shall only be at this address until I can find lodgings
of my own. And as I am his guest at the moment, I cannot, I fear, arrive one
night and then disappear the next day in the company of such rakish fellows as yourselves . Knowing you, after the cockfight we would adjourn
to Cribb's Parlor or some other low place and drink blue ruin till the early
hours." Shaking his head regretfully, Jason continued, "No, my
friends, I'm afraid that I really cannot come staggering up the steps of my
uncle's home my second night in London." A wicked glint in his green eyes,
he added, "Wait a week or two, until I have found my own rooms, and then I
shall be delighted to join you in your revels."
Barrymore grinned at
Jason's words, but it was Tom, recalling past escapades who said tellingly,
"Lead, not join!"
Jason laughingly
acknowledged his statement, and the three parted on that note. Jason escorted
the pair to the door and after closing it behind them, he turned and walked down the wide hall to his uncle's study.
The duke was on the point
of leaving to stroll down to take a look in at White's Club for Gentlemen.
Glancing over at Jason, he suggested, "Would you care to join me? If you
do, this would be as good a time as any to offer your name for
membership."
Shaking his dark head Jason
replied, "I would appreciate it, but unfortunately I am waiting for an
answer to a note that I sent off this morning. Could we make it later this
week—say, Friday?"
The duke shrugged, his gray eyes thoughtful as they rested on his nephew. "So diligent, so
soon," he mused. "You've changed, m'boy. And I wonder if I like
it."
"Shall I do something
outrageous to allay your fears? If I set my mind on it, I could think of a way
to instantly set the cat among the pigeons," Jason offered promptly, his
emerald eyes gleaming with mocking laughter.
Roxbury gave him a
reproving look. "Please, do not, I beg you, exert
yourself in such a manner for my sake. I'm sure we can deal together famously
just as things are."
Left alone after his
uncle's departure, Jason roamed around the room, impatient to be busy. But as
things were, until he heard from the American minister he was not his own man. His
thoughts went to the dispatches currently resting snugly in a cunningly devised
leather pouch next to his skin. The sooner he was rid of them the better! And
for just a tiny segment of time, he allowed himself to think of the message
that he carried in his head. But those instructions had nothing to do with
England, and he dismissed them from his mind. He was not going to be dragged
into politics if he could help it. He was here to purchase horses and enjoy
himself—but not necessarily in that order, he thought with a grin.
The arrival of an answer to
his note to Rufus King interrupted Jason's thoughts, and taking the envelope
from the uniformed servant, he read the message quickly, pleased that King
would see him this afternoon at two o'clock.
Exactly at two p.m. Jason was ushered into
Rufus King's office. It could have been an awkward meeting. Jason was very much
aware of the fact that the plump and balding man before him was not a supporter
of Jefferson and was in actuality a firm friend of Alexander Hamilton, the
President's bitter and outspoken enemy. King, in turn, knew very little of the
tall, broad- shouldered young man seated across from him other than that he was
related to the duke of Roxbury, whose actual position, while powerful in
governmental circles, was not quite known, and that Guy Savage, Jason's father,
was deep in Jefferson's confidence. But Rufus King was an able diplomat, and
none of his reservations showed in his greeting.
"Well, I must say, it
is a pleasure to meet you at last. I have heard a great deal about you."
At Jason's look of
surprise, Rufus's heavily jowled face creased into a smile. He chuckled.
"I know your father slightly, and like all men he is eager to speak of his
son. But truth to tell, it is your uncle, the duke, who has
of my own. And as I am his guest at the moment, I cannot, I fear, arrive one
night and then disappear the next day in the company of such rakish fellows as yourselves . Knowing you, after the cockfight we would adjourn
to Cribb's Parlor or some other low place and drink blue ruin till the early
hours." Shaking his head regretfully, Jason continued, "No, my
friends, I'm afraid that I really cannot come staggering up the steps of my
uncle's home my second night in London." A wicked glint in his green eyes,
he added, "Wait a week or two, until I have found my own rooms, and then I
shall be delighted to join you in your revels."
Barrymore grinned at
Jason's words, but it was Tom, recalling past escapades who said tellingly,
"Lead, not join!"
Jason laughingly
acknowledged his statement, and the three parted on that note. Jason escorted
the pair to the door and after closing it behind them, he turned and walked down the wide hall to his uncle's study.
The duke was on the point
of leaving to stroll down to take a look in at White's Club for Gentlemen.
Glancing over at Jason, he suggested, "Would you care to join me? If you
do, this would be as good a time as any to offer your name for
membership."
Shaking his dark head Jason
replied, "I would appreciate it, but unfortunately I am waiting for an
answer to a note that I sent off this morning. Could we make it later this
week—say, Friday?"
The duke shrugged, his gray eyes thoughtful as they rested on his nephew. "So diligent, so
soon," he mused. "You've changed, m'boy. And I wonder if I like
it."
"Shall I do something
outrageous to allay your fears? If I set my mind on it, I could think of a way
to instantly set the cat among the pigeons," Jason offered promptly, his
emerald eyes gleaming with mocking laughter.
Roxbury gave him a
reproving look. "Please, do not, I beg you, exert
yourself in such a manner for my sake. I'm sure we can deal together famously
just as things are."
Left alone after his
uncle's departure, Jason roamed around the room, impatient to be busy. But as
things were, until he heard from the American minister he was not his own man. His
thoughts went to the dispatches currently resting snugly in a cunningly devised
leather pouch next to his skin. The sooner he was rid of them the better! And
for just a tiny segment of time, he allowed himself to think of the message
that he carried in his head. But those instructions had nothing to do with
England, and he dismissed them from his mind. He was not going to be dragged
into politics if he could help it. He was here to purchase horses and enjoy
himself—but not necessarily in that order, he thought with a grin.
The arrival of an answer to
his note to Rufus King interrupted Jason's thoughts, and taking the envelope
from the uniformed servant, he read the message quickly, pleased that King
would see him this afternoon at two o'clock.
Exactly at two p.m. Jason was ushered into
Rufus King's office. It could have been an awkward meeting. Jason was very much
aware of the fact that the plump and balding man before him was not a supporter
of Jefferson and was in actuality a firm friend of Alexander Hamilton, the
President's bitter and outspoken enemy. King, in turn, knew very little of the
tall, broad- shouldered young man seated across from him other than that he was
related to the duke of Roxbury, whose actual position, while powerful in
governmental circles, was not quite known, and that Guy Savage, Jason's father,
was deep in Jefferson's confidence. But Rufus King was an able diplomat, and
none of his reservations showed in his greeting.
"Well, I must say, it
is a pleasure to meet you at last. I have heard a great deal about you."
At Jason's look of
surprise, Rufus's heavily jowled face creased into a smile. He chuckled.
"I know your father slightly, and like all men he is eager to speak of his
son. But truth to tell, it is your uncle, the duke, who has
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