Tales of Sam and Bess, 1660-1700
Tales suggesting famed 17th century diarist/naval adminstrator Samuel Pepys and his lady had more going on than even his famed daily diary let us know...
Note: The best way to know Mr. Pepys is through his magnificent nine year daily Diary...Which is now available on-line on a day-to-day basis at pepysdiary courtesy of the wonderful Phil Gyford.
I would also recommend "The Unequaled Self", a new biography by Claire Tomlin...Just terrific and fills in the gaps the diary leaves...
…
"Literary Case…" Part I…
Summary: Oh, is Sam gonna be pissed…
Evening...Rising mist as darkness engulfs London...A rather well-
dressed man carefully scouts about him in a street perhaps not really
suitable for such apparel...At a time perhaps not appropriate for such
a respectable figure to be strolling...
Nor is the dress of the woman now standing next him, that of a common
street walker, indictative of a companion quite right for such a
man...
But location, time, and the said companion seem to satisfy the man.
Who questions his companion carefully. Her replies suggesting perhaps
more education and experience than your average Fleet Street
prostitute. The man hasty, even anxious in his questions. The woman
quite calm, her answers detailed and through. The man, satisfaction
in his voice, pausing at a corner.
"Good. You've done well, my dear. Well, it looks like our worries
are over. Gauden came through…Coventry suspects but there's no proof.
As for my partner, Admiral Sir Will can do all the nosing around he
wants but he won't dare pull a thing so long as I can spill the beans
about dear little bride-to-be Meg. Yes, sitting pretty's, what I…
What?"
Arrgh…Sound of sword thrust, body hitting pavement…
***
"So Creed was murdered…Within an hour of Pepys? And with the same
sword?" Penn eyes his guests. Their sudden arrival on the heels of
the news of the violent death of his co-worker, the former Clerk of
the Acts for the Royal Navy, anything but a social call.
"That's it. Looks simple enough. Creed killed Pepys over their
dealings in the victualling…And then someone, a friend perhaps? Did
Creed. Nothing to say, Admiral? Robinson says when you came over to
Fleet, you were too busy even to stop and take a look at your dead
coworker." one of the two, the superior by his bearing, addresses
Penn.
"Well, Sir Will…" Robinson sighs. "You were in a hurry."
"It would hardly have brought him back, would it? Your Grace, if you
would. I prefer to handle this myself, without Sir John's
'assistance'." curt glance to the somewhat wounded Sir John.
"Yeah? Well, that's what I told Robinson. 'Sir John, Admiral Sir
Will's the man to keep family business in family.' You know me, Penn.
Charlie and I'll play fair, give you most of the breaks. Can't say as
I'd blame you, given Pepys was your coworker." shrewd look.
"We weren't exactly kissing cousins, your Grace."
"That's the truth. And if Creed were still breathin' I'd say it was an
even toss-up which one of you did Pepys." smile.
"So then it behooves me to find out who did Creed as well as Pepys
before you boys decide to pin it all on me, eh?"
"Now Will..." Robinson sighs again. "Don't be like that, you know we
got our work to do."
"I'd just like to know what you and the Duke are really saying." Penn
eyes Jamie, who nods.
"Just this...Creed was killed within an hour of Pepys, after you came
over and saw the body. I give you fifteen minutes to get to Creed's
place, ten minutes polite conversation, ten minutes to hack him
up...Plenty of time to get back here before us. And your girl Nan
says you just got back. Why'd it take you so long?"
"I took a walk to think things out. My boy Will is big on
recommending mediation. Sometimes it works."
"I see. Well, we've asked the questions, you've given us nothing. I
don't say you're wrong not to but I'm getting to the bottom of who
iced our Surveyor General/Tangier Treasurer/Clerk of the Acts
regardless of whether you cooperate or no."
"Sounds like you just gave three good reasons for Pepys' death." Penn
notes.
"And now you're free of him...Victualling all in your hands."
"Lucky me." Penn eyes the two. "Good luck, your Grace." Offers hand.
"You too, Penn." shakes hand.
"He might have offered us a drink..." Robinson notes as the two head
through the Naval Office yard to the Seething Lane exit gate. "Pepys
was right about him."
"You're employing your daughter as your assistant?" Hewer eyes Penn in
the main room of the Naval Office.
"That's right, sonny. I think I need my own people about me now."
Turns to a rather pleased Meg as Hewer glowers. "Meg, darling. Have
Mr. Pepys' former office cleaned out and his name painted out on the
door and 'Admiral Sir William Penn' painted on. And Hewer, bring Meg
all of Pepys' victualling account books, including every record on his
business dealings with Gauden and Warren. "
Hewer's glower increasing...
"That's all, sonny." Penn waves him off...
"And that journal he was always writing for..." Meg calls to an openly
fuming Hewer...
"This just don't look good." Robinson sighs...Eyeing the corpse before
him.
Hacked up as badly as poor Creed the other day he notes to the Duke
beside him.
"First Gauden this morning, now Warren." Jamie frowns at the body of
Sir William Warren.
"And all connected to one Samuel Pepys..." Penn, arriving, notes,
startling the two investigators.
"Well, Penn." Jamie, narrow look... "Seems the victualling and naval
suppliers' business is getting pretty fatal to one's health."
"Don't suppose you might have any info as to why someone might want
these friends of your dead co-worker hacked to bits?"
"'Fraid not, your Grace. But it's no secret they and Pepys played fast
and loose with the Navy's accounts. Maybe too fast..."
"Nothing in the books to suggest a specific person?"
"Not that I could see."
"I may drop by to have a look myself. I assume the books'll still be
there."
Penn reddens...Robinson rolls eyes, followed by reproachful look at
the Duke.
"And that little crack is meant to suggest...?"
"Maybe someone else would have an interest in making some of Pepys'
books disappear." Jamie, shrewdly. "In fact, my sources tell me
something of Pepys' has disappeared."
"Nothing connected with the records. Just a personal journal of his.
The one he was always writing notes for."
"Strange someone should want to take a thing like that and not touch
the accounting books. Written in shorthand, I've heard."
"Haven't seen it, can't say."
"Can't or won't?" Jamie, narrowly.
"Now, now..." Robinson interposes himself between the two. "There's
no need to carry on like this, Will. We got our work to do."
"I'd guess so...Pinning four murders on me." Penn eyes Jamie. "I
forget. Did I use the same sword here as on the others?"
Reproachful look from Sir John...Glower from Jamie.
"Dad...Mrs. Pepys." Meg at office door, frown at Bess in her mourning
suit.
"All right." Penn now at door. "Mrs. Pepys, come in." leads her in,
closing door.
"She looked crushed." Meg, sourly.
"Just like old times." Hewer, passing by, sneer.
"Bess." Penn waves his guest to a chair. Bess looking about room
nervously, takes seat.
"Oh, Will...You must help me...Be kind, Will."
"I know, darling."
"Did you kill him?" parting veil...
"What put that into your little head?" he stares.
"But, you always said...If the little bug-eyed landlubber were
dead...You and I..."
"Ha!" slaps desk. "You killed my husband, be kind to me." icy stare.
"Oh, Will...Please...I'm so frightened. All these men dead, connected
to Sam."
"Corrupt crew the lot of them...England's well rid of them all."
"But...Will...Sam did have very good musical taste and was a witty and
charming storyteller."
Just sayin'... she eyes the frowning face.
"So...Why are you frightened...You know something?" Penn, cold stare.
"William? How can you ask that at a time like this? You know I
never, ever interfered with Sam's business...He'd never let..."
"No? And I suppose you know nothing about a journal he kept? A
personal diary?"
"He was always taking notes...Even at supper." she blinks at him. "A
personal diary, you say?"
"That's the one. You know where it is?"
"Why, no. Do you suppose it might be important?"
"Only if you think learning who killed your husband and three others
is important. Who might have had access to your husband's closet at
home?"
"Why, everyone. He loved to show it off."
"But he'd put everything away when he did. I've been there. I never
saw his journal there. Funny you should say you know nothing about
his business. Your brother, Balty, says Sam never made a move without
consulting with you."
"Balty's an idiot. You knew Sam...Was he the type to confide in me?"
"Can't rightly say. I suspect I didn't know him at all, really. Kept
a good account book though. I should warn you, Bess. I'm going to
learn all about that diary and what he was up to. If you do know
anything..."
"William?"
"...best to say so now..."
"And if I did...You'd be willing to help me?"
"Help?"
"Keep the Duke and others away from me...My name out of this...Perhaps
cover a few of my Sam's less worthy dealings? For the sake of our
family, Will."
"Then I'll need you to spill, darling."
"Oh, Will...Can't you just find out in your own way, as you say?"
"Ok by me...But the Penn way is to toss a burning torch into the
powder hold and see if the ship explodes. If you're sure you're
safely away, fine. Else, I'd hate to see that pretty face marred."
Ummn...
"Well, I may have heard a few things...But Sam always assured me he'd
set the books right. Not a thing in them to pin anything on him or
his friends."
"True enough from what we've found so far. Making his diary even more
crucial."
"Maybe whoever killed Sam, destroyed it."
"He wasn't killed at home, precious. And unless you and your people
were lying, no one apparently showed up at the house or broke in that
night."
"William? Would I lie?"
"You haven't played straight with me for an hour since I knew you."
Bess rises from chair... William?
"You knew about his women, about his dealings. You stayed."
"This is the seventeenth century, Will."
"You'd left him before."
"It didn't work out. And I learned a girl is best off not trying to
make it on her own."
"And you knew about his diary."
"William?"
"Don't play me for a sap, Bess. I'm not into my boy Will's non-
violence. You're the only one who could have taken it from the
house."
"I...I don't have it...I gave it to... Someone...They said it was
important...They offered me money for it..."
"Who did you take it for?"
"I can't say...I daren't, oh, Will...You've got to protect me, I'm so
lost without Sam. Help me, Will...Be generous."
"You won't need any help, Mrs. Pepys. You're good. You're awfully
good. Especially when you get that throb in your throat... 'Be
generous, Will'."
Cool look... "I deserved that, I suppose. But the lie was in the way
I said it, not what I said."
"You are in danger, then."
"Bad as can be...You've seen those men."
"Who did you give the thing to? Where is it?"
"I don't know where it is, Will. I can't tell you who...But I can say
he doesn't have it now...It was stolen from him."
"Lot of people want that opus."
"I suppose...Oh, Will...I'm so afraid..."
"Just be patient, darling...All will come out. Including your role."
"Will? How can you say that after all we've meant to each other?"
***
About an hour after Mrs. Pepys' leaving...
"Dad?"
"Another visitor?" Takes card Meg offers...Hmmn...Signor Chessi,
"This one's a musical type, Admiral."
"In with him then, darling. Ah, Signor Chessi." Closes door, waves the
signor to a seat. A large, dapperly-dressed Italian, Chessi dusts
chair seat with cloth from coat, sits primly.
"Admirale. Uh, may a stranger offer condolences on the death of your
coworker, Admirale? I did know Signor Pepys slightly…As a lover of
music."
"Really?"
"He will be mourned. May I ask if the speculation in the London
Gazette regarding a connection between his death and that a little
later of the man Creed?…Pardon, I ask not of idle curiosity. In fact,
I am seeking a literary document of Signor Pepys' which I know had
been in his possession that
night but which since has disappeared. I suspect that whoever killed
Mr. Creed may have acquired said document and I am prepared, in the
name of a relative of Mr. Pepys, to offer the sum of 500Ls for the
document's safe return. I am permitted to say, how do you say? That no
questions will be asked."
"Uh-huh. And you come to me why?"
"Because I believe that either you have it or can get it, Admirale."
"Really?"
Chessi pulls dagger, waves for silence.
"If you would stay seated, Admirale...I intend to search your office."
Penn eyes him, nods...Fine...
Grabbing Chessi as he comes close...Twisting dagger, sock on jaw...
"Dad?" Meg at door...
"Just an accident, Meg. The signor tripped, right Signor Chessi?"
A rueful Chessi nods... "Pardon, miss."
Meg frowning, closes door at Penn's stare.
"Well?..."
"I apologize Admirale...But surely you can see I would wish to save my
client 500Ls if I could, given I could reasonably expect to receive a
part in reward. A musician's salary can always use a supplement where
possible."
"Fair enough. But your guess was wrong, I don't have the diary."
"If I may...Then why were you willing to risk injury to stop my
search?"
"I'm an admiral in the Royal Navy, Chessi...Hardly look well to let some
foreigner hold me up in the Naval Office."
"I see..."
"And I was disappointed to hear your offer was hooey..."
"On the contrary, Admirale...My offer remains geniune. Should you
recover the item, I am prepared to pay in the name of my
employer...Who must remain unknown to you..." hastily added.
"Mi, mi, mi…Pardon must check the equipment after our little
'accident'…" Chessi notes, warbling…
"Not very much to go on, Signor, if you really want my help. Just
why do so many people care about this personal diary?"
"Admirale…The written word can often be far more devastating than any
weapon. I assure you the concern over Mr. Pepys' rather fascinating
work is quite worthwhile."
…..