Never Kiss a Toad

Chapter Sixty-Four: Part 3

At that, a deep, loud snore came through the door and Toad chortled. "Perfect. I would guess you have the rest of the night before he will wake, but I cannot guarantee it. Godspeed."

She pushed the cravat into his mouth as gently as she could, tied the rope to her bedpost, threw her bag over her shoulder, and lowered herself out the window.

***

They had not left the docks area when shouting attracted her attention to a pushing shoving mob in front of a little shop — a grog shop, unless she missed her guess.

From her height atop the horse, Sally could see a young woman on a bench against the wall of the shop — frightened and defiant, she clutched a baby as the man gripping her shoulder shouted her skills, both domestic and carnal. His Lancashire-toned English and fair skin pronounced him British, and the other men around them were rough sailors of every possible race and type, some bidding furiously and others making coarse remarks about the merchandise. The woman, her frock ripped to show her breasts, was dark skinned and brown eyed, with a tattoo on her chin and long black hair.

"I'll take her but not the brat," shouted one man. "A guinea."

"Leave me my child or I'll gut you in your sleep," she shouted back, and the crowd roared, some finding the remark hilarious, and some angry at the threat.

The bidder laughed. "Any trouble from you, slut, and I'll tie you up and give you to the crew."

"What am I to do with the cub?" the seller asked, but then he shrugged. "Any advance on a guinea?"

Someone else bellowed some words in a tongue foreign to Sally. The auctioneer frowned and the woman glared.

Maddox had stopped when Sally did, and was examining the mob, his brows drawn together. Sally nudged her horse up beside him. "He can't do that, can he? Just sell her like that? Wasn't slavery outlawed in India earlier this year?"

He shot her a glance, the uneasy shifting of his horse the only sign of his tension. "The law says she can't be sold. But forty or more men say this sale is their afternoon entertainment. I only have eight soldiers, Sally, and keeping you safe is my priority."

Sally nodded once, accepting the logic. "Five guineas. And I will take the girl and the baby," she called out. The crowd turned, silent for a moment at the shock of the intervention. The woman on the bench met Sally's eyes, and her own flared in hope.

"What are you doing?" Maddox whispered.

"I can't leave her. You know they are going to kill that sweet little baby, do you not?"

Maddox raised one eyebrow, then grinned. "You heard the lady," he shouted. "And you'll not get a better price."

"Who are you to come here interfering in our pleasures?" the man who had bid a guinea grumbled.

"I'm the man with a gun, an armed escort, five guineas to pay the purchase price, and enough left over to stand you all a drink," Maddox replied. "Do we have a sale?"

The bidder would have argued further, but the seller pronounced himself satisfied, and the rest of the crowd wanted their drink. "Put the lass and the child in the cart with my balloon," Maddox instructed, "and come here for your money."

In moments, the transaction was done, and they were off again, the rescued woman — with her dress restored to decency, sitting on the silk of the balloon with her baby in her lap. Her seller had dumped a stuffed duffel bag in the cart with her, so the poor lass had at least some luggage.

"What will you do with her?" Maddox asked. "She's Polynesian, by my guess. Set her free, and someone else will take advantage."

"She can come with me to the island. If she is Polynesian, she will be a great help to me with the natives. And I need a maid."

Sally brought her horse alongside the cart and introduced herself.

"I am Aronui of the Tuhoi people," the woman said. "This is my son Kahu — hawk, in my own tongue. What do you want of me, lady?"

"It shall be up to you," Sally answered. "I will not keep you against your will, but I do need a maid, if it pleases you."

Aronui tipped her head to one side as she examined Sally thoughtfully. "What is 'maid'?" she asked.

***

It was not the next morning, but a good few hours later, that Fratini burst through the door, waking Toad, who had fallen asleep, given the alternative of staring at Chiara's dressing room door.

"Abersham! What in God's name...?" He pulled out the gag and set about untying Toad's wrists. "What on earth? Where is Chiara?" He saw the open window and the rope tied to the bed at the same moment Toad spoke, stretching his back, rubbing the back of his head and his wrists as he stood slowly, pulling himself up by the bedpost. "May I have some water, please?" he croaked, so Fratini accommodated.

Once his mouth was cleared of the taste of his cravat, Toad said, slowly, "I think I must have had too much to drink... I only recall I removed my shirt—was devilish hot in here—and she came at me; she was like a wildcat. Perhaps I hit my head. Damn, that aches. When I awoke the first time..." He gestured at the bedpost and the window. "I would have called for you, but..." Toad gestured to the cravat lying on the floor.

"So, you did not see how she—"

"I saw nothing but a crazed cat with her claws out. She must have had the rope hidden. Maybe I hit my head on the bedpost. I don't know how it all..."

"Damn that girl! I am finished fighting her at every turn! She may starve on the streets of Rome for all I care. I have had enough! Attacking a marquess and tying him up so she can climb out the window in the night? It is beyond my capacity for forgiveness. Come, Abersham," he said, handing Toad his shirt, then his jacket. "I will wake the cook and order breakfast, and we can discuss investment in your concerns."

"Should we not send men to look for her?"

"Why would I, when I have no intention of bringing her back here to taint her sister's chances?"

"I see. Yes... er... and about that... I think it's clear I can no longer consider marrying Donna Chiara. You understand... I mean... I had no intention of leaving her to ruin when I gave my word... but one doesn't wish to awake tied to one's own bedpost..."

"That is the truth!" Fratini slapped Toad on the shoulder. "Bah. She has gone to d'Alvieri if he will have such a willful girl, or she is gone to the Devil, and I no longer care. I know I cannot expect any consideration from you, given my sister's execrable conduct, and you may wish nothing to do with the House of Fratini at all, but I hope you will still allow me to invest."

"Perhaps I can see my way clear to some consideration, given your sister's... she is very beautiful, after all, and I did rather make a promise..." At Fratini's hungry smile, Toad added, "I'd hope we might keep this whole incident between us. I have no desire to see your sister maligned in Society or anywhere else, and I'd hate to further soil my reputation when I am actively seeking a wife."

"Of course, Abersham. Of course. We are in agreement. Though I hope my sister is not foolish enough to show herself at Court."

Toad shrugged. "She has lost me as a dance partner this night. Now then, I will need to leave at first light; I must make a brief trip to Barcelona for business. But my solicitor can draw up the paperwork after I go. I am only glad I do not have to travel into the Russian tundra, like Piero."