Chapter 19

Editing by Old Rotorhead

Stunned silence would be the best description of the scene in the studio. Nerissa had run up the stairs after Jake had left. She burst into the studio to give the news to Victoria that Millie had been run over and taken to hospital. Victoria’s reaction had been simply to leave. They could hear her footsteps running down the stairs, and then silence after she went through the front door, leaving the other three looking at each other.

Nerissa knew Millie only from a couple of visits she had made to the shop, although of course she was aware of her situation. Hermione had never met Millie, although, like Nerissa, she was well aware of Millie’s situation, probably more so. Gina on the other hand, knew Millie very well since she had worked with her at shows, photographed her, and still lived in the same house as her. Hermione, still, fortunately, fully dressed, was the first to speak.

“That sounds dreadful, poor Millie. And poor Jake too! Oh dear, I think I’d better go.”

As she turned to leave she looked at Gina who was standing quite still, tears running down her cheeks.

“Oh my dear,” she took Gina’s hand. “I’ll stay with you. You were fond of Millie too?”

Gina nodded.

“I’d better get back to work,” said Nerissa.

Hermione nodded to her and led Gina to the chaise longue.

“I’m sorry,” said Gina. “You don’t need me snivelling all over you. I’ll be alright.”

“I’ve nothing better to do, and I’m sure a little company will help,” Hermione replied.

“Thank you,” Gina attempted a smile. “But life just doesn’t seem fair. Good people die and bad ones don’t.”

“I’ve known a few bad ones who have died, some of them helped on their way by Jake,” Hermione remembered. “But tell me about Millie.”

“There’s not much to tell,” said Gina. “She was just a lovely person, pretty, full of life and love, never said a bad word about anyone, and always tried to help. She loved the children and looked after them. She looked after Jake too.”

“You like Jake?”

“He’s the only man I’ve any respect for, including me!” said Gina hotly.

As soon as she had finished the sentence she realised what she had said. She tried to pull away from Hermione, but Hermione held on to her.

“That’s a strange thing to say,” she said.

“I shouldn’t have said that. I didn’t mean to say it,” said Gina bursting into tears again.

“Tell me about it,” said Hermione, “Do you love Jake?”

Gina jerked away from her.

“Oh no! Not like that! I love Victoria, we are ... together.” she said. “No, not men. I like women. But I have a problem.”

“Can you explain it to me?” asked Hermione. “I may not be able to help, but often it seems to help just talking about things. Do you really think so little of yourself?”

“Compared to Jake ... boys were always horrid to me at school, and my older brothers treated me with ... contempt. Jake is always kind. He got me started on this ... well Victoria did as well. I suppose I’d better start at the beginning.”

“Usually the best place,” Hermione smiled.

“When my mother started to dress me in boys clothes I hated it. I often tried to wear my sisters dresses, I felt much better when I did. School was just awful, and mama, you know mama...”

“I do?”

“Annabelle Wills.”

“Oh!”

“Anyway she got me a tutor, but he wasn’t any better. He tried to ... do things ... treat me as a girl ... I mean ... But I’m not like that! I can’t live as a man, I can’t talk to people. You’ll have to ask Jake, he knows what I was like. Then I discovered photography, and I was very happy in my shed in the garden because I didn’t have to talk to anyone, and I could write to other people who were working on the same sort of thing ... and then Jake arrived. He wanted me to take photographs of the dresses being modelled. And mama had to bring me here, practically dragged me actually. And it was fun! I loved the dresses, and then Victoria saw me looking at them and asked if I’d like to try one on. And it was wonderful! I felt alive for the first time! I would come here every morning and change, and instead of awkward George I became a girl called Gina, who could talk to people, who could laugh and enjoy life.”

Gina paused.

“What did your mama think of this?” asked Hermione.

“She didn’t know! It wasn’t until the first dress show. Victoria suggested that I model dresses along with the other girls. She even had Millie who was pregnant at the time! She got away with that too! Close run thing, but she did. Anyway, after the show the models were talking to the ladies who were there, we were letting them see the dresses close up, and I determined to confront mama. She didn’t recognise me! She complimented my dress and I said thank you mama. Then as Jake was speaking to her, it suddenly dawned on her. It was very funny really,” Gina said, happily. “She wasn’t very amused to start with, but she realised I was happy. And then she took me home as Gina, and when papa found out there was an almighty row, and I was able to tell him what I thought, and threw some things at him. Not very ladylike I’m afraid. He died not long after, I suppose that was my fault. But I hated him!”

There was silence for a few moments.

“So you see, I’m not much of a man, I can hardly respect what I’ve become,” Gina finished with a sob.

“I don’t think you are right. You have a good business here, you are supporting yourself, not relying on other people, and you are a very good person, so what can be wrong with that? I can’t say the same. I have money from my family. When my aunt dies I shall inherit a ghastly pile on the east coast. And I dare say I shall have to marry some man who’ll be after the money, unless he already has his own, but adding mine will be what he wants,” Hermione looked pensive, contemplating a rather unrosy future.

“Jake wouldn’t care about your money,” said Gina.

“You’re probably right, but he’s not available ... weren’t you about to try to get me to pose naked?”

“Yes,” Gina giggled. “I do that quite often, it’s the camera. Women are mesmerised by it, I think. Anyway, it never seems difficult. Come and see some of them.”

She stood up and took Hermione’s hand, pulling her to her feet. She pulled her into the dark room and opened a door at the far end.

“No one knows this is here ... You’re the first one: even Victoria doesn’t know about it,” Gina told Hermione. “When they built the darkroom the door was covered and no one comes in here apart from me.

They had entered a fair sized room with walls largely covered in portraits of ladies. Not one of them had a stitch on unless it was a hat, although one or two had some tastefully draped gauze, but not to obscure any of their charms.

“Oh my goodness!” exclaimed Hermione. “Who are they all? Oh! That’s Nerissa! And Victoria, and this girl is...”

“That’s Millie,” said Gina.

“You were right, she is pretty, a beauty,” said Hermione. “She’s almost glowing. I can’t compete with that!”

“I think milady is fishing for compliments,” Gina giggled.

Hermione blushed, and then went a deeper shade as she saw the next picture, two bottoms that had been stripped by a cane. She shuddered at the thought.

“Oh! I never expected anyone else to come in here and see that,” said Gina. “That’s the twins, Siobhan and Roisin. Victoria had to punish them. She didn’t hurt them very much, only their opinions of themselves were damaged, and that was very necessary.”

Hermione looked at the next picture.

“I, I don’t think I know what they are doing there,” Hermione stuttered.

“Heavens!” exclaimed Gina, grinning. “It sounds like Victoria is losing her touch.”

Jake and Victoria stayed with Millie a little longer and then went to find the doctor.

“I’ll have an undertaker come for Millie,” he said. “Do you know anything about how the accident happened?”

“It is ironic, Sir Jacob. It was a doctor on his way to a summons from a patient. It was fortunate in a way, because he brought her straight here, and we were able to save that little bundle you are holding.”

“I suppose one has to try to find some saving grace, I would rather have had both,” said Jake. “Is there anything else I need to do?”

“A donation is always welcome, Sir Jacob. We always need money for our work.”

“Of course! I’ll set up a monthly donation, I hope that’ll help.”

“It will, I assure you.”

Jake and Victoria went out to the cab that was still waiting. Victoria got in and Jake handed her the baby. He was about to get in when a man hailed him. He turned to see a neatly dressed young man wearing a derby hat.

“Sir Jacob!”

“Yes. Can I help you?” asked Jake.

“Clarke Kent, Bristol Mercury, sir.” the man introduced himself.

Jake was somewhat taken aback. The first thought was that the man wanted information about sailings to Dublin, after all what other information was there in the Mercury? His second thought was to realise that the Mercury was always campaigning for something.

“I understand that there has been a road accident, sir. The Mercury is campaigning to get some order to the city’s streets sir.”

“Well, all I am able to tell you Mr Kent, is that Diana Millette was killed, but thanks to the dilligence and skill of the doctors here the baby she was carrying was saved. Now, if you’ll excuse me I have to get the baby home.”

After a rather glum, silent dinner that evening, Jake was sitting in his study doing nothing when Victoria came in carrying a bottle of brandy and two glasses. She set them down on his desk and poured a generous measure into each. She passed one glass to Jake and lifted the other.

“Millie,” she said.

They both drank.

“You’re brooding, Jake, it’ll do no good. None of us want you to be the same as you were after Caroline.”

Jake looked up at her.

“It’s the curse that damned priest put on me. What’s the first thing that happens? Mill...”

“Don’t be so damned silly, Jake,” Victoria exploded. “You don’t believe that for one moment, and if it were true then the baby would have been born crippled and covered in pustules, instead of which you have a perfect daughter. I know you loved Millie, we all did, but being silly isn’t going to bring her back.”

Jake looked at her.

“You’re right as always, Victoria. But if anyone could have put a curse on someone it was that man, you had to be there to see it. Captain Cockburn looked like he’d peered into the depths of hell,” Jake replied. “Which, come to think of it, we probably had.”

He quiet for a moment, remembering, and then brightened. “Has a wet nurse been found for Millie?”

“Yes, she’s sleeping peacefully at the moment, although that won’t last, if I know anything. She certainly has good lungs. Come on, come up and see her.”

Millie’s funeral took place a few days later at the family plot. Aunt Lydia had insisted that she was family and that was that. There were a remarkable number of people in attendance, many from local businesses with whom she had dealt. Jake was surprised to see Mr Hatherley standing at the back of the mourners.

“I didn’t know Miss Millette, of course,” he told Jake. “But I wanted to pay my respects to you and your family. You’ll be pleased to know that Beatrice is physically fully recovered, but her mind ... I don’t know. She’d like to see you. Perhaps you could call.”

“I will, sir,” Jake replied, “and thank you for coming.”

“Who was that man you were talking to,” Victoria asked him later.

“Mr Hatherley, well, Lord Kingswood really, it was his daughter we rescued.”

“You rescued, you mean. But what did he want, you to go to Dublin again?” asked Victoria, acidly.

“No, he was paying his respects for our loss. Apparently Lady Beatrice wants to see me, although I cannot think why,” Jake replied.

Victoria met with Hermione the day after Millie’s death.

“I am so sorry to have just rushed out on you, Hermione,” she said.

“Not at all, no need to apologise. I am very sorry for your loss. Everyone seems to have been fond of Millie, I wish I had met her myself,” Hermione replied.

“I’m sure she would have loved that, although you would probably have overawed her,” Victoria said. “I’m sorry to have abandoned you with Gina, I hope that was alright.”

“It was ... interesting. She was very upset about Millie,” Hermione was thoughtful. “We had a long conversation. She doesn’t feel very good about herself.”

“No, that’s true,” said Victoria. “And yet she has much to feel good about, she is well respected in her profession, and we all love her.”

“It’s the fact that she’s not really ... well she compares herself to Jake.”

“Ah, you know,” said Victoria. “Silly comparing herself to Jake though, just so different.

“She told me,” said Hermione. “and then she showed me her collection of pictures. She also said something odd, There was a picture of the twins, I couldn’t make out what they were doing and Gina said she thought you were losing your touch. I wondered what she meant.”

Hermione looked directly at Victoria, who was blushing deeply.

“I do remember that picture, but you need two contortionists to be able to do that. I prefer something a little less athletic.”

Hermione laughed.

“Me too,” she said.

It was several days before Jake could get away to visit Lady Beatrice Kingswood. The house was a few miles out of the city, not particularly large or ostentatious, but then Jake would not have expected that of the man. It was, however, set in a very fine garden.

Jake’s carriage drove through a pair of ornate gates, past a small gate house and up the gravelled drive to the house. The door was opened by the butler who, when Jake stated his name immediately conducted him through the house and out into the garden where he indicated an Italianate pergola. Sitting beneath the pergola reading was Lady Beatrice.

“If you will join Lady Beatrice, Sir Jacob, I shall bring tea,” the butler told Jake.

Lady Beatrice looked up as Jake approached. She was dressed in pretty white dress with a white hat. Jake could see her hair, the palest of pale blonde, and her almost colourless complexion. The only colours about her were her lips, her pale blue eyes and the flowers on her hat. He guessed her age to be about eighteen.

She smiled.

“Thank you for coming, Sir Jacob. Please sit down.”

She held out her hand to him.

“My pleasure, I assure you, Lady Beatrice,” Jake replied kissing the proffered hand.

“It is wonderful to be amongst gentlemen after the ruffians of the last two years,” she gave a little laugh. “That was what I wanted to talk to you about.”

The butler arrived with tea.

“Thank you Haskins,” said Lady Beatrice. “I’ll serve Sir Jacob.”

“Very good, Lady Beatrice,” Haskins smiled indugently, bowed his head and left.

“I wanted to talk to you about what went on in Ireland,” she said to Jake. “I felt you might understand. I really have no one else who might. My mother died when I was ten, and I have no close confidants, my father is a dear man, and I know he loves me. It seems he moved heaven and earth to find me, but I cannot talk to him about this.”

“I really couldn’t say how much effort he put in. He doesn’t say very much, but I know that there were a number of agents involved, and the army too. If it will help to talk, I am happy to listen,” said Jake, although he didn’t really understand how it could help.

“He does keep a close counsel, doesn’t he?” she laughed again, a light tinkling sound.

Lady Beatrice went on to tell Jake how she was kidnapped whilst visiting relatives in Ireland, and being transported, blindfolded most of the time, until she reached the cave. There she had been left with the priest, but before they left the leader of the kidnappers had warned the priest that if he so much as touched a hair on her head they would turn him into a eunuch.

“I’m not sure what that is, but it scared him enough that he never did touch me,” she told Jake. “But what he did was almost as bad.”

“I’m glad to hear that at least,” said Jake. “He saved that for the women and children in the village.”

“Oh! That’s terrible,” she said, and then went on. “He made me...” she hesitated and then went on in a rush, “take all my clothes off. He said if I didn’t he could cause me a lot of pain that wouldn’t leave any marks, so no one would see. I didn’t know what I was most frightened of,” she sobbed.

Jake took her hand as she went on:

“He would sit there, with his ... thing, you must realise that I had no idea of these matters when I was taken, I don’t know what to call things even now. But he would make me dance,” she sobbed again.

“You don’t need...” Jake said.

“I want to, I need to get it out,” she interrupted him. “I had to lie down and spread my knees so that he could look at ... at me, and all the time he was stroking himself. And then something would come out and he’d say ‘one day it’ll go inside you’, and then ‘cover yourself up slut’, and he would leave.”

Jake sat in appalled silence, and amazed at the courage the girl showed in telling her story.

“I feel better for having said it,” Lady Beatrice told Jake, but I need more information, I know nothing about men and women. Do you know anyone who could help. I did ask my cousin, Hermione when she visited, but she said that she was woefully short of information herself. She suggested Victoria, she’s your sister in law isn’t she?”

“Yes,” said Jake. “And I think Hermione is right. I’m sure Victoria could help. Would you like to come into the city and visit her at the shop, she has her own private office.”

“I’d like that. I could do with some new dresses too,” she sounded happy at the thought.

Always the same, Jake considered. Give women the chance to buy new clothes and they’re happy.

They arranged a time a couple of days hence when Jake knew Victoria would be there.

Jake was sitting in his office working his way through the usual pile of stuff that he didn’t need to. He glanced at his watch, just about time that Lady Beatrice would be visiting Victoria, he thought. He wondered for a moment whether he should go there, but then considered that he had briefed Victoria as fully as he could, and he was sure she would cope. He wondered idly whether she would seduce the young girl, he was fairly sure she had seduced Hermione but ... there was a knock on his door and Angelica came in.

“Sir Jacob, we have a problem. Captain Johnson has been injured and ‘Aurora’ is due to sail.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“Something fell on him and broke his leg. He’s been taken to the hospital to have it set, but we need a master for the ship.”

Jake thought a moment.

“I’ll do it myself,” he said.

“You, sir?”

“Did you not know? When Fitz took the exam for his master’s certificate, I did it at the same time. Although he was ex-navy, it isn’t the same thing. The navy trusted him with a frigate, but the Board of Trade didn’t trust him with ‘Moonfleet’!” and they may well have been right, Jake thought. “I, of course had the experience, so I thought it was a good idea. Now it seems it was. I could do with a few days away. When is she due to sail?”

“Within the hour, Capt’n,” Angelica grinned.

Jake returned the grin.

“Good, I’ll get home and change and pick up some gear. Make sure my good wishes reach George, and I’ll see him when I return.”

An hour later, with ‘Aurora’ singled up, a tug fussed alongside to pick up the tow, the final lines were cast off and they made their way to the lock. The mate, Sam Vimes, was at the helm. He looked at Jake dressed in pea jacket and cap and grinned.

“Welcome aboard, Capt’n Jake. Good to have you with us, sir.”

Jake returned the grin.

“Good to be here, Mr Vimes, though I’d prefer it if Captain Johnson hadn’t been hurt.”

“Old George’ll be alright, sir. Tough as old boots. An’ a fine seaman too!”

“Better than me, I’m sure,” Jake replied. “But we’ll manage.”

“We’ll do that, sir, we’ll do that.”

They went through the lock and down the river until they were cast off by the tug with no problems, and with hardly a word from Jake. The crew had done this dozens of times and knew the routine far better than Jake.

There were several passengers on deck watching the manoeuvres and Jake had recognised Hermione, but had no time to speak to her.

They took several long tacks until they could clear St Davids and head up the Irish sea to Dublin. When they were on the first tack Jake felt able to relax, and approached Hermione.

“Is it Miss Smith?” he asked with a grin.

“Not on this occasion, Jake,” she smiled. “I’m going to visit family. I didn’t think you recognised me, or are you avoiding me?”

“Nothing of the sort, I assure you. I may have looked as though I was doing nothing, but this is my first trip in charge. Captain Johnson was injured and I had to take over with little notice. Would that be the same family that Lady Beatrice was visiting?”

“As a matter of fact, yes.”

“And you are going to see if you can find out who...”

“Yes.”

Jake’s thought of ‘Oh dear, here we go again’ must have shown on his face.”

“There won’t be any problems, Jake, I’ll just snoop about a bit, see what I can see.”

And that, Jake thought, is how you get into trouble, but he said nothing.

“I haven’t seen you to say how sorry I was to hear about Millie.”

“Thank you. It has been remarked upon that these things seem to happen to me, Caroline, Millie ... so you take great care, I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you too.”

Jake turned and left her rather than let her see his emotions. Hermione looked after him thoughtfully.

They arrived in Dublin on time and the passengers disembarked. Before she went Jake stopped Hermione and obtained the address she was going to. He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a cloth wrapped object which he pressed into her hand.

“It’s loaded and primed,” he said.

“Your Derringer?”

“Yes. Don’t hesitate to use it.”

“Thank you. It should fit in the top of my boot.”

Jake left the unloading to Sam Vimes, and went off to see his contacts. Having done that he took a cab to the barracks where he asked for Captain Cockburn.

“Major now, sir,” said the guard captain, and provided an escort.

They found the Major in the officers mess.

“Sir Jacob! Good to see you again,” exclaimed Cockburn.

“And congratulations are due, I see,” said Jake.

They shook hands.

“Pleased as I am to see you, I’m sure this isn’t entirely a social call,” said Major Cockburn.

“I have to admit that it isn’t. I’m sure I have a job that will suit you, but I think we may have to get higher approval,” said Jake, and gave him a brief outline of what he wanted.

“Colonel Cadogan to start with, I think,” said Cockburn. “Let’s go and see him.”

“So,” said Colonel Cadogan when Jake had finished his explanation of what he wanted. “Lady Russington, Lord Kingswood’s niece, is going to visit the house where Lady Beatrice was kidnapped from, she’s well, I trust?” Jake nodded. “Armed only with a Derringer, and one you pressed on her at that, and you would like us to increase the patrols in a ring around that house in case she gets kidnapped?”

“Yes, that’s it,” said Jake.

“Plucky girl,” said the colonel. “Foolhardy might be more accurate, but I think we can manage some help. Can you get it organised Major Cockburn, work with Sir Jacob?”