The Reluctant Heiress

by Dilly Court

  Lady Lyndon’s butler opened the door, staring blankly at Kate.

  ‘I need to see Sir Harry Lyndon. It’s urgent.’

  ‘Then you’d best go to Coldbath Fields Prison, miss.’

  Chapter Nine

  A distant rumble of thunder sent shivers down Kate’s spine. ‘Did you say Coldbath Fields Prison?’

  ‘That’s what I said, miss.’

  ‘I need to speak to Lady Lyndon,’ Kate said firmly. ‘Please inform her ladyship that Miss Martin would very much like to see her.’

  ‘Her ladyship is not at home to anyone today.’ The butler was about to close the door, but Kate put her foot over the threshold. ‘I think she will see me. Please tell her that I am here and it’s urgent.’

  The butler glanced up and down the street, his brow knotted in a frown. ‘You’d best come inside, miss.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Kate marched past him. ‘I’ll wait here.’

  He nodded wordlessly and closed the door just as a vivid flash of lightning lit up the entrance hall, followed by a loud crack of thunder. He headed for the wide staircase, mounting it with infuriating slowness, but Kate was prepared to wait. The news that Harry had been arrested had come as a shock, although perhaps it was to be expected. The law was bound to catch up on him sooner or later. As a judge’s daughter she should have been pleased, but somehow she had never really thought of Harry Trader as being a criminal.

  The butler returned almost immediately. He paused, halfway down the sweeping staircase.

  ‘Her ladyship will see you now, miss. Follow me, if you please.’

  Kate knew where to find the drawing room, but she followed the butler meekly and allowed him to announce her. As she had feared, Lady Lyndon must have received the news of Harry’s arrest and she was visibly upset. Her eyes were reddened by tears, and she rose shakily to her feet.

  ‘Miss Martin, it’s so good of you to come and see me, but it really is not a good time.’

  ‘I understand, my lady,’ Kate crossed the floor, her feet sinking into the thick pile of the Axminster carpet. ‘I am so sorry. I’ve only just heard the news.’

  ‘It will be common knowledge before nightfall.’ Lady Lyndon shuddered as a huge crash of thunder made the crystals on the chandeliers tinkle like tiny bells.

  ‘Not necessarily,’ Kate said with more confidence than she was feeling. ‘There must be something we can do.’

  Lady Lyndon mopped her eyes with a tiny handkerchief, trimmed with lace. ‘It’s a mistake, of course. The police must have Harry muddled up with someone else.’

  Kate moved to the sofa and sat down beside her. ‘Undoubtedly, ma’am. You must try not to worry.’

  ‘It’s easy to say that, but of course I’m anxious. Harry has always been such a good son, and it’s humiliating for him.’

  ‘I have a friend who is a barrister-at-law,’ Kate said recklessly. ‘I’ll ask his advice.’ Perry was probably the last person who would have sympathy with Harry Trader, and even less for Sir Harry Lyndon, but he was the only person she could think of who might be able to help.

  ‘Would you, my dear? Our family lawyer died last year and I’ve had no need to seek a legal opinion, until now.’ Lady Lyndon clasped Kate’s hands. ‘Will you do something for me, Kate?’

  ‘Yes, of course. I’ll do anything I can.’

  ‘Will you go to this dreadful prison and ask to see Harry? I need to know that my boy is being well cared for, but I cannot face seeing him behind bars. I know it’s cowardly, but I would simply break down and sob, and that wouldn’t help him.’

  ‘What do you want me to say to him, ma’am?’

  ‘I don’t have to put words into your mouth, Kate. I just want to know that he’s all right. Tell him I’ll spare no expense to get him the best lawyer in London.’

  ‘Is there anything you wish to add?’

  ‘No, my dear. I’ll leave it to you. Now if you’ll get up and ring for a servant I’ll have my carriage sent round to take you to that dreadful place. I can’t have you going there on your own, especially in such a dreadful thunderstorm.’

  ‘That’s very kind of you, Lady Lyndon.’ Kate rose to her feet and went over to the mantelshelf to give the embroidered bell pull a gentle tug.

  ‘You’ll be safe with Warrender, my coachman, who’s been with me for thirty years or more.’

  Coldbath Fields Prison was even worse than Kate could have imagined. Warrender insisted on accompanying her into the compound, having left a very nervous footman in charge of the carriage. Kate might have protested, as she wanted to see Harry on his own, but once inside the prison grounds she was only too glad of Warrender’s company. The rain had ceased, leaving the air damp and muggy. Kate had to step over deep puddles to get to the reception area of the grim-looking institution, and the oppressive atmosphere inside was not solely due to the passing storm. It took all the money she had in her purse to pay various bribes, but eventually she was shown to a small anteroom, leaving Warrender standing guard outside.

  Minutes later Harry was thrust into the room and the door slammed shut behind him. They stood facing each other uncertainly. Kate was both relieved to see him and angry to find him in such circumstances.

  He gave her a wary smile. ‘Well, say something, Kate.’

  ‘I came because your mother wished it.’

  ‘You went to see her?’

  ‘I knew that there was something wrong. Spears seems to have disappeared and the premises in Cable Street was broken into some time after we left yesterday.’

  ‘Spears wasn’t there this morning?’

  ‘There was no sign of him. There might have been a struggle – it was impossible to tell from the messy state of his rooms.’

  Harry motioned her to take a seat at the small table in the centre of the otherwise bare room. He pulled up a chair and sat opposite her. ‘I don’t expect you to understand, Kate. I imagine you will think I’ve got my just deserts, but it’s my mother I worry for.’

  Kate sat down on the hard wooden chair, leaning her elbows on the table as she met his apologetic gaze. ‘That’s why I’m here. I suppose you deserve to go to prison, although I don’t know what you’ve done to make them pounce on you so unexpectedly. Are the rest of your men here?’

  ‘Not to my knowledge. I’ve disbanded the gang anyway.’

  ‘I suppose you’ve cheated enough people to allow you to live in the grand style.’

  ‘Maybe I simply had a change of heart.’

  ‘I don’t believe that for a moment. I think you were scared of getting caught, and now they have you.’

  He reached across the table and laid his hand on hers. ‘Something has happened to upset you, and it had nothing to do with my incarceration. What is it, Kate?’

  The question and the unexpected sympathetic look in his eyes took Kate aback. She snatched her hand free, turning her head away in case he spotted the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks. He was right: she had left home in an emotional state after her clash with her mother, but she thought she had overcome the feeling of sadness she had experienced so deeply. The news of Harry’s arrest had taken her mind off her own problems, but they were still simmering inside her head, and he, of all people, had sensed her distress.

  ‘It was something and nothing,’ she said guardedly.

  ‘A lot more than nothing, by the looks of you. Now, I deserve to be here – I fully admit that – but someone has upset you and I’d like to know who and why that was. Has your father’s condition worsened?’

  She shook her head. ‘No, he’s still the same.’

  ‘Then it must be that mother of yours.’

  ‘You know nothing of my family, Harry.’

  ‘Maybe, but you sometimes let things slip. I suspect that your dear mama does not give you the support that you deserve. Am I right?’

  ‘I didn’t come here to discuss my problems. I came on behalf of your mother, who is desperate to have you home. I’m not sure she can cope on her own.
’

  ‘I’ll be up before the magistrate tomorrow morning, Kate. He’ll decide whether to send me to the criminal court for trial, or perhaps he’ll issue a fine and tell me to be a good fellow and give up my evil ways.’

  ‘This isn’t something to laugh at, Harry. Your mother is distraught, and from what you told me before, you depend upon the money you make from your gaming clubs. Maybe the people who gamble away their fortunes deserve to lose everything, but what will Lady Lyndon do if you go to prison?’

  ‘I’m hoping to grease a few palms, as they say in the trade, and get off with a fine. I’ve made enough to pay off the debts accrued by my late father.’

  ‘What then? You still have to live. Will you seek honest employment?’

  He threw back his head and laughed.

  ‘Who appointed you as my conscience, Kate? I know you’re right, but it seems as though you’ve taken on the task single-handed.’

  She rose to her feet. ‘If you’re going to make fun of everything I say, it’s time for me to leave. I’ll tell your mother that you are an irredeemable sinner and you will probably spend the rest of your days picking oakum or whatever they do here.’

  He caught her by the hand as she was about to walk past him. ‘I’m sorry. I’m really grateful for your concern for my mother, but I hope to be able to return home tomorrow.’

  She gave him a searching look, and she could see that he was sincere. She relented, just a little. ‘You’ll need someone to represent you in court.’

  ‘Are you suggesting your lawyer friend?’

  ‘Perry might be persuaded to take your case. He’s very good at his job.’

  ‘I’m not sure I want to be beholden to a man who made no secret of the fact that he dislikes me.’

  ‘He doesn’t have to like his clients, but he is a very fair-minded man, and well thought of.’

  Harry sat back in his chair. ‘How praiseworthy. Maybe I’ll follow his example and reform.’

  ‘Don’t you ever take anything seriously, Harry? Think of your poor mother – she doesn’t understand why you’re here. Maybe you ought to tell her.’

  His smile faded. ‘You’re right, of course, but the truth is I don’t want either of you involved in my affairs.’

  ‘You allowed me to use your premises for the soup kitchen,’ Kate said reasonably. ‘You said yourself that it suited you to do so.’

  ‘I know, and I’m ashamed to admit it, which is why I want you to get away now. Forget about helping me – I can look after myself.’ Harry stood up, taking Kate’s hands in his. ‘You really shouldn’t be dragged into this, and neither should Annie and my mother.’

  ‘What are you saying?’ Kate met his earnest look with a frown. ‘Surely you must have considered this before you were caught?’

  He shrugged and released her hands. ‘I was arrogant and thoughtless. I suppose I thought my luck would never change, but it has, and now I must pay the price.’

  ‘You don’t believe you’ll get off lightly, do you?’

  A half-smile curve his generous lips. ‘What do you think? You’re a judge’s daughter, you probably know more about the law than I do.’

  ‘I don’t think my papa would be very lenient if you were brought before him in court.’

  ‘Then I want you to do something for me, and for yourself as well.’

  ‘What is it?’

  ‘I own a property on the other side of the River Lea. It’s been in my family for centuries but I’ve spent very little time there since I was a boy. I employ a caretaker and his wife, and they look after the house and grounds, although I haven’t visited it for quite a while.’

  ‘Why are you telling me this?’ Kate demanded angrily. ‘I can’t see how it concerns me.’

  ‘It’s a rural area, but not too far away. I would like you to persuade my mother to go there until I’ve got myself out of this tangle.’

  ‘I wouldn’t call it a tangle exactly. You could go to prison for years.’

  ‘Thank you, Kate. I do know that, but there is also Monks’ gang to reckon with. If they discover my true identity, I need my mother to be somewhere safe, and that goes for Annie, too.’

  ‘What about me, and Jenny and Ivy and her children? We’re all involved because of the soup kitchen.’

  ‘I know, and I’m sorry. When I agreed to let the ground floor to you I had no idea that everything would come to a head. Someone has informed against me, and when I find out who it was they’ll regret their actions.’

  ‘Do you always resort to violence to solve a problem?’

  ‘I didn’t mention physical assault – there are other ways. But I intend to bring the Monks gang to justice. Their actions are despicable and my men are like choirboys in comparison. I want to get Spears out of their clutches. He’s loyal and he doesn’t deserve the treatment they’ll almost certainly hand out.’

  ‘I don’t think I want to know about that,’ Kate said hastily. ‘Anyway, I can’t go to your house and tell your mother to pack up and move out of town, and the same goes for Annie. They have minds of their own, and Lady Lyndon seems to have no idea of your criminal activities.’

  ‘It’s true that my mother knows nothing and I want to keep it from her as long as possible. Maybe you’d care to wait until after the court session tomorrow. Who knows? I might be home in time for dinner.’

  ‘I think there’s more to this than you’re telling me,’ Kate said slowly. ‘But I like your mother and I feel sorry for her. I will wait and see what sentence they hand out to you.’

  ‘If it goes against me, you’ll find the keys and the deeds to the house in Walthamstow in a locked box in my room in Finsbury Circus.’ Harry took a bunch of keys from his pocket and handed them to Kate. ‘It’s the small brass key with scrollwork. The others are keys to the premises in Cable Street, and the house in Finsbury Circus.’

  Kate took them, eyeing him warily. ‘You really don’t think it will go well for you?’

  ‘Best be safe, that’s my motto.’ Harry leaned towards her and brushed Kate’s lips with a kiss. ‘Thank you, Kate. I know I can trust you.’

  She hurried from the room and found Warrender standing outside the door. ‘It’s all a mistake, isn’t it, miss? The master will be released as soon as they discover their error.’

  ‘I hope so,’ Kate said evasively. ‘But I need to put his case to a lawyer friend. Will you take me to Lincoln’s Inn Fields?’

  ‘Of course, miss. You’ll find that all of us servants in Finsbury Circus will do anything for Sir Harry.’

  Kate held her finger to her lips. ‘They don’t know his title here, Warrender. Make sure you don’t mention it should you come here again.’

  ‘As I said, miss. It’s obviously a mistake.’

  Kate was lucky enough to find Perry in chambers, and she wasted no time in repeating the plea for him to represent Harry that she had been silently rehearsing during the carriage ride from Coldbath Fields Prison to Lincoln’s Inn.

  ‘Of course it isn’t a mistake,’ Perry said angrily when she finished speaking. ‘The police haven’t arrested the wrong man. I don’t believe the cock-and-bull tale that Trader has fed you.’

  Kate folded her hands in her lap, meeting Perry’s angry gaze with a steady look. ‘I think you’d better know the truth, although this mustn’t go any further.’

  ‘Just a moment, Kate. You know that I can’t withhold vital evidence. I’m not going to court to lie for Harry Trader. He’s a common criminal and a gang leader. If he’s sent down for a long term it will be what he deserves.’

  ‘You know that I can’t ask my father for advice.’ Kate watched Perry carefully, looking for the slightest change in his tight-lipped expression. ‘Harry Trader allowed me to run the soup kitchen from his premises, but that probably makes me an accessory. If he goes to prison I might be arraigned on charges of aiding and abetting a criminal, or something similar. I only know the terms I’ve heard Papa use when talking about court cases.’

 
Perry paced the floor behind his desk. ‘What are you saying, Kate? What else aren’t you telling me?’

  ‘This must not be used in court. I want you to give me your word.’

  ‘It depends.’ Perry came to a halt. ‘You’d better tell me everything.’

  ‘Harry inherited a baronetcy from his late father. His real name is Sir Harry Lyndon and his home is in Finsbury Circus where he lives with his mother, Lady Lyndon.’

  ‘You’ll be telling me next that he spends most of his time raising funds for charities, instead of preying on gullible fools with more money than sense.’

  Kate jumped to her feet. ‘If you’re going to be facetious I won’t bother. Forget that I asked you to represent him. I’ll find someone else.’

  ‘Don’t be so hasty. I’m growing more interested in this case by the minute. Please sit down, Kate. Finish what you had to say.’

  Reluctantly, Kate sank down on the chair. ‘He doesn’t deny his criminal activities, but I believed him when he said he wanted to bring the Monks gang to justice. What do you say, Perry?’

  He was silent for a moment and then he sighed. ‘Ordinarily I would refuse such a case, but because you are involved and because your father is in no state to support or advise you, I will represent Harry Trader in court tomorrow. It is, after all, only an appearance before a magistrate, and it should be quite straightforward.’

  Kate gave him a beaming smile. ‘Thank you, Perry.’

  He held up his hand. ‘Unless, of course, someone knows the true identity of your villain. That will change everything, and I will stand down from the case. I can’t afford to have my reputation damaged in such a way.’

  ‘I understand,’ Kate said reluctantly. ‘But I am grateful.’

  ‘Does Trader actually own the premises where you’ve established your soup kitchen?’ Perry went to sit at his desk, resting his elbows on the table and steepling his hands.

  ‘I believe he does, but you’re making me feel as if I am on trial, Perry. Why does it matter?’

  ‘I suggest you vacate it immediately, Kate. Move elsewhere and walk away from any connection with Trader and his criminal activities.’