The Rebel’s Daughter (40 page)

“
I did.
It’s in King Street, near the Palace Gate.”

“
King-Barbara Palmer’s House?” She gaped. “Lady
Castlemaine?”

“
Indeed.” He read aloud from the page in his hand. Uncle
says,
“…although the lady has not lived there for over twenty
five years, the property still retains a certain reputation, and
perhaps some of its former energy, also.”“
His throaty laugh conveyed his avid
excitement at this unexpected gift.

“
Th-that
is indeed very kind.” She chewed her thumbnail absently. “You must
add my gratitude when you next write.”

“
It’s a
most comfortable house.” Guy folded the page and stuffed it into an
inside pocket, then peered intently into her face. “Not large, but
well appointed.” He sighed. “My dear, you do seem distracted today.
There is nothing wrong, I hope?”

“
What?”
Helena dragged her thoughts away from her problems and concentrated
on his face. “I’m sorry, do go on. You were telling me about the
house.”

He was such a kind man. Handsome too and
so considerate of her feelings. She liked him a great deal, and
fervently hoped her feelings would grow after they were married,
and got to know one another properly.

“
Indeed
yes. King Street leads directly into the White Hall palace yard,
though the road is only wide enough for a single carriage so it
isn’t too noisy. The
Blue Boar Inn
stands at one end, the
Kings Head
at the other, so we are well served
with hostelries.”

Helena could not decide whether this was
an advantage or not. At least she would be able or order an
“ordinary dinner” delivered at short notice should her housewifely
skills not be up to scratch.

“
You
seem uncertain, Helena,” Guy frowned, peering at her.

“
Of
course I am. I simply….” Unsure whether she should feel thrilled or
disappointed, Helena decided not to appear either. “Guy,” she began
carefully. “Is your uncle aware of my family - er -
circumstances?”

“
My dear
Helena, Uncle Arthur is as anti-papist as anyone. Besides, he would
never hold a man’s politics against his daughter.” The implication
he might do so if she had been a son went unspoken.

She bridled slightly. “We do not know my
father’s fate. Should he return to England, I intend to welcome him
into my, forgive me, our home, unreservedly.”

“
Well
y-yes, of course, my dear, that goes without saying,” Guy
stammered, apparently taken aback at her vehemence.

Was his agreement so prompt because Guy
did not expect Sir Jonathan Woulfe to ever appear at his door? Did
she even have any hope of it herself anymore?

Guy brought the visit to an abrupt close,
possibly because she had had to ask him to repeat himself more than
once. “May I flatter myself it is our forthcoming nuptials that
occupy you?”

Helena looked up. “Um – yes. Yes, that
must be why I cannot concentrate. There is so much still to
organise.”

“
Then I
shall not keep you. I heard Robert’s voice out in a hall a moment
ago, so I assume he has returned. I shanty stay, but do give him my
compliments.”

The door finally closed on him, and Helena
released a heavy sigh, then jumped at the sound of Robert’s voice.
“You decided not to tell him then, my dear.”

“
I
didn’t hear you come in.” Helena summoned a smile. “Tell him
what?”

“
About
Lord Blandness visit this afternoon.” He strolled further into the
room and hovered beside the fireplace.

“
How did
you know?”

“
Lubbock
may not always be evident in his person, but he has remarkable
ears.”

“
Did-did
he hear everything?”

“
He said
he was interrupted, but he said something about a
petition.”

Her breath left her in a rush. Hopefully
she could keep the worst of Blandness threat from him until she
devised her strategy.

“
I see.
And no, I didn’t tell Guy. If the petition is successful, I will
tell him then.”

“
I
cannot imagine Guy would abandon you purely for not bringing him a
dowry, Helena. I believe that young man truly loves
you.”

His voice held no censure, only
understanding, for which she was grateful.

“
How
could I ask him to support not only me, but my two brothers as
well? That wasn’t part of our bargain.”

“
Perhaps
not, but-”

“
And
you, Master Devereux,” she interrupted, rising. “Do you relish
having a penniless, unmarriageable ward on your hands indefinitely?
No, don’t answer.” She swept out of the room calling over her
shoulder, “I don’t want to think about the possibility
either.”

She had reached the hallway when Lubbock
stepped in front of her. He paused, coughed and flapped his
hands.

“
What is
it?” Already irritated, Helena was about to brush past him when he
coughed again.

“
I’m
sorry, Mistress, but Master Henry is here.”

Helena gave the empty hallway a swift
glance, frowning. “Why sorry, Lubbock? Show him into the salon,
I’ll be there in a minute.”

“
He’s in
the kitchens, Mistress.” Lubbock shuffled his feet. “I’m afraid he
is somewhat, well, er, in his cups. He can barely stand and has
been sick in the scullery.”

She closed her eyes briefly, sighing. “Oh
dear, not again.” She wiped a hand across her brow. “Can you get
him up to my bedchamber?”

“
Of
course, Mistress. I’ll get a couple of the serving lads to
help.”

Helena thanked him and turned for the
stairs. What was wrong with Henry lately? Of the two of them, he
had been the more pragmatic. He had put the horrors of the
rebellion behind him, and was making a good life for himself as a
capable architect. She had put down the incident at Elias Ffoyle’s
as an isolated occasion brought on by too much celebrating. Now it
seemed his drinking was becoming a habit.

* * *

Samuel and Meghan Ffoyle arrived
from Devon with their youngest daughter Deborah
, in anticipation of the arrival
of their first grandchild.

“
Such
good fortune they arrived when they did,” Amy said to
Helena on her first day of her up-sitting at the
house in Freeman’s Yard. “Because that same night, I barely slept
for the dull pull in my abdomen. I didn’t understand the import at
first, so sent Elias to fetch his mother.”

Amy’s fair curls bobbed beneath her cap, her eyes alight with
excitement as she talked. “Naturally poor Elias was frantic, what
with the house filled with my gossips. Then the Dutch midwife had
to endure Father Samuel’s questioning as to her qualifications,”
she broke off with a breathless laugh. “Ah, but it is all over now,
thank the Lord, and our little Jenet is here at last.
The nurse removed
the childbed linens this morning, and I am now allowed natural
light into the chamber for the first time.”

Helena perched gingerly on the
bed. “And how are
you
,
Amy?”

“
I am
perfectly well.” Her stiff tone indicated she had repeated this
phrase, often. “Not that anyone will listen. I was permitted a hip
bath today, and cannot tell you what a luxury it felt after the
poultices and herbal washes the dry nurse brings me. That woman
behaves like a constable. Elias has to beg permission to see me,
and he pays her wages!”

Helena sniffed, determined not to endure
what she saw as barbaric practices when her turn came. The idea of
lying in a darkened room on soiled bed-linens for two weeks after
childbirth filled her with dread.

“
And
Mother Ffoyle,” Amy went on with mild resentment, “is too occupied
with the baby. Her own and mine.” Amy sniffed. Then her face
softened. “Have you seen my baby today?”

“
Yours
or Mistress Ffoyle’s?”

“
Mine.”
Amy’s hand brushed against her breast, and she winced. “Mother and
Father Ffoyle have been wonderfully kind, but I’m counting the days
when they return to Ideswell.”

“
They
mentioned downstairs just now they’re leaving Deborah behind,”
Helena warned.

Amy nodded, the arrangement evidently
suited her. “Have you seen my Katherine?” she asked
again.

“
I have,
and she is lovely.” Helena lied, sending up a silent wish the pink
blob with puffy slits for eyes in the cradle would grow prettier as
she grew.

Apparently satisfied, Amy rested back on
her pillows with a sigh. Then her nose wrinkled at the sight of the
formidable figure of the dry nurse in the doorframe. “One visitor
is quite sufficient on your first day, Mistress.”

“
Fiddlesticks!” Amy sniffed. “I thought I would die of
loneliness up here. And there is a wonderful party going on
downstairs that I am allowed no part of.” Her eyes welled with
tears.

Helena rose and backed away. “I mustn’t
tire you.”

Leaving Amy to the woman’s ministrations,
she descended the stairs into the hall just as the front door was
flung wide, revealing Henry. Doffing his hat, he made Meghan a
gallant bow, at the same time pausing to tip the link-boy who had
stood between the dirty coach wheels and Hendry’s new
suit.

“
My dear
boy!” Meghan almost knocked him off balance as she pulled him
inside. “You cannot imagine how happy I am to see you. Samuel!
Henry is here, see how fine he looks.”

“
I could
not miss the baptism of my first godchild.” Henry adjusted his coat
with a wide grin.

“
I swear
sure you have grown a hand span since I saw you last,” Meghan
cooed, while Henry endured having his cravat rearranged and a
tendril of wayward hair tweaked behind his ear.

Helena debated whether or not she should tell
her brother about Miles Blanden, but decided not to burden him. She
would handle the situation alone.

They joined the rest of the family and
neighbours who had come to welcome the new baby in the small but
cosy salon of Elias and Amy’s home.

“
I hear
you were not best pleased about Amy having a Dutch midwife,
Samuel,” Helena said.

“
Licenses!” Samuel scorned. “Granted by the diocesan Bishop,
not a doctor at all. And testimonies are sought not from medical
practitioners as to the woman’s expertise, but from six honest
women who can vouch for their character and moral
standing.”

Helena looked up to where Meghan approached
from the kitchens, a harassed look on her face.

“
I hope
you aren’t upsetting Helena with talk of the King’s recent visit to
Somerset,” she snapped, accusing.

“
I’ve
said not a word, Meg,” Samuel scorned. “Though I wonder at the
purpose of such a gruesome pilgrimage,” he murmured “The villagers
of Westonzoyland laid planks over the Bussex Rhine, so he could
examine the battlefield.”

“
I
didn’t know he had gone there.” Helena frowned, summoning the faces
of Jane and Gil Fellowes and their comfortable house near Weston
church, certain they would not have been a part of such a
spectacle; at least not willingly.

“
His
Majesty brought Major Wade with him.” Meghan gave a derisive sniff.
“He was pardoned in exchange for information, although what that
could be…” she broke off as Henry joined them.

“
Wade?”
his slightly unfocussed eyes raked them all. “He was Father’s
commanding officer.” He drained his glass of wine in one gulp and
reached for the nearest jug and poured more.

“
I heard an interesting adjunct to the
Rebellion story,” Samuel began, ignoring Helena’s eyebrow gestures
in Hendry’s direction. “That man who murdered Heywood Dare. What
was his name?”

“
Andrew
Fletcher,” Henry said loudly, his eyes unnaturally
bright.

“
That’s
the man.” Samuel held up a finger. “Monmouth sent him back to the
ship Helderenburg for his crime. Fletcher forced the pilot to steer
for Spain.” He paused to take a cold pasty from a passing server,
studying it before lifting it to his lips.

“
You
were saying?” Henry said, slurring his words slightly.

“
Eh?”
Samuel looked up, confronted by faces waiting for him to continue.
“I’m sorry, what was I saying? Ah yes, the ship wasn’t supposed to
go to Spain at all, you know. Heldenburgh was on his way to
Carrickfergus to urge a second rising among the Irish Protestants,
and to call for Monmouth against the King.”