Chapter 14

14

God almighty.

Striding across the expansive square in front of the Admiralty, he glared at Calliope hurrying towards the entrance from the opposite corner, matching his pace and determination. All the while, his fists rhythmically clenched and unclenched.

“Calliope,” he rasped when she was less than twenty feet away from him. “I told you to stay at home.”

“And I told you I want information,” she retorted, her green skirts tangling and highlighting the form of her long, sculpted legs. Legs he could have had wrapped around his waist last might. “Clearly, you’re unable to move fast enough to get what we need. So I’ll follow the ancient wisdom. If you want something to be done well, do it yourself.”

They came together ten feet from the stairs leading up to the Admiralty, glaring at each other. Her auburn locks were playing in the wind. He could see the ovals of her breasts moving up and down as she breathed hard.

“If you think you’ll take one step inside,” he spat, “you’re sorely mistaken.”

He turned and walked towards the building, then climbed the stairs, taking two steps at a time.

“If you think I’ll stay out,” she cried after him as her heels clicked against the stones, “it’s you who are mistaken.”

He walked to one of the two officers standing guard, both of whom stared at Calliope and him with wide eyes.

“Do not let her in, either of you,” he barked. “Under no circumstances is she allowed in.”

“Yes, sir.” Both of them saluted him.

He walked into the darkness of the building and turned, watching with satisfaction how the two men stepped in front of Calliope, who stood shooting daggers at him.

“Nathaniel!” she yelled. “It’s not a game. My brother’s life is at stake!”

“I know that,” he retorted. “He’s missing, and you must stay out of this investigation or…or you may go missing, too. I will take care of everything.”

He then addressed the two officers again: “Do not let her in.”

Leaving her seething, he turned and passed through the wide hallway, his boots clicking against the polished marble floor. He was supposed to stay home today, for two weeks actually, for his honeymoon.

A honeymoon that would not be happening without him finding the information his wife needed.

He climbed the stairs to the first floor, then turned to the hallway leading to the Navy Board. He found the Navy Pay Office.

The room was big enough to fit six massive wooden desks and the clerks who sat hunched over them. Polished oak-paneled walls gleamed beneath the flicker of oil lamps. Rows of heavy leather-bound ledgers were arranged methodically in large bookcases, their worn spines etched with years and ship names in precise gilt letters.

The room smelled of ink, paper, and musty, old wood. The scratching of quills against paper was punctuated by the occasional knocks of abacus beads and muted murmurs as the clerks did their calculations and discussed their entries.

One of them was Bartholomew.

Nathaniel walked up to him. He was a well-built man in his forties with harsh eyes. He looked up from his papers.

“Kelford.” He frowned. “Are you not supposed to be on leave for your honeymoon?”

“I am. There’s an urgent matter.”

“What can I do for you?”

“I wondered if you have the lists of sailors for certain ships that sailed from London last year.”

“Oh.” Bartholomew put down his pen and stood up. “Certainly.”

He walked towards the bookshelf with the ledgers. “Is there some mishap with conscriptions?”

This was going far easier than Nathaniel could ever hope. “Yes, I just need to check on which ship one particular sailor is serving.”

“Of course.” Bartholomew stopped next to the rows of ledgers and laid one hand on the edge of the shelf. “What ships?”

“Five of them—Minotaur, Titan, Concord, Hector, and Aeneas.”

Bartholomew froze and threw a strange, inquisitive look at Nathaniel. “On which date?”

“September 3, 1812,” said Nathaniel carefully, not liking Bartholomew’s reaction at all.

Bartholomew opened and closed his mouth.

“Is there something amiss?” Nathaniel asked.

“No. Of course not,” the man said. “Let me see where the ledgers are for the payments to the sailors and officers aboard those ships.”

He turned back to the row of ledgers and started looking through the books. He found one and pulled it out, then the door behind them opened with a loud bang and heels clacked against the floor.

Nathaniel and Bartholomew turned around. Calliope charged into the office, fuming.

Bartholomew let go of the ledger and stared at her with confusion and surprise.

“Calliope,” Nathaniel snarled when she stood next to him. “How did you get in here?”

Calliope raised one brow. “Please. Your officers are much too gallant. What must they do when a young lady faints from heat in front of them? They must bring her inside into the shade, of course. And while one of them went to fetch a doctor, the other one went to fetch water. I’m sure they’ll be quite surprised to find the bench in the lobby empty upon their return.”

Nathaniel shook his head.

“Nathaniel, please find your manners and introduce me.”

Nathaniel’s stomach was churning. He could not fathom this woman, but he could not simply ignore her, either, as much as he might wish to at this moment.

“Bartholomew, allow me to introduce my wife, the Duchess of Kelford.”

Bartholomew’s expression cleared in understanding. He gathered a polite smile on his face. “Pleased to meet you, madam.”

“The pleasure is mine,” said Calliope with a charming smile.

What a stubborn, sly woman. Why could she not just listen to him and keep herself out of danger’s path?

“So.” She looked eagerly at the row of ledgers. “Did you find the lists of sailors?”

Bartholomew’s face fell. He gave Nathaniel a hard stare.

“I’m afraid there was a mistake, Kelford. As much as I enjoyed meeting your new wife, I cannot in my good conscience allow military information to be shared with civilians. Especially not women.”

Calliope’s enthusiasm evaporated. “Officer Bartholomew, I assure you—”

“Please.” Bartholomew waved his hand towards the door.

“But—” Nathaniel started.

“Kelford, I am warning you,” said Bartholomew. “My duty is to my country and my king. My word is final.”

Feeling the sense of a lost battle, Nathaniel nodded somberly. “Come along, Calliope. You heard the man.”

“But, Nathaniel…”

He gently took her by the elbow and tugged her after him.

“Good day, Bartholomew,” he added as he and Calliope walked out of the room.

When the door closed behind him, he turned to her, her big eyes on him with regret. “He almost gave me those lists before you came in!” he grated out through clenched teeth, forcing his voice down. “I told you to stay away. Will you listen to me for once in your life? Do you see how you are actually doing more harm than good?”

She straightened her neck. “Is Bartholomew’s family rich?”

Nathaniel shook his head. “Excuse me?”

“What is his social status?”

“What does that have to do—”

“Just answer my question, please.”

“No, he is not. His papa is a small boat builder somewhere up north.”

She wore a triumphant look. “See, that’s what I thought. And yet, he has a big golden ring with a very real-looking ruby on his finger. Did you notice? And why did his hand shake so when he touched the ledger?”

Nathaniel frowned for a moment. He didn’t remember Bartholomew coming to riches recently. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“I’m not sure yet,” she said thoughtfully. “But now that I’m out of the room, go in there and get those lists.”

He softened and shook his head. “You didn’t listen to me before, Calliope, but listen to me now. We must let him calm down. I’ll ask him again, but not today. He’s a man of strict rules, and he was right about not giving information to civilians.”

Calliope opened her mouth to protest, then nodded. “Very well. But you must do it tomorrow.”

“Thank you. Let us return home. I do need a bath, and I will think of other steps we may take to find your brother.”