The Hidden Man: A Phineas Starblower Adventure (Phineas Starblower Adventures) (56 page)

D'Arcey’s head was spinning. He sat in Nichol’s chair on the aux bridge with it cradled in his hands and tried to make sense of what he had just heard. A duel? Gyldenfeldt’s nephew had challenged Colonel Carstares to a duel? But how had Gaspe known? The man had told him that he would return at dawn; he was ordered to be ready to go. If he understood what happened and when it happened then Gaspe had known about the challenge even before it was issued...did Gaspe know Gyldenfeldt’s nephew?

“Mon Dieu!” he muttered out loud.

“Not god you fool, Gaspe!” Mr. Wright chortled.

D'Arcey whirled around startled. “What are you doing here? Your watch iz not for another half hour!” He exclaimed angrily. “And keep your damned voice down! Are you mad?”

Wright laughed again and shrugged. “Why did you not tell me we were to leave at dawn tomorrow? I figured since Phillips was here that we could not risk it earlier but you did not tell me that you spoke to our leader. You did not tell me of the change of plans.”

“When was I to tell you? Until this minute we have not had an opportunity to be alone.” D'Arcey turned back around in his chair, he did not want to look at Wright’s smirking face any longer.

“Aren’t you going to ask me how I found out?’’ Wright said and set the tool box he was carrying down beside the console where D'Arcey sat. He moved so that he was in D’Aarcy’s line of sight. “Well Jules?” He said, speaking D'Arcey’s name in an overly familiar manner.

D'Arcey inwardly cringed at Wright’s insult, his name sounded filthy on that man’s lips. Outwardly he waved his hand towards the back-up telegraph machine. “I have a guess that you received a telegram, oui? Show it to me.”

“No.”

“I am your superior officer and I command you to show it to me!” D'Arcey jumped to his feet, fists clenched. He had had enough of this man. “Give it to me LeBlanc!”

Wright chucked. “Oh, I forgot to tell you, you are no longer in command.”

Jules D'Arcey came to a full stop. Somehow, he was just not surprised. In the back of his mind he had already put two and two together. The plans had obviously changed and he had not been informed. Feigning indifference Jules shrugged. “It is no matter, in a few hours we will all be safely away.”

“A few hours, yes.” Wright said and pushed past D'Arcey and sat in the chair he had vacated. “I am surprised about something D'Arcey. Why have you not asked me how Gaspe knew about the duel before anyone else.”

“I assume he paid off Gyldenfeldt’s nephew the same way he paid off Gyldenfeldt. That information was probably in the telegram also.”

Wright laughed again. “Something like that. I have been in this business many years and our dear Gaspe is probably the most clever man I have ever met. He is a superb manipulator.”

D'Arcey shrugged. He did not know nor did he care. All he could think about was that he wanted this whole affair over and the fact that he was clearly
not
cut out for this...manipulation business. He could not admire someone who lived without honor, someone who made it their life’s work to sneak around. Jules was so disgusted that he had gotten involved with this whole thing, but then again it was not like he had had a choice in the matter. D'Arcey frowned.

“Oh Jules, poor Jules. I can see that you do not admire our leader.”

D'Arcey did not reply, he just stared steadily at the man. He was attempting to keep the disgust from taking over his face.

“Well perhaps if you knew the whole story you would see his perfect brilliance, yes?”

Jules D’Arcey was beginning to feel very uneasy. Why was this man baiting him so? Wright had never shown any interest in him and only spoke to him when absolutely necessary. Suddenly he found that he had a keen interest in what Wright knew. He perched on the edge of the console and affected a look of boredom. Time to try a little baiting of his own. “Bah! You probably know nothing, just empty bragging.” He turned his head and looked away for effect.

Wright chuckled. “Did you not wonder why we did not leave the ship in Stavanger?”

“No. It was always the secondary goal for us to reach the continent, were you not told that?”

“Of course I was fool! But did
you
not wonder why we did not leave the ship at Aalborg?”

D'Arcey had to admit to himself that he was a little surprised over that. It would have been a simple thing to just get on a train straight to Hamburg. He also just realized that at that point the communications between himself as Jade and Gaspe as the Marquis had stopped. Jules' trepidation just increased ten fold. He shrugged again trying to relax. “I did wonder, oui.” He said as casually as he could.

“Well the answer is simple! Our leader determined that Carstares is in the way so he has arranged to have him killed. Fini! As you like to say.”

Jules D'Arcey blinked several times. He was trying to make sense of what he just heard. Before he could stop himself he jumped to his feet again and said, “Non!”

“Oui!” Wright replied and leaned back in his chair and put his feet on the command console. “And the plan is so beautiful! Gyldenfeldt does not have a nephew named Reinhardt. It will be our own dear Lieutenant Renaud who will kill the Colonel in about seven hours from now.”

“But how?” D'Arcey said confused. “I am surprised that Gyldenfeldt would agree to this.”

“Gyldenfeldt agree? No. He was duped as well. There was always a danger that he might throw in with the enemy. While the man is famously mercenary he does seem to have a bit of twisted honor, especially when it comes to Denmark.” Wright sighed. “We had no idea the woman would offer him such a good business deal, one that had the potential to affect all of Denmark and not just his little corner. Never the less, he was never trusted with the true reason the ship was lured here. To kill the famous Starblower!”

“But that is
not
Starblower.”

“No, but who knows that? Not all of the people who attended one of the largest and most advertised cultural event in the whole of Europe. Can you imagine the chaos it will cause when the world finds out about the death of it’s most famous industrialist? Especially at the hand of Reinhardt, a professed Dane who is sided with the Germans? By the time we are through with them the English will hate the Germans as much as we do! Nes Pas?”

D'Arcey stood horrified. “You are going to kill Dr. Nordstrom as well.”

“Of course! We cannot be sure the hypnotism will last nor what the idiot will remember. When we expose him on German soil and show the world that he has defected we will have no further use for him.”

“NON! You cannot do this! I will not condone the murder of an innocent man!”

“I rather thought you would say that.” Wright smirked.

D'Arcey lunged for Wright, jammed his knee into the man’s stomach and wrapped his hands around his throat. “I will stop you!”

Wright reached down to the toolbox at his side and grabbed the huge pipe wrench and brought it up to smash D'Arcey in the head. The man crumpled like a piece of paper and slid to the floor.

Wright grinned. “I rather thought you would do at as well. Ah my friend, you have just saved me the trouble of rigging another bomb. Your body will work just as well placed in the exhaust pipes....”

Tash was absolutely beside herself. “What are we going to do?” She wailed for the hundredth time as she paced back and forth across her room. It was not like she was expecting an answer from the stoic Gopal, seated in the corner armchair. So she was surprised when he spoke up.

“We are not going to do anything Tash.”

“I can’t have Carstares murdered! And even worse I can’t have Starblower murdered!”

“After all of these years have you not learned that we, mere mortals, are not in control?”

“He who has control is the one who takes it! And I am going to figure out a way to stop this foolish duel! What is wrong with men? How can facing off with loaded pistols solve any problem?”

Gopal shrugged. “I do not understand it myself, it is not the way of our people. But I will respect the choices of others, I suggest you do the same.”

“Ohhh!” She said and stomped her foot. “You’re not helping!”

“I would ask you a question then, Tash.”

“What?” She replied still irritated. She sat down on the edge of the bed, arms crossed over her chest.

“Why are you so worried about Starblower being killed? He is not even here. There is only Colonel Carstares.
If
he is killed then we merely tell the truth of who he was and that he was posing as Mr. Starblower.” Gopal paused and shrugged. He waited until she actually looked at him before continuing.

“I think perhaps it is the Colonel that you are worried about. Are you confusing the Colonel with your father? I could not fail to notice there are number of similarities. Or have you actually grown fond of Carstares?” Gopal shot Tash a wicked grin.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Tash snapped. She opened her mouth to issue further denials and then stopped, realizing that Gopal was correct. She had grown fond of Carstares. She very much enjoyed being in Carstares’ company and damned if she did not genuinely respect the man! The funny thing was that he seemed to like and respect her as well. Robert Carstares had become one of only a handful of men who treated Tash like an equal. She released her folded arms and covered her face with her hands as her eyes welled up with tears.

Tash was not aware of Gopal slipping quietly out of the room. She cried over the possibility of losing Robert Carstares. She cried over not finding Evarard Nordstrom. She cried for Daniel Mather, whose death she was still not over. She cried because she missed her father so much and missed her home in Kashmir. And finally she cried to release the pent up stress and sadness of the last two weeks.

Gopal returned and laid a tray on the small table. He sat down beside Tash and took her into his arms. He rocked her and stroked her hair, murmuring comforting words to her in the language of their birthplace, until her tears finally ran out.

"I am so sorry." She said as she accepted the handkerchief he handed her.

"Shhhh." He said softly. "The goddess Kali always accepts the genuine tears of grief and fear."

Tash nodded and delicately blew her nose. When she had her face cleaned up Gopal handed her a small glass of milk.

"Drink it down." He told her smiling.

Tash upended the cup and drained the contents. When what she thought was milk hit the back of her throat she began coughing and sputtering. "What
was
that?" She gasped out.

"Warm milk, do the English not place great store in it's powers to relax one and make them sleep." Gopal said innocently.

"Yes, but what else was in it?" She said as she handed the glass back.

"Brandy, I personally find it works better than warm milk. I thought the two together might be better than either one alone."

Tash laughed. "I am sure you’re probably right, just next time, please don't put them in the same glass.

"As you wish." Gopal murmured and bowed his head to hide his smile. "Now dearest Tash, into bed with you.”

Tash stood and removed her robe and draped it across the bed. She climbed in and let Gopal tuck the covers around her. "I don't think I can sleep." She said mournfully.

"You will sleep." He said and gently kissed her forehead. He turned off the light and heard her breathing even out as he reached the door.

Jerard Phillips sat at the desk in his cabin with the ship's log open in front of him. With all of the excitement over the coming duel he had forgotten to tell the others about his visitors. He entered their names into the log book and closed it with a snap. There was so much to think about that he did not know where to begin. I really should go to bed he thought but he dismissed it knowing he would never get to sleep.

Jerard got up and took off his jacket, tie and shoes and poured himself a small measure of Scotch for a nightcap. Taking a seat in one of the comfortable chairs he put his feet up on the ottoman and began to organize his thoughts. He felt somewhat vindicated over the whole Rüerberg affair but any good feelings he had were eclipsed by a sense of keen paranoia. How could the same person have arranged both accidents? Was he the connection or was there some larger plot afoot? This isn't over he thought and shivered as if someone had walked over his grave. What fine thoughts you are having old man, he chided himself, you are acting like McPherson! Hmm…McPherson, I wonder if I was the crew member saved this night? Regardless after the duel he was going to speak to Nichols and they would organize a search of the ship; especially now he had an idea what they were looking for. We can't afford to have any more mechanical 'surprises' now.

He took a sip of the Scotch and turned his mind to the plans for the morning. The LensBaron's coaches would be arriving at six sharp so everyone needed to be ready.

Riding in the first coach would be Gyldenfeldt, Carstares, Nichols and himself. The second coach would contain Roger and Jeremy Landover, McPherson and Mr. Adams. Howell had made an excellent suggestion that he and Fred use the motorcycle and sidecar to reconnoiter the area first. If all checked out they would then meet up with Gyldenfeldt's men.

Let this be the end of things he silently begged. If all went to plan they would force Reinhardt to tell them where Dr. Nordstrom was. They would leave straight from the dueling ground and go and get him. Easy, yes? He thought. But then he shook his head. What was it Von Ulric said? No plan, no matter how good it is, survives the enemy. God how he hated that axiom, maybe, just this once, it would be wrong.

Jerard closed his eyes in exhaustion. His last thought, before he began snoring softly, was that he should try to get a couple of hours sleep before…