Love Regency Style

by Samantha Holt

  “Yes, but we need…” Jules started.

  “Jules, I’ll explain on the way to Berkley. You have your man ready our horses. I just need a few things.”

  “But what are you planning?”

  “I need to know everything that has been going on at Berkley and then, I mean to find her, pin Farley against a wall and kill him in slow degrees.”

  Jules’s brow was up, “Aye, I don’t doubt it, and so…that is how it is?”

  Sir Edward turned and looked at him hard, “That is how it is.”

  Jules smiled, “I am glad of it, Edward. You and Star, I think, are meant. But come on then, we must not allow anything to hold us up.”

  “Nothing will hold me up,” Sir Edward growled. “Nothing!”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  “FAMOUS! EXCLAIMED VERN as the wind took The Vision speedily toward their destination. “Here, Miles, come over here and help me read these maps, I can’t make any sense of them.”

  Miles laughed and came over, “Aye, Aye, Captain. This is all so grand, isn’t it?”

  “If you say so,” Vern grimaced. “Not my cup of tea, though.”

  “I must get a boat…something a bit smaller than this…” Miles said.

  “First things first,” Vern said frowning at him.

  “Which is?”

  “The map, Miles, the map.”

  “Oh right,” Miles said and laughed as he took to studying it, looked around for a marker and contemplated the coastline before saying with confidence, “We are right on course. Now, going to fetch a bumper of ale for each of us, damned thirsty.”

  “Yes, indeed…I am as well and bring up that fresh bread and cheese. Damned glad we let that hawker talk us into it, hungry.”

  A few moments later found them in perfect harmony, tearing off chunks of bread from the loaf, stuffing it with cheese and making short work of it as they sipped their ale.

  A sudden lurch of the boat made Vern spill some of his ale into Miles’ lap which made Miles curse his friend soundly before he poured some ale over Vern’s head. A food fight of no mean order followed this until they were laughing long and hard over their foolishness.

  A screeching sound, unmistakable screeching of renting sail brought their heads around and up. To the screeching was added a groaning sound that makes even the least knowledgeable sailor sober. Miles looked contemplated at the sail with a sinking heart as he turned to Vern and cursed softly.

  “What? What now?” Vern cried.

  “This is bad,” Miles answered gravely, “But not all that bad…it is the triangular sail—see it flapping? It’s torn free of its mast. It will need to be repaired.”

  “What?” Vern demanded worriedly. “Can we do that?”

  “We’ll have to sail into the shallows, anchor, and repair the damage before we can proceed,” Miles said thoughtfully. “Though I seem to remember you said something earlier about your father always storing spare sailing supplies. Do you have a spare jib?”

  Vern gave this some thought. “I seem to remember Papa counting a spare jib amongst the things he had stored below. This is my fault. Star told me before we left that she remembered the last time she sailed with Papa that the jib looked badly worn. Damn, but she will never let me live this down.”

  Miles grinned, “Even if she forgets, I won’t.”

  “Devil,” Vern said and smiled as he made his way down the companionway stairs.

  Miles took the helm and steered toward the shallows, calling out, “Did you get it…do we have it?”

  “Still looking!” Vern called up.

  *

  Star was not thinking about the jib or The Vision as she lay on the hard wooden floor of Farley’s two room cottage in Romney Marsh.

  Her wrists were bound at her back. Her ankles ached from the rope cutting into her flesh. Farley had also blindfolded and gagged her. She could hear him shuffling about before he scratched a chair against the floor. Was he sitting? Was he settled?

  She concentrated as she slowly, quietly slid her head against the floorboard and finally dislodged the blindfold. She took a moment to survey her surroundings.

  Her room was more like a storage closet. The only light that filtered through was through the wide cracks between the wall boards. In one corner was a small cot. She had to think. She could hear someone sit heavily and then shuffle something on the table…what was that? Yes, yes, cards. He was shuffling cards, amusing himself no doubt.

  She was choking on the gag in her mouth and tried to ignore this and remain calm. She rolled onto her back and using her fists she pushed herself into a sitting position, then scooted backward on her bottom till she hit the wall.

  Something sharp poked at her back and with some excitement she realized this was the point of a nail.

  She started rubbing the ropes at her wrist against the nail when she sat rigid to the sound of someone entering the cottage. Clearly she heard Farley whose voice was gruff and hard, “Well…did ye get it done?”

  “Aye, that Oi did. First, let me tell ye, Farley, Oi got to admit, Oi was scared. Thought Oi was snabbled when they didn’t wants to take the note from me. Thought that there butler of theirs was going to pull out a gun and have at me, Oi did. Tough old bloke he was. But he took the note and told me to wait. Oi took off Oi did.”

  “Did ye hide yer horse out back?” Farley asked sharply.

  “Oi did, in yer shed wit yers,” Ally said. “But, we have a problem, we do. He come up lame, he did. Come have a look wit me…maybe ye got something we can use to help heal him?”

  “Curst bad luck, but never mind it, Ally…if he won’t do and chances are he won’t, we’ll snabble another.” He got up from the table. “Let’s go have a look, and if he can’t be used, ye take m’horse and come back with another.”

  Star heard them go outside and hurried to position herself again at the nail. It took a good ten minutes to tear through the rope enough so she could loosen and untie it. She then undid the rope at her ankles. By the time she was done, she was bloodied but fiercely determined.

  She put her wrists at her back and tucked her ankles under her gown, throwing the rope around them loosely as she leaned back against the wall and waited. She would have to bide her time. After all, she couldn’t just run out of the cabin while they were so near.

  She heard them reenter the cottage and Ally said, “Oi’m hungry…whot ye got to eat Farley?”

  “Look in the cupboard…maybe some day old bread. It will have to do.”

  “Whot about the mort? Should we be feeding her?”

  “No, leave her be. She can’t go nowhere with her wrists and ankles tied and no window in that room. Best to leave her be.”

  “Right then, Oi’ll go down the road to Jeb’s house and take one of his horses and get some food from him and be back.”

  “No, ye’ll stay here and Oi’ll go. He might try and side track ye which he can’t do with me. Aye, Oi’ll be quicker about it than ye,” Farley said.

  “Aye, but don’t forget to bring me back some food…this bread is stale,” Ally returned.

  A moment later, Star heard steps and her door was flung open.

  She blinked against the daylight that streamed through from the other room and hit her in the face.

  “I see ye got the blindfold off. That’s fine, no harm, so tell me, are ye hungry? Oi could feed ye a bit of bread, whether Farley wants me to or not,” Ally said. “Nod, if ye want me to come closer and feed ye.” He grinned awfully, “and Oi’d be exacting a price, Oi would…”

  She wanted to tell him to go to the devil, but she had returned the gag to her mouth and was only able to silently glare at him.

  He laughed out loud. “Spirited mort, ain’t ye. Well then, not hungry yet? So be it.” He seemed to think of something as he turned to leave her and stopped to turn back to her. He stepped toward her and yanked the gag out of her mouth.

  Star gasped, choked and coughed a moment beneath his watchful grin and thought if she had
her gun now she would shoot him dead without a second thought, without a trembling hand.

  “Oi want to know about this flash, Sir Edward. Will he pay for your return?”

  She shook her head, “No, you are out there. He will not. He cares much more about his money than he does me.”

  “Is that whot ye think? It isn’t what Farley thinks. He said that the flash warned him away from you and your brother the other night. He let Farley live in exchange for the promise that he would never come near ye or yer brother ever again. Oi guess your flash made a mistake.”

  Star was shocked to hear this and wanted to question him further but held her tongue as Ally hurried on, “So, the flash has blunt enough to pay. Good. Zounds woman, of course he’ll pay it…any man in his right mind would pay it for ye.”

  “You are out there. Sir Edward has always implied that he has an aversion to being forced into doing things he does not like, and finds another way.”

  “Well, it queers me to understand whot ye mean by that. He don’t have a choice. He hands over the ready or we kill ye. Simple. And Farley will kill ye if for no other reason than to exact his revenge.”

  “Then I suppose I am in trouble. Sir Edward has no obligation to pay for my release, and he is the sort to hunt you if you were so unwise as to kill me. He will hunt you, torture you and then after days and days he will kill you. That is the sort of man you are dealing with now.” Star told him. She wasn’t sure if this was true. She rather thought it was, but she meant to unnerve him with this statement.

  He pulled a face at her and said, “Oi’m not listening to any more of this. Going outside for some air, Oi am. Don’t ye be trying nuthin.”

  “How could I try anything all trussed up like this, sir?” Star asked sweetly. She heard him go outdoors. A picture of Sir Edward reading the ransom note flashed in her mind. What would he think? What would he do? Would he try and find her?

  She was free of her ropes, yes, but how could she get past Ally and make her way to the shed for a horse? What had they done with her gig and her horses? No doubt left them loose on the road to prove the truth to her abduction. Once again a picture of Edward formed in her mind and her heart told her, he is coming, never doubt it, he is coming!

  *

  Dilly’s eyes were wide opened with fright as she answered Sir Edward’s sharp questions when all at once Jeffries burst through the front door and into the central hall where they were standing and shouted, “The gig…the horses…they just came up the drive they did without Miss Berkley…Miss Star…is missing.”

  Jules turned to him and quietly explained that they were in fact, now searching for her, but taken for ransom.

  This set Jeffries to groaning and Sir Edward put a comforting hand on the man’s distressed shoulder as he could see he was overcome.

  He turned back to Dilly who had gasped and burst into tears. “Dilly, this will not help. Do calm yourself. You were saying she was on her way to Miss Madison to take her up and go to Hastings to meet her brother and Miles Denning? You are certain of this?”

  “Yes, yes…it was early morning…”

  “Right,” he turned to Jules.

  “There is no mention of Georgie in the letter,” Jules said and then without waiting for a response added, “Look here…we are wasting time. We must repair to Madison at once.”

  “What exact time did Miss Star leave, Dilly?” Sir Edward pursued.

  “Not sure, but Oi think it was near or just after nine this morning,” Dilly said and sniffed loudly.

  “Do you remember what your mistress was wearing,” Sir Edward wanted all the facts.

  “Ay, that Oi do. She had on a pretty little straw bonnet with a blue ribbon. She didn’t wear her spencer but she took it along and a short waisted blue muslin gown.”

  With this piece of information, Sir Edward spun on his heels and hurried outside, Jules right behind him. They had left their horses tethered at the hitching post and it didn’t take them long to mount and start off.

  “Devil is in it, Ed! What next do we do? I don’t understand any of this. You said you frightened the devil, Farley off the other night.”

  “I know, damn it! I should have put a bullet in his head, but was trying to avoid any scandal that might attach itself to his lordship and Star. Apparently, he means to take his ounce of revenge and get some bounty for it.”

  “Revenge? But you let him live?” Jules was astounded.

  “Aye, but I interfered with him. I threatened him. Hell…I should have killed him.” Suddenly he stopped his horse, “Devil a bit!”

  “What? What?” Jules caught his friends’ reins and then put a hand to his heart. “Getting too old for this….”

  Sir Edward went to the edge of the road where he found a soiled chip bonnet and a piece of a blue muslin gown. He held them up, his face drawn in fury as he shook it. “I will have their blood, Jules!”

  Jules was aghast as he realized the meaning of this. “My God, she put up a fight, Edward…she put up a fight. Certes! Until this moment, none of this seemed…real.”

  “Aye, ‘tis real, and my sweet Star didn’t go quietly, that is for certain and has no doubt suffered the consequences of her bravery,” Edward answered grimly.

  Edward lost no time in pocketing the torn material and tying the hat to his saddle before remounting. “We must immediately visit Georgie,” he announced.

  “Edward…what if the scoundrel has them both?” Jules suddenly went white.

  “I don’t think so, Jules. The abduction took place here…or near here before Star arrived at Madison.” Edward shook his head. “It was only Star he was after. Mark me, he will realize his error of judgment right before I put out his eyes for going near my Star.”

  Jules looked at him oddly for a moment before daring to say, “Your Star, eh?”

  “That is right, mine!” Edward glared at him before he started his horse off into a lope.

  “I am pleased, Edward…honestly I am,” Jules said hurrying after him, “And we shall find her, I know we shall.”

  “You are right and you shall dance with the lovely Miss Madison at our wedding…as I am certain we shall at yours.”

  “Aye,” Jules beamed, “But first, let’s go tear this Farley to pieces!”

  It didn’t take them long to travel the short distance to Madison House and bark a command for Miss Madison to attend them.

  As it happened, Georgie was reading to her mother in her mother’s bedchamber. As her mother shooed her off, she hurriedly made her way to the library where both men impatiently paced awaiting her.

  “What? What is wrong?” she said as soon as she witnessed the expressions on their faces.

  Jules found that the relief he felt at finding her safely at home overweighed all else as he went forward and took her into his embrace, exclaiming, “Georgie, my sweetheart, you are here!”

  “Yes, yes, Georgie is here safe and sound,” Edward said irritably but we don’t have time. “Georgie…we need to speak. There is no time to lose.”

  *

  Jules was rattled and Edward was forced to put up with his non-stop chatter regarding what they should and shouldn’t do, even as they strode into the Mermaid Inn.

  Georgie had not been able to tell them anything helpful, and thus, there was just one other notion, Edward had. Find Farley. Someone at the Mermaid would know where he was wont to go to ground.

  It didn’t take him long to slide a coin toward the bartender and demand, “Tell me where Farley’s hovel is located and there will be another coin for you.”

  The bartender shook his head, “Here is the thing, sir…he never told me, and Oi never asked.”

  Sir Edward reached across the counter and grabbed him by his shirt, “Tell me what you do know.”

  The bartender was no fool. It was obvious this flash was out to kill. “Eh now, easy flash…easy.” He nodded at a burly individual who had just sauntered into the Inn. “He might know.”

  Sir Edward turned, walked
up to the fellow and held up a coin, “Farley goes to earth somewhere. I need to know where that somewhere is.”

  The man reached for the coin and Edward held it away, “Tell me what I want to know first.”

  “What do ye want with Farley?” the old grubby man asked.

  “Never mind what I want with him. Start worrying what I might want with you, if you don’t tell me what I need to know.”

  “Careful covey…no need for threats. I owe him naught. He did me wrong some months ago. Didn’t give me my fair share, so I don’t owe him anything.” He nodded, “He lives in Romney Marsh…a single cottage all alone.” He held out his hand. “I’ll tell ye more when ye hand over the blunt.”

  Edward put the coin in his hand and added another, “Now.”

  “Ye take Lydd Road as far as it will go, and then fork off onto the deer path through the Marsh. It stands there, his cottage with only one outbuilding. Ye can’t mistake it.”

  Sir Edward with Jules right behind immediately strode hard out of the inn. He had but one purpose, one need. He was going to secure his beloved safe and sound and then tear Farley apart, limb by limb.

  *

  Star had been sitting in the darkness of her room, just a bit of dim light filtered in through the cracks between the wallboards. She didn’t think there was even a lock on her door and was waiting for a chance to make a run for it. Nothing good could come of it if she charged wildly out and right into their waiting arms. No, she would bide her time, perhaps when they had fallen asleep.

  All of a sudden, she heard Ally shove a chair across the room and snap, “Whot did he do? He brings me a cob? How am Oi supposed to run with a cob if the need comes up?”

  He went outside with a slamming of the door, and she could hear the two men cursing one another up and down. Their voices grew fainter and she realized they must be headed for the shed to put the horses away. Should she make a run for it now?

  How far could she get on the open marsh?

  It wasn’t dark outside yet, perhaps she needed to wait…if she only had a gun. She got up and hurriedly searched the main cabin when she heard, “Stubble it, blubberhead.”