Chapter 9
Percy’s stable boy took a job with Tattersall’s. One of his most loyal servants, Joey convinced everyone at the Pemberton stables as well as at the Tattersall stables that he was moving on because of a pretty girl who worked in the kitchen of the townhouse. His Grace supposedly suggested he might be better off somewhere else and gave him an excellent reference.
In truth, Joey couldn’t be more excited to spy on Victor. Percy gave him quite a bit of coaching on how to accomplish his mission. The last thing Percy wanted was an overeager boy pelting every stable hand with questions. Just like everyone else on this mission, Joey needed patience.
Frederick went to Hobart’s warehouse to talk about the next shipment’s status, but all he wanted to talk about was Barton. He told Hobart what Joey was doing and asked Hobart to assign someone to be Joey’s go-between because he couldn’t exactly tell Mendon he was there to see the Duke.
“I’ll take care of it today,” Hobart said. “Is he in place?”
Frederick nodded. “He’s been coached, but your man may be able to give him some pointers.”
“I’ll see to it. So, this is what I’m thinking. We have someone go in there and ask to buy a horse, but not at auction. He wants the largest, most powerful horse Tattersall’s can find. Nothing like the horses they sell to the gentlemen of London. He hints to Victor that the horse has to outrun another horse running after him.
“Victor finds a horse. I’m curious where he finds this horse, brings it in, the man comes to see it and starts to haggle with him. That’s when we see what Victor does.
“So, there are three parts of this transaction we want to explore. First, Victor doesn’t care if the horse is to be used illegally. Second, he has sources to get the horse. Third, how much does he expect to profit from the side deal.”
“That wouldn’t be surprising since it’s his business. I wonder if he uses the same sources for legitimate transactions.”
“Unless I’m mistaken, Barton only comes on auction days and drives up the prices of the horses through his ‘expert opinion’ on the superiority of a horse. He and Victor probably take equal cuts. I think Victor has a side business of private deals. He likely takes all the profits from them.
“This is my question to you, Frederick. If someone is talked into a value of something, anything, and overpays for that item, is that illegal? I don’t see how we can show any wrongdoing from someone being stupid enough to overpay for something.”
Frederick smiled. “If that were true, every woman in this town would be locked up for overpaying for something. Remember, Hobart, he and Barton are taking a cut from driving up the price. If they weren’t, the buyer is the only one at fault. Because they are profiting from the deception, they are guilty.”
Hobart nodded. “I should know that; I do know that. It’s just that if these men are overpaying, they have no one to blame but themselves.”
Frederick laughed. “That’s because you’ve never overpaid for a thing in your life. Can we talk about our next run now? How are you doing with the crates?”
Hobart put his hands on his desk and lifted himself up. He moved to a table against the wall and grabbed a pile of parchments Frederick thought looked unorganized. Then he remembered losing Barton’s insurance policy and vowed never again to call his brother unorganized again.
“So, this is what I have so far.”
*****
Percy entered the parlour and greeted the ladies. Louisa still looked pale, and she still had circles under her eyes, but she somehow looked better.
“Louisa, would you accompany me for a walk? The weather is perfect, and the flowers are in full bloom. It’s a rare day in London when conditions are as they are today.”
She looked at Percy, her face blank. “No, thank you, Percy. It was kind of you to ask.”
“We could take a carriage ride to the other side of Hyde Park if you’d like privacy. No one goes there, and it is still just as beautiful as St. James’s Park.
“We’ll get out and walk. A short walk if you prefer. Then return as soon as you like. I took the carriage over. Londoners will see my crest on the carriage, not yours.”
Amelia gushed. “May I join you, Percy? It’s been ages since I’ve been to the west side of Hyde Park.”
Percy smiled. “We would love your company, wouldn’t we Louisa?”
Louisa said nothing. Amelia and Percy looked at each other, then to Louisa. They waited.
“I never hear of anyone going to Hyde Park. Not when there are beautiful gardens so close by. You think we won’t run into members of the ton?”
Percy grinned. “I can’t guarantee it, but I’d be surprised if we did.”
Amelia spoke. “Louisa, let’s go get our bonnets.”
The women rose and left Percy alone.
“Good job.”
Percy turned to find Frederick at the parlour door.
“I wasn’t sure it would happen, but we’ll see how she does.”
“Just getting her out is a miracle.”
Percy nodded then asked, “Any news?”
Frederick looked behind him to make sure the ladies weren’t coming down the stairs. “Hobart’s people are in place. Joey is in place. Now we have to let it play out.
“The transaction will be requested this week. We’ll be watching and listening.”
Frederick turned again. “Here are your beautiful young ladies. Percy, with these ladies on your arms, you will be the envy of every flower that you pass in Hyde Park.”
He laughed and turned to the ladies, “Shall we go?”
Louisa sat back in Percy’s carriage, closed her eyes, and breathed in the warm air. The slight breeze wafting through the open windows of the carriage gave her a hint of the flowers planted along the route to Hyde Park.
She opened her eyes. “Thank you, Percy. Being outdoors on such a beautiful day is refreshing.”
Percy grinned. “Louisa, we haven’t even arrived at the park. The best is yet to come.”
When they finally hit solid ground, both Louisa and Amelia grinned. It occurred to Percy that not only had Louisa been in the parlour for what seemed like weeks, but so had her mother.
Percy took a lady on each arm. “I have a surprise for you,” he said. He immediately wished he had phrased his declaration differently. Both ladies had tightened their grip on his arm as a response.
He went on as if he hadn’t noticed. “I carry within my waistcoat, a small pouch of birdseed. Maybe down the path further we’ll see a bench and help the birds to a meal?”
Their grips loosened. Percy let out a breath. He knew he needed to be careful of what he said and how he said it. Sometimes he forgot to weigh every word out of his mouth.
Amelia’s head swiveled. “Look at those flowers, Louisa. Come, let’s get a closer look.”
The ladies spent most of their stroll on the outer edges of the path bent down admiring the different species of flowers and plants. Percy stood back and watched them. They were delighting in such a small, natural thing. Louisa’s face had colour and a smile.
As they inched along, Percy kept an eye out for anyone familiar. He saw no one. The park wasn’t as crowded as he expected, so they seemed to have the run of the place.
Amelia looked up at Percy. She grinned. “Percy, come here and look at this beautiful ground cover.”
He walked over and remarked about its particular shade of blue. He stepped back, looked at the sky, and closed his eyes. He felt the sun on his face. It was a beautiful day in more ways than one.
They slowly turned a corner, and Percy spotted a row of benches. “Ladies, shall we sit for a moment and catch our breath?”
Amelia and Louisa looked at each other and laughed. Amelia said, “Percy, do you need to rest?”
“No, I just thought maybe you would want a chance to—”
“Never mind, Percy. We know what you meant. Let’s sit. And while we’re at it, let’s feed the birds.”
Percy sat on a bench connected to the bench Amelia and Louisa sat on. He pulled out his pouch and handed it over.
The ladies threw the birdseed and waited for the birds to join them.
Amelia said, “Percy, this park is a hidden gem. Are there more flowers around the bend?”
“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “But we’ll find out.”
The birds had caught on to the food littering the ground and were clustered on the path in front of them.
They rose and walked further into the park, admiring more flowers before turning back. To walk down the path near the benches, they upset every feeding bird. Once they were past the birdseed, the birds quickly settled behind them and continued to eat.
In the carriage, the ladies took off their bonnets and leaned their heads against the back.
“That was lovely,” Amelia murmured.
No one spoke. It was a companionable silence.
The ladies handed their bonnets to Mendon and walked to the parlour. Percy was just about to take his leave when Frederick came in.
“I thought you ran away from home,” he said with a smile.
“Did you enjoy yourselves?”
Amelia grinned at her husband. “We had a wonderful time. In fact, the next beautiful day we have, I’m going to make Percy take us again.”
“And you Louisa?”
“It was more than I imagined. Who knew Hyde Park was so beautiful and well maintained. Percy brought birdseed. I think we fed every bird in London. They came in droves.”
Frederick turned to Percy. “Did my ladies behave themselves?”
“They did. So well in fact, they earned another trip to Hyde Park on a day of their choosing. But, for now, I must move on.”
Percy said his goodbyes to Amelia, Louisa, and Frederick with a bow then left.
Frederick turned back to the ladies.
“I’m thrilled you got out and enjoyed yourselves. And you will do it again. Maybe I’ll join you if I am able.”
Louisa jumped out of her seat and put her arms around Frederick. “Oh, I hope so. It’s so beautiful.”
“We’ll see. We’ll see.”
He put his chin on the top of her head and hugged her tight. She hadn’t looked this happy since Barton walked into their life.
*****
“It’s been too quiet,” Frederick said. “I expected to hear from Barton by now. He has his insurance settlement, but I don’t believe he has given up on Louisa. I don’t understand.”
“I do,” Hobart said, shaking his head. “He’s doing exactly what we’re doing. He’s working on getting something on you. Something so serious, you hand him Louisa.”
“Well, he won’t. He may have found by now that I’m a very boring person who has led a very boring life.”
Hobart laughed. “He could have saved himself a lot of time and energy. If he came to me, I would have told him how boring you really are.”
“If it helps save Louisa, I’ll take it.”
“Let’s wrap up this shipment, shall we? The whisky is crated, as are the fabric and lace. We were done crating the grain yesterday. I think we could do well with that in America, but let’s finish up with this shipment to India first.”
“Hobart, what is America offering us? I won’t come back with an empty ship. Either they can fill a ship with valuable goods or not.”
Hobart blew out a breath. “How about we make a run and come back with a ship half full? I think, Frederick, we’ll make more profit with a full ship there and an empty ship back than we can making it to India and back with a full boat both ways.”
Frederick looked at Hobart. “And that’s another thing. The turnaround on a ship to
America is three times the turnaround to India. Is the profit that much better?”
“I’d have to look into that. It’ll take some time. If I could line up enough cotton, tobacco, and wine to fill a ship, would you consider it?”
“Wine? They make wine?”
Hobart laughed. “Way up north of New York City. I hear it’s pretty good, and their prices are good because they are trying to establish themselves.”
“I’ll think about it. We’ll talk later. Are many ships willing to go to America?”
“C’mon Frederick, you can find a ship to sail anywhere. Think about it; we’ll talk again.
Hobart wished he had more topics that diverted Frederick besides America. He didn’t want to worry Frederick, but he had a feeling he couldn’t shake. Frederick was right. It was too quiet.
Hobart didn’t like it at all. Before leaving the warehouse, he put two more men on overnight watch. Now that the crates were ready to go, all their money was sitting in those crates.
Hobart would have to ask Frederick if his insurance policies covered losses while the crates were being housed. That would be a great way for Barton to ruin both of them. Just set the warehouse on fire. This had to stop. And soon.
When Frederick got to his townhouse, Mendon opened the door for him and informed him that he missed a caller.
“The Duke of Hamilton, Your Grace,” Mendon said.
“Did you inform him that he was not welcomed in my home?”
“I did. He asked me to tell you he was by and to expect a missive from him.”
Frederick pinched the bridge of his nose and mumbled something unintelligible, even to himself. He turned and went into his office and closed the door. After pouring three fingers of whisky, he sat in his comfortable upholstered chair near the fire. He stared at it. Something was about to happen. He knew it.
He had hoped their research on a horse-trading scheme at Tattersall’s was finished before they heard from Barton again. They wanted to be first.
The ship would leave with the tide tomorrow evening. They just needed to hang on that long. Then whatever Barton wanted to try on him, he’d take.
Why was it taking so long to get something on him? Did he shut down the horse-trading operation for now? Was he tipped off? Was there an informant in Hobart’s warehouse?
Frederick got up and strode to the bell pull. When Mendon came, Frederick instructed him to get the carriage. He was going to Hobart’s.
Frederick turned, took his best pistols off the wall, and tugged them into his pants. He strode past Mendon.
“I won’t be dining at home,” he said then took the stairs down to the pavement in twos and jumped into the carriage.
Hobart was at home doing the same thing Frederick had been doing at his townhouse. Sitting by the fire, whisky in hand. He looked up. “What are you doing here?” he asked.
“I can’t shake the feeling something’s coming. Barton came by the townhouse when I was at the warehouse. His message to Mendon was that he would send along a note. I’ve got a bad feeling.”
“Me too,” Hobart said. “When I left tonight, I put two more men on the overnight shift.”
“Let’s go. Get a gun.”