Legends of the Vengeance : The First Adventure (9781310742866) by Chautona Havig Page B

Passing a handkerchief across the table, he said, “You
seem to be overly warm, my friend. Oh, and be sure to bring me a
signed receipt. I must keep my books in perfect order.”
    The other man blanched. He knew he’d been
caught, but admitting it would be disastrous. Joseph waited to see
what he would do. As Charles pocketed the money, Joseph leaned back
in the chair.
    “ I want six as soon as you can get them
to me. It is very important. Now, get out of here before you are
seen.” Joseph stood and waved the man to the door. “It would not be
seemly for a fine gentleman such as yourself to be seen in such a
dubious establishment at this hour. Someone might think you were in
debt!”
    Two days later, Ingelby arrived not long
before midnight in answer to Joseph’s summons. “I don’t know what
I’ve done, Joseph. I have made my payments on time, have I
not?”
    “ Yes, you are a conscientious debtor. I
will say that for you.”
    “ Then why am I here, and at this
hour?”
    “ I thought,” Joseph began, “you might be
interested in a way to reduce your debt with me—something that
should cost you nothing but mild inconvenience.”
    “ What is it?”
    “ Before I tell you, you must assure me of
your absolute silence. If you betray my confidence, I will ruin
you, and you know I can.”
    “ Don’t I ever? You can rest well at night
knowing that you have cured one man of living beyond his
means.”
    Laughter filled the counting room. “Ah, but
that is not good news for my business is it?”
    “ If only the other poor fools swindled by
you were able to see the risk they do to their family name and to
their descendants, you would be out of
business.”
    Joseph’s eyes narrowed and he leaned
forward, rubbing his hands together thoughtfully. “I am no
swindler. I enter legal and binding contracts with men who have
need of my services.”
    “ And lose their land and reputation in
the process.”
    “ So I am to blame for their extravagance?
My terms are clear, I keep my word, and my rates of interest are
much better than most.”
    “ You became rich off the misfortunes of
noble men,” Ingelby protested.
    “ Noble by birth, perhaps. In heart and in
character—not at all. Nearly every one of my debtors ruined himself
with bad decisions and flagrant extravagance. I do not enter
contracts with men who are unable to pay. It is good
business—business that fills the coffers of the crown, I might
add.”
    Robert Ingelby shook his head impatiently.
“What do you want from me and what will it remove from my
debt?”
    “ Your father has a shipping operation at
Dover, does he not?”
    “ He does.”
    “ I want you to take my son Jacob and his
family across to France. At night with no one to see—keeping your
men silent.”
    The man’s forehead furrowed. “Why the
secrecy?”
    “ Will you do it?”
    “ It would be hard to ensure that no one
mentions ferrying a family of Jews to France.”
    Joseph thought for a moment and then nodded.
“All right, they will dress like nobles—French nobles. You will
tell your men that they are.”
    “ The beard—”
    “ We will shave!” Joseph thundered,
slamming his fist on the table. “This must be done in secret. If we
cannot leave secretly, as ourselves, we will leave as someone
else.”
    “ And the reduction to my debt?”
    “ Ten percent. If it goes well, I will
have more crossings for you. Within a few years, you should be free
of all debt without the necessity of giving me another
coin.”
    Ingelby stood unspeaking for some time
before he nodded. “I will do it. When do they leave? I will need to
go home to make arrangements.”
    “ They cannot leave before a week—maybe
two.”
    “ And am I to assume that you are removing
your family from England?”
    Joseph folded his hands and smiled. “Do not
grieve us too much.”
    The door closed behind Ingelby but not
before Joseph overheard him mutter, “Good riddance.”
    A low chuckle grew into full