Sir Ashley's Mettlesome Match

by Mary Nichols

  ‘Yes, I would tell you.’

  They had caught up with William and Eleanor; though her head was full of questions, Pippa could not voice them. It was neither the time, nor the place. He escorted her out to the carriage behind her cousin, bent over her hand to kiss it and saw her safely seated. ‘Goodnight, my lady,’ he said to Eleanor. ‘My lord. Miss Kingslake.’ The door was shut and they were on their way, leaving him standing in the road staring after them.

  ‘An enjoyable evening, do you not think so, Philippa?’ William said.

  ‘Yes, thank you for taking me,’ Pippa said. ‘Lord Portman and his wife are very agreeable and I found Viscount and Lady Leinster charming. Have you known them long?’

  ‘Many years,’ William said. ‘Almost as long as I have known Sir Ashley.’

  ‘We have been wondering how Sir Ashley came to have his reputation,’ Eleanor said. ‘Do you know, William?’

  ‘Oh, you make too much of that,’ he told his wife. ‘He is no worse than thousands of men, almost the whole haut monde if one were to delve into their private lives, which of course I would not dream of doing.’

  Pippa felt she had spent the best part of the evening talking about Sir Ashley and very little of it talking to him, which is what she most wanted to do: talk and be kissed and reassured, but that was asking for the moon. It did not help her pressing need to find her brother.

  After a sleepless night, Pippa rose to a new day and a new determination. She would find the Sally Ann herself because that was where the answer to Nat’s disappearance lay. She was glad that William had affairs of state to occupy him and Eleanor had a previous engagement she could not break and Pippa was left to amuse herself. ‘Do not concern yourself,’ she told Eleanor. ‘I shall spend the time going over the notes I made at the publisher’s.’

  As soon as they had left the house, she sped upstairs and rooted Nat’s clothes out of her trunk. Miss Kingslake could not walk about town alone, but Philip King could and she was glad she had had the foresight to think of it. Sir Ashley had commented on her curves the last time she had donned the clothes, so on this occasion she had Teresa help her to bind her breasts, much to that young lady’s horror. ‘Miss Philippa, you will not be able to breathe,’ she said, when Pippa told her to make the binding tighter.

  ‘Yes, I will. Now you are to stay here, I shall not be long, but if Lord or Lady Trentham come back before I do, you are to tell them I have gone to see the publisher to check something we said. Do you understand?’

  ‘Yes, miss, but I wish you wouldn’t. It can’t be safe, not with all them thieves and cut-throats about. Let me come with you.’

  Pippa laughed. ‘Then who would be protecting whom, the man or the maid?’ She crammed her riotous curls under Nat’s hat, picked up a cane and sallied forth.

  There had been rain in the night, as she well knew, having listened to it beating on the window pane when she could not sleep. The roads were awash with it and she had to pick her way carefully over the heaps of sodden rubbish. At least the air was marginally sweeter. Finding a hackney for hire she climbed in and directed the driver to take her to the docks.

  The first person she saw on stepping down on the quayside was Sir Ashley Saunders. He was wearing a snuff-coloured suit of broadcloth, brown stockings and a brown wig, but even in that plain garb he stood out as someone to be reckoned with. As soon as he saw her he excused himself from his companions and strolled over to her. Instead of giving her a sweeping bow which he would have done to a lady, he simply inclined his head, then stood surveying her. ‘Am I addressing Mr Nathaniel Kingslake?’ he asked, trying to keep a straight face.

  ‘You know very well you are not.’

  ‘Then pray introduce yourself.’

  ‘I am Philip King.’

  ‘Ah, the renowned author.’ He bowed. ‘I am very pleased to make your acquaintance, sir.’

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous.’

  ‘What is ridiculous about it? Would you have me sweep you up into my arms and kiss you until you were breathless? That would be a fine thing for a full-blooded man to do to another gentleman, don’t you think? My reputation as a rake would be gone for ever.’

  The idea of him kissing her until she was breathless was making her squirm, but she took a firm hold on herself to reply. ‘And that might be no great loss.’

  He laughed. ‘What am I to do with you?’

  ‘It depends on what you are doing here.’

  ‘I am here at your behest to discover what has become of your brother. Am I to assume that is also your intention?’

  ‘Yes. Take me with you.’

  ‘Out of the question.’

  ‘Why? I will not be a trouble to you.’

  ‘My dear Pippa—I must call you Pippa because I cannot call you Miss Kingslake, can I? And Mr King sits uncomfortably on my tongue—you are nothing but trouble. Sailors, dock workers and warehousemen are a rough-and-ready lot and they will soon have the measure of you.’

  ‘As a woman?’

  ‘Perhaps, but certainly as a green boy, trying to ape a man. You would give them hours of amusement.’

  ‘All the more reason to take me under your wing.’

  ‘Oh, I am a mother hen now, am I?’

  ‘You may think it clever to roast me,’ she said, valiantly fighting back tears. Philip King would certainly not cry, and as for the heroes she invented so easily, they would never resort to tears. ‘But I am worried to death about Nat and must find him and establish his innocence before—’ She stopped suddenly. ‘Before what?’

  ‘Before he finds himself being investigated by the Piccadilly Gentlemen.’

  ‘Who told you about them?’

  ‘Eleanor. She said it would compromise your integrity as a member if you helped me find him.’

  ‘So you thought to find him yourself. I am flattered that you should be concerned about my integrity, but what about your reputation? Did you not think of that?’

  ‘Yes, of course I did. Why do you think I am wearing these clothes?’

  ‘It is but a thin disguise,’ he said, smiling and tilting his head on one side to appraise her from head to foot. ‘Is it any use trying to persuade you to return to Trentham House?’

  ‘None whatsoever.’

  ‘I could take you by force and carry you there myself.’

  ‘That would be a waste of precious time.’

  ‘True, true.’ He heaved a melodramatic sigh. ‘Very well, we will proceed together, but I beg of you, stay in my shadow and do not speak unless you have to. And display no feminine distaste at bad smells and bad language. And do not expect to be helped up steps or into carriages. You are my assistant. Not,’ he added, looking balefully at her, ‘that I shall expect you to do any assisting. Is that understood?’

  ‘Perfectly.’

  ‘Then we will proceed to the dock where I believe the Sally Ann is moored.’

  She trotted along beside him, trying and failing to match her stride with his. ‘Do you have to walk so fast?’ she demanded.

  ‘I walk no faster than a normal man.’

  ‘Yes, you do. You are so tall your stride is half as long again.’

  ‘You would have me mince like a fop?’

  ‘No, but you could just stroll.’

  ‘I thought you were in a hurry.’

  ‘I do believe you are being perverse and hoping I will give up.’

  ‘No, for then I should have to escort you back to Piccadilly and, as you so rightly pointed out, we have no time for that.’

  ‘You could simply abandon me.’

  ‘That, my dear Pippa, I will never do.’

  She was considerably heartened by this, especially as he slowed his pace and they were able to walk side by side.

  The river was the great artery of the city. Almost everything the great metropolis could need or want was conveyed along it and across it. A forest of spars indicated merchant ships waiting to come into dock, wherries, barges laden with goods and passengers, pleasu
re craft with sails billowing in the breeze and rowing boats ferrying passengers from one side to the other—all seemed able to find their way between and around each other. The water was almost invisible, which was just as well—it was filthy and stinking. Detritus of all kinds floated in it and slapped against the sides of the quay. The quayside was crowded with sailors, dockers, ferrymen and businessmen, some standing in groups talking and gesticulating, some hurrying hither and thither, some wheeling barrows, some hefting bundles on their shoulders as if they were feathers and carrying them into the warehouses. There were a few women and one or two children, looking forlorn, come to say farewell to sailor husbands and fathers or awaiting their turn to board as passengers.

  Pippa was glad Sir Ashley was with her; she would have been lost and bewildered on her own. ‘That’s her,’ she said, pointing at a cutter moored to the quayside, and hurried forwards, anxious to be reunited with Nat.

  Ash put a hand on her arm and held her back. ‘Softly, softly,’ he murmured. ‘Remember what I said. Stay in my shadow, give no one a reason to look closely at you.’

  The ship was high in the water; its sails were furled and there seemed to be no one on deck. ‘It is deserted,’ she said.

  ‘There will be someone on watch.’ He put his foot on the narrow board that bridged the water between quay and deck and was the only means of boarding. It had no handrail. ‘Will you wait here?’

  ‘No, I am coming too.’

  ‘On your own head be it. But you had better precede me.’ He stood aside to let her go first. ‘Whatever you do, do not look down.’

  She had to summon all her courage to step onto the board, which juddered alarmingly as it took her weight. ‘Go on,’ he said. ‘I am right behind you.’

  What he would do if she fell in, she had no idea, but there was no going back. Remembering his advice not to look down, she concentrated on the ship’s rail above her head and put one foot firmly in front of the other. At the top at last she jumped onto the deck and seconds later he sprang down beside her. ‘Well done,’ he murmured.

  A sailor appeared from nowhere. ‘Where d’you think you’re a goin’?’ he demanded.

  ‘I have come to speak to the captain of this vessel,’ Ash said. ‘I have business with him.’

  ‘He ain’t on board. The mate’s below decks. Will ’e do?’

  ‘He might. Lead on.’

  There were more steep steps to negotiate and the ship was far from still; it lifted and fell on the swell of the current. This time Pippa followed the men; if she fell Ash would break her fall. She had a momentary vision of landing in a tangled heap with him on the deck below and quickly put it from her mind.

  At the bottom they were conducted along a narrow corridor and into a cabin. It was small and smelled of the sea and fish and stale bodies. An officer was sitting at a table writing.

  ‘You’ve got visitors, sir,’ the sailor said and motioned Ash and Pippa into the cabin.

  The mate laid aside his quill and stood up. ‘Who are you? What can I do for you?’

  ‘My name is Thomas Smith,’ Ash said. ‘I am here on business in connection with Sir Felix Markham. You do know him?’

  ‘Certainly I know him. We do business with him.’

  ‘I thought you might. You were at Narbeach recently.’

  ‘What’s it to you?’

  ‘I also have business with Sir Felix. A little matter of a few barrels of spirits and several stones of tea and tobacco. I have paid for it, but have seen neither hide not hair of it.’

  ‘You will have to speak to Sir Felix about that. We landed all that was ordered. Could have been delayed bein’ taken inland on account of the Revenue men bein’ tipped off.’

  ‘You were there?’

  ‘Course I were there. Didn’t set foot on land, though.’

  ‘I heard the run was interrupted.’

  ‘So it was. But we went in ag’in later to finish the job. If you didn’ get your goods, it’s no affair of mine.’

  ‘When you left, you had a passenger. Nathaniel Kingslake.’

  ‘So, what if we did?’

  ‘He is my servant. I’ll have his hide when I catch up with him. He was supposed to be looking after my interests. Instead of that he disappeared and my goods with him.’

  Pippa held her breath, astonished at the confident way Ash lied, but she was worried too. If Nat was known to the crew and they knew he was no one’s servant, Ash would be challenged, and then what? Was Nat on board? Would they fetch him? He would surely deny all knowledge of Sir Ashley and when he saw her he would not be able to keep silent. She braced herself for trouble.

  ‘You should ha’ come yesterday,’ the mate said. ‘He was gone the minute we docked.’

  ‘Oh.’ Pippa could not stifle the little sound of dismay that escaped her. The sailor looked at her for the first time. ‘You look uncommon like Nat,’ he said.

  ‘Philip is his young brother,’ Ash put in before Pippa could gather her wits. ‘He is also in my employ. Do you know where Kingslake might have gone?’

  The man shrugged. ‘No, he never said.’

  Ash prepared to leave. ‘Thank you for your time, sir. If he should come back, I would be obliged if you would tell him we were asking for him. I am staying with Sir Ashley Saunders in Pall Mall. He will find me there. Anyone will direct him.’

  Pippa followed him from the cabin and up on deck. It seemed impossible that the air could be better up there, but it was. Now she had to negotiate that awful plank again and she had a feeling it would be more terrifying in a downward direction.

  Ash went first and she concentrated on his back, though if she stumbled and grabbed him to save herself they might both end up crushed between the ship and the quay. She had almost reached the bottom, one more step would have her on terra firma again, but it was that last step that was her undoing. Overanxious, she tried to hurry and her foot slipped from under her, making her cry out. Ash moved like lightning, turning to grab her at the same time pulling her to safety. He stood holding her, then laughed and pretended to dust her down.

  ‘It is not funny,’ she protested. ‘I nearly went in.’

  ‘I know, but we must not behave like a man and a maid, must we? There are others watching. As your employer, I would save you if I could, but I would have no sympathy for you.’

  ‘I’m sorry.’ She was still shaking. ‘You saved my life and for that I thank you.’

  ‘Come,’ he said more kindly. ‘Let’s get out of here.’

  He walked away and she followed half a pace behind him, carefully avoiding the mud and the noxious piles of rubbish in her path. ‘Where are we going?’

  ‘Home.’

  ‘But we have not found Nat.’

  ‘No, but have you any idea where to look?’

  ‘No. He might have gone home.’

  ‘He might. If he was going overland, he would have to take a stage. On the other hand, if the Sally Ann was sailing round the coast, he might return to her and travel that way. That is if he intended to go home in the first place.’

  ‘Why wouldn’t he? And you are walking too fast again.’

  He slowed down. ‘Who knows what is in his mind? I shall find a hackney and take you back to Piccadilly. When I have seen you safely indoors, I shall make further enquiries.’

  ‘Without me?’

  ‘Certainly without you.’

  ‘But you said I was your assistant.’

  He laughed. ‘I have given you the bag.’

  ‘That’s not fair. I have done nothing to deserve dismissal.’

  ‘The Piccadilly Gentlemen, Pippa, are gentlemen. There is no place for a woman among them.’

  ‘Why not? There must be times and places when a woman is more use than a man.’

  ‘Not you.’

  ‘Why not me?’

  ‘Because…’ He stopped walking to turn and look at her and she almost cannoned into him. ‘Because you are a lady, nurtured in gentility, or so I have been led to unde
rstand, but looking at you now, I begin to wonder…’

  ‘There you are, then!’ she said triumphantly.

  ‘Miss Kingslake, no! I beg you not to try my patience. It is not infinite, you know.’

  Pippa had been so engrossed in talking to him, she had hardly been aware of her surroundings, but they had been walking down a mean alley with tumbledown dwellings on one side and the high walls of warehouses on the other. It smelled of fish and wet rope. ‘Where are you taking me?’

  ‘Back where you belong. There is a hackney-carriage stand on the next street. I am sorry I had to bring you through this, but if I had left you on the quay while I fetched it, I could not be sure you would still be there when I returned.’

  She laughed. ‘You do not trust me.’

  ‘Oh, yes, I trust you to find trouble and I cannot be for ever rescuing you. Now here’s a fairly clean-looking vehicle.’ He pointed to a hackney standing by the side of the road, its driver half-asleep on the box. He opened the door, handed her in, ordered the driver to take them to Piccadilly and got in beside her.

  They were silent for a few moments, but her head was so full of questions, she had to voice them. ‘How will you go about making your enquiries?’

  He turned to smile at her. ‘Do you never give up?’

  ‘I am interested. Nat is my brother, after all, but in any case, knowledge like that can be very useful to Philip King.’

  ‘What made you start writing novels?’

  He was parrying one question with another, but she let it go. ‘It is an acceptable occupation for a lady when so many others are closed to her and when Mama and Papa died, I had to look after Nat.’

  ‘I thought your Aunt Augusta filled that role.’

  ‘She felt it was her duty to come and look after us both, but she is a widow with a son of her own and though she had enough money for the two of them to live on, it did not stretch to keeping us all at Windward House. I had always been good at telling stories to Nat so I thought I’d try my hand at a novel. It went on from there.’

  ‘I see. But why adventure stories? Why not something more ladylike?’

  ‘I told the stories in the first place to amuse Nat. He would not have listened to anything about housekeeping or pressing flowers, would he? And books like that make very little money. My novels sell.’