Page 57 of Earl's Well That Ends Well (The Way to a Lord's Heart 5)

Rigby frowned. “Come along in here,” he said and led them into a small cluttered chamber behind the bar. Bottles and crates crowded shelves on three sides. There was one straight chair behind a chipped table and barely room for the three of them in the windowless space. No one sat down. Rigby faced them. “Did he lay his hands on her?” he asked with a scowl.

“No,” answered Arthur. Judging from the expression on their host’s face, the newcomer was fortunate that he had not. “He’s threatened her, however.” Arthur saw no need to explain what kind of threat. That was none of this man’s business.

“We want to do something about him,” Tom continued.

“Something?”

Rigby was clearly wary. Arthur wondered if he had been in trouble with the law. “I want to send him out of the country,” he said. “Far enough that he cannot easily return.”

The pub keeper surveyed Tom. “You’re a good friend of the lady.”

The lad nodded.

“And you as well?”

Under other circumstances Arthur might have been offended by a glowering inquiry from such a man. Now he simply said, “I am, and I wish to help her by removing this fellow.”

Rigby considered this for so long that Arthur grew impatient. “Tom thought that perhaps you could put us onto the right sort of ship,” he began.

“She asked me to find her a pistol,” Rigby interrupted.

“What?” exclaimed Arthur and Tom at the same moment.

“Just a precaution, she called it. Now, I’m wondering what she means to do with it.”

“So you procured a gun for her?” asked Arthur.

The scarred man nodded.

“You think she means to put a bullet into thisconday?” asked Tom.

“That’d bring her a world of trouble,” replied Rigby. He looked as if he knew about such difficulties.

On the one hand Arthur could understand the satisfaction of eliminating an enemy. On the other, the pub owner was correct. “I shall see that she does not require a pistol,” he answered.

Someone in the taproom called for ale. Rigby went out to serve him.

“Would she really shoot him, do you think?” Tom asked.

“Only to defend herself, I imagine.” The sooner they could be rid of this Spaniard, the better.

Rigby returned. “So what is it you’re asking of me?”

“We would like to find a ship, ideally heading to the West Indies, that would take an…unauthorized passenger,” Arthur replied.

This elicited a bark of laughter. “Unauthorized,” repeated Rigby. “You toffs have some fine words for dark doings.”

“It separates the really significant lawbreakers from the common criminals,” said Arthur.

This earned him a surprised and approving glance. “I know a few people on the docks,” said Rigby then. “Some as can slip an ‘extra’ passenger onto a ship at the right moment. Certain ships, that is.”

“Like being pressed,” said Tom.

Rigby grinned. He was missing a molar. “Bit more gentle than the navy perhaps. They’ll want paying though.”

Arthur nodded.

“And this individual would have to be kept quiet for a goodish time once he’s onboard.”

---