Sally James (11 page)

At that moment, before Hubert was aware of the newcomers, Lady Mottesford appeared in the doorway to the left of the passage.

'What is the delay? Hurry, fellow, I want a nuncheon straight away. I'm swooning with lack of food after hours in a chaise!'

'I'm just explainin' to that nodcock,' the innkeeper said angrily, jerking his head in Hubert's direction, 'that it takes time to roast a capon or a turkey. You're welcome to a slice of cold ham, or beef, or an omelette, and I've plenty of pies, but that's all I can do unless you're willin' to wait!'

'Bring what you can, fellow,' Lady Mottesford said curtly. 'Hubert, there's no use arguing with yokels, they don't cater for the quality in these rustic hovels.'

'Good day to you,' Lord Mottesford interrupted quietly as she turned to step back inside the room, and Lady Mottesford swung round, her mouth open in astonishment.

'My – my lord! What are you doing here?' she gasped, clutching at the neck of her pale blue pelisse as if to give herself more air.

'That is something I need to ask you,' he replied smoothly. 'But in private, I think,' he added, moving forward so purposefully that she gave way before him. Prudence swiftly followed them through into a small coffee room, which looked even smaller as he dominated it.

'Here, what the devil is this?' Hubert demanded, recovering from his astonishment and rushing in after them.

'Prudence!' Charlotte shrieked, as she dropped Fifi, which she had been clutching to her, and rose from the stool where she had been crouching to run across the room and fling herself into her friend's arms, bursting into tears as she did so.

'Dicky!' Emma exclaimed, her initial look of apprehension changing to a coy simper as she rose from the windowseat and tripped across the room towards him.

He turned to look at her, his eyes hard and cold, and she paused, then laughed slightly.

'Do let us all be comfortable,' she urged. 'Dicky, come and sit beside me. It is such a delightful surprise to see you, although I cannot imagine what Miss Lee is doing with you?'

'Can't you, by gad!' Hubert muttered, then stepped back hastily as Lord Mottesford swung round towards him, his hands clenched.

'Keep your thoughts to yourself, puppy! Now, your ladyship, I wish to know why you left town so hurriedly?' he added, turning back to where Lady Mottesford, arms akimbo, stood facing him across the door.

'I don't have to answer to you,' she was beginning heatedly when Emma, casting a placating look towards Lord Mottesford, caught her hand.

'Mama, no doubt Dicky was worried about me,' she said urgently, but her words were unheeded.

'I am Charlotte's guardian,' her mama was saying truculently, 'and no-one has the right to dictate to me what arrangements I make for her.'

'What arrangements have you made, may I ask?' Lord Mottesford asked smoothly.

'I – she's to wed my nephew,' was the reply.

'This – er – tailor's dummy?' Lord Mottesford asked with studied insolence.

'I demand satisfaction for that insult!' Hubert shouted, but his aunt shouted more loudly.

'There's no cause, my lord, for you to sneer, or for anyone to say it's an unequal match. Hubert's papa is in a very nice way of business, I'll have you know, and Hubert will inherit that. And if Charlotte's papa can marry me, there's no call for you or anyone to turn your nose up at Hubert!'

'You may in law be Charlotte's guardian, but as head of the family, I intend to exercise my right to ensure she is not forced into any match against her will! Do you wish to marry this creature?' he asked, turning to Charlotte, who was sobbing quietly in Prudence's arms.

'Of course not!' she hiccuped, 'I want to marry Edward!'

'Then you shall, so dry your eyes now, and I will take you back to London until it can be arranged.'

'So that's it!' Hubert, frustrated at being ignored, suddenly exclaimed. 'That fellow Gregory's a pal of yours, isn't he, and no doubt you're planning on getting Charlotte's fortune for him!'

'I haven't any fortune!' Charlotte was beginning, but Lord Mottesford's voice cut across hers.

'I'd sooner he have it than see you fritter it away, as no doubt you would. I've been told of your expensive tastes, in women as well as clothes! A pity you don't look better for all the blunt you drop!'

'Why, you – you – '

Words failed Hubert, and he suddenly leaped forward, his arms flailing, aiming punches wildly at Lord Mottesford's head.

Charlotte, Emma and Lady Mottesford shrieked in unison, Fifi barked deliriously, Prudence stepped back swiftly, out of range, pulling Charlotte with her, and Lord Mottesford, with what seemed to the bemused watchers no more than a slight jab with his left fist at Hubert's jaw, sent him crashing senseless to the floor just as the landlord, carrying an enormous tray, flung open the door and entered the room.

Chapter 10

Ten minutes later order had been restored. Hubert sat on a settle beside the fireplace nursing his jaw, casting darkling glances at Lord Mottesford, but uttering nothing. Lady Mottesford had finally run out of abusive remarks which for the first few minutes she had hurled nonstop at his lordship, and was seated at the table where the landlord had finally deposited the food. Prudence and Charlotte sat together on the windowseat, as far removed from the others as possible, Fifi fast asleep on Charlotte's lap, and gently snoring, while Emma, also seated at the table, looked admiringly up at her betrothed.

Lord Mottesford, who had stood unmoved while the storm about him had raged, looked sardonically at Hubert then turned slowly towards Charlotte.

'I understand you do not know what your fortune is,' he said quietly.

'It is not fitting for young girls to be involved in such matters,' Lady Mottesford said hastily. 'Time enough for that when they are old enough to understand, and not waste it.'

'Or never to be told, is that it? Charlotte, your mother's fortune is worth over forty thousand pounds, plus interest which was being reinvested in the funds by your father.'

'Forty thousand?' Charlotte gasped. 'That means I am rich! The interest – surely it was more than she said?'

'Much more,' he agreed. 'I shall expect your stepmother to account to me for how she has dealt with it since your papa died.'

'Then you'll expect for nothing!' Lady Mottesford retorted. 'I've sole control.'

'To use it for Charlotte's advantage,' he pointed out softly. 'I do not think keeping her in rags while you and your daughter deck yourselves in jewels and expensive finery could be called that. I shall make absolutely certain that, out of your own very ample fortune, you repay what you have appropriated.'

'That's slander!' she spluttered. 'I'll sue you, my fine lord, making such insinuations against a poor widow woman!'

'A rich one, my lady, and my lawyers may have different opinions to yours. Charlotte, do you wish to eat or shall we leave at once? I am taking you back to town.'

'You can't do this!' Lady Mottesford wailed, struggling to her feet. 'I'm her guardian!'

'Dicky, you can't mean to leave me like this!' Emma cried out, trying to catch his hand, but he had moved towards the door.

'Oh, please!' Charlotte whispered, clasping Prudence's hand tightly. 'Please, Cousin Richard, take me away!'

'Very well. Are your boxes here or on the other coach?'

'I have just a small valise, the rest of my things are on the other coach,' Charlotte said. 'What shall we do? It was going to take much longer to get to Devon.'

'Your stepmother will have to send the rest back then. Come, we will go and find the valise.'

Charlotte rose to her feet, went towards the door, and then turned back.

'My jewel box,' she said breathlessly. 'I had it with me, and brought it into here for safety. Where is it?'

She saw it on a small side table and with a sigh of relief stepped forward to take it. At the same time Lady Mottesford reached across and picked up the box.

'No, you'll not have them! It's not fitting a chit like you should have control of jewels.'

'It's not really a jewel box,' Charlotte cried, trying to take the box away from her. 'I have a few trinkets, but it's the box Papa gave me, the only thing I have of his! Give it to me!'

She tugged suddenly, and Fifi, excited, leaped up and down and bit Lady Mottesford on her ankle. She kicked out and shouted, and between them they dropped the box, which fell with ominous sounds of rending wood on to the hard boards. Prudence, who had been standing behind Charlotte, stepped forward and bent to retrieve the box while Emma rushed to succour her moaning parent.

'The bottom seems to have come unstuck,' Prudence said. 'It should be possible to repair it, Charlotte. Oh, there's a paper in here. Is it yours?'

'I put no papers there,' Charlotte said, puzzled, taking the box from Prudence. 'Why, look, there's a small compartment underneath the main one, that's where the paper was.'

'Permit me,' Lord Mottesford said, retrieving the paper seconds before Lady Mottesford could reach for it.

'I'll kill that dratted dog! Let me alone, Emma, I'm not dying! As for you, spying on a girl's love letters, it's disgusting!' Lady Mottesford sniffed, and while Charlotte angrily denied this, Lord Mottesford ignored it.

He spread out the thick sheets and carefully read what was written on them, then looked up slowly at Charlotte.

'Your father gave you this box?' he asked.

'Yes, the day before he died. Why, what is the paper?'

'Did you know of this secret compartment?'

'No, I had no notion it was there.'

'What a pity. Here, this is your father's last letter to you. Read it.'

Charlotte complied, and then raised puzzled eyes to her cousin.

'I don't understand. He says he is sorry for not being a good father to me and that he was constrained to make out a will leaving everything that was not entailed to his wife. He secretly made another will, to leave everything to me apart from a small jointure for her. Is it true?'

Lord Mottesford nodded.

'Here is the will, properly phrased although clearly he did it himself. And properly witnessed, by the housekeeper and butler at Trelawn Manor, if my memory of their names serves correctly.'

'It's false, a trick! I didn't! It's my money! I worked hard for it!' Lady Mottesford raved, trying to snatch the will which Lord Mottesford held contemptuously out of reach.

'So, my fine lady, you are unmasked!' he said coldly. 'This will appoints me his executor and Charlotte's guardian. You are to have the dower house for the rest of your life, and sufficient income to maintain it. I suggest you go there at once, and I will visit you in a few days when you are calmer to discuss what is to be done as regards repaying Charlotte what you have misused of her money. I doubt whether you will dare to show your face in London again.'

Lady Mottesford, to the embarrassment of Charlotte and Prudence, dissolved into floods of tears. Hubert glared at her, while Emma patted her hand ineffectually.

'Never mind, Mama. It wasn't your doing if that horrid old man broke his promise to you. And people will not blame you, there is no need for you to hide away in Devon. Dicky is rich even without that money, and when we are married you shall come and stay with me in London.'

She glanced up at Lord Mottesford as she spoke, half coyly, half placatingly, but he gave her no answering smile.

'I think not, Miss Potter. After my marriage I mean to retrench. I intend to close all my houses apart from a small farmhouse in Westmorland where you will live. I shall, of course, need to travel about myself to oversee the estates, but I will doubtless find time to visit you almost every year for a few days. It's a very lonely spot, unfortunately, but you will be at home in the village there. No trips to London, however.'

'What?' Emma gasped incredulously. 'You'd banish me on my own to some dreary farmhouse hundreds of miles away? I don't believe you!'

'I never make idle threats. When we are married that is what your life will have to be. But don't be concerned, there are half a dozen other houses in the village, and a couple of women around your age. Of course, they are uneducated, and there are no books, and certainly no parties, but there is a great deal to do on the farm, baking, brewing, milking, cutting hay for the cattle, and looking after the sheep, especially in winter. You'd never be bored.'

'No, for I have no intention of living such a life!' Emma retorted angrily.

'That is how I say you will live,' he replied calmly. 'It may not be to your liking, but I think if we spend nothing apart from on essentials we may be able to spend a week in Carlisle in a few years. They have quite fashionable assemblies, I am told.'

'You don't understand!' she cried furiously. 'I'll not do it! I'll not marry you! You misled me, I thought you were rich! Not even a title would make up for that sort of life.'

'Well, perhaps it would be best. How fortunate we made no announcement in
The Gazette
. Now, Mr Clutterbuck, I asked the landlord to put to your horses, so I suggest you escort the ladies on their way. Charlotte, come with me to show me which is your valise. Goodbye, Lady Mottesford, Miss Potter. I will call in a week or so to arrange about repayment of Charlotte's money.'

He swept out of the room, Charlotte's hand firmly held in his, and Prudence heard him outside talking to the postillion. Within the coffee room Lady Mottesford was looking dazed, Emma seemed on the verge of hysterics, and Mr Clutterbuck was muttering threats about getting even one day with a damned chiselling, cheating gallows-cheat.

By the time Lord Mottesford returned, however, they had pulled themselves together enough to collect their belongings and, as he politely held the door open for them, walk with as much dignity as they could muster out to their carriage.

Charlotte watched them go, and then stood looking through the window until the chaise was out of sight. Then she turned to look with some awe at Lord Mottesford.

'Cousin Richard, I don't know how to thank you! I think I would have died rather than marry Hubert. And I am rich! I can't believe it! Oh, when is Edward coming back to town.'