Reluctant Heir

by Barbara Miller

  He looked puzzled. “Why did your hire her?”

  “I didn’t, Helen did.”

  “And you are too kind to dismiss her.”

  “I suppose. But what are you looking for?”

  “I cannot tell you for I may not succeed in my quest. I may be wrong. I’m sorry. Trust me that it is necessary.”

  She nodded with the realization she would trust Gerard with her very life. The door had closed behind her by the time she remembered she had not discussed with him Claude’s resemblance to the Herricks. But Gerard obviously did not want it spoken of so she would not. It would not seem fair anyway to use something against Claude that was not his fault.

  Chapter Ten

  The next morning Juliet was pleased that Gerard let her takes the reins again. Admittedly they were on back roads with no traffic and it was a one-horse gig but it felt good to know she could drive a horse as well as ride one. It was to be Jack’s turn on the way home. He was squeezed in between them on the single seat, radiating excitement. She expressed concern about Tully riding so far but he laughed at her worry and assured her they had traveled much farther in one hour on campaign and usually on foot.

  Since all the participants in the expedition were early risers and all but Tully normally met in the boxroom in the morning, escaping without notice or permission was not difficult. It did occur to Juliet that they probably should have taken a groom who knew the country better than Tully but Jack was handy at asking directions and they reached Grafton Underwood before most of the household would even be out of bed.

  Gerard left Juliet and Jack to order breakfast at an inn while he went on his errand. By the time he got back Jack was tucking into sausages and toast while Juliet poured tea.

  “I should not be eating with quality,” Tully said as he sipped his ale.

  “It’s a tiny inn, Mr. Tully,” Juliet said. “You would be eating in the same room anyway, so you may as well sit at our table.”

  “She’s right, Tully. Besides, Juliet informed me the family never comes here.”

  ”And why have we come here?” Jack asked after swallowing a huge bite.

  “To visit the church.”

  “Church? It’s too early.” Jack’s dark eyes lit with curiosity. “Why did you really come?”

  “I am not at liberty to say except that my errand has been successful,” Gerard said with a satisfied smile.

  “Does that mean you’ll be allowed to stay at Old Stand?” the boy asked.

  “No, Jack, it does not but I plan to stay for all the time if I am allowed.”

  “I’m sorry if what I did makes the general cast you off. I thought he’d be proud.”

  “He was proud of you, Jack, but I had no right to teach you without at least your mother’s permission.”

  “She is fit to be tied. Says I’m not to consort with you ever again.”

  Tully laughed. “So this don’t count as consorting, boy?”

  “No, we are not conspiring for me to learn more music. Besides, by what Mum says, Gerard is to be cashiered out.”

  “What does that mean?” Juliet asked.

  Gerard smiled. “Turned off, drummed out, whatever you like.”

  “I suppose I had better pack,” Juliet said, causing Tully to raise his eyebrows.

  “Don’t be so hasty. Perhaps the lawyer will approve my claim, or perhaps the uncertainly will drag on for a while. There are worse things than waiting.”

  She stared at him a moment and realized that for a couple to be married without a license they had to post the bans three weeks in a row. She was not of age, of course but they could lie about that. If Charles could be convinced to sign for her, though he was not her guardian and no one raised an objection they could be married in that amount of time. The alternate requirement was that they reside in the same district for fifteen days but it came to the same thing. Could Gerard last two more weeks at Old Stand? It would be interesting to see if he could manage their escape better than the one Charles had arranged for him.

  * * * * *

  In spite of Jack driving and Gerard suppressing the boy’s notion to spring the horse, they beat the rain home. When Jack drove the gig up to the house Gerard took the reins from his hands. Gordon immediately came out as though he had been on watch for them.

  “Where have you all been? The General thought you had eloped.”

  Gerard laughed. “That’s absurd. Would we take a scruffy schoolboy and no baggage if we planned to run away?”

  “I did not think so but they never listen to me. The express last night was from the London solicitor, Mayhew. He is to arrive this morning.”

  “It’s nearly noon now. And has he?”

  “No but I was afraid he might before you got back. Frankly, as far as I know, Jack was not even missed.”

  “Yay!”

  The boy hopped out and scooted around the corner of the house to sneak in the back door Gerard supposed. Tully tied his horse to the back of the gig and drove it off toward the stable. Gerard took Juliet’s arm to lead her in to luncheon. ”Perfect timing.”

  “Where the devil were you?” General Cochran demanded as they filled plates at the sideboard.

  “Driving lesson,” Gerard said then pulled out a chair for Juliet.

  Even Chandler glared at him. “If Juliet wants to learn to drive I think I am more qualified to teach her.”

  “Oh, no. She was teaching me.”

  Chandler looked aghast and Gerard then remembered than he had claimed to be able to handle a team of six, so he laughed at the stunned look on his cousin’s face. The general merely shook his head and went back to eating.

  Gerard looked around the table, winked at Jack but noticed no one was smiling, plus there was an empty chair. “Where is Claude?”

  “He had an errand,” Helen said.

  Gerard suspected it had something to do with the news of the solicitor coming. Before they had finished eating the skies opened and he dodged another chess lesson by claiming to have letters to write. He did actually compose a letter to General Soutine, a humorous account of his stay to date that would leave the old man chuckling. He pointedly did not ask the meaning of the contents of the trunk. Two could play at that game. And he dangled the same temptation in front of Soutine that he had in the previous letter. It would be interesting to see if the old man could resist.

  After that Gerard sprawled on his bed reading one of the French novels Soutine had tucked into his trunk, a lurid piece full of pirates and abductions. Perhaps this was some reference to his hasty exit from France. A sharp rap came at his door.

  When he opened it Juliet stood there, looking so vulnerable and uncertain he wanted to take her in his arms.

  “Let me in.”

  “That I shall not. It would be insane.”

  “I must speak to you in private.”

  “Come out onto the balcony over the portico.”

  “But it’s raining sheets.” She pulled her shawl about her.

  “There is a roof.” He opened the door, checked the hall and slipped out with her. “What is so important that you would risk your reputation?”

  “Jack told me someone galloped out of the stableyard right after we got back. From his size he thinks it was Claude.”

  “I see.” He had to raise his voice to be heard above the rain.

  “Do you think it has to do with the express the general received?”

  “Yes and if the London solicitor is late Claude might get back before him. But what can be his errand?”

  “Helen has arranged for you to be examined by the York solicitor as well. But General Cochran says he will not delay the hearing.”

  “Ah, the York man is in Helen’s pocket. How do you know this?”

  “My maid babbles from time to time so she is some use. Be prepared to be doubted.”

  “It is good to be forewarned but I can hardly stop Claude riding like a maniac for York. He will either return before the London man gets here or not. I doubt he wi
ll be able to bring Helen’s man in time.”

  “Anyone who looks at you would know you for a Cochran. Even Charles bears some of the Cochran features through our mother, the chin anyway and the smile. Not so much the eyes and eyebrows.”

  “Certainly he is not inclined to our lean build.”

  “No. Nor is Claude. One would not take him for a Cochran at all.”

  Gerard shrugged. “He has Nash’s smile.”

  “Hard to tell. Neither of them smile very much.”

  “He has been accepted as Nash’s son and that will never change, should never change.”

  She looked at him a moment. “I agree.”

  Gerard had his back to the rain and was pretty much soaked but had managed to shield Juliet from most of the spatter. He took her in his arms and kissed her reverently.

  “What was that for?”

  “Agreeing with me. You should go in now. The wind is chill.”

  “What was it like, sleeping rough?”

  “We seldom did. My father was an officer. If there were any quarters to be had we slept under a roof. Perhaps a leaky roof,” he said as a trickle of water ran down his neck from the old gutter. “But a roof all the same.”

  “You said the only way you might be able to afford an education was in the army.”

  “Only as a last resort if I am driven away from here.”

  “You’re not leaving without me?”

  “Not willingly.”

  “I will come with you.”

  He kissed her again. “But it would be better if we married and left the normal way. There is no need to panic yet. Now to get you safely back to your room.”

  “I’ll go first,” she said.

  “Check the hallway,” he whispered.

  Helen’s noxious voice berating Juliet for opening the balcony door sent Gerard by means of the ailing gutter up onto the roof above. Fortunately the house was only two stories at this point with the servants attic surrounded by a wide expanse of slates—slippery slates. Gerard heard someone close and lock the balcony doors and knew it was incumbent on him to get back to his room before it occurred to Helen to check for him there. He crept along the edge of the roof on his knees ’til he judged he had come to his window, then swung down beside it on the guttering using his right arm to take his weight. A tentative attempt to raise the window with one hand revealed that it was locked. He wadded his handkerchief about his left hand and punched the pane next to the catch. The tinkle of glass brought Gordon to open it.

  “What the devil?” he asked as he helped Gerard scramble in.

  “Be a good man and forget how I entered.”

  “Certainly, sir. But if it is one of the housemaids I will leave your employ.”

  “No it is Miss Chandler but we have done nothing wrong except converse on the balcony,” he whispered as he climbed over the sill.

  “In this rain? Meeting like that is very dangerous.”

  “If I get caught alone with her they may try to force her into marrying Claude.”

  “I appreciate the difficulty, sir but that is not the only danger. You might have been killed.” Gordon stared down at the flagstones below, then drew the drapes over the broken window pane.

  “Only if I had fallen. And it’s no more than twenty feet. I have fallen farther than that.”

  “Indeed?”

  Gerard did not elaborate but stripped off his wet coat and shirt and thrust them at Gordon, then reached for his dressing gown and shrugged into it with Gordon’s help just as Helen and Nash thrust the door open.

  “I say, have a care. I might have been naked.”

  “Have you been in here all this time?” Nash asked.

  “I’ve been reading a dull book. What is the matter?”

  “He must have come in this door when I went to get you,” Helen said.

  “Gordon,” Nash said. “Did Gerard just come in?”

  “He did not just come in that door and no one should open it without knocking,” Gordon said stiffly. “Especially a lady.”

  Gerard turned his gasp of laughter into a cough. “What is the matter?”

  “Apparently nothing,” Nash said as his gaze wandered to the slight blowing of the draperies.

  Helen went away grumbling and Gordon carried Gerard’s wet clothes into the dressing room. Gerard turned toward his bed where he had left the novel but Nash clamped a commanding hand on his right shoulder so hard it jerked him to a standstill.

  “Listen to me, boy. I may concede that Juliet would not make the best wife for Claude. She is by far too managing. But I have a grudging regard for the young lady. If you do anything to destroy her reputation, you will meet me for it and I won’t be teaching you a lesson. It will be for real.”

  “Thank you, Nash. I had no idea you thought so well of Juliet.”

  “She is possibly the most normal one among us. Have a care what you do or at least don’t get caught.”

  “I would never hurt her and I do hope to marry her if no rub is thrown in the way. But I can hardly court her in public.”

  “No, Helen would intervene. What about Chandler?”

  “I have his permission to make addresses to her.”

  “But not for an elopement. That’s what everyone thought you had done today.”

  “Except you. What made you believe in me?”

  Nash folded his arms and regarded him. “The way you play chess. It kills you to give up so much as a pawn and you never risk your queen.”

  Gerard stared at him in amazement. “Even though she is the most powerful piece on the board. I promise you I will never carry Juliet into danger or ruin her reputation. I am trusting you not to tell either Helen or Grandfather that she is the only person holding me here.”

  “The only person? What about Jack?”

  “’Tis true I see in him myself not so many years ago. He needs someone’s attention in place of a father and I am not the person to take him in hand. He regards me as too much of an equal.”

  “You mean a cohort. Surely you are not suggesting I should take on training him.”

  “You have to give me lessons in being a gentleman. What harm in including Jack?”

  Nash groaned. “Very well. I will speak to Grandfather about the boy.”

  “And Juliet?”

  “I’m not a snitch.” He glanced at Gerard’s hand. “You might want to get Gordon to bandage those knuckles.”

  He left then and Gerard wrapped his bloody hand in a handkerchief as he puzzled over why Nash would do so much for him until he remembered rescuing Claude from the lawn. Something else had seemed too familiar about the situation. Then he realized it was Nash’s voice. When not sneering or gloating he sounded a bit like Gerard’s father. Perhaps he had more than two reasons to stay.

  Juliet had not changed her story about checking on the guttering though she doubted Helen believed her. The way her maid was sniffing about the room she half suspected Sophie of tattling on her. Such a bother. The girl was never about when she was wanted but always seemed to be spying on her when Juliet wanted to do something clandestine like meet with Gerard. Or perhaps it was just guilt. But she did not think she felt at all guilty about her fiancé. She was walled up here against her will just like Charles when he could have managed the affairs of both of them. Of course his actions in France might have got them in the suds if not for the quick thinking of Gerard. Already she trusted him more than she did her impulsive brother.

  She would never give Gerard away. But how to support him in his coming trial she had no idea. What if the York solicitor had managed to forge some documents that would disinherit him? As she changed her damp clothes she thought about the promises they had made to each other and realized that even if Gerard were cast out they still had a future. Charles would find enough money to send Gerard to school and help them live ’til she came into her own. Her brother liked Gerard.

  There would be a scandal, of course, when they ran away to Grafton Underwood to marry but once the marri
age was consummated she did not think either Charles or her great-uncle would push for an annulment. She did not think about what she and Gerard would do after that. She had always saved her pin money and must have almost a hundred pounds hidden about her room. As soon as she could get rid of her maid she would gather it up and pack a bag that she could grab at a moment’s notice. She must also write a note for Charles in anticipation of their escape.

  Dinner was a tense affair that evening. Though they waited all day for the London solicitor he did not appear. Helen gave no explanation for the continued absence of Claude though General Cochran did ask where he was as they all filed into the drawing room after the meal.

  “We have enough for two tables of cards,” the general said, “If everyone will play.”

  “Not me,” Emma said, “I mean to sew.”

  Juliet smiled. “I should like to watch Nash and Gerard play chess. Perhaps I will learn something.”

  Nash looked aghast at her suggestion. Obviously he had not resolved the unfinished game from before.

  “Too bad we do not have a second board,” Gerard said as he set the pieces in their starting positions. “I fancy it’s a game Jack would enjoy and four of us could play a tournament.”

  “There is another set,” the general said. “I will get it while the servants arrange the tables.”

  When he came back and opened the small leather case Gerard recognized it at once and could not suppress an intake of breath. “That is Father’s chess set. How did it get back here?”

  “Are you certain?”

  “I lost one of the pawns and had to carve a replacement. It took me days.”

  Gerard watched the general tumble the pieces out of the sack and picked up the pawn, cruder than the rest and held it in his hand. Perhaps that’s why he always identified with the pawn, he had been one too often. Even now he was not free but it was because of Juliet and it was his choice to stay and win her. He would never win anything by running away.

  The general took the piece and set it on the board. “It was in his trunk when it was returned.”

  Helen gasped. “That should not have been got out until the lawyers are present.”