The Heiress in Kent

by Gregory Kopp

  Richard presented his credentials to Assistant Commissioner Labalmondière who agreed to enroll him in the police force. Richard had only just been with the Metropolitan Police for a few months when the Police Commissioner summoned him to his office. During that short time, he had solved quite a few cold cases and impressed the Chief Inspector with his diligence and detective skills. So much so in fact, his name came up when the police force received an urgent request from the Prime Minister. The PM requested their best man to investigate a pressing case for the Queen.

  Sir Richard Mayne the newly appointed Commissioner welcomed him into his office and offered him a cup of tea. Richard declined and took a seat in the chair directly across from the Commissioner’s desk.

  “Richard, I have an assignment for you,” the Commissioner said to him. “Now, you can turn it down, but this request comes directly from the Palace and has high visibility with Her Majesty’s government.” Richard sat upright and nodded his head for the Commissioner to continue speaking. The Commissioner took a sip of tea and continued, “The Queen and Prince Albert are concerned about their investments in the American railroads with all of the bankruptcies in the former colonies. Their Royal Majesties feel that if another financial panic happens, it could ruin the British economy and incite the Yorkshire Chartists to overthrow the Queen.”

  Recently the Chartists, a working-class protest movement, were attempting to make a comeback in the United Kingdom. Violent protests against the Queen and her government were occurring again in northern England after several years of peace.

  “The Prime Minister would like a Scotland Yard detective to go to New York City and investigate any financial malfeasance and report back to the British Government,” the Commissioner stated. Richard showed a keen interest in what Sir Richard Mayne was telling him and listened more earnestly. Sir Richard continued, “If you agree, then you will take the first ship out of Liverpool to New York City tomorrow morning. Time is of the essence.”

  Richard Cordwell stood and told the Commissioner, “Of course I will accept the assignment; anything for Queen and country.” The Commissioner smiled but stopped him before he could leave his office.

  “By the way”, Sir Richard said as he stood up and handed him a small piece of paper. “The Queen also asked if you could ascertain the whereabouts of this woman. But this must be kept top secret and you are not to reveal it to anyone except the British Consul in New York City,” Sir Richard said and stared at Cordwell for emphasis. Richard Cordwell nodded, quickly glanced at the paper and read the name, Mary Morter. Next to the name was the word “THINK” in large black letters. He was puzzled but only placed the paper into his pocket having learned not to ask any questions when orders came directly from the Queen. “I repeat, this assignment is not to be discussed with anyone outside of this room and you may need this,” the Commissioner stated as he handed Cordwell a Beaumont–Adams revolver. It was similar to the Adams revolver Cordwell used during the Crimean War. The revolvers were currently being tested by police officers in the outer districts of London. The Commissioner authorized Richard Cordwell to carry one for his assignment in America. Cordwell took the revolver from Sir Richard’s hand, placed it in his pocket, saluted the Commissioner and left the office. Cordwell was confident he would be able to find the woman for the Queen, but he had little time to pack for the ocean voyage to America. He did not know how long his assignment would keep him in New York City so he needed to be prepared for any emergencies that he may encounter.

  On his way out of the office, the Commissioner’s assistant gave Richard a first-class boarding ticket on a new Cunard steamship. It was sailing out of Liverpool and traveling to New York the following day. He also gave him some pound notes drawn from the Metropolitan Police petty cash drawer and a letter given to the Commissioner by the Duchess of Hamilton. It contained a note addressed to the contact who could help Richard in New York City. The individual’s first name was Frederick, and he was a lawyer in a large New York City firm. Richard reacted with surprise when the assistant revealed to him who had provided the name. He wondered to himself, “How did the Duchess know this man?” Richard placed the pound notes, the boarding ticket and the letter from the Duchess of Hamilton into his coat pocket. He quickly left to pack for his journey to America.

  Chapter Five

  New York City

  When Richard Cordwell arrived in New York City, he went straight to the law firm to find Frederick. He was told by the receptionist that Frederick was no longer employed by the law firm.

  Richard asked the receptionist for Frederick’s forwarding address. He was met with stony silence and a request for him to leave immediately. An older woman employed as a legal secretary at the firm happened to overhear. She whispered to him to meet her outside on the street in front of the building while he walked past her desk as he was leaving.

  Richard waited for the woman while smoking a cigarette. The legal secretary came out of the door of the building and spotted him. She walked up to him and handed him one of Frederick’s old law firm business cards. On the back of the card was scribbled down an address on the lower east side of New York City.

  The legal secretary told Richard that Frederick had given her the card shortly after he was fired and been forced to leave the firm in disgrace. Frederick had asked her for some of his old client’s files, but she refused him. She had been frightened and anxious she would also be fired if she was seen talking with him.

  She cautioned Richard, “You are in grave danger if you continue to look for Frederick, I overheard one of the law firm partners discuss getting rid of him permanently!” She looked at him with a frightened look on her face. “The partner was meeting with a large unsavory man in his office yesterday and he said Frederick must be stopped before he went to the police.” Richard told her not to worry, that he would not tell anyone where he received the address. She appeared relieved and went back into the building.

  Richard Cordwell went to the Delancey Street address the woman gave him and climbed the stairs to the top floor apartment of an old tenement building. He knocked on the door and it was opened by a clearly agitated young woman. Suddenly, he heard a gunshot, pushed the woman aside and rushed into the apartment with his revolver drawn. The young woman screamed and ran after him towards the kitchen from where the gunshot came from. As Richard entered the room, he saw a young man fighting with a large, burly man wearing workman’s clothing and a stocking hat pulled over his face. They were both struggling for control of an old pistol.

  Richard grabbed the burly man and hurled him against the wall. The man looked up at him in surprise, struggled to his feet and then jumped out of the kitchen window. Richard pointed his revolver at the man as he climbed onto the fire escape and fired, but barely hit him in the shoulder. The man grunted in pain but kept climbing down to the ground below. When he reached the ground, he ran up the street into the darkness.

  Richard Cordwell turned to help the young man who was groaning from a knife wound to his arm. His left arm hung listlessly at his side as he sat up on the kitchen floor covered in his own blood. The young woman was holding an infant child and trying to stop the bleeding as she knelt down next to the young man. The man on the floor turned to look at Richard as he spoke, “Who are you, stranger? And why did you help me?” The young woman also looked up at Richard with inquiring eyes.

  Richard helped the man to his feet and said to both of them, “Frederick and Anna, I presume?” They both silently nodded. “I was sent by the Queen to find you,” Richard stated.

  Both Frederick and his wife Anna looked at Richard in surprise with audible gasps. “How did the Queen know where to find me?” Frederick asked.

  Richard smiled at their surprised faces and chuckled. He proceeded to explain, “I presume you know of the Duchess of Hamilton? She suggested to the Queen that I would be able to find you here and you would help me,” he said. He gave the letter with the note from the Duchess of Hamilton to Frederick to read. F
rederick scanned the contents of the note and then handed it to his wife, Anna.

  “Me, help you? How can I?” Frederick asked, astonished at the turn of events.

  Richard mentioned a few names of the most prominent people in New York City High Society including the Astors and Rockefellers. “I require an introduction to these people for the case I am working on. I am a detective with the Metropolitan Police in London and am investigating railroad stock fraud. My understanding is that you used to represent the Erie and New York Railroad Company and you know the former president Homer Ramsdell. Is that true?” he asked.

  “Yes, I do,” answered Frederick. “But I no longer work at the law firm. In fact, I was fired!” Frederick stated holding the bandage given to him by his wife over his injured arm.

  Richard shook his head. “I know that. That is why you are the perfect cover for me to infiltrate the law firm. The partners will not suspect I am a policeman and will believe my cover story,” he said.

  “What story is that?” both Anna and Frederick asked simultaneously.

  Richard stated, “I am a long-lost family friend from England. You will introduce me only as an investigator for a prestigious London law firm. I can provide a list of names as references but I need an introduction.” Frederick agreed to make the introduction at his old law firm the next day. Richard had noticed the dilapidated state of the apartment building and suggested that it might be easiest for the cover story if Frederick and his family came back with Richard to the Astor House Hotel. Everyone thought this best and after packing they departed for the hotel where Richard set them up in a suite of rooms.

  Chapter Six

  The next day, Frederick wore a new suit purchased from the tailor shop at the Astor House Hotel. He met Richard Cordwell in the lobby of the hotel and then they traveled by carriage down Liberty Street to Frederick’s former law firm on Wall Street. It was a large, blue-chip New York City law firm established in 1845. They were greeted in the foyer by one of Frederick’s former law partners, Edward Clarke. “Frederick, it is so good to see you. How have you been?” Clarke said to him while looking at Frederick’s new suit and the man accompanying him.

  Before he was fired, Frederick had discovered discrepancies in the firm’s client’s legal billings. He brought it to the attention of the law firm’s managing partner but his findings were never pursued. Edward Clarke became aware of these inquiries and arranged to plant false billing records in Frederick’s office. Subsequently, the managing partner fired Frederick instead and Frederick left the law firm in disgrace. Clarke inherited all of Frederick’s clients and his corner office as a result of his treachery and did not want him to return.

  Frederick merely smiled weakly at him and introduced Richard Cordwell. He explained that Richard was an old friend of Frederick’s and Anna’s from England and recently arrived in New York City on business. Frederick told Edward Clarke how Richard was an excellent investigator for a prestigious London law firm and he was performing due diligence of prospective merger partners for his firm. Edward Clarke sensing a business opportunity, smiled and shook Richard’s hand and ushered them both into Frederick’s old office. He offered them a drink. “So what have you been up to Frederick?” he asked mockingly.

  Richard interrupted Frederick before he could speak and told Clarke how he and Frederick were both presently working for the same law firm in London. “Her Majesty the Queen is one of our clients,” he said slyly.

  Edward Clarke’s eyes went wide and he began asking several more questions of the two men. But Richard stopped him by saying, “Perhaps we could have that drink before we discuss any law firm business?”

  Clarke grew silent and poured them drinks. After handing each of them a glass full of whiskey he thought of a brilliant idea. There was a dinner party at the home of Charles Moran that evening and Clarke was invited to attend. Moran was the President of the New York and Erie Railroad Company and many members of Clarke’s New York City High Society clients would also be there. Perhaps his high profile clientele would impress Richard Cordwell so much so that a merger of their two law firms would be a distinct possibility and in turn make Edward Clarke extremely wealthy.

  Clarke cleared his throat and then invited them to attend the dinner party with him, that evening. He explained it would be at the home of Charles Moran, the railroad company executive. “Many important members of the New York City business community will also be there and there will be an opportunity for us to discuss how our two law firms can do business together,” he noted as they toasted and clinked glasses together.

  Frederick tried begging off stating he had other commitments, but Clarke insisted and suggested he bring his wife Anna with him. Frederick warily agreed and Richard spoke up and said he would be delighted to attend that evening.

  “Good,” said Edward Clarke, “My clerk will give you the time and directions to Moran’s home.” Richard smiled inwardly noting his good fortune as his investigation was going according to plan.

  After finishing their drinks, Frederick and Richard stood up to go, and Clarke shook Richard Cordwell's hand. But in an obvious fit of jealousy, ignored Frederick’s outstretched hand and showed them both out the door.

  As Richard Cordwell and Frederick left the law firm, Richard knew he would need to buy formal clothing for the evening reception. They both went their separate ways, Frederick eager to return to his wife and child at the Astor House Hotel while Richard visited a new clothing shop he spotted on Wall Street.

  Later that evening, Richard Cordwell met Frederick and Anna in the lobby of the Astor House Hotel before traveling together to the dinner party. He looked at Anna and noticed a large brooch on her dress. “Where did you get that brooch?” he asked her.

  “I bought it from a street vendor on Delancey Street in the neighborhood near the tenement building where you found us.”

  Richard asked her if he could look at it. She shrugged, unclasped the brooch from her dress and gave it to him. He examined it more closely. “No mistake about it, it was part of the Queen’s jewels that were missing since the early 1850s,” he thought to himself. He had been working on a cold case involving the jewels before he was called to the Commissioner’s office. Word had it that they were stolen by an heir to the crown. He asked Anna if he could keep it to show to the British Consul in the morning as he suspected they were stolen. Anna laughed but agreed as she assumed it was only costume jewelry. Richard Cordwell placed the brooch in his pocket and they all climbed into the carriage hired to take them to the dinner party.

  Chapter Seven

  When they arrived at the home of Charles Moran, the president of the New York and Erie Railroad Company, Richard spied him having drinks with his guests. He was smoking a cigar in a small drawing room with other distinguished looking gentlemen including Edward Clarke. As Richard entered the room, the men stopped talking and looked at him warily. Clarke jumped to his feet and ushered Richard towards Moran. He introduced him saying, “This is the man I spoke to you about. He works for a large London law firm as an investigator and is now in New York City seeking a merger partner for his firm.”

  Charles Moran, an older gentleman, looked Richard up and down, observing the finely tailored suit and expensive shoes he was wearing. “I may have an opportunity for you,” Moran said clearing his throat after standing up. He then offered Richard a cigar while they both walked towards the parlor.

  Richard Cordwell lit his cigar and drew a large puff. “How can I help you?” he asked.

  “It’s the daughter of a friend,” Moran said simply. “She is looking into this financial mess that happened last year after her father, my predecessor as president of the railroad company, resigned. She is asking questions and requires some guidance.”

  Richard drew another long pull on his cigar and stated, “I can meet with her tomorrow.”

  “Good,” Moran said, “Here is her address,” and he placed a small slip of paper into Richard Cordwell’s hand and turned to go. />
  “Let me know what you find out,” he said to Richard while he was walking out of the parlor to meet with his business associates in the drawing room.

  All the while the railroad company executive was talking to Richard Cordwell, Edward Clarke was listening. When Richard looked back at him while he was leaving the parlor, Clarke abruptly turned away and resumed talking with the gentleman next to him.

  Richard spotted the British Consul in a corner of the drawing room smoking a cigar and drinking a brandy. He was reading the latest Illustrated London News which arrived from London. Richard interrupted his reading by saying “Ahem, Sir. May I bother you for a second?” The British Consul put down his paper and he gestured to the nearest chair for him to sit down. Richard spoke in low tones while looking around the room to see if anyone was listening to them, “Sir Richard Mayne suggested I contacted you if I needed some additional information.”

  “Sir Richard sent you?” The British Consul smiled and took a large puff on his cigar. “How is the rascal?”

  “He’s well,” Richard smiled back as he told him. “He is currently the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.”

  The Consul nodded and said, “I knew he would succeed. Now, how can I help you?”

  Cordwell showed him the paper Sir Richard provided to him. “I am looking for this woman,” he said.

  The British Consul took one look at the name printed on the paper and grew pale. He put down his cigar and took a swig of brandy. “Where did you get this name?” he asked. Richard told him the Queen was interested in this woman and sent him to find her. The Consul implored him to lower his voice while he also looked around the drawing room at the other gentlemen in oversized chairs smoking cigars and drinking fine spirits. “She has disappeared. I don’t know where you can find her or her husband for that matter. But I suggest you stop looking for her. She is a troublemaker for the Queen,” he said flatly and turned away from Richard with a shrug and resumed reading his paper.