The Folly (14 page)

Chapter
23

Willa crept down the stairs and
crossed
the darkened hallway.  He was waiting for her and she was already late
, having
fallen asleep
.
 
The chiming of the clock woke her up
,
and she threw on her dressing gown and bolted from the room.  He was sitting in bed, reading
,
when she entered.

“I am sorry I
’
m late.  I fell asleep.”  She expected him to be angry, but he just patted the space on the bed next to him. 

“Come here.  You are worth waiting for.”  He pulled the coverlet aside
so
she could see his arousal through the nightshirt.  “Get on your knees
, Willa
.  I’ve been dreaming of your fine arse.” 

Willa clenched her teeth and got on her knees, allowing him to push up her
nightdress
.  She felt his finger slide inside her as he lubricated her with some oil
,
and then gasped with pain as he
entered her
.  It hurt every time, no matter how many times he did it
,
and Willa bit her lip to keep from crying
out
.  She knew it would be over soon
,
and tried counting in her head to distract herself from the pain.  He was thrusting
so
hard
that
Willa
had to put
her palms against the headboard to keep her balance.  She hoped he would finish soon and let her go back to the sanctuary of her room. 
She
exhaled as she felt the revolting wetness inside her
, then
pushed down her nightdress, getting off the bed. 

“Wait, don’t go just yet.  Would you like some wine?”  He wiped himself with a towel and lay back down, reclining against the pillows.

“No, thank you.  I
’
m rather tired.” 

“I won’t keep you long.  Now, tell me what you know.”  He took a five pound note from the nightstand and held it out to her.  “Talk.”

“It’s too soon to be certain, but I think
Lady Elizabeth is with child.
”  He didn’t look surprised, just angry. 
Willa took the bank note, her hand shaking.  She had done it.  She
had
betrayed Elizabeth. 

“I see.  Thank you, Willa.  You have been most satisfactory tonight.”

“Good night, Sir Henry.”

“Good night, Willa.  Keep me abreast.”

Chapter
2
4

Henry watched the door close behind Willa.  She had been satisfactory indeed.  Elizabeth would never allow him to do the things he really enjoyed
,
and he wouldn’t bother asking.  He didn
’
t expect it from a wife
;
t
hat’s what whores and mistresses were for.  Willa didn
’
t enjoy the things he did to her, but she did them willingly and silently, allowing his mind to wander, getting lost in fantasy.  He gave her a few pounds every time she came to his room to keep her quiet, but the real carrot he was dangling in front of her nose was the promise of a shop.

  Willa wanted to open a shop of her own, selling haberdashery for ladies.  Of course, if Henry ever agreed to such a venture, he would take half her profit, but she didn’t need to know that just yet.  He needed her to spy on Elizabeth
,
and if the promise of a shop would be the thing that broke her resistance, then so be it.  Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea.  Having her at his disposal made the situation all the more delicious.  How easy it was to get people to do your bidding when you knew their weaknesses. 

Henry could not thank Peter Jarvis enough for ruining Elizabeth’s reputation.  Her father would never have consented to the match had Elizabeth not been tarnished, although the girl was a virgin on their wedding night.  Henry quite enjoyed deflowering her, her shame and discomfort turning him on
;
as did the thought of her lovely money.  Too bad she turned out to be less meek than he expected.  Willa had tearfully confessed about the douching
,
and now she was with child.  The girl turned out to have more spirit than he gave her credit for, but that didn’t matter anymore.  A plan was forming in his mind and all they had to do was follow their natural instincts.  The rest would take care of itself. 

Chapter
2
5

Elizabeth walked slowly down the stairs, taking deep breath
s
to combat the ever-present nausea.  She felt slightly dizzy by the time she reached the bottom
,
and Jeremy took her by the arm, steadying her and leading her out into the fresh air of the September morning.  It was overcast, but the air smelled of hay and rain
,
and
Elizabeth
gulped it in until the sickness passed and she felt well enough to walk.

             
“Lizzie, are you all right?  How long have you been ill?  I thought you were just pretending, but when I saw you last night I realized it was no act.”
  Jeremy’s eyes had anxiously watched her across the dinner table last night, his gaze asking her if she was well.  Henry seemed oblivious to the tension
,
and spoke to Jeremy about an Arabian mare he was in the process of acquiring, asking his advice on horseflesh.

             
“It’s morning sickness.  It will pass.” 
Elizabeth
looked up at h
im watching the emotions pass
over his face.  He started with confusion,
progressing
to understanding, shock and joy.  “Oh, Lizzie.  That’s wonderful. Have you seen the doctor yet?”

             
“No, but Willa says I am about a month gone. 
Jeremy, I know that you
’
re too much of a gentleman to ask, but I want you to know that the child is
yours and
not Henry’s.
  I took, umm, precautions when he came to visit me.
”
  Elizabeth was
embarrassed
to tell Jeremy, but she needed him to be sure of the child’s parentage.

“
It wouldn’t
change how I feel about you or the child
, although I must admit that I
’
m glad it’s not
his
.
Are you pleased?” He searched her face, wanting to hear that she was happy to be carrying his child.  Elizabeth nodded joyfully.  Of course she was pleased.  This baby had been
conceived
in love and joy
,
and it was
an answer to a prayer.  She couldn’t be happier, although she was a little nervous that Henry would do something to stop her from leaving with Jeremy
,
and lay claim to their child.

“
Let’s go down to the sea where we can talk undisturbed.”  Jeremy pulled her arm th
ough his and steered her toward
the beach.

             
The sea was stormy, white-capped waves crashing onto the beach with surprising force,
and then
retreating back only to prepare for a fresh
assault
.
Elizabeth breathed in the briny tang of the salty water, watching the seagulls fight over their catch and tearing it to bits
.
  She took off her bonnet, enjoying the misty air dampening her skin.

             
“Lizzie, can you be ready to leave tonight?”

             
“Yes.  Just tell me what to do.”

Chapter
2
6

Elizabeth lay in bed watching the clouds scuttle across the moon through the
uncurtained
window.  She tried to sleep, but anxiety and excitement kept her awake.  Willa had done her part
,
and now it was up to Elizabeth to do the rest. 
She had said a tearful goodbye to the girl before sending her to bed
,
saying
a quick prayer for her, hoping Sir Henry would not accuse her of being complicit in the plot. 
She heard the clock chime 3a
.
m
.
and rose from bed, taking off her
nightdress
.  It was time to go. 

Elizabeth
put on Willa’s dress and pulled on a linen servant’s cap over her hair, hiding the auburn tresses.  The cotton stockings and scuffed shoes came next, followed by Willa’s old cloak. 
She removed her wedding ring, diamond earrings
,
and the necklace that Henry
had given
her
,
and put them back into the jewelry box, taking only the necklace that
had been a present from her grandmother
.  She carefully wrapped it in a
handkerchief
,
and hid it inside the valise
,
along with the money she saved from her allowance. 

Willa had packed two serviceable gowns, clean linen
,
and her warm cloak, adding shoes and her sturdiest boots for the coming winter.  There was no room for anything else
,
and come morning
,
Willa
would
swear that nothing had been taken.  Elizabeth
would
simply be gone. 

Elizabeth
crept down the hall to the servant’s staircase and descended to the basement level and into the kitchen.  It was deserted at this time of night
.  S
he nearly screamed when a shadow peel
ed
itself from a dark corner. 

“Shh, it’s me,
s
weetheart.  Are you ready?” 
Elizabeth
nodded, despite the fact that Jeremy couldn’t see her in the
darkness
.  He carried a valise of his own and was dressed in old boots, dark trousers, a simple
sack
coat
,
and a slouch hat that hid part of his face.  They were ready.  Jeremy unlocked the door
,
and they walked out into the cool night.  This was the
tricky part.  They had to get away from the house without being seen
,
so
they kept to the shadows until they were out of sight, walking toward the beach. 

Walking along the sea was the safest way, since they could be seen on the road by a passing farmer
,
or a drunk heading home from the pub.  They would follow the coast until they reached Clacton-on-Sea
,
where a coach heading
north
would leave at 7a
.
m
.
from the local public house.  It was roughly a two
-
hour walk, so they didn’t have to rush and would arrive in Clackton minutes before the coach left, not giving anyone an opportunity to
observe
them
closely
. 

The sea looked calm in the light of the moon and the sky was strewn with stars, guiding them on their way.  The cliffs and trees looked sinister in the dark, but
Elizabeth felt safe with Jeremy.  He carried both valises in one hand
,
and held her hand in the other, making her feel reassured.  He had everything planned and all she had to do was play along
, which was all she could manage in her agitated state
. 

As the sky began to lighten, the fiery orb of the sun began to shimmer above the
horizon
, painting the world i
n
shades of magenta and orange. 
Elizabeth
stopped for a moment to appreciate the glory of the sunrise, before continuing along the beach.  She could feel the pebbles through the thin soles of her shoes, but she didn’t complain.  Starting today
,
life would be very different
,
and complaining would get her nowhere.  She had made her choice
,
and she would see it through.  By the time the sun was fully up, Jeremy found a flat rock for her to sit on and told her to rest. 
He pulled
a sausage roll and a bottle of ale
out of his valise
and handed it to her, urging her to eat. 

             
“Where did you get that?” she asked, taking a bite.  Sausage rolls and ale were reserved for servants, but she found her breakfast surprisingly tasty.

             
“I pilfered it from the kitchen,” answered Jeremy
with a smile
, taking a bite of his own roll and a sip of ale.  “
You didn’t think I’d let you go hungry, did you?
”

             
They chewed in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. 
Elizabeth
tried not to think of the future.  One day
at a time.  Jeremy would take care of her and their child.  It would all be all right.  She finished her roll and excused herself to go behind a bush.  There would be nowhere to go on the coach
,
and she found that she had to go a lot more often now that she was with child. 
Jeremy was waiting patiently
for her to get
back
,
and they walked the last leg of the journey feeling
increasingly
more excited.  They were almost there and once they got on the coach, it would be more difficult for anyone to find them.  The servants would just be starting their day at
Flynn Manor
,
and
Elizabeth
instructed Willa not to report her
absence
for as long as she could, giving them time to get away.  Jeremy never came down before 9a
.
m
.
, so no one would realize they were gone for almost another three hours.

             
The coach was already in front of the inn, the driver passing cases to a youth who was stacking them on top
,
securing them for the journey.  Jeremy paid the coachman and helped
Elizabeth
into the coach, following with their bags.  They were small enough to take with them
,
and
Elizabeth
was glad to have it with her.  There were several people
already
in the coach
,
making small talk
;
a clerk traveling on business for his
employer
, two older women on their way to visit their sister up
n
orth
,
and a young woman going to take up the post of governess in Leeds. 

Jeremy introduced them as Mr. and Mrs. Sutton
,
and leaned back against the seat making it clear that he wasn
’
t about to get chatty.  Jeremy pulled his hat lower over his eyes
just as the stagecoach was about to leave
, making sure no one would recognize him through the window.  As the
coach left the town behind, the horses picked up speed
,
galloping
through the verdant countryside
.
 
Elizabeth rested her head against Jeremy, allowing sleep
to claim her
, tired from her sleepless night and lulled by the motion of the carriage. 
Thankfully, she didn’t feel sick
,
and she snuggled closer thinking how nice it was to be Jeremy’s wife, even if it was only pretense. 

             
By the time she awoke, the coach had stopped to pick up more passengers at another village
,
and it was already past noon.  She was feeling achy and needed to pee, so she went to the disgusting privy behind the inn while Jeremy got them something to eat.  The coachman gave them half an hour to
refresh themselves
,
while he fed and watered the horses and had a meal himself. 
Elizabeth
ate the mutton stew and
drank the
ale obediently, not knowing when the next stop was going to be.  She found that running away gave her an appetite.  Jeremy had taken a table in the corner, advising her to keep her eyes down and not draw attention to herself. 

It was kind of fun to be invisible.  If she had been in her role as Lady Elizabeth people would be staring at her, admiring her fine clothes and jewels and being diffident, but in her current garb, no one so much as spared her a look and she was glad.  She saw the barmaid making eyes at Jeremy, but he turned away
,
pretending not to notice.    Eventually it was time to leave
,
and they climbed back into the coach, settling in for another several hours of bumping around in the airless space, accosted by the unpleasant smells of people who had been cramped together for a while. 

The young governess, M
is
s Cole, tried to engage Elizabeth in conversation
, being closest to her in age
.
  She was
understandably
nervous about her new position and the family she had yet to meet. 
Elizabeth
carefully answered her questions, thinking of what Willa would have
said in her place
.  The clerk tried to talk to Jeremy, but found him less responsive. 
Elizabeth
had to admit that Jeremy could be very intimidating when he chose
to be
,
and she found that strangely attractive. 

             
He told her they were going to Newcastle
,
and although Elizabeth had no real concept of where that was, she knew it was much farther
n
orth and it would take a long time to get there, maybe as long as two weeks.  They would take this coach to its final destination
,
then switch to another and another
,
until they finally got to where they needed to go.  The prospect of spending weeks on the road wasn
’
t pleasant, but
Elizabeth
was enjoying the adventure.  She had hardly been anywhere
,
and she liked looking out at the passing countryside and villages, trying to remember their names to keep herself occupied. 

Thinking of Sir Henry made her feel guilty
,
and
the
idea
of possibly never seeing her parents again almost made her cry.  She had been angry with them for forcing her to marry Henry, but she knew they thought they were doing what’s best.  They would find out in time that she was gone
,
and the scandal would surely
hurt them.  Her sister, Verity
,
was only ten
,
so she probably wouldn
’
t be hurt by it too much, but her parents would have to pay the price. 

People would realize, of course, that Elizabeth and Jeremy were lovers
;
and the fallout would be terrible.  Sir Henry would be disgraced
,
and anyone connected to them would be tainted. 
Elizabeth
felt truly awful, but what choice was there?  The only other option would have been to ask Jeremy to leave and spend the rest of her life i
n
abject misery.  She had been miserable on account of others long enough.  They would just have to deal with the scandal as best they could.  Eventually it would die down
,
and someone else would commit an act not easily forgiv
en
by society, making them old news.

             
By the time they reached Lincoln, Elizabeth was exhausted
. 
D
ays in the stuffy, smelly coach
left her
feeling as
if her body had been pummeled by clubs
;
her back aching and her feet
slightly
swollen in the tight shoes.  Her
skin was grimy and
dusty
,
and her head was beginning to itch from lack of bathing.  She prayed that no one on that co
a
ch had lice. 
Jeremy suggested resting for a day or two
before continuing on their way
.  He found a quiet inn tucked away on a side street
,
and got them a room overlooking the back yard where it was quieter. 
Elizabeth
had never been so happy to lie down and take off her
dirty
clothes.  She felt as if she had lived in these clothes for a week
,
and couldn’t wait to wash them and take a bath.