Fenella J. Miller (16 page)

They crept quietly past the yard all walking on the grass in order to avoid the sound of crunching gravel. To her extreme relief Jethro was waiting with the horse and trap. He nodded a greeting but his smile was absent. They scrambled inside and Jethro jumped onto the box, gathered up the reins, released the brake and they were moving.

No one spoke until they were away from the house; even Sarah was subdued. Eliza felt her pulse slowing and she began to believe they had made good their escape.

‘Jethro, I think it would be better if you didn’t drive us to the village. You said it was no more than a mile or two across the fields to the inn so we shall walk.’ She had decided during the long sleepless night that she would tell Sarah they were going to London to see the menagerie at the Tower. She knew that her sister had always wanted to visit the sights and this should be enough to persuade her to get on the mail coach without making a fuss.

‘Very well, Miss Fox. I’ll take the carriage through the woods and around the lake. If anyone is watching I doubt they’ll be able to see that the vehicle is empty.’

Eliza thought this an excellent idea. ‘If you wait there for an hour and then return at a canter as though you’re worried about our continued absence. Tell the housekeeper that Miss Sarah wanted to explore and asked you to wait, but we never returned. That way you should be above suspicion when our disappearance is discovered.’

She glanced at her sister, waiting for Sarah to comment on the change of plans, but she was asleep, her face hidden inside her fashionable chip straw bonnet. She checked that both Jane and Ann understood and they nodded.

The carriage bowled along through the trees, the dawn chorus filling the air, but this morning Eliza didn’t hear it. She flinched and jumped at every shadow convinced that they were being followed by sinister, dark cloaked figures. She knew she was being fanciful, but until they were safely travelling towards London in the company of others she would not believe they were safe.

Twenty minutes after leaving the stables Jethro pulled up. He turned round on the box. ‘Take the path over there, Miss Fox. You’ll come to a stile after a bit, climb over and take the path through the fields. You’ll be able to see the church spire so you can’t get lost. The White Hart is next to the church.’ He touched his cap. ‘Good luck and God speed.’ He didn’t get down to help them dismount knowing it would take valuable time.

Eliza watched the only friend she had at Winterton House vanish between the overhanging trees. Now she was on her own. It was up to her to get them all safely away before Lord Wydale appeared that afternoon with his disreputable friends and their ladybirds.

‘Come along, we have to take this little track. Sarah, why don’t you and Jane run on ahead and see if you can find the stile we have to climb?’

She waited until they were out of earshot before speaking to Ann. ‘We have ample time to reach the inn. I’m hoping there will be a private parlour we can use; I expect Sarah will be ravenous and demanding breakfast by then.’

‘Miss Sarah doesn’t seem bothered about the change of plans. She’s not accustomed to being up so early so I reckon she’ll sleep as soon as we’re on the mail coach.’

‘I shall tell the innkeeper the same story. If he enquires about reserving seats for the return journey I shall explain that we are unsure exactly when we wish to come back. You must talk about the Tower and all the exciting things we intend to see. That way I hope we will not appear suspicious.’

She heard Sarah running back laughing and calling far too loudly. ‘Liza, Liza, we have found it. It’s just a little way ahead.’

‘Good girl. Are you looking forward to going to London and seeing the animals at the Tower?’

For a moment Sarah looked bewildered. ‘Are we going to London? I had forgotten that. I love animals. Shall we have cakes as well?’

‘Of course we shall. We have to travel for quite a way on the coach before we get to London, but you like to travel in a coach, don’t you darling?’

Sarah smiled happily. ‘Shall I get to sit by the window?’

‘I’m not sure, my dear, it rather depends how many other passengers there are already travelling, but if there’s a space be sure it shall be yours.’

The walk across the fields was accomplished in less than an hour, but was sufficient time for the sun to have risen and the villagers to be about their business. Eliza was pleased that their route took them behind the High Street and directly into the inn yard.

       Thankfully this was deserted. The ostlers were not needed to change the horses for at least another two hours. ‘Let’s go inside and find some breakfast, I’m sure everyone is hungry after that long walk.’ Eliza could have added hot and dirty but wisely refrained. If Sarah though she was untidy she would demand to go back and change her garments.

Inside the flagged hallway was well-scrubbed and the welcoming smell of freshly baking bread greeted them. Eliza spotted a small brass bell on a side table and rang it loudly.

       The landlady appeared wiping her floury hands on a clean white apron. ‘Good morning, miss. You’re a mite early for the stage, but I expects you’ll be wanting a nice breakfast before you travel.’

       ‘Yes, thank you, that’s exactly what we would like. We want four seats on the eight o’clock mail coach. We’re going to Town to see the Tower.’ Eliza smiled brightly, wishing she had not been so voluble.

       ‘And a nice day you have for it, miss. It’s only two hours to London so you’ll have plenty of time to look round before having to come back.’

The landlady ushered them into a snug room which had a cheerful fire crackling in the grate. ‘I’m so hot, Liza,’ Sarah whined, ‘I don’t want to sit in here with a fire going.’

       ‘I shall open the window, Miss Sarah, and then you can sit by it. You’ll hardly notice that there’s a fire at all.’

       Eliza smiled her thanks at Jane. She was too on edge to deal with Sarah’s tantrums at the moment. She realized that they hadn’t been asked what they required for their breakfast, she was about to ring the bell again but thought better of it. In her present mood it would be wise to present her sister with a meal rather than give her the option of demanding something that was unavailable.

       A loud thump on the door heralded the arrival of their meal. A surly youth staggered in carrying a laden tray. He slammed it down on the dark oak table that ran across the far end of the room. He didn’t offer to lay up the table or unload but tugged his greasy forelock and stamped back from whence he’d come.

       ‘Well I never! I hope the food is better than his manners,’ Ann said as she hurried over to set out the meal.

       This display had restored Sarah’s good humour. ‘Wasn’t he a naughty boy, Liza? Look, see how he’s spilt the milk on the tray.’

       Eliza walked over to join the others. This display of ill-temper had added to her feeling of disquiet, as though it was an omen. This would not do! She must not allow the incident to unsettle her; she had to keep a sense of perspective and remain cool and calm if this escape was to be successful.

       ‘This looks delicious. What are you going to have, Sarah? I shall have some of this crusty bread and a little of the conserve.’

She watched her companions eat a hearty breakfast, but was unable to swallow more than a mouthful of two herself. The freshly baked bread turned to solid lumps in her mouth and the sweetness of the strawberry jam made her feel nauseous. She managed to drink something from her glass of buttermilk but even this made her gag.

       The hands on the mantel clock seemed stationary. Every time she heard a raised male voice or the sound of a horse in the cobbled yard she tensed, waiting to be accosted and forced back to Winterton House. She knew she would do anything to avoid being part of an unpleasant scene. Their appearance so early in the morning on foot was already, she was sure, giving rise to speculation.

       They were strangers in the village and the staff at the country inn would be speculating about them and trying to decide from which house they had come. She began to wish she had not tried to organize this on her own, but had sent for Edmund instead of banishing him from the house.

By the time they had all visited the privy and tidied themselves, there was an air of expectancy in the building. The yard was bustling with ostlers whose job it would be to change the horses and have the mail coach ready to leave in less than ten minutes.

       At last! Eliza gathered up her reticule and gloves and checked that her bonnet was securely tied before turning to the others. ‘I do believe it’s time for us to go outside. We have only a few minutes to scramble aboard and must be ready and waiting when the coach arrives.’

       They stood huddled against the wall beside the other two passengers. Eliza eyed them surreptitiously, checking that they were not from Winterton and in the employ of Lord Wydale. The two men were dressed in country garb, stout boots, heavy britches and cloth coats. The younger of the two became aware of her inspection and his face split in a friendly grin.

       ‘Good mornin’, madam. Off to see the sights? Me dad and me…’

His father interrupted him. ‘Hush up, lad. Don’t be bothering the lady.’ The young man turned an unbecoming shade of red and dropped his head in embarrassment at the public reprimand.

       Eliza was about to offer him some comfort when she heard the sound of the coach arriving and the moment passed. It had barely rocked to a halt before the door was flung open by an ostler.

       ‘Anyone getting off here?’ There was a mumbled sound of voices from inside but nobody emerged. The man turned to Eliza. ‘There’s only two seats inside, miss. Your girls will have to travel on the top.’

       Eliza stared with horror at the seats on the roof of the coach. She couldn’t ask Jane or Ann to travel in such a precarious fashion. She would have to leave them behind, and they could take the next available spaces and make their own way to Mr Reed’s home in Grosvenor Square.

       Quickly she delved into her bag and withdrew some coins. ‘Here, Jane, take these; they will be enough to see you to your destination. Sarah and I will travel on this vehicle you must wait for the next.’

The look of profound relief on both women’s faces told her she had made the right decision. ‘Quickly, Sarah, in you get. See, there are two seats on the side and one of them is by the window just as you wished.’

Allowing her sister no time to argue she bundled her inside and no sooner had they squeezed into their allotted places than the door slammed, the steps were removed, and the coach lurched away. She had done it. They were on their way. There was nothing Lord Wydale could do now to prevent their escape. She knew that they would halt for a final change of horses but none of the passengers would be asked to alight. With a sigh of relief she settled back and prepared herself for the barrage of questions she believed Sarah would have.

Chapter Fifteen

Eliza risked a glance around the confined space of the coach, not wishing to draw attention to herself but curious about her fellow travellers. The four passengers facing her were all asleep so she was free to stare as rudely as she wished.

       In the far corner was a soldier in scarlet regimentals, his long booted feet jammed into the corner, his face hidden by the brim of his shako. Next to him were two ladies of indeterminate age, one of them obviously the mistress the other the companion. The last space was occupied by a burly farmer who hadn’t bothered to scrape the farmyard dung from his boots before he left.

       Her nostrils curled in distaste as the pungent aroma wafted across to her. Sarah was bound to comment and she braced herself for further embarrassment. She turned to speak to her sister but she had fallen instantly asleep. The early rise and rocking motion had acted like a lullaby.

       Gently she slipped her folded cloak between Sarah’s head and the hard wooden frame of the coach. Satisfied she had made her as comfortable as possible, Eliza pushed her reticule in between them not wishing to doze off leaving it accessible to the other passengers. She could not afford to lose the money she had with her for their journey.

The elderly woman she had sat next to was eating some kind of meat pasty with obvious relish. The smacking of lips and slurping were clearly audible in the almost silent interior. Eliza had noticed that the last passenger, squashed into the corner, was a young curate who had fallen asleep with his Bible resting open on his lap.

       There was nothing she could do until they reached London. They were safe. She had achieved her objective. Gradually her eyes closed and soon she was dozing like the rest of the occupants. She didn’t wake until the coach rattled into its final halt where the ostlers were waiting to make a rapid change of horses.

       Sarah sat up rubbing her eyes looking round in surprise as if unsure where she was. ‘Are we there? Do we get out here, Liza?’

       ‘No, they are changing the horses, we still have a little way to go yet.’ She noticed that all the passengers were sleepily sitting up and attempting to ease the cramps and stiffness from their limbs. She felt the vehicle rock as someone climbed down from the roof.

       The shouting and clatter in the cobbled yard as the new team were backed into place told her they were almost ready to depart. Then she heard raised voices and the coach door was flung open.

       ‘Miss Fox, Miss Sarah, I do believe you have forgotten I was to meet you here.’

       Eliza felt her colour fade as she stared into the blackness of Lord Wydales’ eyes. Instinctively she shrunk back against the seat unable to reply coherently. If she asked the soldier to help would he do so?

       Then she felt her sister scramble forward greeting him like a close friend. ‘Lord Wydale, I am so glad to see you. This is a bumpy and uncomfortable coach I should much prefer to ride in yours.’

       Before Eliza could protest, her sister was being handed down the steps. She had no choice, she had to follow. Hastily gathering together their possessions she jumped down to see her sister vanishing into the busy coaching inn.