The Locket [The Rotherham Hall Mysteries] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Clair de Lune

  Then on the Sunday evening, they had been delayed by a horse that had thrown a shoe, and consequently night was falling as they approached the next inn Rafael had chosen for that night’s lodging. His coach was a little way behind them, as he had ceded the right of way to the mail coach bound for London.

  Suddenly shots rang out in the dark, and “Stand and deliver!” was heard. Alicia looked out of the coach window and saw two mounted men with scarves covering the lower halves of their faces. They were in the road, pointing pistols at the driver of Lady Gwendoline’s coach. One dismounted and wrenched open the door of the coach on Alicia’s side

  “‘Tis she!” he cried, and to her he said,

  “Out of the coach now!” and he grasped her wrist. A shot rang out, and he fell back, clutching his shoulder.

  His crony shouted, “Come along. Leave ‘er now, we have company and the swell is well armed.”

  The ruffian turned and ran to his horse. He mounted with difficulty, and they rode off. Anna and Beatrice were sobbing hysterically, and Lady Gwendoline was calling for her smelling salts. Alicia got them out of her reticule and waved them under her nose. Discovering from Rafael that nobody was hurt, she sank back onto the squabs of the coach in relief. The girls calmed down, and they all proceeded on their way. Lady Gwendoline was loud in her condemnation of the authorities who allowed such men to plague innocent travellers.

  Alicia was silent because she had recognised the voice of the second villain. As he handed her down from the coach, after her aunt and nieces had hurried into the inn, she said as much to Rafael, telling him what the ruffian had said.

  “This is not the usual haunt of highway-men in any case, and they would not be interested in a particular person.” he said.

  He did not explain why he and his coachman had been armed, and she did not ask. She was far too weary and worried about the constant attacks upon her person.

  Chapter Eleven

  They reached Rotherham the following day in time to dress for dinner. It was almost dark, so Alicia could not see much of the house and looked forward to the following day when she intended to explore the gardens, the park, and, under the aegis of the housekeeper, the house itself.

  The entrance was imposing. In the centre, the main staircase led to the first floor and the bedrooms. The housekeeper, Mrs Bridges, was a homely Yorkshire woman. She curtsied to the ladies and showed them to their rooms as the dressing gong was about to be sounded. The hall was elegant and pleasantly furnished. Doors led to other rooms, and Alicia looked forward to exploring.

  At the top of the staircase, they were informed that the family rooms were at the front of the house. Lady Alicia was given the first room along the corridor to the left, then Lady Gwendoline and her daughters. Their maids, who had travelled in a separate coach, had arrived some time before them and had unpacked what they needed for dinner.

  Bessie was impressed by the style of the house and her own reception from Mrs Bridges. Water for washing was delivered by a footman, and as Alicia washed, Bessie readied her gown petticoats and the shawl she would need for dinner. She rummaged in the trunk for her evening slippers, and all the while she chattered about the characters in the house. The butler, Jennings, Alicia learned, kept himself to himself. He had been with the family since he was a lad. He had grown up on the estate and been employed first as a footman. eventually being promoted to butler. Mrs Bridges was a very pleasant woman, but she ran the house efficiently and took no nonsense from anyone.

  Thus armed with a little knowledge about her hosts’ servants, Alicia descended the stairs to be met at the bottom by a footman and conducted to the drawing room where the three brothers awaited her.

  “Lady Alicia, welcome to Rotherham Hall.”

  Antonio stepped forward and, taking her hand, raised her fingers to his lips. She felt the kiss he pressed up on them like a burning brand. The sensation raced along her nerves and left her breathless. She was to be allowed no respite as Angel took the same hand and pressed his lips to it. She was dismayed as the self-same sensation left her reeling and aroused. Rafael came forward, and she found herself hoping he would not kiss her hand, or she would not be answerable for the consequences.

  She almost got her wish, as he just smiled enigmatically and conducted her to a sofa by the fire and sat down upon it, still retaining her hand in his.

  “I have recounted our adventures on the road to my brothers. Indeed it was because we feared some such incident that I remained behind to escort you here.”

  She listened in amazement to what he was saying.

  “Pray, why was I not told of your fears, sir?” She was not pleased and did not care who knew it. The temerity of the three of them.

  “We did not want to alarm you, my dear,” Rafael said with equanimity.

  She humphed at that, but at his next remark she jumped up from her seat.

  “While you are here, you will not leave the house alone. A footman or a maid will accompany you in any walk in the gardens. You may ride provided you take two grooms if one of us is not available to accompany you.”

  “Am I then to be a prisoner in the house?” She was angry and exhausted and fast losing control of her temper.

  “No, Lady Alicia, you are not. It is simply a precaution in case of a repeat of the kidnap attempt.”

  The door opened, and Anna and Beatrice appeared, so no further conversation was possible upon the topic. Alicia was not mollified by the excellent dinner set before her, and she vowed to herself she’d do as she pleased.

  The gentlemen did not linger over their port but joined the ladies, and soon the tea tray was brought in earlier than was customary, they were told, in order that the ladies could retire early and get their rest.

  Alicia slept well in spite of her continuing annoyance over the brothers’ high-handed orders.

  Chapter Twelve

  Breakfast was served the following day in the breakfast room overlooking the gardens at the side of the house. Rafael was sitting at the head of the table when she entered and rose to greet her. Angel was at the sideboard piling a plate for himself. There was a huge variety of food set out upon the sideboard, but she declined the kidneys and mushrooms and all the other breakfast delicacies he offered to her. She took only her customary two slices of toast and a cup of tea. The footman pulled out a chair for her on the right of Rafael. Antonio, she was told, was out on the estate somewhere. They ate in companionable silence until Lady Gwendoline appeared. Her tongue ran upon wheels in the morning, and as Alicia had expected, the men soon finished their meal and withdrew, pleading estate business.

  When Beatrice and Anna came down, Alicia excused herself and went to get a shawl. She had no intention of collecting either maid or footman and left the house by a side door leading into the gardens. The flowerbeds were well tended and stocked with a variety of plants, some of which she had not seen before. A couple of gardeners were busily employed, weeding and restocking one of the beds. She went to visit the kitchen garden, where she saw a number of beds planted with the vegetables that would be served in the Hall. There were several large herb beds. The herbs would be dried and used in medicinal poultices for the horses as well as to give flavour to the food, she supposed. She would ask Mrs Bridges to show her the still-room. She wandered about the gardens for quite a while, thinking how pleasant it was not to have a footman or a maid dawdling after her and wishing themselves somewhere else. Obviously Rafael’s concerns had not been justified in this instance.

  It was beginning to be pleasantly warm, so she decided to sit down on one of the benches, placed at convenient spots in the garden. She was glad of her parasol to shade her complexion from the sun. As she was about to seat herself she noticed some unusual flowering bushes by the old oaks near the gates and went to look at them. As she passed the second huge oak tree, two men emerged and took hold of her. She had barely time to scream before something sweet assailed her nostrils and she knew no more.

  She came back to her sens
es, lying on a sofa in the drawing room. Mrs Bridges was chaffing her hands, and a cold compress was upon her forehead. Lady Gwendoline was bemoaning something in the distance, and there was a rumble of male voices. She tried to sit up, but her head swam, and Mrs Bridges pressed her back into the cushions.

  “Ah, you are back with us, Lady Alicia,” said a deep voice she recognised. She could tell from his tone alone that he was not at all pleased. When his face came into focus, she could see he was angry but containing his anger at the moment.

  “Rafael” she said, and he cast her a warning glance. She remembered Lady Gwendoline and said no more. A glass of water was pressed into her hand by Angel, and she sipped gratefully. Trust Angel to think of her bodily comfort. Rafael was, no doubt, thinking of how she’d disobeyed his orders.

  “What happened?” she asked in a weak voice that did not sound at all like her own to her.

  “Two men tried to take you, but the gardeners foiled the attempt, and those men are even now under guard awaiting our pleasure.” Angel said as he patted her hand to reassure her.

  Rafael told her, “When you are recovered we will go and question them.”

  She tried again to sit up and this time was more successful.

  “I am ready now.”

  They would not allow her to move for a while longer, and in truth when she tried to stand she needed Angel’s arm for support. He, of course, was there. As he placed her hand on his arm he patted her hand, and she felt reassured.

  Lady Gwendoline was so much affected by the attempt upon her niece that her daughters were summoned, and she went up to her room supported by the two of them.

  Mrs Bridges went back to her duties, and Rafael and Angel took Alicia out to the stables where the ruffians were being held.

  Chapter Thirteen

  When she heard one of the men speak, she was able to confirm that he was the man who had tried on three other occasions to kidnap her. She had not seen him too clearly before, as the attempts had been made in the dark. Now she looked her fill. He was a tall, well-built man wearing a nondescript coat of homespun cloth, buckskin britches that had seen better days, a Paisley muffler, and a cloth cap. He had the swollen ears and tough countenance of a bruiser. His boots were scuffed and dirty. His companion was even rougher. His dirty brown coat was torn in several places, and some inept attempt had been made to mend it. His buckskin britches had once been fawn but now were so stained the original colour was only visible in a few places. His boots were so scuffed and cracked that she thought they would provide little protection against the elements. He was smaller than his companion, and he had a weasely face and black button eyes that darted everywhere and would not meet Rafael’s stern gaze.

  “‘Ere you can’t keep us locked up gov’nor, ‘tis agin the law,” he whined.

  “You are as sorry a pair of ruffians as I’ve ever clapped eyes on, and I’d wager the only law you know is the Runners’ and I’d stake my oath that their warrant will be out for you, my lad. Now pipe down and listen to your betters.” Rafael replied. The weasel-faced man was silent and looked worried at the mention of the Bow Street Runners and their warrants.

  She thought the bruiser was either more foolhardy or too stupid to know which side his bread was buttered. He said, “Lor, your honour, we ain’t done nuffink wrong.”

  “Well, we will just detain you here and send for the Runners.” said Angel and made as if to leave.

  “Naw, your honour, Alf and me, we ain’t hurt nobody.”

  “No, because my gardeners stopped you in time. Now you will answer my questions, and honestly, or you will remain here locked up until the Runners come for you.” Rafael said.

  Alf and the weasel-faced man looked at each other. Alf shrugged. and the weasel-faced man asked

  “Okay, guv, what be you wanting?”

  “Your names?” asked Rafael.

  “Alf Scoggins and Barney ‘Iggins.”

  “Well, Barney Higgins, I have questions, and you’d be best advised to answer them.”

  “Why did you try to take Lady Alicia?”

  Alicia was finding it difficult to follow what the man was saying. His accent and the words he used were not familiar to her, but Rafael and Angel seemed to understand. As she pondered that, they continued to ask questions. Angel had not let her remove her hand from his arm, and his large, warm hand was holding her in place. She drew reassurance from the bodily contact.

  “We ‘ad to see if she ‘ad that there gewgaw on ‘er, and if as not we ‘ad to snaffle ‘er and tak ‘er to ‘im.”

  “What gewgaw?” Rafael asked.

  “A locket, a tooled siler thing on a chain.”

  When she heard that she drew in a breath, and Rafael turned to look at her as if urging her to silence, so she complied. Who would not when Rafael looked at them in just that way he had?

  “Who wanted it?”

  “I dunno guv, ‘e’s a swell cove. Plenty o’ the readdies and willing to drop ‘is blunt.”

  “What does he look like? Do you know his name?” Rafael continued to probe.

  “Like I say ‘e’s a swell cove, tall, thin, dark clothes. Nivver saw ‘im but i’ the dark, muffler round ‘im, no moniker.”

  “Do you know where he lives? Where did you meet him?”

  “In a tavern in Lunnon, ‘ere just outside o’ that there village, at the cross roads in a clump o’ trees, off the road.”

  “When does he expect you to meet him?”

  “Day arter tomorrow.”

  Seeing that there was no more information to be got from them, she was pleased when Rafael told the gardeners to lock them up again, and he and Angel escorted her from the stables.

  The colour was back in her cheeks, and she felt much improved.

  “What is this tooled silver thing he speaks of? Do you know?” Angel asked.

  “It is a silver locket my grandmama gave to me before she died. She told me it was very important to my future, that it would make my fortune one day and to keep it safe. I never understood why, as it does not seem particularly valuable, but I loved my grandmama, so I did as she bid me. The locket is large and old-fashioned, not suitable to wear with the current fashions, so I have kept it in a box.”

  “Can we see it? Do you have it with you?” asked Angel.

  She went into the house to fetch it and brought it back downstairs in her hand carefully wrapped in a lawn handkerchief.

  Angel took it in his hand, and she watched him examine it carefully, using the quizzing glass he usually kept on a riband around his neck. It was then kept tucked it into his waistcoat pocket.

  The locket was indeed large, unusual in shape, being oval with pointed ends at the top and bottom. The Celtic design upon it was intricate and delicately carved. At the top of the oval was a hole shaped like a key, and the lower part of the locket opened to reveal inside two painted miniatures, one of a lady and the other of a gentleman.

  “My grandparents.” Lady Alicia said.

  “I have seen this sort of thing before,” Angel said.

  “It is part of a lock mechanism. It is quite old, too, and the design is distinctive Celtic and quite intricate. Have you any idea if your grandmama had a safe?”

  “I never saw any such, but it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that she had one somewhere. Her will has not been found yet. She died suddenly a year ago. My eldest cousin inherited the Hall and I have not visited it since. All is in the hands of the lawyers.”

  “Well this locket must mean a very great deal to this man as he has had three attempts made to take you. How did he know you were here, and so quickly?” Rafael demanded in his usual business-like tone.

  “I have no idea. I told no-one at all.”

  “What about the other members of your party?” he continued.

  “My aunt told only Clarice when we were in London, but my cousins had no time. We were shopping and packing and saw no-one.”

  “He certainly found out very soon to get this organise
d the day after your arrival here as well as that highway robbery attempt on the way,” Rafael stated.

  “What about the servants?”

  “All grown old in the service of the family and to be trusted. They were to tell any callers we had gone into the country but not to say where.” Alicia wondered where all these questions were leading.

  “That leaves us with Clarice, and she was instrumental in getting you into the garden at the Clifton’s ball, wasn’t she?” Rafael asked.

  “Oh, no, I was out on the terrace and she joined me. But now I recall she did suggest we go to see the fountain, and she was the one who suggested we walk around it. She seemed uneasy about something and did not want to return to the ballroom.”

  “Just so. The fountain and that part of the garden is out of sight of the terrace and the house,” Angel remarked pensively.

  “We can further question those ruffians about that, but we need a plan,” Angel said.

  “Yes, we do, and we can all think about it, sleep on it, and meet to discuss it tomorrow. We have two days to get something in place. Now we have other unfinished business.” Alicia saw Rafael shoot a significant look at Angel. Alicia looked from one to the other in bewilderment. What was going on?

  “Come, my dear.” Rafael offered her his arm.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Rafael and Angel escorted her back to the house, but instead of the drawing room they took her to the library.

  “Now, madam, kindly tell me why you chose to disobey my orders and venture out of the house alone?” Rafael demanded in a voice that she thought brooked no delay.

  Alicia heard the door open and someone come in, and then the door was locked. She whirled round and came up against a large male chest. Antonio had returned.