by Tanya Allan
Locating Soames, the turncoat from Abingdon, was harder than I had anticipated. Eventually, after buying all the local newspapers I could, I found a short column in the Washington Chronicle on the hardy qualities of the Rhode Island Red poultry. As soon as I saw the name Ronald Reagan, I had to smile.
I wrote to the newspaper, using the name we’d agreed upon – Jane Fonda, telling him that there was a possible story about a two-headed horse near where we were living. He wrote a reply as an advert, indicating to me that he would meet me at a time and place of my choosing, he also gave me his personal address. I replied, telling him to wait.
Finding his advert was one thing, but actually making contact in these days before telephones was anything but easy. Transportation was crude to say the least. Road systems just didn’t exist; river travel was fine, as long as you wanted to go where the rivers went, so I had to wait until the army called Roger to Washington, so I could accompany him. It was interesting that in 1816, the Senate reported that one ton of goods from Europe, travelling three thousand miles, could be shipped for $9; the same shipment could be carried only thirty miles overland in the United States for the same price.
Travelling by horse and carriage was so damn slow!
It took us far longer to travel the twenty miles, a distance that in my time took only minutes by automobile. However, after three hours, we arrived, finding lodgings with some friends.
I say friends, but mere acquaintances would be more accurate. The Frobisher family came from England before the revolution, but quietly retained loyalty to the crown throughout all the troubles. However, in recent years, Reginald Frobisher saw his business grow despite the problems. Originally, a master saddler, he had sold his business in England to start afresh in the New World.
Typical of many emerging middle class, he wasn’t ever likely to elevate his status in England due to the entrenched social system, so he sought to improve his family’s chances in America. He now employed twenty men making an assortment of leather goods, carriages and buggies. The British desire to tax everything from the colonies changed his views slightly, but as events started to show the rebellion was not going to go away, he started to pin his hopes on a successful split from the crown.
Indeed, so fine was his work that many of the American Military bought his equipment, as did many of the British officers. Eventually, he had to choose sides, so he chose to side with the colonists. It had been a sensible decision, for although briefly arrested by the British, his company now supplied a good proportion of the fledgling US Army with their equine equipment and other leather wear, such as belts, pouches and back packs.
Roger had dealt with Reginald back in England when he was a young officer, when Reginald had supplied him with a saddle and some other leather goods. They had kept up correspondence, which had grown since our arrival. They now owned a fine home in the suburbs of Washington, which was a tiny collection of buildings compared to the capitol it was to become.
We enjoyed a fine dinner with them, retiring for the night feeling quite exhausted from the journey. I was asleep in no time, knowing that tomorrow was going to be a potentially tough day.
Roger left after an early breakfast, as he had much to do. I enjoyed a light breakfast with Mary Frobisher and her seventeen-year-old daughter, Evelyn. Mr Frobisher, she informed me, had left with Roger, as they were determined to equip the regiment with the best saddles, bridles and other equipment that money could buy.
“Do you have business in Washington, Jane?” Mary asked.
“I have to meet someone from Berkshire who may be working for a newspaper,” I said.
“Then perhaps we could go together and after your meeting we could do some shopping and perhaps take some coffee with some of my friends?”
It dawned on me that Mary was desperate to show me round to her friends, after all, it was not often one had a Lady Jane Lambert staying with you, was it?
We set off, the three of us in the Frobisher carriage. They dropped me, at my request, outside the building of the Washington Chronicle. I arranged to meet them at noon, at a small tea-shop of which we all were acquainted. So much of America was of England transposed in these days.
After making enquiry with a man in the front office by the main door, I was led up to the reporters’ writing room on the second floor, as most of the ground floor was taken up with the press itself.
Soames was surprised and not a little shocked by my unannounced and unscheduled arrival at his place of work. He had a large desk, among six large desks in a large rectangular room. He looked up with some alarm as the clerk told him that he had a visitor.
“Mr Reagan?” I said, offering him my gloved hand.
“Ah, yes, indeed, Mrs Fonda, how good to see you again,” he lied, shaking my hand anyway.
I could tell my presence alarmed him, but not as much as our first meeting. He regained control of himself quite quickly.
“Shall we take the air?” I suggested. He collected his coat and hat, joining me as we stepped out into the morning sun.
“Well?” I asked, as soon as we were clear of eavesdroppers.
“I did not expect you so soon, madam.”
“Never mind that, what have you found out?”
“I’ve seen Richard Frost,” he said, with some pride in his voice.
“Where?”
“I knew of just one safe house used by the organisation, here in Washington. I bought a property close to it so I could keep an eye on all movements. Nothing happened at all, until just a week after your letter, I saw him enter. I never saw him leave, but later I saw him in a heated exchange in a tavern with a driver of one of the mail coaches.”
“What was the argument about?”
“I’m not certain, but I think he was trying to persuade the man to arrange for him to accompany the coach to Indiana. They were arguing about money, as Frost claimed not to have the twenty-five dollars the man was asking.”
“Why Indiana?”
“I have no idea, as I had to leave before he saw me.”
“Where is he now?”
“I have no idea. I must assume he was successful and will be leaving tomorrow on the scheduled coach.”
“What the hell is there in Indiana?” I asked, more of myself, as I racked my brains. After all, I’d been the one who had studied American history at school..
I stared at the scene. It was so different to my day, as the various memorials and statues….
“Lincoln!” I said.
“I beg your pardon, madam?”
“Abraham Lincoln, the US president during the Civil War, he was born in Kentucky in 1806, and, if I recall my history lessons, his father, Thomas lost his land in court cases due to faulty property rites in 1816. It was shortly after that, the family moved to Perry County, Indiana. So, if I’m right, that’s where Abraham Lincoln is right now. Lincoln must only be eight now, but if Frost knows his history, that’s why he’s going there, to take care of a little boy who is instrumental in making history what it is.”
“Is or was?” Soames asked, confused.
“Does it matter? I have to stop him. What’s the best way to get to Indiana?”
“I haven’t a clue,” he admitted.
“I could do with a helicopter, right now,” I said, wistfully.
“I thought you people had access to all manner of equipment.”
“Yeah, we do, but just at this moment, I’m all the equipment they’ve got. Okay, we have to go to Indiana, so get used to the idea.”
“Me, why me?”
“Because you know what he looks like, that’s why?”
“But, I can't, it's not....”
“The other alternative is to identify him to me before he gets on the coach. Look, Soames, you've no way of getting back, so you have to do this if you want any hope of salvation. I am your only ticket out of this mess.”
“What do I have to do.”
“Find out from where the coach leaves and at what time. Book me
a seat on the damn thing, if you can.”
“Where will you be?”
“I will come by your office at four, all right?”
“I’ll try.”
“No, Mister Soames, you will do better than that.”
I left him watching my back. I didn’t like trusting him, as I thought he’d run at the first sign of trouble. He wasn’t to know how restricted we were, so perhaps he would do as I had asked.
I met Mary and Evelyn Frobisher as arranged and enjoyed a surreal luncheon at a small restaurant in the fashionable part of town. Thereafter we visited a few shops, which I found purgatory, as I knew that there were things I should have been doing.
Finally, at four o’clock, I persuaded them to stop at the offices of the Chronicle. Soames was already waiting outside as our carriage drew up.
“I won’t be a moment,” I told my companions, and alighted.
“You’re booked onto the coach that leaves tomorrow morning. I’ll meet you at the coaching Yard down by the river. It stops over night at inns on the way. It’s six hundred and fifty miles, in all, and they reckon on travelling at between five and twelve miles an hour. They go for six hours before they stop and get fresh horses, and then another six hours before stopping for the night. It will take six days to get there. And, do you know, they’re proud of it!”
I was stunned. Six days, and that was one way. What with doing what I had to do and then returning.
How the hell could I explain away a fortnight’s absence to my husband?
Wait a minute. I didn’t have to go all the way, if Soames identified Frost to me at the beginning of the journey, then I just had to wait for an opportune moment to remove the problem, so to speak.
“That’s not a problem, as long as you identify Frost to me.”
He smiled, nodding nervously.
It was at that moment that I realised that he had betrayed me. He just wasn’t behaving as I had anticipated, he was way too nervous. Then I realised what must have happened.
He feared them more than he feared me, so this trap I was arranging for Frost was going to be a trap for me, and had probably been in the pipeline ever since I let Soames go free.
What a complete fool I had been; but then they say one learns by one’s mistakes.
“Good, then I will meet you tomorrow by the coaching yard.”
I couldn’t get out of there quick enough.
I mounted the carriage and allowed it take me round the corner.
“Oh, my word. I dropped something!” I exclaimed. “Stop the carriage!”
“I’ll get a ride back with my friend, you go on!” I said, jumping down before they could question me further, and then walking cautiously round the corner to see Soames disappearing off down the road as fast as his fat little legs could carry him.
I followed at a distance, cursing the voluminous clothing that I wore. I kept a good distance between us and on the opposite side of the street. After about a quarter mile, he went into a nondescript, wooden building. It looked like a warehouse.
I really wished I had my gun with me.
Moving closer, I went round the back of the building.
Through the window, I could see Soames in a lower room. There were two persons with him, both male. One I recognised as my friend from Abingdon, Paris and Oxford, while the other man had his back to me. They were having a heated discussion. I moved as close as I dared.
“….she doesn’t suspect,” I heard Soames say.
“You don’t know her, she’s a very devil. If she has the slightest suspicion that she is the target, then we are all in danger,” said the man I had already killed or seen killed.
“How could she, I didn’t even have to tell her that Lincoln is in Indiana. She naturally assumed he was the target.”
“Why don’t we just go to where she’s staying and shoot her?” the other man, Frost, asked.
“Because they’d be back here like a shot, almost before we walk away. No, she can’t die, as her life force would return to the Centre and then they’d know exactly where we are. She has to disappear, and remain alive but neutralised, until we complete this part of the operation.”
“So, what’s the plan?”
“The coach is the obvious choice. We must take her out just before it gets to the first river crossing, so we can take her to the river and get her onto the boat.”
“She’s not going to go willingly, how will we get her there?” Soames asked.
“A sack over her head and then bind her up. If necessary, we bang her on the head, but not hard enough to kill.”
“What about the coachman and other passengers?”
“We’ll play it as if it’s a kidnap, they’ll report it, but we’ll be miles away.”
“It’s a risk, are you sure we can’t just kill her and hope there’s enough a delay to let us reach our objective?”
“No, she mustn’t die. For if she gets back to her centre, then we’ll have reinforcements down on us before we can take another breath.”
They say forewarned is forearmed. I left them, to find the Frobishers still waiting for me. I waved my purse at them, remounting the carriage.
Later that evening, as Roger and I were alone after dinner, Roger remarked that I seemed distracted.
Distracted? That was an understatement.
I was actually thinking about killing myself, just so I could get back to the centre and get some help. Then I thought about it. I was better than that!
It was as if I had forgotten who I had been. I was, or would be, a senior NCO in the US Marines, so why was I behaving like this?
I was also a woman, mother and wife. To say I experienced some degree of inner turmoil is an understatement.
“Roger, can I tell you something?”
“Of course, is something the matter?” He immediately seemed concerned.
“Do you remember Paris?”
“Yes, why?”
“Well, I was in town today and, well, you won’t believe me, but I swear I saw the very same man as you caught about to assassinate the Duke.”
“What, today?” he asked, surprised.
“Yes, I was with the Frobishers, and there he was, walking across the street.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
He was silent, looking thoughtful.
“What should we do?” he asked.
“You’re asking me?” I asked, surprised.
“My dear, you hold many mysteries in your exquisite head, most of which I shall never fathom. I have always believed that you are special, but how special, I don’t think I’ve yet understood. These sightings are perhaps an indication or a key to these mysteries, so I ask you again, what do you think we should do?”
He said we, not you, so I smiled, taking his hand.
“Is the regiment still in camp?” I asked.
“Yes, we have another three days in training manoeuvres.”
“Have you a map of the area?” I asked.
“Of course, do you want to look at it, my dear?” he asked.
“Please.”
Once we had the map on the table, I looked at the rather crude effort. However, it had the necessary roads, rivers and tracks. I identified the road on which the coach would travel, and the first ferry crossing some ten miles out of town.
“Roger, do you trust me?” I asked.
“My dear, you have to ask?”
“Then I have a suggestion as a training exercise,” I said, feeling like a senior NCO once more. “You see, I have a confession to make.”
I know it’s against the rules, but I owed it to him to know the truth, or at least some of the truth.
To say he took it well would not do it justice. He had to sit down, shaking his head.
“I knew you were special, but this… this is…” he was beyond words.
It took him a few moments to think of questions. I answered them all honestly, but then he came to the big one.
“So, your coming
to Abingdon was pre-planned. Was I part of the plan?”
“No. I simply sought employment so I could live there.”
“Is our marriage….?” He couldn’t form the question as he wanted to.
I smiled, taking his hand.
“Our falling in love was never part of my plan, neither was marriage, children and our life together, and to be honest, if I could go back and change it, I wouldn’t. No our marriage is exactly what you believe it to be.”
He smiled, squeezing my hand.
“I’m not sure how I should feel. I suppose feeling relieved wasn’t expected?”
“Relieved?” I asked, surprised, once more.
“Jane, is that your name?”
“It is for this life,” I said, smiling sadly.
“Then Jane, you are larger than life, bigger and better than everything around you. I could never quite see how you fitted in, and this explains things. I was just so pleased you came into my life and wanted to stay, I never said anything. Actually, it doesn’t explain things, for I do not fully understand what you have told me. I’m not sure that I want to, but I do trust you, and I thank you for being honest. That honesty is obviously for a purpose, for you didn’t have to tell me unless you need my help. How can I help you?”
“I need reinforcements, so do you mind if I deputise your regiment?”
“On one condition?”
“Yes?”
“You get me in command.”
I kissed him.
“Agreed,” I said, as we looked at the map together.
CHAPTER TEN
Closure
It was with some trepidation that I made my way towards the coaching offices the following morning. I hoped that Roger was at this moment moving his men into position, so I forced myself to trust him. It was essential that I appear an unsuspicious as possible, so I was alone, carrying a small bag only, and met Soames as agreed just outside.