by Wendy Bayne
Millicent went to my aunt and hugged her. “Maria was a kind-hearted soul…I only wish that she could have lived to see her son so happy and everything set to rights.”
I smiled at their kind words and promised myself that I would convey them to Miles. Mrs Mac left with the box and Meg, Beth and Angel trailing in her wake. They were all talking at once and seemed bent on learning anything that Mrs Mac was willing to teach them. My mother sat down abruptly on my bed, arching her back. “If we lose my maid to Mrs Mac, I will hold your fiancé personally responsible.” She made a half-hearted attempt to giggle as she looked up at me, she looked so tired, appeared to have lost weight in the last few days and her colour was sallow. “I think I shall go rest for a bit.” I looked at Emilie who looked equally uncomfortable, arching her back but in contrast she was the picture of health.
Emilie sighed and nodded. “I wonder if Samuel is about, I’d would love to have…” She looked about her and blushed “…well, never mind, but you know, Irene.” She walked to the door and opened it and my mother joined her, taking her arm. They walked out together as Mother was saying, “That’s an excellent idea, Emilie, let’s see if we can find him.”
I looked at my Aunt Mary and Millicent. “What was that all about?”
Aunt Mary laughed. “Swollen feet.”
I tipped my head sideways and stared at her, “And what of them?”
She was staring at the open door and smiling then snapped back to look at me. “Oh, Samuel apparently gives the most amazing foot massages; it has to do with him having such very large hands. It helps tremendously with swollen feet.”
Millicent looked up at her. “Really? Oh my, I do wish I had known that; Angus has absolutely huge hands.” and with that they both sailed from the room discussing the vagaries of their pregnancies and laughing.
I couldn’t decide if I wanted to follow them, sketch, read or visit with my father. I chose my father and walked down the hall to his room. He was sitting up in bed with an abundance of fluffy pillows threatening to swallow him, “Oh thank God, Lissa, please, will you get rid of some of these confounded pillows. Two shall be sufficient for my needs.” I assisted him to sit forward and removed no less than four huge soft feather pillows. I kissed him on the cheek then sat in the chair by his bed. He was healing remarkably well and attributed it to Mrs Dawson and Mrs Cripps’ combined talents in the kitchen and the fresh air that Dr Jefferson insisted on. Even on the coldest days he was to have the window open no less than thirty minutes in the morning and afternoon. Dr Jefferson had not arrived yet, but he would be coming down with his fiancée, Isabel, and her father, Sir Thomas.
He looked at me with his hands cupped on a book in his lap, “Well, my dear, I understand that the unveiling of the gown has taken place, so what do you think of it?”
I found it hard to describe in words of how beautiful and happy I was with my wedding dress. He smiled and nodded as I tried fumbling with my words then I realised he was only humouring me, “You already knew about it, didn’t you?”
He smiled and nodded. “Before he went to France we talked, and he showed me his designs, he didn’t come out and ask me for your hand then, but we understood each other. I must admit I was surprised at his talent and perplexed that a man would know so much about women’s apparel. He’s a romantic like you, my dumpling, but far he’s more pragmatic and sensible.” I threatened to throw a pillow at him as he held his hands up in mock horror which caused him to gasp and grimace at the movement. I jumped up and rearranged the pillows behind him then offered him his medicine which he declined. “Stop fussing, Lissa, I was merely caught off guard when I moved my arms so quickly. I’m fine. Now, sit down.”
I took my seat again and quickly examined him for signs of distress. He appeared to be his old self except for being a little pale. He smiled at me lovingly then whispered, “I want you to help me get out of bed. I intend to walk you down the aisle as long as it’s a short one.”
I heard the door open behind me. “Father, is that such a bright idea?” I was worried about his condition, we had come very close to losing him and I didn’t want to journey down that path again.
My father looked over my shoulder and I heard Dr Jefferson’s voice, “I think that would be a splendid idea.”
Father snorted. “You are not at all like your peers, Matthew. No wonder you have so few friends among them.”
I stood to greet the doctor, smiling as he bowed, “Well, they’re fools for shunning my company merely because they’re incompetent. But I still correspond with many of my learned colleagues in Rome and Paris. Believe it or not, Colin, a few of the younger physicians and surgeons in London have approached me to study my methods. I’m looking around for a promising surgeon that I can convince to become a physician. I’d like to have a partner in my practise that is willing to work as both.”
“Really, Matthew, has your client list expanded to the extent that you need more help?”
He didn’t answer right away but instead he came to my father’s bedside and bent over to listen to his chest, once he was satisfied he said, “My partner has established his own practise in Brighton, so I am alone once again. But Isabel has been finding me new patients from all over London.” He chuckled. “I had to tell her to stop, I need to find suitable rooms for an office now that I’m to marry. I can’t continue to work from my lodgings. But there is a vacant property near to what will be our home that has potential.”
Father chewed on his lower lip. “Does this mean that you will cease to work for Sir Thomas?”
“Good God, NO! And before you ask, Isabel is aware of my stance and is completely amenable. Now enough about me. Would you care to assist me, Miss Turner, in helping your father out of bed and perhaps to a chair? We have a bit of time before the wedding to help build up your stamina, Colin.”
I walked to the bedside and positioned myself as Dr Jefferson requested. Father looked at me, “Not a word to your mother.” Then he amended it, “Neither of you not a word! I want this to be a surprise not a disappointment if I can’t do it.”
Chapter 46
The Guests
Sir Thomas arrived later that afternoon but without his daughter, Isabel, he immediately went to my father’s room followed by every man from in and outside of the house including the gypsies, field hands and stable workers, even the vicar had been invited and came puffing up the stairs. I stepped outside my room and watched the procession as the field hands gawked and remarked on the grandness of the house shyly nodding as they passed by. The last person to arrive was Magda, I walked along with her but as she passed through the door I was met with Miles’ smiling face, he leaned forward to kiss me on the forehead, “Sorry, my love, not this time.” Then he closed and locked the door in my face. I proceeded to the dressing room door but found it to be bolted shut. I huffed and walked back to my father’s door and attempted to eavesdrop but doors here were solid oak and I could only hear mumbling.
Lettie came walking by with James holding onto her hand she looked at me then down at James. “Well, my man, it looks like Papa is busy right now. Would you like to go out to the barns then and see the animals?”
James was standing there looking at me with my ear plastered to the door then let go of her hand and twisted up his face in puzzlement and dropped to his knees to lay down by the door. And he quietly called out, “Papa?” his face brightened then he yelled “PAPA!” The door was opened by my Uncle Samuel who scooped James up and then summarily shut it in my face yet again.
I looked at Lettie and she burst out laughing, “Looks like you can never be too young to learn the family business.” She walked off leaving me perplexed and irritated. I went back to my room and pulled a chair over to sit in the doorway but after having sat like that for a bit and having had two maids walk past giving me strange looks I pulled the chair just inside my room and pushing the door almost closed, so I could listen for my father’s visitors leaving.
However, I didn’t hear the a
pproach of my mother who knocked on my door and spooked me to the extent that I fell unceremoniously backwards onto the floor with my apron flying over my shoulder and my skirts hoisted up to my knees. That’s how she found me when she opened the door after hearing me fall. “Good heavens, Lissa, what on earth are you doing?”
I pulled down my apron and dress then blew some hair out of my face while scrambling to my feet. “There is a meeting in Father’s room and all the women have been excluded.” I pointed out my door, totally exasperated. “Even James is in there!”
Mother covered her mouth like she was trying not to laugh, “I thought Magda was in there as well.”
I waved my hand in the air. “That’s only because she rules her people like a despot!”
Mother took my hand and pulled me over to the window seat to sit down. “Lissa, you can’t be involved in everything. If there is a role for us to play in whatever is coming our way, then your father or Miles will tell us.”
“How do you know something is coming?” She turned my head, so I had to look out over the garden and into the fields beyond where troops could be seen marching off into the woods.
I was astonished. “Are we expecting an invasion?”
She smirked shrugging her shoulders. “I don’t know, dear, but I don’t think they’re here just for the wedding. When Sir Thomas arrived, he called for all the men of the household to meet in your father’s room.” She pointed out the window. “And then they arrived, a very nice Captain Bruce came in an introduced himself to me and your aunts. It seems he’s here at the behest of Sir Thomas but that was all he was at liberty to say and by the way he’s Mile’s cousin.”
Unbelievable, my wedding was about to become a war zone. “Maybe we should just cancel the wedding.”
Mother caressed my cheek. “No, my love, one way or another this wedding his going to happen! That was one thing that Miles made very clear to Sir Thomas when he arrived.”
I sighed as I watched the line of men disappear into the trees. We sat there in silence for a while then Mother proceeded to discuss the menu for the wedding breakfast and supper devised by our two cooks. My only suggestion was that perhaps we needed to increase the quantities to include the other eighty or a hundred extra guests camping in the woods. She agreed so we made our way down to the kitchens to find that Mrs Dawson and Mrs Cripps were already sending to Poole for more fish, capons and several sides of beef. There were also plans to have Silas our hog wrangler butcher a few more pigs. I looked about the kitchen and thought that while the old hearth was huge, it would never accommodate it all. “How will it all be ready in time?”
Mrs Dawson smiled as she chopped vegetables without even looking up, “Now don’t you worry, miss, my mother’s people already have the hogs roasting in pits, the fowl we’ll do here, and a nice army cook named Sergeant Bigelow has volunteered to look after the fish and beef. He’s even brought some fresh spices down from London right off the boat. He seems to know what he’s doing, so don’t you worry. All he’s asked for in return is some root vegetables and apples. He’s even going to help with the cakes.” My eyes got wide and I opened my mouth, but she interrupted me, “Now don’t you be thinking I meant your cake, it’s all done and is soaking in some good French brandy.”
I sighed and smiled at her. “You both are a wonder. But the cost?”
Mother coughed. I look at her and she was very pale, “Really, Lissa, the cost is negligible to what a wedding at St James would have cost. Besides your father and I want everything to be perfect for you…as perfect as it can be, anyway.” Mother leaned heavily against the table then sagged into a seat. Mrs Dawson looked at her motioning for Mrs Cripps to come over, both ladies looked worried.
While Mrs Cripps fixed us a cup of tea, Mrs Dawson continued, “And don’t you worry about Grandmama’s people. She may not be thrilled to have the soldiers so close, but I’m sure the people will make a great deal of money from them.”
With that Magda came storming into the kitchen brandishing one of her knives and rammed it into the old butcher’s block. Jibben and Miles followed her in then she turned on them and practically spit “Englishmen, SOLDIERS! On my LAND! NO! They must go!”
Miles was smirking but Jibben was enraged. “It’s not your land, Grandmama! It belongs to Miles! The woodland was never part of our bargain and you know it!”
“I will not have those gadjos around my camp enticing our women!” Then she made as if she was going to spit at his feet but at the last minute changed her mind.
Jibben rolled his eyes then put his hand on his hips. “STOP! Right now! Enough, old woman! We are going to help Miles and the Turners and for once we’re going to do something that will make people say our people are honourable and that we fought on the side of good without a thought to the profit.”
Both Miles and Magda’s eyes widened as they looked at him in shock. Magda shook her finger at him. “That’s your father speaking!” She paused biting the inside of her cheek. “But you may be right.” Now it was Jibben’s turn to look shocked until she continued, “We can make it up by offering some entertainments to the gadjos.” She took her knife out of the block in one swift movement then walked out the door to the yard.
Jibben hurried after her yelling, “Grandmama!”
Miles was laughing. “I bet he’s glad that this will be his last season with Magda.”
I looked at the door then back to him, “Really! And why is that?”
He smiled at me as he came and put his arm around my waist. “Jibben is to be married this spring to a very respectable young lady in his father’s home district. She apparently comes from a fine family with some property that just happens to adjoin his father’s and she is an only child, so she stands to inherit it all.”
I stepped back and looked up at him with my mouth agape. “Is the family aware of the details of his family tree?”
He nodded. “Yes, but Miss Ashley’s background is not pristine when closely examined. Her mother was a Parisian courtesan, Jibben found out while he was in Paris. It was a strong point in his favour when he negotiated the marriage contract.”
“Oh my god, Miles, he didn’t blackmail the girl into agreeing to marry him, did he?”
He snorted and shook his head. “No, my love, the girl is perfectly willing. It’s a love match if that’s what concerns you. Magda merely made it known to her parents that she had proof of the mother’s background. He truly loves Miss Ashely, but he wanted no objections to their union based on family associations.”
I leaned my head against his chest and chuckled. “I’ll miss him.”
Miles chuckled. “Oh, we won’t be entirely rid of him, Matthew told me that Jibben has purchased a home in Mayfair not far from your parents’ home. He’s done very well as an independent information contactor and tinker.” I laughed then.
Miles started to chuckle. “Now that I’m a Lord I think I’ll sponsor him at my club, that is after I join one…just so I can have some decent conversation. I can’t wait to see how we’ll set the old guard on its ear and with Edward in tow we may have to form our own club.”
Then he took my hand and walked towards my mother. “We need to talk, Mrs Turner.” Mother looked at the kitchen staff. “Mr Dawson and Robert will be down to speak with them. Dalton, Allan and Murphy are already speaking to the other staff.” We followed him out to the drawing room, Mrs Cripps came along behind us in with a tea trolley and a few decanters then returned to the kitchen.
Mother waved away the tea, but I nodded and took a cup from Aunt Mary, Emilie declined one and the gentlemen all went for the decanters while Uncle Samuel was handed his pomegranate juice.
Once we had settled Sir Thomas joined us and opened the conversation. “We have reliable intelligence that Stanhope has been collecting information on several prominent and wealthy people for several years and has used that information to blackmail these people to fund his smuggling activities. His endeavours had grown significantly with the involvement
of the late Lord Burley. Though the new Lord Burley connection isn’t clear, he seems to be a young man who is only desperately trying to save his family’s fortune and reputation. But has been misguided as to who his enemies truly are, so he’s targeting your family, Mrs Turner.”
He sat back and took a sip of his drink before continuing, “With the assistance of Lord Tinley and Dr Grimes we discovered that Stanhope had been using a Coldstream officer to recruit an army of the disaffected and disenfranchised within the army or those that have had connections to the military, many of whom are deserters, while others that have been cashiered for one offense or another and some have worked as mercenaries abroad. I think it’s safe to assume that officer is Major Stanhope.” He paused then looked around the room.
Miles cleared his throat. “This time the Rambles won’t be attacked by a collection of local smugglers and fishermen. These men have had military training and they have leaders who have been in battle. Ladies, we would like to remove you from the vicinity…” I bristled, and he noticed, “however…we don’t have the luxury of providing you with a sufficient escort for a lengthily trip back to London or even to one of the neighbouring estates. Our greatest concern is that all of you would be taken hostage and we won’t risk that. So, ladies, instead we need to enlist your aid in readying this house to withstand an assault.”
Following his address there was total silence…no one said a word, no tears were shed, and everyone appeared to be wrapped up in their own thoughts. My mother was the first to move, she got up and walked to the decanters, selected Mile’s best scotch and poured out a measure into each of five glasses and passed them around to the ladies. Then she raised her glass while she placed her hand on her belly. “Ladies, to our success. And gentlemen, this wedding damn well better come off without the smell of gunpowder.” We all drank down our glasses and no one even blinked or coughed.
The men were stymied and in turn raised their glasses as Sir Thomas said, “To the ladies.” We then broke apart and all went in different directions. Mother went to father, Emilie and Samuel escaped into the garden, Aunt Mary, Uncle Arthur, Aunt Millicent and Sir Thomas sat down to play cards.