by Lena Dowling
With Agnes tending to Tristan and most of his things already packed, he found himself wandering up the stairs to Nellie’s room.
He couldn’t explain why. They’d never spent any time together there for fear of upsetting Pike.
To say goodbye, perhaps.
So far he hadn’t been able to bring himself to add the key for her old room to those hanging behind the bar. No one had lodged there since.
The wardrobe door lay open, almost empty apart from a stray garter and a shawl she had missed in her hurry to pack. Her towel hung on a hook beside the washstand above the soap dish.
Harry cautioned himself against reaching for the dry shard of soap left there, then tortured himself, holding it to his nose anyway.
He sighed. Wherever he went now, the scent of rose petals was always going to remind him of her.
Turning to leave, something out of place caught his eye wedged between the chair and the wardrobe on the floor. Bending to retrieve it, he found a small wooden box. The lid, loosely hinged, folded back in his hands. Inside, he found a document that almost disintegrated when he turned it out. To read it, he was obliged to lay it out flat on the bed, keeping it in one piece.
It was scarcely three lines.
All to my fiancée Miss Eleanor Patricia Malone in just, but in no way full, recompense for the false witness borne against the same by my mother, Lady Hester Diana Mellwood, and confessed to me by the latter on her deathbed.
‘Here you are. I wondered where you had got to,’ Tristan said, poking his head around the door. ‘What have you got there?’
‘Have a look,’ Harry said.
Tristan read the will more than once, thoughtfully stroking his chin.
‘Mmm, interesting.’
‘Would that be enough, do you think?’ Harry asked.
Tristan leaned closer, pointing to the fragile paper. ‘It’s been dated and signed and witnessed by two other officers, so it could be. What do you want to do?’
Harry carefully refolded the paper and returned it to the wooden box. He handed it to Tristan. ‘Would you deal with it?’
‘Of course, I’ll speak to Somerset.’
‘Is there anything else to go from here?’ Tristan said doubtfully, glancing around the sparse room.
‘The rest is all in my chamber downstairs.’
En route to his room, they passed Pike now ensconced in the kitchen, an array of boots and shoes laid out on newspaper on the table.
Pike laid down a brush laden with polish. ‘I hope you’re not requiring the table. Some of the guests wanted their footwear done.’
‘No, you are fine as you are. Mr Mallard is here to help collect my things,’ Harry said.
‘You’re away then?’
‘Shortly.’
Pike grunted, got up, and lumbered over to the sideboard. He returned with a bottle of rum and three glasses. ‘You’ll take a drink then, gentlemen.’
The man who had previously spoken only to Harry when spoken to, and even then who managed to make every communication skirt the cusp of civility, was now offering him a drink?
‘In farewell or celebration of my departure?’ Harry asked.
Pike took in a deep noisy breath and huffed it out again. He said, ‘It’s true, I didn’t like you much when you first arrived, sir. I always thought there was something shifty about you and turns out I wasn’t exactly wrong on that.’
‘And this is your idea of parting on good terms?’ Tristan said.
‘What I mean to say is, I’ve never seen our Nellie as content as she was when she was with you. Henley might have tricked her out in the finest clothes and given her a fancy carriage to ride around in, but she’s nowhere near as happy as she was here with you.’
‘It was her decision.’ Harry said.
Pike shook his head, and used his arm to sweep a pair of boots out of the way then placed place the items in his hands on the table.
‘Nell waited ten years for her fiancé to arrive, but he never came.’
Harry didn’t want to talk about Nellie. He would have a drink to be polite, if that’s what it took to leave without any bad blood between them, but as soon as that was done he wanted to get on with his packing.
Pike took the stopper off the bottle.
‘Mellwood his name was. Lost his life in a campaign in India trying to earn a commission. It was supposed to set the two of them up.’
Leaving Nellie in convict servitude for so long, this Mellwood disgusted him. Surely paying out a commission would only have taken a few years at the most. ‘The man certainly took his time over it.’
‘Sir William Mellwood was dead and buried before the ship Nellie was on docked here in the colony. The news arrived from Bengal around the same time she did, only O’Shane got down on it and kept it from her. He had most of the magistrates in his pocket, that’s how he got her the ticket of leave right off the bat. We only found out when we went searching for Danny’s will and discovered Mellwood’s with a letter that came with it from the regiment.’
Stunned, Harry picked up the bottle Pike had forgotten about and poured rum into each of the glasses.
‘Christ almighty,’ Tristan said, pushing past Harry to grasp a glass from the table, knocking it back in one slug.
Tristan drew his sleeve across his mouth. ‘And the money. Mellwood left her everything?’
‘Danny got that. Claimed it on her behalf and never paid it over.’
‘That low-life ...’ Tristan’s voice trailed away, lost for words.
‘Her first night here, she was auctioned off. Both Nellie and her cousin were. She was sold to Tompkins. After that it was always Nellie he asked for. I did what I could to keep her safe, but well, Tompkins likes it rough.’
Harry slammed his glass, its contents undrunk, back down on the table lest it fall from his hand and shatter.
But the image he couldn’t get out of his mind was not Nellie and Tompkins, but that day at the market, when he had auctioned off the clothes. Nellie had been absolutely terrified and now he understood why.
He turned to Tristan, bringing forth words that choked up in his mouth. ‘I need to speak with—can you—?’
‘Of course. I’ll bring the gig around.’
Chapter 31
It took thirty minutes to reach Henley Hall on the eastern side of town, but it seemed much longer than that. For most of the journey, Harry worried how on earth he would gain admittance and what he would do if he was refused. The way he was feeling, no pane of glass, no simple door, would stand between him and his need to see Nellie.
No wonder Nellie couldn’t forgive him. He was hardly better than O’Shane, withholding information from her for his own purposes, with terrible consequences for her. And he was certainly worse than Tristan. Tristan only lied to Emily about minor things—he had failed to be honest about something truly important.
Partway up the drive to the sandstone manor, Tristan pointed to a parasol bobbing its way up the hill, taking a narrow track cut down the hill from the mansion house to a bay beneath.
‘I’ll wait here with the horses,’ Tristan said.
Harry set off down the hill, a cold sea breeze battering his face and chest, while the warmth of the sun that had heated up the soil swirled around his legs, picking his way down the path.
Halfway down, he was sure it was Nellie. It was her silhouette, her pale skin and masses of blonde curls, blown out of their pins and trailing behind her like streamers.
Nellie stopped, raising a hand to shield her eyes. She turned and looked down to the bay, as if assessing two options. She swivelled to face the sea but did not resume her walk in either direction.
When Harry reached her, she stood calmly, both hands clasped over the top of a stout stick of driftwood.
‘Harry,’ Nellie said, in acknowledgement, her face giving away no expression.
He stepped down beside her, likewise turning his back to the wind. ‘I need to explain. To apologise.’
‘You�
��ve already done that. We have nothing more to say.’
‘No. I haven’t. Not fully and properly. By keeping my secret, I put both you and Pike in danger when you could have been safe.’
‘All that worryin’ about makin’ the rent, having to go cap in hand to Tompkins, and then Pikelet getting roughed up and thrown in prison. And all the time you’re Lord Ballyhooha playin’ pretend.’
‘And for that I am truly and deeply sorry. It wasn’t until Pike told me about Mellwood’s will and about Tompkins that I truly understood.’
Nellie lifted the stick and pushed it back down into the soil again, in resignation or agitation, he couldn’t tell. For a long time she didn’t say anything.
‘Pike told you this?’
He nodded.
‘Then he’s as much as given us his blessing.’
‘Yes. I suppose he has.’
‘It must have been a terrible shock losing your fiancée and everyone goin’ behind your back like that. You must have felt you couldn’t trust anyone and that you’d lost everything.’
‘And jealous.’ He had come to admit to everything, even if it meant they could never be together. He realised now that it was only on a foundation of utter truth that their love could stand and endure.
‘I know you thought I couldn’t accept your past. But it wasn’t your past as such but my jealousy. I was envious of everyone who had ever been close to you, even your friendship with Pikelet. I would have been jealous of Somerset if it hadn’t been for his proclivity.’
Nellie erupted in mirth.
‘Why, are you laughing?’
‘Somerset’s not a molly.’
‘He’s not?’
‘How do you know? Oh, stupid question,’ Harry released a deep belly laugh of his own at the absurdity of what he had asked.
‘Even though he was a customer—we never actually ... But I still know for a fact he’s not—you’ll just have to trust me on that.’
He did trust her.
More than anything. He doubted there could be any woman in the world more loyal or true to the people she loved.
‘The truth is I was afraid. Terrified of being hurt again like I was with Selina.’
‘I would never hurt you. Not like that. And I’m sorry too. I should have told you about Tompkins. What he was capable of. But I wanted to forget all of that and put the past behind me.’
‘I, better than anyone, can understand that. Can we not both put the past behind us together?’
‘What are you saying?’ she asked, even though he was sure she had guessed it.
Harry dropped down onto one knee. ‘Eleanor Malone, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?’
Nellie’s face flushed with happiness and yet in almost the same moment contracted in anguish. ‘But I’ve promised Henley.’
Harry froze. Cold dread washing over him. He knew now more than ever before that Nellie’s promise was her bond.
‘Surely he won’t hold you to it?’ he said, barely able to breathe.
‘I’ll have to speak to him.’
‘Shall I wait?’
‘No. I’ll come to the guesthouse after I’ve given him the news. Once it’s all settled. You have my word.’
Harry bowed his head. He let out a sigh, a breath deep enough to match the wind.
He understood now, just how much her word meant.
Epilogue
Nellie frowned at herself in the mirror. ‘I don’t reckon it looks as good on me as it does on you. Maybe we should swap and I should wear yours?’
‘Rubbish,’ Colleen said, stepping into the reflection wearing her second best dress, a pale blue one that had once belonged to Lady Hunter. ‘You were made to wear that pink with your blonde hair and fair skin. His lordship will faint when he sees you.’
Nellie lifted the shortened hem. ‘I hope the taking up and in hasn’t marked it.’
‘Are you criticising me sewing? I used a long light stich. You’ll not know where the tucks have been after.’
It was relief when Colleen had offered the gown for the wedding. As Colleen had reminded her, Harry had never seen it. While the forge was doing well and she was building things back up on the tavern side, an outfit like this was a king’s ransom and Harry, who was always careful with money, had been unusually so of late.
Nothing Nellie owned was remotely suitable, and all the fine clothes Henley had bought for her she’d left behind at Henley Hall. Even though Richard had been gracious enough to offer to let her take her anything he’d given her, it hadn’t seemed right and she’d left everything but what she’d arrived with behind.
‘Mrs Biggs, if you wouldn’t mind admitting me.’ Harry’s voice called out from behind the door.
Colleen opened it up no more than a crack. ‘Don’t you know it’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding?’
‘It can be very bad luck indeed. But not this time, I hope.’
Nellie laughed. ‘Go on, let him in.’
Colleen relented, throwing the door wide and Harry stepped into the chamber. He took a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to her. ‘I came to give you this.’
Nellie unfolded the paper and stared at it. It was her name at the top but nothing else made sense. The papers were to do with a ship, the Mayburn, which was already in port. She knew, because they’d taken in passengers off the ship as guests only the day before. And there was mention of a berth. ‘If this is what I think it is. I can’t leave the colony. I’m on a ticket. I won’t be able to leave this place for years. Maybe not ever,’ she said handing the paper back.
Harry tried to make out as if he were frowning only it didn’t come off properly, because he was fighting back a silly grin the same time. ‘You’d need a full pardon for that, would you?’ he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out another document.
‘What’s this?’ Nellie asked, suspicious.
‘Open it and have a look.’
‘Jesus, Mary and Joseph,’ Nellie said, using the paper to fan herself with while she tried to take it all in.
Colleen beamed at her.
‘You knew about this?’
‘I gave an affidavit on your behalf.’
‘They gave me a full pardon on your word?’
Colleen sniffed. ‘Thanks very much.’
‘Not just Colleen’s word, but because of what is written in Sir William Mellwood’s will. I found it while you were at Henley’s. Rowley helped arrange the whole thing, and wrote a letter of support,’ Harry said.
‘As if this day weren’t already a dream come true.’ Nellie felt as if she were going to float away. Then, just as quick, slammed back down to earth. ‘But I can’t.’
Harry took the pardon from her and folded the two documents together, then placed them back in his pocket. ‘I will hold on to these, but the double berth home to Ireland is my wedding gift. You long for home. You should lay eyes on it at least one more time in your life.’
‘I could never leave our Colleen.’
‘Ouch.’ Nellie rubbed her stinging cheek where Colleen had caught her with a slap. ‘What in God’s name?’
‘Why are you bein’ so soft?’
‘I just can’t.’
Colleen pulled her hands up onto her hips. ‘You don’t think you deserve to be happy. That’s what this is about, isn’t it?’
Nellie looked away from her cousin’s intimidating glare. ‘That’s ridiculous.’
‘You’ve forgotten how long we were here together locked up in these four walls. Me watchin’ you fade, witness to that guilt eatin’ you alive. You’re still punishin’ yourself now.’
‘How can I go and leave you here? It was me that got us transported. It was my fault. I ruined your life. Aw, Sweet Jesus, Coll, would you stop with the slapping! What was that one for?’ Nellie said, rubbing her other cheek, now stinging worse than the first.
‘For saying that about Mr Biggs, and Little Sam, and this one here,’ Colleen said pressing her
hand to her belly. ‘It was a hard road. And one we could have done without. But I’d not exchange my own little family for anything in the world. And now that you’ve got a chance for the same happiness, you’re to take it. I’ll not hear one word against. You deserve to see Ireland again. It’s your home as much as this place is mine. And before you ask, Pike will look after things here and Samuel will manage the land at Parramatta.’
‘And Tristan has agreed to collect the rents on the properties in town,’ Harry added.
‘What about the newspaper? We’ll miss the sailing.’ Convicts who had been given an absolute pardon had to put a notice in the newspaper before they could leave the colony.
‘The intention to leave notice is all arranged. And in case you’re worried, Tompkins is to be berthed on the Jamestown. It puts out this afternoon.’
With Harry putting in a word with the Governor, Tompkins had been demoted and reassigned to a post in India. She hadn’t even thought of them finding themselves on the same ship, but knowing Tompkins was soon to be gone from their lives forever made her happiness complete.
‘You’ve got it all worked out, haven’t you?’ Nellie said, giving her cousin a fierce hug.
When she let go, Harry stepped forward offering his arm. ‘Shall we? Everyone’s here now and Father O’Meara is waiting.’
‘Go on now—go downstairs and make yourself into Lady Chesterton,’ Colleen said, handing her a bouquet of pink and white roses Emily Mallard had sent from her garden.
Nellie looked up at Harry. ‘Mrs Eleanor Chester has a much nicer ring to it, doesn’t it?’
‘Yes, it does.’ Harry said. ‘You go first, Colleen, and I’ll hand her over to you and Pike at the bottom of the stairs.’
‘One last thing,’ Harry said reaching into his other pocket, pulling out a red velvet-covered box.
Nellie had seen one like it before. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘Henley called to wish you well for the day. I asked him to stay, but he said he‘d only called to give that to you.’
She set the jewellery box down on the bed.
‘You’re not going to wear it?’