over it and see what is amiss. Just take me to Winkler ’ s. I ’ ll hire a driver there for a brief stop I have to make just beyond Brighton. When you ’ ve looked over my own rig, we ’ ll meet you back here. ”
“ You ’ re returning to London tonight, then? ” Foley asked.
“ Yes. ” He glanced at Samantha, who was beginning to show fatigue after her busy day. He realized that he was tired himself. By the time they found Darren and Wanda and settled matters, it would be one or two o ’ clock. With Darren to chaperon his sister, there would be no impropriety in remaining overnight. “ No, ” he said. “ We ’ ll put up at a hotel, as it is so late, and return tomorrow morning. ”
“ Just as you say, your lordship. Where will you be staying, and what time do you want your rig at the door? ”
“ The Curzon at eight. ”
They were driven back to the stable to find no drivers were to be had at that hour of the night. Salverton was a good customer, however, and Winkler wished to oblige him.
“ I know a lad who turns his hand to a spot of driving from time to time. An excellent whip. Jonathon Sykes is your man. I ’ ll send for him. He ’ ll be here in no time. ”
Salverton agreed. “ No time ” stretched to half an hour, but eventually Sykes appeared, arrayed not in a coachman ’ s outfit but in a black evening jacket with wadded shoulders and a nipped-in waist. He was a well-set-up, handsome rogue with blond curls and a laughing blue eye. He bowed punctiliously while his eyes slewed to examine Samantha.
“ Your lordship. Jonathon Sykes, at your service, ” he said.
This rogue in an evening suit sitting on his box would cause more curiosity than his own groom. Salverton turned a wrathful eye to Joe Winkler.
“ I can lend Sykes a coachman ’ s coat and hat, ” he said apologetically. “ This is to be a driving job, Jonathon, ” he explained to his friend, then went on to speak to Salverton. “ Jonathon is a jack-of-all-trades. ”
Sykes wrenched his gaze from Samantha to expound on his versatility. “ I went into service at the age of seven, when my ma and pa died, bless their souls. Started out as backhouse boy at Lord Egremont ’ s and worked up from underfootman to butler, and even did a spot of clerking when the occasion demanded. I can read and write as well as a bishop. His lordship especially commended me on my penmanship. But I always had a love of the stables. I can drive anything, anywhere, anytime. ”
“ May one inquire why you left Lord Egremont, when you were making such strides in your career? ” Salverton asked.
“ He upped and died, didn ’ t he? ”
“ Sykes knows the neighborhood like the back of his hand, ” Winkler mentioned.
“ Do you know a place called The Laurels, between here and Rottingdean? ” Salverton asked.
“ The wee thatched cottage belonging to Sir Geoffrey Bayne? I know it h ’ intimately. Many ’ s the time I ’ ve taken a party to The Laurels for a bit of a frolic. A great one for parties, Sir Geoffrey. I could have you there in twenty minutes, your lordship. ”
It was this that induced Salverton to hire Sykes against his better judgment. He wanted to get to The Laurels as quickly as possible. “ Change your outfit, then, and let us get on with it. ”
Sykes cleared his throat. “ There ’ s a matter of remuneration, your lordship. Not to appear mercenary, but we wasn ’ t all born with a silver spoon in our craw. ”
“ A guinea, ” Salverton said, choosing what he considered a generous sum.
Sykes quirked one eyebrow in derision. “ I was torn away from a game that was likely to make me a richer man than that. ”
“ Very well, two guineas. ”
“ Taking into account there ’ s not another driver to be had and your lordship must be in an almighty rush to get to The Laurels, and considering the law of supply and demand — I was thinking five guineas.
“ Three. Take it or be damned. ”
“ Three it is, sir.
“ You ’ re returning to London tonight, then? ” Foley asked.
“ Yes. ” He glanced at Samantha, who was beginning to show fatigue after her busy day. He realized that he was tired himself. By the time they found Darren and Wanda and settled matters, it would be one or two o ’ clock. With Darren to chaperon his sister, there would be no impropriety in remaining overnight. “ No, ” he said. “ We ’ ll put up at a hotel, as it is so late, and return tomorrow morning. ”
“ Just as you say, your lordship. Where will you be staying, and what time do you want your rig at the door? ”
“ The Curzon at eight. ”
They were driven back to the stable to find no drivers were to be had at that hour of the night. Salverton was a good customer, however, and Winkler wished to oblige him.
“ I know a lad who turns his hand to a spot of driving from time to time. An excellent whip. Jonathon Sykes is your man. I ’ ll send for him. He ’ ll be here in no time. ”
Salverton agreed. “ No time ” stretched to half an hour, but eventually Sykes appeared, arrayed not in a coachman ’ s outfit but in a black evening jacket with wadded shoulders and a nipped-in waist. He was a well-set-up, handsome rogue with blond curls and a laughing blue eye. He bowed punctiliously while his eyes slewed to examine Samantha.
“ Your lordship. Jonathon Sykes, at your service, ” he said.
This rogue in an evening suit sitting on his box would cause more curiosity than his own groom. Salverton turned a wrathful eye to Joe Winkler.
“ I can lend Sykes a coachman ’ s coat and hat, ” he said apologetically. “ This is to be a driving job, Jonathon, ” he explained to his friend, then went on to speak to Salverton. “ Jonathon is a jack-of-all-trades. ”
Sykes wrenched his gaze from Samantha to expound on his versatility. “ I went into service at the age of seven, when my ma and pa died, bless their souls. Started out as backhouse boy at Lord Egremont ’ s and worked up from underfootman to butler, and even did a spot of clerking when the occasion demanded. I can read and write as well as a bishop. His lordship especially commended me on my penmanship. But I always had a love of the stables. I can drive anything, anywhere, anytime. ”
“ May one inquire why you left Lord Egremont, when you were making such strides in your career? ” Salverton asked.
“ He upped and died, didn ’ t he? ”
“ Sykes knows the neighborhood like the back of his hand, ” Winkler mentioned.
“ Do you know a place called The Laurels, between here and Rottingdean? ” Salverton asked.
“ The wee thatched cottage belonging to Sir Geoffrey Bayne? I know it h ’ intimately. Many ’ s the time I ’ ve taken a party to The Laurels for a bit of a frolic. A great one for parties, Sir Geoffrey. I could have you there in twenty minutes, your lordship. ”
It was this that induced Salverton to hire Sykes against his better judgment. He wanted to get to The Laurels as quickly as possible. “ Change your outfit, then, and let us get on with it. ”
Sykes cleared his throat. “ There ’ s a matter of remuneration, your lordship. Not to appear mercenary, but we wasn ’ t all born with a silver spoon in our craw. ”
“ A guinea, ” Salverton said, choosing what he considered a generous sum.
Sykes quirked one eyebrow in derision. “ I was torn away from a game that was likely to make me a richer man than that. ”
“ Very well, two guineas. ”
“ Taking into account there ’ s not another driver to be had and your lordship must be in an almighty rush to get to The Laurels, and considering the law of supply and demand — I was thinking five guineas.
“ Three. Take it or be damned. ”
“ Three it is, sir.
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