Endure My Heart by Joan Smith Read Free Book Online

gentleman, you must know. I was once young, poor and ambitious, like yourself.”
    “That must have been a good many years ago, Sir Elwood.”
    “Aye, so it was. More years that I like to think. Over forty years ago I started in the business. Now it is time I retire, and pass the reins to my successor. I’ve only hung on so long waiting for the right man—er, person—to come along. I had some hopes your brother… but Andrew is very bookish when all is said and done.”
    “I can’t do it. If it ever came out, Andrew would be ruined.”
    “It won’t come out. I’ve run the gang forever, with never a soul knowing but the Hesslers. Old Jim used to be my accomplice, and his son was so bright I took him on when Jim died, despite his youth. If he were a little older, he’d be my replacement. You need not stay in it so long as I did myself. Build yourself up a dowry, and retire as soon as Jemmie is a little more mature. I gave only my brains to the outfit. I took no active part, and naturally as a lady you would not be active in the physical end of it. Give them a hand. They’re stouthearted lads, but not so bright and wide-awake to the business end of it as is required. You will be dealing with London merchants and French exporters—dealing in large sums of money. They want sharp managing, the lads. There’s a tidy profit in it for you. I make a hundred guineas a trip. Better than five, eh?”
    My heart was beating like a hammer. It seemed too large, too dangerous an undertaking. I wanted to say no, and run out the door, but something kept me in my seat. The hundred guineas a trip had something to do with it, but it was not just greed. He spoke of the “enterprise” having to be abandoned.
    “It will put a lot of families on the parish dole,” he said. “The fishermen are idle from Christmas till March or April, giving extra hands just when you need them. Summer, being a light season for the free trade, is a good time for you to get your toes wet. Don’t think the civil authorities will give you a hard time—I— they won’t. They know well enough it is only the smuggling that gives us the lowest poor rate in the country. They are not eager to have to support the poor out of the mill rate. As to cash to finance it, you must have some monies saved.”
    “Not nearly enough.”
    “I’ll lend you the rest. You must pay them when they land. And never double-cross them, Miss Thyme.” He smiled as he gave me his name. “You can repay me over the next few months. I shall be happy to lend a hand when I can. It will not look exceptionable if the rector’s sister drops in on me from time to time, eh? I have a list of London agents here, and some other information you will need.”
    He went to a file cabinet and drew out, from his parish records, one innocent-looking folder that contained all manner of criminal information. My own name was there, with the rest, on the bookkeeping sheet. He called me only Miss A, but what a thing to have written down.
    I stayed with him an hour, and went home the chief of the smuggling gang at Salford, with five hundred pounds in my pocket. It was announced in the Salford Sun next day that Sir Elwood Ganner was being raised to the rank of baronet for his unceasing efforts to better the conditions of the poor of Salford. That was why he wanted out of smuggling, of course. He was aiming to be Lord Something or Other before many more years were out, and did not wish to have the skeleton of Miss Thyme in his cupboard. I doubted very much if I would ever be so grandly rewarded for my own efforts on behalf of the townsfolk, but I never had any hankering after rank, so that did not vex me.
     

Chapter Four
     
    My first duty as Miss Thyme was to discover a new hiding place for the load coming in. Coming in that very night, in approximately six hours! I was distracted over dinner. Any brother but Andrew would have noticed it, but with the Parish Council meeting on his mind, he was content to