The Castle of Love (13 page)

With trepidation Jacina picked up her travelling case and crossed the street to the hotel.

The concierge regarded her suspiciously when she asked if the Earl of Ruven was alone. She explained that she was a friend from England with important news and eventually the concierge instructed a maid to show her up to the Earl's room. The Countess, the concierge added, had gone out early that morning and had not returned.

 Jacina rapped at the Earl's door with a pounding heart. The door opened and there at last he stood, the man for whom she had dared this long journey.

"Jacina!" he exclaimed.

All her remaining strength deserted her in one go. With a cry she collapsed unconscious into his arms.

When she opened her eyes a few moments later, she was lying on a chaise long. She struggled upright in alarm.

"My – my Lord?"

His voice reassured her from nearby. "I am here, Jacina." He was sitting at a writing desk, the chair swivelled her way.

She stared at him, her thoughts in a whirl.

"M-my Lord. When you opened the door you – you said my name before I spoke. How – how could you have known – ?"

"That it was you?" The Earl stood and held out his hand. "Come here, Jacina."

Jacina rose unsteadily and moved towards the Earl. He took her hand and led her in front of an ornate mirror that hung on the wall. She could see her own reflection and that of the Earl behind her.

Slowly the Earl raised a candle until he was holding it close to his eyes. His dark, liquid gaze arrested her attention. She gazed back for a moment and then gasped.

"You – you can see!"

"Yes, Jacina. I can see."

When he had regained consciousness after the duel, he had soon realised that his sight was returning. At first he saw only blurred and shadowy outlines. It was only gradually that the world came into sharper focus.

 "Your father believed that I had suffered a 'trauma blindness'," said the Earl. "It turns out that he was right!"

Jacina was dizzy with joy, but she could not help wondering why he had kept the fact that he was beginning to see again hidden from everybody.

He said that he did not want to raise false hopes, including his own, until he could be sure his sight had returned for good.

There were other reasons for remaining silent, but first he wanted to know how and why Jacina had travelled all the way to Switzerland on her own.

Jacina noticed that as he spoke, his eyes seemed to be devouring her image in the mirror. She blushed and lowered her gaze.

The Earl excused himself. "I am sorry for staring so, Jacina. I am just re-acquainting myself with the pretty girl whose bonnet fell into the river. Come, come and sit down and tell me your story."

He listened keenly to what Jacina had to tell him. At the end he turned his face away to hide his emotion.

"You have risked so much for me, my little helper," he said tenderly

He walked to a cabinet and took out a bottle of brandy. He poured a glass for himself and Jacina. Then he proceeded to tell her that the other reason he had decided to pretend to be still blind was to be better able to see.

When Jacina looked puzzled, the Earl explained that when he had first opened his eyes and realised his vision was returning, Felice happened to be in the room. He saw that she was pacing the floor with boredom, now and then throwing a glance of such dislike in his direction, that he immediately knew her 'conversion' to the perfect and devoted wife was no more than an act.

 "She realised I was awake and came to the bedside," said the Earl. "She leaned over me and spoke in honeyed tones, but her eyes were full of resentment. She even clenched her fists as she gazed on me."

He had no doubt then that she wished him ill and was putting on a performance so as to lull him into a false sense of security. He suspected that she harboured some ulterior motive and he decided to remain 'blind' until he knew what it was. That was why he had kept his chamber and the library so dark – so that people could not see him so clearly.

When the Countess suggested the trip to Switzerland he began to guess her plan. The letter that he had asked Jacina to read aloud in the library fuelled his suspicions. He knew full well that his wife did not 'long' for him at all.

After Jacina had left the library he had tried to read the letter himself. His sight was still not keen enough for him to make out all the words, but he noticed the large signature and recognised immediately that it was not that of the real Felice.

He searched for the letters he had received from his fiancée when he was in India, but they had disappeared. He realised that Fronard or the imposter Felice must have found them and destroyed them.

It left him with no proof with which to confront the Countess and he decided that he must continue to play along with her to see what would transpire. It was clear that whatever happened, he must travel to Switzerland to find the real Felice.

The only person who knew he was no longer blind – apart from Jacina herself – was his valet and he had told him once they were both en route to Switzerland.

"My apparent helplessness is my trump card" added the Earl. "It makes Fronard and the Countess – careless. Already I have seen Fronard."

"You – you have seen Fronard?"

 "Yes. He had the impertinence to sit near us at dinner. I knew it was him by the way he was grinning like a jackass at the Countess, believing I was totally unaware."

Jacina thought that the Earl was very brave to be so sanguine in the face of danger.

"What will you do now?" she asked.

"I must find the real Felice. Once I have found her, their game is up. Until then I have nothing to prove that the Countess is not who she says she is. Until then I am still married to – to a woman whose true identity I do not know."

"She is v-very beautiful, though, isn't she?" ventured Jacina.

"Oh yes," breathed the Earl. "Very beautiful indeed."

Jacina hung her head. The Earl had been in the hotel a full night with the Countess. She could not but wonder if they had spent that night together. The Countess was beautiful and determined. The Earl had appetites like other men. Why should he not have succumbed, even for one night, to her undoubted charms?

The Earl was brooding. "You are a sweet fool indeed to come all this way to warn me. But as you see, I needed no warning. I knew it all."

Tired and emotional, Jacina burst into tears.

"Oh, please do not say it was a waste of time. I have travelled for over two days without stopping. I was so frightened by the noise and bustle in London – and the sea was so rough I was sick – and I got lost in Paris finding my way to the coach – and it was so cold travelling over the mountains! Oh, do not say it was all for nothing, for upon my soul I could not bear it."

The Earl reached for her and held her sobbing at his breast. She turned her tear stained face up to him and with a moan he leant to kiss her wet cheek.

The room seemed to whirl about her. She felt herself melting in his embrace, yielding to his hungry lips.

 Then, as suddenly as he had reached for her, the Earl pushed her from him and leapt groaning to his feet.

"No, no – it cannot be! In the eyes of the world I am still a married man. And even when I unmask this imposter, remember I will still not be free. I will still be engaged to the real Felice. Remember that and help me – my dearest Jacina – my oh so pretty little helper."

He went to the cabinet and poured himself another glass of brandy. Jacina watched him in a daze. His kisses had exhilarated her – his words had infused her like fire and ice. She did not know what to think or what to do.

There was a rap at the door and someone rattled the door handle. Swiftly the Earl pulled Jacina to her feet and thrust her behind a screen in the corner of the room. He walked slowly to the door – which he had taken the precaution of locking after Jacina's arrival – and turned the key to open it.

Through the latticework of the screen, Jacina saw the Countess sail into the room, flinging her shawl onto the chaise as she passed.

"Why did you lock the door, mon cher?"

"How would I have known – if someone undesirable had entered?

The Countess put her arms around the Earl's neck and kissed him.

"Am I what you call – undesirable?' she said.

Her tone was teasing but Jacina saw that her eyes were hard and bright as she surveyed the Earl.

Jacina marvelled at how still the Earl held his gaze, staring over the Countess's head as if still blind.

"No. You are not undesirable, my dear."

"My darling!" the Countess pressed closer to the Earl. "I have come to tell you ze chateau is nearly ready. I return there tonight. Tomorrow I will finish ze preparations so it is perfect for you. And zen you come in ze evening, hein?"

 "I have heard there are bandits in the mountains," remarked the Earl with an innocent expression. "Would it not be better to travel during the day? It would not do for my valet and me to be – ambushed and killed, would it?"

The Countess pulled away from him and flounced to the mirror.

"Bandits? Zis is just a story. You will be safe." She stood patting a few hairs back into place under her hat. "I do not see why you need zis valet at all," she continued casually. "I will look after you so well. Why don't you send him back to England?"

"I should prefer to keep him with me, my dear. He is familiar with my – needs."

"But my darling," the Countess turned and advanced on the Earl, her voice dripping honey. "When we are at ze chateau – remember – that is when we can become truly man and wife."

Despite herself, Jacina closed her eyes in relief as she realised that the Earl had remained aloof from the Countess's charms.

"Just imagine," the Countess elaborated. "Ze fires will be lit and ze supper ready. It will be so beautiful – ze two of us – alone. Why not leave your valet behind just for a day or two, hein?"

The Earl appeared to weaken. "I will consider it," he said.

The Countess bit her lip in frustration. Then, obviously deciding to leave the question of the valet to be dealt with some other way, she reached up and traced a finger over the Earl's lip. Her voice took on a low and seductive tone.

 "I ache to have you in my bed," she murmured. "I have waited so long for you."

The Earl clenched his jaw. "And I – for you – my dear."

Felice gave a quick smile to herself and stepped away. She picked up her shawl and moved to the door.

"Zen we will meet – tomorrow – at ze chateau!"

"By all means," said the Earl.

No sooner had the door closed behind the Countess than Jacina rushed out from her hiding place.

"Please m-my Lord, I beg you, do not go to the chateau. Fronard will be there and your life will be in danger."

"Do not worry, Jacina," said the Earl gently. "I have no intention of going. Tomorrow my valet and I are setting out for Rougemont."

"Rougemont?"

"A village high in the Alps. The Headmistress of the school Felice attended in Geneva retired there. Felice went to live with her after she had recuperated from her illness. If Felice is anywhere, she is there. Though I do not know why I have not heard from her."

"Perhaps – your letters to her – or hers to you, were intercepted somehow by the Countess."

"Yes. That is possible. Anyway, now I must think of what to do with you."

The Earl decided to entrust his valet with the task of finding a room for Jacina in the hotel, a room as far away as possible from prying eyes and wagging tongues. She must keep out of sight, for the Earl was sure her own life would be in danger, if Fronard and the Countess knew that she was here. Tomorrow she must return to England.

 "Please do not make me, m-my Lord. I want to stay – here with you."

The Earl looked troubled. "Jacina, I cannot allow that. Imagine if something happened to you! I could never forgive myself."

The Earl sent for his valet and gave his instructions. The valet was astonished to see Jacina but went off without a word and returned shortly with a key. Reluctantly Jacina followed him to a little room hidden high in the eaves of the hotel.

Later he brought her a supper of mutton stew. Jacina had earlier felt weak with hunger, but now she had lost her appetite. After a few bites she pushed the tray away. She washed her face and hands in the bowl provided and then slipped under the huge feather-filled quilt on the bed.

She had barely laid her head on the pillow when she heard shouts and oaths from the street. There was the sound of scuffling and a loud cry of pain. She leapt up and rushed to the tiny window.

A figure sat groaning on the cobbles below. A short, stout pole lay in the gutter where it had been thrown. Running footsteps receded up the street.

What should she do? The Earl had told her to keep out of sight, but how could she leave someone lying out there injured in the cold night?

She threw on her cloak and ran into the corridor. She was immediately aware that other doors on the landing below were opening. She moved stealthily down the stairs and listened.

She heard the voice of the concierge reassuring guests as he came up the stairs. Then she heard him knock at the Earl's door. He spoke to the Earl in a low voice. The Earl sounded anxious as he replied,

"Have him carried to my room," he ordered. "And send for a doctor."

 The concierge returned to the lobby. The Earl waited, leaning over the balustrade. Jacina crept down the stairs to his side.

"What has happened?" she asked.

"My valet was attacked as he returned to the hotel from a nearby tavern," said the Earl grimly. "The assailant broke one of his legs with a pole."

Jacina was shocked. "Who could have done such a thing?"

The Earl glanced at her. "Who else but Fronard? This will ensure that, whether I wished it or not, my valet could not travel with me tomorrow to the chateau. Fronard is convinced I will still go, because the Countess is expecting me."

Jacina shook her head. "They are so – so evil, my Lord. But what will you do now about Rougemont. Will you still go there – alone?"