Paddles’ jaws tensed as he studied an ugly infection on his arm.
Throwing up his hands, Jacko stared at the ceiling. “I give up. I’ll go to France to buy my ring.”
He grabbed his two thousand pounds and headed to the door.
“Wait!” Paddles said. “I’ll get the rings.”
Jacko returned to the counter. He had expected the man to demand the money as security, but he was already gone. A few minutes later, the jeweler returned with a small box. He placed a square of blue velvet on the counter and laid out three rings: a large single diamond, a swirl of rubies and diamonds, and a large pearl.
Jacko picked up the flashy red one first.
“That’s a four carat setting—half in diamonds, half in rubies.”
Jacko liked how Paddles had intertwined the two colors. Reminded him of lovers in bed.
“This one.”
“That’s my favorite as well.” He took the ring from Jacko and smiled wistfully. “I should ask two-fifty for it, but I’ll give it to you for two hundred.”
Jacko handed him two hundred and fifty pounds. “I don’t want you telling people I robbed you.”
Paddles took the money. “I’m sorry about that. You shouldn’t worry about ruining Sammy’s good name. He certainly hasn’t hesitated to ruin yours.”
Jacko placed the ring in his pocket. “Yes, but I’m a better man than he is.”
He left the shop and watched a pack of boys trying to snare Wicked’s bridle. One yelped when he receive a painful bite for his efforts.
“Good boy, Wicked. Bite the scamp’s nose off next time.”
The boys ran away and Wicked whinnied what sounded like horse curses at their backs.
He patted the horse’s neck before he mounted. Noting it was almost four, he hurried to the New Royal Exchange.
L’il Pete sat by his door, his head and arms drooping over his knees, looking as if he’d lost his best friend.
Jacko unlocked the door and nodded for the boy to enter.
Once inside, he knelt down so he could talk face to face with his young employee. “What’s wrong?”
Tears formed in the boy’s eyes and his lips quivered. “Me ma says I can’t work for you no more.”
“Did she say why?”
L’il Pete nodded but said nothing.
“And what was her reason?”
The boy looked away. “I don’t wanna tell ya.”
Jacko touched his arm. “Well, I need to know.”
L’il Pete scuffed the floor with his shoe. “She says something ain’t right for you to pay me so much for so little.”
Jacko sighed. “I see. I paid you too much, did I?”
“I guess so.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out twenty-five pounds. “I have to give it back.”
“Now that’s not fair. You earned the money fair and square. In fact, you helped save a man’s life.”
The boy looked up in shook. “For real?”
Jacko nodded. “Yes, and I need to go see him. Would you like to meet the man you saved?
The boy stood up straight and nodded with vigor.
When they approached Wicked, Jacko picked up L’il Pete and held him before his horse. “Don’t bite this boy. He’s got character.”
Wicked snorted and tossed his head, but he didn’t nip when Pete petted his nose.
Jacko mounted and then reached down and helped the boy up.
The boy laughed as they left the barn. “This is the funnest thing I’ve ever done.”
All the way to Xavier’s tenement, L’il Pete called out to other street boys so they could see him on the horse.
When the boy saw the King’s Men, he pointed at them. “Soldiers! Ain’t they grand?”
Jacko passed through the line of soldiers guarding Xavier’s temporary quarters. Pulling the horse to a halt at the boarding room entrance, he helped Pete down and then dismounted his horse. One of the Royal Rifles came to take the steed. “Just leave him be. He bites.”
To prove this, Wicked nipped at the man.
“I don’t bite.” L’il Pete held out his hand. “Will you shake my hand, sir?”
The soldier smiled and shook his hand.
Jacko led the excited boy upstairs. Pete remained happy until he spotted Tubs. Upon sight of the ugly giant, the boy froze.
“He won’t harm you.” Jacko nudged him along. By the way Pete clung to his leg, the boy didn’t believe that to be true.
“Where’s Vic?” he asked Tubs.
“Home getting a bath.” Tubs focused on the boy and frowned.
Jacko opened the door to Xavier’s room and his heart stopped. The bed was empty. Damn it, he should have never trusted Tubs!
“The boss is in the other room now,” Tubs said.
Jacko rushed to the other door and relaxed when he opened it to Xavier scolding the doctor. He had no trouble getting Pete inside. The boy was so anxious to get away from Tubs that he hit the door full force, knocking it out of Jacko’s hand. When it slammed against the wall both Xavier and Dr. Connor looked at him as if he were mad.
Jacko shrugged and closed the door, while Pete stepped toward Xavier. “Hello. I’m L’il Pete and I helped save you.”
Xavier tilted his head and studied the boy. “Did you, now? And what did you do?”
“I saw the men carry you west from Dragon’s Cloud.” He scrunched his face and scratched his head. “Not sure how that helped, but Jacko says it did. So it must be true.” The boy leaned in and whispered. “He don’t approve of lying, you see.”
Xavier glanced at Jacko and chuckled. “No, he doesn’t. We have that in common.”
Pete’s hand flew out excitedly and waved about the air. “Jeepers, but you look like that famous man…the one that’s so smart.”
Xavier’s smile turned cautious. “My name is Xavier Thorn.”
Jacko hoped the boy wasn’t going to ruin his fine first impression by calling Xavier ‘Sherlock Holmes’.
The boy’s eyes rounded. “That’s him! My mum says you’re the smartest man in the whole world.”
“God help us,” Dr. Connors muttered.
Jacko laughed and turned it into a cough when Xavier arched his brow in his direction. “Thought I’d let you two talk a minute while I have a word with Tubs. Has Vic mentioned the giant is on your staff?”
Xavier nodded. “I hired him when I woke.”
Jacko was shocked Xavier would engage a notorious murderer. But given Xavier was in such an obliging mood, he hoped L’il Pete could charm himself a respectable job, as well.
He quietly stepped out to make use of Xavier’s new employee.
The giant sat on a thick wooden bench cleaning his nails with a knife.
“I need a favor.”
Tubs tilted his head and waited.
“Someone is trying to kill me.” He relayed his near-death shooting and the weasel and pig who showed up at his boarding house.
Tubs nodded. “I’ll take care of it.”
“I just want you to find out who hired them.”
“I can do that.”
“Thanks. I know I was against you at first, but I’ve changed my mind. I think your addition to the staff is a good thing.”
Tubs smiled his gruesome gates of hell grimace. “I appreciate that. But just so you know, I didn’t blame you for wanting to kill me at first. You were right to feel that way. I’m a dangerous man.”
Jacko had never heard anyone say those words with such humility before. Tubs wasn’t bragging; he was stating the God’s truth. “You are, and I like you much better now that you’re a dangerous friend.”
Tubs made a deep hoofing noise, which Jacko assumed was his laugh. His noise abruptly stopped and the giant locked eyes with Jacko. “You could do me a favor in return.”
“Name it.”
“That boy you brought in. I was told to get rid of him twice for watching Dragon’s Cloud, but somehow he escaped both times. Lucky little fellow. But if he keeps being nosy,
his luck is going to run out. He needs a better job, something that ain’t got nothing to do with the London docks.
“I had hired him to sit at my boarding room and bring me messages, but evidently I paid him too much and his ma made him quit. I’m hoping Xavier will take a liking to him and give him a job more acceptable to his mother.”
“Her boy was one step from certain death. Why would she object to a cushy, safe and well-paying job working for you?”
Jacko shrugged and held up his hands. “Reputations are hard to earn and even harder to lose.”
Tubs considered his statement for a moment and then nodded in agreement. “And not very fair. All I’m known for is my ability to murder a man with one hand, but I’m a highly skilled person. And until I met Victor, I didn’t think anyone in the world could see that.” He smiled his gruesome gate of hell again. “Turns out Mr. Thorn knew it too.”
“And me. You and I faced off four years ago. I’d just come off the sea and I didn’t think anyone could best me with a knife.”
Tubs’ eyes narrowed as if he was trying to recall the moment. Finally, the gaping black hole of a smile spread across his face. “The pirate! Damn you were good. We must have fought a solid four hours before calling it a tie.”
Jacko recalled that fight going on longer than that. “I’d never lost a fight before.”
“Me neither. And I didn’t then. We tied.”
Jacko smiled at Tub’s professional pride. Hopefully, the skilled giant would be able to find out who wanted to kill one gypsy pirate. “I’m going to get married soon and I’d like to clear up this problem that someone has with me breathing. So let me know when you find out who it is.”
Tubs stood, towering over Jacko with his seven feet of height. “Married! Well, that’s nice. Let me shake your hand.”
Jacko worried Tubs might crush his bones, but he extended his hand. To his surprise, Tub’s grip was firm, but painless.
The giant heaved a happy sigh. “I’ll take care of that business right now.”
Jacko returned to Xavier’s room and found L’il Pete sitting on the bed beside Xavier telling him of his scary escape from Tubs.
Jacko didn’t want the boy getting too confident about his ability to escape dangerous thugs. Xavier evidently had the same concern. “I can see you have courage, but a great man needs to use his brains, as well. You should have never taken that job, and the reason you got away from Tubs is not because you were smarter or faster than the giant. I happen to know he is deadly fast.”
Pete tilted his head in confusion. “Then why’d I get away?”
“Because Tubs hates killing little boys. So he moved fast enough that anyone watching would think he was trying, but not so fast that you couldn’t escape.”
L’il Pete shook his head in disagreement.
Jacko spoke up. “It’s true, Pete. I was just talking to Tubs. I had a favor I wanted him to do for me, and in return, he asked me to get you a better job. He said he’d been ordered twice to kill you. He was worried the next man sent wouldn’t have a problem killing little boys.”
Pete looked up with a grin. “Does that mean Sonny Tubs likes me?”
Jacko nodded. “I have no idea how a person couldn’t like you.”
Xavier studied Jacko. “Why don’t you hire the boy to take your messages?”
The boy sighed heavily. “He did, but me mum don’t trust the job and says I have to quit.”
“Evidently, I paid him too much, although to be fair, twenty pounds of his money was for the information about you.”
“Bloody Hell! First, you charge Victor ten pounds for a map I drew and then give this boy a mere twenty pounds to lurk in Ransom’s alley?”
Pete waved his hands frantically in an attempt to calm Xavier. “He didn’t pay me to be there. I was there watching vendors when I saw you. I’d heard about the reward and sought him out. While he said it didn’t warrant the grand prize, it got me a great job and twenty pounds.”
Xavier frowned. “I wish to speak to your mother. She is being entirely foolish in this matter.”
Jacko stepped forward. “Before you do, I should tell you that I’m getting married and have given up the boarding house.”
Xavier’s eyes rounded in shock. “Married. How long have I been asleep? Wasn’t it just a month ago that you swore you’d lost all interest in women?”
Jacko wished Xavier’s memory wasn’t quite so good. “I had, until I met the perfect lady for me.”
“Can she handle a knife?”
He nodded.
“Is she passionate and not afraid to admit it?
“Shamelessly so.” Jacko smiled in memory of their goodbye kiss.
“Ah, then she is not a lady….”
His smile disappeared. “She is a very grand lady, and I will kill any man who says otherwise.”
Xavier ignored his threat, but frowned as he rubbed his chin. “Does she know of your past?”
“She does.”
“Is she better than your Lady Anne?”
Jacko stared up at the ceiling and chuckled. “So much so, that I feel foolish for my maudlin behavior in your office.”
“And where did you meet her?”
“At her estate when I delivered her mother from Bedlam.”
Xavier barked a sharp laugh. “Well, the ladies do love a hero. But that would mean you’ve known her less than a week.”
Jacko nodded.
Xavier’s eyebrows rose in challenge. “And you are already planning a wedding?”
“Delay is for the uncertain. I knew the moment I met her. She is my destiny.”
“Ah, the woman of your tarot cards.”
Jacko nodded. “I know you do not believe…”
Xavier held up his hand. “In general, no. But I believe your mother possessed true skill, which she evidently gave to you.” He smiled. “I am glad you have found your partner in life.” His eyes then narrowed and his brow furrowed with worry. “I need a promise from you.”
Jack trusted Xavier enough to respond, “Name it.”
Xavier met his eyes. “Before you deal with your soon-to-be-stepfather, allow the law to try its hand. Vic suggested a clever option of trying him for attempted murder and murder together, so the jury can comprehend the only reason he didn’t kill a lady of high standing was due to the ineptitude of the assassin.”
“And the small fact that she was no longer there,” Jacko added.
“Yes, well, I think they’ll downplay the timing of her departure from Bedlam, so the jury stays on point.”
Jacko cleared his throat and let his eyes flicker to L’il Pete. This wasn’t a conversation the boy needed to hear.
As if reading his mind, Xavier focused on their audience. “Pete. I want you to hurry home and bring your mother to see me. Now, before it gets dark.”
Once the boy was gone from the room, Xavier spoke. “I know you must want revenge, Jacko, but Stone is no fool. If you marry the daughter, and Carson dies, he will focus on you from the start. I realize a man who imprisons his wife in Bedlam for being the soul of the suffragettes has probably done far worse to the women in private. However, if you are hung for his murder, then in the end he will still win.”
Jacko hated to admit it, but Xavier was correct. If he was hung for killing Carson, Alice would be denied the happy life she so deserved.
“I will let the law stumble its way to justice. However, if the man threatens either of the ladies, I will protect them.”
The scowl on Xavier indicated he was not exactly pleased with the caveat, but his mentor knew better than to argue. Instead, he changed the topic. “Now what favor have you asked of my new employee?”
Jacko explained the situation and Xavier nodded. “I’m very glad you went to Tubs rather than Vic. This is just the sort of investigation he can do with efficiency and skill.”
Jacko frowned. “I just asked him to find out who wants me dead.”
Xavier smiled. “And his response.”
“He said he’d take care of it right away.”
“Excellent. Then perhaps you should return to Litchfield estate.” Xavier frowned at some inner thought. “Does this mean you will not be available for assistance when I have future need of your skills? I mean Tubs can cover some items, but he could never get a person out of Bedlam.”
Jacko laughed at the idea of Tubs crawling up a slender rope and into the rafters. Even if the giant could get into the opening, his weight would probably bring down the entire ceiling. “No, he couldn’t. Alice understands that my London affairs may require me to be gone, sometimes for days.”
“And she does not mind?”
“To be honest, she was pleased. She enjoys running the estate and if I was about all the time, the locals would demand she hand over the reins.”
Xavier smiled. “This does indeed sound like a perfect match for you. Your tarot cards have chosen well.”
Chapter 16
Jacko left Xavier before Pete could return with his mother. He thought matters would go better if pirates were not in the room. Besides, he wished to be at Litchfield in his beloved’s arms.
Even the four-hour ride on a strong horse seemed unbearably long to him. He spent the hours thinking of every single moment he had spent with her and smiled at the memory of her wishing to make love in the master’s suite. What she didn’t realize was her distress while speaking of her past had called forth three of her ancestors who showed no inclination to leave until Jacko covered her ears and asked for some privacy.
While he still couldn’t be certain they had left, at least he could no longer see them. That her ancestors approved of him was a great relief. Otherwise, they could have made his life miserable, at least until he banished them. However, he didn’t want to take that path. Even though Alice would have never known of their presence or their banishment, his actions would have become a dark secret between them.
The spirits’ equanimity at having their future generations tainted with gypsy blood surprised him. Even his confessions of murder and piracy hadn’t disturbed them. He wondered if the dead could actually see into a man’s soul. Perhaps he looked better than his past implied. Otherwise, how could Alice have fallen in love with him so fast and hard?
He smiled at the thought of his beautiful and strong lady. His future had never looked brighter.
A Right to Love: Romantic Spinoff From The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Book 2.5 Page 17
