The Lady And The Military Man_Conquer My Heart

by Penelope Redmont

  On the other hand, Lord Keaton Beaumont did expect her to go shopping — shadowed by his men.

  It suddenly occurred to Jane that she trusted Mr. Kettering, Lady Delmere’s man of business. Over many months of working with him, she had come to like and respect him. He was sensible, he knew her, and he would believe her if she told him that she was being held prisoner.

  She wouldn't be alone with anyone in a shop long enough to ask them to take a note to Mr. Kettering… But she could however leave notes secretly. Leaving notes at Hatchard’s would be ideal, because the shopmen could read.

  To that end, she wrote a note.

  Mr Kettering. I daresay this sounds very strange to you, but I am held prisoner at 44 St. James’s Square. Lord Keaton Beaumont is responsible. Please give this note to Major Baker-Cornhill, or to Mr. Doyle, who is a footman at Eardley House. Any rescue will be dangerous so please be careful.

  She signed the note, folded it carefully, then wrote a covering note.

  Anyone finding this will be amply rewarded on presenting the enclosed note to Mr. Kettering at the chambers of Kettering, Woodruff, and Devereaux, New Square, at Lincoln’s Inn.

  When she'd made up her mind to leave the notes at Hatchard’s, she couldn't wait to do it.

  "Mr. McDonald, please have the carriage brought around. I intend to go shopping."

  The butler did as she asked without the flicker of an eye. Within an hour, Mr. McDonald handed her into an equipage pulled by two elegant greys.

  Five days after Jane had arrived at the house, she had been to Hatchard’s twice. She would go again the next day. However, that evening Lord Keaton Beaumont arrived and he was in a temper.

  He paced the drawing room. "She should have contacted you by now. I want you to go out more. Perhaps she truly doesn't believe that you're in London — in this house. You need to be seen around town. Visit Bond Street."

  "If it's known that I'm in town, I will be expected to make calls."

  His gaze narrowed on her. "Don't try my patience too hard, my lady. Go shopping, walk in the park — it’s unlikely that you'll see any of your friends at this time of year, but if you do see them you will be pleasant. You'll tell them that you're up in town to do some shopping. My men will be watching, and I expect you to exchange no more than three words with acquaintances. Nod and walk away. For their safety and for your own."

  “Very well.”

  The very next morning, Jane saw Madame Parisi as soon as she left the house.

  Jane’s heart beat so loudly she hoped that Patsy wouldn’t hear it. Madame was in her male attire, on a horse, riding towards her on the square. A footman handed Jane into the carriage. Once inside she leaned across to the opposite window, and looked up at Madame Parisi as she rode past.

  The woman, her face shadowed under a hat, stared directly at her. "No – a trap!” Jane mouthed the words.

  Jane seated herself just as Patsy joined her in the carriage. She swallowed hard, expecting one of Keaton Beaumont’s men to recognize Madame, and raise a hue and cry.

  Nothing happened, and Jane forced herself to relax. She hoped that the woman had sense enough to realize what she was saying and to keep away from the house.

  "Let's stroll in the park," Jane said to Patsy a few minutes later. "My lord wishes us to be seen out and about more, so I think we'll walk in the park each day and then stroll around the shops."

  At Hatchard’s Jane had been leaving her notes on counters, but today, she decided that she would pass the small package of notes to a young shopman. She folded the two notes tightly. They fitted easily into the palm of her hand. She would pass over the notes when she was paying for her books.

  It was a risk. Shopmen didn't expect to be handed notes by well-dressed ladies… Or perhaps they did. She smiled slightly at the trend of her thoughts, and took a deep breath. She hoped that the shopman would have sense enough to wait to read the note until after she left. If the shopman queried her, her shadow would notice.

  Then she saw Madame again, riding towards her in the park. When Madame was close enough so that Jane could see her eyes, she dropped a glove, and Patsy bent to pick it up.

  "No – keep away – trap –" she shook her head slightly and mouthed the words. If Madame were not a total fool, and Jane knew that she was not, she would know what Jane meant.

  "Thank you," Jane said to Patsy when the girl handed her her glove.

  An hour later, in Hatchard’s, Jane handed two books to the shopman at the counter. Patsy was behind her, and the tall footman who'd accompanied them was standing just inside the entry to the shop.

  She handed the shopman the money for the books, and pressed the notes into his palm. She stared into his eyes, and raised her forefinger to her lips. "Hush," she mouthed at him and shook her head slightly.

  He dropped his gaze, lifted it to her again, but his impassive expression didn’t alter. Then he put the money into the till. When he straightened his jacket and nodded slightly, she realized that he’d put the notes into the inside pocket of his jacket.

  "Thank you," she said to him when he handed her the wrapped parcel of books.

  Her knees felt weak when she left the shop. Had anyone seen? Would he send the note to Mr. Kettering?

  "Are you well my, lady?"

  "Perfectly well, Patsy. Shall we go to Gunter’s for ices?”

  Jane felt agitated when she returned to the house. However, she realized that she had to act unconcerned, so she ordered a bath. "I walked miles today… I hope his lordship will be satisfied. My feet are aching."

  "At once, my lady."

  Although she tried to remain calm, Jane spent the hours before she went to bed turning over scenarios in her mind. Would the shopman read the note? Would he send it to Mr. Kettering?

  It occurred to her that Mr. Kettering might be traveling already. He spent several weeks visiting Lady Delmere’s estates every summer.

  She was in despair by the time she’d climbed into bed and settled down to sleep — but the shopman had indeed sent the note.

  Chapter 15

  When Jane woke up she felt cold. Her lamp had gone out, so she had no idea of what time it was. However, she could still see darkness beyond the gaps in the curtains. She hadn't fallen asleep for hours so she knew she should return to sleep, but she decided that she would light the fire first.

  She lighted the candles on the table beside her bed, then slipped into her wool banyan. Her hands were icy, so she rubbed them together.

  She stirred the coals with the poker. A few were left. They glowed, and she dropped a some sticks of kindling on top, then crouched down to use the bellows on the embers.

  The kindling crackled when it caught. Tongues of flame were licking upwards when she heard a sound from her window.

  Her eyes widened — the window was opening. She stood, with the poker in her hand, and swallowed hard. Her pistol — no, by the time she reached her bed, the intruder would be in the room.

  She’d have to face her assailant with the poker.

  The window curtains billowed as Kelly pushed them aside.

  She could only gape at his muscular form, in a riding jacket and breeches. He had a sword in one hand, and a flintlock in the other.

  "Kelly!"

  "Quietly now," he said, pulling her into his arms. "You are unharmed?" He held away from him. His hands were tight on her upper arms. He stared down into her face.

  She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't say a word. "Mr Kettering – he managed to get word to you,” she managed to say finally.

  "Yes he did, and we'll talk later, but for now, I want you to stay in this room. I’ll have someone protect you, while we deal with Lord Keaton Beaumont’s henchmen."

  He kissed her forehead, then walked back to the window, and leaned out.

  A couple of moments later, a large man climbed through the window. He was heavily armed, with two shotguns slung about his person, and a short sword.

  The two men didn't speak. Kelly
slipped past the other man and climbed out of the window again.

  The stranger bowed to her. "My lady, my name is Cooper,” he said, his tone brisk. “It won't be long now — we’ll have you back at Eardley House well before breakfast."

  He crossed the room to a large wardrobe and pulled it away from the wall. He beckoned to her. "Behind here my lady — if you will… No doubt these miscreants have plans for what they'll do if the house is attacked. They will aim to find you, to use you as a hostage."

  She retrieved her pistol from underneath the mattress. She showed it to him. “I have a pistol."

  His eyes widened. "Indeed you do, my lady. Use it if they break into this room."

  He nodded to her to get behind the wardrobe, and waited, standing beside the door, with his back pressed to the wall. If anyone broke into the room, he’d deal with them with his sword.

  Jane jumped when she heard several loud crashes below.

  “A battering ram, my lady — on the front door.”

  She held her breath and listened to thundering footsteps racing up the stairs. Doors were slammed open, and men shouted.

  Cooper waited beside the door holding his sword in his right hand, and one of the shotguns in his left.

  There were several shots. Jane bit her lip, concerned for Kelly.

  Finally, she heard Kelly yell “Cooper!” outside her door.

  Cooper opened the door, and Kelly entered.

  He glanced at Cooper. “Downstairs… We got them all, I think. We’ll shift them along to Horse Guards.” His eyes found Jane’s, and he smiled. “Cooper will take you to Catherine… You’ll leave by the back lane. Everyone’s awake on the square, and we don’t want anyone to see you leaving the house.”

  Cooper escorted Jane to a carriage.

  As Cooper had promised, Jane was at Eardley House in time for breakfast.

  "Jane. I've been so concerned about you." Catherine embraced her when Jane walked into the drawing room where Catherine was waiting. "Thank heavens that Kelly turned back."

  Jane found the tears were rolling down her face. She couldn’t stem them. “You’re back, I wondered when you would arrive. I’m sorry to…”

  “My dear, of course you’re weeping. I'm not surprised. What a demon Tommy Keaton turned out to be."

  Catherine guided Jane to a sofa. "Mr. Morley,” she said to the butler, “a bottle of brandy and glasses at once, please."

  After she'd had a sip of brandy, Jane slowly came back to itself. She was shivering uncontrollably and couldn't seem to stop.

  "It's all right my dear, it's a reaction… You’ll stop shivering soon." Catherine sat beside Jane and placed a shawl around her shoulders. She urged her to drink again.

  It took several moments, but finally Jane was able to speak. "The shopman at Hatchard’s — he sent the note to Mr. Kettering?"

  “He did. Kelly escorted me to London, we arrived yesterday morning… You recall that Kelly was on his way to London from Ferrymore Manor? He turned back, and when he heard that you had left for York, he rushed off to York immediately. Of course he found that you hadn't arrived, and that the doctor was badly injured. That good man managed to get word to the Castle…”

  Catherine held her hand tightly and patted it. “And in the meantime, your Lizzie and the coachman came back and told their story. They’d looked for you everywhere in and around the inn. Finally they realized that one of your bags was missing, and that you'd been taken from the inn…”

  Catherine paused. “When Kelly arrived from York, we all came to London, and yesterday afternoon Mr. Kettering called."

  "I fear that there will be the most enormous scandal."

  Catherine shook her head. "You underestimate me my dear. It's all been explained away. None of the guests at Lord Ferrymore’s were aware of anything untoward, and as far as anyone knows you returned to London with me yesterday. You’ll put everything that happened with that beast of a man out of your mind."

  Catherine looked at her intently. "You are well? Truly well? He didn't harm you?"

  Jane knew what Catherine was asking her. She shook her head. "No, nothing happened to me. I am perfectly well."

  "Thank heavens. How clever of you my dear, to give the shopman at Hatchard’s the notes."

  Jane laughed weakly. "I left notes there twice, and finally I realized that I had to put them in someone's hand. I think the others must've been cleared away – someone thought that they were rubbish and disposed of them. How wonderful, I was hoping that the shopman would read the letter and send it the note to Mr. Kettering — and he did."

  “Yes, a clever man. I heard that he went to Lincoln’s inn as soon as you left the shop. He'll be well rewarded, my dear. Now tell me what happened. In spite of everything, it’s hard to see Tommy Keaton as a spy… The man has lost his mind completely."

  Everything seemed to happen very quickly.

  Madame Parisi called at Eardley House, but Catherine handled the matter. She told Jane that Kelly had sent some men to escort Madame to Horse Guards. "Kelly is questioning the men who were holding you prisoner."

  "What about the little maid? Patsy?"

  Catherine waved her hand. "Kelly said that they released her immediately. She was terrified, knows little, and is of no use to them. Now that you and Madame are safe, all that remains is for them to find Tommy Keaton."

  Jane shivered. She had no sympathy for Lord Keaton Beaumont, but she knew that when he was found, his end would be terrible. He would be taken to Horse Guards to be questioned, and then, as he had said, his death would come as a pleasant relief.

  She wanted to see Kelly. She told herself that she had to thank him for rescuing her, but she knew that that wasn't the reason. She simply wanted to see him. She thought about him more than ever. She couldn’t get him out of her mind. However, although he called the Eardley House several times, he didn't ask to see her.

  Two days later, Catherine was making arrangements for them to travel home to Gostwicke Hall. Lady Margaret was back in London, and Henry had travelled directly to the Hall from Ferrymore Manor with her new horse.

  Catherine shook her head. “Yes, the child bought Ferrymore’s horse…” She smiled. “Henry gets what she wants.”

  She suggested that Jane remain at home in Eardley House as much as possible. She went out herself each day to pay calls, and to go shopping. Jane knew that Catherine was listening to what people were saying. If there were any hint of the unconventional way in which Jane had travelled to London, or that she'd stayed in a house in St. James Square, Catherine would squelch the gossip.

  Jane sent a letter to Mr. Kettering thanking him, and Catherine sent to ten guineas to the shopman at Hatchard’s. In addition for rewarding him, Jane knew that Catherine was paying for his silence.

  "Would it be possible for me to go home to Kennystowe and then join you at Gostwicke Hall?" Jane asked Catherine at breakfast.

  Catherine laid aside the newspaper she’d been scanning. “Certainly, if you wish it… your brother and sisters are concerned about you. It will comfort them to see that you are well.”

  Jane had written to Alex and her sisters, telling them about what had happened, but she knew that they needed to see her to know that she was indeed safe.

  “I’ll ride,” Jane said. “It will much more comfortable than jolting in a carriage.”

  Catherine nodded. “Yes — will you ride Midnight? You’ll travel by easy stages. He needs the exercise. The stable master complains about him attacking his grooms daily. They’re exercising him three times a day.”

  Jane readily agreed. She adored the horse, and wished he were hers.

  "Kelly's been looking for Tommy Keaton everywhere, but he still hasn't been found.” Catherine said. “I imagine that he will be at Dover by now, or even in Bristol, trying to leave the country… But nevertheless, I'll send Doyle with you. Tommy will realize that we have Madame. He may want to revenge himself on you.”

  The next day, a hired carriage was loaded wi
th Jane’s luggage, and that of the servants, and they set off. As well as Lizzie, who rode in the carriage, Jane was accompanied by a coachman, a footman, and Doyle, who was on horseback too.

  The three days of the journey to York were uneventful. Finally they topped the last hill, and Jane saw Kennystowe Castle.

  Alex didn't want to mention it in front of her sisters, but that evening, when he and Jane were alone, he told Jane that Horace Killock had been arrested. "Three days ago," he said.

  "Kelly must've acted very quickly," Jane said. “He must've sent men from Horse Guards as soon as they attacked the house in St. James's Square.”

  "You realize what Killock’s arrest means, don't you?"

  "I think I do. What will happen to Killock – surely he will spend a long time in jail — or worse?”

  "Kelly sent me a letter." Alex went to his locked desk, unlocked it, and brought out a letter. He passed it to Jane to read. “He says that there won’t be a trial… After Killock’s questioning, for abducting you, and for consorting with England’s enemies, he will be transported. He will never be allowed to return home to England. All his property will be forfeited to the state. And as you can see in the letter, Kelly says that he will ensure that our debts to the man, as well as our other debts, are written off as some small recompense to you.”

  Jane blinked. It took several moments before she understood what that meant. "I never thought that I would be thankful to Mr. Killock for abducting me."

  Alex chuckled. Then his smile faded. “It's just as well that Kelly's men got to Killock before I did — I would have murdered him without a thought.”

  His expression was dark. Jane had assured him that Killock hadn't harmed her. However, she knew that her brother was still enraged, and it would have gone badly for Killock if he had still been in York.

  Although she joked about being glad that Killock had abducted her, she was nevertheless affected by it. It had made her fearful, and she couldn’t talk herself out of the feeling.