Dark Deeds and Dangerous Desires

Chapter X

Whene'er the fate of those I hold most dear

Tells to my fearful breast a tale of sorrow,

O bright-eyed Hope, my morbid fancy cheer;

Let me awhile thy sweetest comforts borrow:

Thy heaven-born radiance around me shed,

And wave thy silver pinions o'er my head! - John Keats

Rey kept herself busy in the hope it would prevent her pining for Mr. Solo. During the daytime, she could find plenty of distractions. However, at night when sleep claimed her, he haunted her dreams, tempting her into sin with forbidden kisses. Mrs. Kanata had been her confidante and a kind one at that, but she thought it best not to speak of her true feelings for Mr. Solo to another soul. There were more pressing matters at hand, and she decided she alone must bear the burden. It took the best part of a week for them to make the arrangements for their trip. Mrs. Kanata wanted to make sure they would have suitable lodgings on their arrival, and to that end, she sent a letter to an old friend from her time at sea. The old Seadog now ran an inn and she hoped he would be able to accommodate them. Mr. Tooker had gladly given Rey his blessing to travel to London, keen for her to experience the delights of the Great Exhibition. He made her promise she would tell him all about it on her return. She felt terrible for deceiving him about the true purpose of their journey, although Mrs. Kanata did say they could visit the Crystal Palace if their other plans permitted it. Rey had read a pamphlet which detailed the various exhibits and she longed to see some of the technological wonders on display. Trinkets such as the Koh-i-Noor diamond didn't hold much interest for her, but all the new mechanical inventions and working silk looms would be a sight to behold. Amid such distractions, Rey reminded herself the main purpose of their journey south was to find something incriminating on Lord Snoke. It would all be for nothing if they came home empty handed. The day before their departure, she grew concerned about her father's health and almost begged a delay. Mr. Tooker kept insisting he'd fully recovered from his illness and had seldom felt better, he didn't want her to change her plans on his account. He resumed seeing his remaining pupils and did appear to be back to his old self. Once or twice, Rey thought him unsteady on his feet and she saw him cling to the furniture for support. He'd been careful to shield the worst of his dizzy spells from her view, not wishing to cause her further concern. When challenged, he would say such things were to be expected for a man of his advanced years and she wasn't to fuss over him. Mr. Tooker did not intend to give way to infirmity if he could help it. He had thought he might live long enough to see his adopted daughter happily united in matrimony to Mr. Solo, but his hopes had seemingly been dashed on that score since the young man ceased his visits. Time was against him, and so he set his mind to making other arrangements to secure her future.

Since Mr. Solo put an end to his lessons with her father and vowed not to trouble her again, Rey hadn't caught so much as a glimpse of him but he never wandered far from her thoughts. She hadn't ventured into the park since their last meeting, for as much as she longed to see him, she also feared it. He might be cold and distant or refuse to acknowledge her at all. When she closed her eyes, she could almost feel his lips brushing against her knuckles. Rey doubted he would ever kiss her hand again in greeting or in parting, and she wanted to preserve the memory of it for as long as possible. Heaving a wistful sigh, she tugged her gloves on and chided herself for her foolishness. As she alighted from the omnibus in the southern part of Killerton, she wondered if he might be the reason for her reluctance to call at Hope Mills. It had been her intention to go there at the earliest opportunity to ask Mr. Skywalker if he would consider training her as his apprentice bookkeeper. However, between nursing her father back to health and helping Mrs. Kanata prepare for their forthcoming journey to the capital, she'd kept postponing her visit. Mr. Chewy greeted her at the gates with a cheerful howl, throwing his hairy arms around her in a warm embrace. Rey chuckled and let him know she was happy to see him too, regretting that she'd felt the need to stay away. Finn and Poe were hard at work both pausing just long enough to wave to her with wide smiles. But when the mistress of the house came out to meet her, the reason for her hesitancy became clear; every time she looked into Mrs. Solo's earnest brown eyes, all she could see were those of her son.

Mr. Skywalker had been obliged to travel to Liverpool on a matter of urgent business and Rey judged it best to make her excuses and return home. With reluctance, she allowed herself to be persuaded to stay for afternoon tea. Mrs. Solo begged her company while she waited for her brother to return. It seemed they'd received bad news from their suppliers and finding another source of raw cotton could be costly. Hope Mills had been flourishing of late and picking up orders that might otherwise have gone to Snoke's Mills which made it all the more imperative for them to secure fresh supplies. Rey shifted uneasily in her seat as Mrs. Solo began to talk about how the strike ended and the rumours of what occurred at Killerton North. After all the tears she'd shed over Mr. Solo, reliving recent events in the company of his mother was the last thing she needed much as she understood that Leia wanted to hold onto the hope her son wasn't lost forever. It pained Rey to note how the older woman's gaze kept drifting to the portrait of her late husband. Mrs. Solo had created a strong and loving community around her at the mill, but it couldn't fill the void left by her late husband and missing son. As much as she longed to, Rey could offer no assurances he would be returning to the fold anytime soon. However, she gave what little comfort she could to his mother by telling her of his acts of kindness, such as the fruit basket he'd brought as a gift for her father.

Leia watched the younger woman thoughtfully as she sipped her tea. "It is not my habit to pay attention to idle gossip, except for when it concerns my son, but I've heard Ben has been seen out with Lord Snoke's ward. Despite our estrangement, I really cannot see him being taken in by someone with such obvious charms. He's too much like his father in that way, and Han fell in love with me because I didn't let him get away with anything. My son needs someone with spirit, someone who will challenge him but who also possesses a tender heart. He needs a wife who's not afraid to tell him when he's wrong but will love him fiercely, faults and all."

Rey fought to hold back her tears; she might have been that and more to him. The previous day, Jessie had gone into town on an errand to the draper's shop and she'd reported seeing Mr. Solo and Miss Netal pass by the market square in his lordship's carriage. She hadn't been prepared for the pain such news would bring. Perhaps her rejection of him made him reconsider the other woman's merits, she couldn't discount the possibility. Miss Netal had beauty and education, if not breeding. But her bloodline hardly mattered with Lord Snoke pushing for their union, and Mr. Solo wasn't in a position to disappoint the old man or his ward. Rey feared the imminent announcement of their engagement. Even if, by some miracle, she and Mrs. Kanata could help free him from his father's debts, he may already be shackled to a wife he didn't love. Worse still, he might come to see Bazine as a better choice of bride for him. If nothing else, Mr. Solo would surely fulfil his duties as a husband and produce an heir to the family business. It stung her to imagine another woman at his side as his wife and the mother of his children. With Leia's scrutinising gaze on her, Rey decided it would be wise to make her exit before she gave herself away. As she did have some final preparations for her forthcoming journey to attend to, she didn't feel too guilty about cutting her visit short. For Mrs. Solo's sake and her own, she hoped she could soon return with good news.

Ben glanced around the table with scorn at the other guests Lord Snoke had summoned to dine with him. How he had come to despise these people. He gazed at his wine glass, wishing he could at least dull the experience with strong drink. But unfortunately, he needed to keep his wits about him. His gaze fell upon Armitage Hux; the preening popinjay had been attempting to engage his Lordship's Darkshire banker, Mr. Peavey, in conversation. The man wore a pinched expression which being his natural look, he could hardly help, but every word from the ginger-haired fellow at his side made his lips purse even tighter. Miss Phasma came to his aid, furtive glances passing between her and Hux indicated to Ben his suspicion they were lovers had proven to be correct. Their tedious small talk drove him to distraction but he listened intently, in case the banker dropped any further information about Snoke's finances. He had managed to overhear a snippet of a private conversation between Mr. Peavy and his lordship when he arrived for dinner. The accounts of the three Killerton mills had taken quite a battering during the strike and some of their largest orders either went elsewhere or were cancelled. Mr. Peavy had been expressing his concerns about the future of his lordship's northern businesses but Snoke wasn't the least bit perturbed. He promised his London financier would cover the shortfall if it came to it. The old man didn't travel south much these days. However, once a month a shady looking individual with a Cockney accent would call at Dreadston Hall for a private audience with his lordship. He always wore a finely tailored suit which seemed at odds with his otherwise rough appearance. The man never disclosed his name, although Ben had met him in passing on a couple of occasions. He intended to seek him out by means of the distinctive tattoo of a shining sun with a heart in the centre which he'd noted on the back of the man's right hand.

"Benjy, can we visit the zoo in Regent's Park during our sojourn to London?" Bazine cooed in his ear. "I hear they have a hippopotamus."

He had almost succeeded in forgetting about the woman seated at his side. The sound of her voice served as an unpleasant reminder and he nodded his assent to her request with a tight smile. As distasteful as he found the company around the table, he was glad not to be dining alone with Miss Netal. He reminded himself that his present actions were in service of a greater good, but it made it no easier for him to swallow than his clear mock turtle soup. Rey wouldn't approve, and he had vowed to be a better man for her. However, she'd rejected him and he couldn't sit idly by while Snoke took away everything he held dear. Setting down his spoon, he clenched his hands into tight fists under the dining table. It took a great effort for him to sustain the charade of wooing Bazine. But time was of the essence, and he couldn't think of another way to get his Lordship's permission to take a journey south without raising undue suspicions. He wasn't proud of himself for the deception, especially as he suspected her interest in him might be genuine. However, it wasn't as if he'd made any romantic declarations or promises he couldn't keep. He had merely paid her a small compliment on her piano playing and her vanity had done the rest. Bazine didn't love him, she wasn't sentimental enough for that. But he assumed she regarded him as the most appealing of her limited options. As the wife of a respectable businessman, she would enjoy a place in society not guaranteed to a courtesan. There were advantages and compensations to being a paid mistress, but the threat of falling out of favour or growing too old to be desirable would be ever present.

Lord Snoke appeared in uncharacteristic good humour as he picked up his wine glass and took a deep swallow. His lordship's cheerful mood wasn't unexpected when the strike ended, but almost a week later, it had begun to disquiet those around him. It certainly pleased him to see Mr. Solo engage in a proper courtship of his ward, even though he'd ordered the young man to do it. Still, he'd consented to Ben taking Miss Netal and Mrs. Kloda to London to see The Great Exhibition. Such an excursion could hasten their engagement if his ward put her education to creative use. Lord Snoke also saw a business opportunity in the trip as representatives of the cotton industry had been invited to give presentations at an exhibit demonstrating the cotton making process. Mr. Solo would be taking a selection of specially selected samples of their wares with him in a bid to attract new investors. Samples which, in truth, did not accurately represent the overall quality of their output. But what successful businessman didn't seek to present his product in the best light possible? No one could fault them for that. His lordship raised a toast to the continued success of his mills which Mr. Peavey, Mr. Hux, Miss Phasma and Miss Netal enthusiastically echoed. Ben lifted his glass but he did not take a drink; he had no stomach for it. His tepid response did not go unnoticed, however, Lord Snoke was inclined to overlook it for the time being. He had yet to reveal the main reason for his good cheer and he wouldn't let that announcement pass without celebration.

"As you are all aware, it has been my ambition for some time now to acquire Hope Mills."

Ben stiffened in his seat at his lordship's mention of his family business. Once again, he regretted passing on the information from Miss Tooker regarding his uncle's finances. It had been his ambition to bring Snoke down before he got his hands on that mill but it looked like he'd been thwarted.

His lordship continued, "I have it on good authority that Skywalker purchased his cotton at below the current market rate from an Egyptian source. With cotton prices from America and the Caribbean rising all the while, he must have assumed he'd made a good deal, until this morning, when he received news of his supplier's bankruptcy. He has since travelled to Liverpool in an attempt to find another."

"He will find little joy there, I'll wager," Hux sneered amused by their competitor's misfortunes.

Ben glowered at him, wishing he was at liberty to speak his mind.

"Our man at the docks has sent word that Skywalker will have to pay well over the odds to secure any supplies at such short notice. With his finances already stretched, I'm sure it won't be too long before he's forced to consider selling. I shall make him an offer when the time is right and he is desperate enough not to refuse." Snoke once again lifted his wine glass, a foul smile upon his face. "Here's to Hope Mills returning to its rightful owner."

With his Lordship's unforgiving eye on him, Ben couldn't escape joining the toast, although he feared he might choke on it. Bazine continued her animated chatter about their London trip. In two days hence, he would get his chance to seek out Snoke's ruin, and he couldn't afford to fail.

The rhythmic rocking of the train carriage lulled Mrs. Kanata to sleep with her knitting in her lap. Left to her own company, Rey gazed out at the ever changing landscape. The smoking stacks of Killerton had long since faded from view and green fields now replaced grimy cobblestones. It had taken a weight off her mind to see her father looking rosy cheeked and bright eyed when they'd set out for the station. His illness caused her much anguish as she couldn't recall him ever having so much as a sniffle when they lived in Sunston. It seemed as if whole years had passed since they'd said goodbye to their old home when in reality it had only been a matter of weeks since they'd boarded the northbound train. Her time there seemed as fleeting as a dream when she looked back on it. Each season had significance in the church and the farmlands; Spring brought the blessings of new life, with Summer came feasts and celebrations, in Autumn they gave thanks for the harvest, and Winter gave Christmas cheer. But nothing that good could last forever, and so it proved to be. So much had changed in the weeks since she'd left with Mr. Tooker for a new life in the north. The most significant development being that she'd fallen in love for the first time and not even realised it until it had been lost. But for his sake, she had undertaken the task of travelling to London, a place she'd known both in good times and in bad. Rey didn't like to dwell on the latter but when she closed her eyes, she saw Uriah Plutt standing over her, leather belt in hand and ready to deliver a lashing. The grinding brakes of the train jolted her out of her painful reverie and back to the present. Grateful for the interruption, she met Mrs. Kanata's concerned gaze.

"Are you well, child? The motion of the train isn't making you feel ill, is it?" The old widow asked reaching inside her bag for a bottle of tonic, which her young companion politely declined. "Did you know, it was once feared that a woman's body could be irreparably damaged by train travel," Mrs. Kanata imparted before taking a swig of the tonic. "We weren't built to go at fifty miles an hour, they said, and our uteruses would fly right out of our bodies. Some did say we would melt all together at such a speed, or the rocking motion of the train would rattle our brains so hard, we would go insane."

"Oh, no, I didn't know that," Rey frowned looking vaguely horrified as the carriage bumped along on the tracks. She couldn't believe such a fine feat of engineering could be so harmful.

Mrs. Kanata chuckled, "I've travelled back and forth to London by train more times than I can count, and I haven't melted yet." And with a wink, she added, "But I do lace up my corset extra tight beforehand, just in case."

Rey couldn't help but join in her laughter, although she wondered if the bottle the old woman kept taking sips from contained something stronger than a medicinal tonic. The rest of their journey passed smoothly and they arrived at Euston Station in the late afternoon. Both were in dire need of refreshment and they considered finding a tea room before hiring a carriage to take them to the Covent Garden area. But with nightfall upon them, and as they were unaccompanied, they decided it best to head straight for their lodgings. The Black Swan Inn belonged to Mr. Tuggs, an old friend of Mrs. Kanata and her late husband from their time on the merchant ships. He and his wife were a jolly middle-aged couple and they offered a warm welcome. Mrs. Tuggs showed them to their rooms and afterwards provided the two guests with a hot meal which, after their long journey, had been gratefully received. The next day, refreshed and rested after a good night's sleep, they set out to find the man they'd travelled all that way to meet. Mrs. Kanata warned her young companion to be on the lookout for pickpockets as the streets were crowded and they were venturing into places of ill repute. Rey clutched her umbrella to her, ready to set upon anyone who would dare to try robbing them. It had been years since she'd been in such a position but, thanks to her mudlark days, she knew how to fight. She kept her wits about her as they passed through a busy marketplace and into an alley, at the end of which stood a ramshackle public house called The Falcon. Mrs. Kanata showed no compunction about going inside, despite being a lady of advanced years in a place exclusively populated by males in varying states of inebriation. Rey followed close behind, her eyes darting all around them for any sign of danger.

"Lando Calrissian," Mrs. Kanata bellowed as a dark-skinned man with a grey moustache turned around to face them.

So much for them being discreet, Rey fretted, but no one appeared to pay them any mind.

"Maz Kanata, it's good to see you, old friend," Mr. Calrissian beamed as he stepped forward to greet her and her companion. With a roguish twinkle in his eye, he reached out to take the younger woman's hand. "And who do we have here?" He questioned giving her a charming smile.

"I'm pleased to meet you, sir, my name is Rey Tooker," she replied as she took in his appearance. The man looked to be almost as old as her father. He'd obviously been handsome in his youth and still cut quite a dash in his blue top coat and trousers with a matching cape around his shoulders.

Without further ado, he ordered a large jug of beer and invited them to take a seat as he told them all he knew about Lord Snoke's connections to the criminal underworld.

Firstly, I would like to apologise, faithful readers, for the long wait between updates. I've got a lot going on in life at the moment and I hope you'll forgive me. But I have never abandoned a story and I don't intend to start now.

Thank you to everyone who has so kindly left a review, they are all very much appreciated. Please, do keep the feedback coming.

The things Mrs. Kanata tells Rey about train travel were genuine fears in the Victorian era. However, I think those concerns had more to do with trying to limit the independence of women by making them afraid to travel rather than with health.

The Great Exhibition/London interlude does not happen in the book version of North And South, only in the 2004 TV adaptation. But I thought it would be fun to get Rey and Ben there and it does serve the plot too.

Thanks again for your patience - Mrs. P