A Game of Shadows (15 page)

Valerie sat down across from Louisa, taking a deep breath of the evening air.  It wasn’t the custom of seventeenth-century Londoners to sit outside on a pleasant evening for fear of catching disease, but Valerie could think of nothing more enjoyable.  Most people wore herb-filled pomanders around their necks in the hope that the herbs would keep the plague away, but the most good the pomanders did was mask the terrible smell of people who thought bathing was bad for their health; they did little to ward off infection.  Louisa, who was notorious for disliking cats, kept several cats in the London house since they were the only viable shield against the rats and mice who carried the disease.  The cats weren’t allowed upstairs, especially near the children, but were kept to the kitchens and storerooms where they could hunt to their hearts’ content.

The stars were just
becoming visible in the evening sky; the slightest hint of autumn detectable in the air fragrant with the tang of the Thames and the smell of earth and flowers.  Alec joined them a few moments later, having seen Genevieve home in the carriage.  He had convinced her to stay for supper, and she’d shyly accepted.  She was unaccustomed to dining with the family in her position as governess and felt a little awkward until Louisa began to chatter away, putting her more at ease.  To everyone’s astonishment the girls seemed to get on well despite their age difference, since at twenty-three, Genevieve wasn’t very worldly due to her monastic upbringing.

“So, how did you leave things?” Valerie asked as Alec sat down next to her companionably.

“She’s agreed to give up her job and allow me to assume the role of guardian.  She will move in here by the end of the week with Kit’s consent.  I wish I had more time to get to know her, but time is of the essence.  I’d like to leave as soon as possible.”  Alec took Valerie’s hand, caressing it in his own.  He knew she was disappointed about their canceled trip to the future, but this was too important to him to put off until spring.

“Where exactly are you going?” asked Louisa, surprised.  They hadn’t
broken the news yet, choosing to work out a plan first.  Valerie knew Louisa would be upset.  They’d only just been reunited a few weeks ago, and now she would be leaving again for as long as a few months. 

“We are going to France to visit the Convent of Loudun where Genevieve grew up.  I want to find out what happened to Rose that drove her to suicide.”  Alec didn’t really want to talk about it, but they had to tell Louisa and Kit sooner or later.  Kit had just joined them outside, squeezing in next to Louisa
on the wrought iron bench and putting his arm around her shoulders.  Things seemed better between them, so maybe Kit had been able to resolve his situation at Court.

“Wait!  Did you say Convent of Loudun?” Louisa exclaimed, staring at Alec as if he
had just done a headstand.

“Yes,
I did.  Why do you ask?”

“
Valerie, don’t you remember?”  Louisa exclaimed again, gazing at Valerie expectantly.

“Lou, I have no idea what you are talking about.”  She really
didn’t.  The name sounded vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t recall where she’d heard it before.

“Don’t you remember
how Billie dragged us to that horrible opera, “The Devils of Loudun” at the Met?” Louisa was staring at Valerie, willing her to remember. 

“Oh my God, of course.  I hated it.  Is it the same
Loudun?”

“Of course, how many can there be?  What year did that happen in?”  Louisa jumped off the
settee and was pacing now, trying to remember.

“What are you two talking about?  What’s an opera?” Kit asked, bemused.

“An opera is a play where everyone sings,” Louisa replied, still pacing.

“So, it’s a comedy?”

“No, it’s usually a tragedy,” supplied Valerie, enjoying the men’s confusion.

Kit just looked at Alec, rolling his eyes.  “I think they
’re making a joke at our expense, Alec.  Can you imagine everyone singing, and it not being funny?”

“Actually, this opera was based on real events that took place at the convent,” Valerie said, trying to remember the story.

“Wait,” chimed in Alec, “what devils?  What happened there?”

“Valerie, do you remember?” Louisa asked as she paced in front of them
, hands on hips.  “What I wouldn’t give to Google it.”

“Maybe you
could sing it instead,” Kit piped in.  It’s sounds more amusing.”

“I don’t remember the details, but it had something to do with a large number of Ursuline nuns being possessed by the
Devil.  They had convulsions and spoke in tongues,” Valerie blurted out, suddenly remembering the plot.

Both Alec and Kit stared at her as if she
were the one speaking in tongues.  They’d probably never even heard of such things.  After all, they’d never been exposed to modern media, so the concept of demonic possession would be foreign to them unless it was mentioned in the Bible. 

“When did this happen?” Alec asked, doubt written across his face.

“Some time in the seventeenth century, but I can’t recall the year.  I don’t think it’s happened yet.  I actually looked it up after the performance, and it mentioned some earlier case in 1611 in a different town, but Loudun happened later,” Louisa recalled. 

“So what happened to the nuns?”  Kit was bu
rsting with curiosity, probably thinking that this could only happen to Catholics.  Protestants didn’t indulge in such theatrics. 

“They were exorcized by a priest, who later went mad.  That’s all I can remember.”  Louisa sat back down as if exhausted by her trip down memory lane.

“Exorcized?  And you are saying this happened at the convent where my sister died, and Genevieve grew up?” Alec was incredulous.  “I must admit, I find this a little difficult to believe.  I’ve never heard of such a thing.  And they turned it into a play?”

“Where everyone sang,” added Kit helpfully, trying not to laugh.

“I’m just telling you what I know.  You don’t have to believe me,” replied Louisa defensively. 

“I’m sorry, Louisa.  I wasn’t questioning your word.  It’s just somewhat surprising.  I hope you
’re right, and it hasn’t happened yet.  I would hate to think that Rose might have been a part of it.  You would think a convent would be a place of refuge, not the den of evil.”  Alec shook his head, obviously trying to get rid of the image of convulsing nuns and mad priests.  “I must admit that I’m dreading this journey, but feel compelled to undertake it.  I think I’ll retire now.  Good night.” 

Valerie rose to follow Alec into the house.  She could understand his feelings.  All these years he
had comforted himself with the thought that his sister was safe behind the walls of a sanctuary and so much was going on that he hadn’t known about.  She was glad that Genevieve agreed to accept his guardianship.  Making her happy would be a balm to Alec’s soul.

The sound of cutlery on metal plates and the clinking of glasses could be heard coming from the dining room, the smell of roasted meat wafting through the entire house, making Theo’s mouth water.  He ignored his rumbling stomach and crept past the closed doors of the dining room to the staircase leading to the bedrooms.  Robin kept his room locked when he wasn’t at home, but tonight he and Beth were entertaining guests, so technically Robin was in.  The corridor was quiet and dark, the servants either serving supper or enjoying their own evening meal in the kitchen, their work done for the day.  Theo would go down later and ask Cook for a plate of something, but right now he had more important things to do. 

Theo
looked around to make sure no one was coming before trying the door.  Thankfully, it wasn’t locked, and he slipped inside, closing the door quietly behind him.  Robin’s bedroom was much like his own: masculine, uncluttered, and spacious.  He hated any kind of ornament or artifice, preferring to keep only things necessary for his everyday life.  Beth’s bedroom next door was a woman’s paradise filled with ornamental boxes, perfumes and dusty tapestries, but Robin’s was as stark as that of a Spartan warrior. 

Theo didn’t bother to light a candle since there was still some feeble daylight coming in through the windows.  It would be enough for him to find what he came for.  Robin kept all the important papers in an Oriental box that he received years ago as a gift from some merchant.  It
s black-lacquered lid was decorated with a whimsical design of mother-of-pearl, and some kind of pink stone used to represent the blossoms of a cherry tree.  The box was very pretty, and Beth asked Robin to give it to her several times, but he refused.  He had some kind of strange attachment to it.  Robin kept the box hidden in a specially-built alcove behind a painting of their father, which was the only decoration in the room.  Lord Carew Senior stared sternly from the canvas, willing his sons to do his bidding even in death, his light eyes so different from Theo’s and Robin’s. Only Walter had taken after their father, his light-brown hair and shrewd blue eyes so like the ones in the painting.

Theo moved the
frame and opened the alcove, pulling out the box.  He was glad it wasn’t locked since he would have hated to force the lock and upset Robin.  All he wanted to do was look at their father’s Will to see if there was anything to Celia’s comment.  If there wasn’t, Robin never need know that he’d even been there.  Theo told him that he was dining with a friend, so no one would be expecting to see him for a few hours yet.  He rifled through the papers in the box until he came to the rolled-up document bearing a broken seal.  He unrolled the scroll and took it closer to the window, quickly reading through all the details of their father’s last instructions.  He hadn’t actually been present at the reading of the Will as he had been too young when Lord Carew died, so whatever he knew, he knew from Robin.  His mother never mentioned anything after his father’s death, leaving all the business of the family to her eldest son and spending her time in pursuit of pleasure, which had been denied her during her marriage.  Robin and Walter hadn’t approved, but Theo didn’t mind, pleased to see his mother smiling and happy after years of tight-lipped misery.

Theo scanned the numerous paragraphs looking for his own name.  He saw it several times in relation to division of property, but there was nothing mentioned about marriage until the very last paragraph.  Theo read it twice to make sure he got it right before rolling up the document and replacing it in the box.  So, maybe Celia hadn’t been referring to Theo when she talked of deception, but Robin.  Seemed his brother had some explaining to do. 

Theo slipped out of the room and headed to the kitchen.  It would be a while yet till Robin returned to his room for the night, and he might as well face him on a full stomach.

It was several long hours before Theo heard Robin on the stairs, his voice loud as he bid Beth goodnight.  He’d obviously had too much to drink and would be eager for his bed, grateful not to have to visit his wife’s bedroom in order to perform his husbandly duties.  Robin never went to Beth to satisfy lust, and now that she was with child, he was free from her for a while.  Despite being unfaithful, he was surprisingly devoted to Celia, and felt as if he were being unfaithful to her when with his wife.  Beth’s soft voice replied to Robin before she retired to her own room, equally happy not to have to deal with her husband.  Theo hoped to God that he would never have to endure that kind of marriage, but he would if Robin got his way. 

He waited a few minutes before finally leaving his sanctuary and going to face his brother.  Theo had always loved and respected Robin, but tonight he was angry and full of resentment.  Robin had taken advantage of his trust and
wanted to manipulate him to serve his own ends.  Well, he was in for a shock.

Robin turned
around in surprise, his hand on his flies.  He was a little unsteady on his feet as he plopped down on the bed, kicking off his shoes.  It would probably have been better to wait till Robin was stone sober, but Theo was too upset to put off the confrontation any longer.

“I thought you were out,” Robin said, finally managing to get his breeches off and
throwing them to the floor before pulling his shirt over his head.  “I’m off to bed, if you don’t mind.”  Robin crawled into bed completely naked and threw a sheet over his middle in an effort at modesty.

“I’d like to talk you,” Theo said quietly as he took a chair and brought it close to the bed.  He wanted to see his brother’s face while he talked to him to gauge his reaction.

“Can’t it wait? I’m tired.  You should have been there tonight.  We dined with Lord and Lady Winslow, and the subject of your possible marriage to their daughter came up more than once.  They are very eager to see you two wed before the year’s out.” 

“I’m afraid
that’s not possible, because the only person I will be marrying before the year is out is Louisa Whitfield.”  Theo watched Robin’s astonished face as he absorbed that announcement.

“Theo, we’ve already had this discussion and as far as I can tell, nothing has changed.  I forbid you to marry that Papist.  Now go to your own room and let me get some rest.”  Robin scratched his stubbled cheek, making a rasping sound with his fingers as he watched Theo in the fruitless hope that he would just leave.

“Oh, but something has changed, at least for me, and it will for you as well if you keep on denying me.  First, if I marry her without your consent, it will result in a scandal, which is never desirable when you are concerned with your political future.  Second, it wouldn’t look good to have a penniless brother married to a Papist, and third, and most important, you lied to me Robin.”  Theo watched Robin’s face as he took in what he said.

“What are you talking about?  Are you saying that you will marry her without my consent and forfeit everything?”

“No, I’m saying that I will marry her without your consent and forfeit nothing.  It seems you forgot to tell me that your guardianship ends on my twenty-first birthday, which is only two months away.  So, either you can give me your consent, and we can do this amicably, or you can withhold it and try to disinherit me.  Father’s solicitor has a copy of the Will, which will prove that you have no say in my affairs as of November 2nd.  Which shall it be, Robin?”

Robin sat up in bed, suddenly looking tired and sober.  He’d obviously never expected this turn of events and he stared at Theo, his mouth open in shock.  “How did you know about the
Will?” he asked suddenly, his eyes cold.

“It doesn’t matter.  What matters is that you lied to me and tried to manipulate me in order to serve your own ends.  I’ve always trusted you, Robin, and you betrayed me.”  Theo
didn’t mean to sound as hurt as he did, but Robin’s lie cut deeper than he allowed himself to admit. 

Robin rubbed the bridge of his nose, his eyes closed as if it hurt to look at Theo.  He finally looked up, his gaze clear and unflinching.

“Theo, I would never have said no to you had you picked someone even remotely suitable; you know that.  I love you and I want to see you happy, but this union is a mistake, and you will live to regret it.  You hardly know the girl.  Can you honestly tell me that she loves you and isn’t only after your wealth and position?  She has much to gain and very little to lose.”

Theo got up, not bothering to let Robin finish.  He didn’t want to hear
an argument against Louisa.  He had the upper hand now, and he would use it.  Even if the Will hadn’t stipulated that Theo was a free man at twenty-one, Robin dreaded scandal more than he would ever admit.  He never imagined that Theo would go against him, but if Theo still chose to marry Louisa and accept the consequences, it wouldn’t look good for the family, and the only way to avoid talk would be to put a good face on the marriage.  Robin was now with his back against the wall, and he would support the marriage, if only not to lose face at Court.

“Good night, Robin,” Theo said as he walked out the door.  He’d won this round, but his heart felt sore in his chest, aching with the knowledge that his relationship with Robin would never be the same.  He would have to look out for his own interests now and trust no one.