Page 9 of Master of Paradise
He chuckled at her words. "All men and womenare created equal, but somehow in this country some are more equalthan others. I'm sailing to America in a couple of days."
"Ooh, aren't you afeared of bein' drownded inthe sea, or bein' kilt by savages?"
Nicholas chuckled again. "Don't you think wehave savages in England?"
She considered this for a moment, then cameagainst him wistfully. "Love me some more."
The next day as he paid for his room for onemore night, Nell spied him and was beside him in a trice. "Youwon't leave wivout sayin' goodbye, will you Nick?"
"Of course not, sweetheart. I'm off toTattersalls to sell my horse today."
"Where's that at?"
"It's in Knightsbridge, over Hyde Parkway."
"Oh Tatts! I know where you mean now. That'swhere all the toffs buy an' sell horses."
"I should be back for supper and I'd like youfor dessert," he whispered.
She glowed with pleasure. He actually madeher feel as pretty and special as a dessert.
At Tattersalls, Nicholas told them his nameand the particulars of the horse he wished to sell. A knowledgeablegroom looked over the points of the horse and agreed that theanimal was as sound as Nicholas claimed. Then the tattooed numberin its ear was checked against Tattersall's registration and Neckwas given a ticket and assured the horse would be put in the salering this very day.
Tatts was a fascinating place where a mancould never be bored if he had the smallest interest in horseflesh.The people alone who gathered here daily were a true representativecross-section of London Society from bookmakers to lords and dukes,who all considered themselves 'men of the turf'.Urchins dashedabout taking orders for food, shouting their Cockney slang sorapidly, you had to have a quick ear and an agile brain to grasptheir meaning. Nicholas stopped a boy and handed him a couple ofshillings. "Get me a meat pie and a glass of beer."
The boy touched his cap. "Right ye are Guv, asmack in the eye and a pig's ear, comin' right up!"
In less than two hours Nicholas saw his horsebeing led into the sale ring, and was about to press closer intothe gathered crowd to listen to the comments and the bidding, whentwo large constables in their Robert Peel uniforms came up tohim.
"Are you Nicholas Peacock?"
He looked the policeman in the eye andanswered evenly, "I am."
"And did you put that horse up for saletoday?"
"I did." Nick felt a sinking sensation in thepit of his stomach.
"In that case, I'll ask you to come alongquietly," said the large man, casting a wary eye at Nick'swide-shouldered, powerful build.
"What is the charge, constable?" Nick knewwell what the answer would be.
"Horse theft," said the man in threateningtones.
At that precise moment, Nicholas raised hiseyes and saw Edward, Prince of Wales, watching him. For a splitsecond he felt a relief at the presence of his influentialacquaintance whom he'd played cards with only a few nights back.Then his hopes were dashed as the prince deliberately turned hisback on him. Amusement glittered in Nick's eyes. "Put not yourtrust in princes," he muttered.
"What's that?" asked the Peeler.
"Nothing, gentlemen, nothing at all. I amunfortunately at your disposal." He bowed formally.
They handcuffed him and led him outside to apolice wagon affectionately called a Black Maria.
Nicholas felt anger.This is some insanevindictiveness cooked up by that bitch, Lady Pamela and her greedyparamour.He'd left behind two of his own horses that togetherwere worth ten times what the nag he'd taken was worth. Nickquestioned his own wisdom as he bumped along in the wagon with thebarred window. Perhaps he should not have come along quietly.Perhaps it would have done him a good deal better to have bolted,but he still clung to the ideals that justice would prevail, and aman was innocent until proven guilty.
The buildings of Newgate Prison formed afour-sided square The House of Session and Newgate Street abuttedthe College of Physicians and The Old Bailey. Nicholas foundhimself in Lord Shraftsbury's beloved prison for the night until hecould be taken before a magistrate in the Old Bailey the followingmorning.
He was unceremoniously thrown into the commoncell at Newgate, where the gaoler patrolled on a catwalk high abovethe cell. Nick realized it was a necessity. Any guard would havebeen killed by the rabble that resided in that befouled hole beforethe night was out.
The room was already crowded, and Nicksurmised that by nightfall they would be packed in like rats.Drunks, prostitutes, thieves, and cut-throats were tossed togetherin the 'common cell'.An apt name, indeed.He knew it wouldfeel like a lifetime before morning arrived and he was taken beforethe judge.
