Red Jack's Daughter (18 page)

Only once did Jessica’s instructor drop her gaze and look aside. And that was when she admitted that for the moment, she herself prowled the alleys alongside Covent Garden and other theaters, rather than actually attending the opera or theaters, as her more exalted sisters did. But, she then added cheerily, that was, of course, only for the moment, as her luck was sure to turn.

Jessica ignored these rosy visions and asked in bewilderment, cutting across ruminations about the change in fortune sure to be brought by fine false teeth, “But do all gentlemen have such females in their keeping?”

“Lord love you, Jess.” Maria laughed. “No. But there’s enough that do to make business for the likes of us. Now as to your fine Lord Leith,” she commented, watching at how her young visitor’s eyes would open at each mention of that gentleman’s name and playing to her audience as only an ex-performer could, “he’s had many a choice piece under his wing. And not all of them working girls, if you catch my drift.”

As Maria began to prepare “for the evening,” as she obliquely put it, by applying a heavy coating of unguents and salves to her already encarmined features, she rattled on to Jessica about the Society females—widowed, bored, or just “out for a lark”—who were known to accommodate wealthy lovers. By the time the sun had set and only a faint afterglow gave testimony to the vanished day, Jessica had amassed a quantity of information about the love lives of the Aristocracy.

Jessica had at first been embarrassed, then shocked, then curiously enraged by the foibles of the males of the Ton that had been so carefully detailed for her. The fact that Lord Leith had a famous mistress whom he visited as frequently as he visited his aunt, caused Jessica more difficulty than if she had been told that he had a wife stowed somewhere in the countryside. So it was with a mixture of self-righteous anger and shame that she prepared to at last return to Lady Grantham’s home. She faced the fact that they would all be appalled at her disappearance for the day with stomach-churning dread, but clutched close the evidence of her prime antagonist’s double life with a certain mean triumph. Let him rail away, she thought as Maria went to the door to spy out the land, never thinking of Ollie or Lady Grantham’s or even Tom Preston’s reactions, I now have ammunition enough to last through a week of warfare with him. And, she thought as she stepped out the door, Red Jack always said that well-armed is half-won.

Jessica had left off her bonnet and concealed her hair beneath a borrowed scarf of Maria’s. As they walked swiftly down the low streets, Maria whispered reassurance. “Trade’s picking up now. Mother Carey’s got too much on her mind to seek out one stray female. Just walk beside me and keep your head down.”

They had not gone too many streets when Maria nudged Jessica in the ribs, causing her heart to leap up as she looked wildly about her.

“See how you’re costing me business.” Maria laughed low in her throat as a poorly dressed fellow stared after the two of them, hesitated, and then walked on away from them.

“Not that I’d have anything to do with such a paltry fellow. But you have to walk alone to stir up business. Two’s a pair, one’s fair game, you see,” Maria said.

Jessica ducked her head, but this time in shame as she recalled how she had fought for the freedom to walk alone, never knowing that it was not mere masculine prerogative that had caused her to be given that edict.

The evening was growing cool when the ill-matched pair finally reached a street that Jessica recognized. She was wondering at how she could dissuade Maria from actually walking her to Lady Grantham’s door and also castigating herself silently for even thinking of such an ignoble action after all the older woman had done for her, when she heard her own name being called frantically. She flinched for a moment as the high-wheeled coach drew to a sudden stop at the curb and the driver tossed the reins to his tiger and leaped down to the pavement.

“Jessica!” Lord Leith shouted. “My God, Jessica, what has befallen you?”

She looked up and in the dim light saw nothing but deep concern and fear barely held in check upon his pale countenance. He had clasped her two hands in his own as his troubled eyes searched her face.

As she did not immediately answer, he went on gently, “What’s happened, Jessica? Are you all right? We have been searching the streets all day. We were about to bring Bow Street in. What’s happened, can you tell me?”

“I
...
went out to see about securing other lodgings and became lost. Miss Dunstable here, she, ah, sheltered me till now. For you see, my Lord, there was this woman, a Mrs. Carey, who meant me ill, and Maria here
...
Let me make you known to Miss Maria Dunstable, my Lord,” Jessica went on, remembering her manners. After Lord Leith muttered “Servant” beneath his breath as his gaze quickly encompassed her companion and flew back to Jessica, she went on with a little less heart, “I had to wait till evening to be sure I was not followed. Oh, it’s all been a mull, Alex,” Jessica said on a frightened gulp, “but Maria did help me and I am all right. And very sorry,” she added in a whisper, “to have upset anyone.”

After a moment’s silence, Lord Leith’s face set into strong immobility. “I see,” he breathed. “Very well, then,” he said in a voice of command. “Jessica, please get into the carriage and I will see you home in a moment.
”

Jessica took a deep breath, turned, and said softly to Maria, “Thank you, Maria, for all your care.” She put out one gloved hand and solemnly shook hands with the bemused Maria. “I shall never forget your kindness. Oh,” she added as she was about to enter the carriage, “I wish you great good fortune. Tonight and every night.
”

As she disappeared into the vehicle, Maria looked up at the tall gentleman, and seeing his barely contained emotion, she laughed and said in a friendly low voice, “Never fear, my Lord, I kept her snug and safe as the minute she left you. She’s a bright little article, but she oughtn’t be let loose by herself. She’s got no more idea of how to go than a day-old chick.”

“Mother Carey had her eye on her?” he asked.

“Aye,” Maria said, smiling, “but I outfoxed her.”

“Then we owe you a great deal,” he answered, and taking out his purse, pressed a quantity of notes into her eager hand.

“Lord!” she exclaimed, examining her bounty in the dim light. “And here I thought my virtue would be its own reward” She preened saucily, giving him the full splendor of her gap-toothed smile. “But perhaps you’d like to know my whereabouts so you can see what good use I’ve put to the windfall?”

“Thank you, Miss Dunstable,” he said, permitting himself a rueful smile as well, “but I believe I’ll have my hands full
enough as it is without another distracting female to con
te
nd with.”

Maria gave him a long appreciative look. Then she sighed. “Nicely said, nicely done. I’ve never been turned down so prettily. Jess don’t know when she’s well-off, does she? Well, I thank you, my Lord. But go easy with her. She’s only a babe, you know.”

“I know.” He smiled.

“And she has more of a care for you than she knows,” Maria said slyly.

“Now, that I didn’t know,” he answered.

Maria gave him a wise look. “For all she’s a green goose, she’s got eyes, hasn’t she?” she simpered. And then she bobbed a curtsy and, smiling radiantly, backed off the way she had come, melting into the shadows as she hurried home with her booty.

He stared after her for a moment and then entered the coach. He gave Jessica only one cursory glance as he settled himself. Seeing how she sat straight and silent in the farthest
corner
, he only spoke once to her as the horses began to move.

“We’ll talk Jessica,” he said softly, “when we get home.”

Jessica sat still, breathing shallowly, as she heard Lord Leith conferring with Lady Grantham. When she heard that good woman say, “But, Alex, surely you can discuss it another time, the child looks fagged to death,” Jessica’s guilt rose and threatened to overbalance her.

But when she heard his reply, “No, Aunt. There are some things that must be thrashed out now,” she steeled herself for his entry into the room. She heard the mantel clock’s slow ticking and forced her breathing to match its reassuring steady beat. So when he entered and closed the door quietly behind him, she looked up at him and said staunchly before he could utter any of the words she was sure he longed to say, “I know it was wrong. I know it was a damn-fool thing to do, my Lord. But I’ve said I was sorry and don’t know what else to say.”

He stood silent and looked down at her. She could not know what a pathetic sight she appeared to be, for she seemed to him to be frightened beyond a mere show of tears, but her indomitable spirit kept her voice steady. He could not find it in himself to attack such gallantry. He only sat and said quietly, “Then I do not have to tell you how distressed we all were. Ollie has been sent word of your return, and when Preston comes back from his searchings, we will lay his fears to rest. Jessica, I know what terrors you must have felt, and I don’t think I have enough funds in the world to ever repay Miss Dunstable for her efforts. You may not, even now, know fully what sort of fate you eluded. That is safely done with, thank God. But what caused you to rush off the way you did? Bartholomew said that you were as one bereft of your senses. Why did you tear out, unattended, to secure other lodgings? That made no sense to any of us?”

Jessica twisted her fingers in her lap. She had expected to find wrath and had fully prepared herself for it with counteraccusations and with equal anger. But she discovered only a certain sad patience in his affect, and she was overwhelmed. She said, without rancor this time, but with real, hurt in her voice and sorrow plain in her eyes, “It was a dreadful day, my Lord. Perhaps the worst I have ever experienced. There was too much, you see. First, I discovered that
I was
not permitted to go to Brussels. And then I learned that my father had often been to London, without my knowing. And then, to cap it all, I discovered that all the while, you and Ollie and your aunt only intended to marry me off, like some simple unwanted baggage. I was determined to leave, you see. And then the manager of Stephen’s misdirected me. Lud, can it all have been in one day?” She laughed shakily.

The tall gentleman nodded as though this incoherent roster of injustices had been crystal-clear to him. But he had spoken to many people that incredibly long day, as he had fearfully searched London for her. So he only said quietly, “Of course, we all wanted to see you settled, Jessica. But we thought that discretion was the better part of valor. I fear we were a little afraid of your reaction to our plans. But we were wrong, it seems. Still, Jessica, if we were so careful about even broaching the matter to you, how could you think we could ever get you to acquiesce to something you did not desire? No matter. It does not matter now. It was unpardonable in us to presume to influence your future, however subtly. And, as you know, equally foolish in the extreme for you to fly off as you did. Let us not refine upon the matter any longer tonight. I’m sure you are exhausted. If you wish, we’ll talk about it another time. But if it makes you easier, I’ll tell you what we have decided today. We think that perhaps the strain of a total immersion in London Society is not for you, as you yourself have always said. If you would like—and I make clear that it is up to you—we think it would be better for my aunt to repair to her country home. If you accompany her there, you can have some peace of spirit. And of course, more freedom than you would have in town.”

Jessica felt both relief and queer sense of disquiet at his reasonable forgiveness. Knowing that she had both disappointed him and acted childishly did not make being treated as a child any easier to bear. So she said after a moment’s thought,
“
And of course, along with the freedom and ease of spirit, I would also be unable to disgrace you further?”

He stood and said calm
l
y, “We are doing our best to hush the whole matter up.”

She swallowed hard and said bitterly, “Would it not be best to simply wash your hands of me?
”

“We cannot do that,” he answered. “And,” he added, almost as an afterthought, “you know we should not wish to.”

“I cannot see why not,” Jessica cried.

“Have I not said we were friends?” he asked, watching her carefully.

She bit back all the ready retorts at her disposal. There had been too much violence done to her emotions this day.

“I agree with your plans, my Lord,” she whispered. “I think a respite in the country would be best for me, but I dislike running counter to your aunt’s plans for her own social life.”

“The Season is almost over, anyway, it will be no hardship for her,” he answered.

He hesitated, as if to speak again. She seemed so diminished, so deflated, he almost wished she would flare up at him.

“Come, Jessica,” he said with a strange half-smile, “never say you are totally squashed. I’m sure we can come to cuffs again even in the vastness of the countryside.
”

“Shall you come as well?” she asked with an eage
rness
that surprised even herself. So she was not quite a social outcast after all.

“Of course,” he answered lightly, “and Ollie and Thomas Preston as well. It will be a repairing lease for all of us. And there is one other surprise. I had thought to tell you tomorrow when you were rested, but I think you need a happy thought to go to sleep on. Mr. Jeffers returned this evening with some rather pleasing news for you.”

“He has found my legacy, then?” Jessica cried out.