direction of Meum Hall as though the devil were chasing him.
At Meum hall, Hugh Kenrick was in his study, taking a respite from the heat, reading a volume of Tacitus, when a breathless Travis Barret was shown in by Spears. When the boy told him the news, he sent the valet to Morland to inform Jack Frake.
“Who are these men?” Hugh asked the boy.
“Never saw ’em before, sir! I think the one’s name is Waldo, or something like that, and the other is John Chiswell. Mean lookin’ cuss, he is! He shoved Grandpa aside and threatened him with his boot!”
Hugh paused long enough to wonder if he should wear his sword. He wore it occasionally as a mere formality, when he thought of it. He decided to err on the side of caution. Chiswell, who was not reelected to represent Williamsburg because of the incident in the town in May, might causetrouble again. He snapped on his tricorn, and strapped on his sword, but in his hurry and outrage left his frock coat behind.
He rode into town with the boy riding double behind him. The entourage was just about to leave the front of Barret’s shop. The boy slid to the ground and ran to join his grandfather in the watching crowd.
Hugh recognized both of the mounted men: the monkish face of Nathaniel Walthoe, Clerk of the Council, and the pinched, sour face of John Chiswell, former burgess for Williamsburg and father-in-law of Speaker John Robinson. Their presence here was odd. The liveried servants he recognized as staff from the Capitol. He glanced at the crowd and saw Wendel Barret glaring at the horsemen. Sheriff Cabal Tippet and under-sheriff George Roane, standing with Mayor Moses Corbin, were also in the crowd, looking helpless and resigned.
Hugh rode directly in the path of Walthoe and stopped. He pointed to the wagon. “What means this, sir?” he demanded.
Walthoe frowned, halted, and held up a hand. His entourage stopped. “Mr. Kenrick,” he said pleasantly, “good day to you.”
Hugh again pointed at the wagon. “I recognize Mr. Barret’s livelihood there, sir. What means this?”
Nathaniel Walthoe was reluctant to reply to such a question, but felt he must. He had heard this man speak in the Assembly, and also felt obliged because the man hailed from nobility. An answer was required of him. He said, “Mr. Barret was found to be in violation of the terms of his license, in addition to having violated the sanctity of the House by printing the resolves of the late Assembly.”
Hugh grimaced. “In what capacity do you act, sir?”
“There being no appointed deputy King’s Attorney for this county — the worthy Mr. Reisdale having declined that office a number of times — I have been temporarily deputized to that office by Mr. Randolph, the Attorney-General, with the approval of the Council and his honor the Governor.”
“I see.” Hugh glanced at John Chiswell, who sat in his saddle regarding him with an ominously seething patience.
Walthoe only now remembered what had happened last May in Williamsburg, when Chiswell attacked this man with his cane on Duke of Gloucester Street, and had even attempted an assault in the House chamber. The man was already in a funk over having lost reelection as burgess for Williamsburg. He realized that perhaps Chiswell was the wrong man to have brought here. He said, “Mr. Chiswell is my own deputizedbailiff, sir, the House bailiff being indisposed with a stomach ailment and there being no other man of authority available.”
“An authority by virtue of marriage,” remarked Hugh with contempt. He nodded to the wagon again and the three liveried servants who sat on the riding board. “You are employing Capitol hands to effect a wrong that doubtless Mr. Randolph was loath to commit himself.”
Walthoe frowned. “Think what you wish of it, sir, but I have the Council’s leave to employ them. Now, Mr. Kenrick, if you would kindly allow us to pass.…?”
Hugh may as well not have heard the request. “What proof have you
At Meum hall, Hugh Kenrick was in his study, taking a respite from the heat, reading a volume of Tacitus, when a breathless Travis Barret was shown in by Spears. When the boy told him the news, he sent the valet to Morland to inform Jack Frake.
“Who are these men?” Hugh asked the boy.
“Never saw ’em before, sir! I think the one’s name is Waldo, or something like that, and the other is John Chiswell. Mean lookin’ cuss, he is! He shoved Grandpa aside and threatened him with his boot!”
Hugh paused long enough to wonder if he should wear his sword. He wore it occasionally as a mere formality, when he thought of it. He decided to err on the side of caution. Chiswell, who was not reelected to represent Williamsburg because of the incident in the town in May, might causetrouble again. He snapped on his tricorn, and strapped on his sword, but in his hurry and outrage left his frock coat behind.
He rode into town with the boy riding double behind him. The entourage was just about to leave the front of Barret’s shop. The boy slid to the ground and ran to join his grandfather in the watching crowd.
Hugh recognized both of the mounted men: the monkish face of Nathaniel Walthoe, Clerk of the Council, and the pinched, sour face of John Chiswell, former burgess for Williamsburg and father-in-law of Speaker John Robinson. Their presence here was odd. The liveried servants he recognized as staff from the Capitol. He glanced at the crowd and saw Wendel Barret glaring at the horsemen. Sheriff Cabal Tippet and under-sheriff George Roane, standing with Mayor Moses Corbin, were also in the crowd, looking helpless and resigned.
Hugh rode directly in the path of Walthoe and stopped. He pointed to the wagon. “What means this, sir?” he demanded.
Walthoe frowned, halted, and held up a hand. His entourage stopped. “Mr. Kenrick,” he said pleasantly, “good day to you.”
Hugh again pointed at the wagon. “I recognize Mr. Barret’s livelihood there, sir. What means this?”
Nathaniel Walthoe was reluctant to reply to such a question, but felt he must. He had heard this man speak in the Assembly, and also felt obliged because the man hailed from nobility. An answer was required of him. He said, “Mr. Barret was found to be in violation of the terms of his license, in addition to having violated the sanctity of the House by printing the resolves of the late Assembly.”
Hugh grimaced. “In what capacity do you act, sir?”
“There being no appointed deputy King’s Attorney for this county — the worthy Mr. Reisdale having declined that office a number of times — I have been temporarily deputized to that office by Mr. Randolph, the Attorney-General, with the approval of the Council and his honor the Governor.”
“I see.” Hugh glanced at John Chiswell, who sat in his saddle regarding him with an ominously seething patience.
Walthoe only now remembered what had happened last May in Williamsburg, when Chiswell attacked this man with his cane on Duke of Gloucester Street, and had even attempted an assault in the House chamber. The man was already in a funk over having lost reelection as burgess for Williamsburg. He realized that perhaps Chiswell was the wrong man to have brought here. He said, “Mr. Chiswell is my own deputizedbailiff, sir, the House bailiff being indisposed with a stomach ailment and there being no other man of authority available.”
“An authority by virtue of marriage,” remarked Hugh with contempt. He nodded to the wagon again and the three liveried servants who sat on the riding board. “You are employing Capitol hands to effect a wrong that doubtless Mr. Randolph was loath to commit himself.”
Walthoe frowned. “Think what you wish of it, sir, but I have the Council’s leave to employ them. Now, Mr. Kenrick, if you would kindly allow us to pass.…?”
Hugh may as well not have heard the request. “What proof have you
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