Clara walked downstairs thankful that she did not cross paths with Milly. She was not sure she could keep her voice down when responding to Milly’s inevitable questions; no, the sooner she left the confines of the house and calmed down the better.
The hallway was empty as Clara reached the bottom of the stairs, which was unusual, some staff were normally in the vicinity, but she thought nothing of it until her arm was grabbed, and she was pushed roughly into the morning room.
The door was closed behind her, and Clara was pushed hard against it. “It’s about time you learned some manners, Miss Baker,” Joshua snarled into her ear, pressing her against the door with his body.
“Get off me, you insolent cur! One scream from me and the staff and my brother will come running, and you’ll be thrown out!” Clara snapped back, her temper completely lost.
“Oh yes, the brother who is at pains to do anything I say. I’ve already told him that you dislike me and will do anything you can to get rid of me. Who do you think he’ll believe after your performance this morning?” Joshua snarled.
Clara faltered; if her brother was made to choose she was not sure who he would support. A year ago she would have had no doubt, but recently, no; their relationship was not what it had been. There was the slight possibility Charles would think it a ploy to be rid of Joshua.
“Let me go!” Clara snapped, struggling against her foe.
Joshua smiled at her before forcing his lips on hers. He pushed his body further into Clara’s, and she struggled harder. Joshua tried to force his tongue in her mouth, but Clara kept her teeth firmly closed. This was not like the kisses she had experienced with Edmund; even when he had been passionate, there had been tenderness in the kiss. What she was experiencing now could only be described as a brutal attack.
Clara tried to scream, but any sound was swallowed by Joshua. She struggled against the man, bile rising as he continued to grind his lips into hers. Without thinking of how it could help she managed to bring her leg up hard into his groin and was finally released when Joshua groaned and doubled over.
“You bitch! You’ll pay for that!” he gasped as he fought the pain.
“You’ll be escorted off these premises and placed in the magistrate’s hands for that attack,” Clara spat, while she wiped her hand across her face.
“I’ll swing on the next gallows to your brother then!” Joshua snapped, his eyes had lost their false jollity as the real Joshua now faced Clara.
“What has Charles done? He’s been a fool in befriending you, but that’s his only crime!” Clara had a hand on the door knob; she would have left already apart from the fact that Joshua’s words had given her enough of a sense of dread to stay her movements.
“Ha! Little brother is in far deeper than you could possibly imagine,” Joshua sneered. “He’s heavily involved in a smuggling ring. Landing the goods on his own shore no less. I’m sure the magistrate would be keen to hear all about it.”
“You’re lying!” Clara shouted, but even as she uttered the words, she knew that Joshua was not.
Joshua laughed. “I have the proof, and Charles has the brandy. An examination of his cellars here and in London will provide enough evidence to see him hang.”
“Over a little bit of brandy? I think the magistrate would laugh in your face for bothering him over such a trifle!”
“Is that all he’s been smuggling?” Joshua asked with a dangerous glint in his eyes. “Does he even know what’s been landing on your pretty little beach while you’ve been sleeping?”
“You’ve tricked an innocent boy. No one will believe you!”
“When evidence is given of the sales he’s made, and the deals he’s arranged he won’t be seen as quite so innocent then. And there will be evidence. I’ve heard that the King is particularly averse to anyone with a title who proves himself a traitor. It’ll be interesting to see how quickly the death penalty is given,” Joshua said, enjoying seeing Clara going paler with each sentence he uttered.
“Why are you doing this to him after all he has done for you?” Clara asked, the fight in her fading.
“His estate is in the perfect place; you’ve got to understand that it’s nothing personal,” Joshua said with a shrug.
“Nothing personal?” Clara spluttered. “He either faces the gallows if this is revealed, or he is financially and morally drained by you for sport. How can that not be personal? Have you no standards?”
Joshua snarled at Clara, and she squeezed the door knob for reassurance. “As if I would hang around with that fop forever. Give me some credit! I need him for one week more, and then I’ll disappear out of your lives for good. That should please you at least.”
“It does,” Clara said. “Why not leave now? Why do you need the extra week?”
“Because I do. Don’t ask questions that will put Charles in danger! There’s a good sister. Now if you give me a kiss and a promise that you won’t say anything, I’ll promise not to turn your brother into the magistrate.”
“I’m not kissing you!” Clara snapped.
“Who the hell do you think you are?” Joshua spat.
“Someone who knows when I’m being used. I’m not going to do anything without a fight,” Clara said, lifting her chin slightly.
Joshua’s movement was swift and unexpected. The slap rang out in the room as his hand connected with Clara’s cheek. Her head hit the wood of the door because of the force of the slap, and her ears rang. Her hand moved to her cheek.
“I suggest you get out, but the next time I see you, I expect some respect. If I don’t get it, the magistrate will be called for anyway,” Joshua said with a shrug. “I’m sick of everything going your way; this next week will see me getting the treatment I deserve, or Charles will suffer because of you. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes. It’s perfectly clear. I won’t say a thing,” Clara said, before twisting the door knob awkwardly in an effort to get out. She needed to be as far away from Joshua Shambles as she could be. Opening the door, she ran as if the devil himself was behind her. Once out into the hallway, she slowed down slightly, but her heart pounded in her chest as Joshua’s words rang in her ears.
*
Clara ran across the lawn. She was beyond caring who saw her, yet she needed to reach a place where she would be alone. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she ran, her body struggling with deep breaths due to running and the deep racking sobs that were reverberating through her.
She paused slightly at the top of the beach pathway, just long enough to check that the beach was deserted, before setting off down the path. Her pace was slowed when she reached the sand and pebbles, lightweight boots providing little protection against the edges and movement of the pebbles.
After what seemed an age, Clara reached the beginning of the sand and sank down onto the soft ground, casting off her bonnet in the same movement. The tide was out, but was on the turn. Small waves were lapping up to the shore, but far enough away from Clara to keep her at no risk of getting wet.
Alone, Clara gave into the fear and revulsion she had experienced in the drawing room. Words and images seemed to fly in front of her eyes. She was convinced that what had been said about smuggling was correct. Charles
had
boasted about his fine brandy since one of his excursions; even if he was not fully involved Clara was under no doubt that a man like Joshua Shambles would ensure that Charles was implicated. She was afraid of what the man could do to her brother; and to her shame, she was afraid of what he could do to her. He was so confident, he had the upper hand. There was no way out of this; she could not think of a solution that would protect Charles and herself, and she cried harder through fear and frustration.
Eventually, the tears stopped; she was not sure how she would gain the strength to get through the following days, but there was no doubt she would have to, for Charles’ sake. For the first time in her life, Clara was truly frightened.
Chapter 11
Edmund and Henry walked around the headland that sheltered the area of the coast known locally as Glazebrook beach. Henry wanted to have a closer look at the caves while no one else was around. As soon as they cleared the rock structure, Henry let out a curse. “Damn it! It looks like we have company.”
Edmund had already recognised the figure on the ground and, as a result, his speed had increased. “It’s Miss Baker.”
“Well, you’d best entertain her while I have a look at the cave system. I need to be finished before the tide catches up with us,” Henry instructed, already separating from his friend.
Edmund barely registered the words as he walked towards Clara. She had not noticed his approach until he was almost upon her. “Miss Baker?”
Clara nearly jumped off the sand at the words and placed her hand over her galloping heart when she realised she was safe; it was not Joshua come to continue the taunting.
Edmund immediately dropped to the ground, throwing his stovepipe hat on the sand at the expression on Clara’s face. Without thinking or invitation he gathered her into his arms. “What is it? What’s happened?”
Clara relaxed into the embrace, feeling safe within the arms that enfolded her. “I– I– I’m sorry ̶ I can’t,” and with the incoherent words, she collapsed once more into tears.
Edmund did not notice the damp ground making marks on his pristine buff coloured breeches; he failed to observe the shine of his boots being dulled with a coating of salty sand; all he could think about was that he was going to kill the person who had upset Clara.
He held her, rocking slightly, while rubbing her back in soothing motions; her head was tucked securely under his chin. He did not ask what had happened; she would speak in her own good time.
Eventually Clara sat up and attempted to move from Edmund’s arms. She did not want to, but the impropriety of her situation had managed to seep through her tears. She wiped her eyes and blew her nose on the offered handkerchief before screwing it into a ball in her hand.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, not quite able to meet his eyes. She never normally cried, especially in such an overwhelming way.
“Don’t apologise! Truly there is no need. But you do need to tell me what has happened to cause this,” Edmund said gently, using his hand to lift her chin, forcing her to look at him fully.
At the sight of the concern in Edmund’s eyes Clara nearly lost control again, but she managed to blink the tears away. She took a moment so that her voice although quiet, was steady. “I can’t tell you.”
Edmund’s insides filled with foreboding. “You need my help. I know you do; I promise to do what I can to stop this upset. Remember I made you promise you would seek me out if you ever needed help; I think today is just that day.” He stood and lifted Clara with him. “Tell me.”
Clara was still wrapped in his embrace and was tempted to tell him everything. Since the first moment she had seen him she had trusted him, but now there was Charles’ safety to think of. “Charles is in trouble, a huge amount of trouble. I can’t risk telling you, despite promising you. I’m sorry.”
Edmund’s mind raced; he had to decide what to do. If he spoke now, his cover would be blown, and Henry would probably explode as soon as he found out. Edmund sighed; at the end of the day, he did not give two hoots about Henry and his quest against Joshua Shambles, but he did care about Clara. That thought was enough to give him pause, but he pushed it to the side for the moment; ultimately her safety was more important than his secrecy.
“Is it about the smuggling?” he eventually asked.
Clara looked at him in fear. “What do you know?”
“I don’t know for sure but, at a guess, Charles is being used by Mr Shambles to land brandy and the like,” Edmund said, watching Clara carefully as she registered every word.
Clara gasped. “It’s worse than I thought! If people already know, he is in real danger of being discovered! What am I going to do?!”
“He’s not in any danger from me.”
“But if that man guesses that you know, he will speak to the magistrate this week, never mind next week!”
Edmund immediately became alert. “Is Mr Shambles blackmailing you?”
Clara could not avoid saying something; with Edmund knowing the background, she had to make him understand there was a real risk for Charles. “In a way. He’s promised that if I don’t say anything this week, he won’t tell the magistrate about Charles’ smuggling even though Charles wouldn’t have a clue how to smuggle anything!” Clara said with derision.
Edmund was amused at the way, even in difficult circumstances, Clara could not help but be realistic about her brother’s abilities. “There must be a reason they want to contain things for another week. It looks like Henry’s hunch could prove right.”
Clara stilled as Edmund’s words sank in. “Are you excise men?” she asked. She pulled away slightly and, although Edmund did not release her completely, she was not held as firmly in the circle of his arms. She felt bereft at the loss of his strength but needed to separate herself from his comfort whilst she processed what he was saying. Edmund wanted to pull her back into him, but sensed that she would fight against it, and he was not about to force her into anything.
Edmund smiled slightly. “No, we’re not.”
“What are you then?”
“It’s a long story.”