by Rose Pearson
“A very good disguise, although I believe Major Ridding might check every other guest in his determination to find you,” Jacintha replied, with a laugh. “The poor man will be quite heartbroken.”
“And yet it must be done,” Jessica replied, softly. If Major Ridding did end up proposing to her tonight, Jessica already knew what her answer would be.
A very loud, resounding, no.
Chapter Twenty
Unfortunately for Jessica, Major Ridding was just as determined as her sisters had suggested. However he managed it, he discovered them almost at once, greeting them each in turn as his eyes twinkled with delight from behind his rather unadorned mask.
“You are not particularly difficult to recognize, Major,” Jessica said, mildly, taking in his military uniform and small mask. “Anyone would think you wish to be recognized, long before the unmasking.”
“Whereas it took me some time before I recognized you,” Major Ridding replied, with a wide grin. “I was watching the entrance line with great focus and dedication, I must tell you. I thought that I might identify your papa first and then to have three such beautiful young ladies follow straight after him told me that I must have found you!”
Jessica tried to smile, disappointed that he had been so eager in his desire to find her. “I had thought my mask of peacock feathers would have made me a little more difficult to seek out,” she murmured, still keeping her arm looped with Harmonia’s as they walked into the ballroom – aware that her father had already gone to the card room, just as they had predicted.
Major Ridding chuckled, shaking his head at her. “You wanted to be a little bit more of a mystery, is that it? Well, my dear Lady Jessica, I could not permit you to hide amongst the crowd, not when I wish to dance with you!”
So saying, he seized her dance card and wrote his initials on not one, but three separate dances.
“Major!” Jessica exclaimed, tugging the card from him. “You cannot write your name on three. That would be most improper and would suggest….” She trailed off, hearing Harmonia’s gasp of surprise. To dance three times with the same lady suggested a deep attachment and whispers of betrothal and matrimony often began flying around soon after.
“What of it?” he shrugged, not in the least bit upset. “After all, this is a masked ball and no-one will know it is I who has danced with you these three times. At least, not until the unmasking.”
Jessica swallowed and lifted her chin, determined that she would hide herself from him for one of the dances. “Major Ridding, I – ”
“Ah, the orchestra is already beginning!” Major Ridding exclaimed, catching her hand. “Come now, I do not want to miss a moment of your company.”
Throwing a helpless look towards her sisters, Jessica had no choice but to allow Major Ridding to lead her onto the dance floor, relieved that it was not the waltz this time. She went through the steps with little interest, keeping her mouth closed and conversation entirely non-existent, although Major Ridding continued to try to speak to her.
When the dance came to an end, he caught her arm and led her away from her sisters towards another part of the ballroom. Suddenly aware of just how strong the man was, Jessica began to tug her arm back, a wave of anxiety rushing over her.
“Major Ridding,” she exclaimed, aware that she was drawing some attention from the other guests. “My sisters are this way.”
“I will not take no for an answer,” he replied, firmly, turning to face her and catching her other hand with his strong one. “I must speak to you, Lady Jessica. In private. Now.”
She shook her head but he did not listen, simply grinning at her before pulling her in the direction of the French doors.
Jessica began to panic, knowing that she could not scream for a scandal would soon follow and she could do real damage to, not only her own reputation, but that of her sisters also. Her father, her rather fragile father, would not do well at all if such a thing came out, but she simply did not want to go anywhere with Major Ridding. His insistence and strength frightened her, making panic claw at her nerves.
“My dear Jessica,” Major Ridding began, the moment they stepped outside. “You cannot try to hide your affection from me, no matter how much you pretend to struggle. I know you wish for this just as much as I.”
He hurried her down some steps and began to walk away from the ballroom, his hand tight on her arm. Stopping at a small alcove, he turned her into it and stood directly in front of her, blocking her exit. Jessica was forced to look up at him, her breath quickening in her chest as she saw the gleam in his eye, lit only by a few faint lanterns and the light of the moon.
“Jessica, my love,” Major Ridding crooned, his hands now soft on hers. “I have long wanted to tell you of my adoration and affection for you. I feel as though we are two hearts that beat as one. Our dreams, our hopes are the same. I know you have an urge to explore more of the world and I can give that to you!”
“Major Ridding,” Jessica replied, trying to keep her voice calm as she pulled her hands out of his grasp. “You are much too forward. What can you be thinking, pulling me out of the ballroom with such a lack of decorum?”
This did not seem to stop him at all, for he simply laughed softly and shook his head. “You must forgive me, my dear Jessica. My ardent love for you forced me to speak to you for I could not wait another moment – and I could hardly tell you of my affections when I was within the confines of the ballroom! Someone might have interrupted us and this moment ought to be one of the most romantic, the most wonderful moments of our lives.” His hands reached out towards her face and Jessica stepped back, only for her back to bump into the trellis behind her.
“You are such a beautiful creature,” Major Ridding whispered, untying the ribbon of her mask and letting it fall to the ground. “I can hardly believe that you will be mine.”
Jessica cleared her throat, folding her arms over her chest so that he could not take them again. “Major Ridding, I do not love you.”
His hands dropped to his sides, his eyes widening.
“I have never loved you, nor do I believe I could ever come to care for you,” Jessica continued, aware that she was being callous but finding that she did not care whether or not she hurt his feelings. “Whatever it is you wish of me, I will tell you now that I cannot give it to you.”
“I want you to marry me,” he said, reaching for her, which forced her to turn away from him, desperately wishing to find a way out. “I need a bride and you are the one I have chosen. Love does not matter to me and nor should it matter to you. After all, most alliances such as ours will be do not require love. Whilst I will declare here and now that I love you with all of my heart, it does not matter to me whether or not you return it. My offer still stands. I will make a wonderful husband, I assure you.”
Jessica shook her head. “As appreciative as I am of the offer, Major Ridding,” she said, firmly. “I cannot accept. I do not think we would have a happy union.”
“Of course we would!” he exclaimed, grasping her arm as she made to move past him. “I love you and, in time, I know you would love me. You will forget about Lord Warwick in time. He is not the man for you, and I have made certain that nothing will ever blossom between you. You and I are destined, Lady Jessica, can you not see it?”
Jessica’s throat constricted with fear, her eyes focusing on Major Ridding’s face. There was something behind the earnest expression, a determination and almost a hint of madness that frightened her. “What did you say to Lord Warwick?” she whispered, suddenly afraid that he had said something to turn Lord Warwick away from her. “Did you send him to London? Did you tell him I did not care for him?”
Major Ridding’s faint smile dropped from his face, his eyes darkening with anger. “I did what I had to,” he snarled, shaking her just a little. “Lord Warwick thinks you are in love with me and he will not be returning to you!”
Jessica fell against the trellis, her legs trembling as her free hand pressed again
st her mouth. All this time, she had believed Lord Warwick to be the one who had turned from her, but the truth was that Major Ridding had been behind it all. Whatever he had done or said, he had achieved his aim of separating them, with the intention of having her to himself.
“You will forget him in time, once I have taken you on a great many travels to a great many lands,” Major Ridding continued, leaning closer to her. “All you need do is agree to be my bride.”
Jessica shook her head firmly, her mind screaming at her to get away from him. “I will never consent,” she whispered, pushing against him, hard. “I will never be yours, Major Ridding, not after what you have done.”
His expression grew dark, his other hand reaching for her shoulder and grasping her tight. “I will force you to be mine, then,” he breathed, tugging her hard against him and wrapping his arms around her waist. Lifting her bodily onto the path, he began to drag her back towards the terrace, with an evil glint in his eye. Jessica, aware of exactly what he intended, began to scream, only for him to turn and slam his lips down on hers, his teeth snaring her lips painfully.
This was what he intended to do. He intended to have someone see them, someone who would then tell the rest of the ton what they had seen and therefore forcing her into marriage to avoid a scandal. Even if she refused, the scandal would touch her sisters and bring her father’s name into disrepute. It was a very well thought out plan, but Jessica was not about to be treated so disparagingly. Lifting her knee, she brought it up against him, hard.
Major Ridding howled in pain, the sound caught up by the noise of laughter and dancing emanating from the ballroom. His hands left Jessica’s arms and, as he collapsed on the stairs leading up to the terrace, clearly in a significant amount of pain, Jessica did the only thing she could think of and ran past him, heading away from the ballroom and further into the gardens. She wanted to return to her sisters but that would mean trying to get past Major Ridding who was still lying on the stairs back to the French doors, and she simply could not risk him putting his hands on her again.
Seeing a dim light coming from some buildings nearby, Jessica hurried forward, lifting her skirts high. It was the Ridgley’s stables and, for a moment, Jessica hoped she might be able to secure one of the groomsmen’s protection from Major Ridding, who was surely by now on his way towards her – but there was no-one to be seen.
“Do not panic, do not panic,” Jessica whispered to herself, drawing in long, unsteady breaths as she tried to think what to do. She knew she had to put herself as far away from Major Ridding as possible and could not risk returning to the ball when she was so clearly in a state of disarray. Tongues would wag, especially if Major Ridding were to return soon after, also rather untidy. That meant she would have to hide somewhere until someone, somewhere, came to find her.
The stables were no hiding place, however. Major Ridding could very easily find her and compromise her here, which meant that she would either have to find another place to hide or, instead, take a mount and ride in the direction of London.
“Do not think you can hide from me, Lady Jessica!”
Major Ridding’s scream made her tremble and, without deliberating another second, Jessica began to approach the horses. A mare was standing just outside her stall, the saddle still on her back. It was not a side saddle as Jessica was used to but it would have to do. Finding a mounting block and praying that the horse was as gentle as she looked, Jessica climbed onto its back and, just as Major Ridding stepped inside the stables, urged her horse out of the door and into the night.
Chapter Twenty-One
Jessica did not know where she was going or what she was doing. The darkness ate her up, shrouding both her and her horse in its dark folds. The horse, completely disorientated, refused to ride any further and came to a rather sudden stop.
“No,” Jessica pleaded, her heart pounding frantically in her chest. “No, you silly thing, you can’t just stop here. I need to keep going! He’s going to catch me!”
The creature must have heard the pain her voice for, after a moment of stamping and shaking its mane, it began to move again, simply walking forward in a very straight line. The moon began to come out from behind the clouds, lighting up the fields around Jessica with a silvery light, allowing her to see a great deal more clearly.
“Thank you,” she whispered, patting the horse’s flank and breathing a sigh of relief. She allowed the horse to go where it wished, her mind filled with a hundred different questions that flowed through her all at once.
So Major Ridding had been orchestrating the whole thing behind her back – behind Lord Warwick’s back also. She could hardly believe it, for she had never considered that the man could be so cruel and so callous, especially when he had served in the army with Lord Warwick for such a long time. Even Lord Warwick himself had spoken very highly of him and had not even criticised him for his lack of consideration to his responsibilities as regarded his title. No, he had simply stated that a man must do what they each feel is right for them, right in their own eyes, and that he himself had chosen a rather different path from that of Major Ridding.
So what had possessed Major Ridding to turn his back on his friend and treat him in so deceitful a manner? Jessica shuddered as the horse continued to ride further into the fields, recalling how he had grasped her arm so painfully. There had been something in his eyes that had made her shiver, something that spoke of a touch of madness. It was as though he could not bear to have her refuse him, could not accept that she might choose to be with another. He had planned to force himself on her so that she would have no choice but to wed him! Jessica could not imagine what life would be like married to a man she hated, for that was how she now viewed Major Ridding – as a man she could never trust, never respect, never have anything but disgust for.
“Oh, Warwick,” she murmured, her head hanging low as she sat in the saddle. “What is to become of us?”
She had hoped he would come to the ball but, if he was there now, he would not find her. Nor would he find Major Ridding. Would he believe that they had left together, that they were already betrothed? If only she could go to him, explain to him all that had happened and beg him to forgive her for her foolishness, then there might still be a chance for them both to find the happy future she had once dreamed of…but she had no idea where to start looking. He might still be in London, or he might have returned home. Worse, he might refuse to read her letters, should she send them, or entirely ignore her presence if she came calling. Major Ridding’s cruelty had put a great wedge between them, which was just as he had intended. Whilst she had no intention of every marrying Major Ridding, that did not mean that she would be able to wed Lord Warwick. Maybe too much damage had already been done. Maybe too much time had passed. Maybe too much pain had been caused.
“Jessica!”
She froze in the saddle, her hands clinging tightly to the reins. Her horse let out a startled whinny, making her cringe with fright.
“You’re not getting away!” came the loud shout. “This is nonsense, Jessica, riding away like that! You’re only trying to push away the inevitable.” There was a long pause, his voice reaching her from far away. “You’re going to be mine eventually, Jessica.”
Jessica tightened her grip on the reins, swallowing her fear. She was not about to simply give in and let his threats force her into submission. Keeping low in her seat, she nudged the horse with her heels, both grateful for and frustrated with the bright moonlight that lit her path. Glancing up at the sky, she saw that clouds surrounded the moon but not one had crossed its path. It was as if the moon was desperate to help her, shining with all its might as she made her way through the field, not knowing in which direction to go.
She looked all about her, praying that her horse would remain silent. There was very little to see, no matter where she looked. All there was were fields, filled with long waving grasses and only a few trees standing proudly nearby. There was no welcoming lights of a village anywhe
re, no place where she could beg to be hidden, no-one she could call to for help.
Beginning to panic, Jessica began to ride towards the small copse of trees, hoping that Major Ridding would, somehow, not spot her in the wide open fields as she rode. Her horse protested, and, as she came to a tall wooden fence, shied and only just managing to jump it. Instead of landing gracefully and bolting into a strong gallop, it simply came to a stumbling stop and Jessica, much to her dismay, fell from the saddle.
Her dress sank into the mud, dampness seeping, into her skin. Grasping the reins and looking all about her, Jessica tried her best to climb back into the saddle but found she simply could not do so.
A cloud drifted over the moon, blocking its light and, just as it did so, Jessica saw a shadow move in the distance.
Growing frantic, Jessica tried to speak soothingly to her frightened horse, despite the fear growing steadily in her chest. She had to get back onto her mount if she was to have any chance of escaping from Major Ridding. Her hands slipped as she tried to climb onto the wooden fence, using it as a boost to help her climb onto the horse’s back. Her soft kid slippers were wet through, making it difficult to stand without slipping back, but, eventually, she managed to heave herself back on. Her dress tore with a loud rip, exposing her leg to the wind but Jessica had no time to care. Grasping the reins in her hands and trying to steady her composure just a little, she looked all about her, wondering where Major Ridding might be now.
The sound of thundering hooves startled her horse, making it burst into a gallop. Jessica cried out, unable to stop herself and clung to the horse for dear life, aware that Major Ridding was close to catching her. Her eyes burned as the wind whipped at her hair, tearing the pins from it and blowing it all around her shoulders.