor where Janey waited. “We will do all we can to keep Mr. Allen occupied for as long as possible.”

  His little shoulders squared. He nodded.

  Janey was waiting by the kitchen door. She had a long black cloak in her hand, her own gray coat already on. When Daniel reached her side, she set the cloak around him.

  “Hood up, ducky. Then no one seein’ you will recognize you if that monster of a man gives ’em a description.”

  He looked back at Elizabeth. Though he didn’t speak, she knew the question she saw in his eyes. “Janey won’t let anything happen to you. Miss Newport and I will keep Mr. Allen distracted. Mr. Walker will make certain you are safe. Be brave, sweetheart. This is your chance to be free.”

  Janey gave him a little nudge. He found his courage. They were gone swiftly and without a backward glance.

  Elizabeth hurried to her office, slipping in without, she hoped, drawing any notice from those still in the parlor. She quickly took her seat at the desk and attempted to calm her breathing and pulse. Cool and collected, she told herself. Once Mr. Allen realized his climbing boy was missing, she needed to give every impression of being both surprised and ignorant of the matter.

  She pulled out her ledgers and half-heartedly began checking them, all the while listening for sounds of anger in the parlor.

  She didn’t have to wait long.

  A raised male voice reverberated a few times, growing louder and more distinct with each shout. After a time, she recognized Daniel’s name.

  He knew.

  Elizabeth uttered a silent prayer even as she desperately pushed down her rising panic. This simply had to work.

  Ana appeared in the doorway a moment later. She held up well, but Elizabeth could see her concern. “Miss Black, the sweep’s little climbing boy is not to be found. Have you seen him?”

  “He’s not in the parlor?” She filled her voice with surprise, as one would when pondering an unexpected question. She hoped it was convincing.

  “No, ma’am.”

  From just out of sight, but clearly very nearby, Mr. Allen said. “Let me talk to ’er.”

  “The sweep wishes to ask you directly.” Ana’s pointed glance told her she would send the man packing if Elizabeth wished. Ana was sweet-natured and often soft-spoken, but she possessed a spine of pure steel when needed.

  “Please allow him in,” Elizabeth said. She rose as Mr. Allen entered. “Miss Newport tells me your climbing boy is not in the parlor. Would you like me to ask the housekeeper or our chambermaid to make a search of the school? I would guess he is simply preparing a different room to be swept. I did, after all, tell you I wished for great care in protecting the furniture.”

  “He ain’t that hardworking.” Mr. Allen’s tendency to skip over consonants when he spoke made his words difficult to decipher at times. She managed, though. “I think he’s run off.”

  “I certainly hope not.” Elizabeth moved to the bellpull and gave it a firm tug. “Servants miss nothing.” She hoped hers was an amusedly knowing look. “I’ll ask them.”

  Mrs. Hale appeared a few moments later. “Yes, miss?”

  “Have you happened to see the little climbing boy who came with this man to sweep the chimneys? He seems to have wandered off.” She kept her tone casual while still making certain she seemed interested in reuniting him with his captive.

  “No, miss. He ain’t been to the kitchens, and I didn’t see him wandering about the back garden neither. I was out there not too long ago.”

  Elizabeth hummed in thought. “Is Fanny about?” She looked at Mr. Allen. “Fanny is one of our chambermaids.”

  “She’s on the second floor, Miss Black, seeing to the windows.”

  Elizabeth nodded. “We could ask her, but I suspect the boy didn’t go that far. And Janey”—she looked to the sweep once more—“she is the other chambermaid—hasn’t yet returned from market. I sent her to fetch a few things.”

  “I want the boy back,” the sweep growled.

  Elizabeth took a moment to breathe, though she kept her expression empathetic. His anger, she hoped, stemmed from frustration and not suspicion. “Mrs. Hale, will you ask Fanny to check the rooms above for the little boy? And then will you check the rooms below stairs?”

  “Of course, Miss Black.” She dipped a curtsey and slipped from the room.

  “The boy is likely simply lost in the school,” Elizabeth assured Mr. Allen. “The corridors are a little rambling. I’m certain Mrs. Hale or Fanny will find him shortly.”

  He huffed from the room. Elizabeth followed after him, afraid he meant to storm through the school himself. She had no desire to subject her students to this man. To her relief, he returned to the parlor. She stopped in the entryway and took a few calming breaths.
>
  “May I know what is happening?” Ana asked her in a low voice.

  “The little climbing boy was abducted by this man a few days ago. Those looking for him have been unable to locate him.”

  Ana pressed a hand over her heart. “Oh, mercy.”

  “Janey is taking him to someone who will keep him safe.”

  Ana closed her eyes, relief on her face. It was so very like her to be filled with compassion for someone she didn’t know.

  “We have to continue to play the role of innocents in all this, though. If that man should suspect, I worry what he might do to us or the school.” She set her chin. “I won’t allow him to hurt anyone here, but neither could I allow him to continue hurting that boy.”

  Ana looked momentarily shocked. “When did you grow so bold?”

  “I suspect I’ve always been bold underneath it all. I’ve simply never allowed myself to let that part of me escape its shackles.”

  Her eyes twinkled. “There seem to be a great many escapes today.”

  “Long overdue ones.” Elizabeth motioned up the stairs. “Keep watch over the students but be subtle about it. There is no need to alarm them.”

  “I will.”

  Elizabeth returned to her office and resumed the motions of work. She needed to work on her next Mr. King offering, but she hadn’t the focus for it. Across the entryway was a man she knew to be dangerous, one she had justifiably wronged. She would have to be very, very careful.

  The housekeeper came to report that neither she nor Fanny had seen neither hide nor hair of “the little climbing boy.” Elizabeth had known that would be the result of their search, but she did her best to give the appearance of disappointment and growing worry.

  She returned to the parlor, keeping the mien of worry firmly in place. “We have searched the school and have found no sign of your apprentice.”

  The lines of Mr. Allen’s face deepened. “He’s run off, then. Run off, and me wasting my time letting women look about.”

  “Would you like me to send the maid to Bow Street?”