Page 10 of Master of Paradise
All his cunning came to the fore as one worddrummed in his brain.Survival!Nick pushed his way into acorner and slid down with the wall against his back. All eyes wereupon him, as he was obviously well-to-do and likely had moneylining his pockets.
The sights of these dregs of humanitybothered Nick not at all, nor did he mind overmuch their touch asthey brushed shoulders. The hardest thing for him to stomach wasthe stench. The cell was permeated with eons of urine andexcrement, and the bodily odors of the great unwashed rose in amiasma that almost brought tears to the eyes.
The people about him smelled like rottingvegetables. He watched what happened to the weak ones. Young frailwomen were immediately stripped by older, larger and coarsermembers of their sex. Drunken men were instantly stripped andsearched by those who had their wits about them, and men who foundthemselves here for the first time were cowed enough to submit tothe hardened types who spent most of their lives passing in and outof the place.
Nicholas braced himself for the firstassault, which he knew wouldn't be long in coming. A burly,thickset male, with no neck, and the look of a dockside brawleradvanced in a threatening manner. Nick hooked his foot behind theman's leg and as he lost his balance and fell onto Nick, he caughthim under the chin with an uppercut that sent him with a sickeningthud against the flagstones of the cell floor.
Nick nursed his grazed knuckles and kept hiseyes open. He saw a guard on the catwalk gesture toward him as hespoke to his fellow warder. Now Nick was being observed from aboveas well as below. His muscles bunched and he waited. His vigilwasn't a lengthy one. Two cell inhabitants formed a team andapproached him from either side. He waited, crouched like a cat,then with a surge upward, he brought his knees up sharply into thegroin of the first man, who rolled at his feet with pain. Thesecond he took by the throat and smashed his fist into the large,bulbous nose, instantly covering the knave's face with his ownblood.
The ironic part was that if they'd asked Nickfor a handout, he'd likely have given them his last guinea with anamused curl of the lip. But lately too many people had decided totake from him what was his by right. The assaulted pair had simplypicked on him at the wrong moment.
The two guards above, who'd been waiting forthe toff to get dragged from his high horse, were disappointed, butclearly Nicholas saw their reaction and was forewarned. No oneapproached him the rest of the night, not even the drabs who knewhe must have money in his pockets. He had clearly demonstrated thatit was going to stay in his pockets, so they gave him a wide berth.They were well occupied most of the night as copulation was freelyand openly indulged.
Nick's fit condition enabled him to banishsleep for one night, and in the morning when it was time for him tobe taken before the magistrate, the two guards who took him fromthe common cell were ready for their bit of pleasure. In the longpassageway they jostled him and loudly accused him of trying tomake a break for it. Dutifully, they brought they billy clubs downabout his ears.
Nick was ready for them. He elbowed one inthe ribs so viciously, he'd carry the bruise for a month, while theother lost the only two teeth that remained in his head. But theyhad clubs, they wore hobnailed boots, and they now had theirexcuse.
The man they dragged before the magistratewas well-bloodied and beaten, but his spirit was undaunted. WhenNickolas raised his head, the judge immediately noted three thingsabout the prisoner in the dock. He did not smell, he wasexpensively clothed, and he had an air of authority.
A young solicitor stepped forward when thebailiff called the prisoner's name, and told the magistrate thathis clients were charging the man with theft of a horse.
Without hesitation, Nicholas addressed thejudge, "Your Honor, I should like a word with the prosecution, an'it please you."
"That would be highly irregular and out ofthe common way, but then I suspect you yourself are out of thecommon way. Permission granted."
The young solicitor, obviously a juniormember of the law firm to which Peter Chetwynd belonged, approachedNicholas with a flicker of apprehension.
Nicholas minced no words. "Chetwynd obviouslyfears me enough to wish me out of the way. He does right to fearme. Once I tell the judge I am Lord Harry's son, he'll do no morethan fine me and I have the means to pay that fine. However, if youwithdraw the charge on condition the property is returned, I'vesigned aboard a ship for the colonies that sails tomorrow." Thetimber of his voice changed. "If that ship sails without me, Ishall return to Peacock Hall, pull it down stone by fucking stone,and build a mausoleum for your learned Mr. Chetwynd." Nick smiledthrough his split lip. "You decide."
The decision was already taken. Any foolcould see Nicholas Peacock was dangerous.
As the portal of Newgate opened to releasehim, Nicholas pulled the collar of his blue jacket tighter againstthe icy winds that whipped along the bleak street, sending piles oflitter spinning in circles about his feet. A deep frown creased hisbrow; he was not out of the woods yet. A growing apprehensionfilled him as he thought about his sea chest and the treasure itcontained. With all speed he made his way back to the inn wherehe'd resided since arriving in London.
There was an immediate contretemps as thelandlord had rented room number five to another patron. Nicholaswas about to separate him from his breath when he caught asignificant glance from Nell. He sat down at a table and she poppeda pint down in front of him.
"Ooh luv, whatever 'appened to yer poorface?"
"Nell, for God's sake, do you know thewhereabouts of my sea chest?"
"I 'ave it safe," she whispered. "Thatbleedin' swine wouldha' pawned it if he'd clapped eyes on it."
Nicholas let out a breath that left himalmost weak.
"What the 'ells in it? I could hardly drag itto me room."
"Gold." He laughed, then winced as the lipbroke open again.
"I'll believe ye; 'thousands wouldn't! Ye'llfind her greatcoat on me bed. I used it to keep warm last night."She hesitated a second. "There's no chance ye can staytonight?"
He shook his head. "This is goodbye, Nell.I'm going aboard today, before anything else happens."
She gave him her room key. "Yer stuff's inthe room at the end of the 'all. Good luck Nick; I'll miss ye."
Up in her room he washed and dried himself onher meager towel. He donned the warm greatcoat, then unpadlockedthe chest to make sure everything was still intact. He took one ofthe blankets he had purchased and laid it across the foot of thesmall iron bed, then he shouldered the trunk and headed for thedocks. His spirits lifted with each step he took. Things canonly get better.
Nicholas loved the sea. It had a balm thatwas healing to his soul. At first, he found the work backbreakingand fell exhausted into his hammock at night, but as his musclestoned and his appetite increased, the work became easier and easierfor his toughened body. His resolve toughened as well. Never againwould he be taken for a fool. In time he would build his ownempire, and none would dare take it from him.
Nick celebrated Christmas and histwenty-second birthday in the Azores and reveled in the brilliantsunny days. He listened avidly to stories of America, where he washeading.
