Another Small Kingdom (19 page)

Chapter Thirty-four

O
n making enquiries from the owner of the tavern Macleod was directed to the Citizens and Southern National Bank of South Carolina.

‘There's branches of the First and Second Banks of the United States, sir, but if you'll excuse me saying so, you being a northern gentleman, I'd prefer to recommend one of our own institutions, sir.'

As Macleod had no financial preferences, northern nor southern, he followed the advice and at the recommended local institution exchanged a letter of credit for cash. He then found a dress-shop and gave the lady there instructions to take a small selection of smart but simple dresses and cloaks to his sister's room at the tavern. Then he went down to the docks to find when they could take ship for Boston. He was glad to be busy and glad that he was edging closer now to ending this business. He told himself that all feelings for Marie de Valois, and certainly any attraction, were totally dead. He told himself that all that mattered now was his duty to his country, nothing more. That was what he told himself, and that is what he chose to believe.

‘Excuse me, sir.'

Macleod looked at the ill-dressed, greasy individual who had addressed him. His appearance suggested someone who was about to tell a sad story and ask for money. Macleod didn't stop walking and the man wheezed along beside him.

‘Would you be a Mr Macleod, sir?'

Macleod stopped. He knew no one in Charleston and certainly no one like the individual who stood beside him.

‘Who wishes to know?'

‘If you are Mr Macleod then I have a message for you.'

The man waited with an air of false servility.

‘A message from whom?'

‘Ah, now there, sir, I'm afraid I can't say. She didn't give no name but she's a French lady and not the sort who can run around after a gentleman and certainly not the sort who could wander about in rough surroundings like these. If you're Mr Macleod …'

The greasy man paused.

‘Well then, I'm Macleod.'

‘Ah, good, sir. Then this lady would like to meet you to …, and she was most particular about the words, to discuss a matter of importance to both of you, a matter that requires discretion.'

‘And what does that mean?'

‘Now there, sir, you have me. She described you to me, told me where you were staying and said I was to watch out for you, wait until I was sure you were not followed then give you her message. As to what it means I know no more than the words I was told to speak.'

‘And what am I to do with these words?'

‘The lady said that if you was willing, only if you was quite willing, I was to take you to her.'

Macleod looked at the man. He was small, flabby and his breath spoke of cheap tobacco and cheaper liquor. Macleod felt that he, himself, was no threat.

‘Tell me about this lady.'

‘There's nothing to tell. She's French or at least sounds French, dresses very fine, pays handsomely for small service, and for those who take an interest in such things I would call her a beauty. Oh, and she's newly arrived from New Orleans. I took the precaution of asking at her lodgings. As you can doubtless see for yourself, sir, I ain't the sort of man who can afford to get mixed up in dubious business as might draw the attention of the authorities, if you take my meaning.'

Macleod took his meaning.

‘Very well, take me to this lady.'

‘At once, sir. Be so good as to follow me.'

The greasy man turned and headed off further into the docks.

It may have been Macleod's imagination but as they walked the man's breathing wheezed less and his legs gathered speed. They turned from the docks between two blank warehouse walls which then led into a system of alleys. Macleod caught hold of the man's arm and pulled him to a stop.

‘Where are you taking me?'

The man smiled a greasy, apologetic smile.

‘I was told to bring you a back way, sir. Not to be seen, sir. Come, not far now.' They moved on a short way when suddenly at a dingy intersection of dark alleys the man stopped. ‘Here we are, sir.'

Macleod turned a second too late. The cudgel caught him on the temple as he lifted his arm in self defence while a foot hit him hard behind the knee. He fell as another blow to his head finished the matter and two sets of feet ran off down the cobbled alley.

Chapter Thirty-five

T
he voice inside Macleod's head was gentle but insistent.

‘Come along now, Mr Macleod, can't have you lying about in the street like this.Come along, sir.' And Macleod felt someone trying to lift him by his arm. ‘Now, now, sir, this won't do, why you're hardly scratched, not what I'd call even knocked about really. Why I've seen men up and down the rigging like monkeys with worse than you've got.'

Macleod allowed himself to be helped into a sitting position.

‘What happened?'

The man helping him picked up Macleod's hat and pushed his fist into it to straighten out a deep dent.

‘Look, sir, the first strike was only a glancing blow and this fine hat of yours took enough of the killer one to make sure it didn't do any lasting harm. God love us, who hasn't had a bit of a knock about the head and laughed over it, aye and laughed heartily?'

The man put the repaired hat back on Macleod's head and helped him to stand.

Macleod's brain cleared. The man looked familiar.

‘You saw it, you saw the men who attacked me?'

‘I did, sir.'

‘Then why in God's name did you do nothing?'

‘I did do something, sir. I watched. I was too far away to do much else. They were quick and it was all over in a second. Anyway, there were two of them. If I'd have tried to mix it, well, I ain't got a nice strong hat like you, and him what used the bludgeon wasn't any novice. Now, sir, you can walk I think, and we need to get you back to your tavern.'

Macleod looked at the man as they set off and finally placed him.

‘You're from the ship, the ship we came on from New Orleans.'

‘That's right, sir.'

‘What on earth were you doing following me?'

‘Captain's orders. Keep an eye on that gentleman, he told us. Keep a sharp eye on him and the lady and see nothing untoward befalls either of them. Those were his very words, nothing untoward befalls either of them.'

‘You wouldn't call being lured down an alley and having my head cracked came under the heading something untoward?'

‘Ah, now there, sir, I must say things were what you might call out of my hands. When I saw you stop to talk to your greasy friend I wasn't too worried. The gentleman's no fool, I said to myself, to be taken in by the likes of him. Then, blow me, off you go with him calm as a lamb with a shepherd. Why did you do it, sir? You should have known no good would come of it.'

‘Yes, I can see that now.'

‘Well, no real harm done is there, except to the hat, so no need for tears.'

‘No harm done! If I have been attacked then what of …'

‘Ay yes, sir, the lady.'

‘Yes, damn you, the lady.'

‘Well, sir, as to the lady …'

But Macleod wasn't interested. Marie was in danger.

‘Quickly, get me out of these alleys and back to the tavern.'

The sailor knuckled his forehead.

‘Just as you say, sir. Follow me.'

And together the sailor led them back to Macleod's tavern where the first thing Macleod did was to hurry up the stairs to Marie's room and knock on the door. There was no answer. He knocked again and called out her name but there was still no answer. He threw open the door. The room was empty, but a chair was lying on its side and a lamp had been knocked to the floor. On the carpet was a dark stain. Macleod hurried to it and knelt down and touched it then looked at his fingers. It was blood, fresh blood.

Chapter Thirty-six

M
acleod stood up and turned. The sailor was standing in the doorway of the room watching him.

‘I'm a damned, cursed fool. I left her undefended and now she is dead or taken.'

‘Would that be the lady that on the journey you said was your wife, would it, sir?'

Macleod was amazed that the sailor should take it so calmly.

‘Yes, damn you, that lady.'

‘Shouldn't we have a look for her, sir, before settling on the worst?'

‘What?'

‘Well, if you say it's blood then I'm sure it is, but that doesn't mean it's hers. Maybe she's next door.'

Macleod rushed to the door, pushed past the sailor and burst into his own room. Marie was sitting on the bed looking with terrified eyes at a grim and dangerous-looking fellow who stood opposite her with his arms folded across a barrel-like chest.

On Macleod's entrance she jumped up, ran to him and threw herself into his arms.

‘Oh, Jean, thank God. This man has come to kill me. He has already killed another and now he wants to kill me.'

Macleod looked at the man. It was the other sailor from the boat who had watched them disembark. The sailor unfolded his arms and touched his forehead with his knuckle.

‘I'm glad you've arrived, sir. The young lady was taking on so that I had to shake her a bit to quieten her down. Me not speaking French and her not speaking English, I couldn't see any other way. No offence intended, I'm sure, but as I'd pushed the body under the bed …'

‘Body!'

‘Yes, sir, and that being the way of it I couldn't have her calling out so I shook her a bit then brought her in here where I thought she might be a bit calmer. I'd appreciate it if you'd explain that there was no offence intended.'

Macleod's head felt tight. It hurt from the blows it had received and it hurt from trying to make sense of what was going on.

Marie held him and regarded the sailor with continued terror.

‘See, Jean, see how he threatens us.'

Macleod looked down at Marie and suddenly realised that he was holding her very close. He released her and then tried to explain.

‘He is not threatening us, Marie. He is apologising for shaking you. He says he meant no harm.'

‘Jean, he is lying. He killed a man who came to my door.'

‘What man?'

Marie stamped her foot.

‘What man? I don't know what man. How should I know what man? A man came to my door and knocked.'

‘You didn't open it?'

‘No, not at first, but he spoke French and he said that he came from you, that you had sent him to bring me to you urgently. He said he had a note from you. So I opened the door.'

The grim sailor interrupted.

‘Is the young lady explaining, sir? Have you told her I meant no harm?'

‘Yes, I have explained, she knows. She says a man came and said he had a note from me and that she was to come with him. Did you see any of this?'

‘I did, sir, I was down a few doors in the shadows watching. As to what he said, sir, I couldn't answer because he spoke French, but it wasn't no note he had behind his back. It was a knife. As soon as the young lady was, if I might be so bold, so foolish as to open the door I knew he would be in and the job done, so I came up quick and hit him hard on his head with this.' The man looked a little sheepish and pulled a short but serviceable bludgeon from the back waistband of his trousers. Marie gave a little gasp as she saw the weapon and clung tighter to Macleod who thought it best to place a protective arm around her. The sailor replaced the bludgeon. ‘Too hard as it turns out. I'm afraid I croaked him. Well, as I said, I took him into the lady's room and pushed him under the bed. I'm afraid the young lady took it all a bit strong, saying things in French what meant nothing to me, so I gave her a bit of a shake like and when she choked off the noise I brought her in here and sat her on the bed. I didn't like a young lady, as I sensed was of quality, sitting on top of a dead body. It didn't seem proper. Then I waited.'

He then touched his forehead again, folded his arms across his chest and lapsed into silence.

‘What is he saying, Jean? Do they want money? Give them money, Jean. Give them anything they ask.'

‘No, Marie, they don't want money. The man who came to your room had a knife. I'm afraid he was sent to kill you and this man saved your life. Unfortunately in doing so he had to kill the villain but as he has explained it, he had no choice.'

‘They watch over us?' All her alarm returned. ‘But who knows we are here? Who sent them?' Then she seemed to come to life and her eyes widened. ‘But, Jean, we know them. Are they not from the ship, the ship that brought us from New Orleans?'

‘Yes, they are. Their captain sent them to see we came to no harm. As it turned out if they hadn't been following us we would have come to considerable harm. I was,' he paused and decided that the whole story of the incident at the docks need not be too fully explained, ‘attacked by some men at the docks and left unconscious. No doubt that was to ensure that I was out of the way so that the villain who attacked me could come here and …'

Macleod left the sentence unfinished.

‘But I thought we were safe now? You said we were safe.'

‘I was wrong. We must have been followed.'

‘But how, how could anyone follow us so quickly?'

Macleod thought about it, found he could provide no answer, so finally put the question to the sailor who had acted as his preserver.

‘Could anyone on the ship have been following us from New Orleans?'

‘The man who attacked you and came here to do in the lady was on the ship. He boarded at New Orleans and travelled alongside of you.'

‘Came with us?'

‘Yes, sir. He took passage very late and that in itself seemed odd. He said he was a traveller, a whiskey drummer, but we spotted straight away that travelling in whiskey or anything else wasn't his real game. There were two proper travellers on the ship and he cosied up to them both and made himself very friendly from the stock he carried, the more to hide himself is my bet. When we made harbour the captain asked us to keep an eye on you both while we were in port. It's just as well our whiskey friend made his move today because we'll be on our way tomorrow.'

‘But why did the captain ask you to look after us? I don't complain you understand, I'm more than grateful, but I am at a loss as to why he took such care.'

The sailor lost his friendly, rather easy-going manner and became somewhat formal.

‘As to that, sir, you would have to ask him yourself. All Jake and me do is carry out orders. We're no more than poor sailors, poor men of the sea, sir, getting by on little pay and hard graft.'

And he stood silent as if waiting for something.

Macleod put his hand into his coat pocket, pulled out his wallet and handed the sailor two silver coins.

‘Of course, I quite understand and I hope you and your friend will accept this as a token of my,' he looked at Marie then back at the sailor, ‘our gratitude.'

Marie saw that money was about to change hands and, although she knew nothing of what had been said, understood enough to know to smile her most winning smile at the sailor.

The sailor took the coins, looked at them then stuffed them into his trouser pocket.

‘Most gratefully accepted, sir, as it is by Jake I'm sure. And, seeing how you've been so friendly, I can see no harm in telling you that just before we sailed the captain had a visitor and it's my opinion that money changed hands and it was this visitor as asked the captain to look out for you both.'

‘Who was the visitor? What did he look like?'

‘A very careful man he was, came all wrapped up in a cloak and muffler round his face. I couldn't give you a name nor say what he looked like but I can tell you one thing. He walked with a stick.'

‘A stick?'

‘Aye, sir, not a fashion stick neither, not some light fancy cane but a proper stick to aid walking. I heard it tap-tapping on the deck and as he walked down the gangplank. Gentleman had a limp.'

‘I see.'

‘And now, sir, we must bid you farewell. Our friend under the bed next door won't trouble either you or the young lady no more so I think our task is completed and I shall go and report to the captain. Come on, Jake.'

Jake came to life and joined his shipmate at the door of the room.

Macleod watched for a second then also came to life.

‘Wait, what about the body?'

‘What about it, sir?'

‘But you can't leave it there, under the bed. You must take it.'

‘God bless you, sir, what would we want it for?'

‘You must dispose of it.'

The sailors looked at each other then at Macleod.

‘I'm sorry, sir, but we cannot oblige. Carrying a body through the streets in broad daylight would cause comment and attract the wrong sort of interest, if you take my meaning. Normally we might accommodate you but we sail tomorrow and we'll be needed on board to make ready. I'm sorry, sir, it can't be done, not even for ready money.'

‘Then ask your captain what's to be done. You say you think he was paid to see that nothing untoward befell us. Well, finding a dead body in this lady's room is, I would say, considerably untoward.'

The talkative sailor rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

‘You have a point. I can't deny but that you have a point.'

Macleod produced his wallet once more.

‘Return after dark, remove the corpse and you shall have two more coins.'

‘I'll have to ask the captain.'

‘Of course.'

‘And that would make three.'

‘Three?'

‘Three as knows and must be taken care of.'

Macleod felt now was not the time to haggle.

‘Then three it shall be.' The sailor smiled and stepped forward with his hand out. Macleod put away the wallet. ‘When our friend next door is gone.'

The sailor's hand dropped and he returned to the door. He was not one to press his luck too far.

‘We'll be back at nightfall, sir, with all that's necessary to do the removal. Now good-day to you both.'

The two sailors touched their foreheads and left. Marie looked at Macleod obviously expecting him to explain to her what had passed and what was to be done. He led her to a chair and sat her down. It wasn't clear in his head what exactly had happened, nor how it had happened and certainly not why it had happened, but she was looking at him so expectantly and so obviously thankful that such an awful experience had finished with them both alive and unharmed that he felt he should at least try to find some sort of explanation. So he tried.

‘I think it's like this …'