“Egypt? Not I. I have the shipments from the Antilles and the Americas. Rum, cotton, spices, cocoa, that sort of thing.”
“Ah.” I sought any excuse to talk about Egypt, but I tamped down my eagerness. “I have heard about shipments that have gone missing.” I continued to wonder if they were connected to Warrilow’s death, in spite of Eden’s belief that the man had been killed by someone he’d enraged. “Were those from the Americas?”
Seabrook’s dark eyes went cold. “I’ll thank you not to speak too much of it, sir. The thieves have confounded us, and yes, much of what is stolen is from the Americas. Valuable cargo that disappears as though it never existed. Someone making fools of the excisemen.”
“You check all the ships as they come in, don’t you?”
“Indeed. No one goes ashore or offloads cargo until my men have gone over the ship, and the captain and cargo master have signed the forms.”
“Why did you take Major Eden’s belongings?” I asked. “Surely you did not suspect him of smuggling.”
Seabrook slanted me a wise glance. “You’d be surprised, Captain, what innocuous persons like Major Eden try to slide into the country. My lads were being thorough. We waylaid about half that cargo, as we’d had a hint that it was poached. Good thing we did, as some of the rest of it vanished from its warehouse. Fortunately, Major Eden’s things were found to contain nothing but what a man needs to keep himself, and we have no reason to hold them.”
As he finished, the young clerk returned bearing two valises and a large wooden box with a lock. The clerk handed Eden a key.
The collection represented very little for the years Eden had spent trying to earn a living in Antigua. Nothing that would warrant him visiting the cargo hold as much as possible to check on his belongings. He could have stashed these under his bunk, and the box could have made a decent night table.
Then again, space was tight aboard ship, and perhaps he’d been commanded to stow his things below.
Eden rose. “I thank you, sir.” He held out his hand, and Seabrook shook it. “Hopefully, we shall not meet again, at least not under these circumstances.”
Seabrook chuckled. “I understand you, Major. Happy to have made your acquaintance, Captain.” He shook my hand as well, then I reached for a valise to assist Eden to carry his things out.
“No, no,” Eden said. “I’m used to hoisting them around.” He tucked the box under his arm and lifted a valise in each hand.
The clerk opened the door for us. I gestured Eden out first, as he staggered under his burden. I’d relieve my pride for not being allowed to help by asking Brewster to tote things, once we found him.
I glanced back before I departed for a final farewell and caught Seabrook gazing after Eden with an expression of vast suspicion. He smoothed out the look when he caught my eye and gave me a half smile.
I departed, wondering very much what was on the man’s mind.
I caught up with Eden who navigated the stairs awkwardly, but he landed without a mishap. We pushed our way through the long room, which, if anything, had grown more crowded, and back down to the street.
Before I could mention Seabrook’s odd reaction, or suggest we find Brewster to carry the box for him, four large men surrounded us.
One pointed a thick finger at me. “Mr. Creasey wants to see you.Now.”
CHAPTER 10
Ifaced the man who’d spoken, his broad finger almost touching my nose. “I’m very busy at present,” I managed to say coolly. “Mr. Creasey may write for an appointment.”
The man curled his hand into a fist. “He don’t make appointments. You come with me, now.”
“Steady on,” Eden broke in. “Captain Lacey can go where he pleases and do as he likes.”
“Not if he don’t want his nose broken. This way, guv.”
I glanced about for Brewster but saw him nowhere. Meanwhile, Eden and I were surrounded by four toughs, larger still than the ones who’d attacked Brewster and me in St. James’s.
Eden and I could possibly fight them, if Eden dropped his luggage. And, in this crowd, surely passers-by would jump in to assist, though whose side they’d take I could not guess.
“What does he want?” I asked the fist.
“T’ have tea.” The bully bared blackened teeth in a foul grin. “He says t’ bring ye for a talk, for an hour or so. Not t’ kill ye.”
“How polite of him,” Eden said. “And if we refuse?”
“I’m t’ bring the captain don’t no matter what. Not you, guv.”
