The Rebellious Debutante

by Meg Alexander

  Mrs Tarrant caught her hand. ‘You are too good,’ she said in a broken voice. ‘My child has cried from hunger, and it broke my heart to be able to give him nothing.’

  ‘Then come with me!’ Perdita led her to the kitchens, and there she filled a basket to overflowing with cold fowl, a joint of beef, a piece of ham and a large fruit pie.

  Mrs Tarrant raised a hand in smiling protest. ‘No more, Miss Wentworth, if you please. This is enough food to feed us for a week, and I am grateful to you.’

  ‘Don’t speak of gratitude, ma’am. We shall be always in your debt. Now give me your direction. The Earl will wish to see you. You may be sure of it.’

  Miss Langrishe was lost in thought when Perdita returned.

  ‘I have been wondering if we should expedite matters,’ she announced. ‘Shall I invite the magistrate to dine with us this evening? It would not seem unusual. Frederick dines here often in the ordinary way.’

  ‘With respect, Aunt Trixie, I believe that it would not be wise just now. He is involved in Louise’s case. It might be seen as an attempt to influence him.

  ‘I suppose so.’ Miss Langrishe sighed. ‘Oh dear, how I wish that Adam might have chosen another day to go to Ilchester. He will know what to do.’

  ‘He will, and at least we have splendid news for him. I can’t wait for his return. If only the hours would pass more quickly…’

  As the day wore on, she ran to the window a dozen times to catch a first glimpse of his coach. When it arrived at last she flew down the stairs, and, regardless of the curious glances of passers-by, she seized his hand and almost dragged him into the hall.

  His eyes began to twinkle. ‘What a welcome!’ he teased. ‘Am I to believe that you have missed me?’

  ‘Come into the salon,’ she urged. ‘And you, too, Amy. So much has happened whilst you’ve been away.’

  ‘You do not ask about Louise.’ Amy spoke in a low voice. ‘Oh, Dita, she is so crushed in spirit. She has lost all hope.’

  ‘But she must not do so! That is what I want to tell you!’ Perdita hurried them through to greet her aunt. ‘We have such a story for you. Aunt, will you tell it, or shall I?’

  ‘You had best do so, my dear. You have been bursting with excitement since this morning and I fear you may explode.’

  Perdita laughed. Then she rushed to give them an account of the day’s events, speaking so quickly that a childhood stutter returned to trouble her.

  Adam cast aside his cloak and slipped an arm about her waist, drawing her to sit beside him on the sofa.

  ‘Slow down, my darling!’ he advised. ‘This is all good news indeed. Can there be more?’

  ‘Oh, yes! The Runner is coming back tonight, but he must get a w-w-warrant from the magistrate.’ Perdita looked at the faces of her companions and in their expressions she saw growing hope.

  ‘Oh, Adam, they must release Louise,’ she cried. ‘Don’t you agree?’

  ‘We may have to wait for a time,’ he said cautiously. ‘We have only Mrs Tarrant’s word that the lace was placed in Louise’s reticule. It may be thought that she has made the accusation in revenge for being dismissed.’

  ‘You would not say so if you had met her,’ Perdita cried hotly. ‘And what of Verreker? He told me that he had never visited the shop. Amy will bear witness to that. Why is he living in a secret room?’

  ‘There is no law against it, dearest. You say that his room at the Saracen’s Head holds nothing suspicious.’

  ‘So the Bow Street Runner said.’

  ‘Then the room above the shop is our best hope. When I have seen the man I will visit the magistrate. If the case against Verreker is promising we may get the warrant to search the premises.’

  ‘Oh, Adam, I felt so sure…’ Perdita could not hide her disappointment.

  ‘Patience, my love! You are right in all respects, but we are dealing with a slippery customer. He will take advantage of a single loophole in the law and we must not lose him now.’

  Perdita could only agree.

  However, Perdita did not rest until Adam returned late that night with the promised warrant.

  ‘Satisfied?’ He showed her the document. ‘Now we must hope that the Runners find evidence.’

  ‘When will they search?’

  ‘Tomorrow. Verreker is in the habit of visiting the Pump Room in a morning, doubtless searching for another gullible victim. They will seize the opportunity to surprise the owners of the shop.’

  ‘He spoke of jewellery, too.’ Perdita reminded him with an anxious look. ‘He said it was too dangerous to sell it at present.’

  ‘That is our best hope, my love. The Runners have a description of the pieces. They need only find a single stolen item if they are to charge him. I would stake a handsome bet that his ill-gotten gains are in that secret room.’

  ‘I hope you may be right.’ Perdita rested her head against his shoulder. ‘I thought it would be so easy to get Louise released. Now, it seems, we are still beset with difficulties.’

  Adam kissed her very gently. ‘They will be overcome,’ he assured her. ‘I promise that by noon tomorrow you will be easier in your mind.’

  Perdita raised her face to him. ‘I believe you,’ she said softly. ‘Oh, my love, you are my rock. How should I ever live without you?’

  ‘You need never do so, my dearest.’ His mouth came down on hers and she was swept away on a dizzing tide of passion as his warm lips claimed her own. She was breathless when he released her but he continued to rain kisses on her eyes, her cheeks, the corners of her mouth and the tip of her nose.

  ‘Go away, you temptress!’ he exclaimed at last. ‘You would seduce a saint, and I am no saint…’

  ‘Why, sir, you shock me!’

  Adam saw the laughter in her eyes and tried to grab her as she danced away from him, but Perdita was too quick. Still laughing, she fled for the safety of her room, though it went much against the grain to leave him.

  An unknown longing seized her. Their love was incomplete, she knew that well enough, but it was hard to wait for true fulfilment. Now she prayed that the months would fly until her parents returned. Only then would she be able to wed her love.

  Amy was waiting for her. ‘Did Adam get the warrant?’ she asked eagerly.

  ‘Yes. The men will search tomorrow. I pray that they may be successful.’

  ‘So do I. Louise is at the end of her tether. You would not care to see her looking so…so resigned. She seemed like a stranger to me.’

  ‘That will change,’ Perdita comforted her. ‘Let us see what tomorrow brings…’

  It was better news than they had hoped. Verreker had been taken as he left the Pump Room, charged with the theft of a diamond necklace, sundry brooches, and two valuable bracelets.

  It was enough to persuade the magistrate to reconsider his decision to prosecute Louise.

  He gave orders that the prisoner be returned to Bath, under arrest, where he could re-examine the case against her.

  ‘There is no direct connection with the alleged theft of the lace,’ he explained to Adam. ‘But I have heard enough to have my doubts about the owners of the shop. Will you present yourselves at a hearing in three days’ time?’

  ‘And Miss Bryant?’

  ‘Will be released into your custody, my lord. Remember, you are surety for her!’

  Adam nodded his thanks. He had said nothing to Perdita, but he too had been worried about Louise’s state of mind. The girl was a shadow of her former self. She was silent, biddable, but seemingly with no will of her own. She could not be persuaded to discuss the case, even to proclaim her innocence.

  ‘She looks as if she has gazed into the pit!’ Amy was in despair. ‘Will the magistrate take her silence as proof of guilt?’ She tried to curb her growing anger. ‘Louise should not have been sent to Ilchester. Why could he not have left her in Adam’s care before this? The experience has scared her. I doubt that she will ever be the same…’

  ‘He can do so now because
we have new evidence,’ Adam told her.

  ‘And Louise will recover her spirits,’ Miss Langrishe added. ‘The young are resilient. Just give her time. Then she will think of this as a bad dream.’

  ‘But only if we are successful.’ Amy resumed her pacing of the room. Then she stopped in front of Adam and faced him squarely. ‘What if aught should go wrong?’ she demanded. ‘Will you spirit her away? You cannot let her be transported.’

  ‘She will not be transported,’ he told her firmly. ‘Don’t cross your bridges before you come to them, my dear. Let us wait for the hearing.’

  To everyone at Laura Place it seemed an age before that day arrived, but three days later those connected with her case met at the Magistrate’s Court.

  ‘This is not a trial,’ he explained at once. ‘But new evidence has come to hand, and I intend to make sure that there is no miscarriage of justice in this case before committing the prisoner to the Assizes.’ He looked about his court until eye rested upon the owner of the shop who was sitting beside his son.

  ‘Well, Joshua Keay, have you anything to add to your previous evidence against the prisoner?’

  ‘I stand by every word of it,’ Keay insisted. ‘What I should like to know is why this person is present here today?’ He pointed to where Verreker sat, flanked by a couple of Bow Street Runners. ‘This case is no concern of his.’

  ‘You seem very sure of that,’ the magistrate told him smoothly. ‘Perhaps he is well known to you?’

  ‘I never set eyes on him before this day.’ Keay glared at his quietly spoken questioner.

  ‘Strange! The items which he is alleged to have stolen were found upon your premises, hidden beneath a floorboard in a private room.’

  ‘That is naught to do with me, I’ve been away, sir. Bath is overcrowded, as you may know. Sometimes visitors beg us for accommodation as a favour. We have no way of knowing their past history.’

  ‘And your son was equally unaware of the presence of this person upon your premises?’

  ‘Speak up, Jem!’ Keay glanced in irritation at his son.

  ‘No, sir…I mean, yes, I did not know of it…I was with my father…’ The young man went red and white by turns.

  ‘So your staff are at liberty to let accommodation without your knowledge? You are very trusting, sir.’

  The sneering tone was not lost on Keay. He shot a malignant look at the magistrate, but that gentleman was unaware of it. He was signalling to the usher.

  The Keays stiffened as Mrs Tarrant was led into the room, and Perdita glanced at Matthew Verreker. He had been lolling back, apparently at ease and untroubled by the presence of the guards. Now his hands betrayed him. He clenched them until the knuckles went white.

  Once Mrs Tarrant’s identity had been established, the magistrate began to question her.

  ‘I must ask you, madam, do you know anyone in this room?’

  ‘Yes, sir. I know the Earl of Rushmore and the ladies. Mr Keay was until recently my employer. I know his son, of course, and the young man’s friend, who is sitting over there.’ She pointed to Matthew Verreker.

  ‘It’s a lie!’ Jem Keay was on his feet. ‘I do not know this man. He is no friend of mine.’

  His father managed an ingratiating smile. ‘Pay no attention to her, sir!’ He addressed the magistrate direct. ‘This woman was dismissed for theft and insolence. This is her way of taking her revenge—’

  ‘Silence!’ the magistrate thundered. ‘I’ll have no further interruptions!’ He turned back to Mrs Tarrant. ‘Now, ma’am, since it was your evidence which led to the recovery of certain stolen items, will you tell us how you came by this information?’

  Mrs Tarrant was pale but composed as she began to speak. ‘I had gone up to the storeroom at the shop, sir. I could hear voices, which surprised me as there seemed to be no one in the room apart from myself. Then a panel slid aside and I could see into the room beyond. Mr Jem Keay and his friend were quarrelling about a sale of jewellery—’

  ‘All lies!’ Jem Keay’s voice rose to a shriek. ‘What has this to do with the charges against the Bryant woman?’

  ‘We shall come to that in time, young man.’ The magistrate’s expression was stern. ‘You deny again that you know this man?’ He pointed to Verreker.

  ‘I do!’ came the sullen reply.

  ‘Then how could Mrs Tarrant have known about the items hidden in the room unless she had overheard your conversation? Your unknown lodger would not, I imagine, have been talking to himself.’

  ‘She’s a thief! She could have put them there herself.’

  ‘But she did not know of this room. I believe the entrance is so well concealed that the Runners had some difficulty in discovering it.’

  ‘She’s sly! Who is to know what she finds when she is poking about in secret?’

  ‘What, indeed? Now we know that Matthew Verreker has been living upon your premises. You claim that this was without your knowledge?’

  ‘I do.’ Jem was at pains not to look in Verreker’s direction. ‘Mrs Tarrant must have let the room to him.’

  ‘This sly creature had the authority to do so in your absence?’ Everyone in the room was aware of the magistrate’s disbelief. ‘Indeed, you do surprise me!’

  He began to shuffle his papers. ‘Now we shall come to the charges against Miss Bryant. You have given us fresh evidence, Mrs Tarrant. Will you please repeat it to this court?’

  ‘The young lady fell into a trap,’ she said. ‘She had left her reticule open upon the counter whilst she was purchasing some ribbons. I saw Jem Keay slip the lace inside. Later, he followed her into the street and asked if she would look for it. There were a number of witnesses… Then he asked for her direction.’

  ‘Why do you listen to her?’ Jem Keay shouted wildly. ‘Will you take her word? Can’t you see that she is trying to destroy us?’

  Joshua Keay placed a restraining hand on his son’s shoulder. Then he rounded upon the magistrate.

  ‘It is one person’s word against another,’ he snarled. ‘Have you proof which will stand up in a court of law?’

  ‘Why, yes, I believe we have!’ He looked at the Earl of Rushmore. ‘My lord, will you tell us what happened next?’

  ‘We received a letter,’ Adam said. ‘The writer offered to drop the charges against Miss Bryant in return for a settlement.’

  ‘You did not pay?’

  ‘No, sir. I regarded it as a cheap attempt at blackmail.’

  ‘And you have this letter still?’

  ‘I have it here.’ Adam produced the letter from his pocket.

  The magistrate smoothed it out with every appearance of satisfaction. ‘And here we have some accounts made out to certain customers of the shop owned by Mr Keay.’ He bent to examine the papers on the desk before him.

  ‘Jem Keay, you will approach the bench,’ he said as he held up a slip of paper. ‘This is signed by you. Will you confirm it as your writing?’

  ‘I don’t know!’ Jem’s eyes darted about the room and settled upon his father as he begged for reassurance.

  ‘You do not recognise your own hand? I must disbelieve you. Now, young man, cast your eyes upon this note! The likenesses in the characters are impossible to ignore, are they not?’

  Jem cracked then. He swung round screaming as he looked at Matthew Verreker. ‘You devil! You made me write it, didn’t you, to keep your own hands clean?’

  Then his father was beside him. ‘Be quiet, you fool!’ he hissed. ‘Will you condemn yourself out of your own mouth?’

  ‘I won’t swing for him!’ Jem was beyond control. ‘He is the one who planned the whole. We were to share…he promised…’

  One of the Runners was already out of his seat, ready to restrain the hysterical figure, but no one was prepared for what happened next.

  Verreker moved with the speed of a striking snake. In a single movement he caught the remaining Runner in a choking grip, seizing the man’s pistol with his other hand.

  �
��Stand back!’ he ordered in a pleasant tone. ‘I doubt if any of you will care to have this man’s blood upon our hands, and I shall not hesitate to kill him if I must.’

  Slowly he backed towards the door at the rear of the court, dragging his captive with him.

  ‘He goes with me,’ he continued lightly. ‘Try to follow and you will find a corpse.’

  ‘Give it up, man!’ Adam began to move towards Verreker and his captive. ‘You can’t escape, and this will make things worse for you.’

  Verreker’s harsh laugh echoed around the room. ‘Stay where you are, my lord, and spare us your heroics. Worse, you say? I think not. You, above anyone, have ruined all my plans. It would be a pleasure to kill you, and I am strongly tempted, but you shall not persuade me into wasting a shot.’

  He paled as Adam continued to advance on him.

  ‘Stand back!’ he screamed. ‘If you take another step, I’ll put a shot into this fellow’s brain.’

  Adam smiled and shook his head, but he did not stop.

  Verreker’s face was a mask of indecision. As he had threatened, he could fire at the Runner, but Adam was likely to prove the greater danger. With a grunt of satisfaction he levelled the pistol and fired.

  The shot took Adam in the shoulder, halting him in mid-stride. With a cry of horror Perdita flew to him, gazing in anguish at the spreading stain upon his sleeve. She looked up at Verreker.

  ‘I’ll kill you for this,’ she promised.

  ‘You may try, Miss Wentworth, though I doubt if you’ll succeed.’ Verreker was smiling as he looked at her. ‘It is a flesh wound only, I believe. Such a pity! I was aiming for the heart!’

  ‘You dog!’ Perdita ground her teeth. ‘You won’t escape the law.’

  ‘Always the warrior, my dear? What an accomplice you would have made, unlike these weaklings whom I took into my confidence.’ Verreker cast a withering look upon Keay and his son. ‘I should have known that they would crack at the first sign of pressure.’

  ‘You can’t get away,’ Perdita insisted. ‘Give up now, and your case may be reviewed more leniently.’