Page 46 of Miss Whittier Makes a List
He threw back his head and laughed, and it was the most extraordinary laugh Hannah had ever heard, high-pitched and somewhat horselike itself.Copenhagentossed his mane at the sound as though horse and master shared a conspiracy.
“My dear, I am sure he will dry,”saidWellington.“Now tell me what is troubling you.”
Adam tugged at herarm.“Hannah, thee cannot bother this gentleman!”
She shrugged off his hand.“Sir, I am perplexed at how difficult it is to do a good deed for the British.”
Wellingtontook off his gloves.“Idid not know it was so hard, my dear.”
“It’s no wonder thee lost the War forIndependence,”she continued steadily, ignoring Adam, who had thrown up his hands and stalked up the steps to sit behind them, his head in his hands.“AllI have been trying to do is help Captain Sir Daniel Spark—do you know him, sir?—get a dispatch from a French ship toLondon, and I am scotched at everyturn.”
Wellingtonabsorbed this bit of information without a blink.“I know the Spark family. Does he not command a commerce raider?”
“He did, but itsank in the harbor onTerceira. And now he has been sent toLondonfor a court martial, and I still have the dispatch. He needs me, sir.”
He looked at her.“I don’t doubt that for a moment, Miss...Whittier, did you say? And are you a Quaker, miss?”
“I think I am,”she replied, some doubt in her voice,“although I have notbeenacting precisely as a Quaker should lately. I mean, I’d like to murder the Lords of the Admiralty for being so pigheaded about this court martial. I mean, couldn’t it wait?”
Wellingtonlaughed again.“I am sure you are not alone in your wish to see the First Lords to Hades,my dear. Show me the dispatch.”
She took it from the front of her dress, but did not hold it out to him.“See here, sir, can I trust thee?”she asked.
One of the British officers standing close by laughed.‘That’s enough, Beresford.”the viscount murmured.“Obviously this little lady has been through a few trials for this dispatch.”
“Oh, we have, sir,”she agreed.“More than thee knows.”She hesitated another moment, then held it out to him.
“You can safely assume that I have the good ofEnglandin mind, MissWhittier,”Wellingtonsaid as his hand closed over the dispatch.We are waging a lonely battle against the Corsican tyrant, and we have few friends in the world. Unfortunately, your nation is not among them. Perhaps I should be suspicious of you?”
She turned shocked eyes on him, and then smiled to see that he was grinning at her.“Thee is a dreadful tease, sir,”she said, to the silent enjoyment of the officers around the viscount.“Go ahead and read it.”
He did, leaning back on the step and propping himself up with his elbow. She could see how tired he was and could only wonder at the terrible responsibility he shouldered. And now he is digging trenches around this city,and I am bothering him with one more little detail.
He looked up halfway through the dispatch and motioned to one of his officers to sit beside and read, too.“My God, sir,”said the officer,his voice low, as he scanned the closely written page. They continued reading in silence, thenWellingtonfolded the dispatch and handed it back.
“Yes, you do have to get toLondon. Miss Whittier,”he said after another moment’s reflection.“And promptly, too. Beresford, what do you know of theNavy? Are not court martials atthe Admiralty conducted the last week of each month?”
“I believe so, my lord,”the officer said.“That would give her two weeks, wouldn’t it?”
Wellingtonnodded.“My dear, do you have any objections to a prompt removal fromLisbon?”
“The more prompt, the better,”she replied.“We had to climb out of a second-story window at the American consulate this morning to get here, and I do not think the consul will want to see us again in this life.spa
The viscount winced.“To the contrary, I strongly suspect he will be looking for you.”
“I should think he would be glad to be rid of her, sir.”Adam spoke up then, coming closer to the steps.“I am Adam Winslow. Hannah and I have known each other forever, and I was impressed from my ship by Captain Spark.”
“Worse and worse,”murmuredWellington.“And still you wish to help him?”
“No, I don’t.”Adam said bluntly.“But Hannah won’t let it alone until she does, and believe me, thee doesn’t wish to be nibbled to death by this particular duck.”
“Adam!”she exclaimed as the viscount laughed again.“He will think I am a pest.”
“Thee is.”
They glowered at each other.Wellingtonshook his head.“Temper, temper,”he said, and got to his feet. He pulled up Hannah after him.“My dear, I know I can get you on board a fast packet toPortsmouth, if you don’t object to a bit of subterfuge.”
“Sir, I am well acquainted with subterfuge by now. Haven’t I been in close company with theRoyalNavy these six weeks and more?”
