Lady Ellingham and the Theft of the Stansfield Necklace: A Regency Romance

by Rochester, Miriam

  Richard looked apologetic, ‘I am unable to escort you Flick. Even if my injured foot managed the carriage ride, I doubt I would be able to sit and enjoy the production in any modicum of comfort.’

  ‘It is a shame Felicity,’ sighed the Countess, ‘but Richard cannot be gallivanting about with an injured foot.’

  Felicity looked crestfallen causing Alex to laugh at her. He put down the letter he was reading. ‘On the other hand,’ he said, I cannot see why I cannot escort you. Booking a seat is not a problem, my father has a box at the Georgian Theatre and if everyone is agreeable we can make up a party and go tonight.’ Felicity brightened up and looked at Richard. ‘Would you mind if we left you alone for one evening? It seems rather unfair but I would really like to go.’

  ‘Not at all,’ Richard, replied, ‘I can survive on my own for one night and I am sure you will be in good hands. I have my Valet and a handful of servants to assist me after all.’

  ‘It is settled then,’ Alex smiled, ‘I shall make the arrangements.’

  At 7pm precisely, John the coachman brought around the Dukes carriage to pick up the party to take them to the theatre. With the exception of Richard who they had left in bed with a good book, they had all decided to attend. Even the Dowager was persuaded to go.

  The Duke’s box was comfortable and spacious and situated to the left with a good view of the stage. The Duke sat next to the Countess and his mother, and Alex sat next to Felicity where he could see her face. It was not long before the curtain went up and the performance was underway. Felicity sat entranced as she absorbed every detail of the play. Alex was happily content that he had it in his power to please her and just relaxed in the pleasure of watching her enjoying herself. It was all too soon before the curtain went down on the final part of Act 2. Felicity turned to Alex with eager enthusiasm, ‘Oh how wicked, Bartholo cannot possibly force the poor Rosina to marry him, Oh what will Count Almaviva do?’

  Alex smiled, ‘We shall have to wait until Act Three, but meanwhile I think we should all have some refreshments.’

  The Dowager who had seen the play many times before, poked her grandson with her walking stick and pronounced, ‘Never mind about Rosina and the Count, I was wondering when you were going to get around to obtaining drinks, I am parched.’

  The Duke and Alex stood up and left the box to procure some refreshments for the party and Felicity had time to survey her surroundings and soak up the atmosphere of the evening. Many of the crowd remained in their seats just chatting and discussing the performance but some ventured out into the corridors looking for refreshments. She glanced around the theatre and it was then that she saw them. She could hardly believe her eyes, for in a box on the opposite side and toward the back of the auditorium sat a couple who strongly resembled Emily and Adrian Entwhistle.

  An attentive middle-aged man with brown wavy hair and a personable face sat next to Emily and Felicity could only assume that he was her latest victim. Felicity raised her glasses to the box to reassure herself that she was not mistaken, but it only confirmed her suspicions. Adrian must be pretending to be her Uncle again for the middle-aged man was paying Emily a lot of attention and he looked so obviously besotted. He did not appear to Felicity to be a member of the ton but he was obviously a man of means. His dress was elegant but not of the first stare and his posture was dignified. He was possibly a gentleman who had made his money in trade, or perhaps a solicitor or a banker. Whomever he was, Felicity knew that she could not allow this gentleman to continue to be so taken in. She knew that she had to do something to help him. She looked back at the door, she knew that she should wait for Alex and the Duke to return but they had been away a while and there was still no sign of them. She turned to her mother and the Dowager and excused herself. ‘Excuse me mama but I have just spotted someone I know and wish to go and speak to them.’ The Countess turned to her in surprise, ‘Here in Harrogate, who is that my dear?’ she asked straining to look around her.

  Felicity pointed to the opposite box, ‘it is Emily mother, I will just go over to say hello.’ The Countess looked doubtful. She knew nothing of the dramatic details pertaining to Emily’s departure but she knew that she had disappeared from London in a cloud of uncertainty and the Countess was not quite happy. ‘Well I am surprised to see her here but do you think you should dear? I do not quite think that Richard would be pleased.’ Felicity bent down to kiss her mother on the cheek. ‘I have something I need to say to her, I will just be five minutes, do not worry mama.’ She slipped out of the box and was gone before her mother could object any more.

  The Countess turned to the Dowager. ‘Oh dear,’ she sighed, ‘It is not quite proper that Flick should wander off on her own and I do hope she does not do or say anything she should not.’ The Dowager just gave her a reassuring pat on the arm. ‘She cannot get into too much mischief here in the theatre Sophia, just relax and enjoy the evening.’ The Countess just gave a weak smile, she could not be easy, for knowing Felicity more than anyone else, she could never be sure. The Countess looked over and it seemed ages before Felicity appeared in the box. The two gentlemen had left, and when Felicity arrived only Emily was sitting there. Emily turned around when Felicity came in expecting to see her company. ‘You have been quick...’ She stopped mid sentence when she realised it was not Adrian but Felicity who was standing there. Felicity stood with her back to the door and stared directly at Emily, who sat there with her mouth open.

  Felicity spoke. ‘How could you Mrs Entwhistle. I befriended you. I believed in you when no one else would and you repaid me with lies and deceit. That necklace did not belong to your grandmother but you stole it and pretended it was yours. Why did you do it Emily?’

  Emily’s face was intractable. ‘Why not,’ she responded, ‘Lord Alex Sheraton made me look a fool. Even if I could get back at him a little by branding him a liar, I would be satisfied. I was relying on you to spread the rumours and blacken his name but you disappointed me Flick.’

  Felicity was angry. ‘Do not presume to address me by my pet name,’ she replied, ‘I am Lady Ellingham to you. I defended you, my brother came to my aid and risked his life in a duel, and it was all because of your lies. For goodness sake, you even asked me to request his help when you came to me that day. You have no principals and I cannot forgive you for that.’

  Emily put her nose up in the air and sniffed, ‘Well I am sure I did not ask him to do that.’

  ‘Is that all you have to say Emily, have you no thoughts for anyone but yourself. Tell me is that gentleman you have with you your next victim. What have you managed to acquire from him. I see you have a beautiful ring on your finger that you did not possess the last time I saw you. How much will you sell that for when you are done with him? I am telling you now Emily, you are not going to get away with it because I am not going to let you. Before this evening is out that gentleman will know exactly what you are.’

  The Countess was still observing from the Stansfield box and although she could not hear what was being said, she noticed the tension. ‘Oh my goodness,’ she groaned, ‘whatever is Felicity saying.’ She kept her glasses on the box and became anxious when a familiar looking man arrived back.

  The man gave a start when he saw Felicity but quickly recovered and gave her a sickly smile. ‘Good evening Lady Ellingham, well this is a surprise. I wish I could say I was pleased to see you but that would not be quite true.’ He looked across at Emily who hissed at him. ‘Do something! See to her! She threatens to spoil everything and we are so nearly done here. Andrew has just gone to the water closet and he will be back soon.’

  Adrian looked across a Felicity; ‘Is that so?’ he smiled, ‘we cannot allow that to happen. What are we to do with you?’

  Felicity was slightly alarmed at his manner for he was behaving out of character. Adrian was not as she remembered and was far from the bespectacled fop he had appeared to be when he was in London. He was much more in control of himself. She straightened and then headed fo
r the door. ‘Well there is not much you can do in the middle of a crowded theatre,’ she retorted, ‘so you may as well resign yourself to the fact that your game is up.’

  Adrian made for the door, blocked it and before she knew it, he had moved like a cat, manoeuvring himself behind her and clamping a deceptively strong arm across her neck and throat and the other over her mouth. ‘No so fast Lady Ellingham. I am not undone yet.’ He reached inside his pocket and pulled out a brown phial of liquid. Before she knew it, he was forcing the contents of the phial down into her throat and then squeezing the air out of her lungs. She only struggled briefly as the bitter taste of Laudanum trickled down her throat and the air escaped her lungs and before she knew it, she was overcome and fell back unconscious into his arms. There was hardly a scuffle and everything seemed to happen in the fraction of a second. ‘Quick get her out of here,’ Emily panicked, ‘Andrew will be back any minute.’ Adrian swept Felicity up in his arms and walked toward the door. He looked back, ‘Finish up here Emily, make my excuses to Andrew. Tell him anything you want but make sure you confirm the final arrangements for tomorrow. I will meet you back at the cottage as soon as the play is over. Remember we just have to get by until tomorrow morning and we can get away from here.’

  Adrian carried an unconscious Felicity through the now thinning crowds who were still chatting gaily in the corridors. Most people by now were making their way back into the auditorium for the beginning of Act three. ‘Excuse me, can you make way,’ he called out. ‘My wife has fainted and I need to take her out into the fresh air.’ The crowds politely moved out of his way with one or two asking if he needed any help. ‘No,’ he replied, ‘she will be just fine when I get her outside into the fresh air. I have my man waiting with the carriage.’

  Adrian bundled her into a waiting carriage with a similar excuse to the Jarvey and flopped back into the swabs with relief. It had been easy, all he needed now was for Emily to do her bit and they would be home and dry. Once in the carriage Felicity began to wake up. She felt dizzy but the faint recollection was coming back to her. She opened her eyes to find herself in a moving carriage with Adrian Entwhistle. He looked inconvenienced to say the least and was none too amused. He sat back in the carriage with folded arms, ‘I must say Lady Ellingham, you have caused me a great deal of bother, but if you behave yourself until tomorrow afternoon I will let you go and you will not get hurt. Unfortunately until then you will have to remain my guest.’

  Felicity was digesting his words through a misty haze of anger and disbelief. She looked around her. ‘Where is Emily, I cannot stay here alone with you, let me out of here.’ She reached for the carriage door but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back, ‘Oh no you do not!’ he ground out, ‘you have chosen to interfere, so you will have to suffer the consequences.’ She began to struggle and a swift battle ensued in the carriage. She struck out, scratching at his face and pulling his hair. He grabbed her by the forearms endeavouring to gain control but Felicity was stronger than he expected and she took him by surprise. She managed to raise his hand within reach of her face and sink her teeth into the padded flesh of his thumb. He momentarily let go cursing. He knew he only had moments to gain control before the Jarvey became suspicious. Adrian reached back into his pocket for the phial of laudanum and after another vigorous struggle managed to subdue her. Felicity succumbed and sank back unconscious into the swabs. Entwhistle made it to his rented cottage with no further incidence, paid off the Jarvey and thanked God he had not noticed the upheaval with the undulating sway of the carriage. He lifted Felicity out of the carriage and the Jarvey gave him a cheery goodbye. ‘I do hope you’re good Lady is feeling chipper soon,’ he shouted and moved off.

  Back at the theatre the Entwhistle’s were quite unaware that the whole scene had been witnessed from across the other side of the auditorium by Lady Stansfield and the Countess, and as Lady Ellingham had witnessed the assault she was on her feet and heading blindly into the corridor. She bumped bang into The Duke and Alex as they were returning with the drinks. ‘Whoa,’ Alex, cried out endeavouring to balance the tray. ‘What is the big hurry?’

  The Countess was in deep distress, with tears brimming in her eyes and she was breathing heavily. ‘It is Flick, they have taken her. Oh quickly we must hurry!’ The Duke gently pushed her back into the box. ‘Who has taken her? Sit down and tell us exactly what has happened.’

  The Dowager could see that the Countess was hardly capable of giving a coherent account and although distressed herself, explained to her son and grandson exactly what had happened. They looked across to the box. Emily was sitting there with her escort in perfect serenity as if nothing had happened. The Marquis quickly placed the tray on the small table and gave his father a pointed look. ‘You stay here with the ladies. I will go across and get the truth out of her.’ He addressed the Countess. ‘Do not worry Lady Ellingham, we will get her back. You have no need to fear.’

  The Countess sat down and was hardly able to contain herself. The Duke handed her his handkerchief and took her other hand to console her. ‘Do not worry Sophia; Alex will get to the bottom of it. She will be back with us before you know it.’

  The party sat and watched Emily’s box expectantly and it seemed forever before they saw Alex unceremoniously burst in. The gentleman with her got up in surprise. ‘Excuse me sir,’ he said indignantly, ‘What do you mean by this!’

  Alex looked threatening as he closed the door behind him. ‘You had better ask our dear little Emily here. She is playing you for a fool.’

  The man looked from Alex to Emily not quite comprehending the situation. ‘I think I should ask you to leave sir and take up your grievance at some other time. The performance will be resuming shortly and this is neither the time nor the place.’

  ‘Oh but it is,’ Alex barked menacingly. ‘We do not have the time Emily, where has your husband taken Lady Ellingham. I do not have time to play games, so tell me.’

  Her companion gaped at Emily, ‘husband?’ he repeated.

  ‘Shall I enlighten him or shall you?’ Alex snapped. As Emily was speechless, Alex continued. ‘Adrian and Emily are husband and wife. They go around the resorts finding hapless unattached men like your worthy self and fleecing them for all they are worth. What has she swindled from you? I see she wears a most expensive engagement ring. Did you give it to her? Oh do not be embarrassed, I nearly fell for her charms myself, only with me it was the very valuable Stansfield necklace.’

  The man was stunned. ‘The Stansfield necklace! Am I addressing then the Duke of Stansfield?’

  ‘No he is my father. I am only the Marquis, but never the less ripe enough pickings for this young Lady here.’

  The gentleman was still trying to assimilate this information. ‘I was ready to buy shares in a Welsh goldmine tomorrow morning, for £3000. We were going to see a solicitor.’

  Alex gave a throaty laugh. ‘It would do you well to investigate further. I think you will find that the gold mine in question is nonexistent and that the solicitor is a crook.’ He turned to Emily, ‘you are branching out: I see that you are no longer satisfied with jewellery and fine expensive gifts. That husband of yours is getting ambitious.’

  Emily’s companion who had harboured genuine feelings for her, stood silent in utter and total shock. He watched haplessly as Alex turned his attention back to Emily. ‘I take it Felicity came over here and threatened to expose you, so your delightful husband has taken her hostage somewhere. If you do not tell me where he has taken her I swear I will not be able to guarantee your safety.’

  The gentleman stepped forward, but most half-heartedly, ‘now look here,’ he blustered, ‘there is no need to threaten a lady, whatever she may have done.’

  Alex looked at him, ‘I have no grievance with you sir. I suggest you leave us and if you take my advice I would recommend that you take that expensive bauble with you.’ He pointed at the beautiful diamond and emerald ring on Emily’s finger. ‘It must have cost you hundreds.�
� The man stepped forward and held out his hand. Emily looked at him giving him her most beseeching look. ‘You do not believe him do you Andrew?’ she implored.

  Andrew looked at her, his eyes full of hurt and his voice full of mortification. ‘You know Emily I think I do. Your uncle, if that is what he is, should have been here by now, which adds weight to this gentleman’s account. I must insist on my ring back. I am not an ogre and under any other situation I would have allowed you to keep it but I do not like to be taken for a fool.’

  Andrew turned to the Marquis, ‘I cannot thank you enough you’re Lordship, but all the same I cannot walk from here and allow you to hurt this woman, no matter what has happened.’

  ‘Rest assured Sir, I have other means at my disposal, but you must also understand me. This ladies husband has abducted one of my guests and I intend to get her back. I will do whatever is necessary. My father the Duke is waiting in the box across the auditorium waiting for the outcome of this interview.’ He pointed over to the party who were anxiously watching them as they spoke and Andrew looked over.

  ‘Very well sir I can see you are respectable. I will trust you to act honourably and I will take my leave of you.’ Without a word to Emily, he turned and left the box, a very disappointed and wounded man.

  Alex picked up Emily’s pelisse and handed it to her. ‘You and I are going to walk out of here as if nothing has happened and you are going to lead me to your husband. If you do not, my father will ride out to collect the magistrate and we can do it the hard way, with plenty of spectators present. You will act in an agreeable manner and do nothing to arouse suspicion.’ He smiled, ‘It can be like the old days when you pretended to love me. You are an excellent little actress; I trust that this will not be too difficult a request.’ Emily nodded and took his arm and he escorted her back to the Stansfield box, to be greeted by a very agitated Lady Ellingham.