Will nodded gravely.
"What Mr. Holt has said is true, sir, they do not take it as serious as we. But if I hear I'll tell you, naturally."
"You will ask, sir. That is the way to find out information, is it not? So you will ask." He frowned, and touched his temple with his hand. "And hereabouts," he said, but almost to himself. "There must be knowledge hereabouts. Old Coppiner should '
They were watching; he was aware of it. He pushed his chair back, stood up with a laugh. He was dismissing them.
"It's better than trudging the streets and bawdy shops, eh friends?" he said. "Heads to be broken on a beach no less, guts to be pricked! Come on, come on there's information to be got, instanter!"
Before they left to go their separate ways, Sam and Bentley took time alone to plan their future moves and meetings. They marvelled for a while at the ease with which they'd turned the trick, and when Sam apologised for 'striking while the iron glowed' (in sending him off to Hampshire straight that morning, without a by-your-leave), Will agreed it was the only way to keep Slack Dickie bubbling. As they washed and tidied in the dressing room they'd hired, they computed on a three-day minimum for Will to gather vital information and return, by which time it was surely likely Biter would be free of Deptford's clutches. The ideal would be for both of them to meet in London and join the ship together with their final intelligences, to set up Kaye and go with no backsliding; although they knew it was the nature of such businesses that something would go wrong, or change in detail. Most like, said Sam, he'd find he could do best by staying put down near the Adur mouth, and in extremis could express a message to Dr. Marigold's, where privacy could be guaranteed. Will, although he hoped such measures would not be necessary, suggested Mistress Margery to mind a letter, but Sam plumped for Annette, his favourite.
"She's like a whip," he said, 'so I know she's safe with you. Your fancy was a rather padded thing, too much to squeeze for my taste!"
Will felt the stab of Sam's insensitivity, despite it was nothing new to him by now. He pushed them from his mind, that 'fancy' and that 'was', and pointed out he did not know the girl Annette. But other men knew Margery, said Sam, and she was there to earn, while Annette and he were friends, and very intimate. What's more she could not read!
"I'd put a note to Margery upon the packet," he added, 'to make her tell Annette to hide it within the bosom of her dress. There! You cannot say that I'm ungenerous, although it's you who'd have to pay her a gratuity! Just don't fall in love; I know your weaknesses."
"If all goes well, in any way," said Will, 'we'll join up at the receiving hulk, shall we? Biter might be moored near it by then, or it's not so far by boat to Deptford. I can't see how I could need to leave a message with Annette, but you'll check her if you have the time, you could not keep yourself away, I know!"
"Pah! If you think I'd manufacture troubles just to see Annette you have my word on it! If worst comes worst, though, and messages cannot get through by any means, I'll meet you on the bloody beach as planned. Then when we've smashed the gangs we'll deserve some furlough, for Kaye will be the Navy's hero. I'll go to bed with her for days, and you can do the other thing!"
Their parting was quite sorrowful, although they laughed it off. Both faced dangers that would have eased with company, but both were buoyed with hope. The sight of Yorke and Hardman lived with them quite fresh enough to make them determined that some sort of justice should be done, and would most likely be through their actions, even if the hidden men, as was so normal, got away with it. Will felt much for Sir Arthur by this time, and longed to tell him of their prospects. He also longed for news of Deb, despite the fact it was unlikely to be ever good. Even passing some way close to her was a pain he would not care to miss.
The road, once clear of London, was quite easy and he made good time. It was light throughout his journey, he had a heavy pistol across his saddle, but saw nothing that gave him much alarm. Past Chester Wimbarton's, by act of will, he did not go, clattering into the yard at Langham Lodge where Tony greeted him. Master was in his parlour as per usual waiting for intelligence, he said but where is Mister Holt? His anxiety touched William, so he set his mind at rest, and hurried himself to the house to reassure the baronet, who might have seen his lone arrival. Mistress Houghton, before he had sat down in front of the fire, had bustled in, her keen eyes full of fear.
"No terror, Mrs. H!" said Sir Arthur, gaily. "Young Will's come here alone and Sam's on other business! He tells me it is going swimmingly!"
Will, half down, stood up again to bow, and nodded all the while. In three minutes the housekeeper was satisfied and gone.
"Now," said Sir A. "The details, sir. Sit down and give the details. From the start."
Will told it briefly, leaving little out except that they'd been chased not far from Langham Lodge, and the details of man-smuggling and Celine. They were certain now, he said, that the deaths of Yorke and Warren were part of an internecine war and backed by himself and Lord Wodderley were hopeful that great damage could be inflicted on all the smugglers, which would go some way to avenging them. Lieutenant Kaye, put in the picture, was prepared to play a part, providing the Biter and a naval force to disrupt a landing and possibly apprehend some of the leading men. Sir A, throughout, was thinking deeply.
"Hhm," he said, at length. "Words like "hope" and "possible". Is the business not clear cut? I suppose that's not in the nature of this game."
He looked very old and tired sitting there. Since Will had first met him, he had aged quite visibly. But Will could not pretend.
"We can only go on trust," he said. "Unfortunately, sir. The names of the actual men who killed poor Yorke and Warren, aye, and John Hardman too, I fear we'll never know. But the Hampshire folk appear to hate the eastern men because of it, although behind the Hampshires there are some rich men they deplore. Best thing would be if the whole damn lot fell out, and shot and stabbed and clubbed themselves to death upon a Sussex beach. Helped by us and the Biter men, of course. It could occur, if luck went with us."
Sir Arthur's smile was pale and ghostly.
"Please God for luck then. These .. . ah, richer men? Do you have a clue who they might be? I'm not sure that I understand."
Will laughed briefly.
"Nor us, sir, neither, that's the truth. No, it is all boxes within boxes, ad infinitum. Our people down in Langstone talk of "shadows", outwardly men of great respect, but hypocrites and villains." He paused, momentarily. "Sam and I suppose ... well, men like Mr. Wimbarton, for instance. That well-known justice of the peace. They seem to say we'd know them if we met them, or the type, that is to say. In the Adur secret house, for instance."
"So. As you say it, all on trust. It is good that Mr. Kaye is showing backbone at long last, it would be very hard to persuade authority to put up an official force. Worst possibly, I suppose, you could storm up to the beach and find nobody there. A dream, a tale. Chimera."
"Yes," said Will. "But hopeful is the watchword, is it not? The people that we've spoken with seem truly on our side, they have put themselves in danger for it. I'm going down there now, with your permission, and I hope to get a place and time, exact. Samuel, as I said, is heading for his own old stamping grounds by the Adur mouth, to see what he can see. On the night in question, if all goes well, we might do shrewd damage, and apprehend some "shadows" into the bargain. One day, Sir Arthur, you might yet see men swing for those two gallant friends."