He stood. “I must return to London now.”
Alice stood and slipped her hand about his waist. “So soon?”
He stroked her hair. “I’m sorry, but I have certain matters that need handling.”
“Promise me none of these matters is Mr. Carson,” she whispered.
He shook his head. “I will only act if the law will not, or if he presents a clear threat to you or your mother’s safety.”
She leaned her head against his chest. “I love you with all my heart.”
To hear her words spoken with such heartfelt conviction gave him a spiritual reawakening. He now understood the meaning of being blessed.
Chapter 15
When Claire Hamilton swept into the breakfast room, her bright and happy smile faded as her eyes settled on Jacko.
He and Alice were feeding each other bites of food while her mother sat across the table reading the paper. He noticed the princess had turned into a statue, but he didn’t let it bother him. Better than fainting.
Alice clearly took offense and glared at Claire like a mother cat ready to attack. Her grip on her butter knife worried him. His fingers caressed her wrist and teased the knife from her tight grasp.
When her attention returned to him, he pulled her hand to his lips. The angry fire in her eyes changed to one of hunger and the tightness in her lips disappeared, leaving a lush soft mouth he wished to devour.
“Prepare a plate and sit down, Claire,” Mrs. Collins chided.
Claire’s gaze flittered between Jacko and Alice and then to Mrs. Collins before she finally took her seat. Her servant, standing at the door, prepared a plate and brought it to her.
She poked the egg once with her fork and shook her head ever so slightly. The fellow removed the plate and carried it to the kitchen.
Mrs. Collins sighed in exasperation and looked to Jacko. “Since you need to hurry back to London, perhaps you could be so good as to ensure Claire’s safe return? I would be forever grateful.”
Jacko suspected the gratitude would be for getting Claire out of her house, rather than seeing to the royal miss’s safety. However, it would enable him to leave without a horse, which was preferable since he wished to purchase one in London. “It will be my pleasure.”
Claire stared at Mrs. Collin’s with rounded eyes. “Can you not provide someone more presentable? I would not feel safe in his presence.”
Alice’s mouth fell open, and her eyes narrowed in fury. Fortunately, Mrs. Collins spoke before his beloved could gather her words.
“Claire, if I searched the entire world, I could not find a better escort to ensure your safety. You should be grateful, and if that is beyond you, then minimally, you should be courteous. Now if you will consume your breakfast and allow your servant to pack your belongings, I believe you can be on the road within the hour.”
Claire blinked several times and then stood. “This breakfast does not suit me. I will assist my servant and we can be ready in a half hour.” She then turned and left the room with the regality of a queen.
Mrs. Collins’ hand clamped down on Jacko’s arm. “Thank you, for rescuing me, yet, a second time.”
***
Claire followed behind the servants carrying her three trunks and five hatboxes from the house. She paused before Mrs. Collins, who gathered with Alice and Jacko by the carriage, and extended her hand. “If you are ever able to return to London, you will be most welcomed at my house and treated like royalty.”
She frowned at Jacko then focused on Alice. “I wish we had spent more time together, but sadly that was not to be. I feel as I barely got to see you at all.” She sighed heavily and pouted. “Will you not hug me so we may part as friends?”
Jacko admired Alice’s kindness as she took the horrid young lady into a warm and genuine embrace.
Having said her goodbyes, Claire, with head held high, walked to the carriage and with the assistance of her manservant, climbed inside and sat by the window. Then he climbed in and sat on the bench facing her.
She looked out the window. Her eyes settled on Jacko. “If you must accompany us, then ride with the driver. I would not feel comfortable having you in the carriage.”
Jacko chuckled. As if he would trap himself inside a carriage with such an unpleasant termagant.
Alice tensed at Miss Hamilton’s comment, but he distracted her by pulling into his arms and kissing her. Her mouth opened to him as her body pressed against his. God, he loved her honesty! She never lied about her feelings, even when doing so went against propriety.
“Are you coming or not?” Claire snapped.
With reluctance, he released his beloved. “I will return as soon as I can.”
Alice met his eyes. “Be safe.”
That was his intention, if he could find out who wished him dead.
Leaving the driver to his task, Jack climbed onto the top luggage carrier and found space between two trunks to sleep. His shuffling caused Miss Hamilton to thump on the ceiling and demand quiet.
God, how could he think so well of one Hamilton and so little of the other? He recalled all the times Vic yelled at him. Was it just the visage of masculinity that altered his reaction to the complaints? Truthfully, Vic snapped and barked almost as much as Xavier, yet never once had he taken offense. But when a beautifully dressed woman did the same, he thought less of her for it.
He sighed at the unfairness of his actions. He should treat people the same, no matter how they dress. He rolled over and she thumped the ceiling again. He growled. Maybe if the chit in the carriage had ever done one admirable thing in her bloody life, he could find more tolerance for her ill-natured behavior.
He managed, despite the hard bed and bumpy road, to steal a few hours of sleep before they arrived in London.
Upon reaching the Hamilton’s home, Jacko left without a word to the miss or her servant. He had a long list of things to do.
He flagged a cab and went to his boarding room. L’il Pete sat on the floor by his door, chewing his thumbnail.
“That’s a bad habit,” Jacko warned as he frowned at the white gashes of shattered wood framing his door. Someone had broken into his room.
L’il Pete jumped up and beamed with joy. “You’re alive then!”
Jacko nudged the door open as he pulled both his guns. “Stay back.”
“They left when they couldn’t find you.”
“Stay out here,” Jacko said more firmly. He checked his rooms, despite L’il Pete’s assurances. Such caution had saved his life on several occasions.
Once he was certain his rooms held no dangers, he returned to the hall.
“Can you describe the men?”
L’il Pete tilted his head and squinted as he gave the matter consideration. “Let’s see…Swank Drake is tall and thin with weasel eyes and dirt colored hair. Bob the Fob is short, round and smells worse than the Thames.”
Jacko laughed softly. God, he liked this boy and not just for his colorful words. The fellow knew the local thugs and assassins by name. “Good descriptions on both of them. Did they see you?”
L’il Pete jutted out his chest. “I’m alive, ain’t I?”
Jacko ruffled his curly locks. “I’m glad to see you are. Any messages while I was gone?”
L’il Pete nodded. “Copper Jim gave me a message yesterday afternoon, but it weren’t on paper. He just said you needed to watch your back. I went to your office and waited ‘til six but when you didn’t show up, I came back here, worried you’d come home and think I weren’t on the job.”
Jacko appreciated the boy’s dedication. “Keep up that attitude and I’ll have to give you a raise.”
L’il Pete pushed his hands in his pockets and rocked backed and forth as he continued his report. “When I come back, I saw the weasel and pig running up the steps, so I stayed out of sight. But I was afraid you might be inside and they’d surprise you, so I blew my copper’s whistle.” His hands escaped his pockets to aid his story. “You shoulda seen ‘em. The
weasel in the lead with those long legs flapping out to the sides, and the pig falling behind, grunting with every step.” He then sobered. “I was worried when you didn’t come home. I feared they’d found you somewhere else.”
Jacko noticed the boy’s fatigue now that the excitement of discovering his employer remained alive had passed. “You stayed here all night?”
The boy nodded. “I had to shoo several thieves away too.”
Jacko sighed in disappointment. Damn, but the boy just lied to him. Pete was only four foot tall. He couldn’t scare a flea.
He knelt down so he could look in the boy’s eyes. “And how’d you do that?”
The boy thumped his head and smiled. “I told ‘em you were inside sleeping and you were a light sleeper. That was enough to scare off all but Elwood. He still planned to go in, so I told him to hold on while I stepped away, since I didn’t want to be shot by accident. When he saw me run down the hall, he had mostly lost his nerve. Then when I blew me whistle his ma came out and yelled at him to get in bed and he ran like a rabbit.”
Jacko was pleased, not just at the boy’s cleverness, but because he hadn’t lied. His hand affectionately squeezed the boy’s shoulder. “I doubt Copper Jim tipped you for delivering his message.”
The boy shrugged. “I didn’t ‘spect no blunt.”
Jacko pulled out a five-pound note and gave it to the boy.
The boy’s eyes rounded as he stared at the note. “Blimey, but you’re a nice boss.” He then smiled. “I bet my mum won’t even scold me for staying out all night when I give her this.”
“Would it help if I spoke to your mother?”
L’il Pete’s smile disappeared and he shook his head with great rapidity.
“All right then. I’ll leave your mum to you.”
“She’s not mean. She’s just worried I’ll grow up bad.”
While Jacko never held much hope for any boy growing up in the docks, if anyone could break through and become a good man, his money was on this boy. “I understand. Tell you what. You can go home now and set things right with your mum. Meet me at my office at four this afternoon.”
The boy nodded and hurried off.
Jacko changed into his other suit, gathered his few belongings and tossed them into his bag. He then located the landlady. She was angry as a wet cat about the damage to his door until he gave her two pounds. “I’m also moving out. Keep the money I paid in advance.”
Her anger switched to anxious horror. “You’re leaving? Why? You’re my best boarder. Pay in advance and never come home drunk. Don’t pay no mind to my scolding. I wasn’t upset at you. I fretted for your safety. I just yell when I’m worried, that’s all.”
Jacko smiled. “You were mad about the door, and you had every right to be. I was leaving today regardless. It’s been a pleasure boarding with you, Mrs. Lovett.” He ignored her continued pleas and left the building at a brisk pace. He walked three blocks before he slowed and caught a carriage.
His first stop was his tailor’s. “Make me whatever the hell a country gentleman requires.”
The tailor frowned. “Sir, that is a massive undertaking. You are talking about evening wear, dinner wear, hunting wear, riding wear, afternoon wear, outerwear, sleeping wear—”
“Enough!” Jacko laid a hundred pound note on the counter. “Begin with whatever I require for my wedding.”
The tailor’s mood improved as he picked up the bill. “Your wedding? How wonderful. Will this be a formal occasion?”
“I’ve no idea.”
The tailor frowned. “Well, do you know where the wedding will occur?”
Jacko shook his head.
The tailor eyebrows formed a deep V. “Perhaps when you do know, you could send me a message three months in advance.”
Jacko snorted. “Three months? I expect this wedding to happen sooner than that. Can’t you just make me a nice suit without knowing all the details?”
“Good heavens, no! I would be ruined if I cut you a garden suit when you were getting married in the Church of England.”
“Assume it will be in the country, at the local church.”
The tailor nodded. “I can begin with that assumption, and when you know more details we can make adjustments.”
Jacko left the shop shaking his head. Why was buying clothes such a production?
His next stop was Anderston’s stables where he explained he wished to purchase a horse.
Old man Anderston eyed his fine suit and then his long hair. Poor man didn’t seem to know what to make of Jacko. “How much blunt you got?”
Jacko shrugged. “Enough to buy a horse.”
The man snorted and led him to the back of the barn. “Got three you might like.” He pointed out an old mare with a deep sagging back, a young brown gelding, and a grey mare with infected eyes.
Jacko shook his head and turned to leave.
“Hold on. Where you going?”
“To Haggerty’s to buy a decent horse.”
“Nothing wrong with the gelding.”
“Not if I have a year to let the poor fellow grow up.”
Just then, a stable boy let out a string of curses as he leapt away from the last stall. “Damn horse bit me again!”
Jacko focused on the black stallion, tossing his head in defiance at the boy. “What about that one?”
The man paused and then smiled. “I see you’ve an eye for quality horse flesh. I hadn’t planned to sell him, but if the price is right, I might be able to part with him.”
Jacko walked closer to the horse. “What’s his name?”
“Wicked,” the stable boy replied as the old man said, “Willow.”
The horse’s head turned and his teeth snapped at the old man.
The man stepped back. “The horse has a strong character. Think your man enough to handle him?”
Jacko chuckled. “I think we’d get along. I’ll give you a hundred pounds.”
“For this fine horse? Two hundred.” The old man attempted to stroke the horse’s neck and received a hard bite on his arm.
“Ninety.”
“Make it a hundred and I’ll go write the bill of sale.”
“Throw in a new saddle and gear and it’s a deal.”
The man sighed heavily and waddled out of the barn.
The stable boy shook his head. “You ain’t going to like your horse.”
Jacko moved closer to Wicked. He liked Wicked’s fiery eyes. “He seems to have a lot of character.”
“All bad,” the boy muttered.
Jacko couldn’t fault a horse for wishing to bite on occasion. If he had to live in this dark dreary place, he’d be ill tempered, as well.
The old man returned with a saddle and the bill of sale. “I like a man who knows his horse flesh, so I’m giving you the best gear I have.”
Jacko studied the saddle. It was good quality. The man must really want to get rid of the horse. The moment he handed over his hundred pounds the man handed him the paper. “The creature is yours now and don’t bother trying to bring him back here.” The man rubbed his arm where Wicked bit him. “I wouldn’t take him back if you paid me.”
The moment Jacko attempted to put a bit in his mouth, Wicked tried to nip him. With lightening reflexes, he secured the horse’s upper lip and pinched hard. “Do not bite me.” For a long minute, they glared at one another as he held tight to the horse’s lip. Finally, Wicked blinked. He released the horse and tried again to bridle him. This time the horse cooperated and received a pat on his neck.
***
When Jacko entered the jeweler’ shop, the man glanced up and smiled until he recognized the pirate beneath the gentleman’s suit. He tilted to one side as if his right arm had grown heavy and was pulling him over.
Certain the fellow reached for a gun, Jacko opened his jacket so Paddles could see he was well armed. “I come as a customer, so let’s leave the guns idle, shall we?”
Paddles straightened up. “Watcha want?”
“A wedding ring. The best you have.”
“A wedding ring? You?” he said, blinking several times.
Jacko leaned on the counter. “The best you got.”
“You got money, or is this a polite robbery?”
Reaching in his pocket, Jacko produced a roll of notes. “The best you have.”
The jeweler still did not move. “I don’t trust you. Go shop somewhere else.”
“I considered that. There are hundreds of jewelers in the fancy parts of town who would love my business.”
“If you actually intended to pay for the ring they would.” Paddles snorted and stepped back. “If you planned to rob them however, Scotland Yard would come after you. Whereas, the police don’t give a rat’s ass about the merchants down here.”
“All true, but not my motivation for coming here.”
Paddles glared at him. “And what would that be?”
Jacko leaned in further. “I want the best. And to my eye, your cuts and designs are far better than those fops in their fancy shops.” Jacko laid out two thousand pounds and slid it across the counter. “Good faith money. You can put it in your safe while you show me your best work.”
Paddles stared at the money and then Jacko.
Jacko sighed. “Have you ever heard me accused of stealing from an honest shopkeeper?”
“What about Sammy Caldwell, the apothecary?”
The muscles in Jacko’s face twitched in anger. Sammy Caldwell had some nerve blackening his name. “What did he say I stole?”
Paddles shifted a bit. “He never said, but the string of curses after your name led me to guess it was something big.”
“Well, if I told you what went on between Sammy and me, then he could accuse me of stealing his good name.” Jacko thumped the counter in agitation. “Which he doesn’t deserve. I’ll tell you why we are at odds, but this stays between us.” Once the man nodded his head, Jacko spoke. “Sammy’s drugs are all fillers that do nothing. That’s why he’s cheaper than the other shops. I caught him at it and threatened to tell his customers unless he changed his ways. I send a shill in to buy something every week, just to make sure he keeps his word.”
A Right to Love: Romantic Spinoff From The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Book 2.5 Page 16
