Imitation of Love (8 page)

“I believe the master has encountered
some problems on the estate,” Griffiths informed Mr. Harrington when he asked
after Mr. Oakley. “He sent a message asking cook to leave cold platter for him.”

When it became clear that Mr. Oakley was
not going to return until very late, Catherine had no choice but to go up to
bed when everyone else turned in. Griffiths stopped her just as she was about
to go upstairs.

“Miss Willoughby, I just wanted you to know
that I’ve prepared Kitty for her new post as your maid.”

“That’s very kind, thank you,
Griffiths.”

“You can trust Kitty, Miss Willoughby.
She’s a good girl. Prattles a little bit too much for my liking, but there’s no
harm in her. In fact … you can trust all the servants at Oakley Castle. All of
us are happy to serve you and Miss Alyssa in any way we can. Nothing will
change that.”

Catherine felt that he was not just
being unctuous. He was letting her know something very important about if and
when Mrs. Somerson married Mr. Oakley. She and Alyssa would not be without
friends. “Thank you, Griffiths. I hope I haven’t caused you too many problems
by taking one of the housemaids.”

“If I may be so bold as to say it, some
people are worth going to extra trouble over, Miss Willoughby.” Griffiths
bowed, and went about his business.

When Alyssa came to Catherine’s room
later that night, it wasn’t with her usual buoyancy. She looked troubled. She
climbed into the bed and pulled the covers over her head. It was something
she’d had done since she was little, and reminded Catherine that in many ways,
her sister was still a child.

“What is it, dearest?” Catherine had
already guessed the answer. She pulled the covers from Alyssa’s head.

“I’ve tried so hard not to love Mr.
Harrington, Cat. Really I have. But no other man is like him. I can’t bear the
thought of being with someone else, even if he is rich and can buy me pretty
dresses.”

“Sometimes your heart wants what it
wants, darling.” Catherine stroked Alyssa’s fair curls.

“But he doesn’t think Mr. Oakley will
give his permission, because Andrew is broke, like we are.”

“Would you like me to speak to Mr.
Oakley?”

“Would you?” Alyssa sat up, her glum
expression dissipating in moments. “But I thought you wanted me to marry
someone rich, Cat.”

“I wanted you to marry someone who could
take care of you, and whether Mr. Harrington has money or not, I’ve no doubt
he’ll do that.” Catherine knew what Alyssa did not. That Harrington was one of
the Captain’s men, and therefore just as brave and noble as Mr. Oakley. She had
no doubt that he’d guard Alyssa with his life. She was also realistic enough to
know that an upper classed man’s idea of being broke was not quite the same as
the poverty to be found in the darkest parts of England. It merely meant one
could not afford horses and expensive balls, or to have an army of servants.
Even when the Willoughbys fortunes were at their lowest ebb, they somehow
managed to put food on the table. Only Jimmy’s death, and the annuity that died
with him, left Catherine and Alyssa in such dire straits. Whether Alyssa would
understand that, when she wanted pretty dresses that Harrington could not
provide, was another matter. But that she loved him was unquestionable, and
Catherine realised that she did not want her sister to be subjected to a
loveless society marriage any more than she would want one for herself.

“But I won’t be able to look after you
as I wanted to,” said Alyssa, breaking into Catherine’s reverie.

“Forget me, and think of being happy.
I’m sure Mr. Oakley won’t let me starve.” Catherine spoke with a certainty she
didn’t really feel. Once she’d confessed all to him, he might well do that. She
was wise enough to know that men could forgive sins in other men that they
would not accept in a woman.

She lay awake whilst Alyssa slept,
waiting for the sound of Mr. Oakley returning. When she heard hooves on the
ground outside, she dressed quickly and went downstairs, bracing herself for
the battle ahead.

Chapter Six

She found him in his study, sitting
behind his desk in the dim candlelight. In front of him was a platter of food
he hadn’t touched, and a glass of brandy.

“I hear you have a new maid,” he said,
gesturing to a seat opposite him.

“Erm … yes, I thought Kitty would be a
good maid and I need one for London and…” She was tempted to tell him about Mrs.
Somerson, but her feelings for him prevented her. She was forced to admit that
she might not have entirely pure reasons for lowering Phoebe in his estimation.
“I hope that’s acceptable to you.”

“Nothing happens in Oakley Castle
without my learning of it,” he said, “so I’m aware of the … scene … today.
Griffiths was quite emphatic that nothing like that ever happens to one of the
servants again. I quite agree with him that Mrs. Somerson’s behaviour was
scandalous. You have my assurance that neither Kitty, the staff here, or staff
in any of my other houses will be subjected to such treatment again.”

Was he telling her that he had no
intentions of marrying Mrs. Somerson? Her heart felt lighter briefly, but then
she wondered whether he just planned to extract a promise from the lady that
she would not abuse the servants again.

“Thank you. But that is not why I came
to speak to you.”

“Is this where you tell me how you’ve
unearthed my brilliant disguise?” he said, sardonically. “Because I can assure
you that there’s a young man in London more than happy to swear that I dueled
with him last night.”

“It is not about the Captain. At least
not yet. It’s about Alyssa and Mr. Harrington.”

“Yes, I’m aware of their growing
feelings for each other. I’d have to be blind not to see it. But you’re the one
who wanted your sister to marry a rich man.”

“Only so she’d be properly cared for.
But I’m sure Harrington will take care of her.”

“He’s broke.”

“Only in relative terms, I’m sure.”

“I’m sorry, but my duty is to ensure
both you and your sister marry well. As your legal guardian, I cannot give my
permission to Andrew and Alyssa, as much as I too would be happy to see them
marry.”

“About that…”

“What?”

“This is where we start talking about the
Captain.”

“Blackmail won’t work, Catherine. I’ve
already told you that there’s a young man in London willing to swear we dueled
last night.”

“I’m not trying to blackmail you. I’m
trying to release you from your promise.”

“Explain?” His eyes pierced into her,
but there was something else in them. A wariness. “On second thoughts. Don’t.
There may be some things it’s better I don’t know.”

“I have to tell you. If only because I
misjudged you. I thought you were a dandy. Someone only devoted to pleasure.
And I was wrong.”

“What has this got to do with my being
your guardian?”

“Everything. But I have to go back to
the beginning. To when Jimmy used to get notes from father, excusing him from
lessons at school.”

“There are some things I do not need to
know.” Mr. Oakley spoke sternly. “Go back to bed, Catherine.”

“No. You have to listen to me. When I
told you I didn’t know the false names of the people who killed Jimmy, I lied.”

“What were their names?” His question
was like a pistol shot.

“The names on the forged documents were Annette
and Paulette Du Pont.”

“Women? What type of documents were
they? This is very important.”

“They were letters of introduction.”

“For France?”

She shook her head. “No, for passage to
America. The letters stated that the two women were of impeccable character and
had escaped from the guillotine, and that they were to be given safe passage to
America. It promised that the costs would be met by the writer of the letter.
The signature was that of a French nobleman.” She named the nobleman in
question.

Mr. Oakley stood up and started pacing
the room. “I know the man,” he said. “He’s an exile here in England and he has
done a similar service to those escaping from the revolution in the past so it
wouldn’t raise any eyebrows. He has a very strict procedure for helping people,
which is probably why they needed the forgeries. I imagine that by the time the
accounts are put before him, the women will be well on their way to America, if
not there already. But why would they need false names?”

“I don’t know, but they assured Jimmy it
was for a noble cause,” Catherine said, fearing his anger. “He told me just
before he died, when I was worried about it, that the request for the letters
came from an impeccable source.”

“I can’t understand why Jimmy would be
so trusting. He was always so careful. So it must be someone we know. Someone
who seemed beyond reproach in his eyes. Thank you for telling me. Now I want
you to go to bed and put all this out of your mind.”

“I have not finished yet.”

“You have more information?”

“Not exactly. I just need to tell you
something. Jimmy was not the one who forged the notes.”

Oakley’s voice became wary again. “Think
carefully before you speak, Catherine.”

 “I must tell you. It was not Jimmy who
wrote those notes to get out of lessons. It was me. And it wasn’t Jimmy who
forged documents for the Captain, it was me. Jimmy has never been very good at
art. In fact he barely wrote anything unless he had to. He realized when I was
twelve that I had a talent for copying artists, and at first we just did it as
a joke.”

“I don’t want to know any of this.”
Despite his words, Catherine guessed that he had known if not from the
beginning, then for some time. “In fact, I refuse to believe it. A woman
couldn’t possibly be capable of such subterfuge.”

“Why, because we’re all sweet, helpless
little things who wouldn’t so much as strike a servant?”

“Go to bed, Catherine.”

“I haven’t finished.”

“Dear Lord, woman, do you intend to keep
me up all night? I thought you weren’t a prattler.”

“I told you that I misjudged you.”

“Oh, well then I accept your apology.”
He waved his hand dismissively. “There’s no need to discuss this any further.”

“So when Jimmy died I was angry with
you, because if he had not wanted to buy a horse to ride in your steeplechase,
he wouldn’t have taken on the new work. It was not Jimmy who wrote asking you
to be our guardian. It was me.”

“You forged that document too?”

“Yes.”

“Well, you’re a real mistress of the
art, aren’t you?”

“I wanted to be sure Alyssa was cared
for. But now I know you. Now I know how kind, brave and noble you are, I don’t
want to deceive you any longer. So I absolve you of your promise. Alyssa can
marry Harrington, and I can…”

“What? Become a forger?” He raised a
sardonic eyebrow.

“I thought that perhaps the Captain, who
has always been happy with my work in the past, might…”

“Over my dead body! You will never forge
anything again, Catherine. Do you hear?”

“But you’re not my guardian.” Catherine
stood up, determined to make her point. “You can’t tell me what to do!”

“On the contrary I have a letter from
your brother that says otherwise, and whether I have a legal obligation, I
still consider I have a moral obligation to care for you and Alyssa.”