Courting Lord Dorney (22 page)

* * * *

The servants at the new house welcomed Bella, smiling pleasantly at her. Mary reported that they had found her a small attic bedroom, so she did not have to share with the housemaid. Jackson, she added, had a small room behind the kitchen and was well pleased with the new stables. Even Rags was welcomed, the cook saying he would earn his keep by catching any rats that found their way into the small garden behind the house. They spent the rest of the day unpacking, helped by Miss Perkins, who had arrived soon after they did themselves. Dinner was excellent, well-cooked and presented, Miss Perkins had a fund of funny stories to relate about the children she had taught, and Bella went to bed congratulating herself on her new domestic arrangements.

On the following day she went to visit the Floods and see how the building to connect the two cottages was progressing. She stayed later than she had intended, the Floods made her so welcome, and arrived home only just in time to dress for the evening’s entertainment, a visit to the theatre with Major Ross and two other young couples, both men army officers, and the sisters of one of them.

Bella had avoided thinking of the Major’s proposal, but he gave her such a pleading glance she promised herself she would reach a decision soon. The play was uninspiring, and Bella soon stopped paying it attention. Could she marry the Major?

He was a pleasant companion, was not poor, and would permit her to use her own money as she wished. And he could give her children. But he lived near Cambridge, and she had heard that the country round about was exceedingly flat. She would have to convince him of the need for purchasing an estate in a hillier part of the country.

Her recent encounters with Gareth had made her even more determined that he would never get his hands on Trahearne House. Her father had spoken as though it was inevitable, especially since she had inherited her uncle’s fortune, and had no need of the security it offered, while Gareth, the only Trahearne left, had very little. Bella had accepted this, though she had been hurt her father had not realized how fond she was of the house. But not been greatly concerned because she assumed she would marry and have children he would leave it to. Bella would need to convince him that Gareth was undeserving. Apart from Gareth, Jane and Philip were her closest family, and she if he remained convinced she did not need it she might persuade her father to leave it to them. But they were older than she was, and had no children, or even other close relatives to leave it to after them instead. Could she convince her father that it would be better to leave it to provide more houses for her orphans? Yet part of her was reluctant. It had been in her family for generations, and she wanted it to continue.

She could have her own children if she married Major Ross. He, she was convinced, was honest and did not want her for her money. Yet if she accepted him, she would renounce all hope of marrying for love. She liked, but did not love the Major. Richard was the only man she could ever love. Cravenly, she needed more time, and when, as they walked behind the boxes in the interval and she had the opportunity of a private word with the Major, she begged him to be patient.

‘I will give you an answer soon,’ she promised.

‘If you are still considering it, I have not lost hope,’ he replied gallantly. ‘Will you drive with me in the morning?’

She agreed, and he pressed her hand warmly. ‘I will call for you. Now, I think we had better go back to the others.’

* * * *

Mary had been given the evening off, and the butler said Miss Perkins had retired early with a headache. Bella undressed herself, and noticed that some of her gowns looked creased. She frowned. Mary was normally very particular in the way she stored Bella’s clothes, but perhaps they had become creased during the packing for the move, and Mary had not yet had time to deal with them. It had been a very busy few days for them all.

Her more valuable jewels were kept in a locked box hidden beneath a pile of shawls, but the less valuable Bella kept in one of the drawers of her dressing table. She opened this now, too tired to bother with the box. She would replace the pearls she had worn this evening in the morning. Then she frowned. She was certain she had left the necklaces more tidily when she had taken out the garnet necklace she had worn earlier in the day. But she was tired, she was probably mistaken. She put away the pearls and made ready for bed, and was soon asleep.

Mary woke her the following morning, bringing her breakfast tray. Bella had decided that she would have enough of Miss Perkins during the rest of the day, she did not wish for her company at breakfast too.

As Bella poured the chocolate Mary began to tidy the room.

‘Miss Bella, these gowns are creased. I pressed them before I put them away, and left out the one you said you were wearing last night. Did you change your mind?’

‘I didn’t touch them,’ Bella said slowly. ‘I noticed them when I came home last night. The jewels, too. Mary, get the other box and the key,’ she added, and deposited her tray on the bedside table. She pulled on a wrapper as she got out of bed. ‘Could any of the servants have been poking around?’

Mary did not reply. She brought the locked box to the bed, then found the key which Bella kept in a small hidden compartment of her writing desk. Silently Bella fitted the key and turned it. She lifted the lid and they both stared at the top tray which held rings, earrings and bracelets, diamonds, rubies, emeralds and a few lesser stones.

‘The diamond rings!’ Mary gasped. ‘There were two almost the same! Now there’s only one. The biggest stone is missing. Someone in the house is a thief!’

‘Let’s not panic. Lock the door, Mary, while we go through the box.’

She tipped out all the jewels onto the bed, and they laid them out. Mary knew them almost as well as her mistress, and together they replaced them in their usual positions in the box. The larger pieces, the ornate necklaces which were, some of them, worth thousands of pounds, were all there.

‘Whoever it was probably thought they were paste!’ Mary said angrily.

‘Not surprising,’ Bella said, and found her voice was trembling. ‘They do look too good to be true! But let’s go through the rest.’

They went through with the utmost care, and even looked under all the furniture, in case something had dropped unnoticed, although Mary swore the box had only been opened the previous evening when Bella had chosen the pearls to wear, and they had all been present then. At last Bella sat down on her dressing stool.

‘Not just the ring, but a pair of pearl earrings,’ she said slowly.

‘And you had three pairs of those, different sizes. I suppose whoever it was thought you’d be less likely to miss them. What about the ones in the drawer?’

They locked the box, and Bella hung the key on a simple gold chain which, she said, she would keep on her person in future. Then they checked the other jewelry. That was all accounted for.

‘They thought it was all in the locked box,’ Mary said furiously. ‘What will you do, Miss Bella? Can we search the house?’

Bella shook her head. ‘It would take hours, and how could we explain it? No, first let’s try to find out where everyone was last night. Go and ask Jackson to come up here, please. Try not to let the rest know I’ve asked for him, but if any of them ask, I want to consult him about some sort of problem with one of the horses. They won’t know better, they won’t have seen the horses.’

‘To your bedroom?’ Mary looked so scandalized that even in her concern Bella smiled.

‘I’ll dress first,’ she said.

When Mary ushered Jackson into the room a few minutes later Bella was decently gowned in a simple morning dress, with her hair tied back simply.

Swiftly she explained, and Jackson was all for searching the servants’ rooms at once.

‘Not yet, Jackson. Think. Could any of them have had time to come in here and search? It would have taken more than a few minutes to find the box and the key. You were in the house last night. I didn’t need you to drive me, the Major called for me. After I went out, what did everyone do?’

He frowned. ‘After the dishes were washed, we all sat round playing cards until Cook made us all some tea. Then the women went up to bed, and the men played on for a bit. Now I think of it we were all together until you came home. I suppose one of the maids might have slipped in after they’d gone upstairs, but it wasn’t ten minutes before you came in, and Mary was a minute of two after you. Where had you been?’ he asked, suddenly turning to her.

‘With Joan, at Mount Street. You know we got to be friends while we lived there. You’re not accusing me, are you?’

‘Course not. I just wondered, whether you were out with Tom footman from there. He was sweet on you.’

Mary tossed her head. ‘I wasn’t. But Miss Bella, if it wasn’t the servants, it must have been Miss Perkins. She was here on her own, in her room upstairs. No one would have heard her moving about.’

* * * *

Lord Dorney met the Major outside Whites.

‘How do you do, Major? I haven’t seen Frederick around for some time.’ And I hope he has lost interest in Felicity, he added to himself.

‘Frederick? Oh, he’s in the throes of some new piece of nonsense. He said he would be ready to read it out to us all at the soiree tonight. I hope Miss Trahearne is well enough to attend.’

‘Is she unwell?’

He suppressed the flicker of concern he felt at the news.

‘She was a little abstracted at the theatre last night, but this morning, when I called to drive out with her, she sent a message to say she was indisposed. I trust whatever ailed Lady Fulwood was not catching.’

‘I think not. My godmother is getting old, though she normally refuses to admit it. She was tired, knocked up by all the activities she insists on undertaking. I just hope she is less energetic in Brighton!’

‘How is your nephew? When is the wedding?’

‘I don’t know. Major, can I have a quiet word with you?’

They found a quiet corner in the library, and Lord Dorney began to explain.

‘Alex is very unhappy at Felicity’s behaviour,’ he said. ‘And I fear it is because of your brother, who is paying far too particular attentions to her. She’s had her head turned of course, but does Frederick have any serious intentions towards her?’

‘My brother does not confide in me, any more than I in him,’ the Major said with a shrug. ‘But I doubt if he has any wish to marry, especially a girl as young as Felicity. He’s never shown the slightest inclination for the married state. I suspect it’s because he knows no woman will be able to love him as much as he loves himself.’

Lord Dorney gave a crack of laughter that had an elderly military gentleman snoozing in an armchair nearby glaring at him and muttering about inconsiderate young pups.

‘That’s an honest assessment,’ he said.

‘I’ve no illusions about him. He’ll leave me to carry on the family name, for he cares about that as little as he cares about the silly chits he plagues with his tedious verses.’

‘Are you planning to marry?’ Lord Dorney asked. ‘If so, I must give you my good wishes.’

‘Well, she hasn’t said yes yet, but I have hopes.’

‘May I guess? Mrs Ford?’

The Major frowned. ‘I somehow don’t think Mrs Ford and I would suit,’ he said curtly. ‘Now pray forgive me, I must be on my way. I’ll give Frederick a hint, but I can’t promise my opinion will influence his behaviour. It never has yet.’

He departed, and Lord Dorney sat staring after him. He’d been expecting an announcement of betrothal between the Major and Mrs Ford for weeks, and he was sure many other people had noticed the growing friendship between them. What had gone wrong? And if it wasn’t Mrs Ford, who else had the Major been interested in?

The answer hit him suddenly. Bella Trahearne. The Major had been planning to drive with her that very morning, and now he had thought of it he recalled seeing them together at every ball or assembly. They’d been to the theatre together only the previous evening. He stood up abruptly and began to pace the room, to the renewed irritation of the military gentleman. Surely Bella would not want to be married to a dry old stick like Major Ross? He might be only a year or so older than he was himself, but he behaved as if he were twice as old. He’d never been known to kick up a lark, or indulge in racing his curricle for a wager. She’d be bored to tears within weeks. But through his own stubbornness he had lost her, and it was all his own fault.

* * * *

Bella decided that Mary should search Miss Perkins’ room while she kept the lady occupied in the drawing room.

‘Jackson, you can keep watch on the back stairs and make sure Mary is not interrupted by any of the maids. And Mary, if you find the jewels, call Jackson in before you touch them, so that he can vouch for where they were. Then fetch me.’

Mary helped her to dress in a plain grey walking dress, which Bella said made her feel like the headmistress of a very stern seminary for delinquent girls, and arranged her hair in as severe a style as she could. Then she went down to the drawing room and sent the parlourmaid to ask Miss Perkins to join her.

Bella wondered if she imagined Miss Perkins’ slight wariness when she entered the room, but the woman smiled, brightly asked how she had enjoyed the play, and sat down with a piece of embroidery. She decided to attack without any warning.

‘Miss Perkins, I have discovered that some jewels of mine are missing. Do you know anything about them? You were in the house on your own last night and had every opportunity to search my bedroom.’

The woman paled and dropped her embroidery as she sprang to her feet.

‘Oh, how dare you! I thought you were an honest woman, but I see I was mistaken! How could you accuse me of such a thing? Me, the daughter of a clergyman, who has been brought up to respect truth and honesty above all things!’

Bella remained seated and tried to speak calmly. ‘The jewels were there when the box was brought to this house. Did you try on some of my gowns last night?’ she asked, suddenly knowing why they had seemed creased. ‘Perhaps you wanted to see how the jewels looked with them?’