Page 70 of A Scandalous Proposition
Damn it all, let Dawson make landfall soon.
*
Adam’s wish was granted the next afternoon. He received notice from Lord Madison that Dawson’s frigate had been sighted making for Langstone Harbour. He had chosen his landing ground well. The bay was inaccessible to those who had no business there, especially at low tide, when a long stretch of mud flats separated dry land from the sea. High tide was at midnight tomorrow, which was undoubtedly when Dawson would land his cargo of refugees.
He called at the dower house that afternoon and informed his mother and Florentina that the waiting had come to an end. Florentina was still implacably determined to accompany him.
‘I will collect you at ten o’clock,’ he said to her. ‘Be ready to leave then.’
They set out on time. Adam rode Rochester, and Florentina, dressed in male clothing, was astride a spirited chestnut gelding. Lord Madison and just one of his men rode with them. The others had been sent ahead to reconnoitre.
‘They have taken two barouches for transporting the refugees,’ Madison explained. ‘They will be easier to conceal than something more commodious.’
They travelled swiftly and mostly in silence, grim determination and a joint sense of purpose replacing any need for conversation. Tonight the moon played them false. There was heavy cloud cover, making visibility difficult, and rain threatened.
By the time they reached Langstone Harbour, the first heavy drops were falling and there was a low rumble of thunder in the distance. Adam and Florentina dismounted. He pulled her cap low over her eyes and lifted the hood of her cloak to protect her from the worst of the elements. And to disguise the long strands of her hair already escaping, framing her face like a soggy curtain as rainwater dripped from their ends.
Lord Madison’s man reported thatThe Albatrosshad dropped anchor an hour earlier but so far no one had attempted to row to shore.
‘The tide is not quite full,’ Adam said. ‘They will wait at least another half hour and so must we.’
‘Reynolds is not yet here either,’ Lord Madison observed. ‘I doubt if Dawson will risk making shore until he knows he’s in place. He can’t afford any delays.’
‘Keep a sharp lookout and let us know the moment he approaches,’ Adam said to Madison’s man.
‘Aye, m’lord.’ The man doffed his cap and disappeared into the night.
Adam and Florentina settled down to wait in the lee of the dunes, a little apart from Lord Madison. Florentina shivered so Adam drew her close, thinking the rain must be penetrating her clothing. She shook her head when he asked her about it.
‘No, it’s not that.’ She glanced over her shoulder for what must have been the twentieth time. ‘It’s just that I have that feeling again. The one I experienced at the Court when I thought I was being watched.’
‘Madison has his men all over the area, so it’s not to be wondered at.’
‘Yes, perhaps that’s all it is.’
But she didn’t sound convinced. Adam cursed his stupidity in allowing her to accompany them. He had known all along that it was a bad idea and he should have stood firm. He didn’t like seeing her so agitated and was more concerned with offering her comfort than with the operation in hand. Knowing that was a fundamental mistake, he made do with squeezing her hand and disciplined himself to focus.
It was raining very hard and by the time a signal flashed fromThe Albatross,the wind had whipped the sea into a maelstrom of frothy white caps.
‘At last!’ Adam released Florentina and stood ready for action, cursing when a response to the signal emanated from a spot a half mile farther along the cove. ‘Damn, we’re in the wrong place!’
‘Aye, that we are.’ Lord Madison strode beside Adam as they headed for their horses. ‘No wonder we saw no sign of Reynolds. This is the obvious landing spot but they’re being cautious.’
‘They were expecting us, you mean?’
‘It looks that way. The next cove along is full of rocks. Dawson must be very sure of a safe passage ashore, especially in this weather.’
‘Reynolds must have got to the alternative landing place by taking that small track we dismissed as being too narrow for a carriage.’ Adam was annoyed with himself, aware that he wouldn’t have overlooked that possibility if he’d not been so concerned about Florentina.
They rode part of the way to the next cove but couldn’t risk getting too close. They had lost the advantage of surprise and must now waste valuable time creeping up behind Reynolds and his accomplices. That wouldn’t be so easy to achieve since they were obviously expected.
‘Stay here,’ he said to Florentina in a firm tone. ‘Conceal yourself behind the trees and we will come for you when the danger is over.’
Florentina looked at him with a scornful expression. ‘Absolutely not! I haven’t come all this way merely to be a spectator. I stay with you.’
Adam didn’t have time to argue with her. ‘All right, but keep back and do exactly as I say.’ He fixed her with a stern gaze. ‘I can no longer anticipate what will happen.’
She nodded. ‘I will not be a burden.’
