The Untamable Rogue (19 page)

I
was snuggling
dreamily into the bed. Ivo had done it. I was completely exhausted from our love play. What had remained was the feeling of hunger in my belly and Ivo had gone to fetch something to eat.

I was lying with my face to the wall when the door opened. He must have hurried. My heart beat excitedly. How had I ever lived without him? One night had changed my life. I turned around and froze. Before I could utter a sound I was hit on the head and everything went black.

I woke up with horrible pains in my head. The fact that everything was swaying back and forth did not help my headache. Groaning, I opened my eyes. Everything was blurred so I closed my eyes again and tried to sort out the confusion in my head. I had no idea where I was and what had happened. I was not in the position to think at all clearly. I felt sick and I urged, but the contents of my stomach stayed, fortunately, where they were.

After a while I made another attempt at opening my eyes. Still everything was blurred. I concentrated and slowly my vision cleared. The man sitting opposite me was looking at me coldly. I did not know him – I had never seen him before, I was certain of that. At least I now knew where I was – I was sitting with a stranger in a stage-coach with red velvet covers.

“I thought you weren’t going to wake up again,” said the person sitting opposite me, casually.

“Who are you? What …” I asked, dazed.

The person sitting opposite me grinned sinisterly.

“Who I am is of no importance. We’re on the way to your uncle. He has paid a lot for you to be found.”

“Ha! My money,” I responded dryly. Slowly my spirits returned and I felt an unbelievable anger and frustration grow within me.

“Whatever,” said my abductor, disinterested. “Soon you’ll be back at home again.”

A part of me was looking forward to Blue Hall. But the fact that I would meet my uncle there, who was definitely up to no good, thoroughly dampened this joy.

“How did you find me?” I asked. “Did Mr Porter betray me by any chance?”

“A little bird told me.”

“Who was that?”

My abductor forced a smile, then his scrawny face gradually grimaced derisively.

“I don’t know but he maintained that he knew you very well. It wouldn’t help you to know who had betrayed you, anyway. You will soon be Mrs Atkins and I will be a good deal wealthier.”

“What did he look like? What does it matter to you if you tell me?”

“Well, he was very tall and well-built. Some women would perhaps describe him as handsome, even though he looked a little wild and … let’s say … unconventional. He’ll be able to afford a new life with the two hundred pound reward, he told me. “

My heart contracted in pain. Could it be true? Could Ivo be the betrayer? He had told me that he had dreamt for a long time of a new life in America. With two hundred pounds he could act upon this intention. I simply did not want to believe it. But everything pointed at this. Only Mr Porter and Ivo knew where I was living and the description did not fit Mr Porter at all.

It was as if someone had torn my heart out of my chest and thrown it to the dogs to eat. Tears shot into my eyes but I fought against them bravely. I would not give this creature opposite me the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

“Now, my dear, you look a little out of sorts.”

“What would you look like if someone had hit you on the head and taken you away against your will?” I responded and welcomed the hatred that slowly spread through me. Hatred was much easier to bear than this pain – it concealed everything – at least, temporarily.

B
lue Hall came
into sight and I tensed up. I was not ready to confront my uncle straight away.

“You’re nearly at home now,” declared my abductor with a smug smile. “I presume that you now know your place here?”

I clenched my teeth to stop myself saying what was on the tip of my tongue. It was not worth expending the energy for my uncle’s lackey. I would need all my strength for the coming confrontation with Uncle James.

Slowly the coach rolled into the yard and stopped in front of the sweeping staircase. A servant that I’d never seen before came down the steps and opened the door of the stage-coach.

“Mistress. Welcome home,” he greeted me politely and reached out his gloved hand to me to help me climb down.

Reluctantly I allowed him to take my hand and I climbed out of the coach. I breathed in deeply and looked around with concern. Somehow my home seemed strangely foreign and impersonal to me.

My discomfort grew when I entered the hall where a row of new faces awaited me. Not one of the servants that were stood in line in front of the staircase was familiar to me. What had happened here during my absence? Clearly Uncle James had replaced all of the old employees with new ones. Sadness and anger filled my heart. No wonder Blue Hall seemed so strange to me. It was its people that had given it its charm, and now none of them were left – my parents dead and my servants dismissed. And the man that I had given my heart to, for whom I had thrown all social rules overboard, had betrayed me to my uncle’s henchman – for the stately sum of two hundred pounds.

A sturdy woman of about fifty with a strict expression and cold, grey eyes stepped forward and dropped a brief curtsy before me.

“Welcome, miss. I am Mrs Beaton, the housekeeper. May I take you to your uncle? He’s awaiting you in his study.”

“You mean, he’s waiting in my father’s study,” I corrected her spikily.

Mrs Beaton did not change her expression. She appeared to be as cold as a block of ice. No wonder none of the employees showed the merest trace of a smile. How different everything had become here.

My uncle, however, had not changed visually. At most he looked more expensively dressed than I remembered. He was clearly spending my money liberally. I clenched my fists in anger.

“Elizabeth,” he greeted me in a bizarrely friendly way. “I am so pleased to see you in good health. I was seriously worried about you.”

I looked at him suspiciously. What tactic was this man now using? Was he now trying to draw me into his snare?

“In good health?” I asked, controlling my voice with great difficulty. “I’ve been hit in the head by your henchmen and I still have not recovered from that!”

“I’m really sorry about that. I will ensure that those concerned are punished. Honestly, I did not intend to hurt you. Whoever did that was acting of their own accord, without my agreement. I specifically asked for you to be found and brought home.”

“I would prefer to return to the place where I was illegally attacked and abducted.

“But my dear Elizabeth. We must not overreact now. I can understand that you are angry. I am truly sorry. I will send for a doctor to examine you. One should not make light of an injury to the head. Let me take you first to your room so that you can rest a little from the journey.”

Reluctantly I allowed Uncle James to lead me to my room. Fortunately he had not changed anything in there. Even the short story, that I had last read, was still lying on the table.

“I will ask Mrs Beaton to prepare a bath for you. Would you like some refreshment? Or maybe a little snack?”

“I could do with a brandy,” I replied.

“I will see to it that someone brings you a nice drop,” said Uncle James to my astonishment. He had made it very clear to me before I ran away that brandy was only for men and that women should only drink liqueurs.

There was an unpleasant silence. I stared at my feet. Uncle James cleared his throat.

“OK then, I’ll set everything in motion,” he said. He turned around again at the door and smiled at me. “Ah, yes, welcome home, Elizabeth.”

I had slept terribly. Nightmares had haunted me all night. The worst dream was about Ivo. I dreamt about us making love. The dream had been unbelievably intense and real. I even thought I could smell him, but then the erotic dream turned into a nightmare. I was about to reach the longed-for climax and was looking at my lover when he suddenly began to transform and the man who was rhythmically thrusting inside me suddenly took on the features and form of my uncle. I had woken up screaming and bathed in sweat, and after that proper sleep was out of the question. I did nod off again and again but only to be shocked back out of sleep again soon after.

There was a knock at the door and a little later Stina, one of the new maids, entered my room. I sat up in bed.

“Good morning, miss. I’ve come to help you with your morning ablutions. The master is expecting you at breakfast in half an hour.”

Sighing, I got out of bed and let the morning procedure be done unto me. When, exactly half an hour later, I appeared in the dining room, my hair done and dressed in a pine-green morning dress, my uncle was already there.

He greeted me with a smile and laid the Bible that he had been reading to the side. Respectfully he got up from his seat and only sat down again once I had taken a seat. I did not know what I should think about the transformation that had taken place in my uncle.

“Good morning, my love. Did you sleep well?”

“Not really, uncle. I had awful nightmares because of the abduction.”

“I am so sorry about all of that. I have already arranged for a lawyer to deal with the matter. In addition Monsieur Levanté will come to see you this morning. He is a doctor of excellent repute.”

A servant brought me my breakfast and we focussed upon eating for a while. I was forced to think of Ivo and of his betrayal. I could still hardly believe it, but could find no answer as to who else may have betrayed me. Everything pointed to the fact that it must have been my lover. From the description that I had been given I could not think of anyone else. It had to be someone that I knew because the scrawny man had said that my betrayer knew me very well. The visible description fitted exactly and he knew where I was living, which no one else apart from Mr Porter knew.

Damn it! I did not want to believe it. Was everything a lie? – All the passion, the tenderness, the promises and plans for the future – a future together.

“I’d like to show you a surprise after breakfast,” Uncle James interrupted my thoughts.

“A surprise?” I asked, doubtful. 

“You will have to control your curiosity a little, my little dove. Eat first. You look a little thin.”

I was actually not at all hungry and I had barely touched my porridge – I had only managed to force down two small spoons full. With much effort I finally managed to eat half of the bowl, then I gave up and pushed the food away.

“I’m sorry, uncle, but I’m afraid that I can’t manage any more.”

“OK. I don’t want to torture you too much. But you must start to eat better again before you fall over with weakness.”

“Yes, uncle,” I said, in order to bring the tiresome topic to a close.

Uncle James wiped his mouth on his serviette, put it onto his plate and rubbed his hands.

“Well, then, let us look at the surprise!” he said with delight and got up.

He helped me out of the chair and opened the door for me. He suddenly appeared to be a model of good behaviour. Very strange. Sceptically I allowed him to lead me outside. He marched straight to the stable and I followed him into the only building that still felt like home for me. At least the horses were still the same ones and they greeted me with joyful neighing.

“They recognise you,” stated uncle. “Come along here.”

I followed him to the last box and although I really had not suddenly begun to like my uncle I still could not suppress a surprised cry of joy. In the box there was a beautiful black foal. Her mother, Cloe was standing in the corner of the box eating her hay. She had been impregnated by Dorian, my father’s stallion, that was still with the Sinti.

“He was born two weeks ago. He’s just like his father, isn’t he?”

“He’s beautiful,” I said, enraptured.

“By the way, where is his father, just out of interest? “

“We had an accident – he fell tragically.” I lied.

“Regrettable! But at least he’s left an heir, hasn’t he?”

“What’s he called?” I asked.

“He still has no name. I thought that you might like to give him a name.”

I looked at my uncle in amazement. The whole thing was very suspicious. I was sure that such a revolting person could not suddenly change into such a good person. He must he hatching a plan. 

“Well? Can you think of a name?”

“Gypsy,” I said, suddenly inspired.

“Gypsy? Hm, an extraordinary name for an extraordinary horse. OK, so he shall be called Gypsy. I’ll get a halter made with his name on.”

“That is very – nice of you, Uncle James.”

“Just call me James. I don’t feel so much like an uncle to you. In fact I thought of this wonderful foal as a gift to you – a wedding gift!”

I turned round and glared at him, beside myself.  I had known it! – Known that there was something up!

“A wedding gift? What wedding?”

“Isn’t that obvious?” asked my uncle unmoved.

I snorted.

“Oh, yes! All
too
obvious!”

“I think it’s the best solution in your condition,” said Uncle James.

“What condition?”

“Well, you’re compromised. You may even be carrying a child in your womb. I would be prepared to marry you despite all that. After all you can’t raise a bastard on your own – think of the scandal. No other man would still want you after what has happened to you.”

Feeling dizzy I leant against the box. He was right. I really could be expecting a child. Ivo’s child. This thought had not struck me before, but I could not contest it. It was highly possible and I really could not offer my child a life as a bastard. That would be absolutely irresponsible. But marry my uncle? There had to be another solution.

“I understand that you need some time to think about everything in peace. But I fear that there will be no other acceptable alternative.”

I was not in a position to respond. It was amazing that I was still standing, as my knees felt so weak.

“With the greatest of respect – in an hour the doctor will arrive – it would be good if you could be in your room then.”

I nodded and Uncle James went away.

Trembling, I collapsed in front of the box and buried my head into my knees, sobbing. I was in an absolutely hopeless situation. My life no longer made any sense.