“O’course, m’lord. Anything you need, I’m your man.”
“What’s your name, lad?”
“John Taylor, m’lord.” There was a sense of pride in the way he announced it.
“Very good, Mr. Taylor. And your ship?”
“The HMSGrampus.”
“All right. Mr. Taylor, I need to meet with my solicitor. I want to be sure we are prepared for any legal troubles that Lady Davina might be facing. Can you give the Master at Arms this card? Tell him I’ll be there to sort this out right away.” I pulled my card from the other pocket and handed it to him.
“Yes, m’lord.” He nodded eagerly before pulling off his boot and stuffing the coins in the toe. He slipped it back on and rolled his ankle experimentally. There was a soft jingle, but nothing that would be of note.
With both arms, he pushed off the steps to stand and set off at another run, back toward the docks, my card clenched in his fist. Hopefully it would still be legible when it arrived.
I stepped into the waiting carriage and set off toward Hart and Summers, Solicitors.
The damned bellwas as unnerving as ever.
Will peered out from his back office with a concerned expression. I offered him a wave before gesturing toward Mr. Summers’s office. “Davina is making a nuisance of herself again,” I said by way of explanation. “As I understand it, her problems are Mr. Summers’s to solve.”
That caught the man in question’s attention and he stood from his desk and rounded the corner.
Will replied, “Of course. If you have a moment afterward, I’ve done some of that investigating we discussed.”
I nodded and turned to Mr. Summers and his questioning gaze. “She was caught trying to board a ship dressed as a lieutenant.”
“Right, I’ll leave that to Kit… Good luck,” Will called out.
Mr. Summers’s countenance shifted to something paler, more sickly as he ushered me into his office.
“So Lady Davina has boarded a naval ship?” he asked in a shaky tone as he returned to his seat behind the desk. I hadn’t thought her behavior could shock him any longer.
“So it would seem.”
“Right, I just… She could be hurt. The obvious dangers of ship life, of course, but also… all the lonely men.”
My stomach dropped. I hadn’t considered that.
“Surely they wouldn’t. They’re men in his majesty’s service.”
Mr. Summers swallowed. “I pray they would not. If the ship has left, there’s nothing that can be done but pray and follow her to their next port.”
“It hasn’t. She managed to convince a ship’s boy to locate me. She’s being held by the Master at Arms, who isn’t convinced of her identity. The boy said something about espionage.”
He swallowed thickly. “Right, well, she is a stowaway… There’s a fine. And possibly hard labor, I cannot recall. They certainly wouldn’t sentence a lady to hard labor anyway. Espionage… It’s not my expertise. Shockingly. But I suspect proving her identity will go far in convincing him of her innocence.”
“We should go at once.”
“No, no. Her reputation—we need to keep this as quiet as we can. A duke’s presence will only draw more attention. I’ll hurry over there and see what can be done.”
“But… You’re an earl.”
“Barely. And I look like a solicitor.”
“You’re certain this is the best course?”
“Positive. I’ll get her back, Your Grace. I give you my word.”
