Serena laughed and proceeded to take the boy into a bear hug. “As I said, a brat of a lad,” she repeated and sighed with some relief. “You look so much better than Davis led me to believe. I was told you were flat on your back.”
“And so I was, but, ye know, it would take more than a dunk in the brine to do me in,” Billy boasted merrily. He looked towards his lordship and then toward Serena meaningfully.
She laughed and made the introductions. He eyed her thoughtfully after his lordship shook his hand, and he said in a lowered voice, “Well then, this one will do.”
She gasped, and her hands flew to her hips. “You, my fine boy, are begging to have your ears boxed.”
“Aye, so I am told by me mum,” he answered, both undaunted and beaming.
“Bold and audacious,” his lordship remarked with a wide smile. “Needs to be brought down a peg.” He looked at Serena. “By your leave, my lady Sunshine?”
“Oh do, bring the lad down two pegs if you please.” Serena laughed.
“Hold! Hold,” Billy cried, putting up a guarding hand. “Oi be sickly, remember?” Serena hid a smile at how his attempt to speak “proper-like”, as he had been working on when with her, slipped when he was flustered.
“Indeed, which puts me in mind of my next question. Just what were you doing in the brine at this time of year, young Billy?”
Billy frowned and looked past Serena as though looking to see where his mother was. He rebuked her softly, “Hush then, and I’ll be telling ye if ye promise to keep it between us.”
Serena was surprised but gravely replied though her dark eyes were dancing, “So be it.”
Billy looked at his lordship. “Ye look to be a right ‘un, and ye be with Miss Serena, but I have a reason or two for not wanting me business known. Do ye swear to keep mum?”
“Indeed, on my word of honor,” his lordship replied promptly.
“Right then. Me and the boys, Al, Davey, and Jeremy, well we borrowed it—Mr. Doogin’s little skiff—just for a lark, you know, and not meaning any harm. Well, I thought we might hang a line and catch a night’s dinner, so we went to our spot, not too far from this great big schooner just outside the harbor. That’s when it happened. There was these coveys … seamen all, but not the gentlemen. No these weren’t smugglers, even though Jeremy said they must be. I didn’t think it was free trading they was after, no, I didn’t. They had this trunk, and they couldn’t lift it. Took five men to lift it. A man in uniform caught them, and they shot him. Thought Al and I was going to have to knock Jeremy and Davey out to keep them quiet.” He shook his head. “We didn’t stay for more. We rowed back to the dock when we see more bobbery afoot. Zounds, Miss Serena, I’m supposing these were land-runners or leastways couldn’t figure what else they might be. Suddenly they was pointing in our direction, so I tells Jeremy, row, and we rowed faster than we ever had towards the beach—ye know the spot, where I found ye that prime shell last summer?”
“Yes, Billy, go on,” Serena said, with concern.
“Took the skiff to the beach, and we were ready to jump off and bring her in … Davey hollers like he visioned a ghost. He starts to fall, and whot must he do but grab me. Over
we both went, and when we come up, the bloke was nearly out of sight.”
“Who was he? Did you get a look at him?” his lordship asked.
“Not really, though there was something familiar about the cut of his shoulders and his gait.” He shook his head. “I just don’t know. Only saw a bit of light on him at the top of the down. ‘’Twas too dark, but he was dressed like gentry. Jeremy says we best say nuthin to nobody, but Mr. Doogin knew it was us who took the skiff, and he went to Jeremy’s father, who gave Jeremy a beating. Al didn’t get a beating, but his father made him haul wood and water for Mr. Doogin for a week. Me and Davey got sick, but Pa told me I’ll get my beating when I get better.” Billy grinned. “So I’m in no rush to leave this bed.” He wiggled his eyebrows, and both Serena and his lordship laughed out loud.
Ten minutes later, they had taken their leave and his lordship was helping Serena into her curricle and climbing in after her.
“What are you doing?” she asked, frowning at him.
“Escorting you home.”
“Why?”
“Because I want to,” he said simply, ignoring the coolness she had maintained between them.
She sighed and said, “Very well. What did you think of Billy’s tale?”
“I am not certain I have any answers, but you and I both know it has something to do with the robbery. Those boys actually witnessed it in progress.” He shook his head. “I have Freddy under lock and key at the inn with a guard at the front and back, but I have not one doubt that he will take to horse very soon.”
“Yes,” she said and bit her bottom lip. “I agree. He is young, and you can’t expect him to stay put. He won’t.”
Ignoring this he said thoughtfully, “I had hoped that Billy might have been able to give us a description of one of the men at least, but as it happens, he can’t, so his story doesn’t take us any further.”
“Who do you think was the man on the beach?” Serena asked, momentarily forgetting to keep aloof from him.
“I don’t have any idea, but I do believe he has something to do with it all … perhaps he is in charge. It would have to be a gentleman who had access to the information, wouldn’t it?”