Virginian Lover

by Oliver, Marina

  'Who is your master?' Sir Francis asked suspiciously, but the clerk named a well-respected lawyer known personally to him, and he turned apologetically to Bella.

  'It should not take long, my dear. Do you object to waiting? Or would you prefer for me to escort you home first? It is not far.'

  'The young lady can wait in a private room,' the clerk offered, and Bella, who was already full of gratitude to Sir Francis for the time he had spent on Toby's concerns, would not hear of any delay.

  'I will wait, and indeed you must not hurry on my account,' she assured him. The clerk, with an obsequious smile, led her into a small room on the ground floor and nodded approvingly.

  'You will not be disturbed,' he said. 'This way, Sir Francis.'

  Bella sat down, but the door had scarcely closed behind the clerk when a small door almost invisible in the panelling near the fireplace opened, and a small man slipped silently through.

  'Who are you?' Bella demanded, rising to her feet.

  'Hush, Mistress Sutton. Do you wish to see Toby alive again?'

  'Of course I do! What have you to do with him? Where is he?'

  'You must come with me and I will take you to him. This way, we can get out of the house at the back.'

  'No, I must wait for Sir Francis!'

  'If you do, I am instructed to tell you that by nightfall your brother will be another of the bodies that float in the river. You will not be harmed if you are sensible, my dear. But my master does not want Sir Francis foiling him of his reward, does he?'

  *

  Bella knew she would be sensible to refuse, but if she did and Toby were harmed she could never forgive herself. She had to take whatever risk there was to herself. She nodded, and the man turned, led her through the doorway and along a narrow passage. At the end he let them out of an insignificant doorway and went through Fountain Court and Garden Court until they came to the gate opening onto the river bank, where a boat awaited them by the landing stage. She was carried swiftly across the river to the Southwark side where horses were waiting them. The small man helped her to mount and clambered onto his own horse.

  Bella was so certain they were going back to her old home in Kent she did not bother to ask where he was taking her until, after several miles, she realized that instead of following the road nearest the river shore they had turned southwards into the higher folds of the hills.

  'Where are we going?' she asked sharply then, but her companion, who had said nothing to her since they had left the room in the Temple, shrugged and did not answer.

  They travelled for several miles along narrow rutted lanes, and eventually turned into what was little more than a cart track leading into a wood. At the end of it was a clearing beyond which the ground fell sharply towards a widening valley through which a river could be seen winding its silvery way. A farmhouse, wooden-framed, with lath and plaster walls, sturdy but neglected, stood at the edge of the clearing, it's jetted upper storeys overlooking the valley.

  'Here we are,' the small man said, and Bella looked about her nervously. It was an isolated spot, no other houses in sight apart from those scattered over the valley. This house looked neglected, weeds smothering what had once been a herb garden, and no dogs or fowls inhabiting the clearing or the small stable to one side. She permitted the man to help her down and found she was stiff from the unaccustomed exercise.

  The man remounted and rode back along the track, leading Bella's horse. Bella, aware of the isolation of the spot, shivered. She began to walk hesitantly towards the door of the house, set in the centre of the long side facing her, and as she drew nearer it slowly opened. The hall inside was dark, and a shadow was cast across the doorway by a large oak tree, so Bella glimpsed only the outline of a man standing there. Then there was a squeal of joy and Toby ran out of the house at Bella.

  'Bella! You've come! You've come!' he cried excitedly, and then burst into tears.

  Bella knelt to gather him into her arms, and gasped with relief to find he was unhurt. She did not look up until a scornful laugh came from the man in the doorway.

  'Very touching, my dear. But do come inside.'

  Incredulously Bella looked at him. He had moved out of the shadow and was standing a few feet away from her. She rose slowly to her feet, holding Toby's hand so tightly he cried out to her not to hurt him.

  'Edward!' she breathed. 'How did you come to be in England?'

  'The same way as you, my dear wife, by ship. How else?'

  'You are recovered,' she said slowly.

  'Did you hope I should die?' he asked mockingly. 'I am no weakling, as you will learn.'

  'You thought you were about to die,' Bella retorted, stung into a response. 'I care nought!'

  'A pity for you that you did not wait to make certain that I did,' he sneered. 'I began to improve as soon as you had left. I got rid of that fool Fletcher, and my own friends cared for me. I wonder why yours did not poison me while they had the opportunity? Was it on the instructions of Mr Adam Tarrant? Did they not want you free to plague him?'

  'No one did aught but good for you,' Bella said coldly. 'It is your good fortune you recovered. But enough of that. What do you want? Why have you followed us?'

  'Come in,' he repeated. 'We can discuss it in comfort. I even have a meal prepared for you.'

  He turned and led the way in. Bella noticed that he limped slightly, but it did not appear to inconvenience him. She followed slowly into the large hall and found it almost bare of furniture, although the beaten earth floor had a thick covering of old dried rushes. Edward went through into the kitchen, where there was a table, some stools, and a cauldron simmering on a hook over the fire. A pile of newly chopped logs lay in one corner, their fresh scent mingling with the aroma of herbs and pork. A loaf of bread and some cheese stood on the table, and some ale was already poured into a mug.

  Bella sat down and held the still sobbing Toby on her knees while Edward ladled some of the stew he had been cooking onto platters, and cut manchets of bread. Toby wriggled off Bella's lap and began to spoon his portion hungrily, and Bella realized it was a long time since she had herself eaten. Edward watched in silence, his lips curling.

  'Well, what do you want?' Bella repeated.

  *

  'You are my wife,' he answered. 'What more can I want? What did you discover when I was in delirium that sent you hotfoot to England?'

  'You told me the truth about Henry,' Bella answered, 'and I came to claim Toby's inheritance.'

  'Yes, Henry Martin took it by a trick and has benefited by a year's possession. We must hope he has not sold too large a part.'

  'We?' Bella asked coolly.

  He smiled sardonically. 'Of course. You and I, Bella. I've no mind to risk my life in Virginia or as a mercenary in Europe when there's a good home waiting for me in Kent.'

  'It is not your home,' she stated quietly. 'It is Toby's.'

  'Come, my dear. I am trying to be reasonable. How can he manage it for himself? You must be there, and where you are I will be. It is as simple as that.'

  'I'll never agree to live with you again,' Bella said, but her heart was beating unnaturally loudly, and she was afraid he would hear it.

  'You have no choice. We are wed. And I hold both you and Toby. Do you know what will happen to him if you ever disobey me again? Or if you ever refuse to come to my bed, and do as I wish?'

  Bella looked at him as bravely as she could. 'Do you threaten me?'

  'Not you. I am sure you have learned some pleasing tricks from that whoremaster of yours, and can satisfy me now as you did not when you were a timid virgin. If you do not – well, a child's life is uncertain, is it not? I am surprised Toby has survived the hazards of such a voyage and the conditions of that hellhole. But children die easily, and then you would inherit Clifford Manor. As my wife that means I would own it. I am sure you understand me.'

  Bella knew that for the moment she was trapped. Until she could secure some protection for Toby she dared not anger Edwar
d, for there were so many ways in which he could kill a child, and if Toby died he would be able to claim everything in her name as he had threatened.

  'You will have to permit us to return to London to challenge Henry's claim,' she said as calmly as she could.

  'I have my own attorney who will work on our behalf. There is no further need for you to be in London. I shall act for you, and take Toby when it is necessary to produce him. You will stay here, my dear, under close guard. I do not intend you to escape from me again.'

  Bella shrugged. There must be some way out, and in the meantime she must appear to accept the situation to safeguard Toby. Then she shuddered. Edward would probably expect to exercise his husbandly attentions, and she would not dare risk angering him by resisting.

  Her fears were soon confirmed when he ordered her to put Toby to bed in the innermost room upstairs. When she took the child up the steep staircase she found three rooms leading out of each other. Toby had clearly used the furthest one, for a rough pallet of straw was in one corner and a torn blanket covered the makeshift bed.

  In the centre room, Bella saw with a shiver of apprehension, was a larger straw mattress, and Edward's spare clothing was hanging on nails in the beams. Before she had finished telling Toby his favourite stories, Edward had followed her upstairs and was waiting for her. A candle illuminated the room, where he had closed the shutters to keep out the chill wind which had suddenly sprung up.

  'Get undressed,' he said brusquely. 'I've no more gowns for you, but if you prefer to spend the rest of your time here in rags, I'm willing to tear your clothes off again. That is sport in itself, and if you go about the house half naked I might pleasure you more often, not just at night.'

  Attempting to control her revulsion, knowing he was fully restored to strength and could force her if she resisted, and this time she had no knife with which to protect herself, Bella slowly unlaced her bodice. Edward lounged, still dressed, on the mattress. His gaze burned into her as he enjoyed her reluctance. Slowly Bella slipped off her gown and chemise, feeling totally humiliated as she finally stood naked before her hateful husband. His hot eyes inspected her slowly, travelling up and down her body, lingering at the luscious curves and making her want to scream with fury and mortification.

  'Methinks you've grown more enticing since I last sampled your charms,' he commented. 'Now, you can show your appreciation of me by acting the valet. Take off my clothes.'

  She could not refuse. He lay there, and as she approached, nerving herself for the hateful task, he stretched out his hand and viciously pinched her thigh. She winced, and he laughed.

  'That's just a taste of what you'll get if you do not cooperate. Show me what Tarrant taught you. Go on, stop prevaricating! I've not been so desperate for women, or short of them, these last few weeks, that I'm anxious to get it over with quickly. Let me see how you have learned to tempt a man. If you don't know how I'll have to teach you, but I had heard your paramour had some skill. Make use of it for my pleasure now.'

  Chapter 13

  Sir Francis came down the stairs considerably ruffled, and in great alarm when he discovered his eminent lawyer friend had neither known he was there, nor sent for him. The helpful clerk had vanished after showing him into the lawyer's anteroom and was, he discovered, unknown to his friend. He almost ran into the room where he had left Bella, but it was empty. Swinging round on his heel he did run out of it, and collided with a tall blond man dismounting from a powerful looking chestnut horse just outside the door.

  Hastily Sir Francis apologized and stepped back, trying to look round the man and the horse to discover whether Bella was in sight, but he found his arm grasped firmly. Distractedly he tried to shake off the man, who laughed.

  'Francis! I implore you, is this the way to greet a friend who has travelled across the ocean to see you? Or have I changed beyond all recognition?'

  'Adam!' Sir Francis gasped. 'What the devil are you doing here? But I've no time for that! Here, you knew Mistress Sutton in Virginia, didn't you? Did you see her come out of there?'

  Adam's grasp on his arm grew even firmer. 'Bella? No! What has happened? Elizabeth told me about the child being taken, and that you were visiting lawyers, which is why I followed you. Where is she?'

  'I don't know, but I'm afraid we were duped!' Ruefully he explained. 'Her brother was too clever for us. We were to await another message, but he has separated her from her friends.'

  'It may not be her brother,' Adam informed him tersely. 'Her husband recovered enough to sail on the next ship from Jamestown. I discovered from some friends of his that he planned to kill Toby and claim the inheritance in Bella's name. That is why I came to England. I was fortunate to get a ship soon afterwards which had a swift crossing. Her husband's ship arrived ten days since, however, so he has had ample time for plotting.'

  'Then how can we start to look for her? It might have been possible to trace her brother, but where did her husband come from? Who were his friends? She never spoke of them, or even said where he lived before they were married.'

  'Henry Martin might know, and he is most likely at Clifford Manor. Daniel is with me. I'll go and fetch him from the tavern where he's waiting, and we'll ride into Kent. You had best go home in case we are wrong. I'll come back to you there.'

  He was mounting as he spoke and had gone without waiting for a reply. Sir Francis, distracted, set off for home to explain the strange turn of events to his wife.

  *

  Adam rode swiftly through the crowded streets and on to London Bridge, thrusting his way through the crowd of people and carts that blocked the narrow roadway between the houses. Having gained the far side he and Daniel were able to ride together past the White Hart, the Tabard Inn and the Marshalsea Prison, until they reached the open country where Adam set a punishing pace.

  The manor house where Bella had lived was a large, commodious building standing in a formal garden. There were stables to one side where outhouses surrounded a courtyard, and as Adam reined in to take stock of the house a horseman rode hurriedly from this yard and, without a glance in their direction, spurred his horse into a gallop and past them. Adam looked after him.

  'I have seen Henry Martin but the once, and briefly,' he said urgently, 'but I am certain that is he. Daniel, follow him and see which road he takes. If he goes away from the London road, wait for me. Off you go, or you'll lose him!'

  He dismounted as he spoke, hitched his horse to the gatepost, and strode up the path between the formal flower beds to the front door. An elderly man answered his firm knock and peered up at him.

  'What is it?' he muttered irritably.

  'I need to speak to Henry Clifford. Is he here?'

  The ancient shook his head.

  'You missed him,' he wheezed, and started to close the door.

  'That was him, riding away?'

  'Aye, likely.'

  'Where has he gone?'

  The old man stared curiously at Adam and shook his head.

  'Why should I tell you? You're a stranger. Mr Clifford might not want it known.'

  'Did you live here when Miss Bella was here, and Master Toby?' Adam asked, putting his booted foot in the way so that the old man could not close the door. He looked up, startled.

  'What has it to do with my little Miss Bella? She's gone far away.'

  'No, she's back in England, and in some danger. I think your master has gone to find her. Where has he gone? I am a friend of Miss Bella's.'

  'Miss Bella? In England? No, she be in Virginia or some such outlandish place. She's not been in England for a year or more. I'll never see her again, poor little maid. A sweet lass she was, too!'

  Adam restrained his impatience.

  'She has come back, and is in danger. Please help me find her. Where has Henry Clifford gone?'

  'The Pilgrim's House,' the old man eventually informed Adam. 'That's what he said, anyway.'

  'Where is it?'

  'Take the road through Cobham, and it's up on th
e Downs, it looks over the Medway Valley. Anyone in those parts will tell you.'

  'My thanks,' Adam rapped out, handed the astonished old man a crown piece, and turned to run down the path. He was soon galloping back along the road after Henry Martin.

  Some miles further on he found Daniel waiting for him.

  'He's only ten minutes ahead, but he's riding as though the devil were after him, and my horse went lame a hundred yards back,' the man explained. 'It was fortunate he turned off here.'

  'There is a village nearby, get the horse stabled, and get yourself somewhere to stay until you can bring him back to London,' Adam ordered, and Daniel watched reluctantly as he followed the narrow lane along which Henry Martin had ridden.

  The lanes soon degenerated into a tangle of small tracks, so Adam stopped in a village and found a young lad who seemed confident he could show him the way to the Pilgrim's House.

  'Though no one's lived there for the past year or so,' he informed Adam, 'since Mr Carter left.'

  'Come pillion behind me,' Adam said briskly and the lad, awed at the opportunity to ride on such a fine horse, scrambled hurriedly up onto the horse's back.

  'It's only a couple of miles,' he volunteered, and soon he was pointing along a narrow track through thick woods. 'It's at the end of that, there's no other house,' he said.

  'Thank you. You'd best go home now,' Adam said, presenting him with a silver sixpence, and so stern did he sound that the lad, who had been determined to creep after this elegant stranger to see what he wanted at the long-deserted Pilgrim's House, decided he might be wiser to return home as directed.

  Adam turned along the track and came out of the trees to find a sweating horse standing, his head drooping, a few paces from the open front door.

  *

  Bella had, with trembling clumsy fingers, started to unfasten the buttons of Edward's doublet as he ordered, trying to control her instinctive flinching as he stretched up one hand and grasped her breast. Then his hand slid down her thigh and round her leg to pull her down on top of him.