The Convenient Marriage (24 page)

The postilions had dragged their frightened horses to a standstill. Captain Heron pressed up closer, covering them with his pistol. Sir Roland, a connoisseur of horse-flesh, had allowed his attention to be diverted by the two wheelers, and was studying them closely.

The Viscount and Mr Hawkins had ridden up to the chaise. The window was let down with a bang, and an old gentleman with a red face pushed his head and shoulders out, and extending his arm fired a small pistol at the Viscount. ‘Dastardly rogues! Cut-throat robbers! Drive on, you cowardly rascals!’ he spluttered.

The shot sang past the Viscount’s ear; the mare reared up in alarm, and was steadied again. ‘Hi, mind what you’re about, sir!’ said his lordship indignantly. ‘You devilish near got me in the head!’

Mr Hawkins on the other side of the chaise, thrust his pistol into the old gentleman’s face. ‘Drop your pops!’ he growled. ‘And step out, d’you see? Come on, out with you!’ He let the reins fall on his horse’s neck, and leaned sideways in the saddle, and wrenched open the door of the chaise. ‘A rare gager, you are! Hand over your truss! Ah, and that pretty lobb o’ yourn!’

The Viscount said quickly: ‘Draw off, you fool! Wrong man!’

‘Lordy, he’s good enough for me!’ replied Mr Hawkins, wresting a snuff-box from the old gentleman’s grasp. ‘A nice little lobb, this! Come on now, where’s your truss?’

‘I’ll have the Watch on you!’ raved his victim. ‘Damnable! Broad daylight! Take that, you thief!’ With which he dashed his hat at Mr Hawkins’ pistol, and diving back into the coach seized a long ebony cane.

‘Lord, he’ll have an apoplexy,’ said the Viscount, and rode round the chaise to Mr Hawkins’ side. ‘Give me that snuff-box,’ he ordered briefly. ‘Edward! Here, Edward! Take the fool away! We’ve got the wrong man.’ He dodged a blow aimed at his head with the ebony cane, tossed the snuff-box into the chaise, and reined back. ‘Let ’em go, Pom!’ he called.

Sir Roland came round to him. ‘Wrong man, is it? Tell you what, Pel – as nice a pair of wheelers as I’ve seen. Just what I’ve been looking for. Think he’d sell?’

The old gentleman, still perched on the step of the chaise, shook his fist at them. ‘Murderous dogs!’ he raved. ‘You’ll find I’m a match for you, you rogues! Don’t like the look of this little cane of mine, eh? I’ll break the head of the first man to come a step nearer! Robbers and cowards! White-livered scoundrels! Drive on, you damned shivering fools! Ride ’em down!’

Captain Heron, in charge of the baffled Mr Hawkins, said in a voice that shook with suppressed mirth: ‘For God’s sake come away! He’ll burst a blood-vessel at this rate.’

‘Wait a bit,’ said Sir Roland. He swept off his abominable beaver, and bowed over his horse’s withers. ‘Haven’t the honour of knowing your name, sir, but you’ve a very pretty pair of wheelers there. Looking for just such a pair.’

The old gentleman gave a scream of rage. ‘Insolence! Steal my horses, would you? Postilion! I command you, drive on!’

‘No, no! Assure you nothing of the sort!’ protested Sir Roland.

Captain Heron bore down upon him, and seizing his bridle, dragged him away. ‘Come away,’ he said, ‘you’ll ruin us all, you young madman!’

Sir Roland allowed himself to be led off. ‘A pity,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘Great pity. Never saw such a queer-tempered fellow.’

The Viscount, who was speaking a few pithy words to Mr Hawkins, turned his head. ‘How the devil should he know you wanted to buy his horses? Besides, we haven’t time to buy horses. We’d better get back to our ambush. Mare stood the firing pretty well, didn’t you, sweetheart?’

Captain Heron watched the chaise rolling away up the road. ‘He’ll lay information in Hounslow, Pelham, you mark my words.’

‘Let him,’ said the Viscount. ‘He won’t get the Watch out against us. Why, we didn’t take a thing!’

‘Not a thing,’ muttered Mr Hawkins sulkily. ‘And him with his strong-box under the seat! Dang me if I ever works with flash culls again!’

‘Don’t keep on saying that,’ said the Viscount. ‘You can take what you like from the right man, but you don’t rob anyone else while you’re with me!’

They rode on up the slope, and once more dismounted. ‘Well, if I’m broke for this, I think I’ll take to the – what-do-you call it? Bridle-lay. I’d no notion it was so easy,’ said Captain Heron.

‘Yes, but I don’t like the clothes,’ said the Viscount. ‘Devilish hot!’

Sir Roland sighed. ‘Beautiful wheelers!’ he murmured sadly.

The afternoon wore on. Another wagon lumbered past, three more horsemen, and one stage.

‘Can’t have missed the fellow, can we?’ fretted the Viscount.

‘All we missed was our luncheon,’ replied Captain Heron. He pulled his watch out. ‘It’s on three already, and I dine in South Street at five.’

‘Dining with my mother, are you?’ said the Viscount. ‘Well, the cook’s damned bad, Edward, and so I warn you. Couldn’t stand it myself. One reason why I live in lodgings. What’s that, Hawkins? Heard something?’

‘There’s a chaise coming up the road,’ said Mr Hawkins. ‘And I hope it’s the right one,’ he added bitterly.

When it came into sight, a smart, shining affair, slung on very high swan’s-neck springs, the Viscount said: ‘That’s more like it! Now then, Pom, we’ve got him!’

The manœuvre that had succeeded so well with the first chaise, succeeded again. The postilions, alarmed to find no less than four ruffians descending upon them, drew up in a hurry. Captain Heron once more covered them with his pistol, and the Viscount dashed up to the chaise, shouting in as gruff a voice as he could assume: ‘Stand and deliver there! Come on, out of that!’

There were two gentlemen in the chaise. The younger of them started forward, levelling a small pistol. The other laid a hand on his wrist. ‘Don’t fire, my dear boy,’ he said placidly. ‘I would really rather that you did not.’

The Viscount’s pistol hand dropped. He uttered a smothered exclamation.

‘Wrong again!’ growled Mr Hawkins disgustedly.

The Earl of Rule stepped unhurriedly down on to the road. His placid gaze rested on the Viscount’s mare. ‘Dear me!’ he said. ‘And – er – what do you want me to deliver, Pelham?’

Not long after four o’clock a furious knocking was heard on the door of the Earl of Rule’s town house. Horatia, who was on her way upstairs to change her gown, stopped and turned pale. When the porter opened the door and she saw Sir Roland Pommeroy on the doorstep without his hat, she gave a shriek, and sped down the stairs again. ‘Good G-God, what has happened?’ she cried.

Sir Roland, who seemed much out of breath, bowed punctiliously. ‘Apologize unseemly haste, ma’am! Must beg a word in private!’

‘Yes, yes, of course!’ said Horatia, and dragged him into the library. ‘Someone’s k-killed? Oh, n-not Pelham? Not P-Pelham?’

‘No, ma’am, upon my honour! Nothing of that sort. Most unfortunate chance! Pel desired me to apprise you instantly. Rode home post-haste – left my horse nearest stables – ran round to wait on you. Not a moment to lose!’

‘Well, w-what is it?’ demanded Horatia. ‘You found L-Lethbridge?’

‘Not Lethbridge, ma’am, Rule!’ said Sir Roland, and flicking his handkerchief from his sleeve, dabbed at his heated brow.

‘Rule?’ exclaimed Horatia in accents of the profoundest dismay.

‘No less, ma’am. Very awkward situation.’

‘You – you d-didn’t hold Rule up?’ she gasped.

Sir Roland nodded. ‘Very, very awkward,’ he said.

‘Did he re-recognize you?’

‘Deeply regret, ma’am – recognized Pel’s mare.’

Horatia wrung her hands. ‘Oh, was ever anything so unlucky? What d-did he say? What d-did he think? What in the world b-brings him home so soon?’

‘Beg you won’t distress yourself, ma’am. Pel carried it off. Presence of mind, you know – mighty clever fellow, Pel!’

‘B-but I don’t see how he could carry it off!’ said Horatia.

‘Assure your ladyship, nothing simpler. Told him it was a wager.’

‘D-did he believe it?’ asked Horatia, round-eyed.

‘Certainly!’ said Sir Roland. ‘Told him we mistook his chaise for another’s. Plausible story – why not? But Pel thought you should be warned he was on his way.’

‘Oh, yes, indeed!’ she said. ‘But L-Lethbridge?’ My b-brooch?’

Sir Roland tucked his handkerchief away again. ‘Can’t make the fellow out,’ he replied. ‘Ought to be home by now, instead of which – no sign of him. Pel and Heron are waiting on with Hawkins. Have to carry a message to Lady Winwood. Heron – very good sort of a man indeed – can’t dine in South Street now. Must try to stop Lethbridge, you see. Beg you won’t let it distress you. Assure you – brooch shall be recovered. Rule suspects nothing – nothing at all, ma’am!’

Horatia trembled. ‘I d-don’t feel as though I can p-possibly face him!’ she said.

Sir Roland, uneasily aware that she was on the brink of tears, retreated towards the door. ‘Not the slightest cause for alarm, ma’am. Think I should be going, however. Won’t do for him to find me here.’

‘No,’ agreed Horatia forlornly. ‘No, I s-suppose it won’t.’

When Sir Roland had bowed himself out she went slowly upstairs again, and to her bed-chamber, where her abigail was waiting to dress her. She had promised to join her sister-in-law at Drury Lane Theatre after dinner, and a grande toilette in satin of that extremely fashionable colour called Stifled Sigh was laid out over a chair. The abigail, pouncing on her to untie her laces, informed her that M. Frédin (pupil of that celebrated academician in coiffures, M. Léonard of Paris) had already arrived, and was in the powder-closet. Horatia said ‘Oh!’ in a flat voice, and stepping out of her polonaise, listlessly permitted the satin underdress to be slipped over her head. She was put into her powdering-gown next, and then was delivered into the hands of M. Frédin.

This artist, failing to perceive his client’s low spirits, was full of enthusiastic suggestions for a coiffure that should ravish all who beheld it. My lady has not cared for the Quésaco? Ah, no, by example! a little too sophisticated! My lady would prefer her hair dressed in Foaming Torrents – a charming mode! Or – my lady being petite – perhaps the Butterfly would better please the eye.

‘I d-don’t care,’ said my lady.

M. Frédin, extracting pins with swift dexterity, shaking out rolled curls, combing away a tangle, was disappointed, but redoubled his efforts. My lady, without doubt, desired something new, something épatante. One could not consider the Hedgehog, therefore, but my lady would be transported by the Mad Dog. A mode of the most distinguished: he would not suggest the Sportsman in a Bush; that was for Ladies past their first blush; but the Royal Bird was always a favourite; or, if my lady was in a pensive mood, the Milksop.

‘Oh, d-dress it à l’urgence!’ said Horatia impatiently. ‘I’m l-late!’

M. Frédin was chagrined, but he was too wise in the knowledge of ladies’ whims to expostulate. His deft fingers went busily to work, and in an astonishingly short space of time Horatia emerged from the closet, her head a mass of artlessly tumbled curls, dashed over with powder à la Maréchale, violet-scented.

She sat down at her dressing-table, and picked up the rouge-pot. It would never do for Rule to see her looking so pale. Oh, if it was not that odious Serkis rouge that made her look a hag! Take it away at once!

She had just laid down the haresfoot and taken the patch-box out of the abigail’s hand when someone scratched on the door. She started, and cast a scared look over her shoulder. The door opened and the Earl came in.

‘Oh!’ said Horatia faintly. She remembered that she must show surprise, and added: ‘G-good gracious, my l-lord, is – is it indeed you?’

The Earl had changed his travelling dress for an evening toilet of puce velvet, with a flowered waistcoat and satin small clothes. He came across the room to Horatia’s side, and bent to kiss her hand. ‘None other, my dear. Am I – now don’t spare me – am I perhaps de trop?’

‘No, of c-course not,’ replied Horatia uncertainly. She felt a trifle breathless. At sight of him her heart had given the oddest leap. If the abigail had not been there – if she had not lost her brooch – ! But the abigail, tiresome creature, was there, bobbing a curtsy, and Lethbridge had her brooch, and of course she could not fling herself into Rule’s arms and burst into tears on his chest. She forced herself to smile. ‘No, of c-course not,’ she repeated. ‘I am prodigiously g-glad to see you. But what brings you b-back so soon, sir?’

‘You, Horry,’ he answered, smiling down at her.

She blushed and opened the patch-box. Her thoughts jostled one another in her head. He must have broken with the Massey. He was beginning to love her at last. If he found out about Lethbridge and the brooch it would all be spoiled. She was the most deceitful wretch alive.

‘Ah, but I beg you will let me show my skill,’ said his lordship, removing the patch-box from her hand. He selected a tiny round of black taffeta, and gently turned Horatia’s head towards him. ‘Which shall it be?’ he said. ‘The Equivocal? I think not. The Gallant? No, not that. It shall be –’ He pressed the patch at the corner of her mouth. ‘The Kissing, Horry!’ he said, and bent quickly and kissed her on the lips.

Her hand flew up, touched his cheek, and fell again. Deceitful, odious wretch that she was! She drew back, trying to laugh. ‘My l-lord, we are not alone! And I – I m-must dress, you know, for I p-promised to g-go with Louisa and Sir Humphrey to the p-play at Drury Lane.’

He straightened. ‘Shall I send a message to Louisa, or shall I go with you to this play?’ he inquired.

‘Oh – oh, I m-mustn’t disappoint her, sir!’ said Horatia in a hurry. It would never do to be alone with him a whole evening. She might blurt out the whole story, and then – if he believed her – he must think her the most tiresome wife, for ever in a scrape.

‘Then we will go together,’ said his lordship. ‘I’ll await you downstairs, my love.’

Twenty minutes later they faced one another across the dining table. ‘I trust,’ said his lordship, carving the duck, ‘that you were tolerably well amused while I was away, my dear?’

Tolerably well amused? Good heavens! ‘Oh, yes, sir – t-tolerably well,’ replied Horatia politely.

‘The Richmond House ball – were you not going to that?’

Horatia gave an involuntary shudder. ‘Yes, I – went to that.’

‘Are you cold, Horry?’

‘C-cold? No, sir, n-not at all.’

‘I thought you shivered,’ said his lordship.

‘N-no,’ said Horatia. ‘Oh, no! The – the Richmond House b-ball. It was vastly pretty, with fireworks, you know. Only my shoes p-pinched me, so I d-didn’t enjoy myself m-much. They were new ones, too, with diamonds sewn on them, and I was so c-cross I should have sent them back to the m-makers only that they were ruined by the wet.’

‘Ruined by the wet?’ repeated the Earl.

Horatia’s fork clattered on her plate. That was what came of trying to make conversation! She had known how it would be; of course she would make a slip! ‘Oh, yes!’ she said breathlessly. ‘I f-forgot to tell you! The b-ball was spoiled by rain. Wasn’t it a pity? I – I got my feet wet.’

‘That certainly was a pity,’ agreed Rule. ‘And what did you do yesterday?’

‘Yesterday?’ said Horatia. ‘Oh, I – I d-didn’t do anything yesterday.’

There was a laugh in his eyes. ‘My dear Horry, I never thought to hear such a confession from you,’ he said.

‘No, I – I did not feel very w-well, so I – I – so I stayed at home.’

‘Then I suppose you haven’t yet seen Edward,’ remarked the Earl.

Horatia, who was sipping her claret, choked. ‘Good gracious, yes! Now, however c-could I have come to forget that? Only f-fancy, Rule, Edward is in town!’ She was aware that she was sinking deeper into the quagmire, and tried to recover her false step. ‘B-but how did you know he was here?’ she asked.

The Earl waited while the footman removed his plate, and set another in its place. ‘I have seen him,’ he replied.

‘Oh – oh, have you? W-where?’

‘On Hounslow Heath,’ replied the Earl, putting up his glass to survey a pupton of cherries which was being offered to him. ‘No, I think not… Yes, on Hounslow Heath, Horry. A most unexpected rencontre.’

‘It m-must have been. I – I wonder w-what he was doing there?’

‘He was holding me up,’ said the Earl calmly.

‘Oh, w-was he?’ Horatia swallowed a cherry stone inadvertently and coughed. ‘How – how very odd of him!’

‘Very imprudent of him,’ said the Earl.

‘Yes, v-very. P-perhaps he was doing it for a w-wager,’ suggested Horatia, mindful of Sir Roland’s words.

‘I believe he was.’ Across the table the Earl’s eyes met hers. ‘Pelham and his friend Pommeroy were also of the party. I fear I was not the victim they expected.’

‘W-weren’t you? No, of c-course you weren’t! I mean – d-don’t you think it is t-time we started for the p-play, sir?’

Rule got up. ‘Certainly, my dear.’ He picked up her taffeta cloak and put it round her shoulders. ‘May I be permitted to venture a suggestion?’ he said gently.

She glanced nervously at him. ‘Why, y-yes, sir! What is it?’

‘You should not wear rubies with that particular shade of satin, my dear. The pearl set would better become it.’

There was an awful silence; Horatia’s throat felt parched suddenly; her heart was thumping violently. ‘It – it is too l-late to change them n-now!’ she managed to say.

‘Very well,’ Rule said, and opened the door for her to pass out.

All the way to Drury Lane Horatia kept up a flow of conversation. What she found to talk about she could never afterwards remember, but talk she did, until the coach drew up at the theatre, and she was safe from a tête-à-tête for three hours.

Coming home there was of course the play to be discussed, and the acting, and Lady Louisa’s new gown, and these topics left no room for more dangerous ones. Pleading fatigue, Horatia went early to bed, and lay for a long time wondering what Pelham had done, and what she should do if Pelham had failed.

She awoke next morning heavy-eyed and despondent. Her chocolate was brought in on a tray with her letters. She sipped it, and with her free hand turned over the billets in the hope of seeing the Viscount’s sprawling handwriting. But there was no letter from him, only a sheaf of invitations and bills.

Setting down her cup she began to open these missives. Yes, just as she had thought. A rout-party; a card-party; she did not care if she never touched a card again; a picnic to Boxhill: never! of course it would rain; a concert at Ranelagh: well, she only hoped she would never be obliged to go to that odious place any more!… Good God, could one have spent three hundred and seventy-five guineas at a mantua-maker’s? And what was this? Five plumes at fifty louis apiece! Well, that was really too provoking, when they had been bought for that abominable Quésaco coiffure which had not become her at all.

She broke the seal of another letter, and spread open the single sheet of plain, gilt-edged paper. The words, clearly written in a copper-plate hand, fairly jumped at her.

‘If the Lady who lost a ring-brooch of pearls and diamonds in Half-Moon Street on the night of the Richmond House Ball will come alone to the Grecian Temple at the end of the Long Walk at Vauxhall Gardens at midnight precisely on the twenty-eighth day of September, the brooch shall be restored to her by the Person in whose possession it now is.’

There was no direction, no signature; the handwriting was obviously disguised. Horatia stared at it for one incredulous minute and then, with a smothered shriek, thrust her chocolate tray into the abigail’s hands and cast off the bed-clothes. ‘Quick, I m-must get up at once!’ she said. ‘Lay me out a w-walking dress, and a hat, and my g-gloves! Oh, and run d-downstairs and tell someone to order the l-landaulet – no, not, the l-landaulet! my town-coach, to c-come round in half an hour. And take all these l-letters away, and oh, d-do p-please hurry!’

For once she wasted no time over her toilet, and half an hour later ran down the stairs, her sunshade caught under her arm, her gloves only half on. There was no sign of Rule, and after casting a wary glance in the direction of the library door, she sped past it and was out in the street before anyone could have time to observe her flight.

The coach was waiting, and directing the coachman to drive to Lord Winwood’s lodging in Pall Mall, Horatia climbed in and sank back against the cushions with a sigh of relief at having succeeded in leaving the house without encountering Rule.