by Ruby Moone
“You are family. You are my brother. I have no other family, do you?”
David shook his head. “Not blood family.” His family were the people he lived with. The people he looked out for.
“So?”
“But I hate you and all you stand for.”
Charnley actually laughed. He was a handsome chap when he laughed.
David found himself smiling along.
“This is a good day.” Charnley said. “Naylor is safe, I have all the evidence I need, Standish is done for, and to cap it all, the Anti-Slavery bill was passed in the House last night.”
David stared. In all the worry about Jeremy, he’d forgotten all about it. “Truly?”
Charnley nodded. “Sat all night, but it’s done. I can’t tell you how pleased I am.”
“So, you are a supporter.” It wasn’t really a question.
Charnley nodded.
“Good to know.”
“Glad I meet with your approval. Have you met Mr. Wilberforce?”
David shook his head.
“You really should. Remarkable man.”
“We don’t really move in the same circles.”
Charnley laughed. “It could be arranged.”
“I presume that’s why you are on my doorstep so early?”
“Indeed. Earliest I could get here.”
They stood looking at each other for a moment. Charnley looked tired.
“Don’t run away with the notion that this means I approve of you in any way,” David said.
“Heaven forfend.”
David looked at the man who was his brother. Really looked. He could only be five and thirty, but he looked older. Weary. “Dine with me tonight.”
Charnley looked astonished. “Dine with you?”
“Yes. Dine with me tonight. Here. Bring Kingston. Informal.”
Charnley nodded. “Will Naylor join us?”
David nodded. “Of course.”
Chapter 24
For a moment, Jeremy thought he was back in Newgate. He awoke with a start, heart pounding, and curled into a ball.
“Hey, hey.” The soft voice beside him brought him back to reality. He dragged his eyes open and ran his hands over the soft bed linen and groaned. David was standing over him, fully dressed.
“You’re safe.”
Jeremy tried to bring his breathing under control, but it was hard.
“Steady.” David sat on the bed beside him and put a hand over his forehead. “How are you feeling?”
“Vile.” Jeremy felt as though he had been trampled. His head hurt, his muscles ached, and his mouth felt as though he had been eating straw.
“You were feverish in the night,” David said, threading his fingers through Jeremy’s hair, his eyes following their movement rather than looking at him.
“I was?” He frowned. He recalled having nightmares, then being hot and wet, but not much more.
“You were. You don’t feel warm now though.”
“Good.” Jeremy took David’s hand and kissed it.
“It’s almost time for lunch. I thought you might need feeding.”
“Lunch?” Jeremy was startled. “How long have I been sleeping?”
“Forever. I thought you were never going to wake up.”
Jeremy smiled and moved his arms and legs to feel the softness of the bed lined. He was warm and clean. He was safe. It was a wonderful feeling. David’s gaze was unreadable.
“I’m awake now,” he said and squirmed in what he hoped was a seductive fashion, despite the headache. It must have been because David got that look in his eye which turned Jeremy’s heart over and made him shiver.
“Good,” David said, his voice husky. “I asked Charnley and Kinston to dine with us tonight. Do you feel up to it?” David brushed his fingers across his brow, presumably checking for fever.
Jeremy nodded. He still felt weak and definitely out of sorts, but the fever seemed to have passed him by, thank God. He was surprised David seemed to be making an effort to know his brother. “That would be lovely. Are you sure you want me there?” Jeremy felt compelled to ask, given he was a footman when all was said and done.
David just gave him a look. “Of course.”
Well, that was emphatic. Jeremy squirmed again, and this time ran his hands down his sides and spread his legs beneath the coverlet.
“Mmm, it’s warm in here.”
“It’s February. It’s freezing.”
“Well, I’m warm,” Jeremy said, keeping an eye on David. He swallowed, so Jeremy pushed the coverlet down to his waist and watched David’s cheeks flush as he swallowed again.
“You should be resting.”
“I can rest after.”
“Are you sure you feel up to this?” David said, a muscle ticking along his jaw.
“Get undressed and I’ll show you.”
* * * *
David lay sprawled against him, with his head on Jeremy’s chest. Jeremy ran his fingers through David’s hair as they both lay still and sated.
“What will happen to me?” Jeremy said after a little while.
David squeezed his thigh and seemed to hesitate. “Charnley will go after Standish and get rid of him.”
“What will happen when they realise that I escaped?”
David ran his hand up and down Jeremy’s side and dropped a kiss on his chest. “
“We can talk to Charnley about that tonight. We need to get your case dismissed so there can be no repercussions.”
“Will that be easy to do?”
David nodded. “It would appear that my brother is a very influential man.”
Jeremy hoped he was. He had every faith in David, but the thought of ever returning to that hell hole made him shake inside. “What do you mean by ‘get rid of him,’” Jeremy asked after a moment.
David’s gentle petting of his leg stopped for a moment and then began again.
“Standish is a spy. Responsible for thousands of deaths. He needs to…go.”
Jeremy closed his eyes. “You mean you are going to kill him.”
David twisted so he could look up at him. “I’m not killing him.”
“But someone will.”
David pulled a face. “Probably.”
Jeremy looked at his gorgeous, serious grey green eyes. “It just gets worse.”
David turned over, so he was laying half on top of him and dropped a kiss on his mouth. “What gets worse? What are you worrying about now?”
“First stealing, now murder?”
David looked genuinely affronted. “I’m not murdering anyone.”
“Well, you are not looking to stop it, are you?”
“Well, no, but…”
Jeremy ran his fingers through David’s hair. “Isn’t everyone entitled to a fair trial?”
“What if he got off? What then? What if he got off and came after me, Charnley, and you? What if that happened, hmm? It’s entirely possible.”
“Well…”
“Well nothing. I am not risking this madman getting near you again. If Charnley and the king want him dead, who am I to argue? I will be glad of the fact that I don’t have to spend the rest of my days looking over my shoulder.”
“I suppose you have a point.”
“Charnley thinks it would be bad for the country, too, to have a huge trial for someone who is ostensibly a member of the aristocracy who has infiltrated to government and society at the highest levels and stolen information that lead to thousands of our troops being killed.”
“Well, when you put it like that…”
David sighed. “I’m sorry. My life is…” He dropped his forehead onto Jeremy’s chest.
Jeremy stroked the back of his head. Eventually, he looked up. “We should dress and eat lunch. I’m starving.”
* * * *
“Are you anxious?” David asked as the noise from the hallway heralded Charnley’s arrival.
Jeremy gave him a look and straightened his coat. “No. I’m ter
rified. I’m a footman. I wait on people. I don’t invite people to dinner.”
David rolled his eyes. “Well, if you want to put it like that I am a thief and a pickpocket from the rookeries who usually steals from the gentry,” he said, running a hand over his immaculately groomed hair. “I think I win on that score. Come, let us thumb our noses at the aristocracy.”
Jeremy laughed. “I don’t want to thumb my nose at anyone. It’s you who’s the revolutionary. I suppose you would behead them all like in France.”
“Don’t be giving me ideas,” David said as the door opened, and Spencer announced Charnley and Kingston.
They were ushered in, and Jeremy tried to stand tall and act with confidence in the way David had showed him.
Charnley and Kingston made a striking pair. Charnley had chestnut waves, and Kingston was austere looking with dark, straight hair. They were both very handsome and greeted David warmly. David made the introductions. Spencer arranged drinks for them all and dropped Jeremy a quick wink as he left the room. Jeremy wished he was in the kitchen with Jo but smiled and followed David’s lead. They all sat, so Jeremy chose a chair and sat, crossed his legs, then uncrossed them. He took a sip of his wine.
David walked past his chair. “Please, relax, we won’t be disturbed in here,” he said. Jeremy wasn’t sure what he meant, but then David squeezed his shoulder as he passed him.
“How long have you been together?” David asked Charnley and Kingston and Jeremy almost spluttered. It was one thing saying they wouldn’t be interrupted, but to actually ask his brother such a personal question?
“Just above a year. We work closely together for the king, so we have reasonable licence for spending a good deal of time together.”
“Useful.” David took a drink and looked thoughtful.
Kingston launched into a spirited account of a play he had seen. When it turned out to be the one that David had taken Jeremy to see he was able to contribute to the discussion and felt a little more comfortable. Kingston was a decent sort and was happy to engage in conversation about the clothes and the colours in an intelligent way, so Jeremy contributed with gusto. Eventually, he realised he and Kingston were chattering away animatedly, and the other two men were simply looking on. They both laughed and included their partners in the discussion.
When the subject of the theatre was exhausted, and David replenished their glasses and changed the subject.
“What do we need to do to ensure Jeremy is acquitted of the charges laid against him? I need to be sure no-one is going to come looking for him and throw him back into that hell hole.”
“Of course not,” Charnley said. “At the next session, his case will be brought before the magistrates and I will ensure that it is dismissed. By then we should hopefully be free of any interference, and so his case will simply be thrown out.”
“What about Framling?” Jeremy asked. The man had been absolutely certain the he had taken his possessions and Jeremy couldn’t imagine for a moment him dropping the matter.
Charnley smiled. “He will be dealt with.”
Jeremy swallowed. Surely, they weren’t going to have him killed, too. He cast an anxious glance at David.
“He will be spoken to. Do you still have the pearls?”
David shook his head tersely. “Standish took them.”
“It may be that he would be satisfied with a story about a French spy in our midst?”
David seemed to agree.
Jeremy mulled this over for a moment. “Will the evidence that David gave you mean you can find the other people involved in selling our secrets to the enemy?” He risked a glance at Charnley. He seemed to take his question seriously.
“It will indeed. We will have a small team of agents working together to expose what looks like a French spy ring in this country. It will save thousands of lives, and if my information is correct, thwart any plans for a French invasion.”
Jeremy forbore from asking if they were going to kill them all. He supposed life as a spy meant one was resigned to the fact that one might be required to kill people. He glanced at David and wondered if working for the government was any less dangerous or morally wrong than working as a thief. He wasn’t so sure it was. The only difference seemed that it was sanctioned by the king.
A gong sounded and they all rose and headed for the small dining room, although small was something of a misnomer, for it was still huge. The staff had done them proud. It looked magnificent, and Jo had worked with Cook to make sure the food was delicious. Jeremy had to admit, it was nice to be on the receiving end of a meal rather than running about serving it. He was sure to smile gratefully at the staff as he knew exactly how much hard work went in to getting a perfect meal on the table.
They began with soup and Jeremy had laid enough tables, and watched enough of the upper ten thousand dine, to know how to go on, but even so, he kept a close eye on what the others did. They were part way through a splendid rack of lamb when Charnley spoke again to David.
“So, what is your plan now?” he asked. A simple question, one that Jeremy was particularly interested in. They hadn’t discussed the future at all.
“I don’t know.” David dropped his gaze to his plate and cut a piece of meat.
Jeremy felt awkward, and Charnley appeared to watch him carefully.
“Any thoughts on what you might like to do?”
“Not really.” He ate the meat that he had cut.
Charnley turned to Jeremy. “And you, Mr. Naylor. What are your plans?”
Jeremy felt uncomfortable. “Well, I don’t think I want to return to my…previous role, so I will…ah…look around,” he said, and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. David was staring fixedly at his plate so Charnley changed the subject.
They were finishing desert, a delicious concoction of some sort of custard, when they were interrupted by a commotion apparently coming from the hallway. The sound of running footsteps and voices shouting made all of them pause, spoons in the air, for a moment. When the door banged open rudely all four men sprang from their seats. Charnley moved and pushed Kingston behind him, and David stood in front of all of them.
“What is the meaning of this?” he said in chilling tones.
The Earl of Standish stood in front of them, Jo Crawford held tight against him. Her face bloodied and bruised, her dress torn, and with a pistol to her head. Standish was dishevelled, and his eyes were wild. Spencer and Bentham hovered uncertainly in the background, eyes fixed on David as though waiting for a signal.
“Give them to me,” Standish said, quietly at first, and when no-one answered, he screamed, “Give them to me!” with spittle flying from his mouth.
Chapter 25
Jeremy froze. The gentlemen ranged around him appeared to do the same. From his position, he noticed David reach into the back of his breeches but snapped his head forward so as not to draw Standish’s attention to his movements.
“I presume you mean the letters?” Charnley drawled, stepping out from behind David’s protective stance.
“Stay where you are,” Standish said, pressing the pistol into Jo’s temple.
“My good man, who is this woman that you are threatening? Is she supposed to mean something to me? If so, I have to tell you old boy, you are way off the mark.” Charnley edged closer.
“They know,” Standish said, nodding towards David and Jeremy. “They know. Do you want her death on your conscience, Lambert? Or should I say Potts?”
“Are you asking me to make a choice between one woman, a servant, and the safety and security of the entire country? Seriously?” Charnley said, with a hint of incredulity in his voice.
Standish cocked the pistol, and Jo squeezed her eyes closed.
Charnley looked at the others and sighed as though bewildered. “Are you aware of this person?” he said.
David’s face was unreadable. “My housekeeper.”
Charnley shrugged in an ‘I told you so’ gesture.
Standish’s
face went a peculiar shade of purple. He dropped Jo on the floor and stalked to Kingston and shoved the gun into his chest. The man staggered back and held up both hands.
“Well, maybe I should just shoot your lover. Perhaps that would be an easier choice for you. Hand over the letters.”
Jeremy’s heart was hammering hard. The man was deranged, there was no doubt about it. The frightening thing was, he was mad enough to hurt them.
“Standish, my dear,” Charnley’s voice was gentle. “It is still one life against the safety of the entire country. As much as I esteem Major Kingston’s company, I could not sacrifice all for him. You know that. Let us talk about this,” Charnley said. “Let us talk and see a way out of it. There is one, there is always a way out. Let me get you a drink.” Charnley moved to the sideboard.
“Stay where you are,” Standish shrieked, sweat trickling down the side of his face. But he had to move to keep an eye on Charnley, and as he did so, took his attention from Kingston. Jeremy caught a fleeting glance between Kingston and David. In a sudden move, whilst Standish was distracted, Kingston dropped to the floor, making Standish stagger, and a shot rang out. Jeremy held his breath and waited, but it was Standish who went oddly still with a bemused look on his face. As he wobbled, Jeremy saw a terrible black hole in his temple. Jeremy turned to David who was standing quite still, arm outstretched, holding a pistol straight and true. Smoke curled from the barrel. Jeremy looked back at Standish in time to see him crumple inelegantly to the floor and blood begin to pool beneath him in a deep, ugly stain.
They all stared for a moment, then Charnley moved to help Kingston up, and Jeremy ran to Jo’s side and hugged her before helping her to her feet.
“Are you badly hurt?” he said.
She shook her head. “I’m sorry I couldn’t stop him.”
“Don’t be sorry,” Jeremy said, hugging her tight. He glanced at David, who was putting his pistol down and poking Standish with his foot, and at Charnley who held Kingston tightly to him for a second before releasing him.
“Is he dead?” Jeremy’s voice was barely a croak.
“Yes.” David’s voice was terse.
“Well, that rather neatly solves that little problem.” Charnley settled his cuffs and ran a hand over his hair. “My thanks, David.”