Wide is the Water (34 page)

‘You—?'

‘Love each other. We tried so hard to deceive ourselves, to pretend … He talked a great deal about you, Mercy. I suppose he was trying to protect himself – to remind himself of you. That is why – forgive me – why I know something about your marriage. Don't – don't draw away from me. He could not help it, Mercy. We could not help it. It was the riots, don't you see, the danger. We had fought it off till then. He saved me … oh, from terrible things. You know the mob; you know what it's like. And in the relief, in the safety … Mercy, tell me you understand, you forgive us?'

‘Forgive?' said Mercy. ‘Understand? Miss Purchas, I hope I do not.'

‘Oh, Mercy, so hard? Hart said you might be …'

‘You have talked to Hart about this? About what you are trying to say to me?'

‘But of course. Poor Hart, alone there in the Tower, afraid for his life … Abandoned, he thought … He is not even allowed letters now, but before … Why did you not write him? If you had cared …'

‘Of course I wrote to him! He must have known I would, have understood that the letters could have been lost.'

‘After the way you parted?'

‘What do you know about how we parted?'

‘What Hart told me. Mercy don't make it harder for me than it is already. Must I go on my knees to you?'

‘No! But I wish you would explain yourself, stop hinting about the bush and tell me directly what it is you are trying to say. After all, I am Hart's wife.'

‘But that's just it.' Julia pounced on it. ‘Are you? The lawyers Hart has consulted are very far from sure of it.'

‘Hart has consulted lawyers?'

‘Do you understand nothing? Will you not at least try to do so? Hart is in prison, in danger of his life. Naturally, he has consulted lawyers, and of course, he has told them everything.'

‘Everything?'

‘Yes.' Sudden colour flushed the pale face. ‘Everything. About us.' And then, defiantly; ‘About his child, which I am carrying.'

‘His—?' She reached out for the smelling salts.

‘Child. Our child. The Purchis heir, if you will let it be. Now, Mercy, do you understand what I am asking?'

‘I think I begin to. You want me to help break my marriage to Hart? And he – he wants me to?'

‘He begs it. I have a paper, drawn up by our man of business, which he says will do the trick. Mercy, I am asking you to sign it – and go.'

‘And go?'

‘Back!' Julia ground it out. ‘Back where you came from. Back to your good friends in Philadelphia. Or to be treated?
la reine
in France if you prefer it. It's all here in the paper: an income for life from the Purchas estates, to be paid to you wherever you may be.'

‘How do you spell Purchas?'

‘I beg your pardon?'

‘This income you promise me. Is it to be paid me from the Purchis family estates in America or yours in England?'

‘Now you begin to talk like a woman of sense! From the English ones, of course. Had you not heard that Charleston has fallen to the British? The news was the last straw for my poor Hart. He had been – I am sorry to have to say it – he had been living high on drafts on the South Carolina estate. My fault. I helped him spend it; we were so happy; we lived as if the world would never end. Then – the news of Charleston; Drummond's stopped payment. It would have been the debtors' prison if it had not been the Tower. So, you see, it is hardly an eligible
parti
you are to surrender.'

‘Hardly
a parti,'
said Mercy. ‘A husband.'

‘A bankrupt one. My father is not best pleased with me. Were it not for the child … But as it is … he promises to do everything in his power.'

‘Oh, poor Hart,' said Mercy. ‘Everything gone. His mother … his property …'

‘He has me,' said Julia, ‘if you will but make it possible. And think a little, Mercy, do you not owe it him? For the part you played in the deaths of his mother and his aunt. I am afraid, even if it had not been for the
coup de foudre
that struck Hart and me, it would have been hard for him to forget that if it had not been for your activities in Savannah, his mother and aunt would not have started on that disastrous journey of theirs. I had to break the news of their deaths to him. I saw how it hit him. It was when I tried to comfort him, to say what I could, that it all began between us. At our first
meeting. Love at first sight. Do you know what that is like?'

‘No,' said Mercy. ‘I do not believe that I do.' And thought at once of Brisson, that storm-tossed day on board ship, telling her that he had fallen in love with her at their first meeting. And then that kiss that had shaken her so. She dreamt of him still and woke in the morning, ashamed. But Hart was her husband, the man she loved. Charles Brisson's kiss might have stirred strange depths in her, but it was Hart's that she wanted. She looked at the seductive woman who was watching her so eagerly. ‘You are seriously suggesting that I leave England without even seeing Hart?'

‘You must see that it is the only way. And there is another thing, though I had hoped not to have to point it out to you. Your appearance, now, could do Hart untold harm. You – the Rebel Pamphleteer, the American spy who duped the British in Savannah. You come forward and claim to be his wife, and it will immensely strengthen the argument that he was fomenting the riots for political reasons.'

‘You cannot believe that he was really doing so!'

‘Of course I do not, but what is that to the purpose? I have it on the best authority that Government has still not decided how to handle his case. We have some influence, my family and I; some friends. If I come forward, claim him as my affianced husband, even if the worst comes to the worst, plead my condition …'

‘You would do that?'

‘I would do anything to save Hart. Can you say the same?'

‘Oh, dear God.' Mercy moved blindly to the window. Anything to get away from the strong perfume, the pleading voice. ‘I must have time,' she said. ‘I must think …'

‘Just remember that every hour you stay here in England you increase Hart's danger. You are passing here, as Mrs. Purchis? Have perhaps spoken of Hart? Suppose it comes to
the ears of some government agent that you are here. Think what it would mean to them to be able to prove that the terrible riots London has suffered were the doing of you Americans. Even the news of the capture of Charleston has not stirred up any public enthusiasm for this unpopular war. News of such treachery would do it. Don't think the government would not use it. North and his people are so committed to this absurd war that they would do anything to gain popular support.'

‘You mean they would use me to frame charges against Hart?'

‘That's what I am trying to tell you. Here.' She handed Mercy a legal-looking document. ‘Read this and see how generously we are prepared to treat you if you will just give Hart his freedom.'

‘No!' She let the paper fall to the ground. ‘Don't try to bribe me, Miss Purchas. If I go, I go of my own free will, for Hart's sake. I cannot believe that he agreed to your making me such an insulting offer.'

‘He did not much like it,' said Julia. ‘But we could not let you starve. Nor do we wish to drive you back into the arms of your French friends.'

‘My French friends? What do you intend by that?'

‘Well, they supported you in Philadelphia, did they not? An income … a house. Did you really think news of that would not have reached England? A very gallant band, it seems, the French in Philadelphia.'

‘This is the kind of thing you have been saying to Hart?' Mercy moved past her and opened the room door. ‘I must ask you to leave me, Miss Purchas. I will think about what you have said and give you my answer in the morning. I imagine you will not choose to stay in this inn, where your name might draw attention to mine. Send me your direction, and I will write to you. I do not think any purpose will be served by our meeting again.'

‘Very well. I shall be at the George.' No pretence of sympathy now. ‘Just don't forget, ma'am, that every moment you delay may be a drop of Hart's lifeblood.'

‘Melodrama,' said Mercy. ‘I wish you good day, Miss Purchas.' But alone at last she fell across the bed in a passion of tears.

‘Mercy … Mercy! I saw her go.' Ruth put a gentle arm round her and pulled her upright against the pillows. ‘She looked … I didn't like the way she looked. What did she want, Mercy? What did she say to you that you look so dreadfully?'

‘She wants me to give up Hart.'

‘Give him up? But you are married to him.'

‘They do not think so. They think I endanger his life just by being here.' And seeing Ruth's look of amazed horror, she plunged into an incoherent explanation.

‘Yes. Yes, I see,' said Ruth at last. ‘But who is this “they,” Mercy?'

‘All the family, I suppose. Ruth, I think I have to do it.'

‘Without seeing him? Without being sure it is what he wants?'

‘If I see him, I endanger him horribly, tie him fatally to the American cause.'

‘Yes,' said Ruth slowly. ‘I do see that. But … did you notice a curious thing she said, Mercy, right at the beginning, when you spoke of her brother's death? She said it wasn't Hart's friend Dick. “He survives to plague us,” she said. Why do you think she said that, Mercy?'

‘God knows.' Mercy was not much interested.

‘I wish we did.' She picked up the paper from the floor. ‘This is their document?' She turned it over. ‘Signed by Richard Purchas, M.P. That's the father, of course. No word from Dick, who must he his heir, if the older brother was killed in the riots. Surely, if he had agreed to this monstrous proposal, he would have signed, too?'

‘I do not see that it makes any difference,' said Mercy wearily. ‘If I endanger Hart's life by insisting on our marriage, what choice have I? Yes?' She turned at a knock on the door.

‘Thank you.' Ruth jumped up from the bed and accepted
the letter that was handed in. ‘For you!' She looked angry as she handed it over, and Mercy understood why when she read the superscription: ‘To Miss Phillips by hand.'

‘What now?' She opened it, and read rapidly. She has heard of a smuggler who will take us across to France tomorrow night,' she said dully. ‘But, Ruth, there is no reason why you should come.'

‘You really mean to go?'

‘I think I must. I was wrong, madly, selfishly wrong to come. But at the time it seemed the right decision. I love him so, Ruth.'

‘Yes.' Ruth took her hand. ‘I'm glad you said that. Sometimes I have wondered … Seeing you with poor Charles Brisson. But, Mercy, think. When you decided to come, you knew nothing of these terrible riots, of this accusation …'

‘No, that's true. Perhaps I was right then. Now, just because I love him, I must go. But that's not to say I will agree with any of Miss Purchas's other proposals. Not until I have heard direct from Hart himself.'

‘That's good,' said Ruth. ‘It does seem more than strange that he has had none of your letters.'

‘I shall write him again, now, and enclose it to Miss Purchas. No. That's no use. He's not allowed letters.'

‘And if he was, she would not give it to him. Mercy, do you realise that you have only her word for all of this?'

‘We know Hart's in the Tower.'

‘That, yes. But for the rest of it … It doesn't sound like Hart to me.'

Mercy managed almost a smile. ‘Dear Ruth, I keep forgetting that you know him too. But' – she flushed crimson – ‘You don't understand. Our marriage … I refused him at first … My reputation was quite gone, you know. I thought he only proposed out of pity, a sense of duty … Ruth, I think I should not have let him change my mind. I loved him so much, but if he was only sorry for me …' It would explain everything. ‘Ruth, he told
her things, Julia. About our marriage. Things he could only have told to someone he loved.' It had been the hardest thing of all to bear. ‘I think,' she decided, ‘if he has really fallen fathoms deep in love with Julia Purchas, I think I owe him his freedom.'

‘In love with her?' Ruth's tone was scornful. ‘If he has, he's not the man I remember.'

Mercy brushed away tears. ‘But none of this is to the purpose, Ruth. Everything the papers say confirms the danger Hart is in. My appearance in London might be fatal to him. I shall write Miss Purchas at once, accepting her offer of passage on the smuggler. I'll wait in France. Please God, when Hart is freed, it will be time enough to talk of annulment, if he really wants it.'

‘I don't think you should go to France,' said Ruth. ‘Certainly not on a boat of Julia Purchas's choosing. Why not go to Denton Hall? Perhaps Dick Purchas is there. He must know Hart better than anyone. He could advise you.'

‘Ruth, I dare not. I have killed Hart's mother and aunt. If I should kill him too … No.' She sat down at the room's one table. ‘I shall accept Miss Purchas's offer. But, Ruth, will you not stay in England? Perhaps you could see Hart when … if he is released? Explain to him for me?'

‘No,' said Ruth. ‘Nothing would induce me to let you go off alone on a smuggling vessel recommended by that Miss Purchas. I tell you, I don't like it above half.'

‘But what else can I do?'

The note written and despatched, there was nothing to do but get through the long evening and longer night as best they could. Mercy refused to leave the inn for fear of some disastrous recognition by one of the English officers she had duped in Savannah. ‘I'm so far out of luck already,' she told Ruth, ‘that that's just the kind of thing that would happen. And think what it might mean for Hart.'

They had just finished pretending to eat breakfast when a maidservant tapped at the door to announce that there
was a gentleman to see them. ‘He asks if he may call on you in your room.' The girl sounded dubious. ‘He said to give you this.'