Untitled

by Wendy Bayne

  Mother waved her hand. “Oh posh, Miles, I wouldn’t think of depriving our staff of attending this event. I’m sure Mrs Cripps and our staff will manage quiet well with the Dawsons.”

  Miles grimaced. “One can only hope that Mrs Dawson sees it the same way.” I giggled at the thought of Mrs Cripps and Mrs Dawson at loggerheads in his huge kitchen.

  Mother then spoke up, “But I will not move Colin until Matthew agrees.” She looked at Dr Jefferson who was deep in thought.

  When he looked up, “I think we will need to invite some additional guests that Burley would be familiar with if we’re to make this convincing. The new Lord Burley is not stupid, he will be prepared for some sort of ruse. We cannot just play act at this. Therefore, Sir Thomas, I think you and Isabel should be there and Miles, your father at least needs to be there.” Sir Thomas nodded.

  Emilie touched Samuel’s sleeve. He looked up from the glass of lemonade that he had been staring into, “Yes, I agree, Matthew. In fact, I think we should invite the de Bearnes. I had a letter yesterday to say that they will be back in London before the end of the week and you know Gabriel will want to be part of this fight.”

  Mother perked up. “Will Charity and the children be coming?”

  My uncle smiled at my mother. “Yes, Irene, apparently, they will be living in London. It’s something to do with setting up his wine business here with the Marquis’ son Anton. It would seem that Miles’ uncle and the de Bearnes will be partners in an endeavour to bring the best continental wines to England. Gabriel has better English than Anton and he understands English business practices. Anton has recently married, and his wife is not so keen to live in London, so the de Bearnes will be the London mangers and Anton will be the go between in Paris.”

  Aunt Mary and Uncle Arthur had been sitting quietly listening, then Aunt Mary cleared her throat, “I think we need to be precise about this gathering. It would appear that you have hijacked my niece’s wedding for your convenience, Sir Thomas.”

  Sir Thomas looked perplexed. “Do you have another suggestion, Mrs Spencer?”

  Aunt Mary looked at me. “It’s your wedding, child, Lord knows this family tends to be eccentric when it comes to where and how they celebrate their nuptials. But what do you say?”

  I looked at Miles and squeezed his hand. “Dorset is fine, Aunt Mary. I’d like it to be just family and close friends anyway. I’m sorry Sir Thomas but I think your men would be better utilized elsewhere.”

  Major Hopewood eagerly jumped into the conversation. “I agree with Miss Turner, Sir Thomas. But I can easily take my men on a training expedition to the Poole area, keeping my distance and move in when we’re needed. If all goes well, the Turners and Hughes could be home in time for Christmas, that is if they are willing to relocate to Dorset by mid-week next.”

  Murphy was taping his fingers on the table and it was becoming louder and more annoying. Uncle Arthur finally stayed his hand. “Obviously, you have something that you’d like to say, Mr Murphy?”

  Murphy moved as if to push his chair back. “I think all of you know what this family means to the staff of this house and where you go we go. But Jacob and I walked right into a rat’s nest when we tried to follow the new Lord Burley. He is a canny man and has some of the worst dregs of humanity working for him. I agree that it would be best if the family left London, it will pull those men out of their comfort zone. But make no mistake, Burley’s operation is spread wide. No one is going to be safe no matter where we go but I agree with Sir Thomas, Mr Johnson’s place offers us the best opportunity to lay this business to rest.” Then he looked pointedly at me then down at the table and resumed his taping.

  His taping, oh my god, then my back went ramrod straight, I suddenly lost my appetite, but I forced myself to continue eating and answered Murphy back taping out one word, ‘understand’. Miles watched my hand as I tapped when I looked at him, his brow was furrowed. I grasped his hand and wrote ‘later’ and he squeezed my hand in response. Conversation died down to the logistics of how to move Father, along with packing up an entire household. Miles became heavily involved in all of this since he was the only one who knew what repairs had been made to his home and how many people it could accommodate, let alone the supplies we would need to carry with us. Mr Allan was asked to sit in on these conversations and to pass on the information to the staff, especially Mrs Cripps.

  I attempted to engage Major Hopewood in conversation, but he was intent on listening to Miles who thankfully seemed to have realised that discretion was required. He was delightfully ambiguous about the size of the house, its position and the status of the out buildings etcetera. It came to the point that I thought my Uncle Samuel was going to punch him if his responses continued to be so vague. “Good God, Miles, I know you’ve been out of the country but does that man Dawson not keep you informed about the builder’s progress?!”

  Miles chuckled. “It’s not Dawson that has been overseeing the building, he has enough to do with working the fields and tending the orchards and gardens. Mrs Dawson and her grandmother have been managing the renovations and overseeing the builders.”

  Hopewood’s jaw dropped. “My Lord…gypsies are overseeing your estate? You’ll be lucky if they haven’t robbed you blind!” I found it interesting how it registered with everyone in the room that the major had jumped to that conclusion that Mrs Dawson and her grandmother were gypsies since no one had told him. Uncle Samuel made a quick move as if to grab the Major, but Sir Thomas gave him some signal and instead my uncle dropped his napkin to the floor and bent to pick it up.

  It wasn’t until the next day that I could speak to Miles and he asked if I’d like to take a carriage ride, everyone else had gone off to run errands. Major Hopewood was apparently off to meet with his regiment and had left Billy in my charge. “Miles, I can’t, I have Billy with me.”

  Miles whispered in my ear, “Bring him along, I need to talk to him privately anyway.”

  Billy had been sullen all day and I had thought it was because the Major was absent, but he brightened considerably when I asked if he’d like to come with Miles and me.

  Once outside and ensconced in the carriage with Billy between us, Miles wrapped his arm around him and gave him a hug. “You’ve done a wonderful job, Billy, and I promise you will not have to pretend to be Major Hopewood’s son once we go to Dorset.”

  My mouth fell open and both he and Billy laughed. Billy smiled up at me. “We really put one over on everyone, didn’t we, miss! Only Mr Johnson and Mr Turner here knew that Hopewood weren’t my father.”

  I was astonished and a touch angry. “But, Billy, you identified him as your papa.”

  Billy cast his eyes down. “Well, I did think it was him when I first glanced him, but I saw him from a distance and he was in ordinary clothes. But when I met him I knew right off that it weren’t him. But Mr Turner asked me to pretend he was…he wanted to know why the Major would go along with pretending I were his son, so he set me to follow the Major and I saw him talking with the new Lord Burley in a coffee house like they were good friends. Mr Turner was suspicious when the Major had made a point of telling him that he didn’t know the Burley family at all, which seemed odd to him seeing as how the Major’s home is in the same county as the Burleys’.”

  I felt sad for Billy. “So the Major isn’t your father? Oh, Billy, I’m so sorry.”

  “No, miss, he ain’t, but don’t feel sorry for me. I never expected to be as well off as I am after me ma died. Your da has promised he’ll send me to school and then to university, so that one day I can be a doctor or lawyer if I want to so it were worth the few cuffins the Major gave me when I told him I didn’t know nothing about what happens in the house.”

  Again, I was shocked. “Oh no, Billy! Did he hurt you badly? Did you really lie to him?”

  Billy laughed. “He just rung me bell a bit, but I’ve had worse back at the house where my mum and I stayed. And I lied through my teeth, miss, never told him the truth abo
ut anything but I stuck as close to the truth as I could without being specific, Mr Johnson taught me that. He said it was easier to remember me lies that way.”

  I raised a brow and looked at Miles over Billy’s head. “He did, did he?” Billy and Miles both chuckled and he gave Billy a squeeze.

  I shuddered at what Billy must have gone through, so I changed the subject, “And what about your real father, Billy?”

  He shrugged and looked at Miles who also shrugged. “Sir Thomas has a man looking for anyone in the army answering the description that Billy gave him. But only when he can spare the time, so it could take a while.”

  Billy became serious saying. “I suspect he’s dead, miss, maybe in the war but then I’d be older, wouldn’t I. So maybe he died in one of the Luddite riots over here.” He was philosophical about it, but I felt his pain that he had not gained the father he so desperately wanted.

  I took his hand. “Perhaps, Billy, but I have faith that Sir Thomas will find out at least who he was.”

  He smiled at me. “I have my memories of my ma and the stories she told me of the grand family she came from which always seemed like a fairy tale to me.”

  A thought came to mind that perhaps we could find out his origins and who his father was through his mother’s family. “Phipps wasn’t your mother’s real name, was it, Billy?”

  “No, ma’am, but she said we couldn’t use our real name or bad people would come looking for us.”

  “If we promise not to tell anyone would you tell Mr Johnson and I?”

  He stared out the window giving my request consideration before saying, “Her name was Mena Phillips and we are descended from the first King of Wales, Rhodri Mawr.” He smiled at us both then settled back to enjoy the ride around the park. I looked at Miles and knew he was thinking the same thing I was. I suppose Billy could have been telling us a tale, but there had been a famous scandal or rather mystery about a Phillips family that was still talked about today. I remember hearing it gossiped about for months among the servants at the Abbey that the beautiful daughter of a wealthy member of the Welsh landed gentry had disappeared when she was out riding. Her horse had been found and her groom had been knocked unconscious. There had been signs of a struggle and though an exhaustive search went on for over a year she was never found. Her name was Philomena Phillips. This just added another layer of mystery to the Turner household.

  When we exited the park, we found ourselves in front of my Aunt Mary’s grand town home which apparently was the gathering place to discuss what we had inadvertently discovered the previous day and so Billy could tell everyone what he knew.

  Chapter 44

  Secrets, Bequest and Travel

  When we entered the drawing room, everyone was there except for my mother who had stayed behind with father. His fever had broken last night but he was extremely weak, and Mother wouldn’t entrust anyone else with his care at this point.

  Sir Thomas was kind enough to ask after my father, though I’m sure he had already heard from the men he had stationed at our home. The preliminary investigations into his stabbing, the ransacking of my parents’ room and the previous Lord Burley’s death in the fire at his town home were still in progress. Sir Thomas’s men were now out looking for the possible perpetrators with the aid of Bow Street and the Major Hopewood’s regiment.

  There was a commotion at the door as Miles’ father and his brother entered. Both were grinning from ear to ear. Edward looked less put together than I had seen him in the past, assuming the casual dress of one of the romantic artists that were making their mark by placing an emphasis on emotion and individualism in their work. The look suited him. Lord Shellard on the other looked his normal well-groomed self except he was waving a paper like a school boy as he walked up to Miles, exclaiming, “We have it!” and he pulled Miles into a hug who was totally perplexed especially when he looked at his brother who appeared absolutely delighted! While everyone in the room except for Aunt Mary and Uncle Arthur looked bewildered.

  The Earl handed Miles the paper then stood before him waiting for his reaction as he read it through. Miles suddenly dropped onto the settee beside me looking up at his father, he sounded totally incredulous, “His Majesty approved this? No discussion, no debate, he just signed it! Is he aware of what he has done?” He glanced up at Edward. “And Edward…why are you smiling?!”

  The Earl looked down at Miles, his face solemn and serious with Edward standing beside him with an equally solemn facial expression. It was Edward that spoke to him. “Aye, brother, he signed it in front of me to my great relief or I might not have believed it myself. I imagine my mama will be rolling over in her grave since all her scheming was for naught.” He turned to Aunt Mary and bowed. “And, thank you, ma’am, for your gracious assistance in procuring my audience.” Aunt Mary smiled and bowed her head to him.

  Miles looked askance. “An Audience?”

  His Lordship nodded, “Yes, indeed.” Then he glared at Edward. “It would seem there has been some scheming going on behind our backs. Your brother gained an audience with the Duke of Clarence by representing himself as an artist seeking a royal commission on Mrs Spencer’s recommendation, she had sent the Duke one of Edward’s paintings by way of whetting his interest. But Edward insisted that I accompany him, where upon your brother very eloquently laid before his Highness our quest to establish your legitimacy as my heir.” He looked at Edward and clapped him on the shoulder. “His Highness was impressed and amused by the uniqueness of the request coming from the one that would be dispossessed. Then just yesterday we were called to the palace where we witnessed the King sign the document of legitimacy. You, Miles, are now my heir.”

  Miles sat with his mouth open. “But Edward, you were raised with the expectation of inheriting!”

  Edward let out a breath in a huff. “Brother, that expectation clung to me like a curse! Thankfully I found out before too late that I’m more like my father than my mama, after all. As much as I loved her she was too imbued with her father’s traits of scheming and manipulation, which I could never abide. Even though I miss her, I know that had she lived she would never have sanctioned my desire to be recognized as an artist. But Father has endowed me with a handsome annuity, a town house in Edinburgh and a cottage near Aunt Millicent in the Highlands. I have never been happier, brother!”

  It was then that the Earl looked about the room. “We had the devil of time tracking you down, son.” Then he turned back to face the room. “You must excuse our intrusion, from the looks on your faces when we entered you were engaged in a counsel of war.”

  He then noticed Billy behind our settee playing with one of my aunt’s spaniels and raised an eyebrow. Billy caught his eye and gave him an impish smile. “Right you are, your Lordship…it’s a dark tale too.” Then he giggled.

  Miles reached behind him swatting Billy lightly on the head. “Silence, you imp.”

  Sir Thomas had been sitting quietly watching this tableau then he rose and came to Miles reaching out his hand to shake it. “Congratulations, Lord Tinley, and to you as well, Mr Johnson, since you both seem amenable to this change in fortune.”

  Edward smiled and shook his hand with enthusiasm. “Thank you, Sir Thomas! I relish the change in my status. Then Edward arched a brow at Miles and pointedly looked at Sir Thomas’s outstretched hand.”

  Miles was still stunned, finally reached out taking his hand. “Yes, thank you, Sir Thomas. I can honestly say that I can hardly believe it and I’m at a loss for words.”

  Aunt Mary in the meantime had rung for her butler and when Mr Douglas responded, she whispered to him and he retreated. Suddenly everyone was congratulating the brothers. Edward came to my side.

  “Miss Turner, I owe you many apologies, I have been the worst kind of man and an insulting bastard if you will excuse my language.”

  I touched his arm as he looked at me beseechingly. “No need, Mr Johnson, I think I understand the pressure you felt not being sure of your place in th
is world.”

  “I think most of my irascibility and boorish behaviour was from the fact I felt like an imposter in my own life. And yet Miles never hated me, he accepted me for who was, and I know he will accept me for who I am now. I have never been happier in my life especially now that my brother will be part of that life.” He paused with glistening eyes. “When we were boys, I thought he was remarkable and despite all that has happened to him he is still a remarkable person.” He took my hand and kissed it.

  I smiled at him. “Yes, he is, Mr Johnson.”

  Miles turned to me, taking my hand. “Really, you two are going to ruin my reputation. I thought I had always been irritating and incorrigible.” The three of us were laughing as Mr Douglas returned with champagne and a tray of savouries with which to toast the brothers. The Earl was beyond happy for both his sons, it was obvious in his expression and his manner.

  Eventually we returned to the topic of what had transpired since the party. We discussed what Billy had done for my father after discovering that Major Hopewood was not his father. How Hopewood knew that Mrs Dawson and her grandmother were gypsies and other inconsistencies regarding his behaviour since staying with us.

  Edward was paying close attention and remarked on Major Hopewood. “You mean Lionel Hopewood of the Coldstream Guards?”

  Sir Thomas leaned forward, “Why, yes, do you know him?”

  Edward was silent for a bit. “I was introduced to him once, just let me think of where and when.” He rubbed his hand up and down the side of his face. “Good God, I wonder but…”

  Sir Thomas was getting impatient. “Yes… What is it that you think you know?”

  Edward looked up with a look of disbelief. “Stanhope, Stanhope is the common thread.”

  We all sat back racking our brains for the name Stanhope.

  Miles grimaced. “Richard Stanhope?”

  Edward shook his head no. “No, Franklin Stanhope, his son.”

  Miles shook his head. “Who?”