'You imply that I have done so, in fact?'
'That is not what I meant!'
'It is exactly what you meant!' she flashed, blinking away angry tears. 'Oh, go away, Rupert! I might have been unladylike, but I cannot regret jilting you!' She turned on her heel and walked off, not pausing until she had reached the relative calm of the main landing. She leaned against the balustrade, breathing deeply to regain her temper. How dare he? When her actions had saved him from a loveless marriage! For some minutes she continued to rage inwardly, but gradually common sense reasserted itself. The clock in the hall below began to chime: ten o'clock! Since Rupert had failed to persuade Helen to cry off, she would have to try what she could do to free Vivyan from a disastrous match.
* * *
Miss Pensford was dancing when Eustacia went back into the ballroom, but it was clear to anyone who knew her well that the young lady was not enjoying herself. As the music stopped, Eustacia waited for the couples to disperse, then went up to Miss Pensford, saying brightly: 'There you are, Helen! I have been looking for you. Pray step aside with me for a moment, that we may talk.'
Miss Pensford gave her a curious glance, but allowed herself to be guided into a small side chamber which was empty save for one aged dowager dozing on a sofa. Eustacia softly closed the door.
'You know—Rupert has told you—that we are no longer engaged?'
Miss Pensford drew away a little.
'Yes, and I cannot condone it.'
'I would not ask that of you, but I need your help. You do not look to be enjoying the party, Helen, and neither am I. I will be leaving at eleven o'clock, and I beg you, as my friend, to come with me.'
Miss Pensford stared at her.
'Leave? But how can I? Mama—'
'You may tell Mrs Pensford that I am unwell and you are accompanying me home. Helen, please do this for me; I would not ask you if it were not imperative. Lady Bilderston is enjoying herself, and I owe her so much already that I do not wish to drag her away so early! Once we are alone, I will explain everything to you. Please say you will come with me!'
Miss Pensford's resolve wavered. She had not been hopeful of an enjoyable evening, but it had proved far, far worse than she had expected: to stay would only prolong the misery.
'Very well. I will come with you. You may set me down at my house, for it is only one block away from your own at Fanshawe Gardens.'
A delighted smile broke upon Miss Marchant's countenance. While Helen went to inform her mama that she was leaving, Eustacia left a message for Lady Bilderston and passed another note to one of the footmen, pressing a coin into his hand as she gave him detailed instructions. Then she dragged Helen down the wide staircase and called for their wraps. A small form in a red cloak appeared from the shadows near the main doors. Miss Marchant held out her hand.
'Ah, Nan, there you are. Have you brought my bag with you?'
'Yes'm.' Nan smiled worshipfully at Miss Marchant, and held out a large reticule.
'Stacey, you know this creature?' exclaimed Miss Pensford.
Eustacia's smile grew.
'Of course. I rescued Nan at Covent Garden. Did Rupert not tell you? I felt sure he would.'
'Well, yes, but—'
Miss Marchant was not listening. She turned again to Nan.
'There has been a change of plan, child. I shall not be needing you now. Take these coins—you must take a chair back to Lady Bilderston's and wait to hear from me. I shall send for you and Tom as soon as I can.'
Nan sketched a clumsy curtsy and hurried off, leaving Miss Marchant to usher her bemused friend out of the big double doors, just as the clock struck eleven.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Outside, there was very little traffic, but Eustacia noted that a large travelling-carriage was drawn up at the side of the road. She linked her arm through Helen's and guided her down the steps. Nathan MacCauley emerged from the carriage and held open the door.
'Well, at least you are punctual, I'll say that much for you!' he muttered.
'Who is that?' demanded Miss Pensford, hesitating.
'Only a servant,' murmured Eustacia, hurrying her friend into the carriage.
'Servant?' exclaimed Mr MacCauley, following them into the coach. 'This ain't your maid, I'll be bound!'
'Maid? Stacey—what is going on?' cried Miss Pensford.
The carriage began to pull away and Eustacia waited until it was moving at a smart pace before replying.
'I am running away to be married, Helen, and I need a chaperone.'
It was not to be expected that Miss Pensford would accept such an explanation with equanimity. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened as she stared at Miss Marchant.
'Pray, Eustacia, this is no time for funning!'
'I am in earnest! I have promised to marry this gentleman, but surely you can see that I cannot travel alone with him. It would be most improper.'
Even in the darkness of the carriage, it was plain that Miss Pensford was very angry.
'How dare you treat me thus? I demand you take me back this minute!'
'Now just what is going on here?' demanded Nathan MacCauley, looking from one to the other. Both ladies ignored him.
'I am afraid I cannot take you back, Helen. We are on our way to Frith. But I have every hope that Rupert will follow us there, and he will bring you back to Town.'
'R-Rupert? But—'
'You see, I left him a note, telling him where we were going.'
Nathan MacCauley leaned forward.
'You left a note for young Alleyne?'
'Yes, but you need not worry,' Eustacia told him. 'He will not be coming to save me.'
'Madam, we had an agreement!' he muttered, his voice deep with menace.
'Yes, and I mean to stand by it, but I told you there were conditions,' retorted Eustacia. 'I trust you have told your coachman to drive to The Sun at Frith?'
'I have, and perhaps you would tell me now why you chose that inn?'
She smiled at him.
'Because the landlord there is open to persuasion, and I have paid him very well to look after my interests this evening.'
'Bribed him, have you? Well, that's as may be but I think it's time we turned about again,' growled the gentleman. 'This looks very much like a kidnap, and that I don't hold with!'
'Set me down immediately!' cried Miss Pensford. 'I have no wish to go with you!'
'But you must, Helen. I have told Rupert that I am going to keep you with me until you agree to call off your engagement to Vivyan.'
Nathan MacCauley stared, his eyes shifting from one young lady to the other.
'Do you mean to tell me that you have brought Viv Lagallan's fiancée with you? Are you all about in your for sure!'
'No he won't, for he knows nothing about it,' replied Stacey. She turned to Miss Pensford. 'Helen, only admit that you are in love with Rupert! Surely you can see that it would be a gross folly to go through with your marriage to Vivyan?'
Miss Pensford drew out her handkerchief. 'I would be called a jilt!'
'Well, since the engagement has not yet been announced, I do not see how that can be,' Miss Marchant reassured her.
'Have I strayed into Bedlam?' demanded Mr MacCauley. 'I wish you would tell me what is going on. In fact, I will put an end to this dashed nonsense now—'
'I think not.'
Even as he moved towards the window to call out to the coachman, Eustacia reached into the large reticule and pulled out a carriage-pistol.
With a little scream, Miss Pensford fell back into the corner of the carriage, and Mr MacCauley stared at the weapon gleaming wickedly in the moonlight. He shifted his gaze to Eustacia's determined face.
'Wh—what is this?'
'You know very well what it is,' she replied calmly. 'It is loaded, and I have its partner also, so I would suggest you sit back quietly until we reach The Sun. And Helen, I really think you should stop crying, if you don't want Rupert to find you with your face blotched with tears.'
Mi
ss Pensford blew her little nose defiantly, and managed to restrict her distress to the occasional sob.
The uneasy silence lasted until they reached Frith, and the carriage pulled into the cobbled yard of the inn. Responding to the largesse bestowed upon him by Miss Marchant on her previous visit, the landlord was looking out for them, and ran out in time to hand the ladies tenderly out of the coach, informing Miss Marchant with a low bow that supper had been prepared for them. He then led the three travellers into the inn, promised to bring them coffee directly, and ushered them into the private parlour.
'Well, this is very pleasant,' remarked Eustacia, looking at the table laid with pies, bread and cheese.
Miss Pensford gave a shudder, and went to sit in a chair in the far corner of the room, while Nathan MacCauley watched Eustacia, his eyes constantly moving to the folds of her cloak, where he knew she was holding the pistol.
'Perhaps you would be good enough to tell me what we are going to do now?' he said, with awful sarcasm.
Unruffled, Eustacia considered the matter.
'I think we should try to eat a little supper while we wait for Rupert to arrive.'
Miss Pensford looked up from her handkerchief.
'H-how do you know he will come?'
'Because he is head over heels in love with you, you goose!'
'But you told me this young woman is engaged to Lagallan!' Mr MacCauley interjected.
'And so she is, but she loves Mr Alleyne, don't you, Helen?'
Receiving no reply, Eustacia sat down at the table, placing the pistol on the cloth beside her plate. Nathan MacCauley stared at her.
'I think, madam, that you have run mad.'
'Quite possibly, but I could not sit by and see Vivyan ruin his life. A poor friend I should be if I did not at least make a push to save him.'
Miss Pensford raised her head.
'I want to go home!' she wailed.
And so you shall, just as soon as Rupert gets here. In the meantime, I suggest you try this ham pie—it is delicious.'
Muttering under his breath, Mr MacCauley stepped forward and banged his fist upon the table.
'Forget about pies, madam, and tell me—'
The entry of the landlady with the coffeepot interrupted him. As the door opened, Eustacia threw her napkin over the pistol lying on the table, her eyes twinkling mischievously. She thanked her hostess politely, and as that good lady left the room, she invited her companions to join her at the table. Neither paid any heed to this request, and with a little shrug Eustacia poured the coffee into three cups and asked Mr MacCauley to carry one to Miss Pensford.
'Try try to drink it, my dear, for it will make you feel much more the thing,' she told her.
Nathan MacCauley frowned at Miss Marchant's unconcern.
'This is not at all what I had planned, madam!'
'No, but it can make very little difference to us.'
'It will make a great deal of difference, if we are locked up for kidnap!'
'Oh, nonsense! Once Rupert has rescued Miss Pensford and taken her home, we will most likely hear no more about it, except that they will thank us one day for making them see sense!' She glanced across as Miss Pensford. 'Is that not right, Helen?'
That young lady, revived by the coffee, cast her a look of disdain.
'I merely want to go home,' she snapped.
'And what does that man mean? What plans have you made?'
'My apologies, I have not introduced you! This is Nathan MacCauley, Helen, and as I told you earlier we are going to be married.'
'Married? To him?'
Mr MacCauley bridled a little at the look of disbelief that Miss Pensford bestowed upon him.
'But surely you did not reject Mr Alleyne for him!"
'No, Helen, of course not. I cried off from that engagement because I didn't love Rupert. The agreement with Mr MacCauley is very different.'
'Well,' Miss Pensford pressed her, 'why are you marrying him?'
Eustacia hesitated, and Nathan MacCauley said maliciously, 'Shall I tell her?'
'No!' Miss Marchant's hand closed over the pistol. 'I swear I shall shoot you if you dare to speak!'
'But I don't understand,' said Miss Pensford, bewildered. 'How can you say you are going to marry this man, then threaten to shoot him?'
Feeling more sure of himself, Mr MacCauley beamed at Helen.
'I am marrying Miss Marchant to save her reputation. Is that not correct, my dear?'
Eustacia nodded.
'We have an agreement.'
'Oh, yes.' The gentleman patted his pocket. 'And I have the special licence! Tomorrow, we shall be married!'
'Eustacia, you cannot!'
Eustacia shrugged. 'It will be a marriage of convenience, Helen. I thought you would approve of that.'
'Yes, but—' She broke off, as the sound of a carriage could be heard clattering into the yard. Miss Pensford clasped her hands together, her eyes shining with hope.
'Rupert?' she uttered.
Swallowing hard, Eustacia rose from the table. A hasty step sounded in the passage. Miss Pensford rose, and took a few paces towards the door, but as it opened the hopeful look died from her eyes, to be replaced by one of horror as Vivyan Lagallan strode into the room.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Mr Lagallan stripped off his gloves, his mocking glance sweeping across the room. His lip lifted in a sneer as he looked at the three faces before him; each registered varying degrees of horror.
'I conclude you were not expecting me,' he drawled.
This proved too much for Miss Pensford, and with a little moan she fainted away, to be caught by Mr MacCauley, who was standing close beside her. At that moment more footsteps were heard, and Mr Alleyne hurried in.
'I can get no sense out of that rascally landlord,' he was saying, as he entered the room. Vivyan held up a hand to stop him.
'No need. We have found our quarry.'
Mr Alleyne halted, but at that moment he saw Mr MacCauley gently placing Miss Pensford's lifeless form on the settle, and he threw himself forward, crying:
'Unhand her, you fiend!'
As Mr MacCauley stood up and turned, Mr Alleyne was upon him, landing him a flush hit to the jaw and following in with several more well-placed blows, which sent Nathan MacCauley sprawling back against the wall.
'Rupert, stop it! He was not harming her!' cried Eustacia, grabbing at his arm and holding him back from his dazed opponent. She gave him a little push.
'Go and look after Helen, do!'
Rupert needed no second bidding; he threw himself on his knees beside the settle.
'Helen, my darling,' he muttered, chafing her hands between his own. 'If he has hurt you—'
'Of course he hasn't!' snapped Eustacia, helping Mr MacCauley to his feet. 'She merely fainted. Come along, sir; let me help you to the table.'
Miss Pensford opened her eyes at that moment and saw Rupert's anxious face looking tenderly down at her. She clutched at his hands.
'Oh, Rupert—thank heaven you have come! Pray don't leave me.'
'We appear to be very much de trop,' murmured Vivyan, watching this little enactment with a faint, sneering smile.
Hearing his voice, Miss Pensford turned her head.
'Vivyan! I—I think I should tell you. That is—'
'It is quite unnecessary to tell me anything, my dear,' he assured her. 'I quite see how it is, and I am very happy to release you from our understanding.' His glance switched back to Eustacia, who was handing Mr MacCauley a folded napkin for his bloody nose.
'Not everything is quite so clear, however.'
'No, indeed!' retorted Eustacia. 'Perhaps you will tell us why you are here?'
'I came to reclaim my property.' Vivyan glanced at the pistol lying on the table. 'I trust you have its partner safe?'
'It is in my bag. I had hoped you would not notice they were missing quite so soon.'
'I didn't. My groom brought the matter to my attention just after dinner. I ta
ke it that was the reason you waylaid me at Kennington Common today?'
'Yes. I hid them in my surcoat. I—I thought I might need them this evening. I was going to return them as soon as I could.'
'After you had used them to commit murder? Thank you.'
'Well now, I did not think it would come to that, but—how did you know where to find me?' She looked accusingly at Rupert. 'I told you in my note to come alone!'
'Oh, don't blame Alleyne. When I realized you had the pistols, I followed you to Addingham House and arrived just as that girl of yours was trying to find a hack. She told me you had driven off with Miss Pensford in a travelling-chaise.'
'Vivyan, you did not bully her?'
'Of course not. She was relieved to tell someone what you had done. And then Alleyne appeared at the door, having received your note from the footman. I—er— persuaded him to let me see it.'
'You see, I had gone to the ball on foot, and Mr Lagallan offered to take me up, there and then, in his chaise,' put in Rupert, somewhat apologetically.
Vivyan's hard eyes were fixed on Eustacia.
'I could have left him to make his own way, of course, but that would have put him some distance behind me, and he would not have had the pleasure of seeing you receive the biggest thrashing of your life.'
Eustacia bit her lip.
'Are you very angry?' she asked, in a small voice.
'Murderously so.'
Mr Alleyne, assured that Miss Pensford was no longer in danger, stepped forward.
'I think, Lagallan, that some of the blame for this evening rests with me. Miss Marchant acted as she did because she believed—she was convinced—that I, that Miss Pensford and I—' He paused, then, drawing himself up, said stiffly, 'If you wish to name your friends, sir—'
'Good God, do you think I want to crown this night's folly with a duel? What I have yet to understand is MacCauley's part in all this.'
Mr MacCauley, who was still nursing his bloody nose, looked up at him over the napkin that was still covering part of his face, but it was Eustacia who spoke.
'Mr MacCauley and I are going to be married!'
The effect of these words was startling. Rupert goggled at her; Mr MacCauley gave a muffled exclamation and tried to rise, but Eustacia thrust him back in his seat. She was very white, but her gaze was steady as she met Vivyan's eyes, noting that all trace of mockery had gone.
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