The Merry Georgian’s prow cut through the murky waters of the southern British sea port as the sun began to set behind her, showing nothing but emptiness, the vessel who had been pursuing her long gone. The docks they sailed towards were alive with activity, but were calmer and a little more welcoming than those of her more northern sister, the London docks. Fewer boats bobbed about in the choppy waves that lapped at the shore and Justin was thankful to note that there seemed to be fewer people roaming about the land.
After the attempted kidnapping of his being, he wanted to dock into the port as inconspicuously as possible.
As soon as the signal was given to dock, the ship’s crew hurriedly readied the vessel. Ropes were tied down, sails were folded back and the rigging was restored to non-sailing position. In no time flat, the Merry Georgian rested quietly against a dock, moored tight to withstand the choppy early evening tide. Her crew quickly made for shore as soon as the captain had secured the paperwork to dock for the evening.
Justin sighed as he returned to his cabin to fetch his belongings and his sister. They would find lodging for the evening and then set out for London in the morning. A coach would now have to be hired, thanks to his sister, though he still fully intended to make the ride on horseback himself. With an almost imperceptible shake of his head, he knocked on the cabin door as he called his sister’s name. She quickly opened the door, ready to depart.
“Are we staying here for the evening?” Sofie questioned her brother as she fell in step beside him, her valise clutched in her hand.
“Yes, we set out for London in the morning,” Justin confirmed as he slung his knapsack over his shoulder, “We’ll hire a coach for the ride and hopefully arrive by mid-afternoon.”
“Where will we stay?” Sofie questioned, curiosity plainly written on her face. Justin heaved a sigh and quickly hid his annoyance with his sister for thwarting his carefully laid plans.
“The last time I was in London, I was fortunate enough to meet up with our father’s friend from Eton,” Justin explained while helping his sister ashore, “He has a small title, but is able to reside in a well-to-do district of London, thanks to his marriage to a count’s daughter. They invited me to stay with them the next time I was in London, so I dispatched a note to them with a courier ship prior to my departure from Georgia. I expect to have a response waiting at the inn.”
“I see. I’m sure that would be perfectly agreeable to mama and papa, so I will tell them that in the letter I send them,” his sister responded, then suddenly began to look worried, “Oh dear, will I be in need of nicer gowns? I don’t want our hosts to think that I am some sort of hoyden or that mama and papa haven’t taken care of me.”
Justin almost laughed aloud. While his sister couldn’t care less what she did around those back at their home in Georgia, Sofie was most afraid of offending those she did not know. It would be interesting to see how she reacted to Lord and Lady McNair and their large, boisterous family, whom he had met on a previous occasion.
Edward McNair and Peter Bennington had become fast friends in their days at Eton “ the school where all well-to-do and wealthy young men were sent to finish their education and become well-rounded individuals. McNair was the son of a somewhat wealthy country squire, Bennington the son of a landed knight, so neither had aspirations nor false ideas that they would be readily accepted by the sons of higher titled and wealthier lords. It was the main reason they had quickly become friends.
Upon completion of their school days, Peter had set his sights on the colonies, urging his friend to accompany him. He was the second son of his father, would never inherit the small amount of land his father had been granted and so thought to gain land in the Americas “ having heard that after the revolution that had gained that country it’s independence from noble England, there was land aplenty to be had by anyone willing to pay the price. The two of them had quickly made plans to set sail together the following month once their affairs had been put to order.
Then Edward McNair had met Sarah Crandall, the youngest daughter of James Crandall, count of Ashford and a wealthy, powerful man. Despite the fact that his title was not lofty, and his wealth not quite as vast as the Crandall’s, Edward had fallen hopelessly in love with the beautiful young woman. It was then that their plans had been put on hold while Peter patiently waited for Edward to say farewell to the pretty lass and join him on the journey to America.
However, that was not to be, for it was a mere four months after the two had met that Sarah and Edward, with the whole-hearted permission of her father who had taken with the young squire, married. Peter, needless to say, was shocked and found himself at a loss of what to do. It was during that time that he met Julie Parkwood, the paid companion of one of his elderly aunts.
Soon, Peter found himself head over heels in love and a marriage followed within the year, with Peter then setting off to America to begin to build a home for himself and his new bride. Once Julie had joined him, the years passed quickly and quietly with the two friends on different continents. Letters kept them close friends and it had been for this reason Lord Edward McNair had sought Justin out the last time he had been in London.
Though Justin had been thrilled to meet the man “ whom he had taken an almost instant liking to, the man could shed no light on Justin’s birth parents nor the reason surrounding his trip to America. The time had been filled with turmoil and political upheaval, with the thought of war at the forefront of all the peoples’ minds. So he had quickly been informed that while being sent to another continent seemed rather unusual, he had not been the only child who had been removed from a rather chaotic England.
So at the present time, Justin had very little to go on in the search for his birth parents. The only thing he could do was go to London, ask questions, search and take every path that might lead to who he truly was. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack, but it was something he just had to do.
“What did you bring with you?” Justin finally questioned his sister, as he eyed her over-packed valise. Sofie, as he had come to know through the years growing up with her, was not wont to traveling without an ample amount of clothing.
“A few changes of clothes in this valise and more in the other one I left in your cabin,” Sofie stated as they walked the streets towards the Rosewood Inn where Dexter had gone to secure lodging for the night.
“Well I’m sure the McNair’s will insist upon entertaining us as guests, however, I don’t…” Justin began.
“I didn’t bring any evening gowns with me!” Sofie interrupted, her eyes wide and cheeks pale with horror, “Oh Justin, I’m going to be a laughingstock!” Justin had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at his sister’s ridiculous statement.
“Stop your worrying dear sister,” he cajoled, amusement coloring his voice, “If you need something while we are here, I will be more than happy to provide you with the means to do so. You are my sister and you know that I will look out for you no matter what, even if that means buying you some new gowns.”
“Oh Justin, thank you!” Sofie exclaimed, gracing her brother with a wide smile and sparkling eyes, appreciation shining from their depths.
It was in this manner that Dexter saw her as he waited for them outside the Rosewood Inn. He felt his heart flop in his chest and his blood began to race as her blue eyes came to rest on him. He swallowed thickly, feeling like his tongue had swollen twice its size inside his mouth.
“Dex?” Justin questioned, wondering why his friend seemed to be transfixed by something.
“Hmm?” Dexter distractedly questioned, his eyes dropping to Sofie’s lips as she unconsciously licked the bottom one, a habit of her’s he had come to find was quite distracting.
“Have you gotten rooms for the night?” Justin continued on, another amused smile gracing his lips as he realized his friend was staring at Sofie. Maybe he was actually quite wrong about Dexter being married to the sea…
“What? Oh, yes, I was able to get two rooms for the night,” Dexter said, shaking himself and dragging his eyes to Justin, “Quincy returned a few minutes ago and was able to find a maid willing to lend her services to Sofie and travel with us to London. I already settled her into Sofie’s room and came to an agreement about her wages.”
“How much…” Justin began, but his friend cut him off.
“I’ve already taken care of it,” Dexter said, much to his friend’s surprise, “It was the least I could do.”
“Thank you Dex,” Sofie shyly stated as she smiled up at him through her lashes. He nodded his head in response, missing the knowing grin that Justin was sending in his direction.
“Dex, if you would see Sofie to the safety of her room, I am going to go see about hiring a coach for tomorrow’s journey,” Justin announced as he handed his knapsack to Dexter, “I’ll join the two of you as soon as I can for dinner. If it gets late, go ahead and dine without me.”
Without waiting for a response, Justin strode away, pulling his cloak tighter about his wide shoulders to ward off the chill that was beginning to creep into the early evening breeze. Southern England was supposedly known for its warmer climes, but he felt it was nothing compared to his sunny Georgia. Oh how he longed for the cheery faces of the people he knew so well and the smell of the cotton growing in the fields…
His head somewhat in the clouds with visions of the homeland he was suddenly missing, he roamed the streets, looking for an establishment from which he could rent a coach for the journey to London. Upon sighting such a building, he quickly went in. A shorter, older man glanced up from a desk from which a candle burned. He appeared to be the only soul in the well-kept building.
The man, like the interior of the building was immaculately dressed from what Justin could see. His tunic and cravat were crisp and finely pressed, his overcoat made of the finest materials. The crown of thick white hair upon his head was neatly combed and not even a shadow of whiskers adorned the wrinkle-lined face, which bespoke of years of smiling and laughter.
“Can I help you?” the man finally questioned, his tone crisp as he stood from the paperwork he had been bent over.
“I’m looking to rent a coach for the journey to London in the morning,” Justin stated as he stepped towards the desk and into the feeble light of the solitary candle.
The man behind the desk suddenly gasped, his eyes wide as he stared at the young man. He couldn’t speak, his tongue fumbling over his teeth in an effort to formulate words. But no words would come, only a strangled, gurgling sound.
“Are you alright?” Justin worriedly questioned as he leaned towards the distressed man and placed a hand on a shoulder that was surprisingly stronger than it looked.
“Fine,” the man wheezed, trying to give himself a mental shake and get his emotions under control, “You just remind me of somebody I used to know. Somebody whom I lost a long time ago.”
“I’m very sorry,” Justin replied, straightening away from the man.
Though he longed to question the elder about the person he had used to know and why Justin had reminded him of the man, to press the shopkeeper for such information would be rude and more than a little cruel. The man was obviously still deeply wounded by the loss of his friend or lover, or whomever, and Justin was not one to rub salt on an open hurt. So he merely let the man’s explanation pass with a slight shrug of his shoulders. It most likely was not important to his search anyway.
“Ah, forgive an old man, my boy. I merely got lost in my memories when I first glanced up at you,” the older man said with a nonchalant wave of his hand, “Now, a coach to London you say?”
Unbeknownst to Justin, though the shopkeeper appeared to be in control, his crisp tone conveying a calm façade, inside his mind was racing. For years he had sat idly by, condemned to this godforsaken shipping port, constantly watched, constantly harassed, and thoroughly angry. But now, with the appearance of this man, perhaps he could manage to gain back what was rightfully his and bring about an end to this silly little dance they all had been doing for so many unbearable years.
However, he would have to proceed with caution, as he knew, without a doubt, that danger lurked at every corner. That, oh that he had learned the hard way. And that was a mistake he was not bound to make twice.
“Yes sir,” Justin confirmed as the man began to shuffle through some ledgers, “Tomorrow morning if that is at all possible.”
“Well I have one coach left,” the man began as he eyed the younger gentleman, “But the coachman has recently come down with an illness and is unable to drive. However, if you would not mind my company overmuch, I would be happy to take you myself.”
“Of course, that would be no problem at all Mr. …”
“I go by Wallace these days “ John Wallace,” the man stated, a strange glisten, akin to anger, suddenly appearing in his eye, “I’m the owner here and have been for the past twenty-seven years.” As soon as the glisten had appeared though, it was gone and the man was once again open and friendly.
“A pleasure to meet you sir. Now, as for price…”
The two men quickly got down to business and in a few moments, all the plans for the next morning were determined. Justin waited patiently as the man blew out the candle and began to close up his shop. Restless and not quite wanting to return to the Rosewood Inn just yet, he opted to join Wallace for a mug of ale at a tavern a few blocks over.
The pair settled in at the tavern, which was about half full at that point and began to talk as a barmaid brought their ale over. The conversation was light as Justin recounted his life in Georgia and the family he had grown up with while Wallace listened. He refrained from mentioning anything about being adopted and the search for his true parents, readily replying to the few questions Wallace asked about his family and his livelihood. Justin, for some reason, felt like he was beginning to like and trust the man, even though he had known him for such a short amount of time. However, he wanted to keep his true intentions to himself until he could make heads or tails of his attempted kidnapping earlier that evening.
When Justin finally roused himself, remembering that he was supposed to have dinner with Dexter and Sofie, a good forty-five minutes had passed. Justin grinned and with a few last words to Wallace, the two men headed in opposite directions for the night, Justin whistling as he went. His spirits were lifted now that his search was about to begin.
Back inside the tavern, a man with fair hair and eyes as black as night took a sip of his ale, a grim smile on his thin lips. After being idle for so long, he finally had some work that needed to be done. That American merchant would have no idea what hit him and the plan that had been conceived years ago would continue to be successful.
As long as that fool Wallace did not screw it up. The man had no idea how Justin Bennington had come across Wallace, but he was going to make sure the elder man did not utter a word about what he knew. Tomorrow he would see to that.
Tomorrow. Ah yes, tomorrow he would finish what had been started years ago. And with a chuckle, he finished up his ale, tossed down a few coins and disappeared into the night, a black shadow indiscernible amidst the moonless skies.
The next morning dawned bright and clear. Fog that had rolled through the town in the early morning hours was gone by the time Justin, Sofie and Dexter descended the stairs for breakfast. Wordlessly they ate, Sofie still rubbing sleepily at her eyes as she sat with the two men while early morning light cast large, playful shadows across the inn’s floor.
The clip clop of horses’ hooves and the rumbling of carriage wheels could be heart outside not fifteen minutes later. Quickly finishing up his breakfast, Justin approached the innkeeper to settle their bill as Dexter helped Sofie don her cloak, grab her valise and prepare to depart. The trio then exited the inn where they were met outside with a bustle of activity.
John Wallace had arrived with the coach, a gleaming black structure that would comfortably seat four and was pulled by two magnificent gray thoroughbreds. A black stallion was tethered to the back of the coach, obviously the mount Wallace had brought along for Justin to ride as he did not wish to ride in the confines of the coach. Wallace was in the process of descending from the drivers seat as they approached, barking orders to Quincy and a couple of Justin’s other crew members as he went. Justin could not help but smile.
“Good morning Wallace,” Justin greeted as he approached the elder man.
“A good morning to you too Mr. Bennington,” Wallace responded as he approached the trio, “I trust you slept well?”
“Very much,” the younger man responded as he motioned Dexter and Sofie over, “This is my sister, Miss Sofie Bennington…”
Sofie immediately dipped into a curtsey and a huge grin subsequently broke out on Wallace’s face. With all the grace the man could muster, he slipped into a bow before capturing the young woman’s hand and placing a kiss upon it. Justin almost snorted with laughter at the extravagant display and knew, without a doubt, that Wallace must have been quite a rake in his younger days.
“A pleasure miss,” Wallace stated as soon as they rose from greeting, “It is good to see that we will have the pleasant company of the fairer sex.”
“Well I’m not sure my brother would agree that I am pleasant company, but we shall just ignore his inability to make sound decisions,” Sofie teased, sending a grinning glance towards her brother, who merely rolled his eyes at the jest.
Wallace threw back his head and laughed.
“Ah, right fine company you will be for the trip to London,” the man concluded before turning his attention to the man he had yet to be introduced to.
“And this is Mr. Dexter O’Keefe, my best friend and my second mate,” Justin said as Wallace held out his hand, which Dexter promptly shook.
“Good to see that Miss Sofie has more than one protector,” Wallace bluntly stated, having immediately picked up on the fact that this man, like Justin, was protective of the beautiful young miss. And possibly felt more for her, as he noticed the way Dexter’s eyes rested on Sofie in more than just a friendly, protective manner.
“I do try,” was all Dexter responded with, a smile gracing his lips as he took an immediate liking to the elder man.
“Well we shall be ready to depart in approximately ten minutes time. Mr. Bennington, the stallion shall be your mount, as you requested, though I will warn you that he is a spirited thing,” Wallace stated, his eyes twinkling.
“I’m sure that I can handle him,” Justin dryly responded, grinning.
“Indeed, I’m sure you are correct.”
With that Wallace, turned away to ensure that everything was readied in the correct manner and with all haste.
The Merry Georgian’s men who had accompanied Quincy were loading Justin and Dexter’s large traveling trunks, and Sofie’s second valise into the boot below the coach, along with a couple other small pieces of baggage that Justin was not wont to leave behind on his ship. This would be an extended trip, until he finally had an answer, so he was not about to take the chance of leaving something behind here in Southampton that he could possibly need while in London. It made for a rather loaded down coach, although Wallace said not a word to that as he oversaw, with great care, that the trio’s belongings were properly stored for the ride to London.
As soon as everything had been loaded, Quincy stepped towards his captain’s side, intent on getting the final orders before they departed. He, as third mate, was going to be left in charge of seeing to the ship while the captain was in London. Justin would send word of what the plans would be for the Merry Georgian as soon as they got settled into London. More likely than not, with an extended stay in the large city on the horizon, Justin would have Quincy and the rest of the crew move the ship to dock in London’s bustling port.
But until that order came, Quincy and the men had been told to keep the ship in high maintenance and to stay out of trouble, an easy task for the loyal crew. They doted upon their captain and would never do anything to besmirch his name or allow harm to come to the ship.
“The orders are the same Quincy,” Justin stated to the burly third mate, running a hand through his tousled curls as he spoke, “Keep to the ship and make sure that no harm comes to her. You and the crew know your responsibilities as far as personal time goes and I will send word as soon as I have made a decision about moving the Merry Georgian to London.”
“Very good cap’n, we await yer orders,” Quincy said with a slight bow at the waist, “Have a safe journey.”
“Thank you Quincy,” Justin concluded before the man turned away and took the other sea hands with him to return to the ship for the morning’s rituals of deck cleaning and sail repair.
“Are we prepared to depart?” Justin questioned as he turned to Dexter, who was in the process of helping Sofie into the coach.
“It appears that way,” the shorter man responded with a nod to Wallace as the elder man ascended to the driver’s seat. Justin breathed a sigh of relief, anxious to begin the journey to London.
He quickly mounted the stallion, pleased to note that the horse responded immediately to his gentle but firm hand. He greatly enjoyed riding a horse, and this one was obviously of the finest quality, much like his own horse Trouble, a spirited thoroughbred that had been a gift for his fifteenth birthday. He knew without a doubt that he would enjoy the ride as long as the rain England was known for would hold off for the day.
A few moments later, with a flip of the reins and a short cluck, Wallace set the coach into motion and the journey began. Justin immediately followed, somewhat lost in thought as he pondered what London would hold in store for him.
He had received word from Lord and Lady McNair the previous day that the three of them would be more than welcome to make residence at the Englishman’s townhouse for the duration of their trip. They had plenty of available guestrooms and since the social season had yet to start in London, life at the townhouse was rather slow-paced. Three American guests would be a welcome change to the house’s occupants.
Justin was more than grateful for this, as it meant that he did not have to go about securing rooms at a hotel for an extended period of time. There was also the fact that, with the connection to the McNair’s, he would have an introduction into some of the higher circles of London society. That, he hoped, would be a key to unlocking his past. Just as long as he played his cards right and ruthlessly went after his goal without letting anything distract him, he should be able to quickly make headway.
Which, he knew, was going to be next to impossible. The McNair’s had seven children ranging in age from the eldest son of twenty-four years, to the youngest daughter at eight years of age, with five children “ two more sons and three daughters, in between. It made for a rather rambunctious household, especially when all the younger children “ 8-year old Catherine, 11-year old Anthony and 12-year old Whitney, seemed to adore him.
He smiled to himself as he thought of the three youngsters, who had kept up an incessant chatter with him when they had first been introduced and had wanted to follow after him wherever he went, much to their mother’s horror. Justin, though, loved children and s0 he had found himself laughing and smiling as he entertained the three younger McNair’s. It had made for a pleasant day and, he was quite convinced, what had earned him the invitation to stay at their townhouse the next time he was in London.
With a grin and a shake of his head, Justin quickly turned his attention to the terrain as the sea port began to give way to the rolling green hills that England was known for. A soft breeze wafted through the air bringing with it the scent of early morning dew and flowers that were just beginning to grow in that early spring season. The rain, for the moment, appeared to be a no-show, something for which he was immensely grateful. He had no desire to ride on horseback through the rain.
As they traveled and put the sea port farther and farther behind them with the passing hours, Justin felt a sense of peace overcome him. Birds chirped through the trees and the sun shown brightly, though not as harshly as the Georgia sun he was used to, especially thanks to the great trees that lined the worn path they were traveling. If this truly was where he was destined to make his home, it might not be all that bad.
They stopped for a midday meal in the early afternoon when the sun shown brightest in the sky and large oak trees cast long shadows along the lane they were traveling. Wallace brought the horses to a halt once they reached the small rustic town that was their stopping point. It was a place that appeared to be home to a good number of people as there were many shops and trade buildings as well as two taverns, an inn, a church and what appeared to be a mail station.
Following Wallace’s lead, Justin tied his horse to a hitching post outside one of the taverns. He stretched, trying to work out a cramp in his leg from the long ride. He groaned as his fingers kneaded a particularly tight knot in his left thigh, which was due mostly to the inactivity for the past couple hours but also to the fact that he had been away from horses and riding for a few months.
“As long as we don’t tarry too long here, we will make it to London long before nightfall,” Wallace stated as he approached the young man after seeing to the comfort of the horses.
“Well then we shouldn’t spend more time here than is necessary,” Justin replied as he watched with amusement as Dexter helped Sofie out of the carriage, his arm never leaving her side.
“Very good, I’ll just await you out here then,” Wallace concluded.
“Please, join us,” Justin invited as he gave the older man a friendly smile, “I’m sure you would much rather enjoy our company than eating alone or with the stable lads.”
“Ah, you are very observant my dear boy,” Wallace responded, his eyes twinkling, “I’m a man used to spending hours alone at my shop, so if there is good company to be had, I readily seek it.”
“Then it’s settled,” Justin concluded before leading the way into the tavern, Sofie and Dexter bringing up the rear of the group.
It was not thirty minutes later that the four of them were back on the road again, their bellies full and their appetites sated. Wallace had provided the group with a few amusing tales of his childhood and not a one of them could hold back their laughter. It had proved to be a rather enjoyable meal, however, Justin was now anxious as they put miles behind them and pulled ever closer to London and the search that awaited him there.
Was this all in vain? Was he truly searching for a needle in a haystack? Or would he end up finding his real family? And if he did, what on earth would he say to them? Or better yet, would he be able to forgive them for sending him away as a baby?
All those questions, Justin had no answer to. His mind was a whirl of broken thoughts, his eyes unseeing as the horse he rode trotted at a leisurely gate after the carriage.
All of a sudden, a loud bang split the air, jolting Justin from his thoughts and almost sending him straight to the ground as his horse reared at the sudden sound. Valiantly he pulled on the reins and was thankfully able to get his mount under control without landing in the dirt on his behind. Once that feat was accomplished, he began to search the surrounding area for the source of the gun shot.
And there was certainly no doubt about it that the noise that he had heard was the sound of gunfire.
It took him no time at all to locate the source of it. A group of five riders were behind him and the carriage Wallace drove, all of them dressed in black, all of them brandishing weapons. A weaker man might have become frightened at the sight of that group of men, but Justin just felt his jaw clench in anger at the interruption that would delay his search even further. It didn’t even cross his mind to be frightened by the danger they could possibly be in.
“Highway thieves,” Wallace called as Justin drew his horse even with the coach and the elder driver, “Not too much of a surprise in these parts, though they usually favor the cover of darkness to catch their prey unawares.”
“What do you propose we do?” Justin questioned as he threw a quick glance at the fast-approaching group of riders.
“I would say we should stand and fight, but for the sake of your sister being present I suggest the best course of action would be to try and outrun them until we get to the next town, which is home to a few families of the ton. That town employs soldiers who would be more than willing to come to our aid,” Wallace explained, his grip on the reins tight.
“It sounds like a good plan to me,” Justin agreed as he pulled out his pistol and checked it for ammunition, “I’ll follow you and protect the rear. Just keep my sister safe.”
“Of course,” Wallace returned.
“Justin, you want me to cover your back?” Dexter suddenly questioned from an open window of the carriage, having overheard the entire conversation between his friend and the carriage driver.
“Of course Dex,” Justin returned, “I didn’t come all this way just to be shot before I even reach London.” Dexter grinned.
“Well you know I don’t miss my mark,” the dark-haired man stated, his eyes twinkling, “And I sure as hell don’t plan on starting that trend now.”
“Good,” Justin replied, smiling, “Just make sure you keep Sofie out of sight and out of the line of fire if that should happen.”
“Aye Captain,” Dexter saluted before turning back to the interior of the carriage to prepare his weapons.
Justin gave a nod to Wallace and with a slap of the reins, the elder man sent the horses into a great gallop. They sped across open planes of land, their long legs firm and sure upon the ground. Quickly, as soon as he had his weapon ready, Justin spurred his horse after them.
In no time at all, the five men on horseback were left behind and out of sight. However, it quickly became apparent that they would not get away so easily. The riders were soon back in sight, having spurred their mounts to galloping after the carriage and appeared to be gaining ground.
Justin clenched his jaw in anger. Was there no end to this? Was he going to be constantly hounded while he was in England? And did it have something to do with his search for his true family?
Again, he had no answers. Only the sound of galloping horses hooves and the looming danger of the five highway thieves.
