Page 26 of The Swan Syndicate
“It’s one of the reasons Jamie wanted to stop here.” Beckworth stood close enough for their arms to brush. “Unless they have a reason to stop in Bristol, most captains would rather not take the time to sail upriver. So, ships will stop in Portishead at the mouth of the river or travel north to here.”
He took her hand as theDaphnewas secured to the dock. “Are you comfortable with your role?”
Her response died on her lips as she watched two young lads shimmy down a rope from one of the ships. They landed on their feet and raced toward town as a burly man yelled at them from the ship’s railing.
She laughed. “Were those two stowaways?”
Beckworth turned to see the two boys running away. “Most likely. They either hid when they moved from port to port, or they might have been caught and forced to work then decided sailing wasn’t for them. It’s not uncommon.”
“A rough life, even in the small towns.”
He shrugged. “They could be orphans or simply thought life would be easier at sea. I think we both understand that life at home isn’t always the best, regardless of the century.”
Not wanting to go down that dark hole, Stella steered the question back to Beckworth’s question. “Our task seems simple enough. We’re a married couple traveling north to visit family. We have a meal and drink then watch and listen.”
“Do you have your dagger?”
She patted her pocket. “Right here.”
“Good. Fitz will visit the pubs and inns first and determine which ones are the type MacDuff would want to visit. They’ll most likely be the rougher ones where the only women tend to be the servers. We’ll most likely be assigned to the inns, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be dangerous.”
“If I can be kidnapped out of an inn, then I should expect anything.”
Beckworth tensed when she mentioned the time she’d been kidnapped from bed with him at her side.
She squeezed his arm. “Let it go. Your guilt for that night in Saint-Malo is as bad as mine about Ipswich.”
“What a pair we make, Lady Caldway.”
“Indeed, Lord Beckworth.”’
They grinned, bumping shoulders, then turned when Jamie called for them. She took his arm as they strolled to the gangplank.
“Fitz says neither inn has any vacancy.” Jamie pulled out a timepiece not too dissimilar to Beckworth’s. “Lando and Michelson will take the inn on the north side and you two will take the other.”
“Wouldn’t it be more likely we’ll catch them in the evening?” Stella asked.
“Maybe,” Jamie answered. “But when we chased him in Ireland, it seemed he wasn’t particular to the time of day to hawk his rebellion. He might have seen it differently when he was riling up the townspeople with the advantages of siding with the French. If his focus is now solely on smuggling, he’ll be more careful about being seen. So, we’ll monitor now and stay overnight. This type of work requires patience and diligence.”
Stella understood. “Like any stakeout.”
“What’s this about a stakeout?” Lando asked.
She turned as Lando and Michelson strode up. “In my time, cops—what you refer to as guards—sometimes perform what they call stakeouts. They find an inconspicuous place to watch a home or place of business, waiting for their mark to see what type of criminal activity they might be up to.”
The men nodded, and Jamie said, “Then we’re all aware of how long and unfulfilling most of our days will be.”
With that uplifting thought, they made their way down to the dock.
“Where will you be?” Beckworth asked.
Jamie took a left as soon as they reached the pier. “I’m going to visit the ship captains. Just one smuggler to another.” Then he strode off, humming a sea shanty.
Stella hadn’t considered other captains as a source of information. She figured they’d be tight-lipped about such matters. The talk would probably be about the weather and the best ports to hide in or maybe where the British patrols were. But something might come of it.
Arm in arm, she followed Beckworth toward their assigned inn, giving Lando and Michelson one last glance over her shoulder.
The inn was crowded with men and a handful of women. It was loud and overly warm. Beckworth found one of the few empty tables across the room near the hearth. They waited some time for the overworked server to bring their ales and a single platter of food that Stella picked at.
