The boy glanced up with a coy smile. “I will only be twelve. I must be a man first.”
The captain went to him and ruffled his dark hair. “That’s correct. Your sister would demand my head if I sent you off too early on your own.”
Hillary’s fondness for the boy increased Sebastian’s hope that he would hear out Sebastian. “I am to marry soon, which is what brings me here. I have a favor to ask, although I realize you owe me no debts.”
“But my brother does.” The captain sat and leaned back in his chair, regarding Sebastian with a gaze that likely made others cower. Not Sebastian.
“Your brother has made things right for my sister, but he can never atone for the hurt he caused.”
Hillary nodded. “I hope you don’t expect Hillary Shipping to make amends. Ben may be part owner, but this business is my pride. I wouldn’t allow my pride to be trampled.”
“I have no ill will against you or your business. The favor I ask is significant, but I will pay you for your trouble.”
The captain’s eyes narrowed. “I have a family to protect and anything untoward threatens their well-being.”
Perhaps Sebastian’s plan wouldn’t work after all. He supposed he and Helena could try to hide Gracie at Mr. Mason’s home for the appropriate length of time for her to have traveled from Scotland, but it seemed riskier. There would be ship records in Scotland too, and Gracie’s name wouldn’t be on any of them. He didn’t know how to explain her sudden appearance.
He met the captain’s fierce scowl. “I am protecting mine too. My betrothed has a sister, and I need to book passage from Dublin for her and a maid.”
“Why didn’t you say so?” Hillary’s good humor returned and he leaned his elbows on the desk. “You didn’t need to come to me to book passage. My man could have helped you.”
“I am afraid that is where you are mistaken. My affianced bride’s sister won’t actually be on ship.”
If Sebastian didn’t require the man’s assistance, he might jest about the captain needing to close his mouth before he accidentally swallowed a fly. Instead, he explained the situation, leaving out no detail. Hillary probably would sense if Sebastian withheld information. He struck Sebastian as that type of man.
When he concluded his tale, the captain made a steeple with his fingers. “If anyone finds out about your betrothed’s past, it would cause quite the scandal.”
“I expect it would, but my family and I have withstood scandal in the past. We would survive it again.”
A corner of Hillary’s mouth tipped up. “Yes, I do recall something about a scandal at my brother’s hands. Of course, I pay little notice to gossipmongers or care about providing entertainment for them.”
Sebastian suppressed a frustrated sigh. It appeared he would get no help from the captain. Helena would return this afternoon, and Sebastian hated to disappoint her, but he wouldn’t give up until she had everything she wanted.
“I will need the girl’s name,” Hillary said as he grabbed a sheet of foolscap and dipped his quill in ink. “And that of her maid.”
Sebastian gave a start. “Gracie Kendrick and Edith…um…” Damn, he should have thought to ask Edith’s surname.
Hillary smirked. “Perhaps something Irish would be best.”
“Gallagher?”
“Gallagher it is.” He scrawled their names on the paper then returned the quill to the holder. “I have a ship returning from Dublin at the end of the week or early next week. I will send word as soon as it makes an appearance.”
“Can your men be trusted?”
“I don’t surround myself with men I cannot trust. You have no cause for concern. The gossipmongers must look elsewhere for their entertainment. The Hillarys and Thornes haveprovided enough.”
Sebastian couldn’t agree more. He rose and shook hands with the captain to seal the agreement.
***
Helena hadn’t been back in London more than half an hour before Fergus announced Olive’s arrival at the door. Wickie’s cousin burst into the drawing room where Helena was enjoying a cup of tea after the long day of travel.