The Royal Lacemaker (16 page)

Mrs Bodney glanced in Tom's
direction before continuing. ‘Lily, may I ask you something delicate?'
Puzzled, Lily nodded. ‘Have you in any way upset the squire?' Mrs
Bodney's eyes were boring into Lily. She felt her cheeks burn.

‘Ay, I've been wondering
that,' Tom said, staring at Lily as well.

‘Well, erm, er …' Lily
stuttered, wringing the kerchief between her fingers.

‘Look, Lily, if we're to get
you acquitted, we need to find a motive.'

‘We?' she said, looking at
Mrs Bodney in surprise.

‘Yes, Lily. I, for one, am anxious
to get to the bottom of this and I'm sure Tom is too.' He nodded
vigorously. ‘But in order to do that, you need to answer my question. Now
think carefully and then start at the beginning. It's the best way, I always
find.'

‘Yes, you've told me that
before, Mrs Bodney,' she said. ‘It was at the Harvest Supper. I'd
been serving at table and the squire, he …' she shuddered to a halt.

‘Yes, go on, Lily,' Mrs
Bodney encouraged.

‘He, well, he jumped out on me
from the linen cupboard and tried to touch my—'

‘I knew it!' Tom shot to his
feet, fists clenched. ‘I'll see that bast—'

‘Tom, please sit down,' Mrs
Bodney interrupted. ‘I can understand you being upset but we need to ascertain
the facts. Now, Lily, did anything actually happen?'

‘No. Other than I had to keep
dodging his blinking
hands. Like an octopus, he was. I called him
a few choice names, I can tell you.'

‘Did anyone see or hear
you?' Mrs Bodney asked, watching her closely.

‘No, I don't think
so,' she said.

‘Well, I think Molly might
have,' Tom said. ‘She's been insinuating about you and the squire
for ages now. Goes on and on, she does; has a right thing about it.'

‘That's 'cos she wants
you back,' Lily blurted out.

‘Wants me back where?' he
asked, looking puzzled.

‘She wants you to step out with
her again, like you did before you met me.'

‘What?' he spluttered.
‘Me and that fat, gossiping besom? Oh, Lily my love, you do have some weird
ideas in that woolly head of yours. The only time Molly and me was together was when
we attended lessons at the charity school. Even then I kept well away from her, I
can tell you.'

‘But she said—'

‘Look, excuse me for interrupting,
but I think this is something you two can sort out between yourselves later
on,' Mrs Bodney stated. ‘If we are to have our strategy worked out by
noon we must stick to the matter in hand.' She got to her feet and began
pacing the room.‘You say you refused the squire's advances, Lily. Has he
made any since?'

Lily looked down at the floor and
nodded. ‘He wanted me to accept a position at the manor when I leave the
cottage.'

‘And you declined?'

‘Oh, yes, Mrs Bodney. I wanted to
stay working here on the … well, you know. Anyway, the position he offered
meant living in and that would mean … well,
I'd be on hand, as it were, if he were to …'

‘Yes, quite,' replied Mrs
Bodney, sighing and sinking back into her chair. ‘I think we get the
picture.'

‘Oh, Lily, my love, why ever
didn't you tell me?' asked Tom. ‘I'd have had it out with
him and made sure he didn't bother you again. I said we was to have no secrets
between us.' He shook his head sadly, and sat there twisting his cap in his
hands.

‘I know, Tom. But you know what
they say about there being no smoke without spark, and I couldn't take the
risk that—'

‘Quite,' said Mrs Bodney.
‘Does Lady Clinsden know about the squire's behaviour towards you,
Lily?'

‘I don't know but he's
not exactly subtle. Poor woman, whatever made her marry a swine like that? She seems
such a nice lady.'

‘She is, Lily, but things
aren't always straightforward for the upper classes. Surprising as it may
seem, life can be more complicated for them. They have to satisfy parental
requirements, especially where the matter of estates is concerned. Now,' she
said briskly, jumping to her feet, ‘I have some enquiries to make, so I
suggest you go and get some fresh air. I shall see you at the courtroom at
noon.' And with that, she ushered them out of the door so quickly they
didn't see the worried look on her face. She knew only too well how the squire
stopped at nothing to get his own back on anyone who crossed him.

As Tom and Lily made their way to the
courtroom, they may have been walking side by side but the gap between them was
wider than the brook. Suddenly she could stand it no longer.

‘I'm sorry I didn't
tell you about the squire, Tom,' she burst out, turning towards him. He
stopped walking and looked at her so sadly her heart seemed to hit the cobbles.

‘So am I, Lily, love,' he
said, giving a deep sigh. ‘It pains me to think you didn't trust me
enough to confide in me.'

Hearing the anguish in his voice, her
heart sank. Desperate to heal the breach, she smiled tentatively up at him.

‘Heaven help the squire if he
pesters you again, that's all I can say,' he muttered, then gave her a
wry grin. ‘Come on, let's get this over with, eh?'

‘Oh, Tom, it will be all right,
won't it?' she asked.

‘You'll be fine,
Lily,' he said, trying not to think of what had happened to others who'd
crossed the squire. ‘Come on, chin up,' he urged.

Despite the sun being overhead, Lily
shivered and when she saw the crowd gathered outside, her legs nearly buckled
beneath her.

‘Steady, Lily,' Tom
whispered, taking her arm and leading her inside.

‘I bet they're all hoping
I'll be found guilty so they'll have something to gossip about
later,' she whispered.

A stern-faced official
showed her to a seat at the front of the dingy room, but when Tom made to follow, he
shook his head and pointed to the seats directly behind. Wondering how it was
possible to feel so alone in a room packed with people, Lily stared down at her
boots. The holes in the toes seemed to have grown even larger and the soles were
coming away. She would see the cobbler as soon as she left here. Unless she was sent
to gaol – the thought came unbidden, making her feel sick. Then Tom leaned forward
and patted her shoulder and she nearly jumped out of her skin.

‘Good luck, my love,' he
whispered, and she nodded.

Nervously, she took a quick peek around
and was disappointed not to see her aunt and Robert there to support her.

The voice of the court official boomed
out, ‘Please be upstanding.' Everyone rose to their feet as Squire
Clinsden strutted regally into the room looking as if he owned the place, which, of
course, he did.

‘Call Lily Rose,' bellowed
the official, which she thought unnecessary as she was sitting right in front of
him. She stumbled to her feet and Tom leaned forward, whispering to her to be
strong.

‘Do you, Lily Rose, swear solemnly
to tell the truth?' the official demanded importantly.

‘Of course, I do. I always have
and always will,' Lily retorted. The squire, pompous in his role as Justice of
the Peace, glared at her and she made a supreme effort to stare him straight in the
eye.

The court official read out the charge
that she, Lily Rose, had stolen goods belonging to Lady Clinsden,
namely a black veil and one single calfskin glove. Then he held up the items cited
as evidence so that everyone could see.

‘I never stole anything from
anyone, and I didn't know these things belonged to Lady Clinsden. They were on
my donkey-cart when I went to collect it,' Lily said indignantly.

‘Silence,' barked the
squire, banging his gavel on the desk. ‘Miss Rose, you are required to speak
only when spoken to. It is not your place to question the charge brought against
you.'

She glared at him, thinking how
ridiculous he looked in his lopsided wig and with his face powdered. But, even from
where she was standing, she could see the jubilant look in his eyes and realized he
was enjoying her discomfort. Refusing to be intimidated, she continued glaring at
him.

‘Call my wi— Lady Clinsden,'
he barked.

As Lady Clinsden walked regally to the
stand, she gave Lily a reassuring smile.

‘Can you identify these items, my
dear?' the squire asked, smiling benignly at her as the official held up the
veil and glove.

Lady Clinsden took the veil and glove,
studied them carefully, then shook her head.

‘I've never seen these items
before in my life.' There was a gasp from the room as the squire clattered to
his feet and turned on his wife.

‘Of course you have, you stupid
woman. They are yours,' he snapped.

‘They most certainly are not.
Besides, there is only one
glove here and I would never be so
careless as to mislay any of my clothing, especially when I have such a hard job
getting it in the first place.' She smiled sweetly at her husband, who was
turning redder by the moment.

‘Of course they belong to you. I
took them out of your dress—' the squire stuttered to a halt. Then, making an
effort to compose himself, he forced his lips into something resembling a smile.
‘My dear, clearly you are mistaken. Why, I remember purchasing these very
items for you only recently.'

‘You purchased these for me,
recently? No, I think not, for I would have remembered such a phenomenon, husband,
dear,' she said, shaking her head, ‘and, for the record, I feel I must
state that my dear husband is not given to generosity.' A titter rippled
around the courtroom, for it was well known that the squire parted with as little
money as he could get away with, unless it was for his own enjoyment. Lady Clinsden
grimaced at her husband, eyes glinting like steel. ‘Husband dear, I think you
are rather more concerned with what a lady does not wear rather than what she
does.'

At this, the courtroom was rocked by
gales of laughter. The folk of Bransbeer had never seen or heard anything like it.
They were in their element, looking from squire to lady, eagerly lapping up all the
personal details that were being revealed. They seemed to have forgotten it was Lily
who was on trial.

‘Now, husband dear,'
continued Lady Clinsden, ‘if you observe the size of this glove, you will see
that it fits my hand perfectly. However, it would never stretch over Miss
Rose's capable working hand, so I ask you, what possible use could it serve
her?'

Lily looked from the
glove Lady Clinsden was holding out to her own broader hand and shook her head. Why
hadn't she noticed that herself? The squire, realizing his wife was determined
to outwit him, was almost beside himself with anger. His face was so suffused with
colour Lily thought he would have apoplexy at any moment.

‘I feel in this case, dear, you
have clearly been mistaken, and Lily Rose should be found innocent forthwith.'
Lady Clinsden smiled sweetly at her husband.

Seeing he had been bested by his wife
and that further interrogation would only make him look more foolish, he banged his
gavel, announced the case dismissed and stormed out of the court.

As Lily shook her head in bewilderment,
she noticed Mrs Bodney following after him.

‘Well, my dear,' Lady
Clinsden said, appearing at Lily's side, ‘that certainly showed
him.'

‘So those things weren't
yours, then?' Lily asked, bewildered.

‘Of course they were,' Lady
Clinsden replied, laughing. ‘As well the old bugger knows, and that makes it
an even finer victory.'

‘Now I'm really
confused.'

‘Well, don't be. Let's
just say it's retribution.' Her tinkling laugh echoed around the
courtroom, which was rapidly emptying now the drama was over.

‘Gosh, Lady Clinsden, if you
don't mind me saying, you seem too nice to be married to someone like
him,' Lily said, staring at the other woman, who sobered immediately.

‘I agree with
that sentiment entirely. Regrettably, some of us have little choice whom we marry.
However, my dear, there's more than one way to skin a cat. Now if you'll
excuse me, I must take my leave. The squire is sure to be drowning his sorrows in
the strongest liquor known to man, and I think it would be wise if I went to stay
with my sister in Sidmouth until he gets over it.' She swished her way
elegantly out of the courtroom leaving Lily staring after her in admiration. She
wasn't sure about her skinning a cat, though. Surely she wouldn't dirty
her hands in such a manner?

‘Blimey, Lily, that was a right
fine turn-up.' Tom appeared at her side, a huge grin nearly splitting his
handsome features. Then, heedless of the people still milling around, he leaned
forward and kissed her on the cheek. Feeling dizzy from his affection and the
realization she was free, she slumped against his shoulder.

‘I still don't understand
what that was all about.' But, at that moment, Mrs Bodney reappeared,
triumphantly brandishing a piece of paper.

‘Look, the squire has kindly
furnished you with a testimonial, Lily,' she said, laughing as she stressed
the word ‘kindly'. ‘Now why don't we all go back to the
cottage, and I'll get Tilda to provide some refreshment.'

Lily sat in Mrs Bodney's parlour
sipping her lemon drink, having declined anything stronger, for she felt quite giddy
enough as it was. She couldn't believe how the events of the past hour had
turned out. Not only had she been acquitted, she had the vital testimonial to secure
her a room. Slumping back in her chair, she
watched Tom laughing
at something Mrs Bodney was saying. It struck her then how lucky she was to have
their support.

‘Are you all right, Lily?'
Mrs Bodney asked, looking up.

‘I'm fine, though still a
bit puzzled by Lady Clinsden's actions.'

‘Well, don't be. She has a
lot to contend with, putting up with the squire. She can certainly hold her own,
though.' She leaned forward, adding in a hushed voice, ‘Do you know
every time she sees her dressmaker she instructs her to make two identical dresses
but to bill them as one item? Then, when the squire checks the account he assumes
his wife has done as he's said and had only one made. As she always appears to
be wearing the same dress, he has no reason to doubt her. A clever ruse, don't
you think?'

‘Yes,' Lily giggled,
‘that's quite the smartest thing I've heard.'

‘Well, you'd better not be
getting ideas for after we're wed, our Lily,' said Tom, looking so
affronted the two ladies laughed.

‘I'm sure having such a
splendid fellow as you for a husband, Lily won't have to resort to such
trickery,' said Mrs Bodney, and Lily watched in amazement as Tom, normally so
unassuming, puffed up like a peacock at her words.

‘And I'm sure my husband
will want me to do him proud when he takes me out, so he'll always make sure I
have a new dress to wear,' she teased. Tom shook his head, understanding for
the first time why, as his father had once told him, it was usually wisest for a man
to remain silent.

‘Well, Lily,
I've made out a testimonial for you so I suggest you take it, along with the
one from the squire, up to the house at High Field and secure that room. In the
meantime, I will go and check that our lace ladies have had a productive
day.'

‘Oh, Mrs Bodney, I've not
done any work at all today,' she said. ‘I reckon you should be deducting
my wages.'

But the other woman's eyes
twinkled mischievously. ‘That won't be necessary, Lily. You'll be
pleased to hear the squire wouldn't hear of my being out of pocket for
today's events.' Winking at them, she put her hand in her reticule and
drew out a handful of golden coins, which she laid in a neat pile on the table in
front of them. As they gasped she added, ‘Let's just say, he understood
it would be prudent to make some recompense for the error of his ways.'

‘Oh,' said Lily, her hand
flying to her mouth. ‘You talking of pockets has reminded me, Mr Mountsford
asked me to give you this when he called. I was going to leave it on your table but
he said I was to hand it to you personally.' Fumbling in her apron, she
withdrew the package and handed it over.

‘Thank you, Lily,' Mrs
Bodney said, not meeting her eyes. ‘In future, should he have anything for me,
I'd be obliged if you'd hand it over immediately.'

Lily opened her mouth to remind her
she'd been away from the cottage but Mrs Bodney was waving them away.

‘Right, off you go and secure your
room,' she said, her composure restored.

‘Yes, Mrs Bodney, and thank
you,' Lily said as they took their leave.

This time their steps
were lighter as they made their way through the village, but Lily's head was
spinning. In less than twenty-four hours she'd been both accused and acquitted
of theft.

‘I can't believe how kind
Lady Clinsden and Mrs Bodney have been, can you, Tom?'

‘No, they've been right
dandy. Though, you know, I have a feeling they were both getting their own back on
that scoundrel today. Mrs Bodney seemed put out you hadn't given her that
package, Lily. What was in it?'