Kissing Cousins (5 page)

He had a change of heart when he saw Mr. Herbert, another political colleague, entering a private parlor with a young lady not his wife. Mr. Herbert! He was fifty years old if he was a day, and the chit not a day over twenty. What was the world coming to? Fortunately Herbert didn
’
t spot him, but it made Salverton aware of the apparent impropriety of this mission, and urged him to keep his guard up.

He was happy to reach the safety of his carriage without seeing anyone else he knew.

As Salverton looked at his groom standing by the hired carriage, it occurred to him that the ton would recognize Foley on sight. To see him on the perch of this somewhat dilapidated rig would cause curiosity as to the occupant. Those with the true evangelical spirit for gossip would peer inside, see himself and his cousin, and assume the worst. He must be rid of his coachman and hire a driver from Winkler
’
s stable.

Salverton explained the matter in quite different terms when he spoke to his groom.

“
The carriage was making a rattling sound all the way from London,
”
he invented. "I
’
d like you to go over it and see what is amiss. Just take me to Winkler
’
s. I
’
ll hire a driver there for a brief stop I have to make just beyond Brighton. When you
’
ve looked over my own rig, we
’
ll meet you back here.
”

“
You
’
re returning to London tonight, then?
”
Foley asked.

“
Yes.
”
He glanced at Samantha, who was beginning to show fatigue after her busy day. He realized that he was tired himself. By the time they found Darren and Wanda and settled matters, it would be one or two o
’
clock. With Darren to chaperon his sister, there would be no impropriety in remaining overnight.
“
No,
”
he said.
“
We
’
ll put up at a hotel, as it is so late, and return tomorrow morning.
”

“
Just as you say, your lordship. Where will you be staying, and what time do you want your rig at the door?
”

“
The Curzon at eight.
”

They were driven back to the stable to find no drivers were to be had at that hour of the night. Salverton was a good customer, however, and Winkler wished to oblige him.

“
I know a lad who turns his hand to a spot of driving from time to time. An excellent whip. Jonathon Sykes is your man. I
’
ll send for him. He
’
ll be here in no time.
”

Salverton agreed.
“
No time
”
stretched to half an hour, but eventually Sykes appeared, arrayed not in a coachman
’
s outfit but in a black evening jacket with wadded shoulders and a nipped-in waist. He was a well-set-up, handsome rogue with blond curls and a laughing blue eye. He bowed punctiliously while his eyes slewed to examine Samantha.

“
Your lordship. Jonathon Sykes, at your service,
”
he said.

This rogue in an evening suit sitting on his box would cause more curiosity than his own groom. Salverton turned a wrathful eye to Joe Winkler.

“
I can lend Sykes a coachman
’
s coat and hat,
”
he said apologetically.
“
This is to be a driving job, Jonathon,
”
he explained to his friend, then went on to speak to Salverton.
“
Jonathon is a jack-of-all-trades.
”

Sykes wrenched his gaze from Samantha to expound on his versatility.
“
I went into service at the age of seven, when my ma and pa died, bless their souls. Started out as backhouse boy at Lord Egremont
’
s and worked up from underfootman to butler, and even did a spot of clerking when the occasion demanded. I can read and write as well as a bishop. His lordship especially commended me on my penmanship. But I always had a love of the stables. I can drive anything, anywhere, anytime.
”

“
May one inquire why you left Lord Egremont, when you were making such strides in your career?
”
Salverton asked.

“
He upped and died, didn
’
t he?
”

“
Sykes knows the neighborhood like the back of his hand,
”
Winkler mentioned.

“
Do you know a place called The Laurels, between here and Rottingdean?
”
Salverton asked.

“
The wee thatched cottage belonging to Sir Geoffrey Bayne? I know it h
’
intimately. Many
’
s the time I
’
ve taken a party to The Laurels for a bit of a frolic. A great one for parties, Sir Geoffrey. I could have you there in twenty minutes, your lordship.
”

It was this that induced Salverton to hire Sykes against his better judgment. He wanted to get to The Laurels as quickly as possible.
“
Change your outfit, then, and let us get on with it.
”

Sykes cleared his throat.
“
There
’
s a matter of remuneration, your lordship. Not to appear mercenary, but we wasn
’
t all born with a silver spoon in our craw.
”

“
A guinea,
”
Salverton said, choosing what he considered a generous sum.

Sykes quirked one eyebrow in derision.
“
I was torn away from a game that was likely to make me a richer man than that.
”

“
Very well, two guineas.
”

“
Taking into account there
’
s not another driver to be had and your lordship must be in an almighty rush to get to The Laurels, and considering the law of supply and demand
—
I was thinking five guineas.

“
Three. Take it or be damned.
”

“
Three it is, sir. You do realize Sir Geoffrey ain
’
t at The Laurels? I heard he
’
s let it to a young lad
—
for his parents, they are saying about town.
”

Salverton assumed the young lad was Darren, and his parents a pretext. If gossip flew on such silver wings as this in Brighton, it was indeed urgent to remove Darren at once.
“
That
’
s quite all right. I know Sir Geoffrey is in London.
”

“
Just trying to save you h
’
exasperation, your lordship. I know all about h
’
exasperation.
”

“
I
’
m rapidly learning about it,
”
Salverton said dampingly, and went to have a word with Foley.

Sykes, undeterred, continued chatting with Samantha as he removed his jacket, folded it up neatly, set his hat on top of it, and handed them both to Winkler. Before long he had the gist of her story, and was contemplating how to milk it to his best advantage. He put on the hat and coat the proprietor handed him and hopped up on the box, setting his own vestments carefully beside him. Even a misshapen hat and bulky coat didn
’
t completely conceal his physical charms.

“
A trot, a canter, or a gallop, your lordship?
”
he inquired from the perch when Salverton returned. Sykes had no intention of hopping about and holding doors for his high-and-mighty lordship.

“
You
’
re the expert. Just get us there and back as quickly as possible without risking an accident.
”

A burst of Jovian laughter rumbled from Jonathon Sykes
’
s throat.
“
H
’
accident! You
’
ve no fear of that with Jonathon Sykes holding the reins.
‘
Twas Lord Alvanley himself who dubbed me the finest fiddler he ever did see
—
and Lord Alvanley would know about fiddling.
”

When Salverton held the carriage door for his cousin, he noticed she was wearing an insouciant smile.
“
An original,
”
she said.

“
Trying extraordinarily hard to be one. His tongue certainly runs at a trot. We shall test his fiddling before granting him the palm.
”

Even Salverton had to admit the carriage set off without so much as a small lurch. The trip out of Brighton was accomplished with expedition. Salverton
’
s attention was distracted by Samantha
’
s chatter.

“
I wonder if Darren is the young man who is at The Laurels,
”
she said.
“
If he and Wanda are there, I would have thought they
’
d keep away from Brighton. He doesn
’
t know the money was stolen, but she knows it.
”

“
It has been obvious for some time the woman has no sense. I expect she
’
s been into town spending her ill-got gains.
”

“
We should have asked Sykes. I wager he would know Wanda by sight, as she summers here.
”

“
The less information we impart to Sykes, the better. He not only knows everything; he tells everything. I should have told Winkler not to reveal my identity.
”

“
He does chatter,
”
she agreed,
“
but it
’
s a good feeling knowing Sykes is so clever.
”
She turned her gaze out the window, wondering if she should confess to having told Sykes more than discretion warranted.

Salverton felt a little spurt of anger at her thoughtless comment. It was not Sykes but himself who was going to such pains to help her. She had not called
him
clever.

After another mile she said,
“
I thought we would see the sea from the road. The Laurels is on the sea.
”

Salverton glanced out at a vista of meadows backed by a stand of waving trees on one side, and an open field on the other.
“
The road curves. The sea will come in sight presently,
”
he said.

“
Oh, I
’
m sure Sykes knows what he is about.
”

“
Have you ever seen the sea, Cousin?
”

“
Until the glimpse of it I had tonight at Brighton, I have seen only the Bristol Channel. The glimpse was lovely. The white moon shining on the black water
—
so romantic. Papa took me to Bristol once when he was there on business. We were at the docks in the morning. It was not at all romantic. Being in the middle of England, we
’
re far from the ocean at Milford, but you must not think us provincial. We go frequently to Bath.
”

They continued peering out the windows for a view of the sea. After a mile, Salverton realized this was not the sea road and pulled the drawstring.

“
It seems Sykes oversold himself,
”
he said, not without a trace of satisfaction.
“
He may know Brighton like the back of his hand, but he obviously doesn
’
t know the environs.
”

The carriage glided to a smooth stop and within seconds Sykes appeared at the window. He didn
’
t wait for a question, but spoke at once.

“
I know what you
’
re going to say,
”
he said, smiling.

“
You do mind reading as well?
”
Salverton inquired.

“
No, your lordship. After h
’
investigation, I concluded there
’
s nothing in it. It
’
s a bogus sham. But I fancy I know what
’
s troubling you. You
’
re wondering why you don
’
t see water. I
’
ve taken a shortcut.
”

“
I fail to see how there can be a shortcut when the road from Brighton to Rottingdean is straight. The shortest distance between two points
—”

Jonathon nodded to indicate his knowledge of geometry, and spoke on before Salverton had finished his lecture.

“
You
’
ve not heard of the construction work going on. I wager it
’
s not important enough to be bruited about London, but nothing else is spoken of in Brighton. There is a detour set up that takes you four miles out of your way. I
’
ve avoided it by taking this back road a mile north of the main road. I
’
ll have us back on the main road before you can say Jack Robinson, and the little lady will have a fine view of the moon shining on the water.
”

“
How did you know!
”
Samantha exclaimed in delight.
“
I believe you
are
a mind reader, Mr. Sykes.
”
Salverton stiffened to hear his coachman promoted to Mr. Sykes.

Sykes peered through the shadows at her.
“
I know a romantic lady when I see her. I
’
m a bit inclined that way myself.
”
He lifted his hat and smiled.

“
Thank you, Sykes. You may proceed,
”
Salverton said in a stiff voice.

Sykes returned his hat to his head and resumed his place on the box. As the carriage moved forward, Salverton turned a grim face to Samantha.