Chapter 21

CHAPTER21

Two days after the wedding, Garmon was working late in his office in St Giles, and just contemplating packing up to go home to Genevra at the Tavern, when Ben popped in with a letter for him.

“Who is this from, Ben?” he asked turning the letter over.

“Mr Rooke, sir. He said to give it to you at 7:00 o’clock, which it is, just gone.”

“I see. You didn’t think to give it to me before then?” He frowned at Ben and the boy had the grace to flush.

“Mr Rooke said not to sir.” Ben bit his lip and looked at his shiny boots.

“Who pays your wages Ben?”

“You do sir,” said Ben looking miserable. “Mr Rooke said as how he’d take the blame sir, and the letter explains everything.”

“I see.” Garmon regarded Ben in silence for a moment and then broke the seal on the letter. Spreading the sheet out, he read with gathering wrath. By the time he got to the end of the letter he wasn’t sure what he was feeling.

“May I go sir?” asked Ben tentatively. “On account of I gotta feed the kittens.”

“Kittens?” Garmon looked up distracted.

“Mr Rooke’s kittens,” said Ben, as if that explained everything. He waved Ben away, returning back to the letter.

Folding the letter, he put it in his pocket and prepared to leave to go home.

* * *

Having seenBeth off on her ‘errand’, Genevra kept herself busy in the tap waiting nervously for Garmon to appear. He had sent a note earlier to say he would be late. It was after seven, how late, was late? It would be dark in another hour.

She had been pleasantly surprised at how easily Garmon fitted into her life at the Globe. He split his time between the Tavern and his business in St Giles, but he left the running of the Tavern to her and Joe.

This had been a fraught topic between them, and she had been afraid he would try to take over. But so far there had been no signs of that. He had agreed easily to moving into the Tavern with her, as she wanted to continue to run the place herself. He seemed inclined to grant her every wish and she took some shameless advantage of that, revelling in having a man’s love without his controlling hand on her every move and thought.

He appeared shortly after half past seven and found her in the office working on the accounts. He came in, shut the door and rounded the desk to pull her up into his arms for a kiss.

“I missed you,” he murmured.

With her arms round his neck she said,” I missed you too.”

“How’s trade?”

“Steady all day,” she said.

He sat down in the desk chair and pulled her down into his lap. “I received an interesting letter from Mr Rooke this evening. You want to tell me about it?”

“He and Bethany are in love, isn’t it wonderful?”

“Is it?”

“Certainly it is,” Genevra sat up and regarded him. “He’s taken her to his father, so he can marry them. His father is a Vicar.”

“Yes, he explained that. A fact I was hitherto unaware of.” He frowned. “How much did he divulge to you about-?”

“Everything. It is the best thing that could have happened to Bethany. She has been moping around here looking miserable for days. I knew something was wrong, but the silly darling wouldn’t tell me. It was very clear to me Mr Rooke’s feelings are fully reciprocated, and I am delighted to tell you that he is head over heels in love with my darling Beth.

“I am very confident he will care for as she should be cared for. He is a good man. But surely you know that already? Or is there something I should know?”

Garmon shook his head. Rooke was a good man, loyal, honest, hardworking. And a more ruthless enforcer he had never employed. But Genevra didn’t need to know about that side of his dealings with Mr Rooke, he was quite sure Bethany would see no evidence of the man who had terrorised London’s underground for five years in Garmon’s name.

“There is one thing Mr Rooke seems to have overlooked in his preparations. He appears to have omitted to obtain a marriage license.”

“Oh, does he need one?”

“If he wishes to be married immediately rather than wait the mandatory three weeks for the banns to be read. I obtained one for us, which was why we could be married so quickly.”

“Oh dear! What can we do?”

“I’ll obtain one, and we can take it to them, it’s only about four hours to Pinner.”

“What a splendid idea! I do adore you Mr Lovell!” She said giving him a hug and a kiss. Some little while later she said, “Do you think we could take mama with us? She would hate to miss Bethany’s wedding.”

“We could, but how do we avoid telling your stepfather?”

Genevra bit her lip. “I’ve been feeling a bit guilty about Hiram. I think I may have hurt him over my refusal to let him attend my wedding and Beth was always his favourite. That is why I was so surprised that he wanted to shove her into marriage with Josiah the horrendous.”

“Then we will go to see them in the morning to inform them of Beth’s impending marriage and offer them a lift in our carriage, shall we?”

“I love you!” she said in such a gratifying way that it was sometime before either of them said anything.

Reluctantly he broke the kiss and said, “I had best be going before it gets too late to be paying calls on the bishop, his excellency keeps early hours.”