Scandal and Secrets

by Christopher Hoare

  Worthington stared at her. “What might be the nature of these orders, Miss Stephenson?”

  Everyone at the table looked at her. They had not heard him use her name before.

  She smiled back at them all. “I will not keep anyone in suspense. HMS Antiochus is required to steam up the Schelde to Antwerp, if the river be navigable, to act as accommodation and headquarters for inspection of the maritime assets in the port. The vessel’s officers will maintain orders as for a warship in hostile waters until otherwise notified. Their Lordships wish to have any warlike items listed for future destruction in the conditions of a new Treaty that must be negotiated.

  “Any armament must be put under secure protection, any non-military items of recent manufacture must be listed for future removal as partial reparations due to the Crown―”

  “But why should we be sent on such a duty?” Lieutenant-Commander Collins said, shaking his head.

  “I think I see the connection,” she said. “Their Lordships are ensuring that the knowledge of steam warships in the yards and docks of the port is secured. They do not want the new king who will rule in France to be able to use Napoleon’s armaments to one day threaten England. The officers and petty officers of the Antiochus are the closest personnel able to determine such information.”

  “And you in particular, My Lady,” Lieutenant Hardy said, and then coloured at his mistake.

  “Do not be embarrassed, Sir. I am sure that I will also take time to adapt to my new status . . . new old status.” She scanned the orders again. “They even want steam developments of a civilian utility to be removed ‘if such are of a novelty that might be detrimental for industrial competitors to utilize’ . . .” She laughed. “Perhaps I may utilize something of value myself.”

  “Is there anything of use to us in the French ships?” Petty Officer Brown asked.

  “I am sure we will be surprised,” she said. “A great deal of invention must go into any new ship. They are also ordering several frigates to Antwerp as well for their officers to examine sailing ships under construction here. And here is another . . . Oh, perhaps I should not read this out. This is pertinent information for senior officers of a diplomatic nature.” She looked at Worthington. “When will we leave, Captain?”

  He shrugged. “We will want to discuss the orders with others who have received them, and I want to keep Lieutenant Farley and the Regent with us to mark the safe channel. We will not leave Neuzen until another tide or two.”

  The first tide brought a new visitor to the Antiochus in a small harbour craft. Roberta, with her engine room below close to silent, was able to stand on the weather deck to greet the occupant. It was Symington Holmes.

  Almost his first words were a question about their orders for the Antiochus.

  “We are awaiting the tide in order to go up the Schelde to Antwerp,” she answered. “What are your plans?”

  As they crossed the deck to the companionway, he smiled at her. “I think your plans are more interesting to me now. I heard a rumour about the Bishop’s Court, a very welcome rumour. Is that true?”

  She smiled. “Indeed it is. You are no longer required to genuflect when you meet me.”

  He laughed. “Ah, but the ceremony is not lost between us. I have been called to London where I am expected to receive an honour in preparation to taking a consular post with the new government of the Low Countries.”

  She stopped at the head of the companionway. “Sir Symington?”

  “Hush, no one is to know until it happens. I believe it is of the lowest order of the honour, but it is some compensation for my four months of hiding myself from the French on the banks of the Schelde.”

  “And meeting all the dignitaries who are to be the members of the new government you will work with.”

  “Precisely.”

  A voice from the stairs below told them Captain Worthington was ascending. “Did I hear something about good news, Mr. Holmes?” he said as he reached them. “A secret?”

  “Indeed. Do you two also have a secret to tell me?”

  Roberta and Worthington regarded one another silently.

  Mr. Holmes looked at them. “No? Have I spoken out of turn? I do apologize.”

  Worthington looked at him awkwardly. Roberta jumped into the breach. “You have caught us at an inappropriate moment. We have had no opportunity to consider our own lives.”

  “We very much wish . . .” Worthington began. “. . . Hardly appropriate though . . . under our present duties.”

  “Does Julian know?” she offered by way of changing the subject.

  “I have not heard from him. I am told he is no longer Chargé d’Affaires in Paris, but is still there on some other business. I expect the Marquess notified him as soon as he could.”

  Worthington slapped him on the back. “But it sounds as if you have a valuable new post. Is that what you came to Antiochus to tell us?”

  “Not exactly. I was hoping to get a ride with you back to England, but if you are bound for the interior of the country, I will have to look for another berth.”

  “There is a lot of coming and going in the Schelde these days,” Roberta said. “You should be able to find a ship bound for the Thames before dark.”

  They were able to entertain Mr. Holmes to a cold luncheon before he left them and discussed the Admiralty orders as well as his summons to London from the government. Roberta wondered if she might bring up the matter of her marital freedom in conversation with him. Captain Worthington seemed loth to speak about their relationship, even in private. She could not fault his careful consideration of matrimony, but she was close to wondering if he had turned against the plan. She decided not to say anything that might seem intended to oblige him to hasten against his own judgement.

  It turned out that it took another two tides before Antiochus could be readied for the journey to Antwerp. To keep the crew from idleness and the trouble it may engender, Captain Worthington gave a number of the officers and men, who had no specific duties, a few hours of leave while they waited on the incoming tide. Lieutenant-commander Collins returned early with several English newspapers he had been given by some cavalry officers of Wellington’s army.

  “They are only a few days old,” he said. “This one is just Tuesday’s.”

  Roberta smiled. “Why should we consider them such a great prize, Commander?”

  “See for yourself, lady. We are all mentioned, and you and the Captain most of all.”

  She reached for the papers he held out.

  “You will find this one of the greatest interest; the column beside the headline ‘Napoleon Captured by the Royal Navy’.”

  Captain Worthington left his desk to join her beside the larger porthole. “It seems most unusual for the Admiralty to allow its business to be discussed in the common press.”

  Collins shrugged. “They commemorate the ending of many years of war. The soldiers informed me that the whole of Britain is rejoicing. This is a copy of the Times; everyone in the country will be reading it.”

  Roberta leaned forward to read in the best light while Captain Worthington looked over her shoulder. The second paragraph under the words, “Duel of the Steamships” began with the name of the Antiochus. “It would seem that someone aboard the Bellerophon has related the story, although they were not witness to the action.”

  “We gave a full account in the dispatch I sent with them to England,” Worthington said.

  Roberta read quickly. “It seems I have been identified as my father’s daughter. Whoever wrote this carefully skirted around any mention of the annulment of my marriage.”

  “But you and your father have been given all credit for both the spitefuls and Antiochus,” Worthington said, looking up from reading.

  They read for some minutes before their minds returned to the duties awaiting them. “I have to check on the boilers if we are to be ready for the tide,” Roberta said.

  Worthington stepped away from her but remained regarding her
intently. “Yes, there are many matters in need of attention. Would you please carry these newspapers around the ship, Commander, and see that the lads are given their due in everything you read to them. Miss Stephenson and I have a private matter to attend to before we may continue.”

  Roberta watched Collins leave and then regarded the Captain quizzically. “A private matter, Sir?”

  “I see that the confusion with your marital state may be causing you much harm. It is Miss Roberta Stephenson who should be assigned the greatest credit here, but all the praise goes to your father . . . Oh, I know ye would not begrudge him the honours, but it disturbs me greatly to think ye may be overlooked.”

  Roberta looked into his earnest face. “What do you suggest we do, Sir?”

  “What we have been prevented from doing for the past year. We have never been able to speak the words before, but I would wish you to permit me to speak of them now. Dinna be shy . . . we both know what I mean. Do ye still have the same resolution to marry me . . . if so I will plight my troth this very moment.” He paused as a conflicted expression crossed his face. “If it be acceptable for ye to hear the words . . . aboard a ship . . . again.”

  Roberta was surprised by his sudden distress, his woebegone expression, but could not keep from laughing. After a moment’s hesitation he laughed with her. “Ah would gladly go ashore if it were possible . . . but,” his solemnity began to crack again. “Perhaps the port . . . is no better. Oh, I do not mean to be flippant.”

  Roberta reached a hand out to grasp his arm. “I feel no dread of ship nor harbour, Sir. I must confess it was in no wise the location or manner that was in error before, it was the person. There is absolutely no hesitation in my manner this time. I would listen to your troth a thousand times upon a thousand ships.”

  He stepped closer and took both her hands in the large fists that had carried him from stokeholds to the command of his own ship. “Then, wilt thou marry me, Miss Stephenson?”

  “Aye, Alfred Worthington. I will marry you.”

  After several days travel, Lord Bond and the Countess arrived in Brussels, now the administrative centre for the British army in occupation of the Low Countries. Bond went first to the Duke of Wellington’s headquarters in the Palais de la Nation, the old parliament building that the French administration had converted to the Law Courts, looking for officers known to him. He was pleased to find Colonel the Earl of Silchester almost immediately.

  “What do you need, Cousin Julian?”

  “Some accommodation for myself and for the Countess’ family in the city. We had to leave Paris because her late husband is under investigation by King Louis’ people.”

  “The political trials are starting already? What do they suspect, may I ask?”

  “They think he might have been a supporter of the Corsican because he attempted to use influence in the regime to regain title to some properties. The Countess could be placed under arrest for the same issue.”

  “I see. But I am not sure I know of this Countess. Did I miss something . . . ?”

  “Oh, your mother has not written you? I have told her everything, but my Father does not know yet. Did you hear that my marriage to Roberta is annulled?”

  “Hmm, yes. She did write to tell me that. Damned poor luck, what?”

  “Well, yes. In a way.” Bond was glad he had not brought Marie-Sophie into the Palais with him to hear that. “The Countess is Marie-Sophie de Esternay, for whom I am trying to obtain a passage to England with her family. The Countess was able to hide me when I ran afoul of Napoleon’s troops on the road a couple of weeks back—French armies move so damned fast. They can appear when you least expect them. Anyway, she shielded me until the road cleared again.”

  “I see. So she is looking for a ticket to England?”

  “In a roundabout way, yes. At the moment I am looking for Roberta. The last I heard she was with the Antiochus in the Westerschelde. Is the vessel still there?”

  “No. Actually they moved to Antwerp, taking an inventory of nautical things. The steamship yards are under investigation we heard.”

  “Hmm. If I can find her in the city, I may be gone only for a day or two. Do you think you might be able to look after the Countess’ people until we return?”

  With the Antiochus moored in the river and several other British warships nearby, Roberta felt that this visit to Antwerp was recompense for the first one. With the citizens all expecting the British government to insist on restoring the Low Countries to their lost independence in the coming treaty negotiations, the British sailors were feted and cheered by the whole population. Invitations came to the officers every evening and even the lower ranks were entertained in all-night beer-gardens.

  Roberta spent most of her days inspecting the steamship yards with the assistance of her engineroom staff. Captain Worthington, as senior British officer in the city, spent his days administering the law and order that a collection of a thousand or so British servicemen might easily run afoul of.

  She had been surprised to find someone she knew at the most recent dock on her schedule. Cornelius van Ee was at the head of the gentlemen who greeted her at the dockyard gate.

  “Welcome to our River Transportation enterprise, My Lady.”

  “Thank you, Mr. van Ee, but I am no longer Lady Bond. My marriage was annulled,” she said. “What does your enterprise consist of, Sir?”

  “We have purchased the pyroscaphe that had the boiler explosion during the Emperor’s inspection. The yard has not been paid for the repairs, and its owners and several other businessmen in the city want to convert it into a passenger vessel for service on the hundreds of miles of waterway between cities.”

  “An interesting idea, but I must inform you that the Admiralty intends to have all the French steamships destroyed.”

  The gentlemen were aghast. Several different discussions began at once. She waited until she could talk to van Ee and the senior partner and asked them to show her over the repaired vessel.

  As they toured the vessel, they asked what might be done to protect their steamship. Roberta sympathised, “I might suggest that there are two authorities in London who have slightly different interests here. The Admiralty is charged to prevent these ships from ever going to war with us again.”

  “But this is no longer a warship,” van Ee said. “The guns are removed and even the towing bits reduced to a single bollard.”

  “I see that,” she said. “If I may continue . . . we were informed that the British Government is desirous of restoring the Low Countries into a continental ally of ours. It would seem that your best course would be to appeal to the Foreign Office for a charter that would please both the government and the Navy. I do know that the pyroscaphes are far better suited to inland waterways than they are to the open water of the Channel.”

  “Very well thought out advice, My Dear. You should run for Parliament one day.”

  Roberta immediately recognised both voice and manner of speaking, but was nevertheless astounded to turn and see Lord Bond on the quay looking down at them. “Good day, My Lord. Are you assigned to this duty now?”

  “Not at all. I was given directions that I would find you here. Would you please come ashore so we might discuss a matter of concern to us both?”

  “I will not speak of the impossibility of our undertaking a second attempt at matrimony.”

  “No, no. That is all over. Lost in the past, but I am obliged to obtain a document from you that you have suffered no imposition that has occurred because of the annulment. Please come ashore―this is a private discussion, I would hope.”

  While Roberta made her way to the gangplank, she heard him making plans with the gentlemen who had hoped to become transportation magnates.

  “Do as the lady says,” he told them. “I assure you that the British government would look very favourably on your intention. Anything that would wipe out the last years of French rule would please Lord Liverpool and his cabinet. Why, if I may be invited,
I wouldn’t mind having a thousand or so in an enterprise like yours.”

  When Roberta reached the quay, she was able to see a workman holding the bridles of two horses just inside the gate. A young woman in riding attire stood nearby looking about her.

  “What is this all about, My Lord?”

  “I will tell all very soon, but first I want to introduce you to someone.”

  Roberta walked with him to the gate, a fine muddle of conjectures whirling in her mind. Who was the young woman in the travelling dress with a sweet face, excellent complexion, and very fair hair tinged with a hint of strawberry? Why would any man want to introduce his recently discarded wife to someone who seemed to be a very new acquisition?

  “Please meet Countess Marie-Sophie de Esternay. Marie, this is Roberta Stephenson, Britain’s protection from invasion . . . until a few days ago the legitimate Lady Bond.”

  The Countess removed a glove and offered her hand, which Roberta took cautiously. “I am pleased to meet you, my dear,” the Countess said in accented but clear English. “We are hoping that you will see it possible to be of service to me and my family. I need to leave France but no government wants to give me a passport.”

  “And what service could I afford you . . . you and your family,” Roberta said.

  “Marie is a widow,” Lord Bond broke in. “Her husband was executed by guillotine.”

  “My family are my two children, my elderly nanny, and a crippled servant. We were in hiding from Fouché’s prefects who wanted to interrogate me for my late husband’s actions, and now the Royalists want to question me about his services to the revolutionaries.”

  Her manner was very controlled as she said this, but Roberta sensed the desperation behind her words. She glanced at Lord Bond. “I will not believe your disinterested charity, My Lord. Can you relate the whole story?”

  “You are correct, as always. I want to take Marie to meet the Marquess, for his approval of our marriage. But I cannot get her to England without a passport.”