The Moonless Night (28 page)

He was in a little perplexity as to which vessel ought to be given the best position. It was necessary that his father’s yacht be in the lead, anchored seaward of all others, ready for the chase. Yet Sanford’s
Seadog
was the larger, faster yacht.

All these movings and decisions took over an hour. He was still on the dock wondering what to do about his dilemma when Sanford strolled towards him. “Oh, got your punch all made up, have you, Ade?” he asked.

“Yes, I have come to ask you up to try a glass and see what you think.”

“Excellent. Just before you go, though, where shall I put
Seadog
? For tonight, I mean. I’m moving all the yachts to make room for the ship Rawlins is sending over.”

“Which do you plan to take in case of trouble, mine or your father’s?”

“Which do I plan to take?” David asked, staring.

“It is only right that a Boltwood be captain of the ship. Your father will want to take his own, so why don’t you captain mine? You got the hang of it yesterday, I think?”

“Yes, but... Do you really mean it, Ade?”

“Certainly I do.”

The dilemma was solved in the wagging of a tail.
Fury
was hauled back and
Seadog
was pulled out to the fore. The vision of a chase called to mind that the winch and chain had been unguarded since morning, and before they went to try the rack punch, David said he thought he’d just take a nip down and have a gander. Sanford offered to do this for him, and David took the opportunity to take up a stand at the helm of
Seadog
, looking out to sea with a hand shading his eyes, seeing a mirage of a hundred ships, with the
Bellerophon
at their center, the General climbing down its side while bullets flew and smoke belched. He had
Seadog
just within ames-ace of sideswiping Billy Ruffian, and a rope at the ready to bind Napoleon when Sanford shouted from the dock. “She’s all right and tight. Let’s go.”

Napoleon was left hanging off the side of the ship while David scampered up to the dock to join Sanford. With a hand thrown over Adrian’s shoulder in a way to tell any chance observer what easy terms they were on, the two went into Bolt Hall. “What is this brew called?” David asked, tasting the potent drink judiciously.

“It’s really rack punch quickened with gin and—other things. I call it a Devon Mule. It has a bit of a kick. Not too sweet for your taste?”

David took a more liberal swallow. Finding it not too sweet, he quaffed off his glass. “What’s in it?”

“An alcohol distilled from coco sap is the base. I added a little sugar to please the ladies, and the gin of course.” He also added a good dash of brandy, but didn’t mention this ingredient.

“I believe I get the taste of brandy,” David said, measuring out another glass. Sanford accompanied him.

“Yes, a little brandy for taste.”

They discussed the recipe, adding a dash of wine, a soupçon of brandy, and tasting it at each addition till David got a little woozy. As his eyes began to wander just a little, Sanford said, “You and Benson are still on good terms, I see. He has been much in your company today. What is he doing? Anything of interest?”

“Trying to find out where you’ve got the gold stashed, Ade. I didn’t tell him a thing.”

“Good lad. I knew I could depend on you. He didn’t mention any endeavors for the evening? Whether he thinks anyone will take a stab at freeing Boney while we all make merry?”

“He don’t think it’ll be tonight. Truth to tell, Benson ain’t up to all the rigs at all, Ade. A bit of a slow top, letting you make off with the message and gold and Madame.” He poured out another glass of punch as he spoke, but Sanford put a hand on the ladle and modified it to a trickle.

“This is strong stuff. Remember the kick.”

“Yes, by Jove, jolly good stuff.”

“Does Benson ever speak of Rawlins at all?”

“Sees him all the time, but he don’t like me to go along. A regular Tartar, old Rawlins. Martinet for discipline. After the ladies for all that, though. I’ve been keeping a weather eye lifted on the pair of them. A regular set-to they had one night at Madame’s place. The night of the day you and Papa went to Sinclair’s, it was. But they all settled down to harmony in the end. Tell me, Ade, about Madame—she’s a spy, too, ain’t she? I mean, hand in glove with Rawlins and Benson. Why should she be for Napoleon when he stole her château and slept in her tapestries? That woman’s been treated hard.”

“Madame is involved, of course.”

“I knew it! Seems to me us spies ought all to get together, instead of working each on our own. You and Benson going off your separate ways—me and Madame never acknowledging we’re both in on it. What’s the point of so much secrecy, just between ourselves?”

“But then if one of us is captured, you know, he might be forced to give away the whole. It is often done in this way— each member of the team doing his own little bit.”

“And you at the head of it all, pulling the strings. I knew how it was. How do you get to be the chief spy, Ade?”

“It is necessary to work your way up the ladder, like anything else.”

“I hope you’ll put in a good word with me—for me, I mean, with Liverpool and Bathurst. Tell me, Ade, what should we be doing till the ball starts? To uncover the plot I mean.”

Feeling that David required fresh air to clear his head before dinner, Adrian sent him off to check the spinney, orchard, gazebo and stables for any signs of desperate enemy activity. He feared he had let him indulge too heavily in the Devon Mule when he came running up to him not forty minutes later reporting have found a clue of vital importance.

“What's that, David?”

“Uniforms. A whole crate of ‘em.”

“What kind of uniforms?”

“Navy officers’ uniforms.”

“Where did you discover this clue?”

“In one of our spare rooms, I decided to start looking inside the house first. A lucky chance I did.”

“They would be for the sailors—officers coming to the ball tonight, I expect. They will change into their dress uniforms here after they arrive.”

“Oh—very likely Biddy has set the blue room off for the purpose,” David said.

Sanford next got rid of him by sending him to perform his first assigned mission outdoors. It seemed a little curious to him that the officers should change at Bolt Hall. Why not just wear their uniforms? David had imagined it. He went up to the blue room to see for himself, and found no sign of uniforms. There was a carton on the floor, but it held only blankets and winter wear. There were some blue blankets—that must be what had led David astray. Benson was coming along the hall from his own room when Sanford came out. He looked at Sanford with his habitual dislike and suspicion.

“All set for the big do, Benson?” Sanford asked.

“Big do? Oh, you refer to the ball. I was just in to see if my valet has my formal clothes laid out. He didn’t have my shoes polished, come to think of it. I’d better go back and remind him.”

“I should do the same,” Sanford said, and went to his room to do it. But he noticed over his shoulder as he closed the door that Benson lingered at the top of the stairs, looking towards the blue room. A moment later he checked, and Benson was not in sight, therefore had not gone to his own room, which was past Sanford’s. Was wasting his time looking in the blue room for a chest of gold he supposed. With a chuckle, Sanford went to his valet’s door.

“Everything set for tonight, Belhomme?”

“
Oui, milor’. Tout,
she is
prêt
.”

“All our rag, tag and bobtail forces assembled? You have spoken to my chef and his assistants?”

“
Moi
, Belhomme, I look after all the detail. The suit, he is ready
aussi
,” He indicated with a pointing finger the black satin breeches and jacket hung ready for donning.

“Yes, you are also a good valet. But
Seadog
, is he ready, too? You have prepared a comfortable cabin for the admiral?”

“
Le chef
, he chills the champagne and prepares the hors d’oeuvre as you command.”

“Excellent, then you leave me time for a spot of amour before dinner.”

“There is not time to visit the Monet,” Belhomme told him sternly.

“The Monet has been superseded by an
anglaise
. Sorry about that.”

“Me, I prefer the ingénue for us.”

“That makes it unanimous.”

Marie was in the ballroom adding a few end tables to the collection of chairs along the room’s edge for the dowagers and chaperones. “Looks very nice,” Sanford complimented her.

As he had himself supervised the placement of greenery and blooms, there was little praise in this statement, and little response to it. “I expect you are looking forward to the dance,” he tried next.

“I always enjoy a ball.”

“I notice you enjoy the company of the officers. With Rawlins bringing down a dozen, you should be happily occupied. I expect Biddy has set aside a room for them to change in.”

“Nothing was said of changing. They will come in dress uniform. They are not invited to dinner, but only the dance afterwards.”

“David mentioned something about the blue room being used for them to change in.”

“No, we never use the blue room at all. It hasn’t been aired, and is in fact full of boxes of blankets that are about to be aired before being put back on the beds.”

“I see. I must have misunderstood him. Did Biddy mention to you we are to open the dance?”

“I suppose we must.”

“I am flattered at your enthusiasm. I am not at all a bad dancer, however, and you will have the rest of the evening free for the officers. And Benson, if he still figures in your daydreams.”

“He doesn’t. He’ll look a sight with that eye patch and a bruise on his cheek.”

“To say nothing of his mole, as large as a pea.”

She was about to make some pejorative remark on his mentioning the afflictions of another when the word “pea” struck her as significant. “Sanford, do you mean to say he is Cicero?” she asked, her eyes enlarged with the idea.

“Cicero?” he asked. “Oh, you refer to our discussion of Cicero being named after a wart. But what…”

“Don’t treat me like an idiot. I know all about it. I know very well what is going on here. Is Benson Cicero?”

“No, but I wish you will be careful of him, for all that. In fact, there will be as much cause for worry as enjoyment at this ball tonight. Be very careful at all times.”

“What do you mean?”

“I wish I knew exactly what to warn you of, but I don’t. Just be careful of Benson and Madame, and any of the officers with whom you are not familiar.”

She felt a quick rush of excitement. “You can’t mean Benson.”

“But I do. He is dangerous. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you.” He regarded her for a long minute with an expression more tender than ever seen before on his face. Then he reached for her hand, and began to walk from the room.

Her head was awhirl. That Benson was involved in anything worse than dangling after her fortune had not previously occurred to her. Still, the shift in his status came easily to her. For some days now she had been finding him unlikable. He was easy to transform into a villain. In the case of Madame, the transformation was an improvement. She was more acceptable as a villain than as Sanford’s lover. “What will you be doing?” she asked.

“Making up to Madame,” he answered in a teasing tone. “But it is all business, and you must not be jealous. Well, perhaps a little jealous, now that you are aware of the manner in which business is conducted between us.”

“If I took into my head to be jealous of all her flirts, I wouldn’t have a moment’s peace.”

“You needn’t be jealous of the others. Only me.”

“Oh, jealous! I am more apt to pity you, having to waltz with an overstuffed doll.”

“That is by no means the least agreeable of my coming activities. She waltzes superbly.”

“When have you been waltzing with her?”

“My dear goose, we don’t spend all our evenings making love. I am not a rabbit, after all.”

“Oh! You’re impossible,” she said angrily.

“What happened to the pity?”

They were in the hallway at the bottom of the stairs, and soon were interrupted by a servant, so that the dalliance was ruined.

Chapter 19

By late afternoon the tension around Bolt Hall was increasing. On top of the normal bustling of servants to set the final touches on food and house for the ball, there were certain amongst the inhabitants who expected more than a feast and a spot of dancing to occur. Sir Henry knew the
Phoebe
was not to dock till eight and hit on the idea of setting up a row of torches, not so much for the convenience of Rawlins in landing from the vessel as for his own greater glory in allowing his neighbors to see it anchored at Bolt Hall.

Biddy, having  observed some lessening in the thaw between Marie and Sanford, held to her theory that no two young persons of opposite sex and mutual eligibility could remain unattached throughout such a romantic evening. Care had been taken to see that Marie was irresistibly arrayed in a gown of white, the color that had lured Captain Monro into proposing to Biddy all those years ago. David too was outfitted in style in his black jacket and breeches, with a pistol cunningly hidden in his pocket, with only three inches of the handle sticking out. As the family and some select guests (those who had volunteered a yacht to the cause in fact) met for dinner, the currents of emotion in the air were almost visible.

Sir Henry took everyone out to the top of the cliff to admire his dock and torches. There were sundry slighted yacht owners, who thought their vessel merited a better position than being pushed to the rear, with another ship hitting against their sides and likely giving cause for a new paint job. Those who had not already stopped around to admire
Seadog
had to make a few comments on it. Sir Henry, till that moment unaware that
Seadog
had been put in advance of
Fury
, gave his son a killing stare, and told him to “get those yachts arranged properly at once.” David meekly said, “Yes, sir,” but as the arrangement that existed seemed proper to him, he did nothing about it, knowing the matter would soon slip his father’s mind, as indeed it did, as soon as he remembered his petition regarding the “situation” in Plymouth, and brought it out for signatures. The guests became quite merry after a few kicks from the Devon Mule. They sat long over a repast of several courses, till Biddy began to fear the guests invited for dancing would find the family still at table when they began arriving.