Page 77 of The Gift of Patience
“He must have realized I’ve returned.” She cast an apologetic glance at Westwood.
“Is that your dog, miss?”
Patience looked to Westwood, who gave his assent. She walked over and opened the door, and Xander ran in and circled her excitedly. Once he had calmed down, she showed Billy how to hold out his hands and let Xander sniff before he petted him.
Westwood stood from the desk. “I need to find a place for you tonight, Billy. I am going to speak to Chauncy, perhaps he can stay with Peter and the others,” he said to Patience. That seemed like a good plan. The boy certainly did not seem like a threat, especially as she heard him giggle when Xander licked him, and she hoped Westwood would not feel compelled to lock him up. He had come there of his own free will. How did a man with Devil’s reputation wind up with a son like this?
“Do you often work for your father, Billy?” Patience could not help but ask.
He shook his head. “Everyfin’ changed when me mum died last year. Pa ’as always worked near the docks, and sometimes there would be jobs ’e’d take me along on when they needed more ’ands to move cargo if it were small enough.” He looked down with shame, as though it was an immortal failure not to be big and strong yet.
Patience remained quiet, hoping he would continue to chat.
“A few months ago, ’E got this big offer and said we were goin’ to be rich and move from Lunnon. It was too far, so ’e brought me along with ’im.”
“What kind of jobs did you do?”
“Sometimes I moved cargo, but mostly I was a lookout.” He was petting Xander, who had now decided the boy was friendly enough that he could roll over on his back. Billy knelt down and continued petting the shameless pup. “This job were different.”
“What did you do with the cargo once you had it?”
“Sometimes it were loaded straight onto a cart, and sometimes onto a boat.”
Patience nodded, but that was not the information she needed. Where else would they load it? She had to think of a way to ask the question differently. “Did you ever see or hear what happened to the cargo after you moved it?”
“Not really. ’Cept with the last one, it ’ad to be ’eld till the coast were clear, they said.”
“Is it still being held somewhere?”
“I couldn’t say. We stuffed it in some fancy ship.”
Patience could barely contain her excitement at finally discovering something, even if the likelihood that the ship with the stolen arms was long gone.
“Do you know anything about what you’ve been waiting for this time?”
“Only that it were the big job. The one wot would make us rich.”
She could see he was growing tired of all the questions. She would have to try again later.
Peter returned and looked with a bit of trepidation at the boy. “Miss, his lordship has asked me to look out for Billy. Maybe have him help me with my chores.”
Patience looked at Billy, who looked as though he could not believe his good fortune. He looked at her for approval.
“I think that is a fine idea. You will be safe with Peter. We will let you know if we have any further questions.”
As Patience left the stables, Xander on her heels, Major Stuart rode up on Caesar. Both males were magnificent specimens, but the two of them together in motion was something otherworldly to witness. She waited for him to come to her as she wondered at her reaction to the man.
He tipped his hat to her and smiled.
“Major Stuart.” She curtsied. “Returning alone?”
“Did Carew not arrive earlier with messages?” He looked concerned.
“He may have. Westwood and I called on Sir Horace, and we had a surprise visitor that I have been in the stables with until now.”
“Oh?” He slid down from his mount.
“Devil’s son, Billy. We found him near the gates as we were returning. It seems he ran away and wanted to beg Westwood’s mercy to let him be with his father.”
