The Reluctant Heiress

by Dilly Court

  ‘Don’t take no notice of her,’ Cyrus said, chuckling. ‘Dora Sloan likes to grumble, and she likes to gossip. It’ll be all round the village now that we have a newcomer in the village, Miss, er …’

  ‘Miss Martin,’ Kate said, smiling. ‘I’m a guest at Warren House.’

  He leaned across the counter. ‘I heard there was new folk moved in there. That accounts for Martha’s large order. Very good for business.’

  Kate handed him her list. ‘I hope we’ll be staying for a while.’

  ‘Have you come from far away, miss?’ Cyrus busied himself checking the list and adding the items to her basket.

  ‘Not too far, Mr Ruggles.’

  He cut a wedge off the cheese and weighed it on his brass scales. ‘There, that’s two pound of best cheddar exactly. Martha must be doing a lot of cooking. How many did you say there were staying at Warren House?’

  ‘I didn’t,’ Kate said casually. ‘But there’s quite a few extra mouths to feed.’ She watched him as he weighed tea leaves into a paper poke.

  ‘I’ll put all these things on the Warren House account, shall I, miss?’

  ‘Yes, please.’ Kate picked up the basket, which was significantly heavier than when she had started out. ‘Thank you, Mr Ruggles.’

  ‘It’s a pleasure, miss. Anything to oblige.’

  Kate left the shop and was walking towards the church, admiring its square Norman tower, when she was accosted by a woman who emerged from the school playground and hurried towards her.

  ‘Just a minute, miss. May I have a word with you?’

  Kate came to a halt. ‘Can I help you?’

  Slightly breathless, the woman clutched the cross hanging on a chain over the high-necked white blouse she was wearing. ‘I’m sorry. I should have introduced myself. My name is Elaine Courtney, my husband is the vicar of St Mary’s.’

  ‘How do you do?’ Kate said politely. ‘I’m Kate Martin.’

  ‘You must be one of the guests staying at Warren House. Word gets round very quickly in the village.’

  ‘I was doing some shopping for Martha Boggis, and I thought I’d take a look at the church.’

  ‘Everyone is welcome at St Mary’s, Miss Martin. I hope we’ll see you on Sunday.’

  ‘I expect so, Mrs Courtney.’ Kate was about to walk on when the vicar’s wife barred her way.

  ‘I believe there are children staying at Warren House. We have an excellent infants’ school.’

  ‘I will certainly tell their mother.’

  Mrs Courtney eyed her uncertainly. ‘I could call on her at Warren House.’

  Kate hesitated. The last thing they needed was for the whole of the village to know their business, and she could see that the vicar’s wife was filled with curiosity.

  ‘My mother is with me at Warren House. She used to do a great deal of charity work in London with ladies from our local church. I wonder if I might bring her to see you. She is recently widowed and in great need of something to take her mind off her loss.’

  ‘Oh, the poor lady.’ Mrs Courtney’s sympathetic expression was then replaced by a smile. ‘I would be delighted to help her through this difficult time. Why not bring her to see me tomorrow afternoon? I’d love to show her round the church and we can discuss the charitable works that the other good ladies do.’

  ‘Thank you, ma’am. What time do you suggest?’

  ‘Three o’clock would suit me, but if you wish to come earlier I will be at home.’

  ‘We’ll see you tomorrow, Mrs Courtney.’

  Kate walked back to Warren House, and although no one else spoke to her, she was aware of curious stares and the fluttering of curtains in the neat row of alms houses. In London it was rare for anyone to show interest in the business of their neighbours. Even so, Kate was amused to be the centre of attention. Martha, on the other hand, pursed her lips and denounced the entire village as a bunch of busybodies. However, she was pleased with the contents of the shopping basket and she studied the bill, frowning when she came to the total.

  ‘Ruggles knows how to charge for things,’ she said tersely. ‘But he has the only shop for miles, so we have no alternative.’

  Kate turned to Jenny, who was peeling potatoes with a pained expression on her face.

  ‘Did my mother eat her breakfast?’

  Jenny nodded. ‘Yes, I collected her tray about half an hour ago and she’d eaten everything, so she must be feeling better.’

  ‘Did she get up and dress?’

  ‘No. She said she wanted to rest.’

  ‘That’s not good. I’ll go up and see her.’ Kate left the kitchen and made her way upstairs. She found her mother still in bed, propped up on a pile of pillows. ‘Do you intend to stay in bed all day, Mama?’

  ‘Don’t speak to me like that, Kate. I deserve some respect.’

  ‘Of course you do, but lying around all day won’t help.’ Kate picked up her mother’s wrap and handed it to her. ‘Now, why don’t you get out of bed and I’ll send Jenny up with some warm water so that you can have a wash. Get dressed and come downstairs. It’s a lovely day.’ Kate walked over to the window and threw it open. She could see the older children racing around in the long grass while Polly and Emma sat on the balustrade making daisy chains. ‘The garden could be beautiful if the old man who looks after it has some help. I could hire some strong fellows to cut the grass and attend to the flowerbeds.’

  ‘I don’t know why you’re bothering, Kate.’ Arabella rose reluctantly from her bed. ‘Ring for Jenny. I will wash and come downstairs if it means so much to you, but I don’t want you wasting your money on paying for gardeners or cleaning women. We’re going home.’

  Kate turned to face her mother. ‘Do you really want to risk that dreadful man breaking into our house again?’

  ‘No, but I don’t see why I have to put up with Lady Lyndon and that girl who plays dreadful tunes on her concertina, let alone be pestered by all those children.’

  ‘I’m sure that Lady Lyndon would rather be in her lovely home, too. But we’re all in danger if we return to London.’

  ‘And it’s come about because of her wretched son. I’m not a fool, Kate. I suspect that the man you call Harry Trader is really Sir Harry Lyndon. I’ve lived in London long enough to know the names of the wealthy local families. She should be ashamed of him, and you should be ashamed of telling me lies.’

  ‘What untruths have I ever told you, Mama?’

  ‘You told me that Augustus Spears was the owner of the premises where you opened the soup kitchen, but from what has happened it seems obvious that it was your Harry Trader, who is now detained in prison.’

  Kate stared at her mother in surprise. ‘How did you know?’

  ‘Your papa never discussed his actual clients, but I learned a great deal about the criminal world from him and from reading the newspaper. I suspect that you are more interested in Sir Harry Lyndon than you care to admit, and quite frankly, Kate, that has to end.’

  ‘I don’t know where you got that idea, Mama. I am not romantically involved with Harry and never will be.’

  ‘It seems to me that you recovered quickly from your infatuation with that Indian soldier. I suspect it will be the same with Harry Trader, or Lyndon … however he likes to style himself.’

  ‘I haven’t forgotten Ashok Patel. I’ll never forget him, but we are worlds apart. He might have been killed in the conflict, for all I know, and the thought of that breaks my heart. But you can rest assured that I am not about to throw myself at another man, saint or sinner, so let’s not talk about it any further.’

  ‘Oh, well, if that’s your attitude,’ Arabella said huffily. ‘Send the girl to help me dress. I will come downstairs, but I am still determined to go home.’

  Kate could see that she was getting nowhere and she managed a smile. ‘We’ll see, but there is someone in the village who is very keen to meet you.’

  ‘Who would that be?’ Arabella asked suspiciously.

  ‘Mrs E
laine Courtney, the vicar’s wife, expressed a desire to meet you. I told her of your excellent work with the ladies’ committee in London, and she invited us to visit her at the vicarage tomorrow afternoon.’

  Arabella shook her head. ‘I don’t know about that. I have no interest in this house or the village. I want to go home.’

  ‘And you shall,’ Kate said patiently, as if dealing with a fractious five-year-old. ‘As soon as the time is right we will return to Finsbury Square, but in the meantime why not give the ladies of this village the benefit of your considerable experience?’

  ‘Well, if you put it like that, I suppose it won’t hurt to meet this person.’

  ‘That’s settled then. When you’re ready perhaps you’d like to take a walk around the grounds with me. I want to take a look and see what needs doing.’

  Arabella eyed her warily. ‘It sounds as if you’re getting too fond of this old mausoleum, Kate. Remember that we’re only visiting.’

  ‘Yes, of course.’ Kate moved towards the door. ‘I’ll send Jenny to you.’

  Despite all Kate’s efforts at persuading her mother to explore the gardens surrounding Warren House, Arabella refused to go outside, using a variety of excuses, and she declined to join Lady Lyndon and Annie in the drawing room, even though the older children were still playing outside. The sight of Charlie being entertained by Annie, and Lady Lyndon cuddling a sleeping baby John, was enough to send Arabella straight to the morning room, where she settled down to read a copy of The Englishwoman’s Domestic Magazine that she had brought with her from home. Kate gave up her efforts to make her mother socialise and she went out to explore the grounds on her own.

  It was a balmy afternoon in late August when the fierce heat of the summer sun had mellowed to gentle warmth, and the leaves on some of the deciduous trees had already started to change colour. The hum of bees buzzing in great swathes of scented lavender and the twitter of sparrows as the tiny birds went about their daily business was interrupted by occasional shrieks and bursts of laughter from the children. They were obviously enjoying their first experiences of freedom, and Kate listened to them, smiling happily. Bringing them to the country had been the right decision, and Ivy had also settled in with surprising ease. Even at this moment she was busy helping Martha in the kitchen, and it pleased Kate to see how well they were getting on. She had been afraid that they might clash in the workplace, but Ivy seemed happy to take instruction from Martha, and Martha herself appeared to enjoy having a second in command. For the moment all was peace and harmony. Kate could only hope that this was a sign of things to come. Quite how long they would have to remain in Walthamstow was another matter, but for the moment she was content to stay away from the dangers of London.

  She continued to walk at a leisurely pace. The gardens, although neglected, had obviously been spectacular at one time. She discovered a walled vegetable garden, which was completely overgrown with weeds and brambles. A greenhouse had been constructed along one side, but that too was sadly neglected. Most of the glass panes were broken, and those that remained were covered in grime, but Kate could imagine it as it must have been years ago, filled with trays of seedlings and ripening tomatoes, cucumbers and even melons. As she let herself out of the walled garden she almost bumped into an old man, who was hefting a wheelbarrow towards a huge compost heap.

  ‘Good afternoon,’ Kate said politely. ‘You must be Mr Morrison.’

  He squinted at her through the thick lenses of steel-rimmed spectacles. ‘I don’t know you, miss.’

  ‘I’m Kate Martin and I’m Lady Lyndon’s guest. I’ve been admiring the gardens.’

  He pushed his cloth cap to the back of his head. ‘They was splendid once, miss. But in them days we had at least six men working day in and day out. We produced all the fruit and vegetables for the family, as well as flowers for the house and herbs for the kitchen.’

  ‘That must have been wonderful.’

  ‘Aye, it were, miss. I started here as a lad of eight, working for me dad who was head gardener. Now it’s just me to try and keep the weeds at bay, but it’s a losing battle.’

  ‘What would you say if I offered to hire some help for you?’

  Morrison blinked several times as if struggling to understand. ‘Why would you do that, miss? I mean, you’re a lady and you’re a guest.’

  ‘I am just a visitor, but I can see how much you love this place, and I can feel it all around me. People have enjoyed this garden for a very long time, and it’s a shame to let it go back to the wild.’

  ‘A strong boy would be a boon, miss. Maybe a few men at the start to scythe the grass and cut down the brambles.’

  ‘If you can find the people you think would do the job well, I’ll be happy to pay them the going rate.’

  Morrison seized her hand in his. ‘Thank you, miss. There’s always men looking for work and I’ve known them all since they was nippers.’

  ‘That’s excellent. I leave the choice to you, Morrison.’ Kate squeezed his gnarled fingers and walked on. In her mind’s eye she could see the gardens as they must have been years ago, and she sighed happily. At least there was something she could do to repay Lady Lyndon’s hospitality. If she could just help her mother to join in with everyone else, life would be so much easier. Kate sighed; she knew she had an uphill task ahead of her.

  She continued her walk but the sound of a horse’s hoofs on the gravelled carriage sweep made her change direction and she hurried to the front of the house. Perhaps Harry had sent a messenger with good news? Her heart seemed to miss a beat. Maybe it was Monks who had discovered their whereabouts? She broke into a run.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Kate came to a sudden halt. ‘Perry! What are you doing here?’

  He dismounted, looping the reins over the horse’s head. ‘I came to see how you and Ivy were settling in, and to make sure you wanted for nothing. I feel I haven’t done enough for either of you, especially my cousin’s children.’

  ‘You needn’t worry about them. Ivy seems happy enough and she gets on well with Mrs Boggis, the housekeeper. The children are having a wonderful time and they have roses in their cheeks, even after such a short time.’

  ‘I’m delighted to hear it. Is there anywhere I can leave Tarquin?’

  ‘Yes, the stables are at the far end of the house. I’ll show you.’ Kate fell into step beside him. ‘Goodfellow is still here, but Lady Lyndon sent Warrender back to Finsbury Circus. Goodfellow will look after your horse.’ She shot him a curious glance. ‘How did you find us? No one was supposed to know where we’d gone.’

  ‘Harry told me where to find you. Only a few people know about this country estate.’

  ‘You knew his true identity all along?’

  ‘I wouldn’t take on a client without going into their background, Kate.’

  They came to a halt outside the stables, and Goodfellow emerged from the coach house.

  ‘Look after my horse, if you please, Goodfellow,’ Perry said, handing him the reins. ‘I’ll stay long enough to give him a rest before returning to London.’

  ‘Aye, sir. Your horse will be all right with me.’ Goodfellow led Tarquin into the stable.

  Kate started off in the direction of the house. ‘You’re welcome to stay for the night, Perry. I’m sure we have room for one more, and you might be able to bridge the gap between Mama and Lady Lyndon.’

  He eyed her curiously. ‘They don’t get on well?’

  ‘You could say that, although I’m afraid it’s my mother who’s at fault. She simply refuses to have anything to do with Lady Lyndon or Annie, and having Ivy’s children in the house isn’t helping.’

  He chuckled. ‘I’m not sure I can do anything, but I’m willing to try.’

  ‘Have you met Harry’s mother?’

  ‘No, I haven’t.’

  ‘She’s a delightful lady.’ Kate came to a halt on the terrace at the back of the house. She perched on the balustrade where the twins had abandoned their attempt
s at making daisy chains. ‘Before we go indoors and I make the necessary introductions, please tell me why you came here today. What did Harry say to you?’

  Perry stood with his hands clasped behind his back as he gazed into the distance. ‘This is a splendid old house. I’d take bets on the fact that you’re planning improvements both inside and outside.’

  ‘Don’t change the subject, Perry. The house doesn’t belong to me, although I do hate to see the garden in such a state, but we’ll only be here for a short time. Please answer my question – what did Harry say?’

  ‘He wants you to remain here for an indefinite period. I can’t say more than that because I’m not party to his dealings with the Metropolitan Police.’

  ‘So you don’t know whether they are closer to catching Monks?’

  ‘I believe they are closing in on him and his gang, but they need to have concrete evidence in order to bring a case against him. Simple affray wouldn’t be enough to convict him and his gang. Monks might be called mad, but he’s far from that. In fact, he’s very clever and extremely cunning, and he knows that Harry’s weak point is his mother, and now it’s you and your family, too.’

  ‘We are not connected in any way. You know very well that I only used the ground floor of his building to run the soup kitchen.’

  ‘Whether you like it or not, that made you an accomplice. Your charity worked was a perfect cover for him and his men. He might not be a villain like Monks, but Harry Trader was running illegal gaming establishments for at least seven years, and he made a fortune. Monks wants to take over his business and he’s prepared to fight for it.’

  ‘So you’ve just come all the way from London to tell me that we must stay on here. Is that so?’

  ‘Not entirely. That was Harry’s message, but I wanted to see you and make sure that you weren’t living in dire circumstances.’

  ‘We’re quite comfortable and Mrs Boggis keeps the house neat and clean, as if the family were still in residence.’

  ‘You said that your mother is unhappy here. There is a way that you could both return to London and still be safe.’