like a camel when she cantered. As we advanced toward Ashford, we lost the scent entirely. Our men hadn’t been seen at the last two villages we passed through.
“There’s obviously a shortcut we don’t know about,” Ronald thought. “We’ll plough on to Ashford.”
“If we don’t stop to eat again,” I said, with a commanding look to our leader, “We should overtake them there.” Kestrel was sufficiently quelled that he didn’t argue.
Chapter Four
We arrived at Ashford rather late in the afternoon. The town was a lively hunting center with some quaint old houses and a church boasting a fine perpendicular tower. The ride was not that far, but with all the stops to enquire for the Frenchies, we were considerably delayed. The difficulty now was to discover which route the Frenchies had taken—east to Dover, or south to reach the coast closer to Dungeness. This was the crucial moment, for if they took a side road to report to their masters here, we would never find them in time to recover the letter. I outlined my thinking to Kestrel as we entered the town.
“We’ll make enquiries at the Saracen’s Head and the Royal Oak. I’ll take the former, you the latter,” he decided.
“Would it not be wiser to ride through to the far end of town, and see if anyone saw them passing?” I countered. “They would not be likely to tell the innkeeper their route.”
Ronald was glancing at his watch and finally spoke. “What about our lecture tonight, Marion? You should notify them it is to be postponed.”
“Good gracious, it’s not till eight o’clock, and Canterbury is only ten miles away. I’ll be there. We’ll have these fellows handed over to the authorities in plenty of time.”
“But you’ll have to have a bath and change clothes. I think it would be wiser to postpone it. You won’t have your box of souvenirs to show, or your Turkish costume—”
“Devil take it! It’s not a sliver of an olive tree and a set of silk trousers they come to see. It’s me! I’ll be there. Oates would dislike for me to postpone the lecture when it’s been advertised. Of more importance is catching the Frenchies. What do you say, Kestrel?”
“I’ll just nip into the Saracen’s Head and see if they’ve been there.”
As he was wasting time in this fruitless endeavor, Ronald and I went to the Royal Oak. “It seems to me Kestrel is dragging his heels,” I scolded. “I begin to wonder if he isn’t afraid to confront the Frenchies. He was only carrying that letter under duress, you know.”
It was only pique speaking. To my considerable astonishment, Ronald took up the theme and added some embroidery. “We could have caught them hours ago if he hadn’t insisted on stopping for lunch.”
“Pest of a man! It’s a shame to think the nation’s safety is in such hands as his. After this is over, Ronald, I mean to apply to Castlereagh and offer our services as couriers—if you are agreeable, that is.”
I knew by the glow in Ronald’s eye that he was in total agreement with me. “My papa knows a man who is acquainted with Melville, first lord of the Admiralty. He will put in a good word for us.”
“If we have success today, it will stand us in good stead.” Success in catching the French spies became more important than ever.
The result at the Royal Oak was a blank stare. Dozens of men had been in and out all afternoon. The barkeeper couldn’t remember three strangers having entered together, and if they had, they hadn’t informed him they were carrying purloined letters to deliver to the French. We went to meet Kestrel outside the Saracen’s Head. The aroma of ale lingered about him when he finally came out.
“No luck, I suppose?” I asked.
“On the contrary. Our quarry was there, and enquired for the fastest road to Dover,” he replied, with great satisfaction.
I was more annoyed than happy that this dilatory spy should have met with success. “Fine, then we all hasten along to
“There’s obviously a shortcut we don’t know about,” Ronald thought. “We’ll plough on to Ashford.”
“If we don’t stop to eat again,” I said, with a commanding look to our leader, “We should overtake them there.” Kestrel was sufficiently quelled that he didn’t argue.
Chapter Four
We arrived at Ashford rather late in the afternoon. The town was a lively hunting center with some quaint old houses and a church boasting a fine perpendicular tower. The ride was not that far, but with all the stops to enquire for the Frenchies, we were considerably delayed. The difficulty now was to discover which route the Frenchies had taken—east to Dover, or south to reach the coast closer to Dungeness. This was the crucial moment, for if they took a side road to report to their masters here, we would never find them in time to recover the letter. I outlined my thinking to Kestrel as we entered the town.
“We’ll make enquiries at the Saracen’s Head and the Royal Oak. I’ll take the former, you the latter,” he decided.
“Would it not be wiser to ride through to the far end of town, and see if anyone saw them passing?” I countered. “They would not be likely to tell the innkeeper their route.”
Ronald was glancing at his watch and finally spoke. “What about our lecture tonight, Marion? You should notify them it is to be postponed.”
“Good gracious, it’s not till eight o’clock, and Canterbury is only ten miles away. I’ll be there. We’ll have these fellows handed over to the authorities in plenty of time.”
“But you’ll have to have a bath and change clothes. I think it would be wiser to postpone it. You won’t have your box of souvenirs to show, or your Turkish costume—”
“Devil take it! It’s not a sliver of an olive tree and a set of silk trousers they come to see. It’s me! I’ll be there. Oates would dislike for me to postpone the lecture when it’s been advertised. Of more importance is catching the Frenchies. What do you say, Kestrel?”
“I’ll just nip into the Saracen’s Head and see if they’ve been there.”
As he was wasting time in this fruitless endeavor, Ronald and I went to the Royal Oak. “It seems to me Kestrel is dragging his heels,” I scolded. “I begin to wonder if he isn’t afraid to confront the Frenchies. He was only carrying that letter under duress, you know.”
It was only pique speaking. To my considerable astonishment, Ronald took up the theme and added some embroidery. “We could have caught them hours ago if he hadn’t insisted on stopping for lunch.”
“Pest of a man! It’s a shame to think the nation’s safety is in such hands as his. After this is over, Ronald, I mean to apply to Castlereagh and offer our services as couriers—if you are agreeable, that is.”
I knew by the glow in Ronald’s eye that he was in total agreement with me. “My papa knows a man who is acquainted with Melville, first lord of the Admiralty. He will put in a good word for us.”
“If we have success today, it will stand us in good stead.” Success in catching the French spies became more important than ever.
The result at the Royal Oak was a blank stare. Dozens of men had been in and out all afternoon. The barkeeper couldn’t remember three strangers having entered together, and if they had, they hadn’t informed him they were carrying purloined letters to deliver to the French. We went to meet Kestrel outside the Saracen’s Head. The aroma of ale lingered about him when he finally came out.
“No luck, I suppose?” I asked.
“On the contrary. Our quarry was there, and enquired for the fastest road to Dover,” he replied, with great satisfaction.
I was more annoyed than happy that this dilatory spy should have met with success. “Fine, then we all hasten along to
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