He paused and his eyes narrowed. “Search the cargo.”
The canvas was removed to reveal my traveling trunks, a few kegs of produce, and half a dozen crates filled with what appeared to be foodstuffs. The weight of all of it combined could not have accounted for the depth the boat sat down in the water. One glance at the customs official’s face told me he had also noted this discrepancy.
“You and you.” He pointed to Rory and Dibs. “Move those crates.”
The two men grumbled, but did as they were instructed. The official had them rotate the cargo about the hold, as if searching for something. But Rory’s and Dibs’s movements seemed odd. Rather than shift the barrels and trunks in a logical manner to maintain an even weight distribution, they kept leaving cargo over a portion of decking near the right back corner.
The official was not a stupid man. He noticed this, too, and sent one of his men down to inspect that piece of flooring. It didn’t take long for him to locate a pair of loose boards cut into the deck. He pulled the planks up and reached inside.
I gasped as he opened his hand to reveal a pile of gold coins. They glimmered in the morning sun.
“’Tis a false bottom,” the man called up to his officer. “There’s more than two dozen sacks o’ these guineas down here.”
I turned to Jack, searching his face for the answers to the dozens of questions forming in my mind. The sale or transport of gold out of the country was illegal. It had been for years. Even I knew that. And they were planning to transport all of this to France? I was too shocked to even speak.
However, the customs official was not. “Seize the boat, and detain everyone aboard.” His gaze swung to me, but I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Whether I would be given special consideration or be lumped in with the other smugglers remained to be seen.
Chapter 34
U
pon our arrival at the Customs House, the men were herded down a dank flight of stairs while I was taken to a small, windowless room above. I wasn’t certain whether the officer was showing me consideration as a lady, or if he had witnessed Dibs’ attempt to kill me and was worried someone would try again, and this time succeed before he got his answers. Either way, I was grateful to be segregated from the men. Their animosity had been unsettling enough on the short trip here, the hatred burning in their eyes burrowing into my skin. Only Jack seemed undaunted by our situation. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was already familiar with being detained by customs officials, or if he knew something the rest of us didn’t.
The room was empty save for two lit wall sconces, a small table, and an exceedingly hard ladder-back chair. Or at least it felt so after sitting on it for hours while I waited for someone to question me. At first, I’d welcomed the reprieve to gather my thoughts and organize my words so that I might explain myself in the best way possible. But as the minutes stretched into hours, I started to grow uneasy. Why had no one returned?
I rose from my chair to pace the room, even trying the door to confirm it truly was locked. It seemed morning had turned into afternoon, and yet still no one came. I began to contemplate the possibility that they’d forgotten about me when a scrawny man entered carrying a glass of water and part of a loaf of bread. He plunked both down on the table and turned to leave, barely acknowledging my presence, let alone responding to my queries.
I sat down to devour the modest repast, and considered the possibility that perhaps they would not give me the chance to explain. Perhaps they meant to keep me here indefinitely.
I tried to push the frightening thought from my mind. After all, there was no bed or straw to sleep on. I hadn’t even been given a bucket to relieve myself in. And the candles in their wall sconces were slowly burning down to nubs. Surely, they must return.
I buried my head in my arms on the table, trying to block the room from my sight and imagine I was somewhere else. Somewhere safe and cared for, with the sun shining warm on my cheeks.
It was then that a key turned in the lock and the door finally opened, but instead of the revenue officer who had arrested us, a balding man wearing spectacles entered, followed by Jack. I stared at him in confusion, trying to understand why he would be with this man. He had changed out of his borrowed livery into gentleman’s riding clothes, including tall Hessians and buff trousers.
“Ask her whatever you wish, sir,” he began, being the first to speak. “But as I already explained, I enlisted her and her father’s help to flush out the culprits. And as you have seen, it worked.” His gaze bored into mine as he addressed the balding man. I wasn’t certain exactly what he was trying to communicate, but I was smart enough to ascertain he wished me to keep my mouth shut.
“I heard you the first time,” the man responded crossly, glaring down at me. “Though I still do not understand why I was not forewarned of such activities occurring in my jurisdiction.”
“I understand your frustration,” Jack replied, clasping his hands behind his back. “But as a Lord of the Treasury, Lord Waveney charged me to keep this operation as secret as possible, and to involve only those I deemed absolutely necessary. I could not disregard his orders.”
“Yes, well, Lord of the Treasury or not, your dashed brother is going to hear from me.” He huffed. “I knew you both when you were but pups. I should think you both could have shown me a bit more consideration.”
“Again, I apologize, sir. No offense was intended.”
Both men turned to look at me then, and I was sure my eyes were as round as saucers. I thought I might bite a hole in my tongue trying to keep quiet after all of these revelations.
The balding man skewered me with what I assumed he thought was an intimidating stare, but after hearing the petulant tone of voice he’d used when speaking with Jack it only looked like he was sulking. “And you say she was assisting you?”
“Yes. Mr. and Miss Winterton were both indispensable in drawing the Comte de Reynard out. He never involved himself so overtly in the enterprise until he was enticed by the prospect of ensnaring them.”
I felt a little sick hearing him explain the matter so succinctly. Clearly, I had been the bait, even if I had entered into the trap willingly.
The balding man leaned over the table, speaking to me directly for the first time. “So your father’s excessive consumption of French brandy was all part of this plan as well, hmm?”
“It was,” Jack answered for me.
“Well, then, I suppose I have no reason to continue holding her.” He almost sounded disgruntled about that. “But I’m afraid we won’t be able to reimburse the fines they paid. After all, Mr. Winterton did purchase illegal goods.”
So this was the main source of his contention. I wondered how much of the revenue from those fines he had directly pocketed, and it was obvious Jack wondered that, too, but he chose not to argue. “I understand. I’m sure Lord Waveney will be willing to reimburse them himself.”
“Hmm. Quite right.” The customs official clapped his hands together, now content. “Well, then, I’ll see that Miss Winterton’s paperwork is completed and she is free to go.”
We watched as he trundled happily out the door, closing it behind him, leaving me alone with Jack.
I stared up into his dark eyes, wondering if I knew him at all. This man I’d believed to be a smuggler, a member of the gentry, or a well-educated merchant’s son fallen on hard times, was actually a viscount’s brother working covertly to uncover all the players in a dangerous smuggling ring. Everything about him had been a masquerade, not just his act as a Lantern Man.
“I suppose I owe you a lengthy explanation,” he began, though I could already hear the addendum to that statement coming. He glanced significantly at the door. “But we haven’t the time.”
I crossed my arms and scowled up at him.
“Suffice it to say, I’m not a smuggler, or a wherry man, or anything of the sort.”
“You’re Viscount Waveney’s brother,” I stated flatly.
“Yes.” He scruti
nized my face, as if trying to decipher what I was thinking. “I was an officer in the light infantry until my brother requested I return to Britain to assist him with a matter of delicacy. I left home at a young age, you see, because of the incident I described to you. So few people would recognize me, even here among the Broads where we spent much of our childhood.”
I arched a single eyebrow. “So everything you told me wasn’t a complete lie,” I bit out. “Even if you did lead me to believe your brother was dead, not injured.”
He didn’t appear the least bit contrite. “Yes, well, you leapt to that conclusion, and I decided it would be best not to correct you.
“In case I made the connection?”
“Precisely.”
I clenched my hands into fists in my lap. “I guess you fooled us all then,” I remarked bitterly.
His brow lowered, the first indication that he felt any regret about what he’d done. “Yes, well, it wasn’t easy. With my ready knowledge of the local waterways, it was simple enough to worm my way onto the smuggling crew. More difficult to convince them to trust me. But you… You were a different matter.” He fell silent, studying me with a furrowed brow as if I were some riddle he hadn’t yet solved. “I’d ferreted out some time ago that Reynard was the ringleader, but was never able to directly connect him or his venturers—his financial backers—until very recently.”
“Because of me?”
“Partly. I already had some of the evidence I needed, but I admit your involvement made Reynard a bit reckless somehow.” He shook his head. “I’m not sure I understand it.”
I wasn’t sure I did either. Not entirely.
“Why didn’t you tell me any of this before?” I demanded furiously.
“I didn’t know if I could trust you.” He pressed his hands flat on the table and leaned toward me. “I couldn’t risk the months of work I’d done simply because my conscience smarted at not telling you the truth.”
I pointed my finger accusingly at his chest, not wanting to hear his excuses. “Do you know what I’ve been through? Do you know how agonized I’ve been? How much I’ve despised myself?”
Abruptly he stood taller. “You were the one who pushed to join us, who gave me no choice but to accept your demands.”
“You could have done more to stop me. You could have warned me. I was desperate! I saw no other way.” I sat back, glaring up at him. “You saw that, and you used it to your advantage.”
He pressed his lips together tightly, but he didn’t deny it.
I turned to stare at the wall, choking on the hurt and betrayal filling me. “All those times you met me on the dock, all those times you—” I broke off, unable to say the words. “What was that? Were you just doing your due diligence?”
“No. As I told you before, I simply wanted to.” He paused. “I still do.”
I felt my pulse quicken at the low timbre of his voice, and I glanced up at him sideways. The way he looked at me made my skin tingle and my breath catch, but I fought against it, refusing to give in to the fascination I felt for him. “So what happens now?”
He crossed his arms over his chest and glowered down at me. “Well, after the exploit you pulled this morning, I had to advance my plans a bit quicker than I’d intended.”
“What was I supposed to do?” I argued. “Board that ship to France? Allow Colonel Junot to escape?”
“Yes. And no.”
I scowled at him in confusion.
“I had a ship waiting to intercept us once we rounded Lowestoft Ness. Our ship never would have made it twenty miles out to sea, let alone to France.”
I sank back in vexed disbelief. “And how was I to know that? Perhaps you should have thought to inform me.”
His lips actually quirked. “Had I known you were going to kiss Colonel Junot so soundly while he was in his disguise as a lady’s maid, I would have altered my orders.” Then another thought seemed to occur to him, for his eyes hardened. “But I would have reacted more swiftly when it happened and broken Junot’s knees before he could strike you.”
His gaze fell on the side of my face where I had been struck. I had not yet had the opportunity to view the damage, but I was conscious of how tender it was to the touch.
“You might be happy to know he won’t be striking anyone again, not for a very long time. Nor will Dibs be capable of wrapping his finger around any triggers.” The sharp glint in his eye made me suspect the men’s time at the Customs House had not been peaceful.
Seeming to recall the press of the clock, Jack glanced at the door. “But there’s no time for this,” he snapped in sudden annoyance, moving around the table to stand next to me. He pulled me up from my chair. “What you need to know now is that we raided Greenlaws.”
I gasped.
“Everyone has been taken into custody—”
“Kate!”
He squeezed my arms. “Except Miss Rockland.”
I sagged in relief.
“I instructed her to go to Penleaf Cottage. That you would return soon and she should remain there with you for the time being.”
I nodded in gratitude. “And Robert?”
Jack searched my eyes before replying. “Is weak and cowardly, but not dangerous. I’ve offered him a proposition. If he testifies against Reynard and the other venturers, if he reveals all he knows, the government will allow him to relocate to India, permanently, instead of being tried for treason.”
I knew without having to ask that Jack was doing this for me. He didn’t like Robert. I couldn’t blame him. But because of my friendship with the Rocklands he was sparing me the grief of seeing him hanged.
“Thank you,” I murmured, trying to convey in those two small words how much his leniency meant to me.
He nodded once curtly before continuing. “But unfortunately, Reynard has evaded us.” He grimaced. “I don’t know if he knew somehow that you were going to cause problems for him, even after his blatant threats this morning.”
I shuddered at the memory of his teeth scraping along my earlobe.
“Or if he planned all along to leave today. No matter, somehow he had already fled. So I must go after him.” Jack pulled me closer, lowering his head so that he could see directly into my eyes. “However, I want you to promise me that you will wait for me at your cottage.”
I stared up at him, the pain of his betrayal still too fresh for me to speak.
“I don’t want you rushing off to visit your great-aunt.”
I stiffened.
“Or haring off to places unknown.”
I opened my mouth to demand how he’d known about my great-aunt when the door suddenly opened behind him. Jack swiveled to tell the man who had entered to give him a moment before leaning even closer to me.
“I want to be able to find you when I return. And then…” He sighed. “Then I’ll answer your questions,” he added almost resignedly. “But it may be a few days or possibly weeks before I can do so. It all depends on how elusive Reynard proves to be. I’ve suspected for some time that this operation isn’t the only smuggling ring he controls, so he may go into hiding.” His eyes and his voice were insistent. “Will you wait?”
I stared up at him, wishing I could deny him, wishing I could tell him to go to the devil. But I knew I couldn’t. Not when his request was so simple. Not when he looked at me like that. “Yes,” I murmured.
He exhaled in what sounded like relief and nodded. “Then I must go.” He swiveled to include the man standing in the doorway. “But Crisp will see you safely home, and remain close by to be certain you come to no harm before I return.”
I blinked in surprise, and a cheeky grin spread across the other man’s face, lighting his bright blue eyes. “You! You’re one of the men who rowed me out to the Reliance.”
“Aye. One and the same.”
I glanced at Jack, trying to understand.
“Did you truly think I would let you embark on that mission alone?” The glimmer in his eyes said he knew I’d believed
just that. “I had people watching you the whole time.”
And before I could find my tongue to ask him how, he was gone.
I stared after him for longer than was probably proper, but Crisp didn’t seem to mind. When I finally gathered up my bonnet and joined him in the doorway, he offered me his arm, which I accepted with a weary smile.
“Did I mention ye’re in for a treat?” he said, guiding me down the corridor. His eyes twinkled. “Grandda insisted on joinin’ us.”
Chapter 35
T
hat night Kate and I lay awake side by side in my bed, staring up into the dark shadows of my bed curtains. We hadn’t had the chance to talk earlier, what with Mrs. Brittle hovering over us, plying us with tea and biscuits just as she’d done when we were children and we’d fallen and scraped our knees. Then later I’d left Kate in the comfort of the kitchen and gone in search of Father.
He had looked even more haggard than the night before, proving he hadn’t yet indulged in his brandy. When I sat down to explain what Jack had done, how he’d lied to clear our names, his eyes had stared bleakly back at me, as if in shock. Then his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat once as he swallowed and nodded.
I had expected nothing more from him, but he had surprised me when he stopped me and Kate on the stairs before we retired, telling us to sleep easy. He would make certain we were safe. And with a kiss on my forehead, like he’d done when I was young, he sent us off to bed.
Kate had remained quiet as we moved slowly about my bedchamber to ready ourselves for bed, sensing that I’d needed the time to think after Father’s uncustomary display of affection. She could have slept in any of the three vacant bedrooms in the cottage, but she stayed with me, like always. There was a comfort in knowing we were not alone, in feeling the solid weight of another human being lying beside us on the mattress, in hearing the rhythmic inhale and exhale of their breathing. Particularly on a night like this.
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