Page 35 of The Swan Detective (The Swan Syndicate #2)
For a split second, André’s eyes widened before he stood a bit straighter. He might not have a clue what was happening, but he understood the importance of his release being approved by the king’s court.
“Yes, and the Crown appreciates your promptness in this matter.”
“I’ll see you through the main gate.” The lieutenant nodded to the other guard, and the three moved forward, with Beckworth and Jamie following.
The sergeant looked like he wanted to say something when the lieutenant ordered him to open the gate, and though Beckworth couldn’t see the lieutenant’s face, he did see the sergeant’s. It had turned a blotchy red, but he lowered his gaze and nudged the guard next to him to open the gate.
Once they were outside, the lieutenant gave André a push toward Beckworth.
“It’s good to see you again, André.” Beckworth held his breath. Would the man play along?
André glanced up at the sky again then cleared his throat before meeting Beckworth’s gaze. “I thought I’d rot in there.”
“Apologies. It took some time to find you.” Beckworth nodded at the lieutenant and then turned, touching André’s elbow to guide him away as Jamie took a position on his other side.
None of them looked back as they walked toward the village. Once they reached it, they went directly to the stables, where they collected their horses.
Before André approached the horse, he asked, “Why did you get me out?”
“We’ll talk about that once we’re away from here.
For now, this is Jamie, captain of the Daphne Marie , and one of your saviors.
” Beckworth dug into his saddle bag and brought out a pair of pants, a shirt, and a jacket that he handed to André.
“I’m afraid I didn’t bring any boots, but we’ll get you squared away once we’re back in London. ”
“London?”
“Yes, and we’re on a short timetable. Get changed, and once we stop for a good meal, we’ll explain your early release.”
Within fifteen minutes, the three of them were on their mounts, racing for London.
“ G ive me a moment.” André rubbed his forehead and took a drink of his ale.
Beckworth didn’t push him and refilled everyone’s mug from a pitcher the barmaid had left behind.
They’d traveled a couple of hours before stopping at a roadside inn.
He would have stopped earlier, but Jamie had taken the lead, and André rode between them.
André appeared to be enjoying the ride, and Beckworth could only imagine how the young man was feeling.
He'd wanted to give him more time to enjoy this bit of freedom before they immersed him in their problems.
They sat at a quiet corner table, the farthest from the door.
Once they finished their meal, along with a couple pints of ale, Beckworth told André the reason he’d been released, with Jamie providing more specifics about the smugglers and their operations.
The more they spoke, the more André withdrew into himself, though he kept his fist tightly gripped around the mug of ale.
After several long minutes, André picked at the remnants of his second serving of boiled pork. “You want me to spy on other Frenchmen?”
Beckworth hadn’t expected André to get right to the point. It shouldn’t have surprised him, but he’d been expecting a question or two. He glanced at Jamie, who decided to field the question.
“Aye. I suppose you can look at it like that. All we really want is information on what they’re talking about. Anything you might hear that involves McDuff.”
“He leads these smugglers?”
“In a way. He runs a network of smugglers, though we don’t know how many. Smuggling can be a rather lucrative business, but it’s also cutthroat, and there has been some trouble within their ranks.”
“And you want me to get involved with them?” André’s voice rose an octave, and he cringed. He wasn’t the bravest of souls, but it wasn’t his fault he’d been born into the wrong family.
“We want to keep this as simple as possible,” Beckworth interjected.
“You signed on to a smuggling ship in France, never having sailed before. Your family lost everything after the Revolution, and you wanted to get away from Paris. While crossing the Channel, you discovered opportunities in smuggling. Most of it isn’t a lie.
And since you’re new to sailing and smuggling, they’ll understand if you don’t know the lingo. ”
André nodded along. He relaxed and drank a good portion of ale. He looked at Jamie. “Why aren’t I on that ship anymore?”
Beckworth answered first, wanting to ensure the right tone for his role. “You worked for your travel, but the captain wasn’t interested in adding any new hands with limited skills, so they left you here. You either need to find a new ship or find another way to earn money.”
André glanced away. At first, he scanned the room.
Beckworth couldn’t guess what he might be searching for, and he doubted the man would find his answer here.
André was a lost soul. Beckworth wasn’t sure what, if anything, the man had spent his days thinking about.
Was he ready for another chance, even if it meant working against French smugglers?
“Look, we’re not asking you to sign up for anything,” Jamie said, trying a different approach when André went silent.
“Not with us and not with the smugglers. You simply want to connect with other Frenchmen. If you feel uncomfortable, just leave. We can try again another night. In fact, it would be more believable if you didn’t stay long on the first couple of visits. ”
André’s glance seemed focused on a young man and woman a few tables over. The woman was blonde, and though she didn’t look anything like Gemini, Beckworth didn’t miss the longing in André’s gaze. Did he miss Gemini, the sister he never had a chance to know?
André broke his stare and finished off his ale. He leaned toward them and lowered his voice. “What if what they’re selling sounds better than what you’re offering?”
Jamie sat back and turned to Beckworth. He understood. While this was Jamie’s mission with Hensley, it had been Beckworth’s idea to bring André in.
Beckworth sighed and gave André the straight truth.
“Once upon a time, I worked for a dangerous man. A wealthy man who wielded great power. I sought to win this man’s favor.
But after a handful of years, I discovered that it didn’t matter how many egregious actions I performed on his behalf, he would never see me as the man I was.
I eventually walked away, but I didn’t do it alone.
” He glanced at Jamie, who simply nodded, before he continued.
“This is your chance to walk away a free man. Free from prison but also free from your past. We know you have no love for the English, but all we want is some information.” Beckworth leaned toward André, and he pushed the plates aside.
He tapped a finger on the table to keep André focused.
“We want information without fabrications. Just the truth of what they talk about. These blokes are going to leave soon, and we’re not going to stop them.
They’re not the ones we’re after. Provide us with solid information, and with any luck, we’ll be able to validate it.
Either way, once they leave, if you want to jump on one of their ships, so be it.
We only ask that you don’t tell them what you’ve told us. ”
André studied Beckworth for a long moment before blowing out a sigh. “I’m not convinced I’m the best person for the job, but I’m willing to try.”
“Why?” Jamie asked. “I mean, it’s the answer we want to hear, but you haven’t pushed back that much.”
André shoved his mug toward Beckworth, who refilled it.
With a fresh mug in hand, he leaned his arms on the table, his brows lowered, and anger flashed in his steady gaze.
He gave the room a quick glance, but Beckworth didn’t see anyone interested in their conversation, and apparently, neither did André.
His tone was harsh when he answered Jamie’s question.
“I have no love for France at the moment. My grandfather was the last respectable Belato. My father and uncles were nothing but drunks who lost our entire family estate with their foolishness. My sister, whom I’m aware died at your hands, left me for the gendarmes as she made her escape.
Once she’d been sold to the English, she’d become as much a stranger to me as I to her.
Some would say I have reason to plot revenge against you, but it was that same greed and vengeance that killed my entire family. ”
He sat back and picked at the edge of the table before pinning Beckworth with a fierce gaze.
“You were the only one who visited me at Newgate. I know it was for your own benefit, but you made a promise to me that day. A promise that you would find better accommodations where I could wait out the war before going home. You were true to your word.” He took a breath and spit out, “An Englishman showed me better hospitality than my own sister.” His focus shifted to Jamie as he straightened.
“So, I’ll repay that debt to get my life back on track.
If that means spying on some French smugglers, then so be it.
It certainly won’t be difficult to play dumb. ”
Jamie slammed a fist on the table and grinned. “We have a plan.”