Pride of the Courtneys (8 page)

I could not speak. I was so shocked. I would never have believed that anyone hated me enough to play this sort of trick, and to tamper with Bassett's prize possession. It was too much. But at least I knew what sort of person I was up against. Their mind was cruel and merciless, so great was their hatred.

Millicent must be the person, or at least party to it, for here she was telling the deliberate lie, and after all, who but perhaps Georgiana would believe my word against hers?

Upset by the loss of the dagger, Sir Hugh seemed to lose his sense of time and must have reverted, to the past.

He twisted his fingers together nervously.

‘Victoria, my dear, we must not upset mother so, you must go. Go now, go quickly. Please go.'

He became most distressed. His words made no sense to me, but for his wife, Bassett, and even Georgiana, they must have held significant meaning, for Lady Courtney drew a startled breath and turned pale, whilst Bassett led him gently from the room, and, with Sir Hugh still muttering, took him to rest in his room.

‘We had better return to the drawing-room to discuss this unfortunate affair,' said Lady Courtney, regaining her composure. ‘And wait for Bassett.'

There was an uneasiness in the room whilst we awaited Bassett's return. As I passed the mirror to take a chair near the window, I saw my face was deathly pale, my eyes frightened, and my mouth trembling. I felt close to tears, surrounded by scheming enemies. But I would not weep, I would not let these people break my spirit. I would fight them.

Before Bassett returned. Lady Courtney began to deride me in no uncertain terms.

‘You came to this house, Louella Lloyd, an unwelcome encumbrance on this family. You and your relations have caused nothing but trouble to the Courtney family for many years. Are you never to stop?'

‘Perhaps, if I knew what it is my family have done. But I have not taken the dagger. I swear it.'

‘Don't make it worse by lying, girl. Why don't you own up and return the dagger? Don't you realise what may happen to us all now the dagger has left the Courtneys? Misfortune will befall us—and the thief. You'll regret it, Louella Lloyd, you'll regret it.'

But her goading was cut short by Bassett's return.

Georgiana dashed to him, she was in tears now.

‘Bassett, do something, please. She didn't do it. How could she?'

Bassett put his arm round her, and looked at me over her head.

‘Bassett, say you know she didn't do it,' she murmured against his jacket.

‘I—I don't know, Georgiana.'

‘Bassett,' she flung herself away from him. ‘How can you be so cruel? Are you, too, against her?'

And she returned to my side.

‘Well, I believe Louella. I'll stand by her, even if you—if you throw me out.'

‘That's what we ought to do with
her
Lady Courtney indicated me. ‘ Ungrateful brat. Throw her out, Bassett.'

‘No one is to be thrown out, mother, at all. We shall find the thief, never fear.'

‘But what will happen to us in the meantime?' Lady Courtney wailed. ‘We shall lose all our money, or something dreadful will happen. Look what happens to your father every time he sees her. Look who he thinks she is. How do you think I can bear it?'

And Lady Courtney dissolved into tears in an attempt to persuade her son.

‘Get rid of her, Bassett, for my sake. Can't you see she's just like her mother, breaking up our home?'

This was too much. I stood up.

‘I don't understand all this talk about my mother. If you won't tell me, how can I? But I am not a thief. I have not touched the dagger. I didn't even know where the keys were to the cabinet. Since you obviously no longer wish me to stay, I will leave at once. I have no desire to remain here either.'

‘There you are, you see, Bassett?' screeched Lady Courtney, she was hysterical now. ‘She has the dagger, she's trying to get away now. Stop her.'

What did the foolish woman want?

But Bassett took charge of the situation.

‘Go to your room, Louella, away from this painful affair, whilst I think what we must do.'

I went. But my heart was heavy with misery. No one, save Georgiana, believed me. Lady Courtney and Millicent had probably engineered the whole thing. Charles and Evelyn Corby had remained silent throughout the family quarrel, and no doubt thought me guilty.

Bassett had admitted he did not know what to think and that was condemnation as far as I was concerned.

The heavy weight of misery I had felt when first Uncle James had told me I was to live here, grew and grew until I felt it would suffocate me. These were unhappy hours indeed, and I could see no brightness in the future.

Night closed in and found me still seated before my bedroom window, gazing down across the shadowy lawn to the river. I had watched the sun sink lower and lower and the creeping shadows cover the lawn, the shimmering river grow dark and indistinguishable. Now I could hardly see, could no longer draw comfort from my beloved nature. The earth, the trees, the sky, the river never betrayed man as did his fellow beings. Their beauty remained always, giving pleasure, never seeking to destroy man.

But was that true? I asked myself. What of floods, droughts and tempests? Were they not the works of Nature against Man in his weakness?

I sighed. I was certainly alone in my weakness now. Even my brave Georgiana had not come to my room since Bassett had asked me to leave the drawing-room as his mother grew more and more hysterical.

At last I prepared for bed. Even Mary did not arrive to see if I had all I needed as she usually did. Was I to be ignored, shut away in disgrace?

I lay in the darkness and thought over the dreadful happening. Sleep was impossible. But I could not decide who was my real enemy. Lady Courtney? Possibly, for if she took the dagger, then it would not, in actual fact, leave the Courtney possession and she would not be inviting disaster to befall them, as would a real thief. Millicent? The same could be said of her. It was doubtful she would remove it from Courtney Hall. She would merely hide it in her room.

I sat up suddenly. Yes, it would be there, hidden in her room.

Without stopping to think of the consequences, so sure was I that I would find the dagger, I leapt out of bed, found my wrap and stealthily opened the door.

It was not late, I knew, and the rest of the household would still be up. I had plenty of time to search Millicent's room.

I crept along the dimly lit landings until I came to Millicent's grand bedroom. I slipped in quietly. I would have to be careful. A maid might come any time to turn back the bed, or Millicent might retire early.

Though that was unlikely, I thought. She will stay in Bassett's company as long as possible, no doubt taking great delight in pouring her vicious lies about me into his ears.

I began to search methodically through the drawers, the wardrobe and even amongst the bedclothes. I turned towards a jewel case on her dressing-table and opened it. It was large enough to hold the dagger.

I heard a small sound at the door and spun round.

Someone stood in the doorway holding a candle.

I had been caught in the act.

The candle flickered and I saw Millicent's gleeful face.

‘So, Miss Thief, we are up to our tricks again, are we?'

I did not answer—what could I say?

She turned from the room and called,

‘Bassett, are you there?'

‘Yes, Millicent,' his deep voice sounded from the hall below.

‘I think you should come here a moment.'

And we waited, watching each other, whilst his footsteps mounted the long stairs—she, with her smile of triumph, me, knowing I had allowed myself to fall into a trap. There was little I would be able to do now to prove my innocence.

Bassett appeared in the doorway behind her, and when he saw me, a foolish figure in my nightgown, inadequately covered by my wrap, bare feet, and hair loose and flowing about my shoulders, I heard his startled gasp.

‘Louella, what is the meaning of this?'

‘Well, Miss Lloyd, we are waiting,' purred Millicent in deceptively honied tones.

‘I—I came to look for the dagger. If Millicent is blaming me, telling lies about me, then she must have taken it herself,' I finished weakly.

I did not think for one moment that Bassett would believe me.

Millicent moved into the room.

‘I'm sorry to disappoint you, Louella, but I did not take the dagger. And it seems now, as if you are after my jewels, my paltry few jewels, and you would steal them,' she added pitifully, no doubt hoping to arouse Bassett's sympathy.

Bassett stood aside.

‘Go to your room, Louella, and stay there.'

I passed through the doorway close to him.

‘You foolish child,' he murmured, so that Millicent could not hear.

I returned to my room, angry with myself. The tears I had so long held in check now flowed.

I, in my foolishness, had confirmed my guilt in Bassett's eyes, I was sure.

I heard the family retire, one by one, and knew that by now they would all know of the latest escapade of the thief. Even Charles and Evelyn Corby would know of it, for it was before they left.

I did not expect anyone to come to visit me now, not even Georgiana. Even she would be doubtful of my innocence having been found in Millicent's bedroom in front of her open jewel case. It was a wonder they had not locked my door.

But I was wrong, for well after midnight, a soft knock came on my door.

‘Who's there?' I whispered, and the door opened quietly. I was not surprised that it was Georgiana.

‘Louella, you silly goose,' she said affectionately, creeping into bed beside me to keep warm. ‘Whatever did you want to go and search for the dagger by yourself for? You know I would have helped you if you had waited. Now you're in a worse pickle than ever.'

‘I know,' I said miserably. ‘ It was the most stupid thing I have ever done in my life. But do you mean to say you still believe me innocent, Georgiana?'

‘I want you to swear to me that you did not take the dagger and that you were only searching for it in Millicent's room.'

‘I swear it,' I said solemnly. And how solemn I felt. I thought I should never be able to smile again.

‘Then I believe you. Now we must think what we can do. I think you are probably right in thinking it is Millicent. I don't see who else it can be. She is obviously terribly jealous of you where Bassett is concerned. Though,' I knew Georgiana was smiling mischievously, ‘it might be me because of
my
jealousy of you over Charles.'

‘I don't think that for one moment,' I said.

‘Well you need not, because it isn't me. But what I can't understand is,' she continued thoughtfully, ‘why Charles didn't leap to your defence.'

Although I was plunged in the depths of despair, I saw an opportunity of reassuring Georgiana that Charles was not in love with me.

‘Why should he?' I said, ‘ he does not care enough, even as a good friend, to risk the wrath of the Courtneys by defending me. Why, he probably believes I am guilty.'

‘Oh no, surely Charles wouldn't think that. But does that mean he's not in love with you, because if he loved you, he would defend you, guilty or not?'

‘I've told you he's not in love with me. That confirms it.'

Georgiana hugged me in pure joy.

‘Then, I
might
have a chance.'

‘I'm sure you've more than a chance.'

‘If only it were so, I should be the happiest person alive. But now, Louella, we must think what we can do to get you out of this mess.'

‘There is nothing we can do,' I sighed.

‘I shall see Bassett first thing tomorrow and convince him of your innocence.'

‘I doubt you can do that. He was there when Millicent surprised me in her room.'

‘I must go now, or else I shall be in disgrace too, and then in no position to help you.'

And with a few more reassurances, Georgiana left.

The night was long and I had never felt so lonely in my life. It was true I had Georgiana's support, but I thought that the belief of a twenty-year-old girl was insufficient against the might of Lady Courtney, Millicent and, most likely, of Bassett, not to mention the Corbys, who, by their silence, must believe my guilt.

Lady Courtney and Millicent had succeeded beyond my wildest fears in disgracing me in everyone's eyes, and in destroying any hope of happiness I might have had.

I remembered Bassett's words about the Smith boy. He had no mercy for dishonesty of any kind, even for a small boy of fourteen, who merely pilfered a few eggs. What mercy, then could I, who was supposed to have stolen his most treasured possession, expect? The answer was obvious. None.

I reached for the miniature of my mother, which always stood on my bedside table, hoping to draw some comfort from the sweet face in the picture, the face I loved and yet had never known. In the early morning light, her features were dim, but as the picture was imprinted on my memory I had no need to look at it to see her clearly. I began to wonder, yet again, what mysterious connection she had had with the Courtney family. Aunt Virginia in marrying James Courtney had undoubtedly introduced the Lloyd family to the Courtneys and it was not unlikely that Sir Hugh and his wife had met my mother. But I could not guess, however hard I tried, why Sir Hugh was so distressed when he was reminded of my mother. To be so affected, he must have known her well. Why, then, could he not give me comfort by telling me about her, the mother I had never known, the mother I so desperately needed now, in my misery.

And so my thoughts took me through to the morning, and I arose, dark eyed and weary from lack of sleep and worry.

I made my way downstairs as usual at breakfast time, and as I stepped into the room, my heart missed a beat. Lady Courtney was waiting for me.