Simon Bingley's Resolve, page 16
‘Excuse me, but are you sure he was telling you the truth? He already knew that you were reluctant to marry the man. Perhaps he decided to add more pressure.’
‘Yes, I think it’s true. I have seen unpaid accounts and other signs of a shortage of funds that I hadn’t properly considered before now. I have been too preoccupied.’ She inhaled deeply. ‘There’s no help for it. I shall have to marry the man.’
‘You could marry me.’ Simon briefly wondered who had made that suggestion, belatedly realising it was him.
‘Don’t joke about such matters!’ she snapped. ‘It isn’t helpful.’
‘I wasn’t jesting,’ Simon said softly, because he realised it was true.
‘Thank you.’ Tears swamped her eyes. ‘But even though you will have a hard time convincing me that you didn’t make that suggestion out of some misguided gentlemanly instinct to protect me and that you wouldn’t live to regret your impulsiveness, I’m afraid you couldn’t afford me. Papa’s debt to Molineux is substantial. I demanded to know how deeply in debt he was, he told me the amount and I couldn’t believe it. I would bankrupt you.’
‘Perhaps it would be worth it.’ Simon tilted her chin backwards and softly kissed her lips. ‘I haven’t had the dubious pleasure of making Molineux’s acquaintance, but he sounds like a vile ogre with a temper to match, and I cannot rid my mind of the possibility that he wants to marry you so that he can take his revenge for what you did to his overseer. He sounds like a man who knows how to bear a grudge.’
‘You cannot think of any other reason why a gentleman would become fixated on a dreary creature like me?’ She was clearly attempting to seem affronted, but Simon was relieved to see a modicum of mischief shining in her previously despondent eyes.
‘On the contrary, it’s about the only aspect of Molineux’s character that I can’t find fault with.’
‘Be careful which damsels in distress you propose to in the future, Simon,’ she said. ‘The next one might not realise that you are being gallant.’ She smiled, looking a little flustered after their brief kiss. She stood up and reclaimed her hand, leaving Simon with no choice but to stand as well.
‘I am resigned to my fate,’ she said, looking away from him. ‘I will go back to the house alone. We had best not be seen together again. It will serve no purpose other than to make me regret my situation more than I already do. Good evening and thank you for listening.’
Before Simon could think of a way to delay her she walked away from him, her posture elegantly upright, and didn’t once look back.
Chapter Twelve
Tobias returned to the small cottage he occupied in Pemberley’s grounds—a haven of tranquillity that came with his position as deputy steward. He had established his own space where he was assured of all the comforts that the female servants from the big house were happy to provide. His fires never died, his belly was never empty, not a speck of dust dared to invade his furniture, his laundry appeared to do itself and a willing body was always on hand to cater for his other appetites.
On the evening of his strange confrontation with Mrs Rochdale, he thanked the girl who delivered his evening meal and ignored her provocative smiles and the excuses she made to linger. Eventually she ran out of things to tidy and took herself off, pouting. Tobias ate without taking much notice of the food he put into his mouth, mulling over all the potentially damaging information he now possessed and trying to decide whether to exploit it for his own gain. He pushed aside his empty plate and took a healthy sip of his wine, his thoughts dwelling upon the irony of his situation. Not so long ago he wouldn’t have hesitated to join Mrs Rochdale in her quest for revenge upon Darcy without stopping to consider the inadvisability of opposing such a powerful man.
But those days were gone. He had too much to lose and became weary of fighting other people’s battles. He glanced around his comfortable room. This was the first time he’d had a home entirely to himself, and he had achieved that privilege by proving his loyalty to an initially sceptical Darcy. Tobias had used his intelligence to ensure the estate prospered, working diligently and earning the respect of even the old hands at Pemberley who had recollections of his grandfather whom they respected, and his father, whom they did not. Success and respectability brought its own rewards, even if he did still sometimes miss the thrill of using his wits to keep one step ahead of the authorities.
Being a fugitive had opened his eyes to the fact that he’d been motivated by a burning desire for revenge on behalf of a father whom he had never met; the exaggerated tales of his mistreatment fuelled by his mother’s prejudices. Tobias grunted, thinking he’d been a fool. It amused and concerned him that Mrs Rochdale, the very woman who had unwittingly orchestrated Wickham’s downfall, seemed to think he would permit history to repeat itself. He threw back his head and laughed aloud, convinced that the lady, to put it charitably, must be soft in the head.
He pondered upon the nature of Molineux and Rochdale’s business affairs and briefly regretted the missed opportunity to line his own pockets. The ruthlessness he had sensed in Molineux would have been sufficient to make Tobias hesitate, even if he’d been tempted to involve himself. He hadn’t survived for as long as he had on the wrong side of the law without learning when he’d met his match.
There would be other opportunities to increase his wealth, he decided, and it was a wise man who knew when to walk away. But if he couldn’t line his own pockets, then he might as well use what he knew to enhance his position at Pemberley and eradicate any residual concerns about his loyalty.
With that thought in mind, Tobias strolled outside and almost collided with Simon, who was sauntering about, looking angry and muttering to himself.
‘Something wrong?’ Tobias asked.
Before Simon could respond they were joined by Spence.
‘That Dayton girl will be the death of me yet,’ Spence muttered. ‘She clings like a limpet. Not the one whom you’ve taken a shine to, Simon. I refer to her younger sister who is in danger of making herself look like a lightskirt.’
‘I noticed her at table,’ Simon replied, laughing. ‘She appears to have given up on Marc and lowered her sights to you.’
Spence blew air through his lips. ‘Her mother needs to check her behaviour.’
Simon kicked at a tuft of grass, his mind clearly miles away.
‘What’s wrong?’ Tobias asked.
‘Nadia Dayton is being manipulated into marrying an ogre,’ Simon replied. ‘I wish there was something I could do to help her.’
‘Stay out of it, Simon,’ Spence said, sighing. ‘I thought you had learned the advisability of discretion at last, especially when it comes to the affairs of a pretty female. You can’t right all the world’s wrongs and I dare say that if Miss Dayton really doesn’t want to marry the chap, she will make the fact clear to her connections. Either way, you won’t be thanked for getting involved, and you could find yourself compromised if you attempt it.’
‘Damn it, Spence, you don’t know anything about her situation, yet you jump to conclusions and treat me like some kind of Johnny Raw!’
Tobias and Spence exchanged a look. Tobias had come to know the boys well and often joined them in the Lamb to enjoy a tankard of ale or two. Simon was a dreamer, always cheerful, which made his obvious depression that much harder to fathom. Tobias knew the identity of Miss Dayton’s suitor, of course, and had at his fingertips the means of preventing the marriage. He felt rather pleased with himself when he hesitated only for a second, and contented himself with just the smallest sigh of regret before giving up any lingering hopes of profiting from Molineux’s activities himself.
‘Come to my cottage, both of you,’ he said, his tone unusually serious. ‘I have an excellent burgundy and a story to tell you.’
Simon and Spence shared a glance and fell into step with Tobias.
‘What have you been up to this time?’ Spence asked.
‘You see,’ Tobias said, grinning at Simon. ‘You’re not the only one he patronises.’
‘I’m not being patronising, it’s merely an observation based on prior behaviour,’ Spence said cheerfully. ‘You will never be entirely respectable, as half our kitchen maids here at Pemberley will likely attest, but we put up with you all the same because you’re endlessly entertaining and we’ve become accustomed to having you around.’
‘And you wish you had the freedom to be me,’ Tobias replied.
Spence offered up a wry smile. ‘That too, sometimes.’
They settled around Tobias’s fire. It wasn’t strictly necessary in such fine weather, but it gave the small room a homely feel. Tobias poured wine for them all and raised his glass to the cousins.
‘Welcome to my humble abode, gentlemen,’ he said, taking a sip.
‘Good health,’ Simon and Spence responded in unison.
‘Now then, Tobias, what’s this all about? Not that we don’t appreciate a respite from the tenacious Sophia Dayton, but still…’
‘The man your Nadia Dayton is being forced to marry,’ Tobias said, his expression turning unnaturally serious, ‘goes by the name of Molineux.’
‘I’m aware that you have eyes and ears everywhere, Tobias,’ Simon said, scratching his head, ‘but how the devil did you come by that piece of information?’
Simon and Spence looked astounded when Tobias related the details of the conversation he had overheard in the Lamb between Molineux and Dayton.
‘Seems our friend Dayton has pockets to let,’ Tobias finished. ‘Not to put too fine a point on it, he’s heavily in debt to Molineux, and my understanding is that Molineux will tear up Dayton’s vowels if Nadia agrees to marry him.’
Tobias and Spence both looked at Simon for confirmation.
‘It’s true,’ Simon said, nodding. ‘She told me as much herself. There’s more, but the debt thing on its own is enough to force her hand. Her sister won’t stand much chance on the marriage mart if she doesn’t have a dowry.’
‘Having the lady’s story independently corroborated don’t help much,’ Spence said sympathetically.
‘Ah-ha, but I’m not finished yet.’ Tobias topped up their glasses, grinning as he fussed with the bottle and dragged out the tension. ‘And this is where it gets even more interesting, not to say damned odd.’
Simon’s mouth fell open when he heard about Rochdale’s involvement in the cannabis smuggling trade. He scratched his head and looked helplessly at Spence.
‘What the hell do you make of that?’ he asked.
‘Rochdale has been using cannabis to calm his patients’ agitation and aggression,’ Spence said, nodding. ‘That much is obvious. It makes sense when you see his wife’s vacant manner at times.’
‘I wouldn’t know anything about it,’ Simon said.
‘It’s nothing new,’ Spence assured him. ‘I once heard of an archaeological site in the Oki Islands near Japan containing cannabis achenes dating back to the Neolithic Age. The drug has an ancient history of ritual use around the world and it’s commonly known to have a calming effect, making it seem as though the world is moving in slow motion. In quantified doses, I can quite see how it would help soothe troubled minds.’
‘But it’s addictive if misused,’ Tobias pointed out.
‘So are most things,’ Spence replied, raising his glass to emphasise his point.
‘You sound as though you approve of Rochdale’s shenanigans,’ Simon said on a note of mild censure.
‘I admire his efforts to try and keep people suffering from mild delusions out of the madhouse, but I don’t approve of his profiting from the addictions of others, and I fully intend to put a stop to his little game.’
‘Your cousin is spoiling for an adventure that will likely get him killed,’ Tobias said caustically.
‘You realise what this means, of course,’ Spence said, ignoring Tobias’s dire prediction and addressing the comment to Simon.
‘Of course!’ Simon thumped his thigh with his clenched fist and grinned. ‘If we can prove that Molineux is involved in criminal activities, even Dayton would have to see that it’s impossible for Nadia to marry him.’ His momentary euphoria gave way to despondency. ‘But how the devil are we supposed to prove it? Why did my aunt suddenly appear here at Pemberley when she knows she is unwelcome? Did Rochdale send her to us for some obscure reason? And why are they bringing the drug into this part of the world?’
‘I can answer your last question,’ Tobias replied. ‘I gather that Rochdale has a mistress in Derby. A widow whose husband had a plantation in Jamaica and warehouses in Derby, near to where she resides. From what I overheard, even Molineux is a little awed by the woman.’
‘She’s the brains behind the operation?’ Spence asked, flexing a brow.
‘That’s the impression I get. She took up the reins after her husband died.’ Tobias shrugged. ‘Perhaps she ran things behind the scenes all along. It’s impossible to know. Rochdale made no secret of the fact that he adores her, so I suspect that he doesn’t have a clue that his wife is close at hand. Anyway, the drugs come into England on ships that dock at Liverpool. From there it’s less than a hundred miles to Derby on a decent road, and the last place that the authorities will look for illegal contraband, especially in premises owned by a respectable widow. The assumption that women have no head for business would work in her favour in that regard, especially if she’s young and attractive. Anyway, I heard Rochdale boast that she has suppliers in this country waiting for his product.’
‘Why does she need Rochdale?’ Spence asked. ‘It sounds as though she is pretty self-sufficient.’
Tobias shrugged. ‘Who knows how the female mind works? Perhaps she actually likes him. It sounds to me as though they are equally amoral. Then again, perhaps she’s set things up so that he will take the blame if her enterprise comes to light. As I said before, she will use her wiles and pretend to be clueless.’
‘How does my aunt feed her addiction without her husband at hand to minister to her needs?’ Simon asked.
‘Easily enough to achieve,’ Tobias replied.
‘I’ve heard of people smoking ganja,’ Simon said, ‘but I can’t see Mrs Rochdale sitting in her room, puffing away on a pipe.’
Tobias grinned. ‘Search her room and I’ll wager you’ll find a large supply of baked biscuits hidden among her possessions.’
‘Goodness,’ Simon said vaguely. ‘I bow to your superior knowledge on the subject, both of you.’
‘I don’t speak from experience,’ Spence replied. ‘I got involved with a discussion group at Cambridge that strayed onto the subject and resulted in a heated debate about the morality behind creating addicts. Cannabis is fairly harmless, but it leads on to more damaging dependencies. Anyway, I became curious, so I did some research.’
Tobias didn’t doubt it. Spence, he knew, was the most intelligent of all the boys, but seldom allowed his innate curiosity and thirst for knowledge to become too apparent.
‘So what do we do now?’ Simon asked, putting his glass aside and rubbing his hands together. ‘We can’t possibly allow Nadia to marry such a man. Should we go to my uncle with what we know?’
‘I’d prefer not to upset my father as things stand,’ Spence said. ‘He’s already worried about Mrs Rochdale’s sudden and unwarranted appearance. Besides, your father has sent for Rochdale, hasn’t he, Simon?’
‘That’s my understanding.’
‘Should be interesting to see if he responds,’ Tobias said. ‘Bingley’s express will take a while to reach him since it will go to London and have to be sent back to Derby.’
‘He will have to respond, unless he wants to burn all his bridges,’ Spence said. ‘If what you heard is correct, Tobias, then he will seek to use the profits to enhance his reputation as a physician, have his wife committed and take up openly with this Mrs Hanson.’
‘Right,’ Simon agreed. ‘So he will have to come here or risk matters spiralling out of his control. He won’t trust his wife to behave rationally without her protectors. Presumably he has people in their London home watching over her and taking care of her needs. But still, if he’s kept her drugged, one wonders at her having the wits to think of coming here, much less finding the will to do so. Clearly she is not as addicted as Rochdale supposes.’
Spence nodded. ‘Either that or she has weaned herself off the drug. I have noticed marked changes in her behaviour since she has been here. Sometimes she seems withdrawn and her eyes are cloudy. At other times she’s alert and seems perfectly normal. It’s deuced odd.’
‘I gather Molineux intends to come and formally propose to Nadia once he receives word that she’s ready to receive him, damn his impudence.’ Tobias and Spence smiled at one another over Simon’s head. ‘He will have quite a shock when he finds Rochdale and his wife here. They are bound to confer.’
‘That won’t help. We can’t listen to their private conversations without risking detection,’ Spence replied, shaking his head. ‘And there’s no guarantee that they will discuss their personal business even if we do somehow manage to eavesdrop. Besides, Molineux is not staying here.’ Spence paused and both Tobias and Simon left him to his cogitations, accepting without question that he was the one most likely to come up with a solution. ‘When is the next shipment due to arrive?’ he asked.
‘Imminently,’ Tobias replied. ‘That was what they met to discuss. It seems Mrs Hanson wanted to amend their terms of business, taking a larger cut for herself. Molineux wasn’t happy about it but she had boxed him into a corner. He arranges the shipment, but Mrs Hanson has the connections to the customers.’
‘No such thing as honour amongst thieves,’ Simon said. ‘We might be able to use that to turn them against one another.’
‘Hmm.’ Spence rested his elbow on the arm of his chair and the side of his face on his clenched fist. ‘Do we know where Mrs Hanson lives?’
‘No, but I’m sure I can find out easily enough,’ Tobias replied. ‘She is a wealthy widow with warehouses in Derby. Can’t be many females in that position. Leave it with me. I shall know by tomorrow, but what good will that do us?’
