The Black Lotus (Night Flower) (15 page)

“Yes go on, w
alk off and find some other poor sap to wrap in your drama.”

“What the devil do you mean?” In spite of her desire to avoid a scene, Melissa found herself spinning back to face her tormentor.

“
I’m talking about Justin you total simpleton.” Mary continued her voice a low hiss of outrage. “You certainly have him wrapped around your little finger. You were all he could discuss after your little spat with Montjoy,”

“What?” Melissa was completely baffled now
and more than a little angry.

“Don’t you try that on with me
,” Mary snarled in a low tone. “You knew exactly what you were doing. Play the helpless Damsel in Distress and perhaps get the most eligible man in the kingdom standing up for your honour.” She gave a cruel smirk and whispered. “It’s a shame that your brother took up the gauntlet for you. I bet that hurt, not managing to gull Justin into standing up for you.”

“You’re absolutely mad
,” She breathed the words looking at the livid face before her. “I would never..”

“Oh spare me your lies,
” Mary snapped back, her voice never reaching a pitch which could travel over the crowd. “I will say this once and once alone. If you wish to keep my good regard, you will leave Justin alone. He is mine. He loves me and we intend to be married. I am not going to let him be made a fool of by a chit like you.” With a flounce of her head, Mary whirled about and headed for the exit attempting to cover the burgundy stain with her hands.

Melissa watched her storm off through the crowd with a bemused expression on his face.
She had known that Mary was smitten with Lestrade, but she hadn’t realised how deeply the other girl felt. As she watched Mary’s blonde head bounce through the doors at the end of the room, a hot angry feeling began to supplant the bemusement she felt. How dare Mary threaten her, she would be friends and flirt with whomever she wished. It was not as though she wished marriage to Justin, in fact she was fairly sure that marriage was not even a flickering thought in his mind. Despite her recent musings on his nature, she wasn’t even sure she considered him as a potential dalliance. Dismissing Mary as a bitter shrew with no value, she turned her thoughts to the more troubling conversations with Alistair and Emily. It was obvious from the way they had talked that Emily had spoken to Alistair about her. That he was Justin’s brother could not be denied, his looks were far too similar for him not to be. Yet she could not take his words seriously. No one had ever heard of Alistair Lestrade and his warning, though it seemed genuine, struck her as a little false. It seemed too melodramatic as though he had spent too long watching the stage. It also seemed presumptuous, especially considering how little time she had spent engaged in conversation with Justin. If she received this much grief over a simple talk, how much more would she get with a full blown discussion.

There was also the conversation with Emily to consider, the woman was clearly urging her into something
. Emily was disturbing and clearly hiding something. She had not warned Melissa from Lestrade, it seemed to be pure curiosity but she couldn’t for the life of her understand why. 

She sighed and pressed her fingers to her temples.
Both conversations had given her food for thought and she no longer wished to stand here in this vast crowd. Coming to a decision, she headed through the crowd and located her mother. Pleaded a headache, she begged to return home. Her mother agreed and loaded her into the carriage with Jane, ordering her to return the coach upon her arrival at home. Melissa nodded and with the gentle sound of wheel on cobblestone, the carriage trundled off into the night.

Chapter  17:

The carriage trundled over the rough road and lulled
Melissa into a daze. Jane sat opposite, her knitting needles clicking softly as they travelled.

“You seem troubled Miss,” Jane noted in her soft voice as she unravelled another ball of wool. “Are you comfortable?”

“I’m fine Jane
,” Melissa answered, looking out of the carriage window into the darkness beyond. They were travelling between villages and the darkness shrouded the countryside like a living thing. Her mind travelled back to Alistair’s words and she vaguely toyed with the lace on her sleeves.

“Jane?” She addressed her maid almost absently
as they travelled through a crossroads.

“Yes
Miss?”

“What do you know about the Lestrade family?”

“Well Lord Lestrade has a considerable fortune due to his parents’ demise and he holds two properties, one in town and they other is
near to your parents’ estate.”

“Does he have a brother?”

“Yes I believe he has a younger brother Miss. I heard somewhere that he joined the seminary though not a great deal is known about him. It appears that the brothers do not see eye to eye.” Jane was not offering her usual wealth of gossip and Melissa straightened up and looked at her maid.

“Is that all?”

“Well you see Miss, not much is known about the family. Very secretive bunch and have been for years. Lord Lestrade brings his valet to the balls but the man is so closemouthed I’m surprised he knows how to eat. I daresay he pays for his servants to keep his secrets.” She cast off and started another line of knitting.

“Do you think him dangerous?”

“In what way
Miss? Is he a danger to the virtue of a young girl? I’d say so. Is he drawn to vice like a duck to water? True I would say. Is he a killer? That I don’t know about but I would not like to see my Lady involved with such as him.” Jane looked up from her knitting and stared at Melissa with an intense gleam to her eyes.

“Oh Jane I’m not
interested in getting involved with him. I..I’m just curious,”

“As you say
Miss,” Jane demurred with a slight twist to her lips. Melissa let the conversation drop, unwilling to continue this line of thought. So she was interested in Lestrade and his background, that didn’t mean she was attracted to the man. As she settled back against the cushioned seat and stared out the window she avoided listening to the small voice that suggested she was more interested than she maintained. The wheels crunched over the rough ground and she drowsed again. Dozing comfortably in the padded seat, she was unprepared for the sudden lurch that threw her from her seat and pitched her to the carriage floor. A choked breath escaped her lips as her temple slammed painfully into the side of the coach. Continuing to lurch, the carriage jolted crazily and overbalanced, crashing onto its side with a bang. The footman jumped off the back, rolling to avoid damage as the coachman managed to stop the horses from bolting. Within the coach, Melissa careered into Jane as the coach fell onto its side, a scream tearing from her lips as Jane’s knitting needles stabbed painfully into her side. The long thin needles tore the expensive cloth of her gown and stained the muslin undergarments with bright red blood. For a moment, stunned silence reigned in the coach as everything stilled and came to rest.

“Miss,” Through a dazed fog of pain, she made out Jane’s worried face as it bent over her. “Oh dear Lord. Jeb! Franklin!” Her maid shouted out as she steadily began to pull the needles from Melissa’s side. Melissa gave a small squeak as the first needle moved within her. “Don’t worry Miss, it’ll be alright.” She touched a calloused hand to the girl’s temple before continuing.

“Sorry
Miss, We lost a wheel on the bend,” A male voice sounded from outside as the coachman unlashed the horses before turning to survey the damage. The coach was on its side, the wheels still spinning from the road. With practised agility he clambered on top of the coach and reached for the door handle. With a heavy jerk, he pulled the door open and stared down into the wreck of the carriage. Jane and his mistress were crumpled in a heap at the bottom of the carriage. A large livid bruise was splayed across Melissa’s powdered features and her hair was a tumbled mess. He could also see blood.

“Is she alright?”

“What do you think?” 
Jane finally removed the first needle, wincing at the blood that stained the pointed object. As she placed it on the floor she glanced upwards.

“Get in here Franklin, the mistress is hurt and I won’t be able to lever her out myself,”

“Hold on
Miss,” Carefully the coachman lowered himself into the coach and leant over the silk clad form of Melissa. “We’ll have you out in a moment,” He stood up, balancing on the edge of the padded seats and looked out.

“Jeb… come give me a hand
,”

Melissa felt them both clamber onto the carriage and glanced across at her maid. Jane’s face was set in concentration as she applied pressure to the wounds on her side. The pain in her temple throbbed constantly yet she was sure that it was subsiding. Her vision was clearer now; she could see the devastation in the carriage. “Jane?” She tried her voice, it was shaky but she could still speak.

“Don’t worry Miss.”

“
What happened?” She felt the second needle being drawn from her side and winced at the sensation. The carriage rocked as the two men manoeuvred their way into a better position on top of the capsized vehicle.

“We went over,” Her maid explained as she carefully began to bandage her mistress with thin strips of torn fabric. “And we lost a wheel,”

“Ah
,” Melissa hissed with pain as Jane pulled tight at the bandage and attached. “Is there any chance of getting back on route?” She asked through clenched teeth.

“I don’t know
Miss,” Jane stepped back and helped from the carriage by the two men. “You can move her now,” She said as she hopped lightly from the carriage to the rough road.

“Are you ready
Miss?” Jeb asked as he carefully lowered himself into the carriage space. Melissa nodded, determined not to show any weakness before the servants. When she was back home, she would have a good cry, but not here. Jeb’s muscular body supported her as he levered her up and through the door into the outside where Franklin waited. With gentle movements, they got her out of the carriage and into the dark night air. Melissa was finally upright and she felt herself sway with the effort of the motion.

“Oh dear Lord
,” She looked at the toppled carriage with wonder. The livery was scratched and ruined. The axle which held the carriage wheel was buckled and she could see the wheel lying on its side in the ditch. One glance told her that they would not be using the coach any time soon. Jeb and Franklin moved to one side of the coach and managed to lever it upright. Both men moved to inspect the damage. Melissa watched them for a few moments before the pain in her side forced her to lean against the bole of a nearby tree.

“It’s no use
Miss,” Jeb moved away from the damaged coach and came to stand near Melissa. “It’s damaged beyond repair,”

“So how are we to get back?” Melissa asked, trying not to make her voice sound like a whine. “We’re many miles from the manor
,”

“Jeb can unhitch the horses and ride one back
,” Franklin answered quietly, glancing across at the damage. “He can then return with the other coach and collect us.” He looked at Melissa and added. “Only if it pleases you Miss.”

Melissa glanced at the group, at the empty road with the wrecked carriage and nodded. Her only other option was to walk back along the road, not a task she relished, even if she hadn’t received an injury. Franklin and Jeb moved to the horses and freed them from the carriage trappings. With a smooth movement, Jeb hoisted himself onto the back of the freed horse and headed off down the road at a heavy canter.
A night owl hooted loudly from the nearby trees and a chill wind tugged at her skirts and rumpled locks. There was little conversation. Periodically Jane looked at the bandage on her side and adjusted it but besides that, none spoke. Leaning against the tree, Melissa gazed out at the moonlit night in a daze. Her side ached from time to time and there was a tender spot on her temple where her head had struck the side of the coach. The moon cast long shadows along the fields and a clear night revealed a sky filled with stars, each brighter than the last. Tapping her slippered foot in the dirt, she found herself drifting with the landscape. Her thoughts flowing over the events of the previous days as she waited for the telltale sound of wheels on stone. Not counting Jane’s concerns, she had received four separate warnings about the ‘dangerous’ Justin Lestrade. Her brother had warned her as had Sarah, both warnings she could take with a pinch of salt. Her brother would warn her from any that he could not personally vouch for and Sarah would presume that she couldn’t handle a pleasant smile. Yes she could not really take the first two warnings very seriously as they were generic, warnings about being taken for a naïve fool. However the last two warnings were giving her cause for concern. Mary’s warning concerned her, simply because it seemed too ludicrous and Alistair’s worried her for the shock of it. She had not been aware of the existence of a brother to Lestrade until this evening, yet the looks matched and Jane had confirmed it. So why was his younger brother running around events warning people about his kin. It seemed the height of betrayal, deriding your own sibling. Unless, her mind argued, Justin was extremely dangerous and this overrode any brotherly feeling. Melissa shook her head imperceptibly; she couldn’t accept that Justin was the danger. She had looked at his eyes, he couldn’t be a danger, could he? Her side ached and she slid closer to the ground feeling the chill seep through her cloak as though it were not there. She shuddered, dragging her cloak around her as her teeth chattered over and over. Around her the sounds of the night continued, yet they faded in and out as tiredness swept over her body and she sank to the strangely comfortable ground. In the nearby copse, the owl hooted loudly as she rested against the tree, feeling a strange warmth flow through her body. In the depths of the cold night she felt tired and drowsy. Clearly her cloak was helping as the desire to drift into what seemed like a warm sleep grew stronger. Her eyelids fluttered and she felt herself dozing as shock finally settled into her bones.

“
Miss,” Jane was shaking her, dragging her from the warmth comfort of her sleep. “You must not go to sleep now,”

Melissa glanced up at her maid, the face hazy in the darkness and tried to pull away. “Lemme go to sleep
,” She moaned, trying to slide back into the delicious warmth of sleep.

“I can’t let you sleep now
Miss. You have to keep awake,” Melissa pushed her away and felt her eyes drift close again.

SLAP

Melissa jolted upright as a stinging pain exploded across her right cheek. Jane had slapped her hard.

“You slapped me Jane
,” She muttered in disbelief as she raised her hand to her throbbing cheek. “How dare you slap me?”

“Forgive me M
iss, but I had no choice. It seems the accident took you harder than I thought,” Jane pulled her upright and began to walk her up and down. “You can’t go to sleep Miss, It’s dangerous for you to sleep when you’re this hurt.”

“Listen
,” Franklin cocked his head and looked down the road towards town. “I hear horses,”