Secret Heiress

by Anne Herries

  Since no one spoke to her directly, Eliza did not join in the general conversation at dinner, which was all about people in London society, none of whom she had ever met. Whenever she chanced to look at her mother, she smiled at her, but it was not until the ladies followed Lady Manners into the drawing room at the end of the meal that anyone spoke to her.

  ‘You may help me with the tea, Miss Bancroft,’ Lady Manners spoke coldly, her pale blue eyes like chips of ice. She was a pretty woman, no more than three and twenty at the most, but her expression was sour, her dress severe. ‘That is, after all, what you are, a paid servant—are you not?’

  ‘Serena, please, my dear,’ Lady Sarah protested. ‘Eliza is a friend to me. I rely on her completely, as I told my son when he visited in Bath.’

  Eliza shook her head and smiled at her mother, making her own reply.

  ‘I am Lady Sarah’s companion, and, yes, she does pay me.’

  Eliza went forwards to take the cups where she was directed. She did her duty with grace and calm civility, and one of the younger ladies gave her a sympathetic smile.

  Eliza made no response to anyone. After receiving her own dish of tea, she took it to the far side of the room and looked out of the window, trying to ignore the conversation.

  ‘Eliza my dear, are you ready? I am tired and I think we should leave.’

  Hearing her mother’s gentle tones, Eliza nodded and stood up. A servant was dispatched to fetch their cloaks and then they were outside, climbing into the waiting carriage despite their hostess’s appeal to wait for the gentlemen to join them.

  ‘I have never been so angry in my life,’ Lady Sarah said as she reached for her hand. ‘Forgive me, Eliza. Had I guessed what Howard meant to do, I would never have attended his wretched dinner. It was a deliberate insult to you. He knows you are my daughter and is determined to make things awkward for you. Promise me that you will not allow him to distress you.’

  ‘I am not distressed, except for your sake,’ Eliza assured her. ‘Please do not be upset, dearest Mama. You told me he prefers London. I doubt he will stay long.’

  ‘If he continues in this way, we shall repair to Bath—or find a small house in the country where we can be quiet together.’

  ‘Perhaps it would be better if I left,’ Eliza suggested. ‘You could employ another companion and we could meet sometimes in private. I do not suggest this for my sake but yours. I should hate to think that you were driven out of your home, because of me.’

  ‘You must promise me not to leave,’ Lady Sarah said. ‘If you were to marry, I should wish you happy and visit you as much as I could—but I will not have you reduced to working for someone else. You are my daughter, whether Howard likes it or not—and he will just have to accept you.’

  ‘I would never leave without telling you the reason,’ Eliza promised.

  The carriage was slowing. When the coachman came to let down the steps, Eliza got out first and helped her mother to descend. They went indoors together and Lady Sarah went straight up to her bedchamber. Eliza saw that she was being cared for by her maid and then went to her own room. However, she was not in the least tired and the moonlight called to her.

  She put on a dark cloak and went out. She would just take a little turn about the gardens to clear her head, and then go in.

  As she moved towards the shrubbery a dark figure came out of the shadows to meet her. Eliza gave a little cry of alarm, her heart racing. Then she saw it was Daniel and her heartbeat slowed to a sensible pace.

  ‘I wondered who it could be,’ she said and smiled, holding out her hand to him. ‘I am glad to see you, sir. Please forgive me for rushing off so abruptly this morning.’

  ‘You were concerned for your mother. How is Lady Sarah?’

  ‘She seems quite well, if a little tired. We were summoned to dinner at the house this evening, and I fear my reception there has made her angry.’

  ‘I heard that Manners was very like his father,’ Daniel said. He took her hands in his carrying them to his lips to kiss the fingers. ‘Was it very awful, my dearest one?’

  ‘It was not pleasant,’ Eliza admitted. ‘Lord Manners is angry that I did not respond to the threat he made in Bath.’

  ‘He threatened you?’

  ‘He said that I would find myself in prison as an impostor and a cheat if I did not leave Lady Sarah’s employ. Hardly a word was spoken to me all evening, and then it was merely a reminder that I am only a companion.’

  ‘The wretched snobs!’ Daniel said. ‘They do not deserve your consideration, Eliza. You are worth ten of any of them—and Lady Sarah knows it.’

  ‘She loves me,’ Eliza said and sighed. ‘I did not give you an answer, Daniel, for I feel that she needs me. Would it be too much to ask you to wait for a little longer? I do love you…’

  ‘You love me?’ Daniel swept her into his arms, gazing down at her in the moonlight. ‘I feared you could not love a rogue like me. I do not deserve you, my love—but my heart has been yours almost from the first.’

  ‘I love you very much,’ Eliza replied and there was no shyness or hesitation in her. ‘I would go with you this very night, except that I promised my mother I would not go without telling her the reason…’ She hesitated, then, ‘The cottage that you spoke of, Daniel…would it be possible to buy such a house where my mother could visit us in private? It would be a refuge for her if her son is insensitive enough to turn her from her home.’

  ‘Yes, I am certain I can save enough for that,’ Daniel replied, downgrading the regiment he could afford in his mind as the house for Eliza and her mother grew larger. ‘If you tell me you love me, I am content to wait.’

  ‘Kiss me,’ Eliza urged, pressing herself against his body. She trembled with the need to be loved and touched, to know the joys of loving. ‘We have this night and I want to spend it with you.’

  ‘Yes, we shall have tonight,’ Daniel agreed. ‘I think, tomorrow, I should call on your mother and tell her of my plans for the future. Meet me in the woods as we agreed, and we will go to her together.’

  ‘Yes, I believe she would like to talk to you. I know she likes you well, and she wishes me to be happy.’

  ‘It is also my wish. If the estate were still my own, I would offer your mother a home with us, Eliza. Unfortunately, my father’s foolishness at the tables has left us with merely enough to live a decent honest life as an officer and his wife, though we shall have the cottage I promised.’

  ‘It is more than enough for me. I have never expected more. To know my mother is comfortable and to be your wife is complete happiness for me.’

  ‘Then I shall speak to her in the morning.’ Daniel smiled as he drew her into his arms. ‘For now, I think you mentioned kisses?’

  ‘I want to be yours completely,’ Eliza said as he took her hand. ‘The summerhouse beyond those trees. We can be alone there.’

  ‘I have thought of you so often, wanted you so much,’ Daniel said, his arm about her waist. She leaned her head against his shoulder. ‘I never dreamed to find such happiness.’

  Eliza lay dreaming, snuggled in her bed, which she had not sought until past five that morning. She had spent the night in the summerhouse with Daniel, wrapped in his arms, blissfully happy and content. He had kissed her, touched her, held her, loved her, but he had not taken her maidenhead, though she would have given it willingly.

  ‘I love you too much,’ Daniel said. ‘I have seen girls ruined, because their lover was too impatient. If anything should come between us—if I should die—I would not have you suffer for it, my love. You have given me so much this night. I shall save the happiness you offer so sweetly for our wedding night.’

  Eliza had been too content to argue. It was enough for her to sit with her back against his warmth, held in his strong embrace for hours as they talked and kissed. Daniel had been so gentle, so loving and generous that if she had not been convinced of her own feelings before, she knew them now. Soon she would get up and go to meet him, a
nd then they would visit her mother together.

  A knock at her door brought her from her reverie. She called out that the maid might enter and Maisie came in, looking distressed.

  ‘I am sorry to disturb you, miss, but her ladyships is in a state and asks that you come to her immediately.’

  ‘Yes, of course.’ Eliza’s heart jerked with fear. ‘Is she unwell?’

  ‘No, miss. It is terrible. I’ve never known anything like this to happen before.’

  ‘Why? What has happened?’

  ‘You’d best go to her ladyship yourself, miss.’ Maisie was close to tears. ‘I’m too upset to speak of it.’

  Eliza pulled on her dressing gown. She left Maisie to go about her business and walked down the hall to her mother’s room. Lady Sarah was standing by her dressing chest and her jewel case was open on the top. She turned as Eliza entered, giving a cry of distress.

  ‘Eliza, my love. Something terrible has happened. The rubies have gone. I locked them in my jewel case last evening and put the key in my reticule, as always. This morning I was determined to send them back as soon as I was awake. I did not want to wear the wretched things and now they are gone.’

  ‘You are certain you put them there?’

  ‘Yes, quite certain. You reminded me not to leave valuables lying about, even though we both trust the servants—but, as you said, anyone might come in.’ She shuddered and looked distressed. ‘To think that someone was in my room while I slept. I might have been murdered in my bed. We could all have been murdered.’

  ‘Please, do not disturb yourself, Mama. Had the thief intended you harm it would already have happened. Was anything else taken?’

  ‘No, but as I told you, my trinkets are of little monetary value. My husband always insisted on locking the heirlooms away in his strongroom each night. Oh, why did I not wait and give them back to Howard last night, as I intended?’

  ‘You were angry and tired,’ Eliza said. ‘I know one of the doors was unlocked for a while last night, and that was my fault. I went out for a walk. Forgive me, this is my fault. I should have taken the key with me, but I did not intend to stay long.’

  ‘Eliza…’ Lady Sarah began, but was interrupted by Maisie, who came in looking scared. ‘Lord Manners is here, ma’am. He says he has come to fetch the rubies to save you sending them to him.’

  ‘My son…’ A look of fright entered Lady Sarah’s eyes. ‘He will be so angry when he discovers they are lost. You had better ask him to come up, Maisie. I shall receive him in my boudoir.’ As the maid left, she reached for Eliza’s hand. ‘Do not leave me, dearest. And please, do not say anything about leaving the door undone.’

  Eliza followed her into the adjoining room, which was a pretty place with a décor of pink and cream and smelled of perfume and powder. Lady Sarah’s possessions made it comfortable and she liked to sit there sometimes of a morning and listen as Eliza read to her from their favourite books.

  Lady Sarah was clearly nervous. She pleated the delicate lace of her peignoir and jumped as the door was thrust open without so much as a word. Lord Manners strode into the room, his face like thunder.

  ‘I have come for the rubies, Mama. I was disturbed that you did not give them into my safe keeping last evening. Lady Manners was distressed because you left early without waiting to take your leave of me.’

  ‘I am sorry if I distressed your wife,’ Lady Sarah said. ‘I was feeling a little tired and forgot I was wearing the rubies. I wish I had given them to you last night, Howard. Forgive me, I seem to have misplaced them…’

  ‘Misplaced an heirloom of that value? How could you?’ His gaze narrowed and flicked towards Eliza. ‘Do you know anything of this, Miss Bancroft?’

  ‘No, sir. Lady Sarah has just this minute told me that she cannot find them.’

  ‘I locked them in my jewel case,’ Lady Sarah said and her hands fluttered nervously. ‘I am almost certain I did, Howard. The key was placed in my reticule, as always. This morning when I looked for them they were not there.’

  ‘Then you must have placed them somewhere else.’ He looked at Eliza. ‘Do you recall seeing where the rubies were put last night, Miss Bancroft?’

  ‘No, sir. I was not here when Lady Sarah took them off, but I am certain she placed them in her locked case for safety.’

  ‘Then what has happened to them?’

  ‘Some thief must have come in the night and taken them,’ his mother said nervously. ‘There is no other explanation, Howard.’

  ‘Indeed?’ His eyes narrowed, a speculative gleam in their depths as he stared intently at Eliza. ‘When you employ a young woman you do not know without references, what do you expect? I dare say they will be hidden in her room somewhere—unless she has already passed them to an accomplice…’

  ‘Howard! You will take that back at once,’ Lady Sarah cried, too angry to be nervous now. ‘I did not ask you for the rubies. Eliza has no interest in such things. You are insulting to suggest such a thing about…my daughter.’

  ‘I suppose you believe her lies?’ he sneered. ‘Who told you she was your lovechild? Was it her lover? Those rubies are worth a small fortune, Mother. A woman like that is capable of any villainy.’

  ‘Eliza loves me and I love her. I shall not allow you to malign her that way.’

  ‘Have you searched her room? No, I thought not. Well, I shall remedy the neglect…’

  He strode from the room. Lady Sarah gave a cry of distress and followed him, Eliza one step behind.

  ‘I am so sorry, dearest,’ she said and looked close to tears. ‘This is abominable.’

  ‘We shall soon discover the truth of this, madam.’

  Eliza could only watch as he proceeded to throw her things about as he searched her room, opening drawers and poking amongst her clothes and her reticules. Then he delved under the bed and pulled something out. It was one of Eliza’s reticules, but an old one that she seldom used. She stared in horror as he released the strings and tipped something into his hand. The rubies flashed, blood red and accusing in his hand.

  ‘So, Miss Bancroft, perhaps you can explain this?’

  ‘Eliza…’ Lady Sarah stared at her in distress. ‘Surely…? I cannot believe it. You would not…’

  ‘No, I would not,’ Eliza said, lifting her head proudly. ‘I did not put the rubies there and I have no idea how they came to be there. I swear on everything I hold dear that I had no knowledge of them until Lord Manners found them.’

  ‘She is a liar and a thief and I shall know how to deal with her,’ he said, a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes. ‘You have been utterly deceived, Mother. This woman is not your lovechild. She is an impostor and a thief, sent here by her accomplice to rob or cheat you of all she can.’

  Eliza’s heart sank, because she could see the hint of a doubt in her mother’s eyes. Lady Sarah did not wish to believe him, but she had only Daniel’s word that Eliza was her daughter.

  ‘I do not believe you,’ she said, looking pale. ‘Eliza would not…she could not be what you name her. She loves me…’

  ‘Yes, ma’am, I do love you,’ Eliza said. ‘I know your son thinks ill of me, but I did not take the rubies—and I have told you only what I believe to be true.’

  ‘I cannot bear…’ Lady Sarah said and swooned. Her son caught her and eased her into a chair. ‘Please, call my doctor. I feel most unwell.’

  Lord Manners went to the door and shouted for help. He had tucked the rubies into his pocket, and when the servants appeared said nothing of the theft. He directed two of the footmen to help Lady Sarah to her room and Maisie followed, looking anxious and scared, while another servant was sent scurrying to fetch the doctor from the village.

  Eliza did not attempt to follow. When the others had gone, she looked at Lord Manners.

  ‘We both know I did not take those, sir. I think you know that I was not in my room last night and I believe it was you—or one of your servants—who placed the rubies here beneath my bed.’


  A smile of malice touched his lips. ‘You will leave this house at once, Miss Bancroft. Do not stay to pack more than a small bag. Anything more may be sent on another time. Go now or you will find yourself locked in a cell by the end of the morning.’

  ‘How can I leave when our mother is so ill?’

  ‘She is not your mother. Any hopes you had of her are gone.’ He walked to the door and looked back. ‘I am warning you, Miss Bancroft. You will leave now or you will suffer an unfortunate future. I do not imagine you would care for the life in prison. I hear that few survive more than a year or two and a young woman of your fastidious nature would find it hard to bear.’

  Eliza closed her eyes as he walked from the room. She walked along the corridor, but at the door of her mother’s room, Maisie barred her way.

  ‘I am sorry, miss. His lordship said as you weren’t to see her. She is too upset, miss.’

  ‘I have done nothing of which I am ashamed,’ Eliza said, her throat tight as she saw suspicion in the maid’s eyes. ‘You will take care of her? I love her so much.’

  ‘She will be safe with me, miss—but you should be ashamed. The kindness she showed you. How could you do such a thing?’

  ‘I did not steal those jewels. Had I done so, I should not have left them where they could be so easily found.’

  Eliza turned and walked back to her room. Lord Manners had not even thought of searching anyone else’s room, because he knew they would be in hers. He had made a show of searching for them to convince his mother, and it seemed he had succeeded.

  Holding back the tears, Eliza packed the things she could carry with her. She placed the aquamarine pendant on the dressing chest. She had taken nothing she had been given, other than her wages, of which only about half was left.

  She must leave at once, even though she was innocent of any crime. Her word would not be believed against that of Lord Manners. Even Maisie thought her guilty. The worst hurt was that her mother would think she was guilty; she would believe that Eliza had left of her own accord, but she would write to her and pray that she received the letter and would be prepared to accept Eliza’s innocence.