Wishing For Rainbows (Historical Romance) (22 page)

“You have been busy, haven’t you? So, your family followed me wherever we went. Your mother has been trying to make acquaintances with people who really don’t like her; in places where it was evident she doesn’t belong. Meanwhile, you have been busy scouring the
ton
for someone you could kidnap and force into marriage.” Ursula sat back in her seat and shook her head in disbelief. “Do you really think that you can do something like this and get away with it?”

“I know we will. Mother has said it would work and she always gets what she wants,” he assured her somewhat dourly.

“Sounds to me like you are a little resentful of mother. I take it she carries the purse strings?”

When Alfred turned his face to the door and didn’t answer, Ursula knew she had just hit the nail on the head. Alfred was indeed at his mother’s beck and call, and resented it.

“How did you plan to get me to say the words required for a marriage ceremony? After all, you cannot force me to speak when I don’t want to. Especially in front of a vicar, who wouldn’t marry anyone who had been abducted. Not even your precious mother could manage to scam her way through that particular debacle.”

“We have contacts,” Alfred replied in a voice that was stiff and uncomfortable.

She knew from the look on his face that she wasn’t going to get anything else out of him right now. With nothing else to do, Ursula sat back in her seat and turned her gaze to the floor while she waited for the carriage to stop.

Trenton scowled when the sound of an altercation at the far end of the Ladies’ Mile broke the silence of the park.

His heart began to pound. Had someone screamed?

Without any idea why, he knew instinctively that it was Ursula. He ran toward the tall iron fence that bordered the park just in time to watch Alfred Sinnerton push someone into the depths of a familiar black carriage. A maid, who looked suspiciously like Molly, was now lying prone upon the floor.

He ran down the road as fast as his legs could carry him all the while keeping his gaze locked firmly on the carriage as it raced away.

“How do I chase it?” He gasped, wishing he had his horse with him. He knew that if the carriage got too far away then he would never stand a chance of finding Ursula again.

By the time he reached the main road, his chest heaved as he gasped for air and hailed a carriage that was heading in the same direction.

“’Ere, watch out,” the coachman gasped as Trenton grabbed the reins and hauled himself aboard.

“I need help. Someone has just abducted by fiancé. They are in that black carriage at the end of the road. Follow them,” Trenton ordered. “Please, hurry,” he prompted when the coachman merely stared at him.

“Which way?” the coachman demanded when he realised Trenton was being serious.

“It turned left at the end of the road.” Trenton pointed to the end of the road ahead.

“What does it look like?”

“A regular black carriage,” Trenton replied crisply. “I think the coachman is a woman, rather broad across the shoulder and wearing a dark hat pulled low to cover her face.”

“Good Lord, what are you involved in?” the coachman growled as he snapped the horse’s reins to get it to go faster.

“They are fraudsters and have kidnapped my fiancé and accosted her maid back there.”

The coachman glanced back over his shoulder and swore at the sight of the maid being helped to her feet by several pedestrians.

“Best get after ‘em then,” the coachman growled and turned his attention to weaving his carriage in and out of the traffic.

“That way!” Trenton shouted anxiously as they turned onto the main road and spotted the lumbering black carriage up ahead.

“I see ‘em.” The coachman’s eyes were hard with determination.

“Is there a way around them?” Trenton demanded in desperation when they turned from one road into another but lost sight of their quarry.

He closed his eyes on a silent prayer and tried to steady his nerves. The thought of anything happening to Ursula, his precious Ursula, was enough to make him want to tear his hair out.

“No, guvnor, this traffic is too heavy for it to be too far away though.” The coachman studied the road ahead and began to push the carriage through a narrow gap in the traffic. Neither of them paid any attention to the driver behind, who protested loudly at being made to stop rather sharply. “It’ll be faster if you run for them. They are stuck in traffic too. Up there, look,” the man reported and pointed to their quarry.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Trenton growled as he jumped down. His eyes remained locked on the broad shoulders of the driver who was now sitting at the end of the road in gridlocked traffic. Even if he ran as fast as he could, it would be a miracle if he managed to reach them before they reached the clearer road to the right.

Desperate to get Ursula out the Sinnertons’ clutches, Trenton raced in and out of the traffic and pedestrians, and only just managed to reach the carriage before it moved. There wasn’t enough time to try to yank the door open. Instead, he swung onto the footman’s seat using Herculean effort, and clambered across the roof.

A bitter curse escaped him when he realised that he was drawing attention from everyone around them, but there was little he could do about it. Right now, he had to get the carriage to stop. He wasn’t just fighting for the freedom of an innocent woman. A woman who was the kindest and sweetest he had ever met. He was also fighting for the chance of a future. He knew now that without Ursula in his life, he had no future. Without her, he had nothing; he was nothing.

“Stop this carriage,” Trenton growled when he reached the front of the carriage. His eyes widened when the driver’s head spun around and he found himself staring at Mrs Sinnerton. “
You!”

“Calderhill, get off my carriage,” Mrs Sinnerton snarled.

She turned her attention back to the road and tried to ram her shoulder into his chest to unbalance him. Unfortunately in doing so she inadvertently pulled on the reins and startled the horses who slammed to a halt. She immediately flicked the reins to get them going again but Trenton unbalanced her, causing her to tug on the reins again. Confused, the horses started to prance about nervously.

“Stop this carriage, Sinnerton. I shall have you in jail for this. This is abduction.” Trenton’s voice was harsh with rage. “Stop this carriage,” he repeated when the carriage lurched forwards.

When Sinnerton flicked the reins again, he leaned forward and snatched them out of her hands, hauling hard on the reins. The horses, now scared, yanked at their heads and began to trot briskly along the road. Mrs Sinnerton suddenly screeched like a banshee and launched herself at him. Her actions left him with little choice but to release the reins and defend himself.

“Get out of the way,” he shouted at two pedestrians in the middle of the road when it was clear the horses weren’t going to stop. “Get out of the way.”

He had to turn his attention to thwarting Eunice Sinnerton’s desperate attempts to push him off the carriage. While he was bigger and stronger, she was broader and heavier. His breath left him in a whoosh when she rammed her elbow hard in his ribs then lunged toward the reins that now dangled uselessly at their feet.

To his disbelief, she suddenly lost her balance and fell in between the stays, landing on the road with a heavy thud. The carriage tipped wildly as the wheels ran over her. He knew from the screams of horrified pedestrians that she was dead.

Trenton cursed when the horses tried to force their way through the traffic. The carriage rocked wildly as it careered wildly from right to left and back again, and he found himself thrown toward the road. He clutched the seat with desperate fingers and slammed his booted foot down on the reins before they could slither in the same direction as Mrs Sinnerton.

Once he had regained his balance, he grabbed them, and heaved a sigh of relief when he finally managed to guide the carriage to a stop at the side of the road. When he realised he was safe, he took a deep, fortifying breath and clambered down to secure the horses.

Ursula nearly wept with relief when the darkened interior of the carriage was suddenly flooded with light and Trenton appeared in the doorway. She had heard his muffled shouts but could only imagine what had been happening at the front of the coach.

“Oh, thank God,” she gasped. When she began to move toward the safety of Trenton’s arms, Alfred leaned forward and blocked her exit.

“Stay right where you are,” he ordered coldly, and motioned with his gun for her to get back into her seat.

So close to securing Ursula’s safety, Trenton wasn’t about to be thwarted, and hurriedly forced his way inside while Alfred’s attention was diverted. He pushed the hand holding the gun away so it wasn’t pointing at Ursula, and landed a heavy fist right in the centre of Alfred’s face. The man crumpled without a murmur.

The screech that suddenly echoed around the interior of the carriage made Ursula gasp in horror. Hyacinth had been so still, so quiet, that she had forgotten all about her, but watched in horror as the young woman launched across the carriage toward Trenton.

“Trenton!” Instinctively she lifted her booted foot and kicked the woman hard beneath the chin.

Although Hyacinth wasn’t knocked out, she was stunned enough to hesitate, which gave Trenton the opportunity he needed to relieve Alfred of the gun, and point it at Hyacinth.

“Sit down, or I will shoot you,” he growled.

Now that help had arrived, Ursula’s self-control wavered.

“Trenton,” she gasped as she slid across the seat.

He swept her against his side for a somewhat awkward hug and kissed the top of her head without taking his eyes off either Alfred or Hyacinth.

“Are you alright, Ursula? Did they hurt you?” he asked without taking his eyes off the people on the seat opposite.

Ursula shook her head. “No, they didn’t hurt me. Other than a fright, and a few bruises, I am fine.”

“You alright, guvnor?” the coachman who had helped him race after them asked suddenly from the doorway.

“Yes, but I need more help. Can you get someone to secure the horses and make sure they don’t run away on us? Also send someone to fetch the magistrate. We have three – no, make that two people here who have abducted this lady and need to be arrested. Tell them Viscount Atherbury sent you.”

The man hesitated and nodded down the road. “That was the driver?”

Trenton nodded and looked hesitantly at Hyacinth. “Gone?” he asked obliquely.

The coachman peered inside, took one look at Alfred and the gun, and nodded briskly. “Aye.” He hailed a coachman heading in the opposite direction before Trenton could say anything else, and disappeared.

Trenton mentally cursed when Ursula leaned out of the carriage and looked down the road toward Mrs Sinnerton’s body. Her head whipped back around and she stared at him in shocked disbelief. He nodded solemnly, and issued her with a look that warned her not to ask.

“So,” Trenton began, not sure if he was talking to Hyacinth, or Alfred. He checked the gun to make sure it had shot in it before he sat back against the seat to wait. “Ursula, have they spoken to you?”

Ursula nodded and relayed her conversation with Alfred.

“So, Alfred, I know you are awake so I suggest you get up. I have your gun. The magistrate is on his way. The coach is guarded now so if you and your sister are stupid enough to try to get out of here, you won’t go far before you are shot. Kidnapping is a criminal offense, you know.”

“He intended to force me to marry him,” Ursula told him.

“I suspect that is because of your inheritance,” Trenton replied, and watched Alfred twitch once and then sit upright.

“What?” Ursula stared at him. “Inheritance?”

“What I want to know is how you knew about it, Sinnerton?” Trenton murmured thoughtfully. “After all, the only people who know about it are me, and her father, Jeremiah. I think Adelaide might know about it too, but she won’t divulge family secrets amongst the
ton.
She is too familiar with the way society in London works to be boastful about such circumstance until it has happened.”

“
What
has happened?” Ursula gasped. “What inheritance?”

“Your father will explain. Right now, I want to know how Alfred found out.” He leaned forward menacingly in his seat and watched Alfred look cautiously at Hyacinth.

“Where is mother?” he asked.

“Dead,” Trenton bit out. “She fell off the carriage when she refused to stop it.”

Ursula closed her eyes. In spite of what they had put her through, she couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for them.

“It’s what we ran over, wasn’t it? Her?” Hyacinth said dully.

When Trenton nodded, she said a silent prayer and thanked God before she tipped her head back and began to smile.

“I take it you are not upset then.” It wasn’t a question. He was deeply horrified at the callousness of the both of them who looked more relieved than grief-stricken.

“How can anybody be upset about losing someone who ridicules them and treats them like they are nobody?” Hyacinth snorted. “We weren’t people. We were her pawns to push and shove around at will.”

“He treated you like you were nobody?” Ursula asked with a frown at Alfred.

“No. Mother treated me and him like we were complete idiots,” Alfred snapped. “I shall be glad to be rid of her.”

“Good Lord. You really mean that,” Trenton murmured as he studied them both and saw not one hint of grief on either of their faces. “What happened to drive you to this?” He gestured to the carriage they sat in.

“This was all mother’s ridiculous idea. We told her it wouldn’t work but she never listened to anybody,” Hyacinth reported.

“Kidnapping me, or the flowers?” Ursula asked, struggling to keep track of the conversation.

“All of it. The assignation in the conservatory, the break-in at your house, following you everywhere, and the flowers; they were all her idea.”

Ursula looked at Trenton, and was shocked to note that he didn’t look as shocked as she was.

“You knew?” she gasped.

Trenton nodded. “I suspected that it was Alfred because Brampton was busy with Barbarella,” he admitted on a sigh. “I just had no proof until now.”

“Why?” Still focused on getting as much information out of Hyacinth and Alfred as he could, Trenton frowned at Alfred. “Besides the money?”

“Money?” Ursula parroted. She was starting to get annoyed that nobody seemed inclined to answer her.

“Because our dearest father was a scoundrel, that’s why,” Hyacinth snorted in disgust when Alfred remained silent. “To everyone else, he was a pillar of society; someone who could be trusted to deal with legal matters with integrity. In private, he was a gambler, and ran up debts he couldn’t hope to repay. Unfortunately, rather than stop gambling when he realised how bad things had got, as most decent people would do, Abraham continued and sank us all as deep as it was possible to go.”

“He was a solicitor. A reputable man who ran a thriving business,” Trenton muttered. “Surely to God he didn’t ruin the business as well.”

Alfred shook his head. “No, he didn’t, but only because he didn’t own the business outright. He did borrow money off his partner as well. I think his partner knew about his gambling and lent him the money knowing he couldn’t repay it. When it became evident that his creditors wanted their money back, father’s business partner demanded his money back too. Abraham was forced to admit that he couldn’t repay the debt, so the partner got Abraham to sign over his share of the partnership in lieu of repayment. It still wasn’t enough to clear all the money he owed, and once he had given up his partnership he could no longer work there after that. I lost my job too.”

“Sounds reasonable,” Trenton countered less than sympathetic. “Did he have a lot of other debts?”

Both Alfred and Hyacinth nodded.

“Without the business, or a wage, he had no way of paying them,” Hyacinth murmured.

“What happened to him? Is he in Debtors’ Prison?” Ursula asked, as horrified as she was enthralled by their story.

“He took that gun and blew his brains out.” Alfred nodded to the gun in Trenton’s hands.

Trenton stared down at it. “Do you expect me to believe that your father, or mother, knew about Ursula’s wealth, and your mother decided to come to London to get her hands on it?”

It was too ridiculous a notion to contemplate and shook his head in disgust.

“We faced eviction from our house because we couldn’t settle Abraham’s debts. Mother had some savings put aside, but they weren’t enough to cover our living costs let along any debt repayments. We needed to do something to change our circumstance, or we would have been living out on the streets with nowhere to go. Rather than use her savings to pay the creditors, we snuck out like thieves in the middle of the night. The only place we could think of disappearing to was London. We agreed to come with her in the hope that she would suggest we go out to work, and we would have a bit of freedom at last. Unfortunately, mother had other ideas.”

When Alfred lapsed into thoughtful silence, Hyacinth glanced at her brother.

“We had no recommendations so couldn’t get jobs. Mother had the idea that we could use the last of our savings to pass ourselves off as aristocracy, or people who were well connected. If we could get into the ballrooms of the
ton
, we could find wealthy people to marry, and it would solve our financial problems.” She pierced Trenton with a dark glare. “Unfortunately, because of our situation, we would have to use force if necessary to persuade someone to marry one of us, or compromise them.”

“God, you are merciless,” Ursula snapped in disgust.

Hyacinth glared at her. “We were facing destitution. It is amazing what you will do if you have no money and nowhere to go. We baulked at the idea when mother suggested it, and tried to persuade her not to make us do it. She refused to listen to us. Instead, she brought her entire wardrobe with her, added lots of fripperies and lace, and created a wardrobe of slightly out-of-date clothes.”

“How did you get a letter of recommendation though? I mean, you can’t just waltz into the
ton,
and have people willing to welcome you with open arms. You cannot be connected to anybody,” Trenton asked with a frown.

It was an audacious scheme; and lunacy for someone so unused to the ways of the
ton
. The fact that they had even tried it, and gotten as far as they had, was a miracle on its own. He couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if the season had been in full swing.

“My father was a solicitor. He knew of people in society who had estates in Somerset. We used one of their names and falsified a letter. It was a risk, but enough to get us into someone’s ball. Mother made acquaintances with people, but was too pushy at times and offended several people with her unsophisticated ways. She wasn’t used to the protocols of society and we all made a lot of mistakes. It was hit and miss for a long time. However, it didn’t take long before she overheard your aunt telling her friends that she was expecting you to arrive from Yorkshire. She was looking forward to being able to show you the sights of London and, hopefully, you would marry before your birthday at Christmas. She was telling her friends about the huge sum of money you were due to inherit when you reached five and twenty.”

Alfred snorted disparagingly. “Mother was determined you would be our meal ticket to better times. The fact that you were due to inherit a lot of money made you a prime candidate.”

“That, and the fact that your aunt told her friends that you came from Yorkshire, and weren’t used to the ballrooms of the
ton
,” Hyacinth added.

Ursula looked at Alfred, who glared back defiantly. “I told her we were crossing the line into criminality but she wouldn’t listen to me. She had sniffed the scent of money and nothing would thwart her. Running away from our father’s debts was one thing. We were going to lose the house anyway. Abduction, kidnap, false imprisonment, and God knows what else she would have dragged us into meant we all faced jail if we were caught.”

“Let me get this straight. Once you found out about her money, you planned to abduct Ursula and force her to marry you, Alfred, and then wait for her birthday. As her husband, you would gain control of any money she inherited and your family issues would be resolved. What about Ursula though? Did you not consider that she would object to the marriage? Did you not consider that her family would question why someone like her would marry someone like you, Alfred?” Trenton asked. He was physically trembling with rage and shook his head in disbelief at the outrageous scheming. He wasn’t entirely sure if it is stupidly arrogant or naively ignorant, but it was foolish to even attempt such a fete and hope to get away with it.

Alfred looked hesitantly at Hyacinth. “The family wouldn’t question the marriage if she was ruined completely and with child. She would be a social pariah if she walked out on a marriage. I would claim that the realities of marriage had tipped her mind and, as her husband, I would take control of her life. She wouldn’t be allowed to tell anyone anything.” He looked straight into Trenton’s eyes. “Not even her family.”

Trenton snorted. “You don’t know her family. Her Aunt wouldn’t allow you to get away with trying to block her from Ursula’s life because they know she would never do such a thing.”

Hyacinth glared at him defiantly. “We told mother that we weren’t going to get away with it, but she wouldn’t be reasoned with. I told her I would get a job, but she wouldn’t have that either. She wanted me to be at home so I could fetch and carry for her.”

“Hyacinth was nothing but mother’s maid,” Alfred announced sadly. He placed his hand comfortingly over his sister’s and they smiled sadly at each other for a moment before Hyacinth looked solemnly at them.

“I had hoped that we wouldn’t get away with it, if I am honest. I would have much preferred time in prison to spending the rest of my days with mother. She was a witch, in the truest sense. She didn’t care one iota about us. We were merely there to serve her. I wanted to work to earn some money but she wouldn’t allow it.” Hyacinth looked at her brother. “We had discussed ruining her plans so she would forget the idea, but we knew mother would only try something else.”

“If we failed at this she would have become impossible to live with. She would have made our lives miserable until we gave her what she wanted. At least if I married and had money, I could move me and Hyacinth away from her,” Alfred murmured.

“But she would know what you did. Do you really think that she would allow you to just walk away with the money and turn your back on her?” Trenton asked with a frown.