Lies and Misdemeanours (13 page)

“Look at me and pretend that we are deep in conversation. Don’t stop, Hetty. Don’t look at them,” he bit out through clenched teeth.

Although he tried desperately to keep his posture as relaxed as possible, his horse danced beneath the tension he inadvertently put into the reins.

“It is just a cart,” he said, although wasn’t entirely sure if he was trying to reassure her, or himself.

Hetty felt sick as she watched the horrible conveyance approach. She tried to keep her gaze averted, but found herself inevitably drawn to it again and again. It was horrible just to look at. The thought of actually sitting inside it made the apple she had enjoyed only a few minutes ago start to churn in her stomach.

The cart not only looked horrifying, but it was a stark reminder that they were not yet far enough away from Derby to be safe yet.

She was suddenly very grateful that he had managed to persuade her to change her outfit because the cloak felt like a mental barrier from the fear of being found at any moment. Not only was it considerably warmer than her dress, but it was a completely different colour and, when topped with the hat, made her look nothing like the woman who had been chased out of Derby with a condemned prisoner.

“Morning,” the driver called as he passed.

Charlie nodded. “Morning,” he replied.

Hetty, unwilling to speak, merely doffed her cap the way she had seen her brothers do on countless occasions. Thankfully, the cart had passed by the time she dropped her hand back into her lap, and she wasn’t required to speak.

She daren’t look behind her to see if the jailer suspected anything. She wasn’t sure what she would do if he said anything else to her, or the cart stopped so the driver could take a closer look at them.

She glanced over at Charlie, and watched his cheeks puff out on a sigh. Some of the tension eased from him, but he was still tense and nervous as he scanned the road ahead. He rolled his eyes at her, but made no attempt to offer her any words of comfort. They both knew that danger was far too close for either of them to start to relax.

Charlie knew she was looking at him, seeking reassurance, but he wasn’t sure that he could manage to say anything right now. His heart felt as though it was lodged in his throat somewhere, and refused to budge. He struggled to swallow past the sudden dryness in his throat. In all of his life, he had never been as worried as he was now. Not even when he had been convicted and sentenced to death, and been dragged back to the cells had he really absorbed just how bad his situation was. Not even when he had been dragged through the condemned prisoner’s process on the morning of his supposed execution, had he felt this sick with nerves. He glanced down at the fine tremors that shook his hand and clenched his fist in an attempt to quell them. He hadn’t realised that the ordeal had bothered him so much, but it was evident that there were lingering issues that had yet to be dealt with.

It was a relief, in a way, that he had something else to think about; like getting to the safe house, because it kept his thoughts away from the ordeal of being on the gallows.

“We have to ride a bit faster,” she said quietly. “There isn’t enough distance between us and them.”

“We are not far away from Afferley now,” Charlie declared firmly. “If we keep going, we can be there tomorrow. It means that we will have to ride for as long as we can today, and are going to have to stay out overnight to make sure that we aren’t followed.”

“We can’t stay out overnight,” Hetty gasped. It was bad enough being outside in daylight. The thought of having to spend several long, cold hours out in the darkness was something she just couldn’t contemplate.

“We have to,” Charlie said flatly. His tone brooked no argument. “I will protect you, Hetty. Anyone who crosses our path from now on is going to regret the folly of it.”

As he spoke, the almost ruthless pleasure on his face sent a shiver of unease through Hetty. It looked as though he almost relished the challenge of being able to pitch his wits against Meldrew’s. It made her want to shake him, to reinforce the dangers they were in so that he understood, and didn’t take ridiculous risks with his life.

Had he learned nothing from being on the gallows?

“Charlie,” she sighed only to lapse into silence when he speared her with a hard look.

“Let’s go.” He didn’t wait for her to say anything else. He nudged his horse into a canter, and left her to stare after him.

Hetty watched him go for several moments before, with a sigh, she followed. If she had to, she would ride morning, noon, and night to leave Derby behind, but still couldn’t see the wisdom of spending a night outside.

She wished now that she knew him a little better. Heaven only knew what must be going through his mind. Being faced with a jailer’s cart, after everything he had been through already must be downright horrifying, yet he had met both with a steely determination she had never seen before. Whatever thoughts, fears, doubts or worries he might have were completely hidden beneath a cold, hard, ruthlessness that was completely alien to her.

She wasn’t sure whether to be frightened by it or not.

Hetty sighed as she eyed the ramshackle old building Charlie suggested they stay in overnight.

It was worrying just to look at. The moss-coloured stones, sagging walls, and battered door, sat amidst a veritable wilderness of overgrown weeds and bramble bushes that were as imposing as the building they surrounded. While the vegetation assured them that the house hadn’t been lived in for many years¸ it was going to be a challenge for
them
to get inside.

“It doesn’t look safe,” she whispered. Nevertheless, she picked her way through the dense undergrowth, and eyed the dangerously sagging roof warily.

“I know, but at least it will give us somewhere to get out of this wind for a few hours. The horses need rest, and so do we.”

Charlie looked over at her. He didn’t say as much to her, but her lips had started to turn blue at the edges, and her teeth were clattering together like a pair of castanets. She was frozen, and so was he. It was only a matter of time before she became ill and, given the dangers they were in, that was the last thing either of them needed.

“I am sorry if I sound ungrateful,” she said quietly. “I just don’t like the look of that roof.”

She eyed the sagging tiles a little balefully and, as if to emphasise her point, one of the tiles suddenly broke free and disappeared into the tangle of bushes at their feet.

They shared a look, but remained silent as they forced their way through the thicket and made their way inside.

“Look on the bright side,” Charlie muttered as he waited for her to join him. “It has been standing for at least a hundred years. There is no reason why it should collapse tonight, of all nights.”

Hetty rolled her eyes and inelegantly puffed out her cheeks as she yanked her cloak away from some particularly determined brambles, and turned to study the room before them. She was grateful she had breeches on now because the coarse material protected her legs from being scratched by the cruel spikes of the foliage. Now though, it also had to protect her from the mess on the floor.

Hetty had to admit that it was nice to be out of the wind, but the way it echoed around the hollow walls was disturbing. The low, almost mournful howl, felt strangely sinister. She shivered, and drew her cloak around her a little tighter.

Charlie began to loosen the girths on the saddles. “I won’t take the saddles off, just in case we need to make a quick getaway.”

Hetty stared at him with wide eyes. “Do you really think we might need to?” She glanced around them with a frown. “How do you expect to get out of here in a hurry?”

“We will manage,” Charlie assured her. He patted his horse before he turned to hers.

Aware that Hetty was watching him warily, he sighed. “There is no reason why they would look this far,” he assured her. “If they do, we will deal with it.”

He didn’t want to scare her, but couldn’t hide the truth. Just because they hadn’t seen anyone yet, didn’t mean that they weren’t out there – still looking; still waiting for that golden opportunity to capture their quarry.

“The whole country is going to be on the look-out for us,” Hetty whispered morosely. “You are not just an escaped convict. You are a condemned convict.”

Rather than answer, he nodded toward what appeared to be the old sitting room.

“It’s not too bad,” he said reasonably.

She sighed as she studied the dusty room. Other than a thick layer of dust, and a few determined weeds that had grown through the roof, it was dry and reasonably warm. It would have to do because it was the best they had come across.

“It will be fine for tonight,” she said quietly. She was so tired that she didn’t think she could sit on the horse for another minute, but wasn’t going to point out her intimate discomforts to him right now.

“It’s going to get dark soon,” he declared with a glance outside. “We can’t have a fire, I am afraid. What food do you have left?”

“I have an apple,” Hetty replied, glad for the change of subject. She removed the apple from her pocket and held it while she dug around inside the other pocket of her cloak. “Some cheese, a piece of ham, and some of the bread.”

Charlie dug around in his pockets.

“I have the leftover cheese too, and a bit of pie left. It isn’t a banquet, but it will be enough to last us overnight. We can replenish our supplies in one of the villages we pass through tomorrow if we need to. Hopefully, we should be at Afferley before then.”

Hetty was ravenous, but then didn’t want to eat. She glanced cautiously out of the window, but couldn’t see anything except trees and, of course, the bushes directly outside the window. Above them, she could see darkened sky, which was gloomy now because of the impending storm and encroaching dusk.

“We haven’t left a trail for anyone to follow,” Charlie assured her when he saw the lingering fear on her face. “We should be fine for now. Get some rest while you can.”

Hetty nodded and moved over to find a space on the floor. She was grateful for her cloak, and used it partly to pad the stone floor a little. Once settled, she tucked the rest of the heavy folds around her.

Charlie sat beside her and divided the remaining food into two equal portions.

“There is no water I am afraid, but we can see if we can find a stream in the morning.”

They ate in silence. Not a sound could be heard; not even the gentle hoot of a solitary owl broke the stillness of the night. It was almost too quiet, and did little to ease her growing certainty that something was wrong.

“I don’t like this,” she whispered.

“The food?” Charlie asked with a frown.

Hetty slowly shook her head. She tried to warn herself that she was being foolish, and there really was nothing to worry about, but something deep within her refused to ignore her unease. Once she had finished the last of her food, she made her way to the window, and studied as much of the surrounding woodland as she could.

“What is it?”

The sudden warmth of his breath against her cheek, along with the sound of his voice directly beside her, made her jump. She spun around in alarm, and gasped when she realised just how close he was. She hadn’t even heard him move.

He clamped a hand across her mouth to stifle her scream.

“Sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It’s alright. I am just worried about Simon, that’s all,” she lied.

She glanced at him before she resumed her seat. His nearness unnerved her as much as the situation they were in, and she just had to put a little distance between them so she could think properly.

Until now, whenever he had drawn near, she had been excited and full of anticipation. Now, she was nervous and wary, only couldn’t quite understand why. After all, he was her husband. She had no reason to fear him. He had done nothing to frighten her in any way. There was no reason why she should be unnerved by him now, not after everything they had been through.

“Simon and Wally will both be fine. They are with my colleagues,” he assured her. “Right now, I rather suspect that they are safer than we are. It is imperative that we get to Afferley as quickly as we can.”

“I know. Let’s just hope it will be sooner rather than later.” She shivered when a particularly cool blast of air swept over her already chilled flash. “This has been the longest day of my life.”

“I know,” Charlie whispered fervently. “For now, get some rest while we can. Dawn will be upon us soon, and we need to be on our way by first light.”

He smiled when she groaned. “I am sorry that we didn’t find somewhere more comfortable to stay, but we just cannot take the risk that someone will recognise me.”

Hetty nodded. Although his large brimmed hat covered most of his face, she knew that nothing could hide his mesmerizingly handsome features, or the stubborn tilt of his chiselled jaw. Any woman who saw him would never forget him. She knew she certainly wouldn’t.

“I don’t mind. I would much prefer to be out here than in Derby jail.”

“Thank you,” he suddenly said. He turned to study at her in the darkness. “For everything you did to save me yesterday. You took an incredible risk with your life. You could have been behind bars right now.”

“It was a risk worth taking,” she whispered gently. “Regardless of what anybody thinks, I know you and Simon are completely innocent.”

Charlie thought about their marriage, and eyed the gold band on her finger. It made him immensely proud to have her by his side. He knew, without hesitation, that he would move heaven and earth to keep her there for the rest of their lives.

“Come here,” he growled gently.

He lifted an arm and drew her toward him until she was tucked against his side.

“It will be alright, Hetty,” he said quietly.

“Can I ask you something?” Hetty asked. She tipped her head back so she could look up at him.

“Go on.”

“If your colleagues just arrived, how did they know about Afferley? I mean, what is it?” Hetty struggled to battle the rising tide of frustration that made her voice sharper than she meant it to be, but Charlie seemed to know and understand.

“Afferley is a fairly small, nondescript village; a hamlet really, several miles away from Derby. It is owned by someone Sir Hugo knows, apparently.” He smiled down at her. “Sometimes it is best not to ask too many questions.”

Hetty studied him for a moment, aware of the intimate atmosphere that settled over them. It was difficult to ignore, especially when they were both bathed in moonlight. The silvery shadows gave him an air of mystery that made him more than a little intriguing. Her fingers itched to touch the side of his face, just to assure herself that he was real, but she knew that any kind of contact would bring forward the emotions she was already struggling to contain. 

“Try and get some sleep,” he murmured gently, aware of her eyes touring the contours of his face.

His body began to respond, and he shifted to try to ease the discomfort. In an attempt to focus on something other than the wayward demands of his flesh, he leaned away from her so he could remove his jacket. Unfortunately, when he tried to drape it over her shoulders, she pushed it back at him with a shake of her head.

“I am fine. You keep it, or you are going to get cold. I have my cloak,” she eyed the broad expanse of white shirt. “You only have your shirt on. You will be frozen.”

“I am fine.” He assured her with a grin, but clenched his teeth to stop them from chattering. “I come from a hardy breed.”

Hetty sighed. “I know, but that white shirt glows in the dark. You stand out like a beacon,” she told him wryly. She watched him consider that for a moment before he carefully put his jacket back on.

“Do you think they are going to be alright?” Hetty asked with a frown. “I hope to God they got out of town alright.”

“My friends know what they are doing. Look at what they arranged yesterday. If it wasn’t for all of you, Simon and I would be swinging from the gallows by now.” He stopped when he heard her gasp, and saw the fear in her eyes; even through the darkness. “I am sorry. I didn’t mean to remind you of a time we would both be better off trying to forget. I am sure that they got out; really. I am not just saying that to pacify you – it’s the truth. One thing I do know about your brother is that he is very capable.” He gave her a nudge. “We were the ones who had most of Derby jail after us, not them. It was the chance they needed to get Mabel out of danger.”

Hetty nodded. She wished that she could see him a bit more clearly through the gloom because she was certain that she had heard a hint of doubt in his voice. She frowned into the darkness. She was cold, fiercely hungry, and worried sick, but it all seemed inconsequential given the ordeal he had so recently endured.

A gentle breeze teased her cloak. She felt, rather than saw, him shiver. She leaned up enough to remove the cloak before she shuffled closer to him. He hugged her tighter while she drew the cloak over both of them and snuggled down against his chest.

It felt incredibly wanton to lie against him. As soon as she was nestled against his side, he draped one long arm around her shoulders and drew her closer still. There was nothing else she could do, so she rested her head on his shoulder. Immediately, warmth encased her and she started to relax for the first time in several very long and worrying days. More importantly, he had stopped shivering as well.

“Can I ask you something?” She whispered when silence settled around them. He shifted to find a more comfortable position.

“You can ask me whatever you want to, darling,” he murmured softly.

“What did you do that drew Meldrew’s attention to you? I mean, if you were Reverend Pott’s friend, and just came to his church in remembrance of him, there is nothing untoward about you that Meldrew could be worried about.”

Charlie sighed and stared blankly into the darkness. “My friend, Arthur, was a good friend of mine whom I had known for years. He was the third son of Lord Upton of Keddlesham. As the third son, he was given the choice of going into the army or joining the Church.”

“He chose the Church?” she prompted when he lapsed into melancholy silence, and didn’t seem inclined to expand on his explanation.