by Mary Nichols
‘The outcome, my dear Malvers, was that I have been frustrated, not by the lady, who was happy to accept my offer, but by others intent on thwarting me.’
Alex suppressed the urge to call him a liar. ‘Do go on. This is all very fascinating.’
‘She was abducted on the very day the announcement was to go out. Why do you think that was, Malvers?’
‘I have no idea. A jealous suitor, perhaps?’
‘Possibly. But whoever he is, he will be punished for his crimes. Make no mistake about it, a crime has been committed. Sir George is on his way here and he will vouch that she accepted me, and a betrothal is binding, don’t you know.’
‘You mean you think her abductor is here?’
‘Oh, I know he is.’ And this time the smile was one of satisfaction.
If he stayed a moment longer, he would give in to the temptation to plant a facer on the man. ‘Can’t stay here gossiping, intriguing as it is,’ he said. ‘Things to do.’ And he strode off to find the innkeeper to ask if he had seen a tall young lady getting on a coach. The man had not, which did not surprise him. Emma had disappeared because she had seen Bentwater, he felt sure of that, so she would not have tried to leave from the Unicorn. But had Bentwater seen her?
He returned to where he had left his horse and rode back to Highhead Hall, musing as he went. Emma would flee in the opposite direction and that meant Bowness or Kendal, probably Kendal, and perhaps the men he had despatched in that direction had found her, or at least heard news of her.
His aunt had not gone to bed, but was pacing the drawing room. She looked up hopefully as he entered, but the hope died when she saw he was alone and was shaking his head.
‘No sign of her,’ he said. ‘But I encountered Lord Bentwater in Ambleside. I’ll lay odds she saw him and that precipitated her flight.’
‘Oh, poor child! Could she not have trusted us to protect her?’
‘Evidently not. Bentwater did not accuse me directly, but he hinted he knew where she was.’
‘I wish I did.’
‘You do not wish it any more heartily than I do. I pray that when the men return, they will have news of her.’
But when they trickled back long after midnight, they had no news at all. And when Maddox returned, leg weary, Alex met him in the hall and pounced on him, grasping him by the throat and shaking him. ‘You toad, you vile, unspeakable toad! I trusted you…’ He realised he was choking the man and if he did not stop he might very well kill him. He let him go.
Jeremy coughed and spluttered and pulled at his cravat. ‘I say, Malvers, what was that for?’
‘For telling that…that evil muckworm, Bentwater, that Emma was here.’
‘I never did.’
‘’Course you did. My aunt would never have done anything so despicable and no one else knew.’
‘On my honour I did no such thing. Why would I?’
‘For devilment? For the reward? God! If I had thought you would take money, I would have offered it to you myself.’
‘I don’t need money. I’ve more than enough for my needs. On my life, I swear I have told no one. Why, I like the lady. She has guts, that one, and I would not condemn a dog to life with Lord B.’
‘Then can you suggest who might have told his lordship where to look for her? For surely someone did. He would not have come to Ambleside on a whim.’
‘You mean he is here?’
Jeremy’s genuine surprise convinced Alex he was telling the truth. ‘Yes. And crowing.’
‘Someone else must have seen her and drawn the same conclusion I did. As you yourself did, Malvers. Her description was circulated and she is hardly one to melt into the background, is she?’
Alex was forced to admit he was probably right. ‘I was too hasty. I beg your pardon.’
‘Granted.’
‘This is leading us nowhere,’ Mrs Summers put in, thankful Alex had not throttled the man. ‘The point is, where has she gone? We must find her. We cannot let her wander about alone. With the whole district buzzing with offcomers, she might meet with some very bad characters, apart from Lord Bentwater, that is.’
‘I cannot see what more we can do tonight,’ Alex said. ‘Go to bed, Aunt, you must be exhausted.’
‘And do you expect me to sleep? I shall not shut my eyes. And what am I going to say to her mama?’
‘Speaking of her mama,’ Alex said suddenly, ‘Bentwater told me Sir George was on his way here. One must presume Lady Tasker is with him.’
This pronouncement brought about a wail of anguish from Mrs Summers, which Alex did his best to calm. ‘Emma is a resourceful young lady,’ he said. ‘She has proved it more than once, so we must hope she knew what she was going to do when she left and is managing without us.’ He sounded more confident than he felt, but it was important to calm his aunt.
‘You are not going to give up looking for her, Alex, are you?’
‘Never. Go to bed and rest, even if you do not sleep.’ He bent to kiss her cheek. ‘I am going out again.’
‘Where are you going?’
‘I don’t know. I am too restless to sit still.’
Jeremy followed him and they patrolled the grounds, looking in stables and byres, the coach house and the glass-houses, even though they had been the first places to be searched. ‘If Emma saw Bentwater, the first thing she would want to do is escape,’ Alex said. ‘And the best way of doing that would be to board a coach going out of the area. Five guineas, if she even has that amount, will not take her far, if she is to pay for lodgings at the end of her journey. We will widen our search tomorrow.’
‘What about the regatta?’
‘Damn the regatta.’
‘You are worried, I can understand that, but you cannot abandon it, not after the men have put so much effort into it. People have come from miles around to see the entertainment and take part in the competitions. It would be the biggest let-down since…since I don’t know when. You will be a laughing stock instead of a hero. Wherever she is, Emma will manage a day without you.’
Alex did not like being lectured to in that fashion, but Jeremy was only echoing his own thoughts. Perhaps Emma was safe somewhere of her own choosing, but if Bentwater should find her…
‘If we cannot find her, then I doubt Lord Bentwater will be able to,’ Jeremy said, as if reading his thoughts.
‘I hope you are right. He told me he is coming to the regatta. We can have him watched, every minute. I have enough men to do that. One false move on his part and we’ll know about it.’
‘He is a gambler,’ Jeremy added. ‘We could let him win a few pounds, that should keep him interested.’
They could do no more and returned to the house. Maddox went to bed, but Alex paced the room until a rosy dawn lightened the sky. It was going to be a fine day for the regatta. Perhaps that was a good sign. He went to his room, washed, changed his clothes and ate a frugal breakfast before going down to the lake. ‘Keep her safe until this day is over,’ he prayed.
It was only just light enough to see, but already the crowds were gathering. He found half a dozen of his best men and detailed them to look out for Lord Bentwater and keep him in sight the whole day. If the man tried to creep away, the fact was to be reported to him at once, whatever he was doing.
And then the business of the day claimed his attention.
Emma stirred cramped limbs as daylight found its way through the cracks in the building, which was only made of mortared stones picked up from the ground about it. It had been so windy the night before the door had banged shut and she had left it shut. She had rolled herself up in a smelly blanket—the same one Mrs Yates had wrapped her in before—and curled up on the mattress to try to sleep. The wind howled outside and she could hear unfamiliar noises until she realised it was made by half a dozen sheep jockeying for position in the lee of the hut. They had settled at last and so had she.
She had ample time during that long, sleepless night to review her life and the situation
in which she found herself. She went over her journey from London to Windermere, every step of it, the growing closeness with the man who had started out as a stranger and become the love of her life, their misunderstandings and reconciliations, his anger and his kisses and her reaction to both.
She had rehearsed every word they had ever said to each other, the pleasant exchanges and the acrimonious disputes which had only come about because of her stubbornness. She could not change the kind of person she was and stubbornness was one of the traits that kept her going in adversity, the determination not to be beaten. She was sure he understood that, but why had he not told her as soon as he found out who she was? Why keep up the pretence? Was it for the same reason she had, the feeling that she wasn’t safe, not even here so far from London? And she had been right. Lord Bentwater had found her. Was she safe, even now?
She rose and opened the door, letting in the daylight and a blast of cool fresh air. She ate some of the food she had brought and drank a little of the water, then she went outside and, walking up the hill a little way, climbed on to a rock that provided a good viewing platform. There were no walkers on the hill; they were all down by the lake, crowds of them, swarming all over the place, filling up the stands. From where she stood, she could see part of the lake, could see the flotilla of boats made to look like warships and, from this distance, very realistic they looked, too. She could hear the sound of bugles borne on the wind, the roar of the crowd and guns going off to start the races. The best time to leave, she decided, was when it was growing dusk, when the regatta was over and everyone was making their way home. She could lose herself in the crowds.
It was a long day with nothing to do but think. She went for a walk, scrambling over rocks, running down inclines, drinking from springs; when she grew tired, she returned to the hut to eat the last of her food. Down on the lake the battle was in progress. She could see puffs of smoke from the vessels as they approached the distant island, but that was too far away for her to see the fortress and the flagpole to which Charlotte would be tied in her bright red dress.
It was strange how easily Alex had agreed when she had angrily declared she no longer wished to take part. But now she realised it was as well she was not there, in full view of everyone, including Lord Bentwater. Had Alex been warned that he was coming and that was why he had been so quick to ask Charlotte Pettifer to take over? It was of no consequence now. She had left and once she was on a coach—going—it did not matter where—she would never see him again. She choked back a sob. She had done enough crying to empty the lake and was determined to shed no more tears.
The sky above the lake was lit by fireworks, blue, red, green and yellow, bright star bursts and trailing comets, indicating the successful rescue of the maiden. She had seen it rehearsed so many times, she could see it in her mind’s eye. Alex, standing tall and triumphant in the prow of the Lady Jane with his arm about Charlotte, as they returned to harbour, escorted by the victorious fleet. And Charlotte looking up at him with that flirtatious smile of hers. And then there would be the ball at the Assembly rooms. Alex would go and so would Mrs Summers. Would he think of her while he was dancing with Charlotte? Had she been banished from all their minds?
She was struck by a sudden thought. If Lord Bentwater was here, why should she not go home to her mother? Would she be welcomed and forgiven? Would Sir George concede that she was determined not to marry Bentwater and no longer insist? If the horrible man was not in town to force the issue, could she go back to being Lady Emma Lindsay? Would five guineas stretch that far if she travelled outside and did not buy refreshments? A carrier left Bowness for Kendal every day at dawn in time to catch the London coach—she could go on that. All she had to do was endure another night up here on the fells.
She held her breath. Someone was coming. There were sounds, a pattering and panting. More sheep, perhaps. Or was it human? Then with a joyful bark, Nipper raced into her hiding place, wagging his tail. She laughed and hugged him. ‘Nipper, what are you doing here? Chasing rabbits, are you?’ She looked up as the light from the entrance was blocked, but she knew it could only be Sam and was not afraid.
‘I guessed this was where you’d be,’ he said, sitting down beside her. ‘What you run away for?’
‘Someone was after me. A bad man. You won’t tell anyone where I am, will you?’
‘But I gotta tell Mr Lord. He’s in a real fret about you, shouting at everyone and cursing and I don’ know what. It ain’t like ’im at all. It ain’t fair to let ’im worrit so.’
‘I’m sorry about that, Sam, truly I am, but I’m too afraid—’
‘Seems to me,’ he said, with the wisdom of the very young, ‘you’d have no call to be afeared if you was with ’im. ’E can beat any man alive. Why, ’e nearly choked Mr Maddox to death, he was that mad. I never saw it, but Lizzie did.’
‘Whatever did he do that for?’
The boy shrugged. ‘I reckon ’e thought ’e knew where you was, but o’course he didna’ and they was soon friends ag’in. Come back, miss, come back. Mr Lord is ‘urtin’ bad for you.’
‘Oh, Sam, I wish I could.’
‘Then if you won’t go to ’im, shall I tell him you’re ’ere?’
‘No.’ She paused, sorry indeed that Alex was in a stew over her disappearance. ‘I tell you what you can do. Tomorrow, as soon as it gets light, you can come and walk with me to Bowness and then I will let you go back and tell Viscount Malvers that I have decided to go home. That should set his mind at rest.’
‘You mean you are goin’ to stay ’ere all night?’
‘Yes, why not? You lived here longer than one night, didn’t you?’
‘I weren’t alone. I had Ma and Lizzie and Nipper.’ He stopped, thinking. ‘I’ll leave Nipper with you. ’E’ll be company and ’e’ll scare off any bad men wot come.’
‘Thank you, Sam. I should like that. And Sam, when you come back, will you bring me some food?’
‘’Course I will.’ He left her cuddling the dog, trying not to cry again.
Alex refused to go to the ball, though Jeremy tried to persuade him. He had never felt less like dancing. Mrs Summers had gone, taking Lizzie with her. She had some crazy notion that if she dressed Lizzie up in Emma’s clothes and said she had taken on a new companion, it might serve to distract Lord Bentwater.
His lordship had been watched the whole day. He had wagered vast sums on the rowing races without having any knowledge of the rowers or the conditions on the lake; he had watched the abduction of the maiden and her rescue by the invaders with wry amusement and had even sought Alex out afterwards to congratulate him. ‘Good show, Malvers, though I am surprised to find you in the role of rescuer and not abductor.’ He had eyed Charlotte up and down appreciatively. ‘You know, I was given the impression that the lady in question would be someone we both know.’
‘Really? I cannot think why you should think that.’
‘No matter. A sudden change of plan, I expect. I will call at Highhead Hall tomorrow, if I may.’
‘Whatever for?’
‘A mere courtesy, Malvers. Sir George will have arrived by then.’
He had relayed this conversation to his aunt and put her in a panic. ‘I cannot refuse to entertain my friend. And she will expect to see her daughter here. Oh, what am I to do?’
‘She might be relieved to discover she is not here, Aunt. And by then I shall have located her and you can safely tell Lady Tasker, in confidence, of course, that she is in a place of safety.’
‘Are you sure you will find her?’
‘I am determined on it.’ The regatta was over and had been a huge success and now he could put his mind to finding Emma and nothing on this earth would ever separate them again. Alone in the house, he paced back and forth, back and forth, wondering how he was going to do it.
When Amelia and Jeremy came back from the ball with an excited Lizzie who had not danced, but was thrilled to stand behind Mrs Summers’s chair and watch the lovely
ladies in their colourful dresses and the handsome men whirling past her and tap her foot to the music, they found Alex slumped in a chair in the drawing room, fast asleep. Amelia covered him with a rug and left him there. Time enough in the morning to tell him that Lord Bentwater had attended the ball as a guest of the Rector and that he and James had appeared very friendly. Jeremy had seen them too. ‘There’s our culprit,’ he had told her, nodding towards James.
Alex woke with a start, surprised to find himself in a chair and fully dressed. How could he have slept when Emma was lost, wandering about somewhere too afraid to come back? He flung off the rug and stood up. It was not yet fully light. He went to the window to pull back the curtains in order to see the time on the clock that stood on the mantelpiece. Clouds scudded across the tops of the hills; it looked as though it might rain again.
He heard a sound. Sam was crossing the yard from the stables and looking furtive. He watched him make his way towards the kitchen. Sam was not one to rise before he had to. Alex left the room to go to the kitchen, half-expecting to find Lizzie there, raking out the fire before Mrs Granger came to start on the breakfasts. The kitchen was in darkness. He stopped in the doorway, knowing the outside door should have been locked and bolted. Stealthily, the window was thrust upwards and Sam climbed in over the sill. Alex smiled and waited.
The boy crept across the kitchen and into the larder. Alex could hear him moving about. A minute later, he emerged, pockets bulging, and left the way he had come. His behaviour puzzled Alex. The boy was well fed and knew if he felt hungry he could ask for food, so why creep about in the dark stealing it?
Alex crossed the floor, unbolted the door silently and went out into the yard. Sam was trotting down to the gate, not returning to his bed. He followed, smiling to himself. The boy went down the road, crossed the bridge and set off up Loughrigg Fell. By now Alex had guessed his destination. He was right. A hundred yards short of the old hut, Nipper came bounding out to greet him, wagging his tail in ecstasy. Sam stooped to fondle the dog and then hurried into the hut. Alex moved closer and stood outside.