Agent Provocateur

by Christopher C Tubbs

  “I never doubted it.” Smiled Hood

  Slightly mollified she asked,

  “Will the S.O.F. be kept going if Napoleon sues for peace?”

  Hood barked a laugh and replied,

  “If he does, it will just be so he can rebuild his forces, and we will need to be just as vigilant. But in the meantime, we need to scotch his ambitions elsewhere hence the S.O.F.’s next mission.”

  Marty decided that he need say nothing as the two of them were saying quite enough.

  “The one starting in February,” Caroline stated and Hood nodded.

  “How long will they be away?” She asked meaning ‘he’.

  “Three to six months depending on what they find and how fast they can carry out their orders,” Hood replied.

  “Not going into France?”

  “My you are inquisitive! No, he won’t be going back to France. His description is too well known right now.”

  Caroline finally looked satisfied. But then she stopped and looked Hood right in the eye.

  “If you get him killed without having a damn good reason for what you ordered him to do, you WILL answer to me.”

  Hood smiled and said quietly and with absolute sincerity,

  “My dear lady, if I did that, I would throw myself on my sword at your very feet.”

  The ball went well (he didn’t end up getting into a duel) and they met up with the De Marchet family. He had to break the news that he would be away for Evelyn’s spring wedding. The Count was, as usual, accepting, Evelyn, cross at first then forgiving and the Countess, concerned. He told her he would have time to heal properly this time, and that seemed to make things better for her.

  He was surprised at the number of women who wanted to make his acquaintance. Caroline was imperious and made it abundantly clear that God had better help any woman that stepped over the mark because her retribution would be biblical!

  All this, of course, played right into the hands of the gossips who were speculating in the next day’s papers when the two would tie the knot! Marty groaned as he read that over breakfast the next morning and looked at Caroline across the table and asked,

  “When do we leave London?”

  She laughed and said, “We leave for Dorset after the Duke of York’s Christmas Ball on Friday. Why? Is London society getting to you?”

  “I feel like a prize bull being examined by every snooping ninny in the city. Listen to this, ‘Our gallant Lieutenant was dressed in his finest uniform, the tight breeches of which did nothing to hide the manliness that the ladies are finding maddening.’ I mean, is nothing sacrosanct!”

  Caroline looked archly across at him and said,

  “Well, what do you think got my attention to start with?” and then laughed delightedly as he blushed furiously.

  Chapter 11: Surprise Surprise!

  Saturday found them in a coach, well-wrapped in blankets and heading to Dorset. They stayed in the usual Inns and arrived on the Monday sixteenth December in Wareham. They took rooms in the Red Lion as they did before and got a good night’s rest before heading over the bridge to Stoborough.

  Marty got the driver to stop by the school and walked over to the door. The windows were bright with candlelight and he could see children at their desks through the dusty glass.

  He opened the door and walked in. It was just as he remembered it the last time he was there six years before. The desks looked tiny, but the slates and the chalk and Miss Turner stood at the front hadn’t changed.

  Katy Turner looked over her shoulder as the door opened and saw a handsome young man in expensive clothes stood there. It took her a second to recognise him then she exclaimed,

  “Marty! Come in! Come in! Children, this is Marty Stockley, the brother of Helen.”

  Marty looked around the expectant faces and said,

  “Good morning. I am pleased to see you all,”

  A particularly grubby urchin looked at him and squawked,

  “’e aint ‘elen’s brover! He be in the Navy and this un speaks funny like you miss an’ he aint carryin’ that big knife that Marty does.”

  Marty crouched down so he was face to face with the little tyke, pulled his knife from its sheath, and set it point down on his desk.

  “Be this wha’ yer lookin’ fer,” he said in his best Dorset dialect to the now wide-eyed boy and a chorus of “Coo’s! and Cor’s! from the rest of the class.

  A giggle from behind alerted him to the fact that Caroline had crept in behind him.

  “Why don’t you tell them how you met Blaez?” she said as the dog pushed himself under Marty’s arm, put out he wasn’t the centre of attention.

  “Cor, a proper lady!” a little girl blurted out, making Marty laugh.

  Marty settled down with the class all around him and told a heavily edited version of the adventure in Holland. Blaez played his part by letting the children pet him and rolling on his back so they could scratch his tummy. At the end, he stood and embraced Miss Katy and asked,

  “Is Helen teaching?”

  “She helps out two days a week. I’m getting a little old to do this full time,” Katy replied. “She is at the house with your mother today.”

  They pulled up at the house, and it was quiet. Marty knocked on the door, pushed it open, and yelled “Hellooo.” Blaez pushed his way past and headed straight for the kitchen as his sister Helen exploded out of the door and jumped into his arms.

  “I knew you would be ‘ere for Christmas bruv!”

  Sister Jane appeared and went straight to Caroline and gave her a big hug.

  “Is Arthur here?” Marty asked.

  “He’ll be by later after he be done at the forge,” Helen told him.

  Marty looked at Jane and noticed the slight swelling of her stomach and grinned at her.

  “So, Stephen Barnes has finally got around to getting you pregnant,” he observed. Jane had married the oldest Barnes boy the year before.

  “That he has,” she grinned, “We be just waiting for Nick Hayball to do the same for ‘elen.”

  “We be workin’ on it!” Helen retorted in a slightly offended voice. She had only gotten married two months ago.

  “Mum be in the parlour with Grandad,” Jane told him, a hint he should get a move on.

  Marty walked into the house and went through to the Parlour. His mother sat with his Grandfather by the fire, and she looked up at him as he walked in.

  “Oh my! Dad, look at our Marty! He be a proper gentleman now.”

  She stood, and he took her in his arms and gave her a long hug. His grandfather tried to stand, but Marty made him stay seated and leant down to give him a hug too.

  “What ever happened to yer hair?” his mother exclaimed as he bent over, and she got a good view of the back of his head.

  “Long story, Mum. I’ll tell you all later.” He laughed.

  “You’ve grown, boy,” his Grandfather observed a bit unnecessarily.

  “Ay, that be Navy food, Pop.” He smiled back at him.

  His mother noticed Caroline stood in the door way and went to greet her but stopped half way and put her hand to her mouth and said,

  “Oh my!”

  Marty looked at her puzzled.

  Caroline smiled and nodded then the two women were in each other’s arms, tears streaming down their faces. Now Marty was totally confused and didn’t know what the hell was going on.

  His mother looked over her shoulder at him and said to Caroline,

  “You aint told ‘im yet?”

  Caroline shook her head.

  “Told me what?” Marty asked, still totally unknowing.

  Caroline went to him to him and took his hands in hers and with tears still in her eyes said,

  “You are going to be a father, Martin. I’m pregnant.”

  He almost fell over.

  “What?” he said in a tiny voice.

  “I’m Pregnant,” she said again.

  “Oh my Lord!” He crowed, “I’m going to be a fath
er?”

  She nodded almost shyly.

  He picked her up and swung her around then stopped and looking concerned, put her gently down.

  “It’s alright, I won’t break and neither will the baby,” she laughed.

  He looked at her and asked the question all first time fathers ask,

  “How, I mean when?”

  “The blindfold,” she replied enigmatically.

  Marty blushed bright red as his mother looked at him quizzically.

  “Never mind,” he told her, “it were about two months ago.”

  He suddenly looked as if he had an epiphany.

  “We have to get married!”

  He dropped to his knee in front of Caroline and took her hands in his. He looked up at her beseechingly and said,

  “Caroline, I know I am but a poor lieutenant in His Majesty’s Navy, but I have prospects and can care for you in the way you should be. Will you consent to be my wife and partner for life?”

  Caroline beamed at him with such a smile he thought it would blind him and said,

  “Oh yes I do, with all my heart!”

  Then all hell broke loose as his sisters descended on Caroline and his grandfather and his brother, Arthur, who had just arrived, took him by the hand and shook it, congratulating him.

  His mother finally got to grab him and hold him tight.

  “She be the one for you,” she said, “I knew it the first time I saw her.”

  After that, the day descended into a round of congratulations from visitors as messages were sent to the rest of his brothers and sisters and other relatives that lived nearby.

  That evening back at the Red Lion, they sat in their room too tired to do much else than just chat in front of the fire.

  “We will have to have the bans read soon so we can marry before I leave on the next mission,” Marty said, “I don’t want to go, but I have my duty.”

  “Of course, you must go!” Caroline replied forcibly. “You are a sailor, and I will be a sailor’s wife. I know what I am joining up to!”

  “But I want to be here for when it’s born.”

  “If you are, it will be fantastic, but if you are away, it will still be alright.”

  She moved over to him, sat on his lap, took his hand, and placed it on her heart.

  “You will be here with me whatever happens. But the more immediate problem is where will we hold the wedding ceremony?”

  “Oh, I hadn’t thought about that. If we do it here, your family have to travel down, but if we do it in Cheshire, then I will have to ship all of mine up there.”

  “Well, it’s obvious isn’t it?” Caroline said.

  “We do it in London. It’s around half way between the two families, and we can have all your Navy friends along as well.”

  Marty groaned.

  “Can you see my family mixing with all your relatives?”

  “Oh, I’m sure mine will cope.” She smiled. “They won’t be able to understand a word they say anyway.” She then dissolved into giggles as Marty tickled her in revenge for that remark.

  Over the next week, messengers were flying in and out of Wareham as instructions were sent to the church for the banns to be read, announcements made in newspapers and family and friends informed. They left for London on the twenty-seventh of December.

  As soon as they arrived at the house, they were immediately inundated with visitors bringing congratulations, but mostly just to be nosey. The exceptions were the De Marchet’s, Hood, and Armand. They came just to let the happy couple know that they had their support and love. Even Evelyn was happy and when let in on the secret of the baby, got over her snit at them getting married before she did.

  The big surprise was a discrete visit from William Wickham. He sat with the two of them, gave them his blessing, and surprised Marty by saying,

  “You had better get used to the idea that you will be the new Baron Candor and how you will handle that young man. Oh, and please do not forget that you have to invite the King and Prince Regent to the ceremony.”

  Marty looked at him in absolute horror. This part of their union hadn’t even entered his mind!

  “The King?” he stammered.

  “It’s traditional,” Wickham replied, “Mind you, he has his good days and bad days, so he probably won’t show up at all.”

  Marty knew the king had a problem with his mind and was often so unstable that he couldn’t be seen in public.

  “He has to approve the marriage as it involves a Barony. But I have it on good authority that in a lucid moment, he has already signed the permission.”

  “What?” said Marty, “But I haven’t asked for it yet.”

  Wickham looked smug and said,

  “Well, I took the liberty of sending a letter of request in your name. Thought it would save time.”

  Marty was so shocked he could say nothing.

  Two days later, they found that it was true when a royal messenger delivered a packet with the royal seal containing the official document.

  Because of the rush to get married before he left and before Caroline was showing her pregnancy too much, the ceremony would be smaller than her status would normally warrant. But even so, it would be far from a cosy family affair and Caroline employed a veritable army of people to organise it.

  This all culminated in Marty being driven to St. Martin in the field in a carriage accompanied by Armand and the Count De Marchet. It was mid-February, and he had been staying with the count and his family for the last two weeks.

  He was dressed in his uniform and wore the dress sword that Caroline had given him. His knees were weak, and he was sweating despite the cold. He wondered if he was getting a fever but in reality, it was just his nerves.

  They arrived at the church, and he was escorted in by the count one side acting instead of his father and Armand who was his best man.

  His family had all been coached up to London and taken under the wing of the countess, who acted like an aunt to all of them. She took his sisters and his brother’s wives out and got them dresses and Evelyn’s fiancé, Arthur, got the men suited and booted.

  As he entered, he was amazed to see not just his family on his side of the church but most of the boys from the farm: Bill Clarence, his wife, brother, and son as well. Admiral Hood was also there with the First Sea Lord, and Marty thought he caught a glimpse of Wickham in the shadows.

  On Caroline’s side, he saw Captains Coburn, Pellew, and Admiral Nelson. That surprised him as he had no idea there was any kind of link with him and Caroline’s family. He found out later the link was with Lady Hamilton, who was a friend of Caroline’s mother. She was also there.

  Captain Taylor and the officers of the Falcon couldn’t attend as they were at sea, but Katy came and that made up for it somewhat.

  He had been standing near the alter for what felt like an age when he sensed her presence. He looked around and saw her walking up the isle on the arm of her father with Evelyn in attendance as maid of honour and several young girl relatives as bridesmaids. But it was Caroline that dominated his vision. Dressed in a traditional red dress, she stunned him with her beauty and the rest of the ceremony passed in a blur. He remembered mumbling ‘I do’ a couple of times but that was about it. The next thing he knew, he was walking down the aisle with Caroline on his arm. As they exited the church, they walked under an arch of oars held by the crew of the Snipe.

  The wedding party was at her, no their, London house and the mix of dialects on show was amazing. Northern from Caroline’s family, Dorset from his, Norfolk from Nelson and Kent from Pelew.

  The king hadn’t made an appearance but the prince Regent did. Marty hadn’t seen him in the church as he was up in a gallery, away from the hoi polloi. He came to the house but left after greeting the bride and groom, giving them his blessing and a present of matching diamond studded broaches with their coats of arms on.

  What Marty couldn’t get used to was being addressed as ‘my Lord’. Apparently, he was
conferred the title as soon as he said, ‘I do’. The king’s advisors figured it was better to keep it simple rather than risk any kind of public demonstration of his majesty’s infirmity and so wrapped up the barony with the wedding permission. His sisters were loving it, of course. His mother just accepted it all calmly and basked in his reflected glory.

  He was brought down to earth with a bump a week later when his orders arrived for his next mission.

  Chapter 12: Crossing the Line

  Two days before his 18th Birthday Lieutenant, Lord Candor, otherwise known as Lieutenant Stockley, stood on the quarter-deck of his ship, the Snipe, and navigated her out of the river Stour into the English Channel. After a talk with Admiral Hood, he had decided not to use his title in the service. First off, he didn’t feel comfortable wearing it yet and, second, he knew it would just cause resentment from other officers. So, on ship, he was just plain Lieutenant Stockley.

  His wedding to Caroline had been on the front page of every newspaper in Britain. They even had artist’s impressions of the ceremony, which were largely fantasy as no one from the press was allowed into the church or the party afterwards. He had wondered if his new-found celebrity and status would disqualify him from working with the S.O.F. but Wickham had just scoffed and said it was a storm in a teacup and everyone would forget it soon enough. In any case, he added with a smirk, all the drawings showed him to be taller and more handsome than he was in real life so no one would recognise him.

  The Snipe had been completely refit. She had new copper on her bottom and a new mast. The old mast had been nibbled at by a French lugger and was deemed inadequate for the trip they were undertaking. She also had all new rigging and the carronades fitted with the latest design carriages. She looked and handled like a new craft.

  They were on a mission to Madagascar. Intelligence had it that the French were sponsoring the pirates out of there to attack British merchant shipping. It was being done in such a way that is made it hard to attribute it directly to the French. Napoleon was also making noises that he wanted peace and the politicians were terrified to do anything that might upset that. So, the S.O.F. got the job of either finding proof or scotching the piracy at source.