Never Kiss a Toad

Chapter Seventy-Six: Part 1

London, 16 December 1844

It was over. Penchley had lost the last battle. He had thought to salvage at least his career, even after Sarah Grenford chose that schemer Maddox over him. Today, those hopes were dashed.

Who would have thought Bennett would return to England, and be reconciled with his family, him and his common bride? It was only a matter of time until Haverford discovered Penchley's part in Bennett's elopement.

Penchley had already been shaken before he arrived at the colonial office to deliver Haverford's formal report and make an appointment for him to see the Home Secretary. It had been the Chinaman, across the road from Haverford House, standing where he could not be missed, staring at Penchley as Penchley climbed into the hackney.

It was a threat. It had to be. All the way to his destination, Penchley racked his brains for a way to counter it. Again and again, since he first decided to marry Sarah Grenford, fate and the Haverford family had thrown obstacles in his path. He had met and overcome every one. There had to be a way.

Then, the first person he saw at the colonial office told him about Bennett. The man had been in with the Earl, his father. He had apologised for deserting his post. If any commoner had done such a thing his career would be over. But noble families could get away with anything short of murder.

Bennett had been demoted, but the gossip around the office was that his impetuous elopement had touched the heart of the Home Secretary's wife. The man was forgiven, and Penchley was toast.

He would have some small revenge before he went into exile. Seated at the duke's desk, he drafted something that would cause the Grenford bitch at least some inconvenience, if not heartache. With luck, the new Duke of Wellbridge might be driven to take his own life, before he was allowed to sully Lady Sarah. Penchley would give instructions for it to be sent in two day's time. By then, he would be in France.

He would leave by the servants' entrance and out into the service lane. He could avoid the Chinaman, and no one else was looking for him. Yet.

***

Just west of Margate, Kent

In the early hours of morning, well before dawn, the castle was silent. Even the night footman had been asleep in his alcove by the front door when Sally passed him on her way to the library. For the fourth night since they disembarked, she had been unable to sleep.

She had wanted to go straight to London with Maddox and Penchley. But there was no saying David was there. As the new Duke of Wellbridge, he was almost certainly in Great Britain, but he could be about the business of the duchy anywhere from the Highlands of Scotland to the extreme west of Cornwall.

Or he could be attending to shipping business. His own operation had warehouses in Bristol and Liverpool, as well as London, and Seventh Sea also operated out of Glasgow and Southampton.

Maddox would find out where he was and take her note to him if he was near at hand. Maddox needed to find out how his father fared. He had also promised to collect Johnny and send him to join the Haverfords here in Kent.

Hourly since they parted, she regretted not insisting on going to London, where she would at least be easier for him to reach. She had no cause to be afraid of her reception. Of course, David loved her. Of course, the gossip she had heard was lies, created from whole cloth to make David look bad.

She felt guilty that her trust was not wholehearted, but as the hours passed and he didn't come, as day turned into night and back to day again, her doubts grew.

She had a stack of journals from the Royal Society on the low table in front of her couch. In the last 30 minutes, she had read the same page five times, and still didn't know what it said. She got up the pace. Tomorrow, Papa planned to go to London. She would travel with him. She had to know. Even if the news was dreadful, she had to know.