A Dangerous Masquerade (25 page)

             
No, she would not give up yet.  Maisie had warned her of the countess’s jealousy.  Perhaps the earl would be more amenable.  He might be prepared to advance her a little of Jonathan’s bequest to her – or give her a reference.  Maisie was right, a woman like Constance would find it hard to find decent work.  Many ladies would not want her in their house.  She might set up as a seamstress, of course.  The work was hard and in the end she would ruin her eyesight, as so many girls did sewing in dark workrooms for hour after hour, but at least it was a way of earning her living.

             
For a moment she thought about what Pierre had told her about her father’s family.  Was it possible that her uncle might take her in?

             
After being ignored by her mother’s family and insulted by the Countess of Summerton, she was reluctant to attempt reconciliation.

             
Only if she were desperate would she approach her father’s brother.

‘Summerton, I want a word with you,’ Moraven hailed the man he saw leaving the prestigious club in St. James Street.  ‘I left a message for you two days ago but have not been able to find you at your hotel or the club.’

             
‘Yes, I got your message concerning my nephew and his wife,’ Summerton frowned.  ‘Her letter reached me only this morning. I believe she intends to go down to my brother’s place and I shall be leaving for Harland Hall later today.  I was expected back yesterday but something important came up.’

             
‘I can vouch for their marriage.  I heard him propose to Constance myself.’

             
‘Indeed?  Tell me, what kind of a woman is she?  Was Jonathan drunk or sober at the time?’

             
‘He was wounded and lay ill but he had fallen in love with her before the shooting.  I think he knew he wouldn’t live long and he wanted to protect her.’

             
‘We had better discuss this in private.  Are you telling me that she’s entitled to his estate?’

             
‘I believe he left her everything that wasn’t entailed.  I know there was a will.  I understand a reputable English doctor, as well as servants, witnessed it.’

             
‘I see – and you would vouch for this in court I dare say.  What is the young woman to you may I ask?’

             
‘At the moment she is nothing, though if she will have me I would make her my wife.  I have no interest in South’s fortune, acquit me of that, Summerton.  However, she may well refuse my offer – and the law is the law.’

             
‘Yes, if you put it that way, I suppose you are right.  Much of my nephew’s father’s estate was entailed, but his own personal fortune belongs to his wife – if she has the papers to prove it.’

             
‘She has – though copies could be easily obtained if they were lost.  Even without the will she would be entitled to her widow’s jointure.’

             
‘You’ve made your point, Moraven.  I might have dismissed your claim once, but in the light of recent events I think most of society would take your side should it come to law.  You leave me little choice.  I shall delay my departure another day and speak to my brother’s lawyers again.’

             
‘Thank you,’ Moraven said.  ‘I doubt Constance would press the claim herself, but she has nothing else and I would not see her starve for her pride’s sake.’

             
‘If she is that kind of woman perhaps I should do more,’ Summerton said and frowned.  ‘If my wife were to introduce her into society her chances of making a good marriage would be much enhanced.’

             
‘That is her choice and yours.  I have made my case, sir.’

             
‘Yes, and you may rely on me to do what is right – providing the paperwork is in order.’

             
‘I assure you any necessary papers can be provided.’

             
‘We shall see.   If you will excuse me, I have more business to attend before I leave London.’

             
Moraven watched him walk away and frowned.  The earl might try to wriggle out of giving her what was due to her but he would force him to do the right thing if need be.  If Constance would marry him, she would not want for anything, but he wasn’t at all sure she would wish to have anything more to do with him.

             
As far as he could see, Constance hadn’t known that he’d left her a letter when she boarded that ship for England.  She must think he’d abandoned her.  Summerton had said that Constance intended to go down to his brother’s estate.  She would probably be there waiting for him to return.  If he drove himself down immediately, he would be there before the earl.  He wanted to see her and speak to her himself before she decided what to do with her life.

             
Moraven had cursed himself for a fool so many times.  Why hadn’t he seen that she was special when they first met?  He’d been amused and intrigued by her masquerade and her beauty inflamed his senses.  He’d offered her so little and taken so much.  She probably hated him and he was only just beginning to understand how much she meant to him.

             
No other woman had ever meant this much, and no other woman would ever fill this achingly empty place in his heart.

*

Constance had been walking for hours.  She’d changed into her modest gown and bundled the velvet gown into her carpetbag, hoping that she would find accommodation for the night at someone’s house.  However, she’d been turned away at two farms, and even the innkeeper’s wife had told her they were full.

             
‘Could I not sleep in the stable?’ Constance asked her.  ‘I cannot afford to try the bigger inns.’

             
‘Desperate are yer?’  The woman eyed her speculatively.  ‘I’ll give yer a room and yer food fer the night – but yer’ll ‘ave ter pay in kind.’

             
‘What do you mean?’

             
‘Don’t pretend ter be innocent.  I knows yer sort. I’ve a few customers will pay fer a good looker like you…’ere, where are yer goin’?’

             
Constance did not even turn her head to look back.  It seemed that her own kind all thought she was a whore.  Perhaps she was.  She had given herself to Moraven that night – but what had happened between them was beautiful.  She did not consider their loving to be a sin.

             
Pride came to her rescue.  If she could find the town the carrier had taken her through on their way to Jonathan’s home, she could sell her dress.  The larger inns would take her if she could pay.  It might be better if she removed Jonathan’s signet ring.  It was not a wedding ring and perhaps it helped to give people the wrong idea.  Perhaps she ought to sell both the ring and the watch.  She might then recover her trunk from the shipping office and set up as a seamstress in a modest house.

             
Why was the idea so unappealing?  For a time in Paris she’d known another life, a more exciting life – and she’d been in love.  Despite the danger they’d shared that time now seemed magical.  Her heart ached with the loss of the man she loved.  Should she ask for him in London?  If the earl was as cold and uncaring as his wife, Constance might find it difficult to manage even so much as her return fare to France unless she sold Jonathan’s things.  The earl might even demand the return of Jonathan’s watch and ring.

             
She would have offered them to his father willingly, but did not wish to give them to his uncle – especially after her treatment at the countess’s hands.  Jonathan would have preferred that she kept them and she thought he would have been angered by the countess’s behaviour.

             
Perhaps Madeline’s gown would provide enough funds for her to return to France, if she sold it after speaking to the earl.

             
She noticed that there were more people on the road now.  Carts and horses, men riding or driving curricles and one important coach that went by at a smart pace.  At last she was coming to the town.  She’d eaten the food Maisie had given her long since.  Constance was hungry and thirsty.  She needed to sell the gown so that she could find somewhere to lodge for the night.

             
She walked more quickly.  Dusk was falling and if she was too late all the shops that bought second-hand goods would be closed.

‘Yes, a woman did call here claiming to be my husband’s nephew’s wife but I sent her away.’  Countess Summerton’s gaze narrowed with dislike as she met the marquis angry gaze.  ‘She looked like an adventuress – how was I to know that her claims were genuine?  If indeed they are.  We have only your word to go by, sir.’

             
‘Lady South had papers to prove the truth of her claim if you had given her a chance to prove herself.’

             
‘She had the impertinence to tell me she intends to seek out my husband so I dare say you may find her in London.’

             
‘Have you any idea how hard it is to reach London and to live there with little money?’ Moraven’s temper was on the rise, barely controlled as she saw her indifference.  ‘If anything happens to her I shall hold you personally responsible, madam.’

             
Turning on his heel, he stormed from the parlour scowling at anyone who dared so much as to flick an eyelid in his direction.  It seemed he had been on a wild goose chase.  If Constance reached London before him she might be lost in a city that was unkind to the destitute; its back streets and alleys were dangerous for a woman as lovely as Constance.  Could he even be sure that she would go there?

             
‘My lord…sir…’ a maid had chased after him into the courtyard.  ‘Forgive me, sir.  Were you looking for Lady South?’

             
‘Yes…’ Moraven turned to her eagerly.  ‘Do you know where she went?’

             
‘She was going to try and find a place in the village but I heard she was turned away.  Someone said she asked about the stage to London but he thinks she decided to try and walk to the next town or village.’

             
‘To walk…’ Moraven cursed.  Was she so short of money?  He had thought she might have stayed nearby rather than travel to London since the earl was expected at home soon, but if she tried to walk all the way.  ‘What did she have with her?  How did she arrive?’

             
‘By carrier, sir – with Lord South’s body.  One of the grooms took her to the village but he saw her later heading towards Lavenham… It’s a market town to the south of here.’

             
‘Yes, I know it well.  My godmother left me a house there.  I pray that I shall find her before she runs out of money entirely.’  Moraven took a gold coin from his pocket and offered it to the young woman but she shook her head.  ‘I liked her, sir.  It wasn’t right the way she was treated.’

             
‘You are perfectly right, it wasn’t proper or decent,’ he said, his mouth settling into a grim line.  He was scowling as he left the house and climbed into his curricle.

             
Everyone had let down Constance and he was no exception.  He should have made certain she was secure before he left her rather than going off in a jealous temper because her good nature had made her agree to care for a sick man.

             
He took the reins from his groom.  Moraven was in a hurry, because if he didn’t find her soon it might be too late.  A woman as beautiful as Constance tramping the roads alone might meet with all kinds if trouble and he had a horrible feeling that she might already have done so.  Looking up at the sky as he felt a few drops of rain, he cursed.  After being fine for weeks on end, it looked as if the weather was about to change.

*

‘I’ll give you two pounds for it,’ the woman said, looking at the gown Constance offered with a greedy gleam in her eyes.  ‘It’s been worn several times and it will need to be sponged clean.’

             
‘But then it will sell for a lot more than two pounds,’ Constance said.  ‘When it was new it cost more than a hundred guineas.  It is French, madam, and you know the seamstresses there are much sort after this side of the channel.’

             
‘It’s a good bit of cloth, I’ll give you that – but it’s not everyone wants black in such an immodest style.  If it had been blue or green…I’ll give you four guineas and not a penny more.  You’ll not find anyone in this town that will pay you more.’

             
Constance held her sigh inside.  She already knew that was true because this was the third shop she’d tried.  The first would not buy from her at all and questioned whether she was the owner of the gown; the second had offered her thirty-five shillings and would not budge.