“What does the Thorn want with me, Monsieur Russo?” Stephano asked.
“You and Monsieur de Villeneuve performed a valuable service to your king last night, Captain de Guichen,” said Russo, picking up the letter and returning it to his coat pocket. “I came to thank you.”
“I didn’t know I was helping the king,” said Stephano. “Otherwise I wouldn’t have.”
Monsieur Russo smiled. “Your mother told me you might be difficult.”
Stephano flushed in anger and rose to his feet. “If that is all you have to say, Monsieur…”
“You will be interested to know that I have in my care a certain missing journeyman,” said Russo.
Stephano shrugged. “Good for you. What has that to do with me?”
Monsieur Russo glanced around the boat, then said quietly, “Is the name Henry Wallace familiar to you?”
“I’ve heard of him,” said Stephano, shooting Rodrigo a warning look, ordering him to keep his mouth shut.
“Your mother told you about him, I assume.”
Stephano shook his head. “I’ve heard his name bandied about town.”
“I very much doubt that,” said Monsieur Russo with a dry chuckle. He grew serious, his face shadowed. “Henry Wallace is a dangerous foe. He is the man who kidnapped Alcazar. Two days ago, I managed to free Pietro Alcazar from Wallace’s clutches. Alcazar’s brother, Manuel, is a merchant seaman. We were to sail on his ship, the Silver Raven, last night. As we left the hotel, Wallace’s bully boys tried to grab Alcazar. You and Monsieur de Villeneuve thwarted that attempt.”
Rodrigo was bewildered. “Excuse me, sir, I don’t understand. We saved you and a lady-”
He stopped talking and stared, aghast. “No! Don’t tell me! That beautiful creature! I held her in my arms…” Rodrigo paused, then added, “I did think the dear girl weighed rather a lot…”
Dag, who wasn’t supposed to be listening, was seized with a violent fit of coughing. He turned his back to them, his shoulders shaking. Stephano ran his hand over his mouth and rubbed his chin to hide his grin.
Monsieur Russo frowned at them both. “This is not a matter for levity, gentlemen.”
“So you managed to escape from Wallace with our help,” said Stephano, regaining control of himself. “What happened? Why didn’t you leave Westfirth?”
“The closing of the port, of course,” said Russo impatiently, annoyed by the question. “You do know the port was closed, don’t you, Captain?”
Rodrigo was saying sadly, “I can’t believe it. The woman of my dreams is a man.”
At this, Stephano feared Dag was going to rupture something and he said hastily, “Just because the port is closed doesn’t mean you and Alcazar can’t leave Westfirth. You could travel overland to reach Evreux.”
“We could… if we were going to Evreux,” said Russo.
“Where are you taking Alcazar?”
“Somewhere safe,” said Russo evasively. “You do not need to concern yourself with our destination, Captain. The less you know, the better.”
“So how can I help you?” Stephano asked. “In case I am inclined to help you. Which at the moment, I’m not.”
“Alcazar is in a secure location being guarded by two of my agents.” Russo said, then shrugged. “Or at least I thought the location was secure. Last night, I caught sight of one of Wallace’s agents outside the house. This morning, I saw several more. We are surrounded. I need you to draw off Wallace’s men, while I take Alcazar to safety.”
“Where is Wallace?”
“I have no idea,” said Russo. “If I had to guess, I would say he is no longer in Westfirth. I received a report that an attempt was made on his life yesterday.”
Stephano exchanged glances with Rodrigo. This much of the man’s story was true.
“Then who is watching you?” Rodrigo asked.
“One of Wallace’s best men-a pudgy, nondescript little fellow. He goes by the name of Dubois. Do you know the name?” Russo asked casually.
“No, Monsieur,” said Stephano. “Should I?”
“I thought perhaps your mother might have mentioned him,” said Russo.
“My mother doesn’t tend to confide in me,” said Stephano dryly.
“You saw Dubois, though you probably didn’t notice him. He was in the cafe when you killed another of Wallace’s agents, a man named James Harrington. You knew him as Sir Richard Piefer-”
“Good God!” Stephano exclaimed, astonished. “I remember. The pudgy fellow I took for a clerk. He ran over to see if Harrington was dead.”
Stephano eyed Russo. “But if that was this Dubois, he told me I had ruined his chance of finding Wallace…”
“Ah, he is clever, our little Dubois. He would say that to throw you off the trail.”
Stephano sat for a moment thinking this through, trying to sort out the tangle in which no one was who he-or she-claimed to be. “If this Dubois knows where you have Alcazar, why doesn’t he try to abduct him again?”
“He will-tonight,” said Russo. “He wouldn’t dare attempt to drag a lady out of a respectable house on a well-traveled street during the day. The neighbors would call the constables, all very messy.”
“How many men does Dubois have?”
Russo shrugged. “Ten or so. Maybe more.”
“Ten!” Stephano repeated and then he laughed. “You have a high opinion of me and my comrades, Monsieur. We are good, but not that good.”
“I’m not permitted to handle firearms,” said Rodrigo by way of explanation.
“I suggest you enlist the aid of the Constabulary,” said Russo. “Show them this document. I will leave it with you.” He handed over the letter sealed with the King’s Rose.
“You could show them the document,” said Stephano. “Commandeer a vessel and tell them to sail you and Alcazar to wherever you want to go. You’re on the king’s business.”
Russo quirked an eyebrow and smiled and adjusted his cravat. He appeared slightly embarrassed.
“He can’t,” said Rodrigo in sudden understanding. “Because the king doesn’t know it’s his business. His Majesty doesn’t know Alcazar was kidnapped.”
“His Majesty has so many cares,” said Russo gravely. “Your mother believes we should not add to them. This letter will be enough to convince the head of the Constabulary that you require his assistance. That and the name of Lord Captain de Guichen, son of the Countess de Marjolaine.”
“You mean my mother’s name will convince them to act,” said Stephano coldly.
“Your mother is held in high esteem throughout the world, Captain,” said Russo.
Stephano was about to make some scathing remark when the door opened and Miri walked out onto deck. She came over to Stephano and dug her nails into his shoulder, his sore shoulder.
“I don’t trust this man,” she said coolly. “He knows too much about us.”
“I agree,” said Stephano. He eyed Russo. “I want to see Alcazar.”
“Out of the question,” said Russo shortly.
“I see Alcazar or no deal,” said Stephano.
Russo fixed Stephano with a cold and glittering gaze. “You are being asked to perform this service by your king, Captain.”
“Piss on my king!” said Stephano angrily. “Do we have a deal or not, Monsieur?”
“Dubois knows you-”
“He knows you and you came here without being seen. At least, I assume you weren’t followed.”
Russo gave a faint smile. “No, Captain, I was not followed.” He sat frowning, his hand absently tapping the king’s letter. Then he said abruptly, “Very well. I will take you to Alcazar.”
“You’re certain he’s a man? Not a woman?” Rodrigo asked plaintively. “A lovely woman, if a trifle on the hefty side?”
“Quite certain,” said Russo.
Rodrigo gave a heartfelt sigh. This was too much for Dag, who burst out with a roar of laughter.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
To the unrefined or underbred, the visiting card is but a trifling and insignificant bit of paper; but to the cultured disciple of social law, it conveys a subtle and unmistakable intelligence.