Antonia saw that Lawson, ever watchful, was coming to join them. ‘Mr Holford wants to talk to Lord Aldhurst. Do you know where he is?’
‘Not here,’ said Lawson. ‘Nor is Sam Trott.’
The mention of the groom seemed to reassure Holford. ‘If Sam Trott is with him I don’t suppose there’s much danger. I just thought it might be better if his lordship knew…’
Lady Aldhurst’s voice came from behind. ‘Good morning, Holford! Knew what?’
Holford shifted uneasily. ‘It’s like this. We had a couple of villains in the neighbourhood a while back. They wrecked a coach on my land, but we never caught them.’ Antonia let out a cry. Holford stopped, but when she stayed silent he went on, ‘I saw them last night at the Rose and Crown. They were asking questions about his lordship’s whereabouts, so I kept quiet and listened. They had someone else with them—a gentleman, but he was in the private parlour. I heard Norris call him “my lord”.’
Antonia looked at Lawson. ‘Briggs and his friend with a lord? That’s Croxton! But what is he doing here?’
Holford glanced at Lady Aldhurst. ‘Nothing good, I’ll swear. If his lordship was here I’d warn him to be on his guard. They’re three very ugly customers, and from what I heard they don’t mean him well.’
‘That’s very likely! They’re almost certainly out for revenge,’ said Antonia. She turned to Lady Aldhurst who, in spite of her brave words, was looking pale. ‘He’s safe, ma’am. They won’t find him here.’
Lady Aldhurst shook her head. ‘James isn’t safe at all! He’s up at Roade.’
‘Roade? But I thought…’ Antonia drew a breath. ‘They will find him!’ she said blankly. ‘He’s in danger, and he doesn’t know!’ She turned and ran into the house, but Lady Aldhurst was too preoccupied to notice.
Turning to Holford, she said, ‘Holford, you must round up some of the men, and go up to Roade House at once. Hurry!’
‘I’ll do my best, your ladyship. But it’ll take more than a minute or two—they’re all working over in the seven-acre field today.’
‘Go as quickly as you can. Go on, man! Lawson, how many men are there in the stable block?’
‘I didn’t see that many. Sam Trott is with his lordship, of course, and two of the others went off this morning to the market.’
‘Why the devil are these people never there when you need them? Go back and see if anyone is back!’ In spite of her brave words Lady Aldhurst was worried. ‘Antonia!’ She looked round. ‘Where has she gone now? Rose! Find Miss Calverley!’
When Lawson came back from the stables he was shaking his head. ‘No one back yet.’
Lady Aldhurst drew in a breath and said, ‘Then we shall have to hope Holford finds his men sooner than he thought!’
Lawson said, ‘I’ll go to warn his lordship, my lady.’
‘It’s hardly enough. What are we to do? Antonia will have to take the chaise to Guildford to let the magistrate know we need him. Where is she? Ah! There you are, Antonia! Good girl! You’re ready!’
Antonia had changed her muslin and sandals for a riding habit and boots. ‘Fetch the horses, Lawson,’ she said briskly. ‘I’m going to Roade. Holford’s men won’t be here for a good half-hour, and it’s more urgent than that.’
She ignored Lady Aldhurst’s objections, calling over her shoulder as she made for the stables. ‘I’m sorry, ma’am, I haven’t time to argue. I have to reach James before those others do. I know Croxton. James has to be warned. Lawson, are you coming?’
Lady Aldhurst could only stare as, after a moment or two, Antonia and Lawson galloped past on their way to the bridle path that led up to Roade. She turned into the house and called for Mrs Culver. Someone else would have to go to Guildford with a note requesting the presence of the law.
Chapter Eighteen
James frowned as he drew up outside Roade. When he had driven over the bridge he could have sworn he had seen movement in the big saloon…yet he had left his agent behind in Guildford, and the builders were working only in the outbuildings at the back of the house. That room should have been absolutely empty, even of furniture. He strode through the hall, throwing his whip and gloves aside as he went—but came to a sudden stop at the big doors that led through into the room. Croxton was waiting for him over by the window.
‘Ah, there you are!’ he said.
‘What the devil are you doing here?’ James demanded without moving.
‘I should have thought that was obvious. I’ve come to see you. We have some unfinished business.’
‘Well, I’m afraid I don’t want to see you! Get out!’ James started towards his unwelcome visitor, but he was attacked without warning by two men who had been waiting unseen behind the door. He fought fiercely, but was hopelessly outnumbered and before long he was held with his hands pinned behind his back, facing Croxton. The men had been rough and their hold was tight and painful, but James ignored the discomfort and looked with contempt at the man standing a few feet away.
Croxton was thinner and paler and his former air of sleek self-satisfaction had been replaced by a look of feverish malevolence. He regarded James with triumph.
‘Look at you now!’ he said. ‘It’s a different story now, isn’t it? No admiring public to applaud you, no smug hypocrites to foist their daughters on you.’ He looked round at the empty room. ‘Is this where you brought her? It’s a poor place to bring your doxy, I must say. I’m disappointed in you, Aldhurst, I thought you had style.’
‘Hold your foul tongue, Croxton! Try to remember you were once a gentleman! Miss Calverley is no concern of yours.’
‘You’re the one to hold your tongue,’ said Croxton viciously. ‘Miss Calverley, our virtuous Antonia, is very much my concern. She and her meddling father have ruined me! And now you can pay for that along with all the rest.’ Croxton pulled out a pistol.
James braced himself. It was unlikely that anyone would come to his rescue. Though the outbuildings at the back were overrun with workmen, the rest of the house was deserted. He had dropped Sam Trott off at the lodge gates. But he must try something.
‘I suppose you think you can get away with murdering me, Croxton. You’re off to the West Indies. But what about these two? Are you taking them with you? Briggs is known. He won’t be safe in England after this.’
Briggs started to say something, but Croxton interrupted. ‘Don’t listen to him! You’re being paid enough to take care of yourself!’
‘But I’d like to know…’ James felt Briggs relax his grip. There might be hope yet.
‘There’s no time for argument! Mind you don’t get in the way of this!’ Croxton snarled. He lifted the pistol and pointed it at James. There was a click as he cocked it…
* * *
Antonia had pushed her horse as hard as she dared, full of the need to reach Roade. She had no doubt that Croxton was out to kill James. James had humiliated him in front of the very people who had formerly revered him most. And his last act before leaving England for good would be to take his revenge.
There was no sign of anyone outside the house, though they could hear sounds of hammering and sawing at the back. The front looked deserted. Antonia came to a halt in front of the porch and leapt down. She threw her reins to Lawson and ran inside. Without a second thought she went straight through to the big saloon.
As she reached the doors, she felt as if her heart had stopped. It was too late to warn James. He was being held fast by the two men who had abducted her. She heard him say, ‘I suppose you think you can get away with murdering me, Croxton. You’re on your way to the West Indies. But what about these two? Are you taking them with you? Briggs is known. He won’t be safe in England after this…’
Not sure what she could do, she looked round frantically for something—anything—she could use for a weapon, and saw the whip James had put down on his way in. She snatched it up and went back to the doorway.
Briggs was now arguing with Croxton, and she thought for a moment there was a
chance they would fall out. But then Croxton lifted the pistol and pointed it straight at James. She heard a click as he cocked it…
James mustn’t die! Not when she had just found out what he meant to her! Frantically she leapt forwards and let fly with the whip. The leather thong flew out in a tall arc and wrapped itself in a vicious loop round Croxton’s wrist. He let out a howl and the weapon exploded harmlessly into the air. With a roar like a wild beast Croxton grabbed the end of the whip and dragged Antonia towards him. Before she could stop him his claw-like hands were tight round her throat, choking the life out of her…Confusion and noise broke out as James threw his captors off and was on to Croxton, dragging those murderous hands away from her throat. Croxton thrust her aside and turned on James like a madman.
* * *
Antonia lay where she had fallen, dimly aware that others had come into the saloon. Croxton and James were fighting, but Lawson was there, and so was Sam Trott. They were dealing with a demoralised Briggs and his friend, and, as she watched, she saw Croxton drop like a stone as James’s fist met his jaw. She was still trying to get up when James came back to her. He lifted her in his arms and held her tightly to him. ‘Are you all right?’ he asked urgently.
Her throat felt too sore to speak, but she nodded.
‘Thank God!’ Holding her close, he looked round. Lawson was trussing Croxton up like a chicken. His two accomplices were already out of action.
‘Sam, go to the workers’ foreman and get him to bring one of his carts round to the entrance. We’ll send these three down to Hatherton and lock them in the cellars until they can be picked up. If Miss Calverley is happy to be left here, Lawson and I will take them to the door and they can be picked up there. Will you be all right here for minute or two, Antonia?’
Once again Antonia nodded, and he set her gently on the floor. ‘I won’t be long,’ he said with a smile.
* * *
She tried to use the moments before his return to decide what she could say. But she saw James coming back into the saloon and was overwhelmed with an impossible mixture of love, remorse and fear. She couldn’t say anything. He stood and looked at her. ‘Well?’ he asked.
Antonia gave a sob and ran to him, finding her voice on the way. ‘Oh, James, I love you so much!’ she cried.
He held her off. ‘Is this Antonia talking? Or is it Anne?’
‘It’s both. I’ve remembered all of it. And James, please, please, I know I don’t deserve it, but you must forgive me! I…I couldn’t live without you.’
By way of answer James wrapped his arms round her holding her so tightly that she could hardly breathe. ‘I’d forgive you anything as long as you love me, Anne-Antonia. Darling Anne-Antonia.’ He kissed her again and again, and she clung to him, responding with all her being.
Then gradually he began to waltz with her round the empty room. ‘Here at Roade we Aldhursts always dance the waltz wearing riding boots, you know,’ he said gravely when she protested. ‘It’s an old family tradition.’
But the waltz they danced was interspersed with kisses and murmurs of love, with hardly an inch between them as they danced. It would have shocked the chaperons of Europe to the core.
At the end James swept Antonia up into his arms and held her there. Kissing her, he said, ‘Will you live here at Roade with me? Will you join me in making a home where our children will be happy? Will you love me almost as much as I love you?’
‘Yes, yes and more than!’
James began to laugh. ‘Impossible! For I love you even when you look as you do now!’
‘What do you mean? What do you mean “as you do now”?’
He took her to one of the mirrors. ‘You may not have a squint, my darling, but you have a very fine black eye!’ He laughed out loud at her wail of dismay. ‘And I still love you to distraction!’ he went on as he kissed her again.
They were still wrapped in each other’s arms when Lady Aldhurst came in. ‘I had to see for myself that you were both safe,’ she said. ‘But I must say I’m glad I didn’t bring Lawson with me. I’m not sure what he would have told your father! I take it you’ve decided to marry after all? I certainly hope so—from the look of it, the wedding can’t take place a moment too soon! Good gracious, Antonia, what have you done to your eye? Never mind, child! Come and kiss me. Roade has been waiting for you for twenty years or more. And the Aldhursts are delighted to welcome you at last.’
ISBN-13: 9781460349373
REAWAKENING MISS CALVERLY
© Sylvia Andrew 2010
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Reawakening Miss Calverley Page 23