The way he thanked her for helping them and the way he looked at Charis told Alecia all she wanted to know.
After that she ceased to protest at anything Charis suggested to her.
To her surprise, even though she knew that it was under Harry’s influence, Charis had everything mapped out in an efficient and sensible manner, which Alecia was sure she would have been unable to do a year ago.
Lord Kiniston, in his letter, as Charis had already told her, had appointed a Mrs. Belton, the wife of a Major in his Regiment, to escort her on the journey to Cambrai.
It was Charis who saw the difficulty of a meeting in London, where the servants would be aware that Alecia was not her.
“It has all been fixed, dearest,” she said. “I have sent a note by one of the grooms to where Mrs. Belton is staying, apologising for not coming personally, as I was so busy packing for the visit to my Guardian and explaining that, as I would be staying in the country to say goodbye to one of my relatives, I would meet her at The Green Dragon, which I know is a Posting house about three-quarters of the way to Dover.”
As The Green Dragon was very much nearer to Alecia’s home, this made it an easy journey for her, especially with the superb horses that Charis had sent to convey her.
The moment they had arrived together in London, Charis had started to provide Alecia with a new wardrobe that left her gasping.
Not only did she buy her a number of gowns that could be finished in the little time they had, but she also gave her dozens of her own things, which not only fitted Alecia but became her in the same way as they had made Charis the best-dressed debutante of the previous year.
“I am going to have everything new for my trousseau,” she told Alecia, “and, as I can afford it, why not?”
She put arms around her cousin as she spoke and said,
“If you say ‘no’ to one single thing I give you, I shall be very hurt. I am really salving my conscience for not having remembered while I was having such a wonderful time that you were left behind in the country with no one to admire you.”
“I was very happy until Mama died,” Alecia said, “and I was so delighted to hear of your success and how beautiful everyone thought you were.”
“You are just as beautiful as I am,” Chads replied, “and let’s hope that the whole of the Army of Occupation realises it!”
Alecia laughed.
“One hundred and fifty thousand men!” she exclaimed. “That is really asking too much!”
“You can have every one of them,” Charis said, “and the Duke of Wellington thrown in, as long as you leave me Harry.”
There was a softness in her voice and a look in her eyes as she spoke that told Alecia how much she loved the Viscount.
She prayed fervently when she was alone at night that Charis would be really happy and never disillusioned.
She knew from the gossip she had heard even in the village of Little Langley how the bucks and beaux in London fêted a beautiful woman one moment and were bored with her the next.
Tales of how callous and heartless they were had often reached Alecia’s ears and she had been afraid that Charis, being so beautiful as well as having an important background and a rich father, would be married not for herself, but for her social position and her money.
But having seen Harry Turnbury, she knew that no less than Charis, he was wholeheartedly in love and she told herself, whatever they asked her to do and however difficult it might be, she must not fail them.
At the same time she was well aware of how unsophisticated she was and how ignorant of the Social world in which Charis shone so brightly.
When the horses turned in to the large yard of The Green Dragon, her fingers were cold and she felt as if there were a hundred butterflies fluttering in her breast.
The one consolation was that her father would be well cared for after she had left.
When she had gone to see Mrs. Milden, she realised how stupid she had been since her mother’s death in not encouraging her to continue to visit the house as she had always done, and to give her father a companionship that was different from the one she could give him.
Mrs. Milden was a quiet pretty woman who also had an excellent brain because she spent so much time reading, being too shy to make many social friends.
She had always loved Lady Sophie, who had loved her.
The way she greeted Alecia and listened to her attentively showed that she not only understood what the problem would be while she was away, but was willing to do anything that was required of her.
“Papa has been so unhappy since Mama died,” Alecia said confidingly, “and, although he often forgets I am there when he is writing his books, I know he hates having meals alone and needs somebody to encourage him.”
“What are you suggesting I do?” Mrs. Milden asked a little nervously.
“I was thinking that if you could have luncheon with Papa every day and persuade him to have dinner with you, it would make things very much easier for Bessie, who finds it difficult cooking two meals a day and the exercise of walking from the Manor House to yours would be very good for him.”
“I understand, dear child, of course I do,” Mrs. Milden said, “and I will try to persuade your father, but you must not be angry with me if he refuses.”
“I don’t think that Papa will refuse you,” Alecia said. “What he dislikes more than anything else is to be alone in the rooms where everything reminds him of Mama and to know that she will not answer when he calls her.”
She knew that Mrs. Milden understood by the way she put her hand on hers and said,
“I will try! I will try, dear Alecia, to do everything I can to help your father and of course you.”
One thing that Alecia knew which made everything easier was that she would have enough money to buy food.
First, however, she had taken the carriage to the market town nearest to Little Langley and put the money in her father’s name in the Bank.
“This is a pleasant surprise, Miss Stambrook,” the Bank Manager said.
“I want to ask you a favour, Mr. Graham.”
She knew the Bank Manager was listening as she went on,
“This money has been given to Papa by an admirer, who would be very embarrassed if Papa found out about it.”
Mr. Graham raised his eyebrows and Alecia explained,
“It is somebody who thinks his books are marvellous and who knows what very straitened circumstances we are in, but would not wish to hurt Papa’s pride by asking him to accept such a large sum. I am therefore begging you not to send him any statement until I return home.”
The Bank Manager nodded, thinking at the same time how lovely Alecia looked as she pleaded with him.
“I understand perfectly, Miss Stambrook,” he said, “and I will personally see that no bank statements are sent until you advise us of your return and any cheques your father writes will, of course, be honoured in the usual way.”
“Thank you, Mr. Graham, thank you very much indeed,” Alecia smiled.
When she returned home she gave Bessie a large sum of money to pay every bill they owed in the neighbourhood.
Then she had enough money to provide her father with good nourishing food for at least a month.
“With all this money lying about I’ll be afraid of robbers!” Bessie exclaimed.
“Hide it somewhere,” Alecia suggested. “You know as well as I do that robbers would not expect to find anything of any value in this house!”
Bessie laughed.
“You’re right there, Miss Alecia, and it’s a cryin’ pity Lady Charis couldn’t have been so generous before we had to dispose of your poor mother’s jewels.”
Because it made Alecia sad to think of it, she did not answer, but merely said,
“Don’t let Papa know that things are better than they have been for a long time. I doubt in fact if he will notice the difference anyway.”
“He’s not human, he’s livin’ in the clouds and hi
s feet never touches the ground!” Bessie said.
Then, because she loved Alecia, she added,
“Now, you take care of yourself, Miss Alecia, not that you don’t deserve a good time with her Ladyship. At the same time you be careful of them rakes as you’ll find in London. Many a decent girl has found her life ruined ‘cos of them!”
Alecia had, of course, not told Bessie that she was going abroad, and when the carriage arrived she was waiting in the hall so that the coachman would have no chance of saying that they were not travelling to London, as Bessie and her father thought, but going to Dover.
Charis had told her that she had sent her own horses to The Green Dragon so that they would not be so long on the road as if they had to employ posting horses, which were never of the best quality.
“I am afraid, dearest, you will have to be alone and unchaperoned for the first part of the journey,” Charis had said, “but once you get to The Green Dragon you will find Mrs. Belton and the Courier whom Lord Kiniston has provided and, of course, a lady’s maid.”
Alecia’s eyes had widened.
“A lady’s maid!” she exclaimed. “But surely she will know I am not you?”
“I have thought it out carefully,” Charis replied, “and I had to let Martha, who has been with me for years, into the secret that I am to marry Harry. She is delighted and has produced a relative whom she says is an excellent lady’s maid. She thinks that she will be travelling with me to France while Martha has a rest.”
Alecia had laughed a little ruefully.
“It all gets more and more complicated,” she said, “and more and more frightening. You are quite sure that the new maid will really think I am you?”
“Martha is as brilliant a liar as I am!” Charis said complacently.
She laughed before she added,
“Do you remember how when we were children I was always being punished for lying, while you were the goody-goody one, who never told a fib and was always held up to me as a shining example?”
“I am sure that is not true,” Alecia objected.
Equally she thought to herself that lies were unlucky and she hoped that she would not have to tell too many, even though she was acting a very large lie indeed in pretending to be Charis.
But from the moment she put on an extremely elegant blue travelling gown with a cape edged with fur to wear on the voyage and the smartest bonnet she had ever possessed, she felt as if she had stepped into her new part not only looking like Charis but feeling like her.
She was well aware, however, that she had none of the self-confidence or the authority that Charis had acquired since she had been such a success in the Social world.
Alecia’s pride forbade her to let herself appear as nervous as she felt and she walked into The Green Dragon with her chin up.
The landlord hurried forward to greet the occupant of such a smart travelling carriage.
“I am – Lady Charis Langley,” Alecia managed to say, “and I think there is a Mrs. Belton waiting to see me.”
“Yes, indeed, my Lady,” the proprietor said, rubbing his hands together appreciatively. “If your Ladyship’ll come this way. I’ll show you to the private parlour.”
He went ahead and Alecia followed him.
When he opened a door, she saw to her relief that Mrs. Belton was quite a homely-looking woman with a pleasant smile and clothes that were in good taste, if not particularly expensive.
“Oh, here you are, Lady Charis!” Mrs. Belton exclaimed. “I have been worrying in case anything should delay you and we would be too late arriving at Dover to catch the ship. Mr. Hunt tells me that it goes out on the tide.”
Alecia looked enquiringly at the man who had risen at her entrance and realised, even before Mrs. Belton explained, that she was referring to the Courier whom Lord Kiniston had engaged to take them safely to Cambrai and who had come down with her from London.
Mr. Hunt obviously knew his place and, having bowed to Alecia, he went into the yard to supervise the changing of the horses and see that the coachmen had a quick meal before they proceeded on their way.
Food was also waiting for Alecia and she thought that Lord Kiniston must be as efficient in his organisation as Charis was in hers.
Half-an-hour later she and Mrs. Belton were sitting comfortably in the carriage behind fresh horses, while the Courier and her lady’s maid, whom she had not yet seen, were following in another also drawn by four horses and carrying their baggage.
The road to Dover was good because it was frequently used by the Prince Regent and they moved at a far quicker pace than Alecia expected and quick enough to prevent Mrs. Belton from worrying whether they would miss the ship.
They had not driven far before Alecia found that Mrs. Belton was an inveterate gossip and an unceasing talker.
She chatted away about her time in London, how much she was looking forward to seeing her husband again and how boring he, like most of the Officers, was finding his job with the Army of Occupation, because they had so little to do.
“War is one thing, Lady Charis, but peace is another,” Mrs. Belton said, “and one cannot really blame a man for preferring the excitement of war.”
“I think war is terrifying,” Alecia replied.
“Well, you must not say so to your Guardian,” Mrs. Belton laughed, “considering the success war has brought him.”
“Success?” Alecia queried.
She realised how little she knew about Lord Kiniston and that perhaps this was a good opportunity to learn something about him.
“You must be aware, Lady Charis, that Lord Kiniston is one of the most brilliant soldiers we have ever had in the British Army with the exception, of course, of His Grace the Duke of Wellington.”
“No, I did not know,” Alecia murmured.
“Well, to begin with, he is the youngest General – ”
“The youngest?” Alecia interrupted. “I thought he would be quite old.”
Mrs. Belton laughed.
“Oh, no, dear, you have got it all wrong. He cannot yet be more than thirty-three and he was made a General after a battle in which his Commanding Officer was killed and he took over and used such outstandingly brilliant tactics that the Frenchies all ran away and our losses were infinitesimal.”
“Only thirty-three!” Alecia murmured beneath her breath.
“Yes, that is all,” Mrs. Belton said, “but you will find him rather awe-inspiring. They say that he has modelled himself on His Grace, but quite frankly I find the Duke easier to talk to and in a way far more human than Lord Kiniston.”
“In what way?” Alecia enquired.
“Well, he has a manner – “ Mrs. Belton said as if she was feeling for words, “a sort of looking through you, I cannot really explain it, but it is as if he suspects that you have something hidden beneath the surface that is more interesting than what he can see at a casual glance.”
She made a gesture with her gloved hands as she added,
“Oh, I cannot explain it. I never was good at analysing people, but that is what Lord Kiniston does, from all I hear, and the Duke relies on him, knowing that if a man is hiding a secret, Lord Kiniston will be aware of it.”
Alecia drew in her breath.
This sounded very alarming and she wondered what would happen if the moment she arrived Lord Kiniston knew that she was hiding a secret and demanded an explanation.
Then she told herself that there was no reason for him to suspect for one moment that she was not everything she pretended to be.
Mrs. Belton was still talking,
“Of course,” she said, “you will understand that being so young and so handsome and, of course, so very very rich, women find your Guardian irresistible.”
“Women?” Alecia faltered. “I did not – think there would be many at Cambrai.”
She had envisaged in her own mind that a Garrison town would be crowded with soldiers all in uniform, while the Officers like Lord Kiniston would be extremely preoccupied wit
h keeping order and, of course, drilling the troops.
Mrs. Belton was laughing again.
“I can see you are in for a surprise, Lady Charis!” she said. “You have been thinking, as I did myself, that life at Cambrai means the austerity and discomfort of a Barracks, but I can promise you that life there is better than that!”
She went on to explain that the Duke of Wellington had taken a château at Mont-Saint-Martin, which was about twelve miles from his Headquarters in Cambrai.
“Actually he set an example,” Mrs. Belton said, “for Lord Kiniston immediately found another château, almost as large as the Duke’s and most beautifully furnished. Whenever I have been there, I always envy his guests.”
“I – don’t understand,” Alecia managed to say. “I did not know that there would be much entertainment at Cambrai, although I knew the Duke had a house in Paris.”
She had learnt all this from Charis, but, because her cousin had been certain that she would not be called upon to go to Paris, she had not paid much attention.
It had never struck her that there would be any sort of Society in a Garrison town.
“Well, I can see you are in for a surprise!” Mrs. Belton said again. “And because you are attractive, my dear, I think Lady Lillian Somerset will also be surprised!”
“Who is Lady Lillian?” Alecia asked.
“Of course I am telling tales out of school,” Mrs. Belton tittered, “but she is Lord Kiniston’s ‘friend’ and it is hardly a secret that she hopes very much to be his wife.”
Alecia looked surprised and Mrs. Belton went on,
“Lady Lillian’s husband was killed two years ago before the Battle of Waterloo and, as she is a cousin of Lord Kiniston, she has taken over the running of his château for him and will act as chaperone while you are there.”
Alecia wondered if this would make things more difficult than they were already and decided that if Lord Kiniston were interested in Lady Lillian, perhaps he would pay very little attention to her and she might in fact find it easy to keep out of his way as much as possible.
Mrs. Belton was still chattering on,
Love Casts Out Fear Page 3