Fenella J. Miller (15 page)

Jamieson shook his head. ‘No, thank you. I much prefer to walk, it’s good for my constitution.’ Without giving Fletcher a chance to dispute the matter the coach door was open and the man almost fell out in his desire to escape further interrogation.

       Fletcher rapped on the roof a second time indicating that he wished to continue his journey to Brooks. He had two pieces of useful information, but what he really needed was the exact location of this
neat little property
that Wydale had neglected to mention he owned.

 He scowled in the darkness as he realized Wydale had deliberately misled him, he had fleeced Fox because he wanted to, not because he had bailiffs hounding him. It was not only bailiffs that the bastard had to worry about now. By God, Wydale had better be ready to fight for his life when he finally caught up with him.

* * * *

Eliza decided that the less time she spent downstairs being sneered at by the staff the better. Sarah said that she would be happy to join her in the pretty sitting-room that adjoined her bedchamber. As it was still too early for supper Eliza suggested that they go for a walk around the garden.

The late afternoon sunshine was warm enough to make such an excursion pleasant. Sarah led the way, amazing Eliza at how well she knew her surroundings after such a short residence. They strolled around the formal gardens with Sarah chatting happily.

       ‘Liza, have you looked in your closet and seen the lovely dresses you have been given

 to wear for the party?’

Eliza thought the less said about them the better. ‘Yes, Sarah, they’re very bright and cheerful. Are your evening gowns like mine?’

       ‘No, Liza. His lordship said I was a lovely innocent princess and should wear pale colours, not reds and oranges like yours.’

       Eliza was determined that nothing would persuade her to don the hideous evening gowns that hung in her closet. They were obviously intended for a certain kind of lady. Wydale’s intention was to make her look like Haymarket ware. She would rather wear a simple muslin afternoon dress for a ball than appear decked out in such a gown.

       Sarah chatted on oblivious to her sisters disquiet. She was full of praise for the way the staff looked after her, the pretty dresses she had been given, and the pony and trap that had have been put at her disposal.

       ‘A pony and trap? You are allowed to drive out in it alone, Sarah?’

       ‘Oh yes, Liza. I’ve already been out in it three times. The pony’s called Bubbles and he is very sweet and kind. He looks like my rocking horse in the nursery at home.’ For the first time Eliza saw her sister’s expression change to one of worry. ‘Is my rocking horse still there? I hope everyone knows I am coming home very soon to tell them all about my lovely stay.’

       Eliza felt a rush of relief. ‘Of course your rocking horse is safe in your nursery, Sarah darling. And everybody knows you are having a delightful time, but they are all missing you dreadfully. Mama has sent me to bring you home so that they can hear all about your adventure.’

       Sarah’s smile vanished. Eliza realized she had made a grave error of judgement.

 ‘I shan’t come home until I’ve been to all the parties that Lord Wydale has promised me. I’m not allowed to stay up late at parties at home, nor do I wear such pretty frocks.’

       ‘Well, as soon as you’re back, I shall arrange one especially for you, and you shall stay up to the very end, how about that?

       Sarah’s face cleared. ‘Then I shall come home with you. I’ve promised I shall be a good girl and be nice to his friends when they come. So we must wait until after that, because I have given my promise, and you always tell me that it is naughty to break one’s word.’

Eliza though it best to ignore that statement and deftly changed the subject. ‘Do you drive yourself round the park, Sarah?’

 ‘I wouldn’t do that. I would be scared by myself. Jane always comes with me. There’s just room for two the of us in the cart. It’s such fun and I’ve even made Bubbles canter.’

       ‘Do you ask to go out, or does someone tell you when it’s available?’

       She could see that her sister was becoming bored by this constant questioning. ‘I don’t know, I think Jane says we should go out for a drive and so we do. The pony and trap is always outside waiting for us when we come down.’

       Eliza was shocked at how quickly Sarah had adjusted to a completely different routine, living contentedly somewhere that wasn’t her home. She had always thought that she would be unhappy away from familiar things, but she obviously was not like a normal five-year-old. She might have limited intellectual capacity but her sister was obviously developing a certain amount of independence and ability to function away from her family.

       ‘I think I should like to go out for a drive very early tomorrow morning, before the sun is up. Do you think that would be something you’d like as well?’

       ‘Yes I would, I should love to drive you. Shall we go round to the stables and speak to Jethro to make sure that Bubbles will be ready so early in the day?’

       Eliza was relieved that Sarah didn’t ask why they needed to go out at sunrise, she appeared to accept the strange fact without concern and had suggested herself that they go and speak to a groom. It would be far easier to talk to one of the stable boys when she had Sarah beside her.

For some reason her sister was not viewed with the disfavour that she was. Lord Wydale had obviously circulated some malicious rumour, but she was not going to enquire too closely exactly what he’d said. She already had a shrewd idea.

       Sarah led the way round to the back of the house pointing out various aspects as they passed. Eliza learnt that the head gardener kept his tools in a small stone building and that the handsome building held farm carts and carriages. She also learnt that two cart horses were stabled with the carriage and riding horses.

       She noted that the yard was well kept, the horses, that were not turned out, all looked eagerly over their stalls.

       ‘Which one is Bubbles ? If he’s a little pony, he won’t be able to see out of one of these big stalls, will he Sarah?’

‘You’re silly, Liza, he lives in the paddock at the back and he has two goats and another horse for company.’      

       Eliza noticed that there was a gravelled path leading round the side of the stable block and it was this that Sarah took. The path widened to a larger space in which there was a five barred gate. Her sister ran across calling to the small dapple grey pony that was grazing halfway down the meadow.

       Immediately the animal raised his head and with pricked ears trotted briskly over to greet his new friend. ‘I have nothing for you now, Bubbles. But I have bought my very best sister, Liza, to meet you. You shall take us both for a drive tomorrow morning.’

       Eliza walked across and joined her sister as she hung over the gate to stroke the animal. He was far smaller than she’d hoped, too small to pull a trap with two healthy females in it, any great distance. Her plan to escape the next morning seemed doomed before she’d even finished arranging the details.

       ‘Look, Liza, here comes Silky. She’s the horse that the housekeeper, Mrs David, uses when she goes to market. There’s a bigger cart for Silky and it’s kept next to the one that Bubble uses.’

       ‘Silky’s a lovely horse. I wonder if we could ask to use him instead of Bubbles tomorrow? You see, darling, I am such a very large lady, I doubt if Bubbles could pull us very far before being completely worn out.’

       Sarah looked from the pony, no more than 12 hands high, to her sister, almost six feet in her stockings. ‘Yes, I think that might be best. I’m sure Jethro, the nice groom who looks after Bubbles and Silky will do that. Shall I go and ask him straight away?’

       Eliza nodded. If they could have use of the larger cart it would be possible to take Ann and Jane with them. Although she was prepared to leave with only Sarah, she would much prefer them all to be well away from wherever it was they were, before Lord Wydale and his gentlemen friends arrived tomorrow afternoon.

She strolled after her sister and when she arrived back in the stable yard Sarah was deep in conversation with an oldish man, who was nodding and smiling as he answered. Eliza tried to look unconcerned as she walked across to join them.

‘Good afternoon, Jethro. I am so sorry to burden you with my problems so soon after arriving here, but Sarah is determined to show me how well she drives around and as you can see, I’m far too large to be pulled around in her little cart.’

       She waited for the speculative gleam to appear in the older man’s eyes, for the sneer, the sly looks that all the inside staff had been giving her. The man merely nodded, his face open and polite.

       ‘It’ll be a pleasure, miss. When I heard that Miss Sarah’s sister was coming to stay I was that relieved. She’s not really up to all this, is she, miss?’

       ‘You’re quite correct, Jethro. I’m afraid she’s not as other young women of her age, and does need to be carefully looked after.’ She hesitated, not sure if she should reveal any more of her fears.

       The groom pre-empted her. ‘You might not remember me, Miss Fox, but I worked for Captain Carruthers, the young man you were to marry, before he was killed fighting for his king and country. I don’t believe a word of the nonsense that I’ve been hearing. Lord Wydale is up to something, that I’m certain.’

The man stopped guiltily, and glanced around in case he had been overheard. Sarah had wandered off to play with a cat and a litter of kittens which were living in an empty box in the far corner of the yard. It was safe for them to resume their conversation.

       ‘This estate used to belong to an elderly lady, Miss Simpkins. I believe she was Lord Wydale’s great aunt. She was a good employer and I have been happy here these past five years; but when her great-nephew arrived a few months ago to take possession, I decided it was time to look for another job. I didn’t like the cut of his cloth, if you take my meaning miss.’

       ‘But you’re still here, Jethro, did something happen to change your mind?’      

‘Yes, Miss Fox, it did. Lord Wydale decided to rent out the property and farms to a family from London. They have been here ever since, but Lord Debden heard his father had suffered an apoplexy and decided it was time to return to Northumberland. So he took his family away with him two weeks back.’

Eliza smiled warmly at the man. ‘Thank God he did, Jethro. You being here, and

knowing me to be nothing to do with Lord Wydale and his coterie, might very well be the lifeline I’ve been praying for. I need to get us away from here before his lordship arrives tomorrow afternoon. Once seen in his company my good name will be gone forever. No matter what I say or do, I shall be always tainted by association.’

       ‘I thought as much. You get your maids and bags down here at dawn, and I shall do the rest. It’s not far from here to Newfield, and there’s an overnight mail calls in at eight o’clock every morning. I’ll get you all there in time to catch that, never fear.’

       Abruptly the man turned away and vanished inside a loose box. Eliza realized they were being spied on; a surly looking individual, wearing a red spotted neckerchief and rough brown coat, had just come in to the yard leading one of the large shire horses Sarah had told her about.

       She decided it was time to return to the house; it was almost five o’clock and she felt sure that Sarah would soon be demanding supper. She wished she knew how long the eavesdropper had been lurking there. Had he heard Jethro offer to help them escape the next morning?

       She glanced back and was met with a stare of such malevolence that she flinched and hurried on. Whoever the unpleasant ruffian was, he was no friend of hers.      

Chapter Fourteen

The small party was ready at dawn. Eliza had told Sarah that their clandestine departure and as her sister had never driven out before sunrise she thought the escapade exciting.

       ‘Miss Fox, I have the bags packed, and am just waiting for Jane to arrive with Miss Sarah’s doll. She left it behind in her bedroom and as you know she will not travel without it.’

Eliza had decided that they should make good their escape via the servants’ stairs. They were less likely to seen if they went that way. Sarah waited impatiently for Jane to join them. They had convinced her it was an elaborate game of hide and go seek and that they were trying to get to the stable without being spotted by the housekeeper.

Jane arrived her face creased with worry.’ We’re too late, miss. There’s chambermaids about already. You can’t go down the back stairs now.’

‘In which case you go down that way. Miss Sarah and I will use the main stairs. If we’re accosted I shall tell them the truth; that Miss Sarah wishes to see the sunrise over the house and that we’re taking the horse and trap out in order to do so. Don’t bring the bags in case you meet anyone. Put them in my closet where they won’t be seen.’

The two maids did as instructed and Eliza called Sarah over to her. ‘We’re going to go down the main stairs, Jane says no one wants to play hide and go seek today because they’re all too busy. Are you ready for your adventure?’

‘I am. I’ve never been up when it’s not light. Do you think that we’ll be in time to see the sun come up?’

Eliza waited to reassure her sister, that they would be in plenty of time, until they were both visible and audible. It would do no harm for any hidden listeners to hear them discussing the reason they were leaving the house at such an early hour.

She knew that the side door would be the easiest to open for it had only two bolts and no key to turn. She expected to be accosted at any moment. Her hands were shaking as she struggled with the door.

‘Can I help? I’m a very strong girl.’ Sarah added her weight and the bolts slid back silently.

They stepped out into the greyness and found the two girls waiting for them anxiously. Eliza signalled that they should proceed in silence. They walked down the length of the house and took the path that led to the coach house and stables. There were already sounds of clattering buckets and stamping hooves which indicated at least one other groom was working.