Page 41 of A Scandalous Proposition
‘Oh.’ Florentina appeared flustered. ‘I’m sorry to misuse your property, but it’s only temporary. The poor souls have to be hidden somewhere until we can find them something permanent.’
‘It’s perfectly all right. Tell me what happens to them next. It can’t be easy to find them positions, especially if they don’t speak the language.’
‘We have wonderfully supportive people helping us. We approach others with tales of misplaced persons who’ve been deprived of the ability to support themselves due to the conflict raging in Spain. That almost always results in offers of employment for one or two of them.’ Christine’s expression was sardonic. ‘It makes them feel as though they’re doing something to support the war effort.’
‘Yes, I’m sure it does.’ Adam smiled at both ladies but addressed his next remark to Christine. ‘What made you decide to remain involved in such a risky venture?’
Christine waved the dangers aside. ‘I know how it feels to be forced to do degrading things in order to survive.’ She sighed, a frown creasing her brow at some unsavoury memory. ‘But at least now I can use what influence I have to save other girls from a similar fate. When Florentina told me what had happened to her, I knew I wouldn’t be able to walk away without at least trying to stop Dawson’s business.’
Adam nodded, not entirely surprised by Christine’s words, and turned to Florentina. ‘Do you think the people who attacked your village were really French deserters? It occurs to me that they could have been paid by Dawson to sack small villages close to wherever his boat happened to be moored. Then Dawson would be able to come along and take advantage of the situation?’
‘Naturally, Christine and I have considered that question and think as you do. It’s just too convenient otherwise.’
‘Wherever there’s war, so follow those ready to profit from the misery it causes.’ Adam clenched his jaw. ‘But how on earth did you go about disrupting Dawson’s operation?’
It was Christine who answered. ‘We knew very little about him, other than that his cutter was calledThe Albatross.But I’ve a number of influential gentlemen who frequent this establishment whom I know I can trust, including Lord Madison. You might recall that his wife’s background is shrouded in scandal. She was only saved from ruin when Madison married her but she still has sympathy for the plight of fallen women, since she often says that were it not for Madison she might have found herself in that situation.’
‘Shedidrecommend me to your mother as a suitable companion,’ Florentina said, a glimmer of her old spirit reflected in her eyes.
Adam chuckled. ‘She’s obviously a good judge of character.’
‘Florentina saw Reynolds whenThe Albatrossdocked at Portsmouth?’
‘The man at the Feathers,’Florentina explained with a shudder.
‘Ah, I see.’
‘She saw him come aboard as soon as the boat docked and overheard him talking with Dawson. You must remember they still weren’t aware that Florentina understood English, and they spoke quite openly at the other end of the hold to where she and the others were kept. Reynolds, apparently, kept looking at Florentina and exclaiming about what a good return they’d get for her.’
An ungovernable rage swept through Adam as he contemplated the narrow escape she’d managed through a combination of good fortune and extreme courage. ‘He’ll pay for his rapacity,’ he said with quiet conviction, unable to resist covering Florentina’s hand with his own and squeezing it gently. ‘On that you have my solemn oath.’
She met his gaze and held it, saying nothing but not attempting to reclaim her hand.
‘Florentina overheard Reynolds arranging to meet Dawson later in a tavern on the docks. He made it sound as though it was a favourite haunt of his. Lord Madison sent some of his people there. They followed Reynolds and kept note of where he went. We discovered that most of the girls, and I regret to say young boys, too, were taken to establishments in London.’
‘Lord Madison’s wife was outraged that girls should be taken from their home country and forced to do these things,’ Florentina said. ‘Because of that, he moved heaven and earth to help us. Without him we wouldn’t have been able to infiltrate their organisation. They vary their ports of call, you see, but he managed to get one of his people on the inside to feed us information. That way we have advance notice of where the ship will be arriving. Sometimes, but not always, we manage to release at least some of the captives when they’re transferred to land.’ She lifted her shoulders. ‘It isn’t much but at least we feel as though we’re making a small difference.’
‘As always, you’re being too modest.’ Adam smiled at them both, deeply impressed by their courage. ‘But since neither of you are actually there when they’re set free, at least you’re not putting yourselves in the direct line of danger.’
‘Oh, I’m always there,’ Florentina said in a matter-of-fact tone. ‘They none of them speak English, you see, and have built up a trust in Dawson by the time they reach this country. I have to explain to them the difficulty they’re in and persuade them to transfer that trust to me, otherwise they wouldn’t agree to being rescued.’
‘Which is where she’d been when you encountered her at the Feathers,’ Christine said. ‘Usually Dawson doesn’t risk bringing his boat into London but comes to a port nearer to us here in the south. But he changed plans at the last minute, presumably in the hope of outwitting us, so Florentina had to invent a reason to get away quickly.’
‘We’d just spirited the poor creatures into a carriage with Lord Madison’s man when Reynolds appeared. He recognised me and I only just managed to evade capture.’
‘But he followed you.’
‘He must have seen me catch the mail coach.’
‘You didn’t travel with the captives?’
‘No, there wasn’t enough room. Anyway, it’s safer if we don’t all travel together. I did however need to come here immediately and warn Christine that we might have been compromised.’
‘Which is why you didn’t risk telling me who you were?’
‘Exactly.’
‘Florentina and I were just now discussing what we ought to do next,’ Christine said. ‘It’s too dangerous to continue now Reynolds is so close on our tails. The only other option is to try and put Dawson out of business once and for all. The problem there is that he’s so well connected that we don’t think we’ve much hope of succeeding.’
