Back in the Office Tuesday Afternoon

[Charles Whitehurst]

Somerset Palace

Located off the Strand yet still with River frontage is Somerset Palace. Once a Royal Residence it had changed ownership several times and as currently being used by it's Steward Lord Langdon, as his headquarters for the London Law enforcement regiment.  Captain Trentmont is in charge of the day to days.

What a day.  A  murder of a Dutch spy on Monday.  Plans to chase a Savoyard potential assassin, an interview with the Duke of York in the morning, following a tearful moment with Darlene at his front door.  After reporting to York, he reported to Davina, who had sent an urgent summons to him the night before.  

When he had arrived at Davina's quarters mere hours before, she seemed odd.  She claimed the summons had been in mistake.  He knew her well enough to judge that she was acting peculiar.  He was beginning to think she was gravely ill but was avoiding saying it.  Rather, she tested whether he still felt passion for her, only to dissmiss him completely shortly thereafter.  To him it was the actions of a dying woman -- hiding the illness but wanting reassurance that he still cared for her before apologizing and saying goodbye.  Moreover, she was kind to him and wished him well.  That was not the kind of actions a healthy jilted lover might feel, was it?  He was worried about her on his ride over to the Palace.  Yet, serious business demanded that he lay those concerns to one side.  He had tried to help her and she had refused.

Once back in the office, he sent word to see if his brother Bradley was about.  His brother and another trooper had been assigned to find the Savoyards at nearby inns and taverns.  His brother's heart was not in the search, so there was little room for optimism.

He also summoned his Captain, Sam, to come report.  They had planned to confront the villain who sought the golden dagger, yet recent events had caused the timeline for action to be delayed a few days.  Now, Charles was under some self-induced pressure to confront the man in his coach to learn of the fascination with the small blade.  Perhaps it would serve to distract him from other palace intrigues for a time.

[Aria]

Sam had heard about the murder yesterday and she figured that Charles would be too busy with a possible threat to the King’s life to confront the man who was so interested in the dagger that he had found in a secret room in the dungeons. She had become as caught up in the mystery as he, and was eager to find some answers. Though disappointed that the ambush would have to wait, there were plenty of things to keep her busy that day.

 

She was taking a break and sparring with Joost when Lord Langdon called for her. The redheaded boy, who was twelve years old, had grown a lot in the last few months and was nearly as tall as she was. He was also a natural at using a sword, though he had not yet progressed from wooden practice weapons. He was still keen to become a soldier when he was old enough. Sam thought that he would make a good one.

 

She had discovered something else about the two children Charles had brought to the palace last season. They spoke in another language to each other when they were alone. She was not good at identifying foreign languages and both Joost and Trijntje ran off when she asked them about it.  Perhaps she should mention it to Lord Langdon.

 

Stepping into his office, she saluted smartly, trying to ignore the way her heart skipped a beat when she looked upon his handsome countenance. “You wished to see me, my lord?”

[Charles Whitehurst]

Despite the tension over the many security plots at court, Charles managed a smile and a return salute when Sam entered.  Inviting her to be at ease in his presence, he invited Sam to join him at his window overlooking the Thames.  The city had few places that were calming, but the river seemed to have that effect with him.  Likewise, he could observe the bustle of the city from a perch above it.  That appealed to his desire to be in control of the situation.

The Colonel gave her a report of the murder of the potential Dutch spy in the garden and how he had failed to apprehend the man or men.  Despite his passion for pursuit, he was at wits end how to proceed to find the men who had killed the Dutchman or German, having judged the victim to be one or the other.  There seemed to be few ideas to find the phantom killer.

There was also a report on Bradley's efforts to find the Savoyards.  Little progress had been made, but the Duke of York had been warned, as had the gentlemen around him.  That would make an attempt all the more difficult.  In the meantime, there would be a search of the inns in the area for the so-called chicken merchants.

Finally, it came to the golden dagger victim.  "I am inclined to ambush him tomorrow morning but I am concerned that I am accused of ignoring threats to the royal family to chase some personal matter," he told his captain.  It had been gnawing at him how he might explain the arrest or attack against the man.  "Maybe we could link him to one of the two plots?" he wondered aloud.  This was dangerous territory, but he trusted Sam completely. 

[Aria]

Sam was an expert at hiding her feelings. She had been masquerading as a man for years and nobody suspected that she was female. And so it was easy to conceal her eagerness when Lord Langdon invited her to stand at the window with him. The view of the Thames was quite lovely with the sun sparkling on the water. She had never thought of the river in pleasant terms, for she had seen foul things, including dead bodies, floating on its surface, and the stench was quite deplorable. Luckily, the glass kept the odor from seeping in.

 

She listened as he gave her report of recent events, including what he knew about the murder while reveling in the warmth of his presence beside her. Sam knew Charles well and understood his frustration at his inability to locate the killer. The man had probably been a professional assassin if he had covered his tracks so well. That didn’t mean he couldn’t be caught. It just meant that they would have to be clever about it.

 

He wanted to ambush Lewin tomorrow morning, but he was concerned about pursuing a personal matter when the royal family might be in danger. His sense of duty had always been firm and unwavering. It was one of the things she liked about him. Some of the soldiers she worked with did they were told and nothing more. Lord Langdon went the extra mile. Even if he had not been born into privilege, he would have moved up the ladder to a position of authority anyway.

 

Sam mused thoughtfully over his suggestion. “It is not impossible. He has used nefarious means to get to that dagger. He’s a crook and he probably knows other criminals. Perhaps he associates with spies and assassins. Maybe that’s why he is so secretive. He could be acquainted with somebody involved in either plot. It would not be out of place to question him.”

[Charles Whitehurst]

Sam was a loyal and true friend to Charles.  He felt likewise.  She had seen his question through the lens of duty and honor, two traits they both shared.  Yet, what Langdon was asking, albeit cryptically, was whether they might manufacture some evidence that could justify their move against Lewin as a step to protect either the King or the Duke of York.  It was the sort of question an honest person asks only hypothetically and to his closest friends.  The fact that she did not understand the depth of his question was to be expected.  Surely he was not suggesting something nefarious.  It was not his way.  It made him hesitant to explain further, so he thought carefully for a time as he considered his next words.  His eyes followed a waterman's ferry in the Thames as he thought.

"We may have to kill Lewin or imprison him," Charles offered softly.  "Such actions will require explanation."  He considered likely outcomes in his mind.  "I cannot very well explain that I was avenging a murdered ghost or protecting a dagger I found from theft, the latter being the only sane explanation, without a reason why I was focused on such a trivial affair."  In the caste society of England, the fact that he was an earl and a commander in the King's Life Guard would shield him from judicial action, but he worried how it might impact the King's confidence in him.  That was more important than stopping Lewin.

"As much as I hate it, I wonder whether we could find something, anything, that could either link Lewin to the Savoyards or to some other plot against the King.  Though I have reason to believe his men trespassed in palace secret corridors, I cannot prove it.  That alone might justify his arrest as a matter of royal security.  I need something, even the flimsiest evidence that this Master Lewin is a threat to the Crown.  I suppose we could ask the servants again," he offered without much thought.  "Perhaps the two children might be able to muster something.  I do not wish to confront Lewin until I have something in writing that he is acting in some criminal activity that warrants the Lifeguard, or the Langdon Regiment, to arrest him.  I confess Sam that I am in something of a blind alley here and the freedom we enjoy normally is restricted because of the palace murder and the plot against York."  He turned to his side to look at her face.  "It is frustrating," he admitted.  He was the sort of young man that would prefer to kick open a door and then battle villains hand to hand.

"I think we should hold off Lewin until we have something to justify our actions, as much as it pains me to say.  In the interim, I fear he may flee.  Each day we wait is a good chance that he will escape our net.  Any ideas?"

 

[Aria]

Sam understood his concerns. If the King was not in danger, then Charles would be free to pursue a personal matter while off-duty. Now, though, his obligation was to make certain that the murderer was caught and locked away.  She also understood how dedicated he was to the King’s service and that he would never shirk his responsibilities for any reason whatsoever. It was definitely possible that the monarch had been the assassin’s true target and that the victim had stopped him at the expense of his own life. The King’s safety must be protected at all costs.

 

His dilemma was difficult to solve. Sam was pleased that he had shared the problem with her and asked for her advice. She was also sorry that she had misunderstood him. He wanted to link Lewin to a plot against the King. When he turned and looked her in the eyes, she met his gaze. A frown creased her forehead. “It will be tricky, as he has shown no animosity toward the crown. It seems that he is interested in the dagger for reasons of his own. But he could just as easily be involved in either plot. His obsession with the dagger may jut be a ploy to distract you. Or he plans to use it against the King.”

 

She sighed. “There are so many things we do not know. I agree that he can’t be accused without solid proof. If it turns out that he is innocent, then you will lose credibility. If he was in those secret passages, he could be a threat to the King. I don’t know them well, but there might be a door that leads into the King’s apartments or those of York. He could even be the assassin himself. I don’t think he’ll flee. He wants the dagger. Even if he does elude us now, he’ll be back for it.”

 

Charles’ frustration was almost palpable and Sam’s heart went out to him. She wished she could reach out and take his hand, but she did not dare. “I don’t think the servants know more than they have already told us. The children might. Trijntje told me that she sneaked into his house more than once when she rode beneath the seat of the coachman who took him home. I also know that the she and her brother speak a foreign language when they’re alone together. I can’t recognize it and they run off when I ask them about it.  Perhaps they would be more likely to talk to you.”

 

Sam tilted her head to the side as an idea popped into her mind. “You need proof to arrest Lewin, but not to suspect him. We know he’s hiding something and that he was probably in those passageways. Would not suspicion itself warrant an investigation? No stone should be left unturned when the King’s life is in peril.”

[Charles Whitehurst]

?Blazing cannons," Charles muttered in frustration.  There were no good choices.  They could delay the confrontation and run the risk that Lewin escaped.  Thety could confront him and arrest him without evidence other than that of a ghost.  They could confront him and kill him, again without evidence enough to satisfy suspicions.  Though he was an earl and the King's officer, there were some limits on his power.  There was no connection with a threat upon the King's life other than that which they could fabricate.

"Let us wait a day or two, for the palace security to return to normal and then we confront him," Charles concluded.  It was a way to protect himself against accusations of dereliction of duty to chase other villains.  Perhaps another visit to the ghost was in order.  Why was Lewin so interested in the dagger?

[Aria]

Sam was as eager as Charles to discover why Lewin was so determined to get his hands on the dagger. She thought about suggesting that she confront him herself with a couple of the men as backup, but she knew that he was too much of a gentleman to allow that. If he still believed that she was a man, he might have agreed. He would never put a woman in danger, even though said woman was as capable a soldier as the men under his command and knew how to take care of herself.

 

“An excellent suggestion, my lord,” she concurred. He said nothing about the children. That was a mystery she would have to solve on her own.

 

“I’m very curious about the secret room you found the dagger in.” She smiled up at Charles. “You did promise to show it to me.”

[Charles Whitehurst]

As for the children, Charles had assumed they were foreign in someway.  Their names sounded Dutch or perhaps Nordic.   Those people adopted curious names with curious pronunciations, at least as far as Charles was concerned.  There were greater mysteries to solve.  His approach would have been simply to ask them about their nationality.

"Yes, it is high time that you saw the secret room," he agreed.  He trusted Sam completely and he suspected that she would always question his sanity or sobriety unless he showed her reliable evidence.  He could have her speak with Susan Herbert, but Charles thought it best to protect Susan's role.  "Shall we go tomorrow at the Witching Hour?"  

[Aria]

At first, Sam had thought that Charles was only teasing about the secret room and the skeleton. She had heard that he liked to frighten ladies with his scary stories and practical jokes. But she was no lady, and had seen things that would cause most ladies to faint. She wasn’t even certain that Charles saw her as a woman. Sometimes she wished she could tell him the truth about the tryst at Newmarket, but she was afraid that it would ruin their friendship. He might feel betrayed or used, perhaps to the point that he would either have her reassigned or tossed out for impersonating a man. She didn’t regret what she had done, though. No, she would always savor that experience, even if it was destined never to happen again.

 

Now she believed that he was telling the truth about where he had  found the dagger.. It wasn’t impossible that a secret room ... or several of them ... existed in the passageways below the palace, and somebody could have been murdered there and left to rot for a century. Sam wondered how Charles had found the room, but that was something to ask him when they got there. As for the ghost, she was absolutely certain he was either teasing her or he had stumbled upon the room when he was drunk. If an inebriated Life Guard didn't want to be see until he sobered up, the passageways were a good place to hide.  She didn't think that he was a sot, but she imagined all nobles drank too much occasionally at all those balls they attended.

 

“The witching hour?” she asked, a playful tone to her voice. “That’s fine with me. Are you hoping that your ghost might make an appearance if we show up at midnight?”