Melinda Hammond

by The Dream Chasers

  ‘Rupert, I think it is time for the truth. I am releasing you from our engagement.’

  Even in the dim light his confusion was evident.

  ‘R-releasing me? I - I don’t understand.’

  ‘Dear Rupert, I am sorry, but I find I don’t love you, after all.’ She gave a little sigh. ‘When we were in Somerset, I was sure I did — I think you swept me off my feet! But, but once I arrived in London, everything changed.’

  ‘Stacey, there is no need for this! You are confused, perhaps, because everything has happened so quickly.’ Rupert took her hands, giving her a tight smile. ‘Have I been a little distant recently? I am sorry. I promise you, I don’t mean to cry off.’

  ‘Oh, how kind you are, dear Rupert! But we should not suit, you see. I am far too careless of convention for your taste, I know that, and you — well, you deserve better than to be tied to someone who cannot make you happy.’ She squeezed his hands before letting them go. ‘I have known for some time that my feelings have changed: I was going to tell you the day my grandfather came to London, but, but once you had declared yourself, and Grandpapa accepted so readily, I was too much overcome to tell you. But now — well, I know it would never work out, and I am releasing you.’

  ‘Stacey, I — I don’t know what to say. . .’ Rupert ran his hands through his carefully disordered locks. ‘My dear — if I have given you cause to think—’

  ‘No, no, you have been most punctilious in your attentions, but I do not love you, and you, I think — no, I am certain — your heart belongs to another.’ She smiled at his swift protest. ‘No, don’t deny it, Rupert. You love Helen, do you not?’

  For a long moment Rupert said nothing, then with a sigh he turned away and, sinking down on to a low wall, he dropped his head into his hands.

  ‘With all my heart,’ he groaned. ‘We — I had hoped to conceal it from you.’

  ‘Don’t reproach yourself, Rupert. Perhaps if I had not fallen out of love with you, I would not have seen it. And Helen loves you, too, does she not?’

  He sighed. ‘I — yes. But it cannot be. She is to marry Lagallan.’

  Eustacia sat beside him on the wall, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

  ‘You must persuade her to cry off.’

  ‘She will not.’

  ‘But, Rupert, you must try! I know Mr and Mrs Pensford would not wish her to marry against her heart. And you are not ineligible; your fortune may be less than Vivyan’s, but you are not a pauper!’

  He shook his head. ‘Helen - Miss Pensfold — has a strong sense of duty.’

  ‘Duty!’ exclaimed Eustacia. ‘There is no love between them; Vivyan knows that, but he cannot — will not — cry off, knowing how ruinous that would be to Helen’s reputation! Helen must be persuaded, Rupert. If she doesn’t love Vivyan, it is wrong of her to make him unhappy!’

  Rupert raised his head and looked at her, sudden understanding dawning in his eyes.

  ‘So that’s it! By God, it’s Lagallan you care for!’

  ‘If Helen marries him, all three of you will be unhappy!’

  ‘But would you be quite so concerned if Vivyan Lagallan was not involved?’ He read the answer in her eyes. ‘Devil take it, Stacey, surely you don’t think he will marry you?’

  She flinched at the incredulous note in his voice.

  ‘Of course not, but I will do anything within my power to spare him pain. Persuade Helen to cry off, Rupert; there is no sensible reason why you two should not be happy.’

  He looked at her. ‘Do you think so, truly?’

  She smiled. ‘Truly.’ She gave him a little push. ‘Go and find her now.’

  She followed Mr Alleyne back into the ballroom, and watched as he made his way to Miss Pensford. He spoke to her, then they moved back to sit on a small sofa that had been placed in one of the alcoves. Even from a distance, Eustacia could see that they were in earnest conversation, their fair heads close together, and she held her breath, willing Rupert to succeed, but after a few moments Rupert jumped to his feet. Miss Pensford averted her face, and raised one white hand in a gesture of dismissal. Rupert, his lips tightly compressed, stalked away.

  Miss Marchant quickly intercepted him.

  ‘Well? What did she say?’

  He looked down at her, his face flushed with anger, and for some moments his angry gaze looked straight through her.

  ‘Rupert?’

  ‘What? Oh — she is not to be moved. Stacey, I — I am very grateful for what you have done in releasing me from our betrothal, but — but it is not to be expected that Miss Pensford could cry off from an engagement! It is not in her nature to act in — in such an unladylike manner.’

  Eustacia stared at him, then an angry flush rose over her face.

  "You imply that I have done so, in fact?’

  ‘That is not what I meant!’

  ‘It is exactly what you meant!’ she flashed, blinking away angry tears. ‘Oh, go away, Rupert! I might have been unladylike, but I cannot regret jilting you!’ She turned on her heel and walked off, not pausing until she had reached the relative calm of the main landing. She leaned against the balustrade, breathing deeply to regain her temper. How dare he? When her actions had saved him from a loveless marriage! For some minutes she continued to rage inwardly, but gradually common sense reasserted itself. The clock in the hall below began to chime: ten o’clock! Since Rupert had failed to persuade Helen to cry off, she would have to try what she could do to free Vivyan from a disastrous match.

  * * * *

  Miss Pensford was dancing when Eustacia went back into the ballroom, but it was clear to anyone who knew her well that the young lady was not enjoying herself. As the music stopped, Eustacia waited for the couples to disperse, then went up to Miss Pensford, saying brightly:

  ‘There you are, Helen! I have been looking for you. Pray step aside with me for a moment, that we may talk.’

  Miss Pensford gave her a curious glance, but allowed herself to be guided into a small side chamber which was empty save for one aged dowager dozing on a sofa. Eustacia softly closed the door.

  ‘You know — Rupert has told you — that we are no longer engaged?’

  Miss Pensford drew away a little.

  ‘Yes, and I cannot condone it.’

  ‘I would not ask that of you, but I need your help. You do not look to be enjoying the party, Helen, and neither am I. I will be leaving at eleven o’clock, and I beg you, as my friend, to come with me.’

  Miss Pensford stared at her.

  ‘Leave? But how can I? Mama—’

  ’You may tell Mrs Pensford that I am unwell and you are accompanying me home. Helen, please do this for me; I would not ask you if it were not imperative. Lady Bilderston is enjoying herself, and I owe her so much already that I do not wish to drag her away so early! Once we are alone, I will explain everything to you. Please say you will come with me!’

  Miss Pensford’s resolve wavered. She had not been hopeful of an enjoyable evening, but it had proved far, far worse than she had expected: to stay would only prolong the misery.

  ‘Very well. I will come with you. You may set me down at my house, for it is only one block away from your own at Fanshawe Gardens.’

  A delighted smile broke upon Miss Marchant’s countenance. While Helen went to inform her mama that she was leaving, Eustacia left a message for Lady Bilderston and passed another note to one of the footmen, pressing a coin into his hand as she gave him detailed instructions. Then she dragged Helen down the wide staircase and called for their wraps. A small figure in a red cloak appeared from the shadows near the main doors. Miss Marchant held out her hand.

  ‘Ah, Nan, there you are. Have you brought my bag with you?’

  ‘Yes’m.’ Nan smiled worshipfully at Miss Marchant, and held out a large reticule.

  ‘Stacey, you know this creature?’ exclaimed Miss Pensford.

  Eustacia’s smile grew.

  ‘Of course. I rescued Nan at Covent Garden. Did Rupert not t
ell you? I felt sure he would.’

  ‘Well, yes, but-’

  Miss Marchant was not listening. She turned again to Nan.

  ‘There has been a change of plan, child. I shall not be needing you now. Take these coins; you must take a chair back to Lady Bilderston’s and wait to hear from me. I shall send for you and Tom as soon as I can.’

  Nan sketched a clumsy curtsy and hurried off, leaving Miss Marchant to usher her bemused friend out of the big double doors, just as the clock struck eleven.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Outside, there was very little traffic, but Eustacia noted that a large travelling-carriage was drawn up at the side of the road. She linked her arm through Helen’s and guided her down the steps. Nathan MacCauley emerged from the carriage and held open the door.

  "Well, at least you are punctual, I’ll say that much for you!’ he muttered.

  ‘Who is that?’ demanded Miss Pensford, hesitating.

  ‘Only a servant,’ murmured Eustacia, hurrying her friend into the carriage.

  ‘Servant?’ exclaimed Mr MacCauley, following them into the coach. This ain’t your maid, I’ll be bound!’

  ‘Maid? Stacey, what is going on?’ cried Miss Pensford.

  The carriage began to pull away and Eustacia waited until it was moving at a smart pace before replying.

  ‘I am running away to be married, Helen, and I need a chaperone.’

  It was not to be expected that Miss Pensford would accept such an explanation with equanimity. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened as she stared at Miss Marchant.

  ‘Pray, Eustacia, this is no time for funning!’

  ‘I am in earnest! I have promised to marry this gentleman, but surely you can see that I cannot travel alone with him. It would be most improper.’

  Even in the darkness of the carriage, it was plain that Miss Pensford was very angry.

  ‘How dare you treat me thus? I demand you take me back this minute!’

  ‘Now just what is going on here?’ demanded Nathan MacCauley, looking from one to the other. Both ladies ignored him.

  ‘I am afraid I cannot take you back, Helen. We are on our way to Frith. But I have every hope that Rupert will follow us there, and he will bring you back to Town.’

  ‘R-Rupert? But—’

  ‘You see, I left him a note, telling him where we were going.’

  Nathan MacCauley leaned forward.

  ‘You left a note for young Alleyne?’

  ‘Yes, but you need not worry,’ Eustacia told him. ‘He will not be coming to save me.’

  ‘Madam, we had an agreement!’ he muttered, his voice deep with menace.

  ‘Yes, and I mean to stand by it, but I told you there were conditions,’ retorted Eustacia. ‘I trust you have told your coachman to drive to The Sun at Frith?’

  ‘I have, and perhaps you would tell me now why you chose that inn?’

  She smiled at him.

  ‘Because the landlord there is open to persuasion, and I have paid him very well to look after my interests this evening.’

  ‘Bribed him, have you? Well, that’s as may be but I think it’s time we turned about again,’ growled the gentleman. ‘This looks very much like a kidnap, and that I don’t hold with!’

  ‘Set me down immediately!’ cried Miss Pensford. ‘I have no wish to go with you.’

  ‘But you must, Helen. I have told Rupert that I am going to keep you with me until you agree to call off your engagement to Vivyan.’

  Nathan MacCauley stared, his eyes shifting from one young lady to the other.

  ‘Do you mean to tell me that you have brought Viv Lagallan’s fiancée with you? Are you all about in your head? He’ll call me out for sure!’

  ‘No he won’t, for he knows nothing about it,’ replied Stacey. She turned to Miss Pensford. ‘Helen, only admit that you are in love with Rupert! Surely you can see that it would be a gross folly to go through with your marriage to Vivyan?’

  Miss Pensford drew out her handkerchief. ‘I would be called a jilt!’

  ‘Well, since the engagement has not yet been announced, I do not see how that can be,’ Miss Marchant reassured her.

  ‘Have I strayed into Bedlam?’ demanded Mr MacCauley. ‘I wish you would tell me what is going on. In fact, I will put an end to this dashed nonsense now—’

  ‘I think not.’

  Even as he moved towards the window to call out to the coachman, Eustacia reached into the large reticule and pulled out a carriage-pistol.

  With a little scream, Miss Pensford fell back into the corner of the carriage, and Mr MacCauley stared at the weapon gleaming wickedly in the moonlight. He shifted his gaze to Eustacia’s determined face.

  ‘Wh — what is this?’

  ‘You know very well what it is,’ she replied calmly. ‘It is loaded, and I have its partner also, so I would suggest you sit back quietly until we reach The Sun. And Helen, I really think you should stop crying, if you don’t want Rupert to find you with your face blotched with tears.’

  Miss Pensford blew her little nose defiantly, and managed to restrict her distress to the occasional sob.

  The uneasy silence lasted until they reached Frith, and the carriage pulled into the cobbled yard of the inn. Responding to the largesse bestowed upon him by Miss Marchant on her previous visit, the landlord was looking out for them, and ran out in time to hand the ladies tenderly out of the coach, informing Miss Marchant with a low bow that supper had been prepared for them. He then led the three travellers into the inn, promised to bring them coffee directly, and ushered them into the private parlour.

  ‘Well, this is very pleasant,’ remarked Eustacia, looking at the table laid with pies, bread and cheese.

  Miss Pensford gave a shudder, and went to sit in a chair in the far corner of the room while Nathan MacCauley watched Eustacia, his eyes constantly moving to the folds of her cloak, where he knew she was holding the pistol.

  ‘Perhaps you would be good enough to tell me what we are going to do now?’ he said, with awful sarcasm.

  Unruffled, Eustacia considered the matter.

  ‘I think we should try to eat a little supper while we wait for Rupert to arrive.’

  Miss Pensford looked up from her handkerchief.

  ‘H-how do you know he will come?’

  ‘Because he is head over heels in love with you, you goose!’

  ‘But you told me this young woman is engaged to Lagallan!’ Mr MacCauley interjected.

  ‘And so she is, but she loves Mr Alleyne, don’t you, Helen?’

  Receiving no reply, Eustacia sat down at the table, placing the pistol on the cloth beside her plate. Nathan MacCauley stared at her.

  ‘I think, madam, that you have run mad.’

  ‘Quite possibly, but I could not sit by and see Vivyan ruin his life. A poor friend I should be if I did not at least make a push to save him.’

  Miss Pensford raised her head.

  ‘I want to go home!’ she wailed.

  ‘And so you shall, just as soon as Rupert gets here. In the meantime, I suggest you try this ham pie — it is delicious.’

  Muttering under his breath, Mr MacCauley stepped forward and banged his fist upon the table.

  ‘Forget about pies, madam, and tell me—’

  The entry of the landlady with the coffee-pot interrupted him. As the door opened, Eustacia threw her napkin over the pistol lying on the table, her eyes twinkling mischievously. She thanked her hostess politely, and as that good lady left the room, she invited her companions to join her at the table. Neither paid any heed to this request, and with a little shrug Eustacia poured the coffee into three cups and asked Mr MacCauley to carry one to Miss Pensford.

  ‘Pray try to drink it, my dear, for it will make you feel much more the thing,’ she told her.

  Nathan MacCauley frowned at Miss Marchant’s unconcern.

  ‘This is not at all what I had planned, madam!’

  ‘No, but it can make very little difference to us.’<
br />
  ‘It will make a great deal of difference, if we are locked up for kidnap!’

  ‘Oh, nonsense! Once Rupert has rescued Miss Pensford and taken her home, we will most likely hear no more about it, except that they will thank us one day for making them see sense!’ She glanced across as Miss Pensford. ‘Is that not right, Helen?’

  That young lady, revived by the coffee, cast her a look of disdain.

  ‘I merely want to go home,’ she snapped. ‘And what does that man mean? What plans have you made?’

  ‘My apologies, I have not introduced you! This is Nathan MacCauley, Helen, and as I told you earlier we are going to be married.’

  ‘Married? To him?’

  Mr MacCauley bridled a little at the look of disbelief that Miss Pensford bestowed upon him.

  ‘But surely you did not reject Mr Alleyne for him?’

  ‘No, Helen, of course not. I cried off from that engagement because I didn’t love Rupert. The agreement with Mr MacCauley is very different.’

  ‘Well,’ Miss Pensford pressed her, ‘why are you marrying him?’

  Eustacia hesitated, and Nathan MacCauley said maliciously, ‘Shall I tell her?’

  ‘No!’ Miss Marchant’s hand closed over the pistol. ‘I swear I shall shoot you if you dare to speak!’

  ‘But I don’t understand,’ said Miss Pensford, bewildered. ‘How can you say you are going to marry this man, then threaten to shoot him?’

  Feeling more sure of himself, Mr MacCauley beamed at Helen.

  ‘I am marrying Miss Marchant to save her reputation. Is that not correct, my dear?’

  Eustacia nodded.

  ‘We have an agreement.’

  ‘Oh, yes.’ The gentleman patted his pocket. ‘And I have the special licence! Tomorrow, we shall be married!’

  ‘Eustacia, you cannot!’

  Eustacia shrugged. ‘It will be a marriage of convenience, Helen. I thought you would approve of that.’

  ‘Yes, but—’ She broke off as the sound of a carriage could be heard clattering into the yard. Miss Pensford clasped her hands together, her eyes shining with hope.

  ‘Rupert?’ she uttered.

  Swallowing hard, Eustacia rose from the table. A hasty step sounded in the passage. Miss Pensford rose, and took a few paces towards the door, but as it opened the hopeful look died from her eyes, to be replaced by one of horror as Vivyan Lagallan strode into the room.