Regency Masquerade (19 page)

“It’s
Miss Frances, she is not well.  She asked me to bring you up to her,” whispered
Tom.

“Certainly,”
she agreed. “I will come straight away. Let’s be careful not to wake Lady
Murray,” she added.  Tom needed no reminder and they both crept back upstairs
to the old nursery. 

“Open
the door Tom,” she ordered. Tom unlocked the door and opened it for Mrs Pearson
to enter.  His eyes went straight to the empty bed.  Where was the girl?

“Come
in both of you please,” came a familiar voice from against the wall, right next
to the open door.  Tom looked around and was dumbfounded to see a young man in
front of him, pointing a pistol at him with very steady hands.

“Inside!”
he gestured with the pistol.  Mrs Pearson clung to Toms’ arm, preventing him
from tackling the youth even if he had wanted to.  “Oh do what she says Tom, oh
dear, I shall have a spasm for certain.” She leant heavily on his arm.

Reluctantly
Tom did as he was ordered.  He was a strapping young man and it went against
the grain for him to submit to a chit of a girl, pistol or not, but he could
hardly throw Mrs Pearson to the floor.

“The
key please!” demanded Frances.  “I must warn you that I am a crack shot,” she
threatened, then added wryly.  “Of course I could scarcely miss from this
distance!” Tom handed the key over unwillingly.  The youth, who Tom knew must
be Frances, edged out the room.  “I am afraid you are not going to have a very
comfortable night, but I need a head start.  Give my regards to Grandmother!” 
Then they heard the sound of the key turning in the lock.   Tom half carried
half dragged Mrs Pearson to the bed then flung himself at the door, but as
Frances had discovered previously it was exceedingly solid.  Mrs Pearson sat
back on the bed and looked at the ceiling, it was going to be a long night.

Frances
slid noiselessly along the candlelit passage, her boots in one hand and her
pistol in the other.  The haversack was slung over one shoulder.  She reached
her blue bedroom without incident and found it as she had left it.  Hastily she
packed a few valuable items into the haversack, including her father’s ring,
the more costly of her wigs, the water green gown and a few small items of
clothing.  The rest of the articles could be retrieved later if possible,
unless Lady Murray destroyed them in a fit of pique.  The front door would be
locked and barred for the night.  Cautiously she opened the window and leant
out.  Her room overlooked the front of the house and she could see the pavement
about twelve feet below.  She tossed her boots to the ground then swung herself
out the window until she was holding on by her hands, then dropped sure
footedly to the pavement.

She
looked around but could see no-one waiting for her.  Just then a carriage
ambled quietly down the street and drew up in front of her.  Carleton leant
forward and opened the door, “Frances?”

“Here
my lord,” she stepped into the coach without hesitating and Carleton closed the
door behind her.  As previously instructed, the cab picked up speed
immediately, rattling over the cobblestones on its way to Carleton’s house.  It
was dark inside the coach, Carleton wished he could see her face.  “Are you all
right?” he demanded. 

“Nothing
a bath and a good meal won’t cure,” she responded cheerfully.  “Tell me
everything that has happened! I was never so surprised to see Mrs Pearson, a
conspirator!  She carried everything off like an actress born!”  She suddenly
remembered she had left her locked in the nursery, “Oh dear, I hope she does
not have too uncomfortable a night.  I had to leave her and Tom prisoners in
the old nursery, where they had been holding me!” she added darkly.

“Where
are we going?” she asked, suddenly feeling self-conscious. She had thought from
his letter that Carleton would sweep her into his arms, but perhaps he felt
uncomfortable when she was dressed in men’s clothes

“My
house.  Your manservant Hopgood is there too,” he reassured her.  “He wanted
you both to leave for Dover immediately but I hoped..”

“Yes?”

“I
hoped you would consider staying with me.  Damn this dark!  How can I tell what
you are thinking if I cannot see you?”

For
answer, Frances lent across the seat and kissed him on the mouth. He froze for
a stunned second then pulled her roughly to him so that she was seated on his
lap, his arms holding her tightly against him.  He opened his mouth beneath
hers and kissed her back, his tongue licking against hers’, his hand caressing
her down the curve of her hip and thigh.  It was as if she had set a match to a
powder keg.  She put both arms around his neck, and wriggled around to get more
comfortable. “For heavens’ sake!” he gasped, “Keep still or I shall ..I shall-”

“What?”
she asked innocently.

“Never
mind, I shall explain things once we are wed.”

Speechless
for a moment she drew back from him.

“What
is the matter?  Do I go too far?”   He brought his hand back to her waist,
peering through the darkness to try and read her expression.

“Richard,
you do not have to marry me.  I will be yours as long as you want me.”

He
swallowed.  “I want you forever Frances, marry me, please.”

“Are
you sure?  There will be an almighty scandal, most of the ton will not
recognise me you know.”

“I
am very sure, besides how else will I get my hands on your ten thousand
pounds?” he teased.

She
laughed. “In that case, yes, I will marry you, just to save you from a life of
poverty.”

“Kiss
me again so I know you mean it,” he demanded.  Some breathless moments later
the cab came to a halt outside Carleton’s house, to the disappointment of both
its occupants.

“Oh
god, I wish I had not told Hopgood he might stay with me, I am certain he means
to act as your chaperone.  I hope you are not hanging out for a long
engagement, I don’t think I can wait very long,” he murmured as he helped her
out of the carriage and paid off the driver.

“Well
my parents married by special licence,” said Frances demurely, “Perhaps we
could do the same?”

“What
an excellent idea!” they went into the house to find John Hopgood hovering
anxiously in the hall.  “Miss Frances, are you alright?”  He came up to her,
ignoring Lord Carleton for the minute.

“I
am fine John, in fact,” she glanced at Carleton, “You can be the first to
congratulate us, we are betrothed.”  He gasped then looked sideways at the other
man, “You’ve told him the truth? About how we have lived since you were born?”

Frances
nodded and looked from one man to the other, “He knows, but so we are all
clear, you may tell him again John.  I have nothing to hide from him.”

Hopgood
looked uncomfortable, “I am sorry Miss Frances, I did not mean to give offence,
I just wanted to be sure you both know what you are about.  It won’t be easy,
being a gamesters’ daughter married to a lord.”

“The
things most worth having in life are not always easy,” Carleton agreed.  A
noise came from the hall behind them and they all turned as one.  Fanshaw, his
valet, was coming sleepily down the hallway, looking as if he had dressed
hastily, “My lord?”

“Ah
Fanshaw, there you are,” said Carleton smoothly. “Mr Francis has just arrived
and will be staying tonight.  We have some business to discuss in the study but
we won’t be long, I’ll call you when I am ready to retire.”  He ushered Hopgood
and Frances into the study and closed the door.  “I suggest you two travel down
to Chatswood tomorrow, the less we are seen here together the better I fancy. 
I will follow as soon as I have the Special Licence in my hand.  Frances and I
will be married quietly as soon as we can and then we will announce it
officially and confront Lady Murray with a fait accompli.”

John
was nodding in agreement but Frances looked uncomfortable.  “There’s just one
thing Richard.  Your housekeeper, Mrs Madden, wrote to Lady Murray, telling her
that I stayed with you and I would prefer not to see her again if it can be
avoided.  It was a rather unpleasant letter.”

“I
feared as much!” exclaimed Carleton angrily.  “I told her several times it was
not her concern, however I cannot just cast her off, she has been with our
family for years.”  He thought a moment. “I know! I will send her to Theo, I am
sure Fanny, his wife, would love to have her help with the children.” 

 “It
is not just Mrs Madden, it will be an awkward situation with all your
servants,” commented Frances uneasily.  “They will know me as Peter Francis,
how will we explain that we are betrothed?   I wish we could just be married
straight away, and then it will not be any of their concern how I dress or how
we spend our time together.”

“You
have the right of it I am afraid, let me think for a moment,” replied Carleton

 “Tis
a pity you cannot be wed at Brasted like your parents, it would be almost like
a tradition.  The rector seemed a good sort,” observed John idly.

 “Actually,
that is quite a good idea!” enthused Carleton.  “It is only about thirty miles
from Brasted to Guildford.  We could go directly to Brasted, get wed then go on
to Chatswood as a married couple.  I wonder if Mrs Pearson would consent to
come with us as a chaperone, and a witness to the marriage?  She was your
mother’s nurse so she has a history with your family and it would add an air of
respectability to the affair.  What do you think Frances? ”

“I
think that sounds an excellent plan Richard, I do hope she can accompany us.”

“I
do not think we can do anything else tonight,” He glanced at the others. “I am
sure we are all tired, come with me and I’ll show you to your room Frances.” 

“I’ll
just come up with you, and then I can take your boots down for a polish,” said
John airily and Carleton exchanged a rueful smile with Frances.  They all
trooped upstairs to their separate rooms, Carleton determined to be on his best
behaviour in any event whether John was hovering or not, there was going to be
enough scandal as it was without the servants thinking he had spent the night
with Peter Francis!

CHAPTER
FIFTEEN

Back
in Devonshire Street, Mrs Pearson did not have such a long wait to be rescued
as she had feared.  Tom was a hefty young man and after a lot of ramming his
shoulder against the door and even kicking it with his foot, he managed to
break the lock.  The old nurse tottered out behind him as he burst into the
passage. “Oh well done Tom!  I don’t think we should wake Lady Murray, do you? 
After all there is little to be done until morning in any case, I shall break
the news to her first thing or perhaps after breakfast?  Dear me I wonder which
would be less upsetting?” Tom was very happy to leave the job of informing Lady
Murray of the debacle to her companion, she was more likely to have calmed down
a little by the time she saw him.

Lady
Murray was coldly furious when told the news after breakfast.  “Why was I not
told this immediately?” she demanded harshly.

“I
did not want to disturb you,” faltered Mrs Pearson. “What could you have done
in any case?  She must be half way to Dover by now.”

 Lady
Murray stared at her with an arrested expression. “Dover?  Yes, I suppose so,
it is not as if she has any friends in London who would shelter her!  Although
I shall send Tom over to the Regent Hotel later today just to make sure she has
not gone back there.  It is very aggravating, not to know where she is for
certain.”  She turned to glare at Mrs Pearson even though she could not
actually see her, “I never thought you would be such a fool Maria to be taken
in by her,” she said coldly.

“No,
my lady,” murmured her companion apologetically. 

The
next morning Frances, still dressed as Peter, wrote a letter for John to take
to Mrs Pearson, advising her that she was going to marry Lord Carleton by
special licence and asking her whether it was possible for her to accompany
them on their trip to Brasted, and in addition whether she would be able to
bring all or some of her clothes with her.  She added a rider to the effect
that if this last was too difficult to do secretly then not to worry herself
about it.  She included an invitation for her to spend a few weeks with them at
Chatswood and in fact, if she liked, to leave Lady Murray entirely stay there
permanently with them.

John
set off to Devonshire Street with the letter, hoping to get a chance to speak
to Mrs Pearson alone.  However, the butler refused him permission to enter and
wait while he summoned the nurse and John was not willing to entrust the letter
to him so they were at a stalemate.  He slipped around to the back of the house
and hung about until eventually a maidservant came out to empty some slops.  A
few moments later and a shilling poorer, John was left trying to look as if he 
had business at the neighbouring house while he waited for Mrs Pearson to come
down to him.  She came out looking flustered and called him over speaking
loudly, “I am sorry my good man but we do not need a coachman’s services
here.”  She bent nearer to whisper to him, “
Meet me at the end of the street
around four today, I will give my answer then.
  Good day to you,” she added
in her normal voice and turned quickly back to the house.  Feeling he had done
all he could, John went back to Grosvenor Place.