Langley's Choice

by Kate Dolan

  Or she could leave the house entirely.

  Josiah found himself annoyed, rather irrationally, when they entered Campbell’s. The tavern was by far the most genteel establishment he had encountered in Charles Town, and he wished he had discovered it sooner. The fact this Mr. Everett was familiar with the tavern only added to his vexation.

  The aforementioned gentleman stood when he saw them arrive. “Welcome, gentlemen. Do sit down.” He gestured broadly toward two waiting chairs. “A bowl of the house punch, if you please.” This last remark was directed to a man at the back of the room wiping his hands on his apron.

  As Josiah sat down, he took mental note of the amenities of the tavern that made it contrast so sharply with the other crude colonial establishments in town: plaster walls, carved woodwork, cloths on the tables set with food—he even noticed patrons eating with forks. However, he was somewhat taken aback when the barman brought the punch bowl and asked if they wanted cups for drinking; had he really expected them to pass the bowl around like a pack of groundlings?

  Charles seemed hardly aware of his surroundings; his eyes were focused on Everett as if he were trying to pin him to the wall with his gaze alone. He stood for some time, in defiance of the invitation to sit, before finally taking a chair.

  Josiah stopped examining the room and took a closer look at the mysterious Mr. Everett.

  No one spoke for several moments, as if waiting for one of the others to make the first move.

  Then Charles could restrain himself no longer. “Why do you have my sister locked up in an inn?”

  Josiah groaned inwardly; this was not the preferred method of questioning a potentially hostile witness.

  “I beg your pardon?” Everett smirked.

  “My sister—what have you done with my sister?”

  “First, perhaps, we should clarify our inquiry, Mr. Everett.” Josiah interposed. “Mr. Carter and I believe the young lady in whose company we met you last night is Miss Caroline Carter of Hill Crest, Maryland. Would that be a correct assumption?” He motioned for Charles to keep quiet. And he watched Everett’s reaction.

  “To be perfectly honest with you, gentlemen, I cannot be entirely certain of her identity myself, having only lately come into acquaintance with her. She may very well be the Miss Caroline Carter you speak of.” Everett leaned back, and his leer widened into a grin. “But if she is your sister, Mr. Carter, why will she not speak with you?”

  “I don’t know.” Charles pushed his cup away. “I don’t know why she refuses to speak with me. I don’t know why she refuses to speak to Mr. Throckmorton, to whom she is—”

  “Mr. Everett,” Josiah interrupted, drawling slowly on the name as if challenging its veracity, “exactly when did you become acquainted with Miss Carter?”

  Everett picked up his cup, regarded the contents with mild distaste and put it down again before replying. “I befriended the poor girl several days ago. I found her standing near the waterfront in rags, with no money and no friends. The victim of a shipwreck, was what she told me.”

  “I don’t believe you,” Josiah said quietly.

  “Well, you don’t have to.” Everett took a drink this time.

  “Sir.” Josiah leaned into the table. “I don’t know who you are, but I do not believe you gave us your real name because I believe you are the very scoundrel who absconded with Miss Carter and several men from Elkridge Landing.”

  “Absconded? What makes you think so?”

  “If you had just met the unfortunate Miss Carter in Charles Town, she would have reported the story of her capture, and you in turn would have reported it to the authorities. No, I believe you made her acquaintance much earlier, and it is entirely due to your wicked actions that she is held here.” Josiah kept his voice low but firm.

  “But she holds herself here. I have no key to her room.”

  “You’ve done something to her!” Charles accused. “You’ve put a trance on her.”

  “I’m not a conjurer. I’ve put no spell on her; she simply chooses to remain in her room. Near mine.” Everett sat back a little.

  “You’re not denying you brought her here? And the others?” Josiah continued.

  “Would you believe me if I did?”

  “Then bring them all to us. Now.” Josiah felt his heart racing as he made his demand.

  “Why should I?” Everett countered languidly.

  “Because if you don’t, we shall report you to the authorities.” Josiah’s voice started to rise.

  Everett laughed. “Go ahead, go right up to the governor’s house. In fact, I’ll go with you. I’ve only just returned from a visit with the governor myself.”

  “You have?” Josiah swallowed. “To what purpose?”

  “He commissioned me with a letter of marque in service of the colony.”

  “Yes, well, when word of your treachery in Maryland reaches officials in this colony…” But Josiah knew the pirate would be long gone by then. “We shall stake our word against yours, then, if you don’t return Miss Carter and the others to our care.”

  “As I’ve said before, Miss Carter is free to hand herself over to you if she chooses, and she apparently does not. In any case, my ship stands at the ready. While you plead your story with the governor, we sail out with the tide, and with Miss Carter, who seems most anxious to accompany me.” Everett sat further back in his seat.

  This hurt, but Josiah could ignore it for now. “What do you want?” he said, finally conceding to the superior bargaining position of his opponent.

  “I’ve become quite fond of Miss Carter, and the other new members of my crew.” Everett picked up his cup and studied it for a moment. “But I could perhaps be persuaded to part with their company…for a small price.”

  Josiah coughed slightly at this, even though a ransom had originally been his own plan. He was being asked to buy back his betrothed. But it made sense. The cost of paying off this pirate would no doubt be less than the cost of continuing the chase should he depart with Miss Carter and the others. He could, however, see a potential flaw in the sale. “And if Miss Carter does not agree to your bargain with us?”

  “I will deliver her to you safe and sound, you may be certain of that.”

  “We could simply abscond with her ourselves, you know!” Josiah was getting angry. Did this pirate think he and Charles were totally incapable of action on their own?

  “You could, indeed. Perhaps.” Everett assumed a sad look. “But the others would be lost to you…and to their families.”

  So, now he was being asked to buy them all back. “How much?” Josiah asked quietly.

  “One thousand pounds. In gold.”

  Charles paled, and Josiah found it very difficult to breathe for a moment. Yet, as great as the price was, they both knew the letter of credit they carried would authorize such a sum, if necessary. The expense would cripple the estate, perhaps ruin it.

  “Charles, I believe this must be your decision.” Josiah finally said.

  “Well, yes, but one thousand is too great a sum.”

  “For your dear sister? Surely, no price is too great!” Everett smiled.

  “We can give you four hundred, sir,” Josiah said. Now that Charles had consented to the transaction, Josiah felt empowered to handle the price negotiations.

  “Four hundred? That would hardly buy my crew a round of drinks and women in Nassau. I will concede to accept a little less than a thousand, nine-fifty, perhaps…”

  “Five hundred, in gold.” Josiah offered.

  “Eight hundred.” Everett did not sound quite as firm as he had at the first.

  “Six hundred, in gold, delivered this afternoon, and we won’t report your whereabouts to the authorities,” Josiah said with confidence.

  “Done.” Everett offered his hand to seal the bargain.

  “When and where?” Josiah eased back from the table just a little.

  Everett turned to look at the handsome clock on the mantle. “Have the money by four of
the clock.”

  “Very well.” Anxiety came through in Charles’s voice as well as on his face.

  “Barring unforeseen circumstances,” Josiah felt compelled to add.

  “Good. Four o’clock, then, at the waterfront, across from the Indian trader.”

  “Four of the clock,” Josiah repeated firmly.

  Everett touched his hat and immediately left.

  Josiah let out a long sigh. How in heaven would they be able to raise that much gold in two hours? And his move could seriously damage the Carter family’s estate.

  No, it had not been his move. It was Miss Carter who had forced them into this awful position. Her ridiculous action was to blame for any financial suffering her family endured. She would have a made a ruin of his household finances, too, had he actually married her.

  “Well, Josiah, had we not better go find a factor or an agent, or someone who has some money?”

  “We need to find everyone who has some money, Charles.”

  “Six hundred pounds?”

  “It could have been worse.”

  “Yes, it could have been worse for you. It could have been your money.” But Charles smiled, showing he was not bitter in the least. Since the punch bowl had been amply paid for, the two men left without any word to the proprietor.

  “I thank God,” Charles continued once they were in the street. “I really do, that we have found Caroline, and I thank God again that we can now take her home. But I am so saddened to see the change in her. I dare not contemplate it.”

  “This is not the time and place for rumination, Charles. Besides, once she is returned to her home, her family…you’ll see. Things will be as they were.” But, of course, Josiah knew they could not be. Not at all.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Caroline did not remember exactly how to get from the inn back to the Osprey, but she knew she could easily find her way to the waterfront; and from there she hoped she might locate the ship without too much difficulty. Her only true concern was to avoid being sighted by her brother or Mr. Throckmorton. Since she did not know where they had gone, she had to keep an eye out for them.

  The decision whether to take dinner at the inn or escape to find Edward had been an easy one, but now Caroline wished she had at least asked for a biscuit to nibble on the way. The smell of bread baking in one of the nearby houses made her mouth water. She did not want to go back, however, and run the risk of being forced back into her room by the return of Charles or Mr. Throckmorton.

  Several minutes later, as she drew near to the water and could clearly see the different vessels at anchor, she realized she could have crept into the inn’s kitchen from the back and thus avoided detection if her brother had returned. She sighed. Though she could no longer smell the baking bread, she saw a small child sitting on a doorstep eating a very appetizing plum and fought the urge to snatch it and run. She forced herself to turn away and keep her eyes focused on the ships.

  After sighting the Osprey, Caroline next looked for a convenient place to wait for the captain. In an alcove between two small buildings, she found the perfect resting place—a small section of low-growing weeds provided a shady place to sit where she would be hidden from the casual glance of those passing in the street. At the same time, she could observe the street well enough that Captain Talbot could not pass without her notice. She sat down to wait and resolved not to think about bread or biscuits or any other kind of food.

  Ugh. Something was crawling up her arm again. Caroline brushed off the offending insect with a violent sweep of her hand and stood up in disgust. She stomped a few times and decided she simply would have to move around a little more.

  Back and forth in the narrow space between the clapboard buildings, back and forth until she’d had enough of that, too. A rare breeze came into her enclosed walkway, lifting her spirits with its fresh scent: the scent of bacon frying somewhere nearby. But where?

  Caroline scanned the waterfront—no sign of the captain. Time enough to leave her post for a few minutes. But, of course, she had no money. She took quick inventory of her new gown—two small buttons and some lace that might be cut off without leaving a noticeable gap. Perhaps she might find someone willing to trade the buttons or lace for some food. She turned away from the water and followed the smell of bacon.

  “I’m sorry, suh, she not in her room.”

  “What?” Edward had been thinking carefully of various arguments he could make to persuade Miss Carter of the need for her to return to Maryland with her brother. If necessary, he would promise to come back for her.

  But now it did not matter what eloquent strokes of genius he had devised to convince her—she was not here to be convinced. And he was supposed to take her to the waterfront in a less than an hour.

  “Are you sure?” Edward advanced toward the serving girl, who had been sweeping the landing near Caroline’s door. “Are you absolutely sure she is not in her room?”

  The girl cringed at the menace in his voice. “Yessuh, I jus’ swep’ her room not a minute ago.”

  “I don’t know if I believe you.” But he had to, essentially. What was the other option? To believe that Miss Carter was in the room hiding from him? After all, he had knocked loudly enough to wake the dead. Edward took another step toward the girl. “If she comes back here, tell her she must return to the ship at once. At once, do you understand me?”

  “Yessuh. At once, suh.”

  “I’ll send someone for my luggage. Where is your mistress?”

  “In the kitchen, suh.”

  “Fetch her at once; I need to settle the bill.”

  “Yessuh. At once, suh.” The girl was halfway down the stairs before her broom hit the floor.

  Edward placed the coins on the counter, made a crisp bow and left the inn without another word. Where could Miss Carter have vanished to? Perhaps she wanted another dress or a hat or something. There was only the one shop in town capable of making any women’s finery, so if that were her mission, he should be able to find her quickly enough.

  But the shop girl had not seen her, and Edward detected no sign of her in the streets he’d passed through. The hour was drawing close to four. He would have to go to the waterfront to make sure Hardey had the Maryland men ready for the exchange. Then they would simply have to delay the exchange until someone could find Miss Carter. And he would miss the tide. Damn her!

  As he drew closer to the appointed meeting place, he saw the Carter boy and Throckmorton, along with several unknown men. A hundred yards away, Hardey waited, pretending to busy himself with a line from his open boat.

  Keeping as far away from the exchange point as possible, Edward motioned for Hardey to come up to him.

  “Captain?”

  “Have you got the men ready?”

  “Aye, Captain.”

  “Good. I cannot find Miss Carter, and, of course, we need to return her to her family. I want you to leave Knightly in charge of the other men and take a small party out to search for the girl. Bring an extra sail. When you find her, don’t give her time to ask questions—wrap her up and bring her along to the exchange point.”

  The only sign of Hardey’s surprise was a brief widening of the eyes. “Aye, Captain.”

  Edward sent him on his mission with some misgivings, but he quickly pushed them out of his mind. After all, while ambushing the girl and bundling her into a sail was not the most genteel means of persuasion, it would be the quickest. And since her absence from the inn had made speed such a necessity, it was really her own fault.

  He glanced down to where Carter, Throckmorton and the others had gathered. It was probably almost four o’clock now. He would have to announce postponement of the bargain.

  Stepping up into full view of the party further down the street, Edward started toward them with unhurried, confident steps. As he drew nearer, they advanced to meet him.

  “Where is Caroline?” Charles demanded.

  “Gentlemen, we have run into an unforeseen difficulty
,” Edward began, keeping his voice as mild as possible.

  “That would be…?” Josiah asked.

  “Miss Carter has left her room at the inn and cannot be found anywhere.”

  Josiah scoffed. “Oh, come, sir! You can’t expect us to believe that story!”

  “You need not believe it, gentlemen, but I assure you it is the truth. Please, send someone to the inn. You will not find her there.”

  “Well, of course not; you’ve taken her somewhere else.” Charles’ voice shook with frustration.

  “I suggest you speak with the serving girl. She can tell you I sought Miss Carter less than an hour ago, and that she was not there. I left word for her to meet us down here if she returned.”

  “I’ll go, Josiah,” Charles said quickly. “You make sure this scoundrel doesn’t run off with everything.”

  “Yes.” Josiah did not want to stay; he did not trust Everett, and he did not trust the men who had come down to the waterfront to help with the gold and valuables. He imagined that, once Charles had gone, they could quickly form a deal amongst themselves and disappear. But he could not admit this. So, he stayed and hoped Charles would return soon.

  “I trust all the gold is in order?”

  Josiah was startled by the sound of Everett’s voice. He had somehow assumed that everything would remain at a standstill while Charles searched for his sister. “It–it is.” He swallowed and looked around as if he should wait for Charles to reappear before he made his admission. “We have collected gold worth six hundred pounds. However,” he glanced at the odd assortment of boxes and bags at his feet, “not all of the gold is in coin.”

  “Oh?” Everett stepped forward and began a casual inspection of the gold. “How much is in coin?”

  “Two hundred.” Josiah felt beads of perspiration suddenly burst forth on his forehead.

  “Only two? And the rest?”

  “Rings, buttons, neckchains, earrings, a cup, two small plates…and some other objects…these gentlemen will testify to the value.”

  “Yes, I’ll bet they will. What other objects do you have?”