by Mary Nichols
She curtsied to her ladyship. ‘Good evening, my lady. I am sorry we are late.’ And then to Robert. ‘Good evening, my lord.’
‘Good evening Katherine. Lady Morland. Reverend.’ Robert spoke to each in turn. ‘Now we are all here, let us join the others.’ He offered Kate his arm and they proceeded into the ballroom. It was crowded. Besides friends and acquaintances, Kate spotted Mrs Withersfield and Captain Feltwell talking together and, standing alone, Simon in a forest green velvet coat and black pantaloon trousers. How glad she was to see him!
The carpet had been taken up, a dais raised at one end for the musicians and gilded chairs arranged around the circumference for sitting out and the whole room was lavishly decorated with fresh flowers and swathes of wide ribbon. Lady Morland made her way to a seat. ‘Off you go,’ she said to Kate and Robert, as the Reverend disappeared in the direction of the library, where the older gentlemen were enjoying a game of cards. ‘Enjoy your dance. I shall have a comfortable coze with Lady Stanton and Mrs Collingford.’
Robert led Kate into the dance, already under way. ‘What happened to make you so late?’ he asked.
‘I tore the hem of my gown and Susan had to mend it.’ The lie slipped out more easily than she expected.
‘And why are you not wearing the diamonds?’
This was more difficult. She took a deep breath. ‘I thought the sapphires went better with the blue of my gown.’
‘Diamonds go with anything,’ he said. ‘I would not like it to be thought I was miserly towards my bride.’
She did not like him referring to the sapphires as if they were worthless. They had been among her mother’s most prized possessions. ‘Oh, I am sure no one thinks that, my lord. I will wear the diamonds on our wedding day.’ She prayed they would have been restored to her by then.
She took the opportunity of a change in the direction of the dance to look about her for Simon. The sooner he was told about the loss of the necklace the better. She spied him standing beside the large windows that looked out onto the garden. He was in conversation with Captain Feltwell and, judging by his expression, he was not pleased.
Robert claimed her attention until the dance finished and then he tucked her hand into his arm and they promenaded the circumference of the room. When they reached Simon, Robert would have carried on past him without acknowledging him, but Kate, reluctant to move on, hesitated. ‘Doctor Redfern, I am so pleased you found time from your work to enjoy a little recreation,’ she said, trying with her eyes to convey her need to speak to him.
If he noticed it he did not react, except to bow to her. ‘Mrs Meredith.’
She could say no more as Robert tugged on her arm to continue their perambulation. Simon watched them go, wondering what that message had meant, for message it undoubtedly was. He had not meant to come, had intended to plead a previous engagement, but Lady Podmore was one of his aunt’s bosom bows and she would not consider allowing him to refuse the invitation. He had not known Kate would be among the guests, but he should not have been surprised. Cranford was determined to take her out and about.
Seeing her had lifted his spirits. He did not know what he hoped for. A miracle, perhaps. And when the Viscount arrived without her he had hoped… But here she was, on the arm of her future husband. He had almost made up his mind to make an excuse to leave when Kate addressed him. Her eyes had looked troubled and her body, usually so vibrant, seemed to have shrivelled, though her mouth smiled. There was something very wrong with her and he had to find some way of speaking to her alone.
He watched her dancing with other partners and then approached her directly. ‘Mrs Meredith, might I claim a dance?’
She glanced about her. Robert was on the other side of the room, talking to his sister. ‘Of course,’ she said.
It was not until they were on the floor she realised it was a waltz. It brought back so many memories. How easy they had been with each other, enjoying their time with the children, dancing at Lady Eleanor’s ball, as they were dancing now. No, she must not think of that. ‘Simon,’ she began and then realised what she had said and stopped in confusion. ‘Oh, I am sorry. How discourteous of me. I should not—’
‘Yes, you should. If you think of me as Simon, then I am pleased and flattered.’ He paused and looked down at her. ‘I think of you as Mrs Kate.’
‘Do you?’
‘Yes, but I could make it plain Kate. No, no, I did not mean that. You are far from plain, you are very beautiful and Cranford is a lucky man. But he calls you Katherine, does he not?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then to me you are Kate. Now, what can I do for you?’
‘Do for me?’ She was flustered beyond anything. The conversation was not at all what she had expected and, though his flattery was pleasing, it also troubled her. They seemed to be moving towards an intimacy that was highly improper and they were on view for all to see, including the Viscount. She was afraid of giving herself away.
‘Yes. You are troubled. I can always tell, you know, your eyes betray you. If there is anything I can do for you, you have only to ask.’
‘Something terrible has happened and I need your help.’ She looked about her. Robert was still talking to his sister, but facing towards her, watching her. ‘I cannot speak of it here. Do you think you can call on me tomorrow afternoon?’
‘Of course,’ he said. If she needed him, whatever he had arranged for that time would be cancelled. ‘It will be my pleasure. But can you not tell me something of it? Is it something I have done or not done? Or the Viscount?’
‘Neither. Please do not ask me any more. The Viscount is coming towards us.’
And with that he had to be content, but his imagination was running riot. Whatever it was, she did not want the Viscount to know of it. Or had she heard the rumours being circulated? He felt guilty about that for taking her about in his gig so often, but he had become so used to people pointing the finger at him for his eccentricities, he took no note of it, but he should not have allowed her to suffer it. He had warned Feltwell against spreading gossip, but he doubted the man would be able to resist a juicy bit of scandal. He released Kate into the Viscount’s care, ignoring the look of pure venom that gentleman gave him, and then wandered over to Lady Morland to see if she might enlighten him, but though they spent several minutes in meaningless conversation, he learned nothing more. As soon as he decently could he took his leave.
Kate saw him go and felt an almost irresistible urge to run after him. He had been smiling, but there had been a bleakness in his eyes that she wanted to banish. She supposed she had worried him by telling him something dreadful had happened and not enlarging upon it. Oh, how she wished the diamonds could be found and no one to blame but her own carelessness!
Everyone went in to supper, a lavish affair in which the Podmore caterers excelled. There were roast fowls, glazed hams, lobster and crab pâtés, spinach, water-cress, salsify and fried potatoes, jellies, cake and sweet soufflés filled with fruit, all accompanied by champagne, wine and ratafia. Kate could not eat any of it.
Lady Morland put it down to the heat in the ballroom, but Kate knew it was nothing of the sort. It was seeing Simon disappear and knowing he was lost to her—that was a far greater catastrophe than the loss of the necklace. So far nothing had been said to Robert, but she wondered how long it could be kept from him and what he would say and do when he found out. He would not roar and pace about, it was not his way, but she dreaded his cold anger. She was putting all her faith in Simon. If it was Michael who was the culprit, then perhaps Simon could retrieve the necklace and no harm done. But supposing the boy had disposed of it already? And why was she worrying about a damned necklace when her love had just walked out of her life?
‘Why no smiles?’ Captain Feltwell asked her. ‘Are you not happy with your situation?’
Supper had finished and she was dancing with him, executing the steps like an automaton, while her mind whirled. His voice brought her back to the present w
ith a jerk and she managed a smile. ‘Naturally I am happy. Who would not be in my place?’
‘Once you are Viscountess Cranford there will be no more frolics in the park with a certain gentleman and his bantlings, nor trotting about town in his gig unaccompanied. My friend Cranford is a stickler for the proprieties.’
‘Captain, give me leave to know my future husband’s mind better than you do. I know he would be excessively annoyed if he were to hear that you have been spreading unwarranted tattle about me and about a good man who has nothing but the welfare of poor children at heart.’
He laughed. ‘His words almost exactly.’
‘The Viscount’s?’ she queried in surprise.
‘No, Redfern’s. He spoke of your virtues in glowing terms. You have a staunch admirer there, Mrs Meredith.’
His words were innocuous enough, but the implication behind them was not. ‘I think you have said enough, Captain,’ she told him and stopped dancing so suddenly the couple behind them almost collided with them. ‘I wish to return to my grandmother.’ She gave him the briefest of polite nods and marched across the floor to where the old lady sat watching proceedings.
‘That man is the outside of enough,’ she told her. ‘He dares to criticise me for taking the children to the park. I cannot understand why Robert is so friendly with him.’
‘I believe they fought together in the war,’ the old lady said. ‘I suppose friendships like that are more firmly rooted than most. Take no notice of him.’
‘But he is spreading malicious gossip. What have I ever done to harm him?’
‘Nothing, child. I saw you speaking to Dr Redfern. Did you tell him about you know what?’ This was said in an undertone.
‘No, I could not with so many people around, we might have been overheard. I asked him to call at Holles Street tomorrow. Thank goodness the Viscount is going to Austria tomorrow to meet the people he will be working with and to make arrangements for our accommodation. It will give us a little time.’
They said no more because Robert was coming to claim her and she spent the rest of the evening in his company, pretending to be happy, pretending for all she was worth, in order to protect the man she loved.
Chapter Eight
Simon arrived promptly the following afternoon and was shown into the drawing room by Susan. ‘I will go and tell Mrs Meredith and the Reverend you are here,’ she said.
He went and stood by the window and looked out on the garden. It was just as it had been the last time he visited, except for the silence. There was no childish laughter and, though the sun still shone and the flowers still bloomed, it seemed bleak and empty. He turned as Kate came into the room, dressed in a simple muslin gown and with her nut-brown hair tied back with a ribbon. His heart lurched as it always did when he looked at her, but he gave no sign of it as he executed a polite bow, to which she responded with a quick bob of her knee and then hurried over to him.
‘Doctor Redfern, I am so glad you have come.’
‘Doctor Redfern?’ he queried. ‘What happened to Simon?’
‘That was a slip of the tongue and most remiss of me. Please sit down. Papa will be here directly.’
He sat on the chair she indicated, tucking his long pantaloon-clad legs under it. ‘You said you needed my help.’
‘Yes. We are all in turmoil. A diamond necklace given to me by Viscount Cranford is missing. We fear it might have been stolen.’
If he was surprised at the nature of her problem he did not show it. ‘Are you sure you have not simply mislaid it?’
‘No, we have turned the house upside down and it is nowhere to be found. That was why we were late to the ball last night.’
‘That was the reason, was it? There were whispers that you might have changed your mind about the wedding.’
He must not know the truth. She was quite sure he would not allow her to sacrifice herself for him and she did not want him to suffer for her sake. ‘No, nothing like that,’ she said. ‘And if you hear such rumours, I would be grateful if you would put a stop to them. I believe you have already spoken to Captain Feltwell.’
‘Yes. Odious man. Now, to come back to the matter of the necklace. I assume the Viscount does not know of its loss.’
‘No, I told him I had had some trouble with my dress.’
‘Tut, tut.’ He forced a laugh. ‘Telling fibs to your intended.’
‘Very remiss of me, I know, but I was, and am, hoping we will recover the necklace before he returns from Austria, and for that I need your help.’
‘Anything I can do, I will.’
‘We—that is, Papa and Grandmother and me—were hoping you might be able to retrieve it. You see…oh, this is so difficult and I do not want to believe it, but we think it might have been taken by Michael.’
He looked startled. ‘Why Michael?’
‘There is no one else. We have questioned all the servants. They have been with us for ages and I am convinced they are all innocent.’
‘I am loath to believe any of my charges would steal, but given their backgrounds, it is not impossible, I suppose.’
‘It breaks my heart to believe ill of the child, and I hope and pray he is innocent.’
‘So do I, not only for his own sake, but for the reputation of the charity. Lady Eleanor is very particular. Michael must be questioned. He is to leave the Hartingdon Home to join a ship in two or three days’ time and then it will be almost impossible to catch up with him.’
‘Then let us go at once.’
‘You wish to be present?’
‘Oh, yes, please.’
The Reverend came in at that point and Kate acquainted him with what she and Simon had decided. ‘Do you need to go yourself, Kate?’ he queried. ‘Can Dr Redfern not question the boy without you?’
‘I have no doubt he could, Papa, but I want to be there. If Michael did steal my necklace, then I want to understand why and try to make him see how wrong it was and get him to promise not to do anything like it again. He must know that if he goes to prison, he will not be able to join his ship and will be for ever branded a criminal. I am anxious to avoid that. If my property comes back to me, then no one outside this house need know it was ever lost.’
Simon realised from that little speech that Kate was anxious to keep the loss from the Viscount. He would undoubtedly hand the boy over to the law whether he were innocent or guilty.
Kate went to put on a bonnet and throw a shawl about her shoulders and they set off in the gig. It was only then she remembered Captain Feltwell’s comments about her riding with Simon and supposed if he were to see her now he would have more fuel to add to his gossip. She truly did not care.
‘It is unfair to assume Michael is guilty without evidence,’ Simon said, as he drove them towards Hyde Park, intending to drive through there rather than take the road, made all more chaotic than usual by the road-works. ‘And we should not condemn the boy without it.’
‘No, I would not do that, but perhaps others might.’
He knew whom she meant. ‘I collect the Viscount knows nothing of this.’
‘No. I would rather he did not. Luckily for me, I have a little respite. He has gone to Vienna on business and will not be back until a few days before the wedding.’
‘If Michael did not take the necklace, then we are at an impasse and his lordship will have to be told, surely?’
‘Of course. I am dreading it. I have no idea how much the necklace is worth, but am persuaded it is a prodigious amount. Oh, how I wish he had never given it to me.’
‘No doubt it was a token of his love for you.’
She gave a cracked laugh, which told him more than she wanted him to know. Why on earth was she marrying the man, when it was making her so unhappy? Had he some hold over her? ‘I do not need costly presents for that,’ she said. ‘On the one hand I want Michael to be innocent, on the other, I want to retrieve the necklace without a fuss.’
‘I will do all I can, you know that, Kate.’
‘Yes, and I thank you for it.’
‘Then let us see what young Michael has to say for himself, shall we?’
He pulled up outside the Home and took her hand to help her to alight. The touch of his hand was warm and comforting. Afraid of her own reaction, of betraying feelings she knew she should not have, she moved away and preceded him into the building, where he conducted her to the office where she had found him the day she came to tell him she would take a child which, in the end, turned out to be four. What an age ago that seemed.
Michael, on being sent for, grinned his pleasure at seeing Mrs Kate again. He was not, nor ever had been, a demonstrative child, but he raced forward and clasped both her hands. ‘You have come to see me before I go to sea. I have made something for you—’
‘Michael,’ Simon interrupted him. ‘We have some serious questions to ask you and you must answer truthfully.’
The boy turned from Kate towards Simon, his face clouding. The ominous tone of the doctor’s voice bode ill for him. ‘What questions? I ain’t done nothin’ wrong.’
‘I sincerely hope you have not. Now sit down on that chair and listen to me.’ And when the boy obeyed, went on, ‘Do you remember when Mrs Kate went to a ball and you children were permitted to see her in her gown before she left?’
‘What of it?’
‘Do you remember what she was wearing?’
‘Nah. I don’ trouble m’sself with ladies’ rigs. I remember she looked real top o’ the trees.’
‘She was wearing a necklace.’
‘Was she?’
‘Yes. Michael, that necklace is missing.’
The boy was not slow, he knew what Simon meant. Hadn’t he been accused hundreds of times before, sometimes with reason, but as often as not simply because of who he was, a street urchin with no one to defend him? He was up in arms straight away. ‘I never took it, if that’s what you mean.’
‘Michael,’ Kate put in. ‘I do not want to get you into trouble. All I want is to have my necklace back. You see, it was a gift to me…’