The road to the farm was muddy and uneven and she raised her eyes to the toll road curling around the ridge to the north and watched the coaches bowling along. Traffic had increased in recent months and she thought perhaps there was now a chance that the subscribers would begin to see a return for their investment. That would be good for the town. Her sharp eyes picked out a rider on the top road and even at this distance she recognised Captain Duggan. He was riding slowly and she quickly put down her head and hurried on to Oldroyd. She did not wish him to recognise her and come riding down to meet her, full of hearty goodwill and gallant phrases, for she felt very vulnerable and alone on this desolate stretch of road.
The memory reared up of Lucas galloping towards her, mounted upon her beloved Apollo. She closed her eyes for a moment, shaking her head to dispel the image. Would she ever be free of him? Everywhere she went around Stanton there were memories waiting to pounce on her. Perhaps, when they were settled once more at Oakenroyd, she would travel. She had always wanted to go abroad. But she could not leave her father, so for the moment she was trapped. She remembered her father’s story of the lark
in the gilded cage. Well, she thought, in an attempt at humour, at least she would be miserable in comfort.
T
he days dragged on and nothing was heard from Lucas. Annabelle busied herself with the chores and housework around the little cottage while her father continued to give lessons to his students or read his books in his study. An improvement in the weather towards the end of the week encouraged Belle to put on her cloak and take a walk once she had completed her morning tasks. She had heard that Elias Greenwood’s wife had given birth to a healthy baby girl and she decided she would walk to the farm to see the mother and child. She regretted that she could not take a basket, as she had done in the past, but she hoped that Mrs Greenwood would still be pleased to see her.
She had not gone far when she heard her name
and looked up to see Captain Duggan hurrying towards her.
‘Miss Havenham, I was hoping I might see you! You are on an errand?’ She hesitated, and he rushed on. ‘I need your help, madam, with my cousin.’
‘Mr Blackstone? Is he ill?’
He spread his hands. ‘He is…not himself, Miss Havenham. He is asking for you.’
‘Yes, of course.’ The Greenwoods were forgotten. Belle started forwards, as if she would run all the way to Oakenroyd, then stopped. ‘I should tell my father—’
‘I will go back and explain. You are dressed for walking, ma’am, and I am sure you would prefer to keep moving. Continue out of the town and I will hire a gig once I have spoken to your father. I shall soon overtake you on the road.’
He was strangely agitated and would wait no longer, but dashed off in the direction of Croft Cottage. Belle stared after him. Lucas must be in a very bad way to make his cousin so anxious. Remembering Lucas’s black mood the other night, she began to hurry along the road towards Oakenroyd, praying she would not be too late.
‘…and that’s it.’ Lucas closed the ledger and handed it over to Elias Greenwood together with a large purse. ‘This should cover anything you
need. Have the tradesmen send their bills to my London address and keep a tally for me of all that you spend. Stebbing will be back in a couple of weeks to check on progress.’
‘You are not coming back, sir?’
‘No, not for some time.’ Lucas busied himself with tidying Samuel’s desk. He had never really come to think of anything at Oakenroyd as his. He picked up a much smaller purse and held it out, saying awkwardly, ‘This is for you. Buy something pretty for Mrs Greenwood and that new baby of yours.’
‘That’s very good of you, sir—’
‘Aye, well, enough of that.’ Lucas waved aside his thanks. ‘You have my attorney’s direction in London, you can send word there if you need me, but the work is progressing well enough, I do not foresee a problem.’
‘Not until we are in a position to decorate the house and lay out the gardens,’ Elias pointed out. ‘I ain’t sure I could do that for you.’
‘No, of course. That will not be necessary.’
Lucas hoped by that time the house would no longer be his responsibility, but he did not want to share that thought. There would be speculation enough when it became known that he was selling Morwood. He wanted to be far away before that occurred.
He dismissed Elias and left the study, sending
a footman running to fetch his man. The hall was gloomy, but a cheerful fire awaited him in the drawing room and by the time Lucas had poured himself a brandy Stebbing had come in, closing the door quietly behind him.
‘Is everything packed in readiness for the morning, George?’
‘Aye, Major, we leave the house exactly as we found it, as you instructed. I haven’t told the staff you ain’t coming back, but I think they knows something’s up.’ He scratched his head, musing on this vexed question for a moment. ‘Anyway, they’ve been told to continue here as normal until they hear from you.’
‘Good. And Captain Duggan?’
‘He packed his things and left this morning, just before you got back from Morwood with Elias Greenwood.’
‘Then we are all done.’ Lucas walked to the window and stared out. The short winter day was fading and the low sun cast long shadows across the valley before him. He could see the outline of the moors above the trees at the edge of the park. Beyond that lay Morwood. Soon to be sold, to pass out of his family for the second time. The last time.
‘Where shall we go, George, when we have settled all this with the lawyers? What say you we try America?’
‘That’s an awful lot of water to cross, Major. I thought you was planning to make your home hereabouts.’
‘Not any more.’ He turned to find his servant eyeing him anxiously. Lucas forced a smile. ‘I’ve been a damned fool, George.’
‘As so many have been before you, sir.’
‘Is that supposed to make me feel better?’
George Stebbing gave him a slow grin. ‘Nay, Major, ’tis only to tell you that you’re not alone.’
Lucas shook his head. He felt more alone now than he had ever done. He emptied his glass and returned to the sideboard to refill it, saying as he crossed the room, ‘I have a fancy to book a passage and leave this cursed island behind me. What do you say, will you and Rudd come with me?’
‘Aye, Major, you know we’d follow thee to the ends of the earth, if you asked it.’
Lucas looked around. ‘I know that tone, George. Out with it, man, what is your objection?’
‘Only that you was so set upon making your home at Morwood, sir.’
‘That is no longer the case.’
‘And…’ Stebbing coughed. ‘Miss Havenham, Major?’
Lucas’s jaw tightened. ‘Not that it is any of your business, but she will be moving back here,
with her father. We shall not see her again.’ He saw the speculative look in his servant’s eyes and swore roundly. ‘Damn you, George, it is for the best.’
‘Is it, now?’ murmured Stebbing, not noticeably abashed. ‘Best for who, I wonder?’
Lucas’s eyes narrowed, but before he could retort he was interrupted by a light knocking on the door and Gibson entered.
‘I am sorry to disturb you, sir, but a note has just been delivered and it says it is urgent…’
The butler came across the room, holding out a silver tray upon which lay a folded paper. Lucas gave it a perfunctory glance. It was in his mind to send the butler away with his damned notes, but he picked up the letter and broke the seal. His eyes scanned the untidy writing once, then again.
‘Thank you, Gibson. That will be all.’
‘Trouble, Major?’ asked Stebbing, when the butler had retired.
‘What makes you say that?’
The man rubbed his nose, saying reflectively, ‘I’ve seen that black look o’ yours before, Major.’
After a brief hesitation Lucas held out the letter. George took it and read it aloud.
‘“Miss H. is waitin’ for you at the Boar’s Head. Come alone. Tell no one.”’ He handed it back, frowning.
‘That’s my cousin’s writing,’ said Lucas. He
turned the paper over and studied the wax seal. ‘He wrote it here. What is the damn fool up to now?’
‘Whatever it is I don’t like the sound of it,’ muttered George. ‘The Boar’s Head is a ramshackle place, used by drovers mostly, their last stop before they cross the moor to Oxenhope.’
Lucas refolded the note and propped it on the mantelshelf. ‘Send a message to the stables to have the bays harnessed to my curricle.’
‘You ain’t going alone, Major!’
Lucas fixed his hard eyes on the old soldier. ‘What do you think?’
‘Is Mr Blackstone not at Oakenroyd?’
Annabelle asked the question as Captain Duggan swung the gig around a bend and away from the road to her old home. She had been in such a ferment of anxiety that she had not hesitated to climb up into the gig when Captain Duggan pulled up beside her.
‘No.’
‘Is he hurt, then?’ she asked quickly. ‘Has he had a riding accident? This road leads nowhere but to the moors.’ When he did not answer her, she said more sharply, ‘Where are we going, Captain Duggan?’
He glanced towards her, giving her a distracted smile.
‘There is an inn further on; we will find my cousin there. You know how he has been recently, I am afraid for his safety…’
He let the words hang and a chill ran down Belle’s spine. She remembered the pistol lying on the sideboard the night she had visited Oakenroyd. Annabelle kept her eyes on the road as it wound upwards and the green pastures were replaced by a much bleaker landscape. the moors stretched ahead of them while to each side was only rough grazing land with a few sheep like white dots in the distance. At last she saw the gable of a stone building at the side of the road. An inn, with a number of outbuildings surrounding it. the substantial nature of the property argued a large hostelry, but as they drove up she could see that the painted sign was cracked and faded and the buildings were run-down, with grass and weeds growing between the cobbles.
‘Is this where he is?’ she asked, frowning.
‘Aye. The Boar’s Head.’
‘But I don’t understand. What would bring him here? How did you know—?’
‘I’ll explain all that later,’ he interrupted her, bringing the gig to a halt on the cobbles. ‘Let us go in and pray we are not too late!’
His urgent tone was not lost on Annabelle. As soon as the gig stopped she jumped down. A barrel-chested man with iron-grey hair ran out
to grab the horse’s head and Captain Duggan picked up a small leather case from the gig and followed her into the inn. the weather-beaten door led into a dark low-beamed passage. To the right was what Belle took to be the taproom. It held a long table and benches and a couple of barrels stood in one corner with a trestle table before them. It was empty save for a slatternly woman in a grey gown, who disappeared through a door at the back of the room even as Belle looked in.
‘This way, Miss Havenham.’
Captain Duggan opened a door to the left and ushered her inside. She found herself in a much smaller chamber with a single table in one corner. As the door clicked shut a presentiment of danger came over Belle.
‘What is this? Where is Lucas?’
‘Ah, well, I may have misled you a little there, Miss Havenham. We will have to wait for him. Won’t you sit by the fire?’
She started back towards the door. ‘No, I will not. I want to go back to Stanton immediately.’
‘I’m afraid that is not possible.’ He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the hearth, where a sullen fire smoked fitfully. ‘Now please sit down, Miss Havenham.’
He pushed her down into one of the wooden armchairs that flanked the fireplace. Belle was
thoroughly alarmed, but she was determined not to let it show. She said coldly, ‘Please tell me why you have brought me here.’
‘I already have,’ he said, placing the leather case upon the table. ‘We are waiting for my cousin.’
‘I don’t understand. Why should he want to come to this inn?’
‘Because you are here.’ He sat down opposite her, smiling at her confusion. ‘I needed to get my cousin alone, you see, and you are in the nature of the, er, bait.’
She shook her head.
‘You are wrong, Captain Duggan. Mr Blackstone has sworn to stay away from me. He will not come.’
‘We must hope you are wrong, madam, for I cannot let you go back to Stanton if he does not turn up. You would spoil my plans.’
‘Plans?’ Through her fear came the thought that she must keep him talking. ‘How can I affect your plans?’
The door opened and the grey-haired man looked in. ‘I’ve stabled yer horse and put the gig out o’ sight, Cap’n, like you asked, and sent the boy off on the pony with yer note—’
Hugh cursed him savagely. ‘Damn you, Strutt, don’t come in without knocking!’
‘Damme, ’tis my ale house and I’ll do as I please.’
‘Not when I am paying you!’
Scowling, the landlord made to withdraw, but the captain stopped him. ‘No, wait. Now you are here, send in some wine and something to eat.’ When the man had gone, Hugh was once more smiling and urbane. He said apologetically, ‘We may have to wait here for some time. You see, I had the note already written, to summon Lucas, but I could not risk sending it until I had you safe.’
Belle lifted her head and looked at him steadily. ‘Captain Duggan, I fear you are under a misapprehension. Mr Blackstone is nothing to me.’
‘That may be so, ma’am, but he cares for
you
a great deal. Why else would he be willing to give up everything? Much can be forgiven a man in love, Miss Havenham, but I cannot let him do this. I have to stop him.’
‘This is surely something you should take up with your cousin, sir—’
‘I have tried, but he won’t listen to me.’
‘Then I cannot help you.’ She thought sadly of that last kiss, how he had put her away from him. ‘I have no influence with him.’
‘No?’ Again that cold smile. ‘I think you will
find he will co-operate, once he knows what I plan to do with you if he refuses.’
The curricle bowled along the road to Stanton at breakneck speed. The bays were fresh and Lucas was obliged to give all his attention to keeping them steady. It was growing very dark now with only the last ragged shreds of daylight on the western horizon. The lamps on the curricle burned with a dull glow, but Lucas knew that if anyone was in his way he would be upon them before they could see his lights. He tore into the little town and brought the team to a plunging halt at Croft Cottage. Rudd ran to the bays’ heads while Lucas jumped down and rapped urgently upon the door. It was opened immediately by Samuel’s man, a worried look upon his face.
‘The master saw you pull up, sir. If you would like to come in.’
Samuel was waiting for him in the sitting room. ‘Belle?’
The old man spoke the single word almost as soon as Lucas entered, his face so white and creased with worry that Lucas’s worst fears were realised. He shook his head.
‘Tell me when you saw her last, Mr Havenham.’
‘At noon. We had a little soup together.’
‘And you have heard nothing since?’
‘No. She told me she was going for a walk, but she would never be gone so long without letting me know. I was about to send a note to Rishworth Lodge, to see…’
‘I pray you will not do that yet.’
The old man fixed his anxious eyes upon him. ‘Do you know where she is?’
‘I think so. I am on my way there now.’
‘Bring her back safely, my boy.’