Page 105 of Lady Edith and the Registry Office
Mrs. Bailey stood up from behind the desk and walked across the room to the door that led out to the alley behind the library.
“I can’t go with you, my lady. It might put you in danger. Although I don’t know the name of my manager, I know his face. His voice. If he finds me now, I don’t know what he might do.”
“Do you know what happened to Lord Harbury at St. Mary’s churchyard?” she asked the woman.
Mrs. Bailey nodded. “That’s where my manager first kept the veterans. They were tied up and gagged. When we were moving the men, Lord Harbury came along, and the manager struck him over the head. I shifted the baron to shelter before we left the churchyard.”
Crossing her arms across her chest, Louisa replied irritably, “Thank goodness for that!”
“I am so sorry for my part in all of this. The RA wanted the registry office to close. I was supposed to uncover some dastardly deeds in the books or abuse of the veterans. Or make such things up. If Fleet hadn’t recognized me, I’m not sure what else the RA may have done in their efforts to close the registry.”
“What can you tell me about your manager?” Edith asked.
“His hair is coal black, and he’s a big man. Handsome in a rough sort of way. He was trying to disguise his voice, but I think he’s from Yorkshire. And he says, ‘Nar then’ quite a lot.”
She’d never heard the phrase. “Is there anything else you can tell us?”
“That’s all I can recall, my lady. I do hope you find those men and help them. I must go before they find me. Goodbye.” Mrs. Bailey opened the door and stepped out into the alley, quickly closing the door behind her.
Edith jumped up and moved to the door. Opening it, she looked out, but the chilly, dirty alley was empty.
“We shouldn’t go after her,” Louisa said. “We might put her and ourselves in greater danger.”
When Edith finished telling her tale, the baron released a low whistle. “I know who the manager is. He gave himself away with his words, and I’m sad to say I trusted the wrong man.”
“Nathaniel?” Cecil asked quietly.
Lord Harbury replied gravely, “Mrs. Stafford’s manager is a Bow Street Runner: Black Jack Henley.”
* * * * *
Nathaniel didn’t wantto believe it, but the evidence pointed to Black Jack being behind the abduction of the veterans. Jack was working with the RA and againsthim. When they were finished in Woolwich, he would search out the man he’d thought was a friend. Right now, he had to focus on getting on theCeresand keeping Lady Edith safe.
“I can deal with Black Jack later.” He added, “We have other matters to attend to.”
They spent the next hour discussing everyone’s roles when they reached Woolwich. Soon after, the coach came to a halt.
There was a knock at the carriage door, and he heard Bones say, “We’re at the edge of the docks.”
Cecil opened the carriage door and stepped out of the coach.
Nathaniel hesitated a moment, looking at Edith.
“We will be all right.” She smiled softly. “You’ll be with us.”
He winked in reply and exited the carriage.
“I’ve been to these berths before, my lord.” Bones pointed to a ship on his left further up the dock. “There she is, theCeres.”
Nathaniel took up a seat on the coach box and took the leads. Cecil was seated beside him while Bones stood on the step at the rear of the coach.
He flicked the leads, and the horses moved forward. The day was cloudy, the sky darkening as if a storm was coming.
“This is close enough,” Cecil said in a low voice after they’d driven several yards. “I’ll stay with the coach as we discussed.”
Nathaniel vaulted down from the high seat as Bones opened the carriage door and assisted Lady Edith and Lady Louisa to alight.
“That gangplank to the left is for theCeres,” he whispered to Lady Edith. “I will be right behind you.”
