Fenella Miller (6 page)

Arabella’s green eyes flashed and her smile became fixed. ‘How lovely. There is nothing I like better than a ride before breakfast. Perhaps Emily and I could join you—it would be such fun.’

Emily’s mouth dropped open. Marianne hid her smile. She was sure neither of them ever rose from their beds much before eleven o’clock and would not dream of engaging in a pastime as energetic as riding so early in the day.

Marianne spoke up. ‘That is a delightful idea, Lady Arabella, but unfortunately it would be best to wait until I have spoken to Sir Theodore. He might not quite like to be accompanied by three young ladies, instead of one.’

Arabella barely concealed her annoyance. ‘Well, I must depart. It has been a pleasure making your acquaintance, Miss Devenish. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, Emily. Good day to you both.’ She spun, sending her skirt hems flying and stalked off towards the front of the house where her barouche would be awaiting her arrival.

‘Oh dear! You have upset Arabella, Marianne. She does not like it if you disagree with her.’

Marianne wished to say she cared little for what Lady Arabella liked or disliked but refrained. ‘Never mind, Emily. I am sure she will have forgotten all about it by tomorrow.’

‘And she hates rising early so I expect she will be glad you refused her when she has the leisure to consider the matter.’

They had begun to walk back towards the house when the noise of voices and barking could be heard approaching. Charles, Edward and Lady Arabella appeared around the corner surrounded by a miscellany of dogs. Lady Arabella was holding on the arm of Charles, whilst Edward walked along beside them, all three obviously content to be in each other’s company.

Marianne watched the interplay, scarcely crediting the change in Lady Arabella. Her face was alight, her beautiful eyes sparkled, and there was no sign of artifice or arrogance. She smiled. Charles and Arabella made a handsome couple. He towered over his partner. His eyes never left hers and his expression told all she needed to know on the matter.

Charles Grierson was head over ears in love with Lady Arabella but if she reciprocated was hard to gauge. That she enjoyed his company was obvious, but if her affections were truly engaged, Marianne couldn’t tell.

Charles greeted them cheerfully. ‘We discovered Arabella escaping without speaking with us. We could not allow that so have persuaded her to return.’

Edward vaulted over a dung-filled wheelbarrow abandoned by the path. ‘It is such a perfect morning. Shall we take a picnic down to Badgers Wood? The bluebells are out and it will be beautiful down there.’

‘Edward, what a lovely idea!’ Emily answered. ‘I shall run immediately to the kitchen and persuade Cook to put us up a hamper.’

‘And I shall go and ask Billy and Tom to bring it down when it is ready,’ Marianne added. ‘Then we don’t have to wait for it to be done or carry it ourselves.’

Charles shook his head. ‘My father does not allow the staff to neglect their duties in such a way.’

‘They are my staff, Charles, employed directly by me. They have no duties here apart from looking after me and my horses.’

‘In that case, thank you, Marianne,’ he said a trifle stiffly. ‘Emily will not be long. She is a favourite in the kitchen and Cook will take little persuading to prepare us something.’

The bluebells were as lovely as Charles had promised and Marianne enjoyed the excursion. She was drawn into the happy circle and soon found herself warming a little to Lady Arabella.

* * * *

Their
al fresco
meal finished, Billy and Tom packed up the remains and departed with the empty hamper, mugs and blankets.

As they were preparing to return, one of the dogs, a deerhound of impressive size and rough grey coat, stopped, ears pricked, and growled, his hackles up. The other three dogs, hearing their leader, raced to stand beside him, staring up the path that wound through the chestnut trees and down towards the creek.

Charles placed a warning hand on the dog’s head. ‘What is it boy? What have you heard?’

Edward, his face pale, stepped up beside his brother, indicating the three girls should stand behind them.

Marianne could sense the fear in the two young men and wondered at it. Then she remembered the snatch of conversation she had overheard the previous night and thought that maybe she understood the reason for their anxiety.

The rumbling growls of the four dogs were the only sounds in the wood. Even the birds were silent. Emily instinctively reached out and clutched Marianne’s hand for reassurance. Arabella pressed close to her other side. All three stared up the path, waiting to see who, or what, would emerge.

From the gloom, three shadowy figures took shape, one leading a laden donkey. The first, obviously the leader, was a stocky man in his thirties, his face scarred by pox marks, his clothes rough, and a dirty kerchief tied around his neck. The following two were equally filthy and all shared a shifty look. The three men halted a distance away, muttering to each other, too softly to be overheard, but their stance was menacing. Charles reacted.

‘You must go. Edward, take the girls and run—do not stop until you reach the park. Go. Now.’

Edward didn’t argue. He turned and grabbing Emily’s free hand jerked her forward. ‘Come, they could mean us harm. You heard Charles. Run!’

They needed no further urging and, with skirts held high, the girls raced after Edward, not stopping until they emerged into the sunlight and could see the stile leading into Frating Park. They scrambled over, and Marianne heard her gown tear as she caught it on a briar, but she didn’t pause to examine the damage. She hurried on, following Edward, until he finally stopped in sight of the Hall. They were exhausted and gasping for breath after the long run. Edward stared anxiously down the path.

‘Where is Charles, Edward? Why did he not come with us?’ Marianne asked.

‘The dogs will be a deterrent. Charles will keep them between the men and us as long as he can. Don’t fret, he will follow soon enough, he’s not stupid. The odds are too great to stay for a fight.’

Here, in the sunshine, their flight began to seem an overreaction. Arabella and Emily had sunk, worn out by their unaccustomed activity, to the grass and were comforting each other with pats and kisses.

‘Who were those men, Edward? Why would they wish to do us harm?’ Marianne got no reply.

Edward was watching the path but she felt him relax as the first of the dogs loped into sight.

‘I beg your pardon, I was not paying attention, what did you say, Marianne?’

‘I asked who those men were and why they would wish to harm us. We were no threat to them, surely?’

‘They were smugglers, did you not see the donkey—it was loaded with contraband.’

‘Why were they out in daylight? I thought such men worked at night.’

‘That wood is not used by the locals. It is well known to be a smuggler’s route to Thorrington Creek and so they avoid it. I suppose those men did not expect to see us there, even in daylight.’

‘If that is so, then why did you take us there for a picnic?’

Edward flushed. ‘It’s part of Frating Hall. We can go where we please; it is our land, after all. And Charles could not have anticipated meeting those villains. I daresay they pass that way once a month. It was just bad luck all round.’

Before Marianne could answer she saw Charles and the three dogs jogging towards them. He waved and smiled no sign of his previous fear apparent. He joined them and dropped down to the grass to speak to the girls who were sitting quietly on the grass.

‘That was unfortunate. I hope those men didn’t scare you unduly. I thought it best to run, although you were in no real danger. They were as surprised to see us as we were them.’

‘My dress is ruined and I am quite worn out. Please don’t suggest a picnic to me again, Charles—for I shall not come,’ Lady Arabella replied pettishly.

He smiled and sprung up. He offered his hand and pulled first Lady Arabella, and then Emily, to their feet. He spoke to Marianne, his face serious.

‘Marianne, I apologize for ruining your dress and your afternoon. I believe I may have reacted excessively but it’s always better to err on the side of caution, is it not?’

‘Yes, it is.’ She grinned. ‘Actually I quite enjoyed the experience. I realize I am not as fainthearted as I had supposed, exactly the opposite, in fact.’

* * * *

They returned rather more subdued than when they had set out on the jaunt but they parted on good terms. Tom had arranged for Lady Arabella’s carriage to be harnessed and this was standing ready to return her to Bromley Hall. Charles handed her in and Marianne saw him speaking urgently to her, his brown hair almost touching her black.

‘Marianne, I am going in to change, for dinner will be served in less than an hour and tonight we are to dress.’ Emily giggled as she saw the parlous state of Marianne’s gown. ‘You will not be able to wear that. I will send you something else. I believe I have a plain, apple-green silk, dinner gown that will suit you. It has an underskirt of darker stuff, long sleeves and no-frills or bows anywhere. I never liked it overmuch.’

‘It sounds ideal, thank you Emily, you are too good to me.’ Impulsively Emily stepped forward and embraced her.

‘I think of you as a sister already, so it is only right that we share.’

* * * *

As she soaked away the dust and sweat of the long run through the woods in her second bath of the day, Marianne went over the events again. Something was amiss; if she thought hard she was sure she would discover what this was.

Jane had tutted sadly about the torn gown but promised to wash, press and repair it by the following morning. She had not asked how the damage had occurred and Marianne had not volunteered the information. Time enough when she had it straight in her own mind.

She ran through the sequence of events for a third time. She gasped and sat up, sending a cascade of dirty water flooding onto the floor. Charles had not been scared of what the men would do—but what they might say. He had made them race off, not because they were in any danger but because he and Edward were desperate to avoid being recognized or greeted by name.

She felt sick. Her suspicions were correct. Charles and Edward, who already had a place in her affections, were involved with free-traders. She had been placed in the invidious position of having to decide if she would denounce them or turn a blind eye to their activities. That there was to be a third option did not then occur to her.

Chapter Six

Three horses, all eager to depart, were being held steady at the front of Frating Hall. Marianne, out in good time for her morning ride, arrived at the door and her eyes narrowed.

‘John, do not tell me, Miss Grierson and Lady Arabella are accompanying us!’

John grinned. ‘Fraid so, miss; orders came down last night to have three horses saddled.’

‘I thought I had made the position clear to Lady Arabella. I told her I had no wish to ride with her. I cannot imagine what Sir Theodore’s reaction will be.’

‘You will soon find out, miss, for I can see him coming up the drive.’

Marianne glanced behind her. There was no sign of Emily. The two girls had not been invited so she saw no reason to wait. They would depart as soon as her guardian arrived. She was congratulating herself on a lucky escape too soon, because at that moment Emily appeared at the head of the steps, her face wan.

Forgetting her annoyance, Marianne exclaimed, ‘Emily, you do not look the thing. Are you unwell?’

‘No, I am not sick. Oh, Marianne, I am so sorry, but Arabella insisted. I know you did not wish us to come with you this morning.’

Marianne’s anger evaporated and she smiled warmly. ‘I am delighted to see you. I was a cross-patch yesterday—pray forget I ever mentioned not wishing to have your company.’

* * * *

At the sound of hooves behind them they both turned. Tom and Sam appeared leading two handsome bay hacks. Puzzled Marianne looked at John.

‘Good heavens! Who else is joining our outing? Are we to expect the entire Grierson family to arrive at any moment?’

‘No, miss. I am, of course, accompanying you. The other horses are for Sam, who has to lead Lady Arabella’s mount.’

‘Leading it? Am I to believe that as Lady Arabella is not here in person she has arranged for a phantom to ride alongside us?’

She heard Emily giggling at the absurdity of her comment. ‘We are to rendezvous with Arabella on the far side of the green. She is travelling in her carriage from Great Bromley.’

‘Let me understand this correctly, Emily. Lady Arabella wishes to ride with us but we have to meet her at Great Bentley?’ Emily nodded her smile fading. ‘She is being driven to this point?’ Emily nodded a second time. ‘Does Lord Hawksmith not keep horses at his establishment?’

This was a question Emily could answer. ‘Of course he does, silly. But Arabella is not allowed to ride outside the grounds of Bromley Park.’

Marianne turned away not wishing her horrified expression to be seen. John’s face was equally concerned. Before they had time to discuss the implication of providing a mount for someone who had been forbidden to ride in public, her guardian arrived in a flurry of scattered gravel and stamping hooves.

Expertly he calmed his chestnut stallion and swung one leg casually across the horse’s neck, smiling benevolently down at the assembled group.

‘Morning, my dears. It appears I am to have a double delight! Two lovely companions instead of one.’

‘You are to be even more rewarded, sir; we are to collect a third, Lady Arabella, at Great Bentley.’ Marianne paused, unable to decide if she should tell him the rest. For all his bonhomie, she believed she detected a certain rigidity in his pose.

He raised his eyebrows and stared at the extra horse now held by a mounted groom. ‘I had no idea Lord Hawksmith had closed his stables. No matter—it is not my affair.’ Not allowing a reply he sat back in the saddle and rammed his boot loudly into his dangling stirrup-iron. ‘If you will get mounted, my dears, we shall depart. Lucifer here does not take kindly to delays.’