Read Whisper To Me of Love Online
Authors: Shirlee Busbee
Whisper To Me of Love (38 page)
C
HAPTER
23
HAPTER
23
R
oyce was extremely tired and irritable when he arrived in London the next morning, and while he didn't begrudge one moment of the time he had spent in Morgana's arms when he should have been sleeping, he was very much aware that making love to her through the rest of the night hadn't been the wisest thing he had ever done in his life. A sensual smile suddenly curved his full bottom lip. Not the wisest, but definitely the most memorable, he admitted candidly to himself as certain blatantly erotic images flitted across his brain.
oyce was extremely tired and irritable when he arrived in London the next morning, and while he didn't begrudge one moment of the time he had spent in Morgana's arms when he should have been sleeping, he was very much aware that making love to her through the rest of the night hadn't been the wisest thing he had ever done in his life. A sensual smile suddenly curved his full bottom lip. Not the wisest, but definitely the most memorable, he admitted candidly to himself as certain blatantly erotic images flitted across his brain.
Rousing himself from his decidedly lascivious musings, he stopped his horses in front of George's set of rooms on Little Argyll Street, and turning to an extremely proud Matt Hatton, who had accompanied him as his groom, Royce said, “Go to their heads. If all goes well, I shan't be gone long.”
Fortunately George was at home, and while he was still garbed in a fine silk robe lavishly embellished with a paisley design, he seemed quite happy to see Royce ... happy, but a bit mystified. Greetings had been exchanged and they were comfortably seated in a small but tastefully decorated room that served as George's salon. George's valet, Thompson, a tall, somber-faced individual, had served them cups of hot, black coffee and had departed, leaving the two men to talk privately.
“What the devil are you doing back in town?” George demanded. “Thought you were settled in the country. Thought I was to come down and visit you there this week. Something happen?”
Briefly Royce explained the reason for his sudden trip to town.
George's blue eyes grew very wide. “Want me to find you a magistrate? A judge?”
“Well, I had hoped that you would know of someone I could approach.”
George pursed his lips, frowning slightly as he stared across at his tall, muscular cousin. “I think you should put it from your mind,” he said at last. “Think you should dump the gel on the streets and wash your hands of the brothers. Think you're going to get in a lot of trouble if you don't. That one-eyed fellow ain't to be trifled with. I warned you.”
Looking apologetic, Royce nodded his tawny head. “I agree with you, but unfortunately, I'm afraid that I cannot. You see, I'm rather uncommonly fascinated at the moment by the, er, gel, and I can't just turn my back on her.”
“Fascinated! Bewitched is more like it!” George exclaimed acidly. “Hardly more than a fortnight ago, the on-dit was that you were hanging out for a wife to take back to America with you! Had the females all in a twitter.” Sending him a sharp glance, George demanded with stubborn persistence, “What about the widow Cresswell and that Summerfield chit? I thought you were dangling after one of them.” Almost accu-satively he added, “You told me you were considering them!”
“Well, yes, I wasâand while I admit to being fascinated, I didn't say that I planned to
marry
this particular little baggage,” Royce replied lightly, a glimmer of amusement dancing in the depths of his golden eyes.
marry
this particular little baggage,” Royce replied lightly, a glimmer of amusement dancing in the depths of his golden eyes.
That seemed to reassure George somewhat, for he relaxed back into his chair and took a restoring sip of his coffee. “Thank heavens for that! Can't have you marrying a little nobody plucked out of the gutter! Can't have you marrying a little nobody period! It ain't done by people like us! You need to choose a wife carefullyâyou have the family and future generations to consider!”
There was a time, and not in the too distant past, when Royce would have instantly echoed George's words, but this morning, for some reason, he found his cousin's attitude more than a little annoying.
Uneasy with the topic of conversation, Royce said bleakly, “Naturally. To do otherwise would be unthinkable!”
George beamed at him. “My sentiments exactly! Now, let's put all this nonsense about seeing a magistrate behind us and enjoy the day.” Struck by a sudden thought, George looked extraordinarily pleased with himself as he said, “London has been so thin of company this past week, think I shall ride down to Tunbridge Wells with you when you leave. Thompson could pack my things and I could be ready to leave this afternoon, if you like.”
Royce was very aware that George was trying to distract him and get him safely out of London and away from further confrontations with the one-eyed man. He had never really appreciated George's loyalties to his friends and family until this moment, and gently Royce murmured, “George, I haven't given up wanting to see a magistrate, and I'm not leaving London until I make some sort of arrangements to get Ben out of Newgate.”
Dismay evident on his pleasant features, George blustered, “But, but you said ... !”
“I said,” Royce interrupted mildly, “that I wasn't going to marry herâI didn't say that anything else had changed. Now, are you going to help me or not?”
“Don't want to see you get hurt,” George said anxiously. “Favorite relative! Don't like the way that one-eyed man keeps interfering in your lifeâhe's dangerous, Royce.”
“But you
will
help me?”
will
help me?”
George sighed heavily. “Naturally.”
Smiling slightly, Royce asked, “Then you are acquainted with a judge or a magistrate who will help us?”
“Acquainted with everyone!” George said in an affronted tone.
“Yes, I'm sure you are,” Royce said quickly, “but all we care about at the moment is someone to help us with Ben.”
George pursed his lips thoughtfully and said, “Let me get dressed and then we can go round to the house of a fellow I know. Splendid fellow! Certain he can help usâand if he can't, he'll know who can!”
Royce hesitated. “I want to go to Newgate and see Ben first. After I've seen Ben, then I shall return here for you and we can go see your magistrate at that time.”
George didn't like that idea at all, but eventually he was forced to agree. “Don't,” George said heavily as Royce prepared to leave, “do anything foolish!”
The idea of doing anything foolish was the furthest thought from Royce's mind when he finally stood before the gray bulk of Newgate. Even the warmth of the July sun did not chase away the chill that seemed to seep into his very bones as he stared at the solid stone structure before him. Grim, dark, and dank were words that rose to his mind to describe it, and he was conscious of a strong desire to have this meeting over with in the shortest possible time. To his relief, he discovered that there was nothing to prevent him from seeing Benâvisitors seemed to come and go at will, with very little done to prevent the criminals outside of prison from mingling with those held in Newgate. Having left a wide-eyed, nervous Matt with his curricle and horses, Royce was briefly scrutinized by a turnkey at the lodge, who immediately recognized him as being a wealthy member of the upper classes, and thereby did not subject him to the humiliation of a strip search, which sometimes happened if it was suspected the visitor was attempting to smuggle in a means of escape for a prisoner.
Since Ben had not yet stood trial for his offense, he was being held in the chapel-yard, and the turnkey, a hulking, sour-faced individual who had not been in close proximity to water or soap in quite some time, was on the point of showing Royce there when Royce stopped him by saying, “Is there any place for my friend and I to talk privately?”
“For a price,” the man said slyly. “For a price, you can have anything you want.”
Without further words, Royce passed him a coin, and a few moments later, he was shown to a small, bare cubicle. The turnkey disappeared, and in a mercifully short time, Ben walked listlessly into the room, his head bent, the irons on his wrists clanking unpleasantly, his entire presence revealing bleak despair and utter defeat.
Ben looked very young ... and very scared, but the sight of Royce's tall, powerful form transformed him, and an eager light suddenly gleamed in the blue eyes. “Thank God it is
you
and not the one-eyed man! I was afraid that he had gotten Jacko, tooâthat Jacko might even be dead.”
you
and not the one-eyed man! I was afraid that he had gotten Jacko, tooâthat Jacko might even be dead.”
Ben's words were spoken in a low voice, both he and Royce extremely conscious of the turnkey who lurked just outside the opened doorway. Royce motioned Ben to come farther into the room, and they positioned themselves as far away from the door as they could; the entire conversation was conducted in tones barely above a whisper, with the occasional wary eye cast over their shoulders in the turnkey's direction.
“No, your brother is fine and safely at Lime Tree Cottage with your sisterâand if all goes well, you shall join them shortly,” Royce murmured lightly. “I shall be seeing a magistrate after I leave you here today, and I hope that we shall effect a speedy release for you.”
They spoke softly for several minutes, Royce relating all that had happened and questioning Ben's side of things. Basically Ben repeated the same tale that Jacko had told, able to add little to what Royce already knew. Ben seemed well enough, but there was an ugly bruise on his forehead, and it was obvious that he was frightened. “Do you really think that you can get me released?” Ben asked.
Royce smiled encouragingly. “Never doubt it, my young friend! If I have to come back and dismantle this prison stone by stone, I shall have you free! But until that time, what can I do to make your stay here more bearable?”
Ben hesitated, frowning in thought. “It's going to cost you,” he said slowly. “But if you are willing to spend the blunt, I could be transferred to the state side, where the quarters are less crowded and generally there is a better class of criminal kept thereâprovided they can pay.”
“Somehow that doesn't surprise me,” Royce said dryly. “And I suppose I should also make some arrangements to have food, bedding, and clothing supplied to you while you remain here?”
A little of his spirit returning, Ben flashed him a brief grin. “Appreciate it if you would, guvnor! The food, what there is of it, is bloody awful, and as far as a bed or bedding ...” Ben snorted. “That's something to be dreamed about!”
Smiling slightly, Royce murmured, “Very well, then. I shall see to it.” His smile fading, he bent a somber look upon Ben. “I think that we can assume that the one-eyed man now knows of your association with me, if he didn't know it alreadyâJacko's precipitous rush to Lime Tree Cottage has most certainly alerted him, and my sudden return to town and visit to you will have confirmed the fact that you are no longer loyal to him. You are in a very dangerous position, Ben. I can only do so much to protect you while you remain within these wallsâand I cannot guarantee how soon I can have you free. I can have you transferred as you suggested, and I can have several luxuries supplied to you, but you will have to watch your back and be on the lookout for the one-eyed man to try to strike at you here.”
Ben nodded his head. “I know thatâbut I think if he wanted me dead, you wouldn't be talking to me right now! I think he merely wanted me, maybe Jacko, too, confined in a place where we couldn't get out.” His eyes meeting Royce's, he muttered unhappily, “I think he knew that Jacko and me were sailing tomorrow and I think this is his way of making sure that we don't!”
“I wouldn't be at all surprised if you aren't right,” Royce agreed grimly. “By having you in Newgate, he has certainly put paid to
that
little plan!”
that
little plan!”
They spoke quietly for a few moments longer, Royce reassuring Ben that all that could be done, would be done, to get him free. Forcing a cheerful smile on his handsome face, Royce finally said, “Don't be alarmed if events do not move as swiftly as we want them to, and don't become anxious if you do not see me for a few days. I shall try to keep you abreast of what is happening, and if I cannot come to see you, I will send someone else.” He frowned. “But I think we should have some sign to let you know that the person or note really is from me... .” As he looked at the gold signet ring on his finger, his face instantly cleared, and after a quick glance at the doorway to make certain the turnkey was not watching them, he showed it to Ben, commanding softly, “Look at this ring carefully; it has my initials in the center, and the person who comes from me will show you this ring. Any note from me will be sealed by the stamp of this ringâotherwise, assume that it is a trap!”
The turnkey, his expression even more sullen and surly than when Royce had first seen him, appeared instantly when Royce called for him. Ordering Royce to remain in the cubicle while he returned Ben to the chapel-yard, the turnkey disappeared with Ben, leaving Royce to restlessly pace until the turnkey returned. Satisfied with his meeting with Ben, before leaving Newgate, Royce saw the governor of the prison and made the necessary arrangements to have Ben moved. He also paid what seemed like an exorbitant garnish to insure that Ben was given clean clothing, bedding, and decent food.
It was with a hearty sigh of relief that he and Matt quickly drove away from the depressing sight of the infamous Newgate. Frowning blackly, Royce slowly drove his horses toward George's rooms, chastising himself yet again for not having adequately protected Morgana and her brothers from the one-eyed man from the very beginning. His face resembled a thundercloud by the time he drew up his horses in front of George's rooms.
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