Romance: Detective Romance: A Vicious Affair (Victorian Regency Intrigue 19th England Romance) (Historical Mystery Detective Romance) (69 page)

''But it's far too low,''Victoria complained.

''If a Duchess saw fit to wear it, I'm sure it is fine,'' Rosie said wisely.

Victoria accepted her argument and turned her attention to her hair. When they were finished, Victoria looked magnificent. Her dress flowed elegantly to the floor, covering her silver shoes. Rosie had managed to find a necklace of pearls and a bracelet. The piece de resistance was her hair. It seemed Rosie was a master hairdresser, for Victoria's hair was curled to perfection in tiny ringlets down the side of her face.

On the way down the grand staircase, Victoria suddenly remembered the mill. This was her second day off, and if she didn't return soon, she would be cast out of her home. But strangely she didn't care. Rosie had noticed it, and she had noticed it. The Duke wanted her, and she was sure nothing would come in their way.

When she entered the library for pre-dinner drinks, Edward almost dropped his glass. He'd told his mother about Victoria and the story behind her visit, and she'd been eager to meet the young lady. Edward's mother smiled and nodded to her son approvingly.

''Victoria, it is quite improper, but I fear we have no alternative,'' the Dowager Duchess began. ''It has been splendid to meet you and now that dinner is finished, I would like to retire, but that would leave you alone with my son. Perhaps I should escort you to your room.''

Edward quickly intervened. ''I would like to talk to Victoria for a few moments mother. I will ask Rosie to see her to bed.''

His mother wasn't much of one for the English stiff upper lip, and she nodded in agreement. When she was gone, Roberts came and cleared the table. He left some brandy and brought tea for Victoria.

Edward cleared his throat as if he was preparing to address the Queen. ''Victoria, dear Victoria. I have been thinking about the estate and indeed about you.'' Victoria daren't lift her tea cup fearing her tremoring hand would spill some over her borrowed dress. ''You are a very beautiful woman, and I am enormously taken with you. I have been able to think of nothing else but you, since the moment you walked into this house.'' He looked at her trying to gauge what her reaction mighty be, but her expression remained passive. ''It would be proper for me to ask your father if I may approach you, but your poor father is no longer with us, and I am unable to do so. Victoria, I would like to know if you would be amenable to the idea of becoming my wife.''

Victoria was stunned. So soon? Was it too early? She felt something for him, but did she love him? Did she love him like she knew her mother had loved her father?

Before she had a chance to say anything, he spoke again. ''If we were to marry, you could manage the estate.''

Victoria could not believe what she was hearing. ''Was it not your intention to hand it back to me as the rightful owner? You led me to believe you would,'' she asked.

''I wouldn't need to hand it back to you if we were joined.''

Victoria exploded. She stood up and threw her teacup into the fireplace. ''If that's what you think, then you can keep the estate, you're welcome to it. Marry me and make me the manager, indeed,'' she scoffed. ''I can see you're not better than that father of yours. He was dishonorable and dishonest, and your are worse because you are taking advantage of a lady's delicate situation.''

*****

''Who is it?'' the innkeeper shouted. ''I'm coming, stop hammering on the door.'' He unbolted the door and looked outside. He was surprised to see a young woman carrying a travel bag. ''It's awfully late for you to be out alone, miss.''

''Can you please give me a room for the night,'' Victoria asked.

When she stepped into the candlelit hallway, the innkeeper noticed she had mud on her shoes, and that the hem of her dress was wet, and mud splattered. ''Come along now miss, I'll get the wife to help you. Out at this time alone, well I never,'' he restated.

His wife appeared in a dressing gown and a pair of slippers. ''Oh miss, what a mess you're in, come along with you.'' She led Victoria up the stairs and into a small bedroom at the end of the corridor. ''Where have you come from at this time?'' she asked.

''From Easingborough Hall, over the fields.''

The Innkeeper's wife looked quizzically at her. The old Duke was dead, so it wasn't one of his women.

''Is there a coach from here to York tomorrow?''

''Yes, it calls here every day at nine am.''

*****

''Three days, three whole days,'' Mr. Picford shouted. ''Where have you been all this time?''

''Pleas sir, I've been at home. I wasn't too well.''

''Nonsense. On the second day, Mary went to see where you were. You were not at your cottage. Where were you, and I want the truth?''

Lizzie had told Victoria to expect a showdown when she went into the mill but she hadn't told her that Mary had been to the cottage. Perhaps she didn't know. She would have to think of an excuse and fast. ''I have an aunt, in Haslemere. She's gravely ill. I went to visit her,'' she lied.

He was walking around her as she stood in the middle of his office. He leaned into her and sniffed her scent. It reminded her of a dog, and she began to feel faint. ''Well whatever the truth, you have missed three days. You will not go back to work in the mill.''

''But, Mr. Pickford, please.......''

''Today is Friday, on Monday morning, you will report for work in my cottage as one of my assistants. If you refuse, I will have nothing more to do with you.'' He smiled before delivering the rest of his terrifying message. ''You will not work at the mill, and you will not live in one of my houses. You will be on the streets. Is that clear?'' She nodded.

Victoria waited for Lizzie on the wall at the entrance to the mill. Lizzie was covered in dust when Victoria saw her. ''What happened to you?'' Victoria asked.

''Mary had me cleaning out some of the air pipes, they're full of dust and rat droppings.'' Lizzie took Victoria's arm, and she wanted to pull away. Rat's droppings didn't sound too healthy. As they went down the hill towards the village, Victoria told Lizzie all about her trip to the solicitors and then to Easingborough Hall. When she came to the end, Lizzie was in tears. ''You mean, you refused the Duke's offer?''

''Yes.''

''You're mad,'' Lizzie said.

''He's just like all the others. He should have given it back to me, expecting me to be the manager is.....well I don't know, but it isn't honest.''

Lizzie wanted to say that it was her father's fault really, but she refrained.

''Pickford wants me to start work in the assistants house on Monday.''

''Jesus Victoria. Go back to the Duke and accept his offer.''

''No never. He's just as dishonest as his father,''

Lizzie didn't understand. ''You’re bloody headstrong, and it's not good for you.''

At the village green, Jack was waiting. Lizzie kissed Victoria goodbye and went towards her house.

''Can I walk with you Victoria?'' he asked.

''Yes I'd like that,'' she said. He almost jumped in the air, it was a result he wasn’t expecting. They walked together without saying anything until they reached Victoria's cottage. ''Thank you, Jack, that was nice,'' she said.

''It's my pleasure. I was wondering if you would like to walk with me on Sunday, after church? he asked, holding his breath.

''Yes, Jack, I'd like that very much,'' she said. When she closed the door behind her, she slipped to her knees and began to cry.

*****

On Monday morning, Victoria was not dressed in her usual mill workers clothes, but in her best dress. She'd picked some daffodils and put one in her bonnet. It was gone eight, and if she'd been working in the mill, she would already have been at work for two hours. Nine o'clock was her new start time. At eight forty, she was ready to walk up the hill to the first street on the right, Calderdale Avenue. Number three belonged to Mr. Pickford, and she was to report there. She put on her bonnet and took the bunch of daffodils. She went to the kitchen took a carving knife and hid it in the flowers she was carrying.

  When she arrived at her new place of work, she was greeted by three other women, all equally well dressed. They showed her to what they called, her room. It appeared each of them had their own room. ''When Mr. Pickford comes, he chooses one of us, and we go with him to our own room. He likes it that way'' a woman called Isabella said.

At nine thirty, Mr. Pickford knocked on the door. ''Splendid, Victoria, you're here. I've been looking forward to seeing you all weekend. Show me which is your room.''

Victoria didn't say anything as she walked up the stairs with him behind her. When they entered the room, the daffodils were lying on the bed. ''Please sit down next to me on the bed,'' she told him.

His breathing began to get faster and shallower, but his excitement was interrupted by a loud bang on the door, and another one. He got out and shouted down the stairs. ''Who the devil is it?''

After a few seconds, one of the girls shouted up the stairs, ''It's a man called Mr. Jones. He says he wants to speak to Victoria.''

''Tell him to go away,'' Pickford shouted back.

''That's not a good idea, he's got a large threatening man with him.''

Pickford went back downstairs closely followed by Victoria. ''Mr. Jones,'' she exclaimed. ''What on earth....?''

''It has taken me a very long time to find you,'' he shouted. Victoria remembered his voice and how loud he had been in Haslemere. ''I went to the mill first, and they were very reluctant to tell me where you were,'' he looked at a chair and sat down to catch his breath. He was wearing the same red breeches he had a few days ago. ''It was only after Mr. Jesop intervened that they were forthcoming.''

''Ah yes, Mr. Jespon, hello,'' Victoria said.

''Hello, Miss,'' he smiled.

''What's all this about. She's one of my employees, and she should be working, so say what you have got to say and go,'' Pickford stated.

''Victoria,'' Jones began. ''There has been a development in you favor. I am here to hand you the deeds to the Landsborough Estate.''

Victoria didn't say anything she just stood there with her mouth wide open.

''Don't you want it?'' Jones asked with a kind smile on his face. “It's yours again if you want it.''

''Of course, I want it,'' she squealed. ''Oh Mr. Jones how can this be happening?''

''You should ask the Duke, Miss. He instructed me last week to make the estate over to you, with no conditions whatsoever. Mr. Jepson here gave me a lift here in his coach, and if you so wish, he is willing to take you and your belongings with us back to your rightful home.''

''Goodbye, Mr. Pickford, you will be hearing from me in the future, I can assure you. Just count yourself lucky you didn't lay a hand on me today.''

*****

Landsborough Hall was in a state of some disrepair. It wasn't uninhabitable, but it had a leaking roof and damp walls. Victoria had no idea what she should do about it, just as she had no idea how to run the estate. When she arrived, she found she had two servants. One of them was Rosie.

''What on earth are you dong here,'' she asked.

''The Duke asked me to look after you. I am a ladies maid, and there is no lady at the Hall, so I am better employed with you. If you are agreeable.''

''Of course, I'm delighted. In fact, a bit overwhelmed.''

''The Duke asked me to tell you that his advice is to hand over the running of the estate to a firm called Stephensons Land Agents in Haslemere. They will do the day to day running for you, leaving you free to make the big decisions and enjoy your new life.''

''Splendid,” Victoria said. ''But why can't the Duke come and tell me that himself?''

''Oh Miss, the Duke is ashamed to come and see you. That's what he told me.'' Rosie shifted from one foot to the other.

''He thinks he wronged you when he didn't just give you the estate in the first place. And if you ask me, Miss, he's love sick. He does nothing but mope around; it is very sad to see.'' Rosie took a deep breath happy that she'd unburdened herself.

*****

When Roberts answered the door, he was delighted to see Victoria. His boss had been intolerable since she had left the house so suddenly a few days ago. ''Miss Victoria, oh how lovely to see you, please follow me.''

Edward was in the library, staring into space. When Roberts announced Victoria, he jumped off his seat and almost ran to her. At the last second breeding took over and he gently shook her hand.

''My Lord, thank you for the great act of generosity you have shown to me. You have made me happier than you know,'' she said.

''I'm very pleased. I'm sorry about the first time I.........''

She stepped towards him and put her finger to his lips. ''Shh, it's alright, I understand. Any man who is able to see the error of his ways and change direction without being too proud to do so is a brave man indeed.''