To show him she meant business, she moved the knife to another place on his neck and cut him again.
He winced in pain and yelled out, “Chong Fat, get in here now.”
Chong Fat’s voice responded, “Chong come quick, sir.” Lydia and Lord Darke could hear his ponderous body pound the pathway to the cave and gain speed with each step. But as he entered the chamber, he fell forward onto his face. Lord Dark’s facial expression changed from relief to surprise. Beside Chong fell his two comrades, one after the other.
“What?” Lord Darke bellowed. But he cut his sentence off when he saw two strange men walk into the room and step over his fallen comrades.
“Thank God you’re here gentlemen. This floozy was trying to hold me up. I will make it worth your while to get that knife away from her. “
Lydia stood quietly watching Ian; she pushed the knife a little deeper into Darke’s neck.
***
CHAPTER 31
“Cheap floozy, eh?” said Ian, barely controlling his anger. “Looks like a fine piece of woman to me.” He looked around the room, found a gray blanket and handed it to Lydia. She covered herself while still holding the knife at Lord Darke’s neck. At that moment, Ian realized the man who called himself Lord Darke was none other than his brother-in-law, Percy McDougall – and Percy did not recognize him.
Rather than reveal himself right away, Ian decided to see how far he could push Lord Darke.
“I don’t know what kind of business you’re in, but you’ve managed to abduct my woman!” yelled Ian.
Lord Darke look at Ian. Then he stared at Lydia.
“I don’t see how she can be your woman,” he began. “These men found her in Honolulu all dazed and crazy and brought her to me here.”
“That is right. My wife and I were attending the anniversary ball of the King and Queen there, when she wandered away from the ball. I didn’t realize it at the time, but friends told me she had become ill and went outside for fresh air. By the time they informed me of this, she had disappeared. Her illness must have made her disoriented, because she left the Palace grounds.”
“Are you going to talk all day?” asked Lydia. “This is not a social gathering. I want this man arrested.” She continued to keep the tip of the blade firmly pointed into the flesh of Lord Darke’s neck.
Ian pulled out a pistol from his jacket and aimed it at Lord Darke.
“You can relax now, my love. I will handle this matter from here.”
“He has a gun in his jacket pocket,” said Lydia. She walked over to Ian’s side and touched his arm for reassurance.
More of Simpson’s men crowded into the cave. Mr. Simpson entered the cave last, talking with Mell Wooley, from the Committee of Vigilance. The two men halted their conversation as they stepped over the unconscious body of Chong Fat.
“We will take over from here, Captain,” said Mr. Simpson. “Thank you very much for your assistance. Lord Darke is exactly the type of scum our committee is dedicated to eradicating in our fair city.” Simpson drew his pistol and pointed it at Lord Darke.
Lord Darke’s eyes grew wide with angst. He looked up at Ian and pleaded, “You cannot leave me to this hanging group. They will hang me like they did with the others. Please, Captain … Captain …”
“MacLeod. Captain Ian MacLeod,” said Ian with visible hate in his eyes. “Does that name mean anything to you?”
Percy froze. “Can it be? Are you my brother-in-law, Ian? We thought you had been kidnapped or murdered. You’re alive!” There was visible relief in his face. “We are kin. You cannot leave me to this murdering lynch mob.”
“Yes. I am alive. No thanks to you.” This was a confrontation Ian had dreamed about for years.
“You cannot let these puffed up phony excuses for a legal system take me. They are nothing more than vigilantes with personal agendas they seek to fulfill. There is no justice with them. They will take me out and hang me based upon nothing more than the word of that woman,” he said pointing to Lydia.
“You forget. ‘That woman’, as you refer to her so loosely, is my wife. In addition, there is another woman, Pakelekia Makaiwa, who will be glad to testify against you, as well as Sing Hee. Do you know Sing Hee?”
“Of course. He is one of my trusted employees. However, I have no idea who Pakelekia Makaiwa is, and the first time I ever saw your wife was this morning. What kind of charges could possibly be brought against me? Other than taking your wife off the street where no respectable woman should be, I have not harmed her. See for yourself. How was I to know that she wasn’t some trollop waiting for her next customer?”
Ian’s temper boiled over. He decked the man and knocked him out cold. Rubbing his knuckles, he said to Simpson, “He has a point. He only buys women after he had seen them and decided what to do with them. His kind always manages to keep from publicly dirtying his hands. Sing Hee might be able to testify against him, but I’ve got an idea. Let’s get him to the jail on Broadway, then I would like to speak with you privately.”
“Certainly,” said Simpson.
Ian turned to Lydia, “I’d like to send you back to the Fairchild’s so that you can get cleaned up and out of what is left of that dress. I’ll meet you back there in about two hours.”
“But Ian, I want to go with you. I have a vested interest in the outcome of this mess. When I think about how many women and children this man has terrorized, tortured, and who knows what else, I feel sick to my stomach. I feel the need to be included in his final judgment.”
“Lydia, look at yourself. If I had not thrown you a blanket when I first got here, you’d still be walking around in public in your chemise. If you were dressed, I would consider allowing you to come with me. But surely you can see that isn’t an option right now.”
Lydia looked down as she pulled the blanket a little tighter a round herself. She had forgotten the state of her undress.
Ian motioned her aside, away from the eyes of Simpson’s men.
“Lydia, you may be my partner and my wife, but there are times when I will draw the line and put my foot down. You cannot come with me. “Tis no place for a lady. I don’t want to go there either, but I need a place where I can talk with Percy – in private. This issue is bigger than merely Percy engaging in slavery. It involves my sisters and their welfare. If Percy is heading up some kind of slavery ring, then what in God’s creation is happening to my sisters?” “Oh, Ian. I am so sorry for being self-centered. I’ve been so focused on my own personal vendetta against Lord Darke, I never gave a thought to your sisters’ welfare.”
“Then you understand why I would like to handle this myself?” “Yes. However, would you please fill me in on the details when you return?”
“Of course. Then you will go back to the Fairchild’s and wait for me?”
“Yes. I must admit the idea of a hot bath and clean clothing is rather appealing.”
***
Several hours later Lydia, Pakelekia, Sing Hee and Sacha were enjoying tea in
the parlor. Lydia sat quietly, leaving everyone feeling rather awkward. The silence was broken only by the occasional clink of a tea cup against the saucer.
At last they heard the sounds of a carriage pulling up and stopping in front of the house. Everyone jumped up and ran to the windows to see who it was.
“It’s Ian,” said Lydia. She knew she could not make a pretense of being dignified and lady-like. The man to whom she had given her heart and soul was about to enter the house. Lydia could neither explain her feelings, nor did she understand the butterflies in her stomach. Her heart raced. She felt like a child about to see the presents under the tree on Christmas morning. What an effect this man, Ian MacLeod had on her!
The emptiness that filled her heart for so many years crumbled in Ian’s presence. When he was not physically with her, she only had to touch or look at her wedding ring to know that Ian would always be with her and cherish her.
Flashes of memory of Ian cradling her in his powerf
ul arms, or of his making passionate love to her, gave way to that singing warmth inching its way through her thighs.
Footsteps clumped their way into the parlor. Ian and William shook the raindrops from their coats.
No one said a word. Rather everyone waited for Ian or William to start speaking.
When they both ordered a brandy from the butler and proceeded to walk towards the library, Lydia cleared her throat loudly, “Ahem … gentlemen …”
The two men spoke in lowered tones to one another. They both turned around, lost in their own conversation. “Yes?”
“Yes? That’s all you can say after we have been waiting for hours for your return?”
Ian’s right eyebrow rose in question.
“I’m sorry, Ian. I did not mean to speak like that. It is just … we’ve been waiting so long to hear from you, and I am so worried about your sisters. What did you learn?”
The butler provided both men a brandy, and Ian took a sip of his. “I don’t know. I wish I did” he started. Percy insisted they were fine. He told me the estate went through some financial reverses. He could not afford to pay the hired help. He said there were a few years of bad weather – so the crops were sparse and neither the sheep nor the cattle survived. I did not tell him I knew about his gambling problems.”
“Is that it?” “No. Apparently, both Belinda and Annie are living in the dowager’s house. Percy rented out the main house to save money and to provide Belinda and Annie with an income, now that the estate is no longer providing one. The one piece of good news is I am an uncle! Belinda gave birth to a daughter a couple of years after they married. Shortly after their daughter, Sarah, was born, Belinda went in to Edinburg to buy some necessities, and she saw Percy riding in a carriage with another woman. After that she no longer had anything to do with him. He bought a flat in London. He has not visited Belinda for over ten years, but keeps tabs on the estate affairs through a new solicitor he hired. Percy is such a liar I don’t know what to believe. However, I believe my sisters are not doing well.”
Ian sat down wearily. The frown on his face showed his worry. He wiped his face as though the act could erase his concerns.
“Lydia, after I finish speaking with William, please come back to the ship with me. We have to talk.”
Fairchild put his brandy down on the end table, “I know you want to get back to the ship and make plans, but the weather is quite nasty tonight. Perhaps you and Lydia would like to make use of my library for your talk. Please allow my wife and I one more night of your company.”
“Well”, began Ian.
William interrupted him. “The truth of the matter is, Captain, my wife went ahead without consulting me and prepared a small dinner party for tonight with some of our very best friends. You two are supposed to be the guests of honor. I married Sacha because I never knew what she would do next. There are times, like this evening, when I wish I could figure out how to squelch some of her rambunctiousness. I apologize for putting you on the spot, but if I do not say something, Sacha will not let me have any peace for at least a week.”
Ian’s frown subsided, and he laughed. “Thank you, William. You are right. One more night here will not change the course of the future for us. We can just as well have our talk upstairs before dinner.” He looked to Lydia for her concurrence.
She grinned. Sacha’s impulsivity was one of the qualities about her that Lydia admired. Maybe it was also because Lydia saw some of herself in Sacha.
“It will be our honor, again, to join you for dinner this evening. I have yet to pack all my dresses for the journey, anyway. Nevertheless, if you will please excuse me and Ian while we discuss this day’s events upstairs.” Ian joined her, and they left the room.
Behind the closed doors of their room, Ian embraced Lydia and held on to her.
“I have been concerned solely with my own welfare all these years. I now find I am very ashamed to admit I have given thought only to my ultimate revenge against Percy for putting me in the position of having to leave Scotland. I totally neglected to think about my sisters and their welfare. I guess I wanted to presume they were both doing well.”
He pulled away from Lydia and walked over to the window. Rain continued to splatter the dimly lit streets.
“The fact is they are now reduced to living like tenants in the dowager’s house. I don’t know If anyone is helping them. Supposedly, the rent from the main estate house is their only source of income – minus the taxes, which are considerable!”
“Why is not Percy helping them?” As I mentioned earlier, Belinda asked him to leave and never to return when she realized he had a mistress. He did as she requested, but before leaving, he rented out the main house to be their principal source of income. He assured me they were well taken care of when he left.”
“When I asked him about Annie, he said he knew nothing, but he presumed that she, too, was doing well. He no longer uses our family solicitor, Mr. Jarrow. Apparently, after I disappeared, he hired a new solicitor because Mr. Jarrow refused to prepare some documents for him.”
Ian turned to look at Lydia. “Lydia, I am frantic with worry. I should have gone back years ago. I was just so hurt when Belinda didn’t believe me after I told her about the attempts on my life. When I told her I felt Percy and his father were up to something, she laughed at me. I vowed never to go back until I could thumb my nose at them. How foolish is that?”
For a few seconds, Lydia said nothing. “Ian. There is nothing we can do to change the past. But, it is in our power to mold the future. Let’s head back to Scotland immediately. Perhaps we can get a telegram to your old family solicitor to check up on Belinda and Annie, and let them know we are on our way. If Mr. Jarrow has the ability to access your bank accounts, perhaps he could advance some funds to them until our arrival.”
“Aye. No matter what we do, we cannot be back there for several months. I have an idea.”
“Yes?” Lydia looked at her husband and marveled. They were now married, and whatever decisions they made in life together, they were partners – meant to share the good and the bad. Her heart swelled with pride.
I have mentioned this to you previously, but I was awake a good portion of last night thinking. I have talked with Fairchild about this. With your concurrence, I would like to sell the Emerald Tartan while we are here in San Francisco.”
“You what?”
CHAPTER 32
She was dumbfounded. The sea and the Emerald Tartan were Ian’s life. Yes, he had talked about selling the ship, but she had always thought that was just talk.
“Now, I know that this is a bit of surprise for you, but I have thought it through and my reasons are grounded in sound business practices. The clipper ship trade is waning, especially since the construction of the Panama railroad.”
“And, what does the construction of a railroad in Panama have to do with clipper ships and tons of cargo?”
“With the construction of the railroad, I think it is faster to ship cargo to Panama, unload it from the ship onto the railroad for the journey across Panama from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and vice versa. The goods are then loaded on the ship on the other side of the peninsula for the rest of its voyage to the Pacific area. The process does away with the need for traveling around Cape Horn. The railroad was finished early last year. The result for owners of clipper ships is the freight rates have dropped considerably. I decided last year I would keep an eye on the shipping market and make my decision in a year or so. While this is a little earlier than I had planned to make that decision, given our circumstances, I believe now is the time to act. Besides, William has a number of friends involved in sailing cargo between San Francisco, Hawaii, and Oregon where a clipper ship can still shave time off the total days at sea. In fact, one of his friends may be interested in buying the Emerald Tartan. Additionally, Briggs has always sworn his love for my clipper, and has asked that he be first in line if I ever choose to sell her. Not sure how he could afford her, bu
t I am duty-bound to give him the first option. I can always buy a newer, sleeker ship for sending goods to India.”
“But Ian, if we sell the ship, how do you propose for us to return to England and Scotland?”
The Great Republic, a beautiful clipper ship built just a few years ago, will be departing from San Francisco for Panama in a little over a week. I thought we could book passage on her as far as Panama, take the train across Panama, and then if our luck holds, take the Sea Witch, another clipper ship, back to England. She’s one of the fastest clipper ships ever built.”
“I see. What about Percy?”
“His wealth will not protect him. Once they took him to jail, they went through his pockets and found the key to his apartment. They searched his apartment and made an unpleasant discovery.” Ian hesitated.
“What? Tell me, Ian. You cannot just stop like that.”
“It isn’t nice.”
“I’m a big girl, and I have certainly discovered this world is not always nice.”
“Not like this,” Ian mumbled.
“What?”
“All right. I forewarned you. Are you sure you want to hear this?”
“Yes.”
“When they opened the door to Percy’s apartment, they searched the rooms. When they walked into his bedroom, they found a young man of about twelve tied to the bedposts. He had been beaten and raped. There was blood everywhere. It was so … so … disgusting and sick.”
“You went with the Committee of Vigilance?”
“Yes. I wish I had not done so. I had hoped I might learn something more about Belinda and Annie.”
“Did you?”
“No. But we did discover a logbook of ship names, arrivals, departures … and the names of over six hundred people – their purchase price, if any, and their sale price, as well as the names of some of the people who bought slaves. The book was almost completely filled with names, transactions and prices.”
“Ian, was my name there?”
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