by Gloria Gay
“You don’t know where you are?”
“As, I said, before I passed out, I was on a tour of the Greywick estate.”
“You’re on the road between Greywick Hall and Lord Halensford’s estate, by Mystic Bridge.”
“I hope you’re kidding me,” Jane said. She was in no mood for jokes as she tried to deal with her aching body.
“I believe the carriage is not broken, once I calm the fool horses you spooked, madam,” the man added, apparently dismissing Jane’s words.
“The last thing I meant to do was startle your horses. I was only trying to get your attention,” Jane explained. “I was afraid it would be a long time before another vehicle went by this rough road.”
“My brother is in the carriage,” the man who called himself Greywick said. “I think he only has a surface head wound. How did you get to this road, madam? In what conveyance?” He looked around.
“I have already told you and you didn’t believe me.”
“Tell me then in detail, madam and I shall try to understand your explanation.”
“All right,” Jane said with a sigh.
“I was on a tour where there was a portrait of – of a young man who looked like – you! I had been to that estate as a teenager and had touched the same painting and it had felt warm to the touch. I returned years later, intrigued, and again touched the painting. The hand on the painting I touched – your hand – again felt warm. But this time the moment I touched the hand I was swirled into a blazing spinning light and awoke on this dirt road.”
“We must return to Lord Halensford’s estate, Miss Fielder,” said Jestyn, shaking his head at her words. “You and my brother Cedric must be examined by a physician.”
The young man seemed startled at her words and it was obvious he had dismissed them. Well, she couldn’t blame him. Her words would have sounded strange even to her mother.
The pain in her leg was becoming unbearable. She could hardly move it as it throbbed. And her mind as yet didn’t know how to deal with what had happened to her.
All this was churning around painfully in her mind when she realized that the man who called himself Greywick was about to lift her in order to carry her back to his quaint carriage.
“All right, Miss Fielder, here we go,” he said, as he pulled Jane up and held her with effort in a standing position with his left arm under Jane’s arm, holding her so that Jane would not put her weight on her feet. He then took her in his arms as Jane moaned again in pain. Jane’s vision blurred and then she blacked out from the pain.
Taking the flashlight from Jane, Jestyn used it to light the way. When he reached his carriage he laid her carefully along one of the seats. He was glad the curricle had been in disrepair and he and Cedric had used the two-horse carriage instead. He then checked on his brother. "How are you feeling, Cedric?”
“I – I’m not too good, Jes. Are we at the house yet?”
“No – we’re not going to go home just yet, Ced. We’re closer to Halensford’s house. We had an accident right before we crossed Mystic Bridge. Both you and the young lady that was on the road are injured so I decided to return to Halensford’s instead. We’ll get a physician faster there. Lie back, Ced,” he urged. His brother was now conscious but he seemed sleepy as his hand now went unconsciously to his forehead. Jestyn removed Cedric’s neck cloth and tied it around his forehead to stop the trickling blood.
“Who’s the lad in the back, Jes?” Cedric asked as Jestyn was doing this.
“She’s a woman, Ced, not a lad – even though she’s dressed in breeches. She had some strange lantern and was in the middle of the road. She claims she had been stranded after seeing a blinding light as she touched a portrait of me. Next thing she knew she awoke on this road. She’s not making much sense, but then she was grazed by the lead horse and she’s in pain. The lady is bleeding from her head and her leg is hurt, probably a bad sprain.”
Jestyn then went around the carriage and with Jane’s flashlight, which he handled gingerly, amazed still at it, he threw the light on the carriage’s axle and examined also the spokes of the wheels. Everything in the carriage appeared to be sound.
He checked the horses. They were nickering and nodding. Their tethers appeared unharmed and after making certain they had not become loose or undone during the accident he then led the lead horse by hand back to the road, guiding him as best he could back in the same direction from which they had come. Jestyn looked in the back to see how Miss Fielder was doing and noticed that her eyes were closed. She appeared to have lost consciousness. He looked in again on his brother and saw that his eyes were closed.
Stunned and spooked as the horses had been, Jestyn thought they shouldn’t be forced into anything more than a walk for now. In a few minutes he would ease them into a canter toward Halensford’s house.
He then climbed onto the driver’s seat again.
He shook his head as they headed back to Sevencalls. He judged the time to be about a quarter hour after midnight.
CHAPTER 4
Questions raced through Jestyn’s mind but Miss Fielder appeared in no condition to answer them. What she had said sounded outlandish and confused. He hoped she was asleep rather than unconscious although he feared she had had a concussion. The cut in her head was a nasty one.
It had been a strange night indeed and he wondered more and more about Miss Fielder and the strange clothing she wore. He was sorry he had been abrupt and rude to her. However, in the clothes she was wearing he had thought she was a lad.
As Jestyn pulled into the driveway, Simms, the stout butler of the estate of Sevencalls ran to the carriage. Just a few minutes before Simms had seen Jestyn and Cedric off, for they had been among the last to leave the ball.
“Trouble, sir?” he asked as Jestyn halted the carriage. A couple of grooms had run up to the carriage as well.
“Yes, Simms,” Jestyn replied. “Cedric and I had an accident. Could you have someone send right away for Dr. Lenn? Tell him it's an emergency. Both Cedric and the lady inside the carriage were injured. The lady is unconscious, I’m afraid.”
“A lady, sir?” Simms had leaned in to glance at Jane and his eyebrows had shot up in surprise.
“Yes. She’s dressed in breeches but she’s a lady, Simms. Will you have someone drive up to Dr. Lenn’s?”
“Yes, sir, right away,” said Simms.
“Could you also have a couple of the footmen help my brother into the house?”
“Yes, sir,” Simms replied as he motioned to the footmen who had rushed over with him. Simms also gave directions to a groom to tend to the horses.
“I will carry the lady inside myself,” Greywick added, if you will help me get her out of the carriage and then put the carriage rug over her.”
With Simms’ help Greywick removed Jane from inside the carriage and after Simms placed the carriage rug over her he headed with her toward the house. Greywick noted with chagrin that Simms had taken note of the lady’s strange ‘breeches’. Simms then went off to get someone to get Dr. Lenn. The grooms, also, had glanced at Jane’s pants and then at each other, their eyes wide.
Lord Halensford rushed out of the house just as Simms had left. Lord Halensford was a portly young man of middle height, ginger hair, heavy red brows over light blue eyes and a large long face. He still wore formal attire as he had barely seen the last of his guests leave the ball.
“Good heavens, Greywick, an accident?” He asked with great concern.
“Yes, Giles,” Jestyn said to his best friend. “Cedric got a nasty bump on his head and is barely conscious. The lady dressed as a lad is unconscious and has a sprain and a head injury. I will carry her into the house, with your leave.”
“Yes, of course,” Halensford peered into Jane’s unconscious face. “Who is she? She was not at the masquerade ball, was she?”
“No. She wasn’t at the ball. She told me her name is Jane Fielder. It’s a bizarre story, Giles.” Greywick leaned over and whispered his n
ext words to Halensford: “Miss Fielder jumped in front of the horses with some sort of torch and spooked them, Giles. She risked everyone’s lives including hers. She got off the road just in time. As it was, one of the horses nicked her.”
“Did she give a reason for her actions?” Giles asked.
“She claims she was afraid another vehicle would not go by for a long time and she would be stranded on the road, so she was just making sure we saw her.”
Jestyn paused, leaned again toward his friend and said in a whisper: “When I asked her how she came to be on the road at midnight she said the last she knew was that she was inside my estate, rather than on the road!”
“Upon my word,” said Halensford.
“Giles,” Greywick added, “She said that on the portrait of me she had been gazing at, I was holding a pendant with its chain tied around my hand. She then touched my hand and the pendant and she was suddenly engulfed in a blazing light that picked her up and spun her at a great speed. Then she awoke on the road where we found her. She insisted she was not trying to spook my horses but only wanted to get my attention as she was stranded on the road.”
“She must have a concussion if she’s saying such bizarre things.” Halensford shook his head. “I’m glad you came back, then.”
Jestyn showed Halensford Jane’s flashlight. Halensford handled it gingerly, staring at the bright light. “It appears to be a new invention, Jes, that must be using gas,” he said and added, “But how on earth is it possible? And how is it that we have not heard about it? Something like this would have been on the front page of every newspaper.” He twirled it in his hand and found the button.
“This button seems to be what turns it on. He switched it off and then back on.
“We better keep this secret, for now,” he told Jestyn. He turned the flashlight off and gave it back to Jestyn who put it on the inside pocket of his cape.
“Yes, and also what I told you, Giles,” Jestyn urged.
“I will,” Lord Halensford assured him and asked: “Do you need any help?”
“No, I can manage, Giles, thank you,” Jestyn assured him. “I took the liberty of asking Simms to send one of your grooms to get Dr. Lenn. Do you have a bedroom where we could put the lady until the physician arrives?”
“Certainly. Just follow me, Jestyn.” Jestyn entered Lord Halensford’s estate which he had just recently left and crossed the brightly lit hall. A few footmen were removing the dregs of the ball that had been held there and where he and his brother had danced just a half hour or so ago.
The hall had wide columns with gilded scrolls where they met the ceiling and polished tan marble. There were flowers and candles everywhere and the few footmen and maids that were cleaning up stopped what they were doing and glanced with interest at Jestyn as he went up the stairs carrying Jane. The stable grooms had already whispered to the footmen that Jane was wearing breeches and the news spread like wildfire.
With Lord Halensford guiding the way Jestyn placed Jane where Halensford directed, on a canopied bed in a guest room.
Halensford glanced down at Jane. “I'll have someone notify Mrs. Claye and have her come here to assist Miss Fielder, Jestyn, for I believe the lady is regaining consciousness. Elizabeth has already retired,” he added, referring to his wife, “But Mrs. Claye goes to bed only after the house is locked down. After a ball such as the one we held tonight, it takes the staff a lot longer to close down the house.”
“Give us fifteen minutes, Giles, and then send in Mrs. Claye,” Jestyn replied. “I would like first to speak with Miss Fielder in private. I want to make certain she does not repeat what she said to me to the servants. You know how alarmed they would be at her strange attire. We don’t want them to have any animosity toward her.”
“She might just have been repeating a dream or something,” said Giles. Be gentle in your speech, Jes, remember, she must be in a lot of pain. Not only from the injuries you disclosed, but others we may be unaware of. Has she been unconscious for a long time?”
“Only for a few minutes, Giles,” Jestyn replied, his voice impatient. “I will speak gently to her, never fear. My primary concern is her safety.”
When Lord Halensford left, Jestyn sat on a chair by her bed, lost in thought. He was bewildered as to Miss Fielder’s explanation for her actions. She was dressed as from another age – yet which age? Certainly not the age he lived in.
He was looking down at her as Jane opened her eyes. She then rested her chin on an elbow as she glanced up at Jestyn.
“How are you feeling, Miss Fielder?”
“I’m not well at all, Mr. uh – Greywick,” Jane responded faintly. “My head is throbbing and a horrible pain is shooting up my left leg and through my thigh and hip. My arm is also throbbing where the horse slammed into me.”
Jestyn shook his head. Ladies did not mention parts of their bodies, as Jane was doing. Yet her speech did not seem to be that of the lower classes although her accent was probably from the Colonies, he surmised.
Jestyn forced himself not to stare at her, so strange she seemed to him. She was also very attractive, he noted, taking stock of the long rich strands of dark hair that had become loose in silky waves and the dark-lashed wide and intensely blue eyes and arched brows. Her full mouth, stained with some pink salve gave her a young, vulnerable look. Yet she spoke in a forceful way not typical of a young lady of her age.
She seemed as alien to him as if she had come from another planet.
“Where are you from, Miss Fielder?”
“I’m American – the United States of America,” Jane responded.
“The Colonies, as I had supposed,” he said. I’m very intrigued, Miss Fielder,” said Jestyn. “You’re dressed very strangely and wearing breeches the likes of which I have never before seen, even on a man. There is in your clothes a complete want of propriety, madam.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way,” Jane said with effort.
“You have a strange torch that functions on its own and not with a flame but with Lord knows what…and it turns on by flicking on a button!” Jestyn exclaimed, “Are you with an acting troupe?”
“No,” Jane sighed. “Not with the acting troupe, whatever that is. “You’re not really dressed in those clothes for the benefit of tourists, are you?
“What on earth are you talking about, Miss Fielder?”
“I don’t know what your gig is, Mr. Greywick but I think this is the time to come clean. I’m not one of the people in the ‘audience’ or ‘tour’ group, so you can drop the pretending. I think I sprained my leg, I’m in great pain and I’m certainly not in the mood for setups arranged to separate tourists from their money. I didn’t think such things went on in England, but apparently not even in staid old England are travelers safe from tourist traps.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Jestyn shook his head. “I would ask the same of you Miss Fielder. You are wearing strange attire. Male breeches on a woman are considered an affront and only an actress would dare don them. Even then she would be heckled if she did so. And they seem the attire a very poor person would wear, even so, with worn and faded areas.”
“Well, you’ll probably believe I’m insane but these ‘breeches’ are as ‘in’ in the States as they are in England. So where you have buried yourself during the last few years might explain your lack of fashion sense.”
“I already believe you're insane from the recklessness you displayed. Do you know, madam, that you were inches from being trampled to death? You should have warned me from the side, not the front. And why on earth did you do so, anyway?”
“I already told you why I jumped in front of the horses. I was afraid you wouldn’t see me and I didn’t know how long I would have before another car went by. Now that I think about it, it would have been a lot better if I had just waited for an automobile to go by instead of trying to stop a carriage with horses, of all things!”
“That lantern you waived. What is it made of?”
asked Jestyn.
“Listen, I’m hurting all over so that I can hardly speak,” Jane said with a groan.
“The doctor is on his way, Miss Fielder. He will soon give you something for the pain in your head and your – uh – limb. I’m expecting him at any moment.”
“How long ago did you call? I feel weak and the throbbing pains in my head and my leg are more than I can bear. Please do not also subject me to this interrogation. I will gladly answer all your questions once I am able to do so without panting in pain between each word.”
“Please forgive me, Miss Fielder. I have behaved abominably,” Jestyn said hurriedly, his voice full of dismay at what he now considered a breach. “I think that is Mrs. Claye at the door. She will be able to see to your comfort. I shall see you tomorrow when you are more recovered.”
***
Here she had gone and made him angry at her, Jane thought. “Mr. Greywick!” she exclaimed in alarm. “I didn't mean you should leave me until tomorrow! I meant only that once I'm made more comfortable and the pain has lessened I would very much like to speak to you. I emphasize that I would be even more uncomfortable were I to be left to the care of total strangers. At least I know you by reference. I want to get out of this house tonight, if possible and be on my way back to London. Is this your house?”
“No, Miss Fielder, this house belongs to Lord Halensford. He very graciously offered his hospitality once I returned here. And it’s impossible for you to leave tonight. You may have a concussion and I will not allow you to move for now. Where exactly did you want me to take you at this time of night?”
For a few moments Jane remained in a stunned silence. She realized her brain was not working properly. Of course he was right; it would be folly to ask him to take her back to London in the middle of the night. Even if he agreed to it which she doubted, she was in no condition to be moved except in an ambulance.
“You are in no condition to travel anywhere, Miss Fielder, either today or tomorrow. And London is days away.”