The Lady's Maid (36 page)

Dena turned and ran, disappearing into the darkness. Zolfina hobbled after her, muttering beneath her breath.

‘Josie, that was unkind,’ Kate said angrily. ‘Whatever you think, she obviously believes that you are her lost child.’

‘She gave me up, if it’s true, which I sincerely doubt. None of this is my fault, any more than the way in which you were born, and we don’t know if that is just a tissue of lies.’ Josie shivered, wrapping her mantle more closely around her. ‘At least it entertained the masses, but now the show is over and I suppose my dear uncle Joseph has left me to find my own way home.’

Edmund cleared his throat. ‘Kate, I can’t tell you
how
sorry I am for bringing you here. If I had not persuaded you to come today, none of this would have happened.’

She had forgotten that he was standing quietly behind them, and she turned to him with a grateful smile. He could have walked away, but he had stayed. ‘It wasn’t your fault, Edmund.’

‘I still feel responsible, my dear. I’ll send a boy to fetch the dog cart and then I’ll take both you young ladies home.’ He disappeared into the dusk.

Josie angled her head, giving Kate a searching look. ‘What’s going on between you two?’

‘Nothing. He’s just being kind.’

‘If you believe that then you are a complete noodle, Kate. The man is obviously besotted with you. Has he asked you to marry him?’

‘As a matter of fact …’

‘I knew it. Well then, you are made for life. Accept him and become the lady of the manor.’

Kate lowered her gaze. ‘I can’t marry a man I don’t love.’

‘I hope you aren’t still pining for Harry.’

‘No, of course not. He loves you and soon you will be his wife.’

‘Yes, of course. I’ll make certain that I hold him to his promise, and when I’m mistress of Copperstone Castle no one will dare speak ill of me. All this nonsense will be forgotten by the end of the week anyway, Kate. Let the peasants gossip if they will; it can’t hurt either of us.’

Edmund came striding back to them. ‘Come. The
dog
cart is over there on the other side of the caravans. I’ll have you both safely home in no time at all. Josie first, I think.’

As they walked behind him, Josie nudged Kate in the ribs. ‘He is eager to get rid of me so that he can have you all to himself, Kate. I told you so.’

‘You’re just being silly,’ Kate said automatically, but she took a seat in the back of the vehicle, allowing Josie to sit up front with Edmund. In spite of everything, Josie managed to keep up a cheerful conversation, but during the drive to Damerell Manor Zolfina’s words kept going round and round inside Kate’s head. Until this morning, she had been Kate Coggins. Now she was not certain who she was. But if it was all a pack of lies, why had her father remained silent? Why had he said nothing when Honoria threatened to have her thrown out on the street? The questions buzzed around inside her head like wasps around an overripe apple. She jumped as Josie called her name.

‘Kate. Are you asleep? We’re here.’

The lights of the big house blazed from the windows. Edmund drew the cob to a halt on the carriage sweep. ‘Will you be all right now, Josie? Would you like me to come in with you?’

She tossed her head. ‘Thank you, but this is still my home, Squire. My uncle is the one who was embarrassed by the old gypsy woman, but I still think that she was lying. My mother will confirm it, I’m certain.’

Edmund handed Josie down from the cart and he walked with her to the foot of the perron. Kate looked up at the starry sky and watched her breath curling
up
into the atmosphere. She wondered where Harry was at this moment, but she knew for certain now that he was well and truly lost to her. A short time ago she had been a farmer’s daughter, respectable enough, although below him in social class; now she was the illegitimate child of a runaway lady and a soldier, both of them long dead. Although she did not want to believe it, deep down she knew that it was true. Her father’s silence had been more convincing than an admission of the truth.

She looked down and saw Edmund standing at the side of the dog cart, holding his hands out to her. ‘Won’t you come and sit beside me, Kate?’

It seemed churlish to refuse, and she allowed him to help her onto the driver’s seat. He climbed up beside her. ‘I’ll have you home in no time, my dear,’ he said, wrapping a fur rug around her knees. ‘You must be worn out.’

She leaned against him as he urged the cob into a trot. He was solid and dependable, and old enough to be her father. ‘Yes, Edmund. I am rather tired.’

‘You must not take to heart what the old gypsy woman said, Kate. They do that sort of thing to drum up a crowd.’

‘I don’t know what to believe. Honoria obviously thought it was true.’

‘My dear girl, I know Honoria all too well. She is a jealous woman and she wants Robert to herself. I am sure that he will see things differently in the cold light of day. After all, no man in his right mind would abandon his daughter.’

She yawned, resting her head against his shoulder, only to awaken what seemed like seconds later to find that they had stopped outside the cottage. ‘I’m sorry, Edmund. I must have fallen asleep.’

‘Kate, my dear. I’m not the sort of man who would take advantage of your present situation, but I want you to know that my offer of marriage still stands. I don’t expect an answer right away. You need time to think it over, but you would make me the happiest man in the world if you were to accept.’

‘I am truly honoured, but …’

‘I am old enough to be your father, but with age comes experience and tolerance. You would not find me as demanding or impatient as a young man. I would love and cherish you for the rest of my life, if you would let me.’

‘Please, don’t say any more.’

‘I won’t press you now, my dear. Take all the time you need to consider my offer. I’ll come back in the morning to make certain that your father has seen sense, and that he has not carried out Honoria’s wish to have you evicted from the cottage.’

‘I am grateful to you for everything,’ Kate said with feeling. ‘But I’ll have it out with my father first thing. I must know if what the gypsy woman said was true.’

‘And if it is?’

‘I don’t know, Edmund. I just don’t know.’

Chapter Twenty-one

JOSIE TOOK OFF
her mantle and handed it to the waiting footman. She shivered. It might be early summer but the night air was cool. Log fires burned in the two great stone fireplaces on opposite walls of the imposing entrance hall, spitting out sparks as if in competition with each other. The firelight flickered off the gilded cornices, making patterns on the intricate moulded plasterwork of the high ceiling. Josie stood in the middle of the floor, looking around her with a lump in her throat. She had always assumed that this magnificent house would be hers some day, but it now belonged to her uncle. The old Romany woman’s words came flooding back to her and she began to tremble as their full import dawned on her. She could hardly bring herself to think about the consequences if what she had said were true.

The footman cleared his throat. ‘Will there be anything else, Miss Josie?’

She dragged herself back to the present with an effort, hoping that her voice was steadier than her nerves. ‘Where will I find Sir Joseph?’

‘He is in the drawing room, ma’am.’

‘Thank you, Mason. That will be all.’ Josie headed for the drawing room. She would face Joseph and demand to be told the truth. She entered without
knocking
. Sir Joseph was standing with his back to the fire, and Marguerite was seated on the sofa next to Hermione. The conversation halted and three pairs of eyes turned to stare at her: Josie’s nervousness gave way to anger. It was obvious that they had been discussing the events of that evening, and yet no one seemed to have noticed that she was missing. Ignoring Sir Joseph, she went straight to her mother. ‘Well, Mama? Is it true?’

Marguerite bowed her head. ‘Don’t shout at me, Josie. Can’t you see I’m upset?’

‘Your mama has had a shock. Joseph told her what that wicked woman said.’ Hermione’s plump white hands fluttered around Marguerite’s shoulders like a pair of agitated doves. ‘It is too ridiculous for words. I’ve never heard anything sillier.’

‘Is it?’ Josie turned to Sir Joseph, eyeing him coldly. ‘Well, sir? Since you have obviously been discussing the subject, am I or am I not your daughter?’

He puffed his cheeks out, shaking his head. ‘Of course it’s nonsense,’ he blustered. ‘Damn woman was off her head. As if I would have anything to do with a didicoi.’

‘Of course, he wouldn’t,’ Hermione said, placing her arms around Marguerite who had begun to sob. ‘Don’t take on so, my dear. We know that you would not have done anything so wicked as to pass off another woman’s baby as your own. Why, the whole idea is totally preposterous. And as to my Joseph consorting with a gypsy – I never heard the like in my whole life.’

Josie stared at her in surprise. This was the longest sentence she had ever heard coming from Hermione’s lips. What was even more astonishing was the fact that she could love a toad like Uncle Joseph, and be so blind to his obvious faults. She turned her attention back to her mother. ‘Mama, you haven’t said anything.’

Marguerite raised a tear-stained face and her lips trembled. ‘I am so dreadfully distressed. Everyone will believe the worst, whether or not there is a grain of truth in it, which there isn’t, of course.’

‘Will you swear to that, Mama?’

‘You are my daughter, Josie. You are a Damerell through and through.’ Marguerite unsteadily rose to her feet. ‘This has all been too much for me. Hermione, will you see me to my room? I feel quite faint and I need to lie down.’

Hermione stood up, taking her by the arm. ‘Shall I ring for Hickson?’

‘Yes, but only when I am in my room. I don’t want to give the servants any more cause for gossip or speculation. This dreadful rumour will be all round the village as well as Dorchester, and might even get as far as Bedford Square. I don’t know how I will hold my head up in public from now on.’

‘Take her to her room, for God’s sake,’ Sir Joseph said, pouring a large tot of brandy from a decanter on a side table. He took a mouthful and his cheeks flushed wine-red, matching the tip of his bulbous nose. ‘And don’t mention any of this in front of that wretched servant, Hermione. I don’t trust her an inch.’

Marguerite muffled a sob in her handkerchief as Hermione led her from the room.

Josie turned on him in a fury. ‘Do you have to make things worse, Uncle?’

He gulped his drink, glaring at her with narrowed eyes. ‘You’ll keep a civil tongue in your head if you know what’s good for you, Josie. Just remember that you and the Dowager Lady Damerell are my dependants now. You are living off my charity and if I so choose I could turn you out of this house.’ He moved closer to her and his lips parted in a leering smile. ‘But if you are nice to me you will have everything that your heart desires.’

She drew away from him, sickened by the smell of drink on his breath and the rancid odour of his sweating body. ‘You are disgusting. You would not dare to speak to me like that if Harry were here.’

‘But Harry isn’t here, is he, my love? And I don’t believe that he ever will be.’

‘You’re wrong. The banns have been read. We’ll be married very soon.’

‘Then why does he keep putting off the evil day? Is it that he can see you for what you are: a scheming little trollop masquerading as a lady?’

Josie lifted her hand to strike him, but he caught her by the wrist, squeezing her flesh until she winced with pain. ‘Let me go, you brute.’

He twisted her arm so that it was bent behind her back. ‘I don’t admit anything, but if what the old hag said were true it would mean that you are part Damerell, part gypsy. If you are the result of my
coupling
with that harlot, then you have my blood coursing through your veins, and you are no better than I.’ He pushed her away so that she stumbled and had to catch hold of a chair to prevent herself from falling. He threw back his head and laughed. ‘That would be the final irony, wouldn’t it, my sweet? What would Mr Challenor think if he knew that you had encouraged the advances of your own father? And don’t think I wouldn’t tell him, because I would. Just you bear that thought in mind before you attempt to cross me.’

‘I’ve never encouraged you.’ Josie’s heart was racing and a red mist clouded her eyes. ‘You forced yourself on me. You are an unspeakable cad.’

Shrugging his shoulders, Sir Joseph topped up his drink. ‘I’ve been called worse.’ He poured brandy into a second glass and thrust it into her hands. ‘Here, drink this and stop play-acting. Face the truth, Josie Damerell. You are a hard-hearted little bitch hell-bent on marrying for money and position. Don’t think for a moment that I don’t know what is going on under my roof. I applaud your single-mindedness, but you have backed the wrong horse, so to speak, with Harry Challenor. I know him, and for all his reputation as a man about town, I suspect that deep down he has the heart and soul of a puritan. One word out of place, my love, and I will reveal all.’

‘You black-hearted bastard!’ Josie threw the brandy in his face. Hurling the empty glass into the hearth, she stormed out of the room. His mocking laughter
followed
her as she ran towards the staircase, heading for the relative safety of her own room.

She could not sleep. She tossed and turned as the events of the past evening were replayed over and over again in her mind’s eye. The safe and secure world that she had always known had crumbled about her head. She did not even know who she was. The idea that Joseph could be her father was making her feel physically sick. She would rather die than allow him to be intimate with her; the very thought of it was utterly disgusting. She rose from her bed and put on her robe, pacing the floor and wringing her hands. Rain was lashing at her bedroom windows and she could hear the wind soughing around the outside of the house like a wailing banshee intent on driving the occupants out of their minds. The fire had gone out and to ring for a servant at this hour in the morning would only spark off further tittle-tattle below stairs. She knew that everyone would be talking about what had happened at the hiring fair, but her main worry was that the gossip might reach as far as Copperstone Castle. Shivering and with tears running down her cheeks, she walked up and down until she was weak with exhaustion. Why did Harry keep postponing their wedding day? Something must have come between them and she knew who was to blame. She did not know how she had done it, but Kate had managed to wheedle her way into his affections, and Harry could not put her out of his mind.