Cinderella Sister (42 page)

‘No hard feelings, miss,’ Prissy said graciously. ‘Show me where the kitchen is and I’ll make the tea.’

‘That door,’ Nell said, pointing her finger in the general direction of the kitchen.

Lily nodded to Prissy. ‘A cup of hot, sweet tea would do Ma the world of good.’

‘Certainly, miss.’ Prissy walked sedately into the kitchen.

When she was out of earshot, Nell turned to Lily. ‘So what happened tonight?’

Briefly, and succinctly, Lily told them about the events in the churchyard. Charlotte uttered a loud moan and fell back in her seat, clutching her hands to her breast. ‘Everard, my love. How will I live without you?’

‘There, there, Ma,’ Nell said, gently. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t know.’ She glanced at Lily with an attempt at a smile. ‘You did right to bring her here. I’m sure Matt will agree when he knows the full story.’

‘You look like you could do with a snifter, mate,’ Grandpa said, addressing Gabriel. ‘The women get all the attention but you just buried your old man, so let’s raise a glass to him, wherever he’s gone.’ He took two glasses from the dresser and poured a tot of brandy in each, handing one to Gabriel. ‘Best put the past behind us now. What’s done is done, and we’ve got other things to worry about.’

Gabriel downed the brandy in one swallow. ‘Thanks, Mr Larkin. That was generous of you considering what my father put your family through.’

‘And her,’ Grandpa said, jerking his head in Charlotte’s direction. ‘She’s the one who ran off. She’s a flighty piece just like her daughter. Now we’ll have old man Labrosse coming down on us like a ton of bricks, and quite possibly turning us out on the street. I’ve no doubt he had other ideas for his son than for him to wed a silly chit like young Molly with not a penny to her name.’

‘Grandpa,’ Nell cautioned. ‘You don’t know that for certain. Monsieur Labrosse might be happy to see Armand settled with a wife who loves him.’

‘With a wife who loves money and pretty gewgaws,’ Grandpa muttered. ‘Just like that creature over there. Give her a slap, that’ll bring her round better than all this mollycoddling.’

‘You don’t mean that,’ Lily cried, her nerves stretched
to breaking point. ‘She’s sick and she needs looking after.’

‘She needs a slap,’ Grandpa repeated, refilling his glass. ‘If my boy had been firmer with her she might not have strayed like she did. Anyway, I’m going to me bed. I’ll leave you to sort her out, and as to young Molly, well I wouldn’t want to be around when Matt finds out what she’s done.’ He saluted Gabriel with his glass as he left the room.

‘Ma should be in bed with a hot brick at her feet,’ Lily said anxiously.

Nell bent down to take off her mother’s wet satin slippers. ‘Only Ma would go to a funeral in midwinter with dancing shoes on. She can have Molly’s bed for the night since she won’t be needing it.’

‘I’ll carry her upstairs.’ Gabriel leaned over Charlotte, taking her hand. ‘Let’s get you to bed, Cara my dear.’

Nell managed a tight little smile. ‘Thank you, Gabriel. I realise that we weren’t the only ones to suffer from our parents’ affair, and I’m sorry if I misjudged you.’

Prissy opened the kitchen door. ‘Who wants a nice hot cup of tea?’

Gabriel lifted Charlotte in his arms, ignoring her groans and muttered protests. ‘Come along, Cara. Let’s get you settled and Prissy will bring you a hot drink and maybe a warm brick wrapped in a flannel for your feet.’

‘I want to die,’ Charlotte moaned faintly.

‘You’ll feel better in the morning,’ Lily said, following them from the room as Nell led the way upstairs. ‘Everything will look better after a good night’s sleep.’

Having sent Gabriel downstairs to drink his tea, Nell and Lily set about undressing their mother and getting her into bed, which was no easy task as Charlotte went as limp as a rag doll, refusing to cooperate. Nell tut-tutted in annoyance. ‘She’s worse than a two-year-old.’

‘She’s had a terrible shock,’ Lily said mildly. ‘She adored Everard and I have to admit that he was a good, kind man. I liked him a lot.’

‘That doesn’t excuse what they did.’ Nell slipped a cotton nightgown over their mother’s head. ‘They lived off other people’s money with no hope of repaying them. I call that stealing and I can’t condone it under any circumstances.’

Lily struggled to get Charlotte’s arms into the nightgown. ‘Please, Ma. Help us a bit, there’s a good girl.’

Charlotte sighed, but she allowed them to get her into bed just as Prissy arrived with the hot brick and a cup of tea. ‘I’ve put a drop of brandy in it,’ she whispered to Lily. ‘She might not be able to sleep without the laudanum.’

Overhearing the last remark, Nell shook her head. ‘She must get used to doing without it or she’ll end up an addict. I’ve seen women in the streets who would sell their own children for alcohol or drugs. It’s not a pretty sight.’ She drew Lily aside, leaving Prissy to settle Charlotte. ‘There’s going to be a terrible scene when Matt discovers Molly has eloped, and I tremble to think what he’ll say if he finds Ma here.’

‘We’ll think of something,’ Lily said with more hope than conviction. ‘How long is it since Molly and Armand went missing?’

‘Three hours at the most.’ Nell shivered. ‘Let’s go downstairs and sit by the fire. You can have your tea and then you must be on your way. The girl can stay and look after Ma but you must be here first thing in the morning to take her home.’

Gabriel rose from his chair as they entered the parlour. ‘Is there anything more I can do, Nell?’

‘Only if you can perform miracles and bring Molly back before Matt finds out what the silly girl has done.’

‘Have you any idea where they were headed?’ Lily asked hopefully. They won’t be able to get married until morning, and even then they will have to make arrangements. We might be able to find them if only we knew where they’d gone.’

‘We might?’ Gabriel raised his eyebrows. ‘Are you including me in this scheme, Lily?’

She met his gaze steadily. ‘I don’t think I could do it alone.’

‘And you won’t have to. Of course I’ll go with you, Lily.’

The warmth in his voice was balm to Lily’s troubled soul. The smile in his eyes was for her alone and she felt strangely light-headed and unaccountably happy. ‘But as we don’t know where they’ve gone it’s impossible.’ She could not bring herself to look away and break the spell that seemed to bind them.

‘They were heading for Dover.’

Nell’s voice shattered the moment, bringing Lily tumbling back to earth. ‘They were going to France to get married?’

‘That’s what Molly told me. I tried to stop her but I might as well have attempted to prevent the tide from coming in. She laughed in my face as she walked out of the door.’

‘Then we must go after them,’ Lily said firmly. ‘They won’t have reached Dover yet. They will have to change horses and maybe they’ve put up overnight at an inn.’

Nell clasped her hands in despair. ‘Her reputation will be ruined. It won’t make any difference whether or not you catch up with them. It’s a disaster whichever way you look at it.’

‘Not yet it isn’t.’ Gabriel retrieved his hat and coat. ‘If we can get to them in time reputations will be saved, and you could have Molly restored to you by midday tomorrow or soon after.’

Lily’s hopes were raised, only to be dashed by a seemingly insuperable problem. ‘But we’ve no means of transport and no money to pay for its hire.’

Nell shot a suspicious glance in Gabriel’s direction. ‘I thought you were a man of means.’

‘I have a modest income left to me by my mother,’ Gabriel acknowledged. ‘But I’ve had unexpected expenses recently.

Lily knew that he was referring to Christian Smith and her heart sank. She had almost forgotten the reporter and the sum of money Gabriel had paid him. ‘So it’s hopeless,’ she murmured, bowing her head. ‘There’s nothing we can do.’

Shrugging on his coat, Gabriel set his top hat on his head at a jaunty angle. ‘Leave it to me. Give me an
hour and be ready for a long journey, Lily. I’ll be as quick as I can.’

The fire had gone out and Lily awakened with a start, gazing sleepily around the parlour lit by the glow of a single guttering candle. She stretched her cramped limbs, reaching her hands out to the fire but it had died away to a pile of silver ash. Dozing in the chair opposite her, she could just make out Prissy’s shape. Gradually the events of the past few hours came back to her. Nell had gone to bed soon after Gabriel’s departure, and Prissy had kept her company while she awaited his return. The sound of the front door opening and footsteps echoing off the flagstone floor made Lily rise unsteadily to her feet. She held her breath wondering if it was Gabriel or her brothers returning from their night watch. She breathed a sigh of relief when Gabriel strode into the room.

‘I’ve got a carriage and pair waiting at the end of the alley. Are you ready?’ He picked up her cloak, shaking it and holding it out with a flourish. ‘Shall we go?’

‘What’s going on?’ Prissy sat bolt upright.

Lily placed her finger on her lips. ‘Hush, Prissy. We’re going to find Molly. I want you to stay and look after Ma for me. We’ll be back as soon as possible.’

‘Don’t worry, Prissy,’ Gabriel said cheerfully. ‘I’ll bring Lily home safe and sound together with the errant sister. Take care of yourself and Charlotte, and don’t let the Larkins bully you.’

‘They won’t get the better of me,’ Prissy said stoutly.
‘You don’t grow up one of ten nippers without learning how to stand up for yourself.’

Lily leaned back against the padded velvet squabs of the five-glass landau, revelling in the luxury of travelling in style. She had noticed a coat of arms emblazoned on the door, and even though she knew nothing of heraldry, she realised that this elegant equipage must belong to a person of high rank. She stole a sideways glance at Gabriel, feeling suddenly shy in the shared intimacy of the confined space. He turned his head to smile at her. ‘We’ll catch up with them, Lily. Don’t worry.’

His hand sought hers and she felt a tingle run down her spine at his touch. ‘I’m not at all worried now, but I’d like to know how you managed all this when I know you gave all your money to that hateful Christian Smith.’

‘I have an influential contact who loaned me his carriage and pair.’

‘It must be someone with a title who is extremely wealthy. Who is this person, Gabriel?

‘Let’s just say he’s an art lover.’

‘That’s only half an answer.’

‘He’s a titled gentleman who was a great admirer of my father’s works. He bought several and he’s been showing an interest in my efforts. There was a painting of mine that he wanted for his private collection, although I’d been reluctant to part with it.’

His eyes were deep in shadow but Lily sensed the deep emotion underlying his words. She covered his hand with hers. ‘It was
Lily in the Flames
, wasn’t it?’

He nodded wordlessly, raising her hand to his lips.

‘But you were going to enter it for the Summer Exhibition.’

‘He paid me a fair price, and the loan of the carriage was a bonus. There are more important things to think of now, and Molly is just one of them.’

Lily’s breath hitched in her throat. ‘And the others?’

‘Our future, Lily. Yours and mine. We can’t live on fresh air.’

She withdrew her hand, shivering as a chill ran through her blood. ‘I’ve told you before that you aren’t responsible for me or Ma. We aren’t related in any way.’

He drew her into his arms, pressing his lips gently against her forehead. ‘But I want to be related to you, Lily. I want to hold you in my arms forever and tell you that I love you, and that I’ve loved you since that first moment when you almost tripped over me on Bell Wharf.’ He drew away just far enough to gaze deeply into her eyes. ‘I adore you, Lily. It’s as simple as that.’

His lips claimed hers, robbing her of speech. Shock and astonishment melted away as Lily gave herself up to sheer delight. Her lips parted beneath his and as if moving of their own accord her arms slid around his neck. Everything seemed to fit. Her body moulded into his as if they had been made for each other. Her heart was beating to the same rhythm as Gabriel’s and her senses soared towards heaven. Even without knowing it, this was the moment for which she had been yearning and only now did she understand the reason
why. She loved him with every fibre of her being. She was his, heart and soul, body and mind. They were as one in the swaying darkness of the carriage as it sped through the narrow city streets.

When he released her in order to draw breath, she blinked dazedly into his smiling eyes. She knew every contour of his face: the tiny laughter line at the corners of his blue eyes, the quirk of his lips when he smiled and the way his dark hair tumbled over his forehead, all were indelibly etched on her heart. If they were parted now never to meet again, she knew she would not forget a single detail. Now she had his kiss imprinted on her lips. She would remember the taste of him and the masculine scent of him, which would linger on even if he was far away from her. Only now could she empathise with the love that her mother must have felt for Everard, and the passion that had led her to desert her family. Only now could she understand the terrible feelings of loss that her mother had experienced after her lover’s untimely death.

Lily raised her hand to caress Gabriel’s cheek, needing to feel the warm touch of his flesh to convince herself that this was real and not a dream. ‘I love you too,’ she whispered. ‘I love you, Gabriel.’

He silenced her with a kiss that she wished would never end.

She slept in his arms, waking only when the motion of the carriage changed as it slowed down and the horses’ hooves clattered in the cobbled yard of a coaching inn.

Opening her eyes, she raised her head. ‘Gabriel?’

‘We have to change horses,’ he said, easing her into a sitting position. He kissed her on the forehead, and brushed her lips with a feather-like salute. ‘You are beautiful, my Lily.’

She smiled. ‘I am yours, Gabriel. I can’t believe it’s happened, but in spite of everything I couldn’t be happier.’

The carriage door opened and the groom let down the carpeted steps, proffering his arm to help Lily alight.