Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Henry waited until his family’s weekly Sunday lunch to reveal his plans to leave the estate for a short while and search for Ebony’s younger sister. His mother would believe him this time. Her old friend was a fiend and he would rot in prison for what he’d done to everyone in his employ.

Footmen surrounded the large, mahogany table, refilling wine glasses and serving out delicious roast beef along with boiled potatoes, assorted greens and freshly cooked bread. Mrs Norris really did know how to fill one’s stomach.

“I have an announcement to make,” Henry said casually as he reached for his wine glass. Knives and forks paused between mouthfuls as ten pairs of eyes were suddenly on him.

“What’s that, darling?” Emilia asked.

“I’m going away for a while,” he replied. “I’m going to find Miss Seaver’s sister for her.”

“Why?” Kitty asked.

“Where is her sister?” Emilia asked at the same time. His family’s cutlery returned to their plates as they listened.

“Because, mama,” Henry said icily. “Your dear friend, Vernon, is keeping her from Ebony in a brothel. And in exchange for eight year old Celeste not being put into the business, Ebony must give everything to Mr Shaw – her talent, her wages and herself.”

Several gasps escaped the lips of his surprised family members.

“I knew it,” Sebastian said under his breath. No doubt he was pleased that his rival had turned out to be as slimy as he seemed.

“No, no, I don’t believe it!” Emilia exclaimed as she clapped her hands over her mouth. Her brown eyes were wide and were filling with tears. “No … we are friends. I know him, he would never!”

“He has, mama!” Henry snapped. “He has for any number of years. And it’s not just Miss Seaver, it’s everyone else there that works for him. He has a hold over all of them in some way, be it through their children or parents or friends. He helps them so that they trust them and then he makes sure they have no way out from his control. I saw it with my own eyes, mama, he is physically violent.” The images of Vernon striking Ebony and the bruises she was attempting to cover up on her cheeks would be permanently etched into his mind.

“He should hang,” William declared.

“A hanging is too good for a man like that,” Harrison sneered.

“Lord,” Emilia whispered. “I’ve been blinded.” Sebastian took her hand above the table and squeezed it. Emilia looked heartbroken, as if she’d been betrayed. And she had been. Vernon had once been a dear friend to her and he was no longer the boy she knew.

“Many were fooled,” Henry replied. “But Celeste needs to be rescued and I’m going to do it. I don’t know where she is but I figured I would start at the source. I’m going to Suffolk. Ebony is from there and I’m going to try and locate her step father to learn of the events that came to pass. He might have knowledge of Celeste’s location. I can only hope.”

“I’m not comfortable with that, Henry,” Sebastian said reservedly.

“Nor I,” Emilia agreed, her voice gaining a little strength. “If Vernon is this beast then I do not want you going anywhere near or associated with him. I will not have my child in danger.” Her voice was firm, the tone he once would never have dared to argue with, but he was no longer a child.

“Mama, I’m not a child anymore. A little girl needs my help and I’m going to give it to her.” He turned to William and Kitty. “Imagine if it were Millie,” he proposed. “She is about Celeste’s age, could you imagine her being put into such a profession because of a vile, manipulative man?”

Kitty’s face immediately paled and William looked violently angry himself. They were clearly picturing their six year old daughter in the trade that poor women suffered in.

“I have to find her, mama,” Henry said softly. “I’m not a child anymore, I’m a man and I have people depending on me.”

“Couldn’t we just notify the police?” Emilia suggested, appearing quite afraid.

“With what evidence?” Henry shook his head, wishing it was that simple. “Everyone he controls is too afraid to speak out against him. If I find Celeste then I can free Ebony and she can go to the police. She will be the catalyst that puts an end to his … administration.”

A proud smile appeared on Sebastian’s face. “You really have grown up. When did that happen?” he asked. “I’m proud of you, son.”

He’d convinced one parent. His mother was a much harder egg to crack.

“What happens if a fight ensues?” she demanded to know. “What happens if Vernon realises that you know about his regime and he decides to take you out of the equation? You don’t know how to fight! What if you are killed? I wouldn’t be able to go on if anything happened to any one of you!” she exclaimed, gesturing to the rest of her children and their spouses around the table.

“Mama, you are being melodramatic,” Henry protested.

“I do not think that I am,” Emilia retorted.

“I know a thing or two about battle, Emilia,” William added. “Being a naval admiral has its advantages. Perhaps Henry would like to join us a little later and I can show him a few things regarding hand to hand combat and marksmanship?” he suggested.

Henry grinned. He’d enjoy knowing how to defend himself. Something told him that Vernon owned a pistol or two and perhaps even a dagger hidden in the pockets of his expensive coats. “Thank you,” he said appreciatively.

“I don’t like this, Henry.” Emilia pursed her lips uncomfortably.

“Mama, the opera leaves for Paris in a month. I’ve promised Miss Seaver that I’ll have Celeste for her in that time. You won’t even notice my absence. I’ll be back before you realise.”

“You’re mistaken,” Emilia replied. “I notice all of your absences.” That she was saying to the five Alcott siblings, or the three that had left their childhood home.

Henry took the carriage to Kitty’s home just after five o’clock in the afternoon. He wanted to be home for dinner and get to bed early so that he could rise at dawn to begin his travels. Sebastian had given Henry the use of the smallest carriage. It was not as fine as the one the family usually frequented so it would allow him to blend into the crowd much easier. He wanted to speak to Ebony’s step father and he knew that a man walking in from a fine carriage would not invite informative conversation, especially if they came from a poor, little village.

Kitty, William and their children lived in a three storey town house provided for them by the navy, as William was now Admiral of the Fleet. With that job many, many responsibilities. William was in charge of all of Her Majesty’s ships and officers as well as recruitment, trade and battle if necessary. Of course, because of Kitty’s objections, William rarely made any journeys by sea. France was as far as she was comfortable in letting him go. He’d made a few journeys out further but Kitty flatly refused to let him go anywhere near America after what happened to him the time before. Henry had always thought William’s heart had been in the right place when he had sent Kitty word of his death after his leg had been amputated after a battle. He hadn’t wanted to burden her with a crippled husband. But he’d made a mistake and he’d come home and he and Kitty were stronger than ever. One wouldn’t even know he walked with a false leg. Of course that was due to the magnificent leg that he commissioned from a carpenter in Jamaica every time he ever needed a new one.

Henry knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer it. They didn’t keep a butler, only housemaids and a cook so it was usually Kitty or William who answered the door. But after five minutes, nobody had come. Henry jumped when he heard a crash inside. He immediately grabbed the door handle and thanked God when it was unlocked. On the floor before him in pieces was a stationary box of inks and quills. The ink began to stain the cream coloured rug on the floor.

“What on earth?” Henry looked upstairs just as soon as a pile of coats cascaded over the bannister to land on his head.

“Get out!” Kitty screamed. “Get out! Get out!”

“Kitty!” William cried, his voice coming from their bedchamber. “Kitty, stop it!” he commanded but there was no stopping his sister when she was angry.

Henry was bewildered as he saw his sister returning to her bedchamber to retrieve a few more of William’s possessions. As soon as he’d climbed out from underneath the coats, he had to dodge a wooden box that smashed upon impact and revealed a gold hilted dagger, a wedding gift that had been from his superiors at the navy.

“Kitty, you’re being unreasonable!” William protested. “Stop throwing my things!”

“I’m being unreasonable?” Kitty scoffed. Henry gulped. Did William not know Kitty at all? “I’m being unreasonable? You know I would much rather hear you have a whore somewhere than this,” she snapped. “Or do you? Is that why you want to go so badly?”

“You know that’s ridiculous,” William scoffed.

“Do I?” Kitty challenged.

“Kitty!” Henry exclaimed. He didn’t want his nieces and nephews to hear their mother say such words.

Kitty’s head snapped to Henry down below. A smile spread across her face. “Oh, hello, Henry!” she chirped, her mood changing instantly. “Sorry about the mess, I’m just currently kicking my husband out as he seems so determined to run off and die and leave me as a widow again! Be with you in a moment.” Her murderous glare returned as returned to her bedchamber to retrieve yet another possession of William’s. Before she could throw his collection of epaulettes, William caught her. Henry took the chance to quickly climb the stairs and find out what was going on.

“You’re not kicking me out and I will not leave you as a widow, I promise,” William said tenderly, trying to calm the enraged Kitty down.

It didn’t work. She pulled free from his arms and threw the epaulettes downstairs. William’s naval rank pieces scattered across the already formed pile of his belongings.

“What is going on?” Henry demanded to know. He climbed the stairs so that he could stop his sister from destroying anything else should she try and throw something again.

“Ask him,” Kitty spat.

Henry turned to William who just rolled his eyes. “She’s upset with me because I’ve been tasked with travelling to the Caribbean for various reasons. The task at hand is need to know only, but she thinks that I won’t return … like last time. I was stupid then, Kitty, I promise I will return to you!” William tried to touch her again but Kitty just shied away from him.

“You can’t know that!” Kitty snapped. “You can’t know if you will die or not.”

“Papa’s going to die?” exclaimed a young, female voice. They all turned to see Josie standing there clutching a doll. Josie was in her night things already and her dark hair was tied in two braids. She was peering at her parents with wide, blue eyes.

Both William and Kitty exchanged a regretful look. “No, darling,” William assured her.

“Mama was just being silly, Jo, go back to your room,” Kitty said tenderly, the mother in her coming out immediately. She started for her young daughter but Henry stopped her.

“I’ll go, you two talk, and when I say ‘talk’ I mean actual conversation – no more property damage,” Henry said firmly. He went over and scooped up his little niece. “It’s alright, Jo, papa will be fine. He’s not going to die.” He carried her into the bedchamber that she shared with Millie. The other three Aubrey children were in there also, with Will holding onto his little brother, Alexander. “Are you all alright?” he asked.

Will nodded. “Yes, mama gets a little upset with papa sometimes. We are used to it. She’s always loud but that’s what makes her mama.” His young nephew’s hair had darkened over the years. He wore it similar to his father – it was as long as his neck but he combed it back. He, Millie and Alexander were all dressed in their night clothes also.

Henry smiled. His young nephew was very mature for his age when it concerned taking care of his younger siblings. He could have Kitty’s spirit when he needed it though.

“I don’t want papa to leave!” Millie pouted. She played with her long braid with frustration. “I want him to stay with me.”

“Me too!” Alexander said, copying his sister’s pout. Josie climbed up on the bed to sit next to her brothers.

The girls’ room was quite untidy. Their toys and games were scattered about the floor and their clothes from the day had been left in front of the wardrobe. Henry could remember sharing a bedchamber with James in his childhood and their floor looked much the same.

“Papa is a very important man in the navy,” he explained to the children. “And he has to go on a journey because he protects people, just like he protects mama and you four. He’ll be home before you know it,” Henry promised, praying that it would be true.

They conversed about their days for twenty minutes before Kitty and William joined them. Kitty looked like she had been crying but they were both smiling and William had an arm around her.

“Mama, are you alright?” Millie asked, sounding concerned.

“Yes.” She nodded, coming into the room to sit next to her children so she might put her arms around them. “Mama is just going to miss papa when he goes away.”

“Henry,” William said to get Henry’s attention. “I’ll give you that lesson now.”

The two men exited the girls’ bedroom and they walked down the hallway to a room that William used as a study. They passed the landing and Henry could see the maids quickly clearing the mess that Kitty had just made.

“Have you and Kitty reconciled?” Henry asked as William closed the door.

William sighed. “She’s not happy about it. She’s just frightened. But she knows it’s my duty to go. I leave on the voyage in June and I’ll be home by Christmas I hope. I will go straight to Yorkshire so there will be no need to wait for me. I hope the children won’t change too much in my absence. I think I’ll commission a miniature of them all before I leave.” It seemed like he was talking more to himself than to Henry. Henry understood though. It would be very hard to leave one’s family, but he joined the navy to serve his country, and that is what he must continue to do. He went over to a locked cabinet and produced a small key from inside his pocket. Opening the doors, he pulled out a case and set it on his desk that sat in front of a wide bookshelf that dominated the far wall. Inside the case was a set of pistols. They were ivory hilted and looked expensive. Henry wondered if they’d ever been fired. “These aren’t my navy pistols. They were a present from my old second in command when I got my last promotion. But I’ll show you how to use them.” He pulled the smaller of the set from the case and cocked it. “When you take a life, it can never be undone. Weaponry can never be taken lightly.”

“I understand,” Henry replied seriously.

“In the direst circumstance, if you need to protect yourself, one must aim for the largest part of the body. Many go for the head as it is a certain kill but one’s aim can be the difference between life and death. The torso is where you must aim,” William instructed. He disarmed the pistol and handed it to Henry.

Henry couldn’t imagine taking a life. He wouldn’t. He would do anything to bring Vernon to justice the right way. He was a solicitor after all, he knew the law inside and out. He set the pistol back in the case.

“Kitty threw my dagger over the landing so I’ll just imitate. If someone is coming at you with a weapon above their head, you must first try to dodge the attack, but if you cannot you must use your arms to protect your head and torso and then take the knife after it has made contact.” William demonstrated using his arms for protection and then slamming his hand down, simulating smashing the knife away from the attacker. “Your arms will heal, your torso is a deadly site. If someone comes at you with a blade in an upwards motion.” William demonstrated stabbing someone upwards vertically. “Then your best option is to use your strength against them. Grab for their hands and use your strength to force them to drop the weapon.” William took Henry’s hands and demonstrated pinching his hand bones so that they rolled. If he applied force it would be easy to break the bones. “I hope you never require these few skills but this man seems unpredictable. He doesn’t seem to hesitate to hurt whomever he pleases.”

He could say that again.

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Thanks to everyone who wished me luck with my exams :) I've finished them today and now I'm on holidays yay!!! I really appreciate you all being patient while I've been studying :) I think I did well, I know I aced my Health Behaviour exam :) What is health behaviour you make ask? Not a clue. It was basically the same stuff that I study in my psych lectures just not so much concentrated on mental health lol. I get my marks in a few weeks so I'll let you know!

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