by Wendy Bayne
I couldn’t for the life of me think of why he felt the need to talk but it would be rude not to respond. “Really? You’re young, rich and not married, what possible impediments do you have to leading any kind of life you want.”
He looked directly at me. “I have responsibilities, Miss Turner, that I take very seriously. I am responsible for my younger brother and to make sure that my sisters remain happy in their marriages. Then there are my tenants and the staff on my country estates and in London. There are many people who rely on me for a living and look to me for answers and assistance. My father always said it was my duty! In fact, I’m sure my father’s family are waiting for me to fail, then they will swoop in and pick at my bones.” He sighed and look very unhappy.
I considered that then told him what I saw as his duty, “Is it really required that you have all the answers or is just that you need to help others find the answers. You’re not a feudal lord whose every word is law. There is no need to put that kind of pressure on yourself. My father and Lord Shellard, even Miles have said it’s about surrounding yourself with the right people. Those that are intelligent and trustworthy that demonstrate it through loyalty and hard work and are rewarded appropriately and those that aren’t will have to seek employment elsewhere.”
He laughed. “Miss Turner, may I hire you as my steward? No, that wouldn’t be proper but perhaps I could have you interview my staff and tell me who to keep and who to sack.”
I couldn’t help but smile at him. “I should think your sister Arabella would be a good person to assist you with that. Though I have never met her, I understand that she is an intelligent woman and a good judge of character.”
His face softened. “Arabella is the most like our mother. I think you’re right, Miss Turner, she would be an excellent choice to help me sort the wheat from the chaff. In fact, she’s been hinting at visiting to help me go through our father’s things and in her words ‘set things to right’. Thank you, Miss Turner, I shall take your advice…” he looked at his bonds and chuckled, “…eventually.”
Mother finally came downstairs and found us. Lord Burley appeared to be napping or resting his eyes, I couldn’t tell which when she came in. “Mama, you’re very pale, are you alright, should I fetch Maurice?”
She raised a brow at me and smiled. “Maurice? Is there something wrong with Matthew?”
I nodded. “Yes, he was injured in the crossfire, it’s not bad but his right arm is of little use right now, so Maurice is helping. Apparently, it’s a requirement of living in the Highlands that you understand more than just the basics of medicine.”
She nodded and pulled up a chair beside my father. “No, I’m fine, my dear, just tired. Shooting someone is emotionally exhausting.” Then she chuckled and turned to look at Lord Burley. “Has he been behaving himself?”
I nodded. “I think Lord Burley is less of a devil and more of a lost boy.”
With his head still tilted back and his eyes closed, “I heard that, Miss Turner.” He said nothing else and proceeded to snore as did my father at that moment.
Mother shook her headed and nodded towards the door. “I’d love a cup of tea, would you care to join me?” I agreed, and we went to the kitchen in search of a hot cup.
Michael and Jacob came back soon after we had finished our tea. They were muddy, wet and exhausted. Mrs Cripps buzzed around getting them out of their wet clothes, wrapping them in warm dry blankets then shoved bowls of hot soup and fresh bread into their hands. Michael began eating immediately while Jacob sat just staring at his, he looked up and nodded. “Mrs Turner, Miss Turner.”
I waited for him to tell us what had happened, but he said nothing else, so I prompted him. “Where are Lord Tinley and Robert?”
He shook his head as if to wake himself and looking at me with sad eyes. “His Lordship asked me to tell you that they’re fine and will be back later.”
This puzzled me since Jacob looked so sad. “What are they doing that they couldn’t come back with you?”
Michael stopped eating to look up at my mother then at Jacob, he swallowed hard, “They’re with Ramsey Clarke, he’s ah…dying.”
My mother gasped. “I only wounded him in the arm! How could he be dying?”
Jacob looked at Michael who shook his head no. But Michael ignored him and sighed before he continued, “He’s trapped in the bog, miss. Lord Tinley and Robert are watching him sink or rather Lord Tinley is. His Lordship sent Robert away with us, but Robert stayed behind to make sure that his Lordship could find his way back.”
My mother looked horrified. “He’s just going to let him drown in the bog?”
It was Jacob that answered this time. “Yes, ma’am, we discussed it and, well, beggin’ your pardon, it seemed fitting considering all the pain that he’s caused in this world and not just to this family.”
Mother’s eyes glistened. “But for Miles to stand there and watch, why?”
Jacob sighed. “Someone had to, ma’am, for the record, so we could be sure he was gone. ‘No loose ends’, his Lordship said. He felt that the de Bearnes deserved no less than an eyewitness account, ma’am.”
One of the maids poked her head into the kitchen. “Mrs Turner? Mr Turner and Sir Thomas are asking if you and Miss Turner would please join them in the library.”
“Thank you, Daisy, would you please tell them I will be right there. Is there anyone else with them?”
She nodded. “Lord Shellard, Lord and Lady Bruce, their sons, Mrs and Mr Hughes and your Aunt and Uncle Spencer, oh, and the gentleman what’s tied up.”
She nodded then patted my hand saying to Mrs Cripps. “Could you please see to it that some refreshments are brought into the library, Mrs Cripps?” She nodded and scurried about with Mrs Dawson to collect what would be needed. Then Mother turned to me as I sat in despair thinking of what Miles must be going through. “Lissa, you needn’t come along.” I made to rise but she put her hand on my arm as she stood. “No dear, you stay here and wait for Miles…he’ll need you.”
I sat and watched another cup of tea grow cold and waited. People came and went while I sat staring at the door to the yard. It was turning dark outside before I heard the horses arriving in the yard. Captain Bruce came in with some of his men, he was soaking wet and looked bereft. I opened my mouth to ask if he had caught Stanhope, but he refused to make eye contact. Jibben came in behind him, his beautiful clothes were a muddy mess and two equally bedraggled gypsies dragged in a wounded and barely conscious Major Hopewood. Jibben motioned towards the laundry room but Mrs Dawson shook her head. “Already occupied.” He moved towards the yard door again when Mrs Dawson sighed, shaking her head. “No need to go back out in the wet, Jibben, my second pantry is dry, and the door is solid with a sturdy lock. Then you men sit here in the kitchen and get warm but try not to drip all over my floor.” She handed Jibben a large key and nodded towards the door. He turned with his men and deposited the Major none too gently just inside the threshold, slamming the door and locking it.
I decided to speak up. “Mr Locke, don’t you think that the doctor should have a look at him.”
Jibben scowled at me. “I don’t, he can rot in there for all I care. I lost a good man chasing him down. It had better have been worth it or I’ll take care of him myself, he’ll die a long slow death at the end of my knife and I’ll enjoy every minute of it.” Everyone had stopped to listen to him in fear and sympathy.
Captain Bruce produced a silver flask from inside his coat and offered it to him. “Here, you need this more than I do.” He placed a companionable hand on Jibben’s shoulder as they sat down on the settees by the fire. “You have more guts than all of my men and I put together. Once we shot him in the leg then lost him on that moor I would have left him to hell, but be damned if you didn’t track him down. Why?”
Jibben took a long pull on the flask then wiped his sleeve across his mouth. “What do you mean why? Isn’t that what Sir Thomas wanted?”
Captain Bruce slappe
d him on the back. “Now I see why you left the army, they would have hated your dedication to duty.”
Jibben cracked a hint of a smile then took another swig. “You lost men tonight as well, Captain.”
Derek nodded. “But not as many as I might have without your men working with us. They sat on the settee by the fire passing the flask back and forth, not saying another word, just staring into the fire. They took the soup and bread Mrs Dawson handed them, eating it mechanically and ignoring the rest of us.”
I watched them and was hypnotized by the fire flashing off the flask being passed back and forth. Then the yard door opened, Miles and Robert entered, totally spent. Mrs Dawson took over immediately and where the Captain and Jibben had at first refused her ministrations, these two listless men surrendered to her. Finally, she shooed Robert off to find his bed or I imagine to Meg, whichever came first. Then Miles came to me. We said nothing to each other, I just took his hand and walked with him out the door, up the stairs and to my room. I helped him to undress completely and urged him to get into bed. In turn I undressed in front of him as he watched. As much as I thought I would be self-conscious with his eyes on me I wasn’t. The only light in the room came from the moon shining through the window and from the blaze in the hearth.
Meg knocked at my door. “Do you need me, Miss Turner.”
Meg had never spoken through the door before, her usual action was to just knock and enter. She knew then that Miles was here with me. I smiled at Miles. “No, Meg, I’m fine, thank you, but I know Robert is looking for you.”
“Yes, miss, thank you, miss,” and I heard her run off down the corridor."
I turned back to Miles, he was still watching me, then he opened his arms to me and I went to him.
Chapter 49
A Wedding and a Funeral
When I awoke, I was alone, not that I was surprised. Miles and I had consoled each other last night, I found him to be a vulnerable, yet patient and passionate lover. My passion had equalled his, but he was my teacher, he led me down paths that I had never dreamed could even exist between a man and woman. We had bonded in more ways than just the physical. Our spirits touched when we wept for those that had died and were injured, all because of one man’s greed.
I rose and rang for Meg. She came in beaming from ear to ear and I smiled at her. “I take it you and Robert had a good night?”
She blushed. “Not like you might think, miss. But we have come to an agreement. We’ll marry when he feels confident in his skills as valet and when we’ve put aside a bit of money.”
I hugged her, she was the happiest I had ever recalled seeing her. “Congratulations, Meg! And if I can help in any way to speed that up, please let me know.”
She bit her lip and lowered her head. “Well, miss, there will be the issue of Robert and I belonging to two different households once you and his Lordship marry.” I squeezed her hand. “Miles and I have already talked about that, he intends to steal Robert away from my father and I think Father will be amenable to it.”
Meg looked stunned. “Oh, miss, that would be grand, but would he still be able to work with your father in his other capacity?”
“I don’t see why not; Lord Tinley intends to continue his work with my father and Sir Thomas.”
Meg just glowed with happiness as I sat at my dressing table and she worked on untangling my curls. I was afraid to ask what it was like in the rest of the house. “How are things downstairs, are Murphy and the doctor alright?”
She nodded. “They both be on the mend, miss, but…”
She had paused, and her face crumpled. “What happened?!”
She bit her lip and tears started to run down her cheeks. “Tis Mr Allan, miss, he was helping to clean up the barns late last night in preparation for the wedding party when he came across one of the rabble that had attacked us. He shot our Mr Allan in the chest.” She started to cry outright now in shuddering sobs. “He died this morning, miss.”
I felt my lip tremble and tears welling up in my eyes. “Does my mother and father know?”
“Aye, miss, they were with him as he passed on.” Then I felt the tears rolling down my cheeks. I hugged her as we both cried. I thought back over the time that I had known Mr Allan and how valuable he was to my father and all the things that he had done for Mother and me without ever being asked. Meg and I talked about him teaching us both about etiquette and history. How he never chastised us when we yawned, he would merely point out that this was the foundation of English society, what raised us above the beasts in the field and the French, which never failed to make us laugh. He had thought of us all as his family. I knew he would be mourned by all of us as a beloved friend and family member.
We had just starting to pull ourselves together again when there was a knock at the door and my mother entered. She looked tired but there were some roses in her cheeks that had been absent for some time. “What’s this, tears on your wedding day? Mr Allan would not have approved, my dear.” She sat down and took my hand. “He told your father and I how much your marriage meant to him, he highly approved of Lord Tinley even before his elevation to Viscount.” She sighed deeply, and her eyes glistened, yet I could see that she had already shed her tears for Mr Allan, these were tears of happiness. She smiled then and squeezed my hand. “His last wish was that you marry today as planned so that his death wouldn’t go for nought.” I could hear the emotion behind her words. She sniffed dabbing her nose with her handkerchief before going on, “Mr Allan was a most intelligent and caring man. I only wish that I had had the opportunity to get to know him better.”
I sighed then wiped my eyes. “I suppose Papa will want to take Mr Allan back to London soon.”
She moved to ease herself into a nearby chair. “On the contrary, he asked if he could be laid to rest here. He was very taken with the Rambles, said it reminded him of a place and a person that he had once loved. But she was above his station and couldn’t marry him. He had a letter from her brother not too long ago apparently, he had felt guilty at what his parents had done to keep them apart. He explained that she never forgot Mr Alan. In fact, after he had left for London, she went to live with him and his family. But she was only with them a fleeting time…she wasted away and finally died from a broken heart, so don’t be sad for him, Lissa, I believe he was happy to go in the end. I would like to think that he’s joined her now and that they will be together. He didn’t fight death, so I knew he wanted to go.”
Then we were all crying once again. Father stepped into the room and looked around. “Oh, my word…Irene, I didn’t think you had anymore tears in you. Come now, my love, we have much to celebrate and to be happy for!” He was trying to be cheerful, but I could see the underlying sadness as he choked on his next words. “Mr Allan wouldn’t want it any other way.” He sighed and continued, “Miles has carried him to the icehouse and the wedding will take place today in the church according to Mr Allan’s wishes. Murphy and Lettie are speaking to the vicar about a final resting place for him and it will all be taken care of in a style that he would want tomorrow. But till then today is your day, my darling daughter, put away your tears.” He came over and caressed my cheek then extended the same hand to my mother. “Come, Irene, help me dress then we can both rest before walking our daughter down the aisle.” He turned around slowly looking back over his shoulder. “Meg, would you check with Lord Tinley about moving Lissa’s things. I suggested to Miles that he might like to relocate your room until your journey to Devon. You two kept your mother and I awake half the night.”
I turned a bright red as I looked at his reflection in my mirror, but he had an impish grin on his face until I remembered that he and Mother had been with Mr Allan last night. Then my mouth flew opened and I covered my face with my hands. Mother just laughed and between my splayed fingers, I saw her walk to my father who was also laughing and as they left she said, “I thought that was the way of it. Miles was far too content this morning.”
I looked up
at Meg who had her mouth open, staring at me as if I had mutated in front of her. Finally, I just said, “What!?”
She smirked. “Nothing, miss, nothing at all.” How could I face anyone in this house now? My shoulders slumped. I crossed my arms then laid them down on the dressing table and hid my face. I heard Meg’s voice, “You’ll be fine, miss, don’t let it bother you. Honestly most people had thought it had already happened when we were in France and you two would go off for those long walks.” Now I just groaned, I was mortified.
I sat up to let Meg finish getting me ready. “Well, I suppose I had better go down and eat breakfast, so I don’t pass out in the church.” With that just out of my mouth, Angel came bouncing through the door with a tray loaded with enough food to feed an army. “I can’t eat all that!”
Angel beamed. “Oh, you won’t be, miss, Beth, Meg and I are to stay with you. Mrs Turner asked us to stand guard, it seems that your bridegroom wants to see you before the wedding and your parents have forbidden it.” I was astounded at my parents forbidding Miles after knowing what we had done the previous night. My god how could I show my face at the wedding. Angel was nibbling at a piece of toast before she continued, “By the way, miss, the guest list has increased somewhat to include everyone that aided us yesterday, so the village folk and the people from Poole will be here as well. Mr Johnson… I mean Lord Tinley is having the big barn cleaned up for all the extra guests and there’ll be dancing! My Charles plays the fiddle and the gypsies will be singing and playing as well.” Then she blushed. “Come on now, eat up so we can get on with dressing you. I’ll go tell Mrs Mac that we’ll be ready for her in about an hour. She hasn’t let that dress out of her sight since the fighting ended last night.”
As she left Lady Bruce came in carrying two boxes, she smiled at me as she set them before me. “They’re from the family, my dear.” I opened the first, it was a veil of the sheerest material I’d ever seen. Her eyes were glowing. “It’s Chinese silk. My great grandfather brought it back from the Far East and brides in the Shellard family have worn it ever since, all except for Maria.” She frowned and looked sad just then. “My father was terrible to her, I wish I could have made it up to her, but I never really got a chance. I always seemed to be pregnant and unable to travel.” She brushed her hand down the length of the silk. “I had meant to return this after I married Angus, but I held onto it. I thought that Georgina might wear it when she married but she’s a Bruce and not a Shellard as she told me, and the Bruces have their own traditions, so I never got around to returning it. But it belongs to a Shellard bride and you’re the first in some time. I guess it’s not strange that William never asked me for it when he married Carolyn, she even asked for it, but he told her that it was lost. He never even mentioned it to Jane, though he knew that I had it and he could have sent for it at any time.”