Hal raised his brows. ‘And who is Mother Jackson?’
‘Why, everyone knows Mother Jackson!’ said Sarah. ‘She got a shop in ’olborn that sells rum clouts—’
‘Rum clouts?’
‘Silk ’andkerchiefs, but she gets us to steal ’em first. Then we get rid of the marks from the silk before she puts ’em in the shop. She’s been doing it for years an’ never got caught, even though the officers come and check. She’d kill me if she knew I’d come ’ere though,’ finished Sarah, a quiver of fear in her voice.
The door opened, startling her again.
‘What the Lord is going on, Hal?’ muttered Theo, his gaze falling on the girl as he came in.
‘Sarah, this is my brother Theodore. He has been helping me to search for Dominic and I give you my word that he will not harm you.’
Sarah eyed Theo warily. ‘’E’s not so big as you.’
‘No,’ agreed Hal with a smile. He explained to Theo what Sarah had said, then, turning back to the girl, he enquired, ‘Where is Mother Jackson’s shop, Sarah?’
‘Field Lane, sir.’
‘And does anyone else know where you have hidden Dominic?’
‘No. I managed to squeeze ’im in the small cupboard upstairs without any of the others knowing. Mother said she’d send ’im out with us to learn ’ow to snatch rum clouts, otherwise ’e’d ’ave no food today either. We’d better ’urry – she’ll be looking for ’im soon.’
‘Not you, child,’ said Hal. ‘You have done enough already. Where are your parents?’
‘’Aven’t got any. They died, and that’s when I went to live with Mother Jackson.’
‘You have no relatives at all?’ he asked, frowning.
Sarah shrugged. ‘There’s just me.’ Tears welled up in her eyes, but she dashed them away in a pragmatic fashion.
‘Poor child,’ murmured Theo.
‘Theo, take Sarah to the kitchen and ask them to take care of her until we return.’ Hal then addressed the child again, ‘You will be well looked after here so do not be frightened.’
‘’Ere, what about my guinea?’ she said, indignantly. ‘Dominic promised you’d give me some blunt.’
Hal put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a guinea. He walked over to Sarah, who looked at him in suspicion and shrank further away, but he reached out, took her hand and folded her thin fingers around the coin. She stared at the gleaming coin as if unable to believe it was real. Then, she looked up and grinned, the smile lighting up her thin, filthy features.
‘Dominic was right – you’re a fair gentleman, all right and you’ll pull Mother Jackson’s cork if she causes you trouble,’ declared Sarah gleefully, enjoying the prospect of Mother Jackson being brought to account.
Theo chuckled. ‘Let us hope we don’t have to pull her cork to get to Dominic. The law can administer her punishment.’
The girl shuddered. ‘I don’t want nothing to do with the law.’
‘You won’t, I promise you,’ replied Hal.
‘Don’t I ’ave to go back to Field Lane then?’
‘No, never. You will live somewhere more pleasant and you will not have to steal handkerchiefs again.’
Sarah’s eyes widened at this and she stammered her gratitude.
Hal brushed aside her thanks, declaring that, on the contrary, they were in her debt. After explaining precisely where she had hidden Dominic, and for Hal’s future reference telling him the name and location of the flash-house Dominic had originally been taken to, Sarah was taken down to the kitchen by Theo.
Hal collected his overcoat, hat and pistol, scribbled brief notes to Isabella, his mother and one to Bow Street, before joining Theo, who was waiting outside in the growing daylight.
Chapter 11
When Theo and Hal arrived in Field Lane by hackney carriage, Hal, who had chosen the sturdiest coachman he could find, asked him to wait at the end of the street.
‘Are you sure you wanted to be brought here, sir?’ queried the driver, raising his brows at their surroundings.
Hal nodded. ‘We will not be staying long, I hope, and there’s an extra guinea or two if you don’t abandon us to our fate,’ he said with a wry grin.
The driver laughed and gave a wink. ‘I’ll plant a facer on anyone who tries to make me move.’
Field Lane was the misnomer for a stinking, unprepossessing alley off Holborn, in the crawling thieves’ district bordered by Saffron Hill and Butcher’s Hall Lane, with the fetid Fleet River at its rear. Field Lane was covered with filth and detritus that abounded in much of London, but in curious contrast, freshly washed silk handkerchiefs hung on strings across the alley. Hal and Theo were eyed with mild suspicion by its inhabitants, but, as their clothing suggested that they were men of only modest means, they were able to make their way unhindered to Mother Jackson’s shop. A group of thin pallid-faced children stood near the doorway and watched as they entered.
The dingy interior was not an improvement on the exterior. The floors were filthy, there were a few badly fitting shelves and an old door had been pressed into service as a counter. The goods on offer, however, were of the finest quality. Handkerchiefs of every colour and size hung in the window and were arranged around the shop.
A woman was screaming obscenities through a door at the rear as Hal and Theo entered. Her hair had escaped from the grubby lace cap she wore and hung about her face in lank tresses. Her dress was stained and her face bore evidence of the ravages of gin. Bloodshot blue eyes squinted myopically at her visitors and, clearly shocked to have customers this early in day, she stopped her vociferous cursing and hid the bottle she was holding. She straightened her cap and smiled, showing a set of carious teeth.
‘Good morning, gentlemen. How can I help you?’ she began, trying and failing to disguise her East End vowels. ‘Would you be looking for a particular sort of handkerchief today?’
Hal replied with another question, ‘Are you Mother Jackson?’
Her smiling benevolence vanished; customers did not usually ask for her by name. ‘Who wants to know? You ain’t the law, are you?’
‘No, but neither are we here to buy handkerchiefs,’ answered Theo.
‘Well, if you ain’t the law, and you don’t want to buy any rum clouts, what do you want?’
‘A young boy whom we believe is on your premises,’ explained Hal, ‘and we will look for him, with or without your permission.’
‘You can’t search my house – it’s not proper,’ she cried. ‘I run a legal business.’
Theo shook his head. ‘It might appear so, but the way you acquire your goods is most certainly illegal; you train children to pickpocket and beg, and treat them cruelly if they do not.’
Mother Jackson feigned outrage. ‘The children here I’ve taken in out of the goodness of my heart! Orphans, most of ’em, and I feed and clothe ’em at great expense—’
‘Madam,’ interrupted Hal, in a bored voice, ‘I do not intend to argue with you when I have not even breakfasted. You are what is commonly referred to as a fence, or, in your own parlance, a fencing cully, a receiver of stolen goods. Your army of pick-pockets returns with the booty, then you remove the owners’ marks from the silk before putting them on sale as legitimate goods. Do not insult my intelligence by suggesting otherwise, or we shall be forced to call upon the law officers who are waiting at the end of the street.’
‘Bow Street has been watching you for some time,’ remarked Theo, taking Hal’s lead. ‘They simply require enough evidence to punish you.’
She swallowed, eyeing them nervously and then muttered, ‘It’s true they’ve been ’ere a few times, but they can’t prove anything.’
‘If you assist us, we shall not immediately inform them. If you continue to be obstructive …’ Hal’s voice trailed away, leaving the implicit threat hanging in the air.
Mother Jackson, realizing she had little choice but to co-operate, snapped, ‘Who are you looking for?’
‘A blond-haired boy, abou
t six years old. We believe he was brought here last night,’ said Hal.
‘Him!’ she spat fiercely. ‘I knew there was something queer about that boy – he was too well fed to be from the streets. Trust Chivers to send trouble my way! The brat cried so much that he made my head ache and I would have drawn his claret if I could have got past his dog. Search if you like but you’ll ’ave no luck – he’s nowhere to be seen. Reckon he must ’ave skipped off. I can’t find Sarah either and when I get my hands on ’er, I’ll flog ’er to within an inch of her life.’
‘We shall look for ourselves, and thankfully, you will never treat Sarah in that despicable manner again,’ replied Hal curtly. ‘Theo, watch Mother Jackson in case she tries to call for help.’
‘With pleasure,’ said his brother with a grin. He leaned his broad shoulders back against the wall and, arms folded, prepared to wait.
As Hal pushed open the door into the rear of the shop, he kept his fingers curled around the pistol hidden in his overcoat pocket. Mother Jackson might have a husband, a lover, or other male company on the premises and he needed to be prepared. Sarah had told him where she had hidden Dominic, so Hal worked quickly. He passed through a room where at least twenty children were squabbling over a loaf of stale bread, presumably the objects of Mother Jackson’s earlier wrath. They looked up in surprise as Hal entered, but when he gestured for them to remain quiet, there was no dissent; they assumed that he was an associate of Mother Jackson and knew better than to question her acquaintances.
Ignoring the foul-smelling, grim surroundings, he hurried on, climbing two narrow flights of stairs until he stood on a dingy landing at the top of the house where, directly above his head, there was a trapdoor.
He placed the nearby rickety wooden ladder against the ledge above and climbed the steps, testing each one to ensure it would take his weight. Cautiously, he lifted the door with one hand, holding his cocked pistol in the other. There was no resistance as it creaked open, so he pushed it back fully and peered into the darkness. As his eyes adjusted to the gloom, he could see handkerchiefs strewn around the tiny attic. ‘Dominic?’ he said, ‘Are you there?’
A sob came out of the shadows and a plaintive voice cried, ‘Hal!’ Suddenly, Dominic’s dirty, tear-stained features appeared as he crawled out from behind a wooden chest.
Isabella was elated when she received Hal’s note. The missive was brief and did not explain how Dominic’s whereabouts had been discovered, but for now Isabella was content to know that her son would soon be home. She had told Harriet, who had wept with relief before replying that she had always known Lord Bramwell would find him. She had then hurried away to write to Sir Seymour to inform him of the good news.
As she waited, Isabella paced the saloon, alternately looking at the clock and then through the window to the street below. From her vantage point, she saw a hackney carriage pull to a halt outside and, after a moment or two, Hal’s unmistakable tall figure emerged. Isabella watched him reach up to lift Dominic down, and then Aesop jumped out of the carriage, followed by another man, whom Isabella did not know. With a cry of joy, she wrenched open the door and ran down the stairs, coming into the hall just as Silwood opened the front door.
‘Dominic!’ she cried, a catch in her voice.
Dominic was clutching Hal’s sleeve, but he let go as soon as he saw his mother and ran to her, putting his arms around her as she picked him up and hugged him. Aesop, meanwhile, barked and wagged his tail.
‘Don’t be angry with me, Mama. I’m very sorry – I should never have run away from Mary.’
Isabella, laughing and crying simultaneously, said, ‘I’m not angry, just glad that you are safe. Are you all right?’
‘Yes,’ murmured Dominic into her shoulder, ‘thanks to Hal and Theo. And Sarah of course. I’ve been to some horrible places, but now I’m tired and hungry.’
He concluded with a yawn and, through her tears, Isabella noted that although he was dirty and dishevelled, he appeared otherwise unharmed. She hugged and kissed her son again, still unable to quite believe that he had returned home safely. Isabella did not know who Sarah was, but she hoped Hal would explain. He stood nearby with the other man and he smiled as he met her gaze.
He introduced his brother and Theo declared with a friendly grin, ‘I’m pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Vane. These are strange circumstances to meet under for the first time, but fortunately the outcome is a happy one.’
‘How can I ever thank you?’ she declared warmly.
‘It’s Hal you should thank more,’ observed Theo. ‘He did most of the work.’
Mary bustled into the hallway and cried, ‘Oh, praise the Lord – you are back, Master Dominic!’
‘Go with Mary now, Dominic,’ said Isabella. ‘Take a bath and have something to eat; you can tell me what happened before you go to sleep.’
He rubbed his eyes, tiredness rapidly overtaking him. ‘Must I have a bath, Mama?’
Isabella gave a little laugh as she set him on his feet. Crouching in front of him, she smiled, saying, ‘You will feel much better if you do, love. Mary will help you, and take Aesop too.’
Dominic gave his rescuers a grateful and slightly sheepish look from under his lashes as he thanked them.
‘Be good now, Dominic,’ said Hal. ‘At least allow me to have breakfast before involving me in any more scrapes!’
‘I will,’ he replied, giving another huge yawn.
‘And look after that fellow,’ added Theo, pointing at Aesop, ‘he’s an excellent guard dog.’
Mary and Dominic left with Aesop trotting behind and Theo, with a glance at his brother and Isabella, said, ‘I’ll wait for you in the carriage, Hal. Lady Vane, I’m pleased that your son is safe – I’ve only been in his company for a short while, but he is a delightful little boy. Pluck to the backbone too: he’s not complained for a minute about his frightening experience. I look forward to seeing him when he has recovered and to meeting you again at my sister’s ball.’
‘Oh yes, of course. Thank you again – you have been so kind.’
Theo nodded and went out through the front door, leaving Hal and Isabella alone.
Isabella saw him clearly for the first time that morning and her heart leapt with longing and with love. Hal looked incredibly handsome to her eyes. He was tired and unshaven, but the stubble covering his jaw only added to his appeal. His cravat had been removed and, underneath his overcoat, the open neck of his shirt revealed a hint of dark chest hair.
Swallowing hard, Isabella tried to regain her composure. She desperately wanted to walk the short distance between them and beg him to take her in his arms. Instead, she said quietly, ‘Please come into the library for a moment, Lord Bramwell.’
Once there, Hal apologized for his appearance, adding, ‘I wanted to bring Dominic home at once, but I fear you will consider me a loose screw.’
‘Oh no! Indeed, no. How can I begin to express my gratitude? If any harm had befallen Dominic, I do not know what I would have done. And if y-you had not h-helped m-me, th-then I—’ Overwrought with emotion, Isabella drew in a ragged breath and bit her trembling lower lip, unable to continue.
Seeing this, Hal stepped quickly towards her. ‘My dearest girl, don’t distress yourself any more. Dominic is safe and, having questioned him carefully, I am convinced he has come to no real harm. No doubt he will tell you what happened when he is able and so shall I, but first I think you need to sleep and to spend some time with your son.’ He ran his palm over his jaw and gave a soft, rueful laugh. ‘I had better leave – I am in dire need of a shave and if I am seen like this, I shall never live it down.’
‘You look very fine to me,’ she said, shyly.
Hal smiled in surprise at her unguarded comment and looked into her eyes. To his amazement, and joy, he saw a plea in their depths. Should he follow his instincts and answer it? He hardly knew if it was right to do so, but he found it impossible to resist. Her glorious hair was swept into a simple chignon fro
m which several tendrils had escaped to caress the curve of her cheeks, and from underneath dark, lustrous lashes, her brilliant eyes gazed back at him steadily. He hesitated for a heartbeat, then bent his head and touched his lips to hers. It was the lightest of kisses, a mere brushing of his lips against hers, and it demanded nothing in return at what he knew was a difficult time for Isabella. It was a kiss that offered love, reassurance and comfort; it was also a fleeting glimpse of the heaven that Hal yearned for.
Reluctantly, he pulled away, afraid he had gone too far and that the trust he had been trying to build between them would be shattered by that kiss. He was also unshaven and unkempt, and Isabella’s emotions were fragile after the tumult of recent hours – what would she think of him?
But when he looked down into her lovely countenance, now delicately tinged with colour, her eyes shone and a smile hovered on her lips. Hal stifled a groan; he was desperate to kiss her until she understood just how much he loved her, but for now this had to be enough.
For Isabella, that fleeting kiss had left her breathless. She had wanted to deepen the kiss, to slide her hands under his shirt and let her sensitive fingers trail over the muscles beneath. She was in awe that the merest touch from Hal could elicit such an intense reaction and, having tasted this seductive and addictive drug, she felt bereft now that it had been taken away.
Isabella sensed that he was anxious: their kiss had been brief, but it went completely against propriety. She did not care for the proprieties now, nor could she dredge up her concerns; the last few hours had unlocked another door in her heart. Laying her hands against his chest, she reached upwards to press her lips to his. Again, it was the briefest of kisses, feather light and tentative, but she needed to take this step, to take the initiative. Although she closed her eyes as their lips touched, every other sense was heightened: she felt the warmth of his body and the fine texture of his shirt, she recognized the faint clean scent of soap on his skin, and even the taste of him seemed comfortingly familiar.
Lady Vane's Secret (Regency Secrets and Scandals Book 1) Page 11
