Chapter 52
The two men stood in the street, looking up at the faded and chipped sign of The Ship Inn.
Kit sighed deeply. ‘I never thought I would see it again.’
Kit pushed open the door, which creaked on its hinges. At this hour of the day there were few patrons, and a boy engaged in scrubbing one of the battered tables straightened. ‘What can I do for you, sirs —’ He broke off. ‘Cap’n! You came back. I thought you’d forgotten me.’
Daniel smiled at young Matt. ‘I promised I would, but look at you. I hardly recognize you.’
In truth, the boy seemed to have grown a foot in the time since Daniel had left him, and no longer had the lean, hungry look of a street urchin. He looked clean, well fed and quite presentable.
‘I’ll get Nan.’ The boy scampered into the rooms beyond the taproom, returning with not only Nan but her brother, Jem Marsh.
Nan shrieked at the sight of Kit and threw herself into his arms, a reaction that seemed so completely out of character that Daniel gave his brother a quizzical glance.
‘Kit Lovell.’ Jem Marsh, grinning broadly, pumped his hand. ‘Ye look well, and you, young Daniel. What brings you back to London?’
‘I had made the boy a promise and I came to keep it. If you still want to come with me, you can, Matt.’
Matt moved to stand between Nan and Jem. ‘If it’s all the same to you, Cap’n,’ he said, ‘I’d rather stay here. Nan and Jem need me.’
Jem placed a fatherly hand on the boy’s shoulder. ‘He’s a good lad, this one,’ he said. ‘Hard worker but willin’ to learn.’
‘I’ve been goin’ to the dame school and learnin’ to read and write,’ Matt said and lowered his eyes. ‘And I have a name now.’
‘Matthew Marsh,’ Nan said. ‘Didn’t seem proper, the boy not belongin’ somewhere. Had him baptized and everything. Now, how’s about a drink for old times?’
Kit and Daniel rolled back to the Blue Boar several hours later to find a sober and mildly annoyed Jonathan waiting for them in the private parlour. Two other men rose from their seats and Daniel sobered immediately, recognizing one as Giles Longley.
Kit launched himself at Giles, flinging his arms around him. ‘Longley,’ he slurred. ‘We are together again. The guardians of the Crown.’
‘Quite,’ Giles remarked, disengaging himself. ‘Good to see you, Lovell … Lovells, both. May I present John Mordaunt?’
Kit straightened. ‘Ah yes, I remember you now. Spotty youth.’
Mordaunt flushed. ‘That was a long time ago.’ He frowned. ‘Aren’t you supposed to be dead?’
Kit thought for a moment. ‘Indeed,’ he agreed. ‘Quite dead.’
‘Our orders are to consign the packages to Lord Mordaunt,’ Jonathan said.
‘Lord Mordaunt?’ Kit said. ‘My, you have done well.’
‘His Majesty bestowed the honour on me back in July,’ Mordaunt preened.
‘And look how well that turned out,’ Kit said drily. ‘How many men turned up for your little uprising, Mordaunt?’
Mordaunt mumbled something under his breath.
‘Thirty,’ Kit said. ‘The broadsheets had fun with that one. Very well, Mordaunt, the gold is yours. Use it wisely.’
Mordaunt scowled. ‘I am to pass it on to Jack Grenville,’ he said.
‘Good old Jack,’ Kit said. ‘Do give him … on second thoughts, don’t. I’m dead, and he may think you are receiving messages from beyond the grave.’
Mordaunt glanced at Jonathan, who shrugged. ‘Take the gold, Mordaunt,’ he said. ‘We are pleased to be rid of it.’
They waited until Mordaunt carrying the heavy satchels had left the room before sitting down. Daniel poured them all wine.
‘I hear congratulations are in order, Lovell,’ Giles said, raising his cup to Daniel.
Daniel thanked him. ‘Are you returning with us?’
Giles nodded. ‘Yes. Time for the exiles to return, I think, but before I do, the King promised you his favour if you retrieved the gold. What are you after?’
Daniel stared into the ruby depths of his cup and considered for a long moment. ‘I no longer need a pardon for myself,’ he said, ‘and I do not believe my lands were sequestered.’ He glanced at Kit. ‘I seek a pardon for my brother.’
Giles raised an eyebrow. ‘From which particular crime? There will be a general pardon for all those who died in service to the King, but as for the other… damn it, Lovell, you were an agent of Cromwell’s. Good men died.’
Kit, suddenly sober, sighed heavily. ‘I had my reasons.’
Giles waved a hand. ‘You can tell them to the King. Is there anything else?’
‘Yes. I am to marry Agnes Fletcher. I want both of us to be granted the custody and guardianship of the young Earl of Elmhurst and his sister until he is of age, along with his property.’
‘That can be done,’ Giles said. ‘Jonathan has appraised me of the situation there. I believe Ashby is now on the Continent and is hardly a fit person to be the child’s custodian. Is that all?’
Daniel nodded. ‘That is enough.’
‘Good,’ Giles grinned and raised a glass. ‘To the return of the exiles.’