They stopped a few feet from her and he bade farewell to their friends. When he finally turned and looked at her, it was impossible to read his expression. There was no coldness in his eyes. They were just devoid of any emotion. Although she did see the muscle in his jaw tighten for a fraction of a second. When Toby and Ann stepped away from them, he walked closer to her.
‘If you need anything at all, do not hesitate to write to me,’ he said, scanning her face. ‘I have left instructions with Mrs Hatch that if anything should happen to you and you are unable to write for assistance, she is to summon me at once.’
‘I know. She told me. She thinks you will be a fine master of the house.’
‘That’s because your housekeeper knows I am leaving her in peace and won’t be interfering with her work.’ His gaze dropped to her midriff where their child was growing and his voice changed to a whisper. ‘When will you tell everyone?’
‘In a few weeks, it will be time. Would you please write to me when you arrive so that I know you’ve had a safe journey?’
The faint look of surprise followed by a warming in his eyes changed his unreadable countenance. ‘If you like.’
He took one step closer so only a foot of air separated them and raised his gloved hand as if to stroke her cheek, before he lowered it when it was halfway there. ‘Goodbye, Charlotte.’
Even though he said he would be meeting her in Kent months from now, it felt as though this would be the last time she would see him. ‘Goodbye, Andrew. God speed.’ It was a miracle she was able to speak past the lump in her throat.
He mounted his horse and tipped his hat to her. As she watched him gallop down the road without looking back, she tried to press his image into her memory.
‘He will be back before you have even had a chance to miss him,’ Ann said, coming up to her side. ‘You will see.’
She was missing him already, and she knew for certain it would be a very long time before he came back here. And then it would only be to see their child. He didn’t want to stay with her. It was time she accepted that and stopped looking at an empty road. Taking Ann’s arm, she returned with her to the garden, fighting the urge to turn back once more.
‘You don’t know how happy I am for you, Charlotte, that you found love again.’
Love? She wasn’t in love with Andrew. She felt a deep affection for him. The human heart was incapable of loving two people. Her feelings for Andrew were different from those she had felt for Jonathan. When Jonathan had left her for his campaigns, she would always fear for his safety. That was her overriding emotion. But watching Andrew leave made her feel as if some light had gone out in her life. As if she had felt the sun on her face for the first time, only to have the sky darken with storm clouds. That wasn’t love. Was it?
A dull ache was spreading in her chest, and Charlotte knew if she didn’t distract herself somehow, she might break down in tears in front of Ann. ‘It feels as if I have been gone for years instead of weeks. What news have I missed?’
‘Here’s something of interest. Mr Hunt will be addressing a meeting near St Peter’s Church in Manchester soon. We’ve always wanted to hear him speak. Toby and I will be going. You should come with us.’ She bumped her shoulder into Charlotte’s. ‘Don’t look so sad. You’ll see your husband again soon.’
If only that were true.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Andrew sat in Gabriel’s study, his body humming with anticipation for a new assignment. Since he had been back in London, he had conducted numerous interrogations, trailed Lord Halford for five days, and met with an informant on information regarding a threat to Prinny. All of it had been relatively safe and civilised, and he wasn’t sure if that had been Gabriel’s intention. Now he was hoping Gabriel had something more exciting for him to do.
Last night he received word to call on his brother promptly at nine, which told him that he would be briefed on a new mission. It was just what he needed to keep his mind off the mess his personal life was in. Whatever this mission was, it was big enough that Gabriel needed three of his operatives to accomplish it.
‘This is something we need to look into,’ Gabriel said, sliding a piece of paper across his large mahogany desk towards Andrew, Spence and Henderson.
All three leaned forward in their chairs to get a better look. As was standard procedure when they all met together, the shutters were closed on the windows in Gabriel’s study even though it was a warm day in late July, so they were forced to read the notice by the light of an oil lamp. The notice was a response to an advertisement that had been placed in a Manchester paper. Manchester was close to where Charlotte lived. What was his brother up to?
The paper stated that a meeting set for the ninth of August near St Peter’s Church in Manchester had been deemed illegal by the local magistrates and anyone that did attend was doing so at their own peril. When Andrew looked up from reading the paper, Gabriel was watching him closely.
‘I received this notice yesterday. Recently, it was announced Henry Hunt was invited to speak at a public meeting by the Manchester Patriotic Union,’ Gabriel explained, sitting back in his chair, the leather creaking with his movement. ‘He was to address the crowd on how to quickly obtain radical reform in the House of Commons and then they were to elect a representative to look out for their interests. It appears the magistrates in the area were concerned and decided to stop the meeting before people even had a chance to gather.’
Andrew felt his brow wrinkle in disgust. He understood the concerns of the people in those northern towns. He saw the conditions many were living in. Poverty was not reserved for Seven Dials here in London. If they were looking for ways to better their lives and those of their children, and have sufficient representation in the House of Commons, they should be able to do so.
‘On what grounds can they prevent them from assembling?’ Spence asked, his brows drawn together.
‘On the grounds that it is illegal for them to elect a representative. They must have consulted with someone who has knowledge of the law, because they have moved their meeting to the sixteenth and will not be having an election this time. Now there is nothing the local magistrates can do to stop them from gathering in St Peter’s Field.’
‘How does this concern us?’ Henderson asked from beside Andrew. Her brown hair was held up with some combs and, from her attire, one would think she was there to apply to be a nanny for his youngest nephew.
Gabriel glanced at Andrew before turning his attention to Henderson. ‘We know about the unrest in this country. And, while I agree with the need for better representation for those people in the House of Commons, I also understand that along with those who seek a peaceful resolution to these problems, there are those who have a more radical violent view on how to achieve them. Those are the people we need to concern ourselves with. We must protect the Crown above all else and it’s imperative for us to see if threats against Prinny and George exist among those who seek reform.’
‘You think there are people who believe their only chance at reform is if some harm befalls the monarchy?’ Spence asked, shifting his wiry frame in his chair.
Gabriel leaned forward and rested his forearms on his mahogany desk. ‘I can’t afford to ignore the possibility. That’s why I’m sending the three of you up to Manchester to hear Mr Hunt speak on the sixteenth.’
Andrew looked across at his brother and noted Gabriel was focusing his attention on Spence and Henderson. He knew enough not to look at Andrew. If he did, he would be able to tell that Andrew wanted to throttle him. It had been a conscious decision on Andrew’s part to throw himself into his work so he wouldn’t have time to think about how much he missed his wife. Now, his brother was purposely sending him to an area that was a short ride away from her.
‘Why me? I just came down from the north.’ Andrew could hear the frustration in his own voice and felt Spence’s eyes on
him.
‘That is precisely why you need to go. You are more familiar with the area and you will be able to advise these two how to look as though they belong.’
‘Spence knows the area as well.’
Gabriel ignored him. ‘The three of you will leave on the twelfth. James is arranging rooms for you in Manchester.’ He eyed Andrew. ‘Unless you would prefer to stay in Cheshire.’
‘Manchester is fine,’ Andrew growled back.
‘Excellent. Take note of any rumblings you hear that could lead to violence against the Crown and pay close attention to the people who appear to be the ones who instigate the crowd. Oh, and you two will pose as husband and wife.’
Henderson rolled her eyes and gestured towards Spence. ‘For once, couldn’t I be his sister?’
‘You look nothing alike,’ Gabriel replied, stating the obvious.
‘Damned ginger,’ she mumbled under her breath to Spence.
‘The local magistrates will not be informed you are there,’ Gabriel continued. ‘I do not want their anxieties interfering with your unbiased observations. If you get into a fix, rely on each other. That is all of it. You can go now.’
Andrew wasn’t going anywhere. He needed to have a word with his brother.
Henderson and Spence nodded their goodbyes before leaving the two brothers alone.
‘You look as though you could use a brandy,’ Gabriel said, sitting back in his chair and cocking his head to the side.
‘It’s too early for brandy—however, if I could darken your daylights it might improve my humour.’
‘Come now, there is no sense in hitting me. You’ll only travel to Manchester with a sore hand.’
‘My hand will improve by then, my humour will not. Why are you doing this to me?’
‘I wasn’t aware I was doing anything more than giving you a mission.’
‘A boring one.’
‘To you, maybe.’
When that excuse didn’t seem to work, he decided to confront Gabriel with the truth. ‘I am trying to forget my wife. You have made that objective harder to achieve by placing me just miles from her home.’
‘Your home.’
‘It’s her home. It’s mine in name only.’ Andrew raked his hand through his hair. ‘Send someone else.’
Gabriel cross his arms. ‘No. You were the one who took it upon himself to survey the area for dissonance when you were instructed to distance yourself from your work. You were the one who had been following the stories in the newspapers about Mr Hunt’s speeches. You need to go to Manchester.’ He leaned forward and his exasperated expression softened. ‘Before anything, you are an operative in this organisation. You need to place duty before all else. You need to be able to block out thoughts of your wife, of your child, of everything related to you in order to be effective at what you do. How can I trust that you will return to me from a truly dangerous mission, unharmed, when you can’t put aside thoughts of her on this one, because you are merely close by?’
Andrew dropped his head back and stared at the coffered ceiling, hating whenever his brother was more perceptive than he was.
‘I have not asked what has caused this rift between you and Charlotte. It is your marriage, not mine. But unless you can find a way to move past your emotions about it, I cannot send you out on anything that might place you in physical harm. My affection for you is too great to risk losing you.’
Gabriel was studying him intently, making Andrew feel as though he was seated across from their father and he was once again a young man who had just come back from his first mission. At that moment, with that expression on his face, Gabriel even bore a striking resemblance to the man whose portrait hung above the fireplace in that very room. Andrew looked over at it and was met with their father’s eyes.
‘He was very proud of the work you did for him,’ Gabriel said.
Andrew let out a small breath. ‘He is looking down thinking I’ve let a woman lead me around by my nose.’
‘You haven’t. You are here trying to find your way around your feelings for her. You fell in love with her, didn’t you?’
Andrew dropped his head back once again. ‘I think I did. I tried not to, but...’
‘It’s not something you can control, Andrew. It just happens. There is no rhyme or reason to it. I take it Charlotte does not reciprocate the feeling?’
‘Charlotte is in love with her husband...her dead husband. There is no room for me in her heart.’ He scrubbed his hands across his eyes, wishing he could wipe away his feelings for her as easily.
Gabriel let out a sigh. ‘I am truly sorry. I wish there were some words of wisdom I could give you on how to stop loving her. In time, her feelings may change.’
Andrew was not going to wait around for something that would never happen. It would just be too painful. He was much better with distance between them.
‘I will prove to you that my duty comes before all else.’
And prove it to myself in the process.
He would go to Manchester, listen to Hunt speak, and study the crowd for potential dangerous radicals. He would not go anywhere near Charlotte’s village—or Charlotte. Even though he knew he would have to remind himself of that vow every moment until the day he walked on to St Peter’s Field.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The midday sun was shining so brightly, Charlotte had to adjust her straw bonnet as she walked alongside Ann and Toby towards St Peter’s Field to hear Mr Hunt speak. She had read in the papers about the number of people that would come to hear him, but she never imagined what it would feel like to be in a crowd of people this large. There were people walking in front and behind them as far as the eye could see, all dressed in their Sunday best as they were advised to do. The organisers wished to show the local magistrates this would be a peaceful meeting of people coming together to hear what they could do to help repeal the Corn Laws and find ways to achieve better representation. This would not be a riot.
‘I am relieved it is a clear day,’ Ann said from beside her, ‘although I am not fond of the heat.’
A little girl in front of them dropped her tattered doll and Charlotte picked it up, dusted it off, and handed it to her. The girl’s mother smiled her thanks.
‘I’m sure it feels even warmer because we are in the middle of such a crush.’ If today would keep Charlotte’s mind off wondering where her husband was and what he was doing, she would gladly endure the heat. Not a day had gone by since he’d left that she had not thought about him. And each night as she lay in bed, she wondered if he was happier without her. In her heart, she knew she was miserable without him. Today might help keep her mind on other things. ‘Do you think we will be able to hear him?’
‘We can try to make our way to the stage—however, I don’t know if that will be possible,’ Toby offered in almost a shout so he could be heard from Ann’s other side above the chatter of the crowd.
‘It might not have been wise for you to come with us,’ Ann said, threading her arm through Charlotte’s. ‘In your condition, this might prove too much for you. Are you certain you will let me know if you get too tired and need to leave?’
She had told her friends about her pregnancy a few days earlier and Ann, whose only child was away at Eton, had been continually recalling her own experiences eight years earlier.
‘I am fine,’ Charlotte reassured her. ‘However, should I feel faint, I will be certain to let you know.’
‘Charlotte feels faint?’ Poor Toby looked panic stricken.
‘No. She said if she does.’ Ann patted his hand reassuringly.
‘Toby was so attentive while I was carrying William. You will see when Andrew returns. I’m certain he will be the same.’
The hole that had opened in Charlotte’s heart when he’d left her widened.
‘Just imagine,’ Ann continued, ‘w
hen he sees you for the first time since receiving your letter with the news.’ She rocked her shoulders slightly in an excited fashion. ‘You will have such a lovely time celebrating.’
Charlotte had to look away so Ann wouldn’t see her watery eyes. The idyllic scene Ann described would not be part of Charlotte’s memories years from now. Her memory would be of telling Andrew she was carrying his child and him storming out into the rain in Hyde Park. It was better if she focused on that memory and not the one of him kissing her stomach as they lay in bed together on their wedding night. It only made her miss him more. She quickly wiped her wet cheek before turning back to her friend. ‘Look, we have finally reached the field. What time is it, Toby?’
‘Half past. Mr Hunt should be arriving soon.’
‘Do you see the stage?’ Charlotte sprang up on her toes and looked ahead of them.
‘I believe it’s in that direction, but I doubt we will be able to make our way there. I think I see a good spot for us to stand over there,’ he replied, leading them to the left.
* * *
Andrew had agreed to stay near the back of the crowd that gathered to hear Mr Hunt speak, while Spence and Henderson had stationed themselves close to the stage. He had never been in a crowd this large. Thousands of people were pouring on to the field from the adjacent streets. And the thought of the damage a crowd this size could do should they turn violent had him on edge. It was instilled in him from the time he was young to expect the unexpected and, this morning when he got out of bed in the inn, he had a feeling that something of note was about the happen.
Luckily, Andrew found it easy to start conversations with the people around him who were all excited with the prospect of Mr Hunt helping them achieve better representation and improve their economic condition. He hadn’t seen even one person carrying sticks or rocks, or other implements that could be used to instigate violence. Women and children were even in attendance. And so far, he hadn’t heard any mention of King George or Prinny. Maybe today would be just a pleasant day outside in the sunshine.
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