Page 64 of The Swan Detective (The Swan Syndicate #2)
Were Hensley’s missions critical to winning the war? Or was it just that Napoleon overreached? Would he have won if he’d been able to get his warships closer to England?
He didn’t know, and thinking about it only gave him headaches and long nights in the study with Barrington, staring into a fire that never provided an answer.
It was best to focus on what was in front of them.
Whether it helped win a war or not, they had to consider what impact the smuggling network had on England and Ireland.
He was the last to leave the office, other than Hensley, who remained to write more letters and devise more plans. Jamie waited a few steps down the hall.
“Sorry to have hidden so much from you,” Jamie said. “It wasn’t intentional. Most of it was decided just before we left port.”
“I don’t work for Hensley anymore, mate.” Beckworth couldn’t blame Jamie. It was how Hensley worked, and while Beckworth would never hold back information from Stella again, that requirement didn’t apply to those Hensley employed.
When they reached the foyer, Jamie stopped and opened his jacket to reveal the binoculars Beckworth had given him for their sail from London.
“I thought you might want these back before you leave.”
Beckworth scratched his chin and glanced around to see if anyone was about. “I assume they helped in identifying The Horseman .”
“If we didn’t have them, I’m not sure when we would have noticed the ship.”
Beckworth considered his next action, and while risky, his concern for his friend outweighed the possible discovery. “I shouldn’t be leaving them with you, but with this smuggling network…” He let the sentence go, not feeling the need to explain more.
“They’re more dangerous than others we’ve dealt with.”
“They’re organized and not above pirating.”
“With England worried about France, and Napoleon worried about England, you have to be somewhat foolish to be caught by local patrols.”
“Or unlucky.” Beckworth scanned the doorways and staircase to ensure they were still alone.
“Either way, I want to leave the binoculars with you. Their existence needs to remain secure, but you’ll need every advantage.
It’s risky enough traveling the Channel and English seas with French firearms, but if smugglers are watching you, someone’s nervous. ”
“Not McDuff?”
“I don’t think so. He can get French firearms one way or another. We aren’t the only ones claiming to have access to them. And while Stella intrigued him, she isn’t worth chasing.”
“So a competitor.”
“And who better than the ship Stella made a fool of? The question is whether the captain is in charge or he’s getting his orders, and most likely funding, from someone else.
The captain has somehow connected the Daphne to Lady Swan.
We weren’t hiding it, but we weren’t shining a light on it, either. ”
“Aye, I’m not sure how that connection happened, but we’re looking into it.”
They turned silent, both understanding the risk, but also knowing the mission had to continue. Something larger than their initial assessment was being uncovered, and it was too late to walk away from what Hensley had put into motion.
Beckworth slapped Jamie on the back. “Enough of this. Let’s check on the colt before the women decide the rest of our day. I want to see this technique Hensley tells me you have for training young horses.”
The two strode out of the manor, down the steps, and had turned for the stables when a movement caught Beckworth’s attention.
It was only for an instant, but the flash of periwinkle happened to match the color of the dress Stella was wearing.
He grinned. She was watching him, and it was only fair since he’d been watching her earlier. The question was what she was up to.
He let it go. He’d know soon enough.
S tella watched Beckworth and Jamie meander along the path to the stables in deep discussion. Now that their meeting with Hensley was over, their attention had turned to the colt. Perfect. When those two got involved in anything pertaining to horses, they lost all track of time.
That worked in her favor. Mary and Eleanor were in the kitchen, discussing the next handful of days with Mrs. Walker and Nellie.
Elizabeth, tired of the London season, was due to arrive soon, preferring to spend time at Waverly before Beckworth and Stella returned to Baywood.
With Jamie and Lando arriving later than planned, the decision was made to stay a couple of days longer since the extension was still within the time frame AJ and Finn expected for their return.
She strolled through the manor, peeking into rooms where Beckworth had started making changes to the decor before he’d left for Baywood.
After gaining a sense of what Beckworth was doing, she made notes of further modifications—artwork to be moved or discarded, colors for new paint or wallpaper, and new fabric for drapes.
Once she reviewed the changes with Beckworth, she’d leave the list with Barrington to have the work accomplished before their next visit.
And regardless of the chaos that always seemed to await them, she couldn’t imagine not returning to Waverly.
She’d always wanted a second home, but she would never have guessed it would be an English manor rather than a coastal retreat somewhere along the Oregon oceanfront.
The door to the west study was closed, and though she didn’t hear any voices, she suspected it wasn’t empty. After taking a deep breath in and a slow breath out, she knocked on the door and waited.
“Come.”
She opened the door and gave Hensley a friendly smile. “I know you just arrived, but I wanted to make sure we’d have time for a game of chess before I left.”
He peered at her over the rim of his glasses and laid down the letter he’d been reading. “Sit down, and let’s discuss why you’re really here. I doubt you’ve spoken with Beckworth yet. Jamie’s been itching to work with the colt.”
“I’m surprised you’re not in the stables with them.” She took a seat in front of the desk and clasped her hands in her lap.
“I will be shortly. I wanted to write a few letters while my thoughts were fresh.”
“Fresh from whatever your discussion was with the men?”
His brows remained lowered, a deep frown on his face as he gave her a long perusal. Then he sat back and chuckled. “I find myself enjoying the subterfuge with you almost as much as I enjoy discussing the strategy of a mission.”
It was impossible not to agree with him. She felt the same way—as long as the subterfuge didn’t last long. She returned his smile.
“Then to facilitate your time with the colt, why don’t we just cut to the chase today?”
“A worthy bargain. Give me one moment to finish this letter.” He took his time reviewing it. The ink must have already dried because he didn’t wait to fold and address it before placing it on top of a short stack of similar messages.
He closed the inkpot and moved papers out of the way before leaning his elbows on the desk, giving her his full attention.
She listened to the recap of his earlier meeting with the men and would confirm her understanding with Beckworth later.
For now, once Hensley finished, she sat back and digested everything she’d heard.
It was a lot to unpack, but she was impressed with Hensley’s ability to piece together events and find a path forward.
She didn’t need to be told that the path was fraught with risk and many unknowns.
The idea to bring Thomas back into the mission was golden, but all the risk lay with the crew of the Daphne .
It wasn’t that she didn’t think they could handle it.
She was concerned by how outnumbered they were, assuming what McDuff told her about the size of his network was true.
And it was obvious that the plan still required Lady Swan, something she and Beckworth would need to discuss.
Hensley watched her intently, just as he did when they played chess, though she doubted his mind had quieted.
He was probably running through her possible reactions while developing various responses to them.
So, she let him sit as she considered the situation.
Then she grinned, wondering how he’d respond to her checkmate response.
“I think you’re going to need another ship.”
He stared at her with what she guessed was incredulity. It was bound to happen more frequently the more he got to know her, but she was surprised, considering their last mission, that this was the first time she’d seen it from him.
But as quickly as it came, his expression slowly changed as he considered her statement. He finally settled on a warm smile and eyes lit with possibilities. “Why don’t we take a stroll to the stables and see how the men are doing with the colt?”