When Robert halted before the table, Sampson deigned to look up. And up.
When Sampsons gaze found Roberts face, the old tar blinked, then sat back, the better to view him.
Robert smiled and gestured with the mugs of ale. Mind if we join you?
Sampson glanced at the other four hanging respectfully back; he identified them as fellow seafarers and grinned. Not at all. He nodded at the four in welcome, then his gaze returned to Roberts face as Robert placed the mugs of ale on the table and pushed one toward him. Thank ye. Looks like me mornin just became more interesting.
He scrutinized Robert as he settled on the stool opposite. Was it your brother who was here before, then? Capn Frobisher?
Robert nodded. Yes. My younger brother.
Sampson studied Benson, Fuller, Harris, and Coleman as they pulled up stools, sat, and sipped their ale. He looked back at Robert. Youre another Capn Frobisher, then?
Robert dipped his head in assent and took a long pull of his ale. The taste was distinctly different, but it was recognizably ale. Lowering the mug, he met Sampsons inquisitive eye. Were here to follow the trail my brother blazed.
Sampson sobered. Aye. Good thing, too. Id noticed people not turning up to Undotos services even before your brother came, but I dont go farther afield in the settlement, so I just thought theyd growed bored with it and hadnt bothered coming back. But your brother and his men said people had vanished, and I gather thats still true.
Indeed. Were trying to find out where theyve gone, with a view to staging a rescue. My brother suggested youd be amenable to helping us out with information.
Sampson nodded. Happy to help any way I can. His lips twisted wryly. And these days, supplying information is about my limit.
Nevertheless, we appreciate your help. Robert sipped, then said, What can you tell us about any changes in behavior of those you see regularly? Especially any changes since my brother was here.
Hmm. Sampsons brow creased in thought. He lifted the mug of ale and sipped, absentmindedly savoring the taste before he swallowed and said, The most notable change would have to be her ladyshipLady Holbrook. She stopped coming to Undotos services some weeks back. Thinking on it, her stopping would have been just after your brother sailed. Sampson flicked Robert a shrewd glance. Bit abrupt, that seemedhe and his ship were here one day and gone the next.
Robert acknowledged the point with a nod. He had his wife with him.
Sampson nodded readily. I remember herpretty little thing.
Roberts lips eased. In her case, you dont want to be fooled by the prettiness. But she and my brother ran into strife courtesy of histheirinvestigations, and they had to draw back. Im their replacementthe next stage of the investigation.
Aye, well, there havent been any other major changes in those I see, other than Lady Holbrook not coming to Undotos services anymore, and for all I know, she might just have lost interest, or taken to her bed ill, or have too much to do.
Do you know if Holbrook himself is currently in the settlement?
Far as Ive heardor rather, Ive heard nothing about him sailing off anywhere. Sampson grinned. But I dont exactly swan about in those circles, so I cant rightly say what the governors been up to.
Robert nodded. Ill check with others. He would have to; Wolverstone and Melville would be waiting to learn which way the wind blew with Holbrook. He watched Sampson down a large mouthful of ale. Have you heard any whispers of people going missing recently, or of any other odd happenings?
Sampson pursed his lips. After a moment, he said, Havent heard anything about anyone on Tower Hill being gone, but I did hear about the docks that some navvies didnt turn up where they were expected. But hereabouts, no one can say if theyve vanished like those others, or if they just upped stakes and went off to some better prospect, or took work on some ship. Sampson shrugged his heavy shoulders. No way to know, is there?
Indeed. That was half the problem in this case; in this sort of place, so many people were disconnected drifters.
Sampson shifted on his bench. Howsoever, in terms of odd happenings, there was one I hadnt expected. His voice had grown stronger, more definite. A young ladywell, not that young, I suppose, but young enough, if you catch my drift. She turned up...ooh, must be going on two weeks ago now. Showed up at one of Undotos services and spent the whole time looking sharply about. She spotted me, and after the service, she came up and asked to speak with me. She was searching for her brothera naval lieutenant by the name of Will Hopkins. Id seen him at the services, months back. And shethe ladywas right. Young Will had come up and had a jaw with me. He liked to hear my stories.
Robert frowned. He was acquainted with the older two Hopkins brothers. This lady. Did she mention her name?
Sampsons brow furrowed as he clearly thought back, but then he shook his head. No. He met Roberts eyes. I suppose shed be Miss Hopkins, but she was more than old enough to be married, and widowed, too, so she might have another name now.
Before Robert could comment, Sampson continued, Anyways, she was asking questions, obviously trying to figure out what had brought her brother to the services. Asked if it were some young lady, but I put her straight about that. But she was righta lad like Will Hopkins had to have had some reason to come to the services. He wouldnt have just wandered up to waste his time, not on three occasions at least.
He was sent to track Dixon, the army engineer who had already vanished. Robert saw no reason to conceal that fact.
Aye, wellMiss Hopkins, or whatever her name is, hadnt tumbled to that, but she knew as well as I did that there had to be something behind Will coming to the services. She was asking questions, trying to learn what. Sampson drew in a deep breath. I didnt think that was wise, and I tried to warn her off. He met Roberts gaze. I told her about your brother and how hed been asking questions about the officers whod gone missing, including her brother, most like. I also told her that your brother had to withdraw quicklythat hed sailed from the settlement and just might have headed back to Londonand I pointed out that people who asked questions about people whove gone missing tended to wind up missing, too. I did me best to get her to back off and leave the investigating to those qualified to do it.
Robert arched a cynical brow. Did you succeed?
Im not hopeful. Shes been back to two more services, and anyone who thought to watch her would know she werent paying attention to Undotos thunderings.
Robert grimaced; the last thing he needed was a gently bred but determined female complicating his simple and straightforward mission. Do you have any idea where shes staying?
Not precisely. Shell be up on Tower Hill somewhere, would be my guess.
What did she look like? It was Benson who asked.
Sampson took a moment, plainly calling up a picture in his mind. Brassy-brown hairsort of bright brown and glossy, not dark. Hazel eyes. Average height. Good figure, but well laced. Very English looking, and if I had to guess, used to getting her own way. Wouldnt say spirited so much as forceful.
Unease trailed tauntingly down Roberts spine. Damn! He was going to have to act to effectively deflect the woman. He couldnt risk her popping up at some crucial moment and interfering with his mission. More, if she was Hopkinss sister, then given his acquaintance with her older brothers, he should definitely do his best to send her packing all the way back to England.
Sampson humphed. I made it clear she was dabbling in dangerous waters, and while she listened, Im damned sure shes not going to pay my warning much heed.
For a moment, all were silent. Sipping the last of his ale, Robert considered what would have brought a lady like Miss Hopkins all the way to Freetown. Sibling devotion, clearly, but it would have to be strong to have driven a gently bred lady to take ship and brave the dangers of a place like Freetown, a settlement on the outer fringes of civilization. That Hopkinss sister was in the settlement at all, let alone determinedly asking questions, argued that convincing her to meekly step back, return to England, and leave the investigating to him wasnt going to be any easy task.
That shed found her way to Undotos services and Sampsonand it sounded as if she was concentrating her efforts around Undoto and his churchsuggested she was intelligent, too.
Robert drained his mug. He would need to remove the lady from the situation, and soon. Before matters became any more complicated.
He set his mug on the table and glanced at his men, then looked at Sampson. I need to speak with the vodun priestess, Lashoria. My brother told me she lives in the slum on the hillside to the east of hereis that still the case?
Sampson nodded. Far as I know. He drained his mug.
Theres a gentleman by the name of BabingtonCharles Babington. Ill probably need to speak with him, too. Do you know where he lives?
Hes the one thats Macauleys junior partner, aye? When Robert nodded, Sampson said, Thats easy, then. He lives in the apartment above the companys office. On Water Street, that is. You cant miss it.
Robert nodded. Hed noted the Macauley and Babington office during their walk the previous night.
Hed call on Lashoria that evening and decide what he wanted to do about Babington after that.
He refocused on Sampson. All the men had finished their ales. Our landlady mentioned that Undoto is holding one of his spectacles at noon today.
Aye. Sampson nodded his shaggy head. I planned on heading up there about now.
Do you mind if we join you?
Not at all. Sampson grasped his cane and levered himself to his feet. He beamed at Robert and his men. Glad of the company.
They rose and left the tavern. Robert waved his men ahead and adjusted his pace to Sampsons halting one. Robert looked about him as in companionable silence they progressed slowly up the hill.
He doubted he needed to ask Sampson to point out the notables in the congregation; if Robert was any judge, the old man thoroughly enjoyed having his knowledge plumbed, his observational skills put to use.
But when they halted at the edge of the forecourt before what was obviously the church, Robert murmured, If you see Hopkinss sister...
Sampson nodded. Ill point her out. He surveyed the people streaming toward the open doors. Cant see her, but she might already be inside. With his cane, he waved toward the door. Lets go in.
The forecourt stretched across the front of the rectangular church and extended down both sides, wider to the left than the right. To the left, several benches sat beneath a row of trees large enough to cast some shade. Carriages were drawn up in a long line opposite the front façade; ladies and gentlemen descended and strolled across the forecourt to the doors, most smiling and chatting, nodding to each other as if they were attending a social event.
As they walked forward and Robert refocused his attention on the church itself, a frisson of awarenessthe sort of awareness he recognized very wellswept tantalizingly across his senses.
Glancing around, he looked back at the carriages. Most were simply black. Dusty, anonymous, and unremarkable.
Anyone could be sitting inside one and looking out.
It was hardly the first time hed been the recipient of an assessing glance. If the lady had noticed his reaction, she probably wouldnt show herself until after hed gone inside.
Mentally shrugginghe certainly wouldnt have time to follow it up, distractions of that ilk being indisputably the very last thing he neededhe returned his attention to those before him.
As they joined the throng streaming inside, Sampson added, I hope youll be able to make the lady see sense.
Ill give it my best shot. Robert hadnt expected to have to use his diplomatic talents on this mission, but he could be very persuasive when he wished.
Curious, he looked around as they moved into the church, noting the disposition of people to cluster in their own groups. His men had gone in ahead of him and Sampson and had sat in the last pew. Robert followed Sampson to a stool in the rear left corner.
The old man settled on the stool, his peg leg braced at a comfortable angle. Then he surveyed those seated.
Robert remained standing, leaning against the wall as several other men had elected to do.
Sampson grunted. I cant see her. Shes not here yet.
His gaze sweeping the room, Robert shrugged. Let me know when you spot her.
As soon as he got a bead on her, he intended to seize the first chance that offered to warn her away from the investigationand he was prepared to be a great deal more definite and effective than Sampson had been.
He had no intention whatever of allowing anyonemale or femaleto interfere with his mission. For once, he had a mission whose path was blissfully clear and definedlearn the location of the slavers camp, then race the information back to London. The lady might be determined, but so was he; he was determined to allow nothing to get in the way of him finishing this mission in the shortest amount of time.
He wanted it done so he could put it behind him and concentrate on following the lure that, increasingly, drew him.
The need for a hearth. The need for a home. The need for a wife who would be his anchor.
* * *
Aileen leaned back against the squabs of her hired carriage as the last stragglers made their way into the church.
Shed debated joining the congregation, but she couldnt imagine that she would see or learn anything she hadnt already by subjecting herself yet again to Undotos version of fire and brimstone. Much better to sit and conserve her energies. Shed rolled up the flaps on the carriage windows, and a breeze as faint as an exhalation stirred wisps of hair at her nape.
Her strategy had already yielded one piece of informationthe direction from which Undoto approached the church. After leaving Mrs. Hoyts, shed walked down to Water Street and had hired a driver for the rest of the day; shed had him drive her up to the church at just after eleven oclock and draw his carriage to a halt at a spot toward the end of where the line of carriages would form. Shed been inside the carriage watching when Undoto had come walking down the street that curved up the flank of the hill.
Most of the congregation came from either below the church or, in the case of the European contingent, along the road from the west. The area from which Undoto had come was not one shed previously explored.