Foxe and the Path into Darkness

by William Savage

  ‘Can I return tomorrow? Please?’ Lucy begged.

  ‘I suppose you can, but only if you promise to behave yourself. You can help me nurse your future husband. Make sure he drinks his medicine and bring him light food and beef tea to build him up again. He has lost a great deal of blood and is as weak as a newly hatched chick in its nest. I will send Bart to escort you here when we are ready for you. For now, say goodbye in a decorous manner and I’ll get Bart to take you home.’

  Needless to say, despite this warning, Lucy ventured to place a kiss on Foxe’s forehead before she left, while he lifted his left hand to touch her face. At that point, with Tabby clearing her throat in a most pointed manner, Lucy left.

  ‘I truly am happy for you,’ Tabby said after she had gone. ‘She will make you an excellent wife. It’s been clear to me for some months that you had finally tired of your previous style of life and craved something deeper and more fulfilling.’

  ‘I thought she’d lost any regard for me because of the disgraceful way I ignored her while she was in France,’ Foxe said. ‘I suppose it was because I still thought of her as a child. The moment I saw her, after she’d returned, I realised my terrible mistake in an instant. Sadly, by then it was almost too late.’

  ‘It was never too late, Ash,’ Tabby replied. ‘I knew she would realise her true feelings for you in time, if only you were willing to demonstrate yours for her in an appropriate way. Something much deeper and more compelling than mere words was needed and you clearly found it. Now, as Mr Shakespeare wrote, “All’s well that ends well”. Think no more of the past, Ash. The future that lies ahead of you promises much more. The only thing that puzzles me is why you had to get yourself shot to bring yourself and Miss Lucy together. Wasn’t there a less dangerous and less painful way?’

  ‘You know very well, dear Tabby, that I didn’t intend for Belton to shoot me. I still can’t understand why he did either. Do you think he had truly gone mad?’

  ‘Who can say? Maybe he had. In an odd way I can’t help feeling just a little sorry for him. His wretched upbringing seems to have brought out all the worst in his character and ensured his life never got any better. I would not have relished thinking of him dying by the hand of the common hangman. The actual manner of his death may have been violent, but I think it was a blessing in disguise. But enough of such talk. Lie back and rest now. Sleep if you can. You have your Lucy, and she has you. Let that be enough to dream about.’

  Foxe slept.

  IT WAS after ten before Tabby sent Bart to fetch Lucy the next morning. Since waking some hour-and-a-half earlier, Foxe had swallowed yet another draught of the bitter willow-bark tea, eaten some breakfast of bread, butter and cheese, been shaved and had his dressing changed. He had also managed to wash his face and hands on his own, before Bart helped him put a clean nightshirt on and supported him as he returned to his bed. His right arm was still too painful to move properly, but he found he managed some things well enough with his left.

  Once Lucy arrived, the two of them spent the whole morning together, talking about how soon they could get married and where they were going to live—while also exchanging kisses whenever they thought Mistress Tabby was far enough away. To Foxe’s delight, Lucy said she would like to live in his present house.

  ‘I know I’ve only been inside once,’ she said, ‘but it seems quite large enough, as well as being well-situated and rather elegant. Would that suit you, Ash?’

  Foxe said it would suit him very well and they quickly agreed to keep all the existing servants too.

  ‘Susan will be heartbroken not to be coming with me,’ Lucy said. ‘She will set her heart on it as soon as she knows, but I doubt we can justify another parlourmaid.’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Foxe replied. ‘You uncle has more than one maid and several footmen. All I have is a single parlourmaid and one in the kitchen. I’m sure Mrs Dobbins could find suitable duties for Susan.’

  ‘I’m also going to need a lady’s maid, if I am to be a credit to you when we meet important people,’ Lucy said. ‘Susan has been acting as something of that kind at times, but she has no training in matters like dressing my hair and looking after fine clothes.’

  ‘We will find you someone suitable, dearest,’ Foxe said. ‘Perhaps one from France? I’m sure Lady Julia, my friend Captain Brock’s wife, could help us there. But aren’t we perhaps getting a little ahead of ourselves in deciding on the number of servants we will have? I have still you to ask your uncle and guardian for his permission to marry you.’

  ‘You can do that this afternoon,’ Lucy replied. ‘He has been pestering Mistress Tabby to be allowed to see you and she has finally agreed. He is to come at two o’clock, bringing my aunt and sister. He won’t make any difficulty, I’m sure of that. If he were so foolish as to do so, my aunt, my sister and I would make his life extremely miserable until he gave in. Just be sure to greet him as “Mr Mayor” when he arrives.

  ‘Mr Mayor?’

  ‘The other alderman begged him to take over as mayor, at least for the remainder of what should have been that wretch Belton’s term of office. They say they need someone well-regarded and reliable to remove the slur that has been left on the office. It is a great honour, for he has already been mayor once before and no one can recall the last time someone was mayor twice. He’ll probably deny it, but he’s delighted to have been asked.’

  ‘I’ll remember,’ Foxe said. ‘To be honest, I can think of no one better to help us all forget about the last holder of that office.’

  25

  The Halloran family duly arrived at the appointed time, eager to praise Foxe for all that he had done and express their hopes for his speedy recovery. Foxe duly greeted Halloran with the words “Good afternoon, Mr Mayor” and Halloran huffed and puffed and said it was nothing and wished Foxe would stick to calling him plain Halloran.

  ‘Don’t believe a word of what he says,’ Mrs Halloran said. ‘He’s been like a dog with two tails since he heard what he was to be offered, confused about which one to wag first. Dear Mr Foxe, you cannot imagine how delighted I am to see you on the way to recovery. When we first heard the news, our whole household was plunged into the deepest gloom. The foolish constable who came tried to tell us that you had been shot dead, you see. You wouldn’t credit the wailing and sobbing which erupted on all sides. Lucy here was inconsolable and Susan, her maid, had to take to her bed unable to work for weeping. I admit I shed more than a few tears myself. It was only when Mistress Tabby’s servant, Bart, came later in the day that we knew where you were and that you were not dead, though sorely wounded.’

  ‘I am sorry to have caused you all such an upset,’ Foxe replied. ‘It never occurred to me that Belton would act as he did.’

  ‘Was it revenge for being discovered, do you think,’ Halloran said, ‘or was he truly insane? To be honest, I still can’t make any sense of his actions from back in the early spring. They all seem so … so erratic somehow.’

  ‘Perhaps, towards the end, he had lost his mind,’ Foxe replied. ‘We’ll never know. Yet it seems to me that Belton had been on a steady path to destruction for those last few months. At first, his descent into the abyss was gentle. He could have stepped back and saved himself. Then, with the death of poor Johnson, it became steeper and steeper. He was rushed towards the inevitable catastrophe too quickly to do anything to avoid it. I doubt that what he did towards the end was planned in any way. His pride and his determination not to suffer any more patronising laughter, despite all his mistakes, caused him to lose all sense of self-preservation.’

  ‘That does make a kind of sense,’ Halloran said. ‘By the way, the inquest has been held on the man. The medical examiner said that he had both cracked open his skull and broken his neck in the fall. Either on its own would have killed him. He also noted Belton had received a heavy blow to the jaw, which had broken it in two places.’

  ‘Bart’s great fists can do terrible damage, even without him being thoroughly enrage
d as well,’ Foxe said. ‘I hope this will cause no trouble for him. If he hadn’t acted as he did, I would probably be dead, or he would. I have a hazy recollection that Belton had two loaded pistols and was struggling to cock the second one when Bart knocked it out of his hand.’

  ‘There will be no trouble,’ Halloran said. ‘The jury returned a verdict of accidental death while resisting arrest and all those present were well satisfied. It was a logical verdict and saved the embarrassment of a trial, at which the mayor’s wrongdoings would have been made public. The city has endured enough shame as it is. Let Belton be forgotten. Besides, from what you have told me, I cannot see Mrs Belton wishing to stir up further legal problems for anyone.’

  ‘No,’ Foxe replied. ‘She won’t do that. Belton’s death has solved all the difficulties she faced in taking over the business. She has also avoided the mild embarrassment of having the man ruled insane. I imagine she is well enough pleased with what has taken place.’

  ‘I agree,’ Halloran said. ‘But why is my youngest niece sitting by your side and holding your hand, though she’s trying to conceal what she’s doing?’

  ‘Mr Foxe has something to ask you, Uncle,’ Lucy said at once.

  Foxe took the hint and plunged in.

  ‘I wish to ask your permission to marry Lucy, your niece and ward,’ he said formally. ‘I asked her yesterday if she would consent to be my wife and she did me the great honour of saying that she would.’

  ‘What if I don’t give my permission?’ Halloran began, then started to laugh when he saw his wife and both nieces stiffen, ready to give battle. ‘Of course you may marry her, Foxe. I am delighted for you both. I am only worried that you may not know what you are letting yourself in for with that little minx.’

  ‘Don’t talk such rubbish, Benjamin!’ his wife interjected. ‘You know you love both your nieces deeply, as do I, even if Lucy has caused you some exasperation at times. My dears, I too give you my blessing with a whole heart and hope you will be very happy together. I’m so relieved to see that Lucy has finally realised what has been all too obvious to me for weeks and stopped the nonsense of trying to drive you away, Ashmole. I may call you Ashmole now, may I not? The kind and gentle way you handled her silliness quite won my heart. I was getting near the stage of taking her to one side myself and shaking her hard until she stopped being so foolish. Lucy has doted on you since she first saw you years ago but was always too proud to admit it to herself until now.’

  Maria added her blessing and warmest regards, remarking as she did so that “the Halloran family are being quite overrun with Foxes”.

  They all laughed at that, while Foxe told her that his Cousin Nicholas was the best of men and would make her a fine husband.

  Tabby stepped into this scene of general rejoicing to announce that it was time her patient was allowed to rest again. Lucy should return home now with her family but could come again next morning, if she wished to do so. Lucy said she wanted nothing more, so Tabby suggested she came a little earlier, to help them get Ashmole ready to receive a number of visitors who had been driving her mad with demands to be allowed to see him.

  She was about to say she would send Bart as before when Halloran stepped in and offered to send Lucy in his carriage, if Mistress Tabby would specify the time. He would also send the carriage to take her home. The times of nine o’clock in the morning and four o’clock in the afternoon were quickly agreed, despite Lucy’s attempt to extend her stay for longer. With that, they departed, Lucy acting the part of a most decorous lady and merely wishing Foxe goodbye in an appropriate manner.

  THE FIRST VISITORS the next day were Captain Brock and Lady Julia, full of concern for Foxe’s health, then surprised and delighted when he told them the news that he was to marry Lucy Halloran.

  ‘I knew there was something going on, Foxe, didn’t I?’ Brock exclaimed. ‘Even told you there was things different about you, but you wouldn’t have it. Told me I was imagining things, while I was right all the time. You always did have the luck of the devil. Not only are you to marry this beautiful and accomplished young woman, she also happens to be the mayor’s niece.’

  ‘Ignore my husband,’ Lady Julia said at this point. ‘He has spent too much of his life associating with rough sailors and picking up their lack of manners. Never mind what you said or didn’t say, husband. This is a time for congratulations, not arguments.’

  Brock was, by now, looking thoroughly abashed at his outburst. ‘May you two be as happy as Julia and I are,’ he said meekly. ‘I can wish you no better future than that.’

  ‘I am delighted for you, my dears,’ his wife added. ‘Fear not, Miss Lucy. If I can tame this rough, weather-beaten husband of mine, you will have no trouble in turning Mr Foxe into an ideal companion in life.’

  After Brock and his wife had left, Nicholas Foxe arrived, along with his aunt, Foxe’s first cousin Harriet. Both professed themselves equally delighted by Foxe’s news and near smothered the couple with congratulations. Mrs Crombie, who came next, was perhaps the most surprised by the news but quickly added her own warm congratulations and wishes for their future.

  ‘I am quite exhausted by all this joy,’ Foxe said to Lucy after Mrs Crombie had left. ‘You know that now Mrs Crombie knows the news will be all over the city in a matter of hours. My bookshop is the biggest centre of gossip in the city. Are there many more people to see?’

  ‘Only one,’ Lucy replied. ‘Mrs Dobbins, your housekeeper. I must admit to feeling quite nervous at the prospect. She must now cope with having a mistress as well as a master and one who is totally inexperienced in the role.’

  ‘I’m confident you will do splendidly,’ Foxe replied. ‘Mrs Dobbins is a sensible woman and must have known there was always a chance of this happening one day. She is also an excellent housekeeper, by the way.’

  Mrs Dobbins arrived and was clearly surprised to see Lucy seated by Foxe’s bed. She said nothing, however, but moved on at once to expressing her pleasure and that of Foxe’s whole household when they had learned that he had survived and was recovering. When Foxe told her of his forthcoming marriage, she did seem somewhat taken aback by the news. Then she quickly rallied and gave the couple her congratulations and best wishes for their future. On learning that they intended to live in Foxe’s current house, her concern became more apparent.

  Lucy quickly stepped in to reassure her.

  ‘I know this will be a great change for all of you, Mrs Dobbins,’ she said, ‘so let me state clearly that I hope everyone will remain in their present posts and go on as before. I may formally become your mistress when I marry Mr Foxe but, in most ways, I hope and expect to be your pupil. You have abundant experience of running a large and harmonious household. I have none at all. If I am to see that my new husband is comfortable and well looked after, I will clearly need considerable help in the task. When you return, please reassure all the staff that their jobs are safe. I am not so foolish as to arrive one day and institute any changes the next.’

  As she walked back to Foxe’s house, Mrs Dobbins reflected on Lucy’s words and became less anxious every time she did so. By the time she had assembled the rest of the staff in the servants’ hall to tell them of her visit and Mr Foxe’s surprise, she was able to convey the news of their master’s marriage with unfeigned pleasure.

  Thank goodness he hadn’t married that Lady Cockerton, she told herself later. If he had, she would have handed in her resignation at once and so, she imagined, would most of the other servants. Lady Cockerton might be beautiful, but she was well known to be imperious and determined to have her own way. Miss Lucy Halloran seemed to be a much better choice. Not only was she far more sensible than you might expect in such a young woman, but she was also well aware that an established household would not react well to too much change, too quickly. With her as Mrs Foxe, there would be no reason for anyone to seek other employment.

  Foxe spent two more days under Mistress Tabby’s care, while Lucy continued to spend
the greater part of each day with him. Henry brought letters that had arrived at Foxe’s home during his absence, including one from the Dean of Norwich, promising his prayers for Foxe’s speedy recovery. A few more visitors came, some for the second time, but Foxe was allowed to rest and enjoy Lucy’s company for the bulk of the period.

  At length, Henry came to take Foxe home in the carriage, with Lucy sitting beside him and helping to steady him against jolts on the city’s heavily used roads. Henry, in contrast to the last time he conveyed his master in the carriage, drove with enormous care, never going much above a walk and always conscious of Mistress Tabby’s threat that she would blight the rest of his life, if his driving reopened Foxe’s wounds. You never knew. She just might and there was no sense in taking the risk.

  26

  Life at his own home continued for Foxe in much the same way as it had in the last few days at Tabby’s house. Lucy spent the bulk of every day with him, while his servants fussed about, bringing him drinks and light but nourishing meals. For the first day or so he was still confined to his bedroom, either lying in bed or seated in a chair. After that, he came downstairs and spent time in his library catching up on his correspondence. Any attempt to do more than this was swiftly stopped by Lucy.

  ‘When you left Mistress Tabby’s,’ she told him, ‘she charged me with the task of making sure you did not try to ignore her request that you remained quiet and rested until you had regained your full strength. I take that duty very seriously and will be most displeased if you do not do as I say.’

  Knowing that she meant it, Foxe meekly obeyed her words, though he felt impatient inside to be free of what he felt were needless restrictions. Meanwhile, Mrs Dobbins took Lucy through the whole house, pleased by the future Mrs Foxe’s obvious satisfaction with what she saw. Lucy also went through the door into the shop and suffered Mrs Crombie to summon all the helpers in the bookstore and library to greet “Mr Foxe’s future wife”. She knew them all already, of course, through her many visits to borrow books from the library and buy others, but it clearly pleased Mrs Crombie to do things that way. Once this formality was over, she and Mrs Crombie had a lengthy conversation about the shop and Mrs Crombie’s future plans. Lucy even spent time with Charlie Dillon and allowed him to regale her at length with many of the complexities of bookbinding.