Wendy Soliman (12 page)

“Stop it. I don’t wish to hear any more of your feeble justifications.”

“I know.”

He looked miserable. If Saskia hadn’t known better, she would have said that his spirit was crushed by her dismissal of his explanation. But, of course, she knew a great deal better. He was using her to get at her father, or attempting to. Well, much good it would do him. She had no wish to have anything to do with her father, not even if what he’d told her was true and he was reduced to smuggling slaves into the country.

“I think we should leave,” she said.

“Of course. I’ll take you back to Riverside House and leave your establishment first thing in the morning. I’ll find another way to complete my business here.”

“As you wish.”

They drove back in silence; even the twins, presumably sensing the emotionally-charged atmosphere, were unusually subdued.

An hour before dinner Mrs. Rivers sent word to Felix that she would like to see him in her private apartment. When he arrived Saskia was also there.

“Ah, Mr. Beaumont, or should I say, your lordship?”

Felix bowed to both ladies. “You have my apologies for deceiving you, Mrs. Rivers,” he said sincerely. “I’ve already informed your niece that I will leave first thing in the morning, but if you wish to be rid of me before that I dare say it can be arranged.”

“I knew you weren’t what you claimed to be!” Mrs. Rivers crowed. “Those manners, that air about you. My niece has told me of your reason for being here. It saddens me more than you can possibly know that my brother has sunk so low. I suppose there can be no doubt?”

“Unfortunately not.”

“I see. My niece has also told me what I believe she told you last night, as to her reasons for leaving my brother’s house.”

Felix looked at Saskia in surprise but she wouldn’t meet his eye. He could see that she’d been crying and was still upset, making him feel like a first-rate churl.

“What will you do now, Mister Beaumont?”

“Find another way to put a stop to your brother.”

“But your original intention was to approach him through the good offices of my niece?”

“Yes. To my great shame I must own it. I was hoping she would introduce us, thereby making it easier for me to lure him into a trap. But no matter, I shall return to Western Hall tomorrow and confer with my father. We will devise some other method.”

“No!” Saskia spoke for the first time. Her voice sounded unnaturally brittle, but she appeared more composed and her determination was evident in the defiant tilt of her chin.

“What do you mean?”

“If you attempt to approach my father about such a delicate matter, he will immediately be suspicious. He’s far too wily to be taken in by such a ploy. The only way you can hope to get to him without attracting unnecessary attention is through me.”

“No, I won’t hear of it. You haven’t spoken to him for six years. Why would you do so now, without arousing his suspicions as to your motives?”

She still wouldn’t look at him. “He will know all about you, especially since the ball yesterday.”

“Maybe so, but I don’t think — ”

“I’ll call upon him, displaying a suitable amount of contrition for my past behaviour, and admit there’s a guest in this house for whom I have developed a tendre.” She spoke the word as though it was contaminated with the plague. “I will say that this gentleman has requested an introduction to him with a view to discussing some business matter, the details of which I am, naturally, not informed. I believe he will be so pleased that I’ve gone to see him that he will grant my request without questioning my motives.”

Felix sat beside her and took her hand, mindless of the sudden interest that Mrs. Rivers was taking in them. “No, I won’t permit it. It would be humiliating for you to go crawling back to him after everything he’s forced you to endure.”

“I have no intention of crawling, my lord,” she countered, snatching her hand away from his grasp, “or of humiliating myself either. But talking about what happened has made me realize that I must stand up to him if I’m ever to be free of his tyranny. I am doing this for my sake as much as that of law and order.”

“No, no, there must be another way.”

“If Saskia feels so strongly, then I think she should be permitted to have her way,” Mrs. Rivers said. “Whatever else he does, my brother will never harm her.”

Saskia and Felix, who were glaring at one another with widely differing feelings, had forgotten her presence. They turned to her in surprise.

“Why do you say that, madam? Surely he’s harmed her enough already. I won’t hide behind her.”

“It’s not a question of hiding. This is a decision that only she’s qualified to make. And surely, if she merely affects an introduction, there can be no danger in it for her?”

Felix stood and paced the room. “I still don’t like it.”

“My mind’s made up upon the matter.” Saskia tossed her head, and Felix, already starting to recognize the gesture, reluctantly accepted that he was beaten.

“All right.” He threw his hands up in surrender. “But we must proceed with extreme caution. It’s not safe to speak openly in this house. You realize, of course, that Fothergill is in your father’s employ?”

“What!” cried Saskia and her aunt simultaneously.

“There can be no doubt, I’m afraid. I was immediately suspicious of him, and not just because I didn’t like him.” Felix was rewarded with a flicker of a smile from Saskia. “But I did consider it to be something of a coincidence, a teacher conveniently seeking accommodation so soon after you took in guests, just when you needed one. And coincidences always make me suspicious. Why would an impecunious teacher seek lodgings at such a superior establishment unless he knew he was about to find a way of working off the cost? And besides, a teacher who favours your father’s strict ideas of discipline would be an ideal choice for his grandchildren, surely? If you still doubt my opinion, consider his expensive drinking habit, which requires his presence in the Swyre Inn every day. It’s a most convenient location to meet your father’s representatives and pass on any information he may have gleaned, don’t you think?”

“What fools we’ve been, Saskia, to allow ourselves to be thus taken in. That is how Samuel always knows when to put on more pressure. He knows when we are at our most vulnerable, and therefore when to prevent the servants from coming to work…” Serena’s words trailed off, and she fell into gloomy contemplation.

“To think,” Saskia said, “that all along I’ve been playing into my father’s hands and allowing my children to be educated to his order.” She was so angry that, when she picked up an ornament and weighed it absently in her hand, Felix was concerned that she might actually hurl it through the window — or at him for being the bearer of such bad tidings. He gently removed it from her grasp.

“Indeed. My valet Perkins is established at the Dove Inn, attempting to infiltrate your father’s organization. I sent him to the Swyre Inn today, and he reported that Fothergill had a long conversation with your father’s steward — the one we saw at the ball last night.”

“When do you want me to go and see my father?” Saskia asked, a stoic set to her features.

“We must consult with Perkins first.” Felix looked toward Mrs. Rivers for permission and then rang the bell. Molly answered it with alacrity.

“Ah, Molly.”

“Sir?” She looked confused.

“It’s all right, Molly, these ladies now know who I am. But have a care, for no one else in the house does, nor must they.”

“Very good, my lord.” She curtsied and awaited his instructions. Felix saw Mrs. Rivers and Saskia exchange a significant glance. Now that they had observed one of his servants treating him with a deference that he accepted as a matter of course, it seemed the enormity of his true identity was at last taking hold. For the first time since entering the room, he could sense a slight lessening in Saskia’s hostility toward him.

“Get word to Perkins, Molly. Have him come to the house at eleven this evening. You and Jed must let him in through the kitchen door and get him up here.” He paused, looking to Mrs. Rivers for her approbation. She gave a nod, and he continued, “Without being detected. Do you think you can do that?”

“Just leave it to us, my lord.”

“All right, Molly, thank you.”

“So we must thank you for the gift of our new servants as well, must we?” asked Mrs. Rivers in a resigned tone. “It was too much, I suppose, to imagine that fortune was smiling upon us for a change.”

“They are on loan from Western Hall,” Felix said. “I trust you’ll not take offence. They really are respectably married and entirely discreet and dependable.” He turned toward Saskia, looked her straight in the eye and smiled at her in such a captivating manner that she could be left with little doubt as to his sincerity. “I just couldn’t bear the thought of you having to work so hard,” he said.

D
INNER
A
T
R
IVERSIDE
H
OUSE
that evening was a fraught affair. Even Miss Willoughby seemed to sense the tension rippling between Felix and Saskia and was unusually quiet. Saskia treated Fothergill with cold contempt. The school master clearly realised that he’d overstepped the mark and was going out of his way to be especially charming to her, his pomposity for once set aside. Saskia didn’t once look in Felix’s direction, and answered any remark he addressed to her with the minimum of civility. He knew it was nothing less than he deserved.

Shortly before eleven o’clock, Felix entered Mrs. Rivers’s private apartment and found the old lady there alone. She smiled and bade him sit beside her.

“Well, my lord,” she said, “I don’t know how you normally conduct your affairs, but you’ve been in my house for not much more than a week and life certainly hasn’t been dull during that time.”

“I’m sorry to have wreaked so much havoc, Mrs. Rivers. I would that it could have been otherwise.”

“That someone else could have informed me of my brother’s wrong doing? Yes, I dare say you do, and I’ve tried to persuade Saskia to that point of view.” She sighed. “I’m sure she will eventually come to see that you had no alternative but to act as you did.”

“Perhaps, but I’ve done enough damage, arrogantly assuming that I knew what was best for her. I wonder if I could prevail upon you to repair the damage and persuade her not to confront her father? The strain will be too much for her, I fear.”

“No.” Mrs. Rivers shook her head decisively, setting the ribbons on her cap dancing. “I shall not attempt to dissuade her. She must do it, for her own sake. I’m relieved that she’s finally spoken about her reasons for leaving her father’s house, even if I’m shocked and deeply upset by what she told us. I guessed something of what must have happened when she arrived in such a state, of course, but, still, my mind was reluctant to acknowledge the awful truth.” Mrs. Rivers paused to collect herself. “That my brother could act in such a manner saddens me deeply.”

“He’s unspeakably barbaric in his authority over his children, but — ”

“My niece is fragile, Lord Western. She works as hard as she does partly of necessity and partly, I suspect, to keep her mind from dwelling on the past. By forcing her to face up to those memories and demonstrating just how closely her father still manipulates her, you’ve unwittingly destroyed what little peace of mind she’s managed to achieve. She must now do what she feels is right, for her own sake, as well as that of the twins.”

“I can see that, of course, but — ”

Mrs. Rivers cut him off for the second time, and looked him squarely in the eye. “You must give me your assurance that you won’t hurt her,” she said. “It would destroy her.”

Felix didn’t pretend to misunderstand, but simply bowed in acquiescence. They then spoke of general matters, Mrs. Rivers again lamenting the need for her niece to work so hard, thus presenting Felix with his opening.

“How has your brother managed to reduce your circumstances thus, may I enquire, Mrs. Rivers? I understood that you own this house.”

“No, sir. It’s entailed to my late husband’s brother, since we were not blessed with a son of our own. I have tenure for my lifetime only.”

“I see. But surely your late husband made financial provision for you?”

Mrs. Rivers’s smile was laced with irony. “Indeed he did. But whom do you imagine is the executor of his will?”

Felix smacked his forehead with the heel of his hand. “Your brother, obviously.”

“Precisely! And the attorney who looks after the matter is the only one in Burton Bradstock, so I need hardly tell you who controls him.”

“But have you done nothing to try and restore the income which is rightfully yours?”

“Yes, I tried once, when Samuel first cut it off. The attorney merely advised me that the payments have been made to my brother’s account, in the accepted manner, and that I should take the matter up with him. The poor man is terrified of Samuel. If I go to my brother, cap in hand, that will, of course, be precisely what Sam’s waiting for. His price to restore what is rightfully mine will be the return of his daughter and grandchildren.” She lifted her chin. “My brother’s not the only stubborn member of this family, Lord Western, and I’m not prepared to make that sacrifice.”

Felix respected her spirited defiance and told her so. Mrs. Rivers smiled, saying she had everything she could wish for in life and wasn’t about to give in to bullying. As Saskia herself chose that moment to join them, Felix was unable to offer his assistance in restoring her income which, given his connections, he felt sure could be easily managed. Instead, he stood up and offered Saskia his chair, but she moved to sit beside her aunt and studiously ignored him. The timely arrival of Perkins saved the situation from becoming any more embarrassing than it already was.

“Ah, Perkins, there you are.”

“My lord.”

“Perkins, these ladies are Mrs. Rivers and Mrs. Eden.”

“Your servant, ladies.” Perkins’s bow was almost as elegant as his master’s, which Mrs. Rivers clearly found diverting.

“You look as though you’re set for dirty deeds,” Felix said, casting an amused eye over Perkins’s workmanlike, entirely black attire.

“I’m to be at Burton Bradstock beach in two hours’ time, my lord. Jeremiah Gladstone requires my assistance with the unloading of certain, er, commodities.” Perkins grinned, irrepressible as always. “It seems my endeavours last night passed muster, and they’ve pressed me into service again this evening.”

“Gladstone is one of my father’s men,” Saskia said. “He’s second only to Johnson.”

“I am glad you’ve infiltrated yourself, Perkins.”

“Ah well, you know me, m’lord. Always ready to lend a willing hand.”

Perkins was incorrigible; even Saskia managed a brief smile at his attitude.

“Just have a care, Perkins. This isn’t a game.”

“Certainly not, my lord.” Perkins adopted an injured expression. “But since Captain Smithers has declared immunity in the event that I’m captured, I have naught to fear.”

“Except the wrath of my brother’s men if they discover who you are.”

“Quite so, madam.” But Perkins clearly wasn’t deterred by this thought.

“Now,” Felix said, taking control again, “what have you been able to ascertain with regard to incoming slaves?”

“They’re a bit reluctant to say much in front of me, but after we finished unloading last night and were sampling an anker or two of the booty, if you understand my meaning, they loosened up a bit. Seems Barker is getting a bit cocky, and I gather a cutter is expected imminently, containing more of the poor so-and-so’s than they’ve ever dared to bring in at one time before.”

“Do you know when and where, Perkins?”

“No, milord, but what I do know is that they don’t have customers for all of them.”

“Excellent, our timing couldn’t be better. Mrs. Eden?” He looked directly at her. “The sooner we can approach your father, the better. Time is clearly of the essence.”

“I’m more than ready to play my part.” She regarded him steadily, but her expression was guarded, impossible for him to interpret.

“You are still determined, then?”

“Oh yes!”

Felix sighed. “Very well. Perkins, I had best send word to warn the earl.”

“Oh heavens, milord, I almost forgot.”

Withdrawing a letter from inside his singlet, he handed it to Felix who, recognising the handwriting of his friend Luc Deverill, tore it open, and began to read.

“I asked Luc to look into Fothergill’s background at the school where he taught in Northumberland,” he explained to the ladies as he continued to read. “Good lord! Luc and Clarissa are on their way south and plan to stop in Weymouth tomorrow, at the Grand Hotel. He will impart his news to me there.”

“Does that mean you’ll be in a position to wear a decent coat again, milord?” Perkins asked hopefully.

“Since I’m still supposed to be Mr. Beaumont, obviously not.”

“Ah, well. That one’ll give Lord Deverill a right laugh.”

“Hadn’t you best get going, Perkins?”

“Yes, right-ho, I’ll be off now.”

Perkins bowed to the ladies and left the room as silently as he’d entered it.

“Sorry about Perkins, ladies. He’s something of a law unto himself, but an excellent valet, and so I make allowances. Now then, Mrs. Eden, will you accompany me to Weymouth tomorrow?” She looked up in surprise. “We must purchase you a new travelling gown.”

She raised a disdainful brow. “So, am I to deduce that my clothing fails to meets your exacting requirements, along with everything else about me?”

“M’dear, you could go to your father’s house dressed in rags and it wouldn’t change my opinion of you. But I think it best that you approach him from a position of strength. He will expect you to be downtrodden and beaten. Appear before him in fashionable attire, head held high, dignity intact, and it will give him pause for thought. After all, he will already have received intelligence of your attending the ball in a lovely new gown. Appear before him in another and he’ll wonder why his tactics are having such little effect.”

Saskia frowned, clearly wishing to argue with him, but she obviously appreciated his logic and satisfied herself with a succinct, “Very well.”

“And after visiting the modiste, I’ll take you to meet my friends in the Grand Hotel.”

“I can’t be away from the house for that long.”

“Yes, you can. Molly and Jed are well able to manage the domestic chores.”

“Very well,” she said again, irascibly. Leaning to give her aunt a gentle kiss, she left the room without further acknowledgement of his presence.

When Saskia and Felix left the modiste’s in Weymouth the following morning, she was attired in a pale-blue velvet travelling gown complimented by matching bonnet and gloves. Felix was carrying two further packages, containing a turquoise evening gown in the finest muslin and a day-dress in Bengal stripes of green and cream. Saskia was unsure how she’d added to her wardrobe in such an extravagant manner, but knew it must all be Felix’s fault. He took over as soon as they entered the establishment, charmed the modiste and her assistant with his laissez-faire attitude, and persuaded Saskia to try several outfits. Just in case.

His three eventual selections were, according to him, vital to their success. When she quibbled about the ruinous cost, he reminded her of their purpose, arguing that if monies due from her late husband’s estate weren’t restored to her, then the revenue would take on her expenses, given the indispensable role she was playing to bring her father to justice.

He was so elegantly persuasive, dominating the tiny establishment with his commanding presence, that she found it difficult to concentrate upon formulating a riposte. When she appeared before him arrayed in his different choices, his eyes softened in that now familiar way of his and an appreciative — albeit shockingly inappropriate smile — crept across his features, making it seem unimportant who was paying for the garments, or why she even needed them, for Felix approved. It felt wonderful to wear something new and fashionable for a change, and she would worry about the propriety of allowing a comparative stranger to bear the cost at some other time.

Having enjoyed time to digest all that Felix had revealed to her, Saskia reluctantly conceded that in his position she would most likely have drawn the same conclusion. She also knew he spoke the truth when he swore he’d absolved her of any involvement within one day.

She’d angrily accused him of cultivating a friendship with the twins in order to further his nefarious plans. That accusation had hurt him; it had shown in his eyes. At the time she’d been glad to reap that petty revenge, even if the accusation had been unfounded.

Saskia understood the true reason for her anger with Felix, and was honest enough to admit it, if only to herself. He had awakened something in her that evening on the dunes, something that had lain dormant for all her life. She’d lived in blissful ignorance of the exquisite sensations that an attractive man could engender within a vulnerable female. It only took the brush of his lips against hers to set her heart racing and bring all those latent passions ruthlessly to life.

But now that she knew who he was, what an exulted position he occupied in society, and what high expectations there must be for his future, it was blindingly obvious that she could be nothing more to him than an opportune diversion. This realization hurt far more than she cared to admit. Females everywhere doubtless sighed over him; he must be accustomed to them falling at his feet. Saskia, understanding the hopelessness of her situation, vowed not to add herself to their number. She would never allow her partiality show, and would cover her damaged pride with a show of mild indifference.

Entering the Grand Hotel a short time later, Saskia was relieved that Felix had persuaded her to wear her new travelling gown. The ridiculous feather in the bonnet covered half her face, and hiding behind it, she felt reassuringly equal to her elegant surroundings. To begin with, she found confidence in the admiring glances she saw directed her way, but by the time they reached the door to the earl’s suite, her courage again faltered. Felix, perhaps sensing her fears, smiled his reassurance in such an intimate manner as to give her fresh heart, reducing her insides to mulch in the process. Before she could say anything, the door was opened by a maid and Saskia found herself in an elegantly furnished sitting room.