Fenella J. Miller (14 page)

       She smiled at Jane. ‘Have you managed to discover where we are?’

       ‘No, miss, but something one of the chamber maids let slip makes me think it’s not many miles from London. Lord Wydale is expected to drive down in an afternoon, so it can’t be that far.’

       ‘Excellent. If we are close to Town then there must be a coaching inn within walking distance. I have the funds to pay for our passage – all we have to do is discover in which direction to go.’

       Jane shook her head. ‘That’s not the problem, miss. It’s Miss Sarah - you’ll not persuade her to come away. She’s being treated like royalty – everything she wants they fetch for her- all smiles and curtsies. She’s under that man’s spell and will never return willingly to Grove House, not unless something scares her badly enough to want her mama.’

Chapter Thirteen

Fletcher was not going to accept that everything was over between them. Eliza would not forgive or allow him to make amends at the moment. There was nothing he could do whilst Sarah was in the Wydale’s clutches, however, once things were on an even keel again he would come back and try and persuade her to rethink her ultimatum. He was not a man who gave in easily. He had found the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with and was determined to marry her come what may.

       He had reached the archway that led into the stable yard when he decided to wait for young Fox to catch him up.

       ‘Mr Reed, sir, may I come with you? I am as unwelcome here at the moment as you are. The only way Eliza will ever forgive me my part in this is if I bring Sarah safely home’

       ‘Then we are on a joint mission, lad. I take it that you made enquiries in the village before returning to your mother and telling her that Sarah had been abducted?’

       ‘Yes, I did. She was seen getting into a closed carriage with Jane and then several people saw her waving happily from the window obviously enjoying the excursion. There was no sign of Wydale; as far as anyone else knows she was merely engaging in a harmless pursuit.’

       Fletcher frowned. And where the devil was Wydale in all this? If his intention had been to ruin Sarah’s name then he should have been in the carriage with her. ‘I have to go to Town. Can I leave you to arrange things here? If Eliza receives a message and leaves have two of your men follow.’

       Edward nodded vigorously. ‘That I can do, sir. All the staff love Sarah and would do anything to bring her back safely. Why do you have to go to Town, if I am permitted to enquire?’

       ‘I have to speak to friends. It is imperative to discover whether Wydale has been lying to me about his financial circumstances. He told me he had ruined you because he had the bailiffs at his heels, that all his estates were sold to pay his debts. If that is the case, then where does he intend to take Sarah? He had no time to arrange anything in advance.’

‘You believe he still has a suitable property in which to hide her away?’

       ‘I do. It’s the only explanation. However, I have no idea of the whereabouts of such a place, but I have friends in London who can make enquiries for me.’

       His black stallion had been rubbed down and walked around the yard to cool and was now waiting for him to mount. ‘If the message comes before I return, make sure your men stay out of sight. And you must send word to me - or even better, come in person. You have my direction in Grosvenor Square?’

Edmund nodded. ‘Yes, sir, I do. I wish you Godspeed and good luck with your mission.’

Fletcher looked down at the young man waiting anxiously in the yard. ‘If you are
persona non grata
here, why don’t you take my rooms at the Sun? I shall pay your shot.’

* * * *

Fletcher decided to travel post. He returned to the Sun Inn where he brought his servants up-to-date with what was happening. He also wanted to know if downstairs gossip had perhaps let slip a clue what to about Wydale’s intentions.

His valet Sam already had his bags packed. ‘This is a rum do, sir. Word is all around the place that Sarah Fox has gone gallivanting in a carriage. His lordship’s carriage is also missing - it don’t take too much to work out the connection.’

       ‘I had already guessed as much, Sam. I want you and Billy to return to Hendon Manor. Billy can ride my horse, I’m afraid you must hire a conveyance of some sort. It’s a dratted nuisance that I chose to come in Wydale’s carriage; I wish I had brought my own.’

       ‘Never mind, sir. I reckon that I’ll be back at the Manor by the time you return. Is there any particular message I’m to take to Mrs Percy?’

       Fletcher thought for a moment. He knew he could rely on his manservant’s absolute discretion, he had been with him for years; he was an ex-prizefighter he had sparred with when he first went about town. Previously there had been a supercilious man to attend to his wants, but he had discovered that he was in the employ of his father, was in fact a spy.

       He had dismissed all his staff and then employed his own choices. Sam was an unlikely selection for a wealthy man-about-town, but he had soon learnt his trade and was as efficient at keeping his clothes pressed and his quarters clean as he was at escorting his current ladybird to and from her resting place.

       ‘I believe that Wydale has taken Sarah as a ruse. I don’t think he intends to harm her whatever he might have said to the contrary. He’s using her to entice Miss Fox to his side. It is she he intends to ruin and by so doing he believes he will have his revenge on me.’

       ‘I guessed as much, sir. Like April and May you’ve been, since you met that young lady. I knew when it finally came, if you don’t mind me saying, that you would choose your wife as quickly as you chose me. And you’ve never regretted that, have you, sir?’

       Fletcher smiled reluctantly. ‘Most of the time I haven’t, Sam.’ His man understood the message. He said no more, dropping to his knees to clean his master’s riding boots and brush away every speck of mud and dust from his person.

       ‘That will do.’ Fletcher removed several gold coins from an inside pocket and handed them to Sam. ‘This should be enough for your needs.’ He realized he had still not explained why he wished him to go to Hendon Manor and not join him in London. ‘I believe that Miss Fox might need somewhere private to go and Hendon Manor will be ideal; the staff are loyal and I never receive visitors. She will be safe from prying eyes there until….’

He left the rest of his sentence unfinished. It was no business of Sam’s that he intended to apply for a special licence whilst he was in London. If did not manage to find out where Sarah was being held before Eliza went to join her his beloved would lose her good name and be unable to return to Dedham until they were safely married and her reputation restored.

       He knew she was as stubborn as he and might very well take some persuading, but she would, whether she wanted to or not. He would make quite sure she understood she had no choice. If her family were not be ostracized as well then she would have to do as he suggested.

       It did not occur to him that his demands might be seen by Eliza to be unpleasant.

Although he was in love with her he did not fully understand how she felt about matters of honour. He truly believed that she would be glad to marry him. If she lost her good name in order to save Sarah, then he could not see any possible objection to his suggestion that she marry him.

       He had been about town long enough to know that no woman would willingly sacrifice her reputation. He knew of at least one young lady of previously impeccable character who had been unwise enough to take a lover and when the consequences became evident, had happily agreed to marry the most unsuitable of partners.

His face stiffened and his eyes blazed with anger as he realized where his thoughts had been leading him. Up until that moment he had been glossing over the facts, thinking glibly about a licence, a need for privacy, but now he had let the awful truth in, he could not force it out again. Wydale would ravish Eliza without compunction, but would he then force her into marrying
him
?

       Eliza was a women like any other, so would she be only too happy to marry the man who had ruined her? Any child she might have would then be legitimate.

       ‘Remember, tell my housekeeper to have everything prepared for Miss Fox. Sarah and her companion might well be with her, but I expect that they might prefer to return to Grove House. Also Mr Fox is taking these rooms, make sure they are paid for until the end of the month.’

       Throwing his top coat over his arm he barged out of the bedchamber and took the stairs down to the flagstone entrance hall in threes. Outside in the yard he found Billy.

       ‘Find me a hack, Billy, that can convey me to the nearest posting house.’

He had ample time to consider his next move during the tedious journey from Colchester to London. Although he travelled by post-chaise this still involved stopping for refreshments and waiting whilst ostlers changed the horses.

       Eventually he arrived at his destination and haled a hackney to transport him to his townhouse in Grosvenor Square. The streets were teaming with people but he ignored them. He had decided exactly what he should do. Firstly he would change his garments then send someone reliable round to apply for the special licence at the Archbishop of Canterbury’s office at Doctor’s Commons. When he was refreshed he would visit each of his clubs. It was just possible that some of Wydale’s acquaintances would be there.

       It was early evening, most of the club members would be dining at home. The clubs and gaming hells did not fill up until much later in the evening, sometimes in the small hours when gentlemen had done the pretty with their wives at a ball and were then free to please themselves.

       Wydale, of course, would have no such friends. His circle had become filled with hangers on and the more unpleasant members of the
ton
. Fletcher knew that he should have severed the connection long since, but somehow the debt he owed from his childhood had never seemed to be repaid. Fletcher had spent far less time with him than in former years, but on this occasion Wydale had sought him out and he had not had the heart to refuse.

       The carriage rattled to a halt outside his palatial home. He jumped down and tossed a coin to the waiting driver, the man touched his hat with his whip and drove off leaving Fletcher to run up the steps and hammer on his own front door.

Endean opened the door himself. For the first time in the ten years he had employed him his butler was completely at a loss.

       ‘I have returned unexpectedly. Sam is going to Hendon Manor so I shall require Peterson to stand in for him. Also have my carriage brought round, I have several calls to make this evening.’

       Endean finally recovered the power of speech. ‘Yes, sir, at once. Shall you be staying long?’

       ‘I doubt it. I expect to be leaving tomorrow or the next day.’

       He was so used to the opulence of his surroundings he no longer noticed the spacious entrance hall or the wide galleried staircase, or the many footmen who were scurrying into position at his unexpected appearance. As one of the young men flattened himself to allow his master to pass by something in his hand attracted Fletcher’s attention. Good God! The man was holding a feather duster - he had thought that maids did all the cleaning, but obviously he was wrong. The young man’s embarrassment only added to his amusement; he was surprised that he was able to smile when things were so bleak.

That evening he visited two less salubrious drinking places and was on his way to a third when he spotted someone he needed to talk to. He rapped sharply with his cane on the roof of the carriage and as soon as it drew to a halt he flung open the door and shouted across the street.

       ‘Here, Jamieson, I need to speak to you urgently.’

       The slightly overweight gentleman in his thirties jumped as if he’d been stuck with a large pin. For a moment Fletcher thought he was going to make a bolt for it, but he was beside the man and had grasped his elbow before he could make good his escape.

       ‘Come along, Jamieson, I shall give you a ride to wherever you are going. We can

converse in my carriage.’ Giving the man no opportunity to refuse he bundled him across the street and into the vehicle. By this time the groom, who had been travelling at the rear of the carriage, was waiting to slam the door shut behind them.

       In the gloom the other man’s face showed that he was visibly shaken by this unexpected encounter. ‘Well, Jamieson, I would like to know the answers to a few questions. I hope you’re in a position to assist me?’

       Fletcher had placed himself opposite, he leant forward, pushing his face close enough for the man to recoil in fear at what he saw there.

       ‘What do you want to know, Reed? I shall answer if I can.’

       ‘Excellent. Firstly can tell me if you have seen Wydale.’

The man nodded vigorously. ‘Yes, he was in town earlier this evening, but he said he was too busy to stay and talk. I believe he was on his way to meet some acquaintances at a cockfight somewhere.’

       Fletcher felt a wave of relief. If Wydale was already in town, he could not have accompanied Sarah wherever he had sent her. She was safe as long as the man remained in sight. ‘Good, an excellent answer. Now, the second question - do you know if Wydale still owns any properties ?’

       Jamieson now shook his head equally hard. ‘He has told me that he recently acquired a neat little place somewhere in the country, a distant relative left it to him. However he didn’t tell me where it was. Perhaps if you spoke to Sir Giles Mayhew, who knows him better than I, he might be able to give you the information you seek?’

Fletcher folded his arms and stared morosely at the man cowering back on to the squabs. Was he telling the truth? Would it be worth further investigations? ‘Very well, thank you for your assistance. Where was it you were going? Allow me to convey you there.’