The Reluctant Heiress

by Dilly Court

  Kate stifled a giggle as Lady Lyndon swept out of the drawing room. ‘Oh dear, I can see that this household needs a small adjustment, Annie. Maybe we ought to send for Mrs Hattersley, since your aunt is obviously desperate for a proper lady’s maid.’

  Annie nodded. ‘As it happens I know that she went to stay with her sister in Epping. It’s not too far from here. Maybe Goodfellow could take the carriage and fetch her, when the snow clears, of course.’

  ‘Maybe I could train as a lady’s maid,’ Joe said gloomily.

  ‘That would be very funny.’ Annie put her head on one side. ‘I think I can hear a carriage approaching. Maybe it’s Perry.’

  Kate stood up and crossed the floor to pull back the curtains. ‘I don’t know if it’s Perry or Mr Pomeroy-Smith. Stay here, Annie, and if it’s Perry I’ll send him to you.’ She hurried from the room before Annie could protest, and Joe was fully occupied, munching his way through the plate of muffins.

  Kate arrived at the front entrance just as Tilly opened the door. Perry handed the reins to Bob, who was in his shirtsleeves, despite the bitter weather. ‘Take good care of Tarquin and there’s half a crown in it when I leave.’ Perry took the steps two at a time, bringing a flurry of snow with him as he stepped into the hall. ‘I thought I wasn’t going to make it for a while. There was quite a blizzard as I crossed the marshes.’ He shrugged off his greatcoat and handed it to Tilly, together with his hat and gloves. ‘Kate, this is wonderful. I wasn’t sure if you’d be here.’ He grasped her hand and held it tightly. ‘You’re back safe and sound.’

  ‘And Annie is waiting for you in the drawing room.’ Kate nodded to Tilly, who was eyeing them both expectantly. ‘That will be all, for now, Tilly.’ Kate tucked her hand in the crook of Perry’s arm. ‘I want a word with you before we join them, Perry.’

  He gave her a quizzical smile. ‘That sounds ominous.’

  ‘No, it’s just a matter of common sense and decency, if it comes to that.’

  ‘Are you asking me if my intentions towards Annie are honourable?’

  ‘Yes, I suppose I am. I’m very fond of her and she has no one to stand up for her, unless you count Joe, but he’s so wrapped up in his own affairs that he’s unlikely to even think of challenging you.’

  ‘A challenge?’ Perry’s hazel eyes twinkled with amusement. ‘Come, Kate. You know me better than most people. I was honest about my feelings for Annie from the start, or are you telling me that she has had a change of heart?’

  ‘No, not at all. She adores you, Perry, and she’s a thoroughly decent person. Don’t break her heart.’

  ‘I’ve no intention of doing anything of the sort. I love her, Kate. My feelings for her have deepened during our time apart and I intend to marry her, if she’ll have me.’

  Kate reached up to kiss him on the cheek. ‘That’s wonderful, but now you can tell me what I want to know.’

  He met her gaze with a candid look. ‘If it’s Monks you’re asking about, I’m afraid the answer is that he’s still a problem. As you probably remember, he went into hiding south of the river and he’s managed to evade captivity even now.’

  ‘That’s what worries me. Harry insisted that he had business in town, and I know exactly what that would be. He’ll have gone after Monks on his own and I fear for his safety.’

  ‘I was hoping he wouldn’t do that. If he went straight to the police they will have told him to leave Monks to them.’

  ‘But if he went in search of Monks on his own – what then?’

  Perry laid his hand on her arm. ‘If that’s so I’m afraid there’s nothing that you or I can do about it, especially now. It’s Christmas Eve and soon the roads will be all but impassable. I’m afraid we’re likely to be stuck here for a while.’

  ‘There’s one other thing, Perry,’ Kate said as they walked slowly towards the drawing room. ‘Joe is quite badly crippled. He’ll never be fully fit again, but he needs to find some sort of employment, and he knows nothing apart from soldiering. Can you help him without making him feel that he’s being treated like a charity?’

  ‘I’ll have a chat with him. I’ll do whatever I can for Annie’s brother, and that’s a promise.’

  ‘I knew I could rely on you. And if you hear anything concerning Monks, please tell me. I’m very worried for Harry’s safety.’

  ‘When I return to London I’ll speak to one of my contacts in the police force, and if Harry should get in touch with me I’ll let you know.’

  ‘Thank you, Perry.’ Kate squeezed his arm as they came to a halt outside the drawing room. ‘I’m going upstairs to change for dinner. I’ll leave the rest to you.’

  Kate walked away, but before going to her room she made her way to the kitchen where the children were just finishing their evening meal. They left the table, despite instructions from their mother to remain seated, and they danced around Kate, demanding to know if she had brought them anything from India.

  Four-year-old Emma was convinced that Kate had packed an elephant in her cabin trunk, much to the amusement of Frankie and May. Six-year-old Nellie asked shyly if Kate had brought them a monkey for them to play with, and was obviously disappointed by the answer she received. However, with the promise of telling them stories of her travels when they were in bed, and reminding them that next day was Christmas Day, Kate eventually managed to escape from their demands and she went straight to her room.

  For a while she sat in the dressing room, amongst Harry’s belongings, watching the snowflakes fluttering against the cold glass windowpanes. She wondered where he was at this particular moment and she could only hope that he was safe and warm. She had become used to seeing him every day during their voyage home and it would be a strange Christmas without him.

  Eventually, hearing the soft chimes from the clock in her room, alerting her to the fact that it was seven o’clock, she rose to her feet and went to start unpacking. When she had sorted out the clothes that needed to go to the laundry room, she changed out of her travelling garments and took a velvet evening dress from the clothes press. There had been no call for such finery during her time on board ship or in Bombay, and the last time she had worn it was for Jenny’s wedding. The silk velvet was soft to her skin as she slipped it over her head, and it absorbed the heat from her body. She wished that Harry was there to see her dressed in such finery. In a pensive mood, she went to sit on the dressing table stool, gazing into the mirror with a silver-backed hairbrush clutched in her hand. She thought of Jenny and wondered how she was adjusting to married life. Jenny and Hedley must have reached their posting by now and it would be a huge change from rural Walthamstow or the bustle and comparative sophistication of Finsbury Square. Kate brushed her hair and knotted it carefully at the back of her neck. It was, after all, a family meal and there was no need for an elaborate coiffure.

  She was about to return to the drawing room for a sherry before dinner, when she remembered her promise to tell the children a bedtime story. Not wanting to disappoint them, she climbed the stairs to the floor where the old nursery suite was situated, but when she opened the door she was enveloped in a cloud of feathers from a burst pillowcase. The children stopped bouncing on their beds and froze, gazing at her with guilt written all over their faces.

  ‘It was Frankie who started it,’ May said urgently. ‘We’re going to get into ever such a lot of trouble.’

  ‘I think you’re right.’ Kate tried hard to keep a straight face. ‘It looks as if the snowstorm has come inside.’

  ‘Are you going to tell Ma?’ Frankie asked sheepishly. ‘We won’t get our presents if you do.’

  Kate put her head on one side, looking from one to the other. ‘Well now, that wouldn’t do, would it? I tell you what. If you clear up this mess right now we’ll say no more about it.’ She perched on the edge of Charlie’s bed and lifted him onto her lap. ‘Perhaps it would help if I told you a story while you’re stuffing all those feathers back in the pillowcases.’

  ‘Yes, please.�
� Nellie bent down, scooping armfuls of feathers back into the cotton ticking. ‘Come on, Frankie. You started it, so you can do most of the hard work.’

  Grumbling beneath his breath, Frankie went to help her, with May and Jimmy doing their best to assist them. Kate made up a story about an Indian elephant who saved the Maharajah from being eaten by a tiger. It was all make-believe, but she described the colourful costumes of the villagers and the intense heat with such feeling that Nellie began to fan herself, complaining that she was hot. With perfect timing, the story ended as the last few feathers were packed away.

  Kate placed a sleepy Charlie in his bed and rose to her feet. ‘I’ll sew up the seams in the morning and no one will know any different. Now I want all of you to get into bed and go to sleep, and that includes you, Frankie.’

  He opened his mouth as if to protest, but seemed to think better of it and reluctantly climbed into the bed he shared with Jimmy.

  Kate drew back the curtains so that moonlight flooded the room. Outside the world was white and sparkling. She picked up the candlestick she had brought with her. ‘Good night, children. It’s good to be back home with you.’ She left the room, closing the door softly behind her.

  Downstairs the family had assembled in the formal dining room by the time Kate joined them. She was pleased to see that Giles Pomeroy-Smith had made it through the snow and he was seated next to her mother at one end of the table, with Joe and Annie on either side of Lady Lyndon. Perry held out a chair for Kate before resuming his seat next to Annie.

  Ivy, assisted by Tilly, served the food and it was a pleasant meal, although as far as Kate was concerned it would have been more enjoyable had Harry been present. Conversation flowed and there was plenty to talk about after their absence for the best part of a year. Joe was the only one at the table with little to say, and Kate felt for him, but there was nothing she could add to the conversation that would bring him out of his torpor.

  When they retired to the drawing room for coffee, the gentlemen having decided to forgo their brandy and cigars, Giles took Joe aside. Kate could not hear what they were saying but Giles had an easy way with him and Joe began to look more relaxed.

  ‘What did he say to you, Joe?’ Kate asked when Giles returned to the sofa to sit beside Arabella.

  ‘He offered me work,’ Joe said, grinning. ‘He’s bought more land and he needs an agent to go round collecting rent and sorting out problems. He said that as I’m a military man I’m just the sort of person he’s looking for. He needs someone disciplined and above all, honest. I wouldn’t cheat anyone, least of all the man who was paying my wages.’

  ‘That’s wonderful, Joe. I’m so pleased for you.’

  He nodded. ‘And there’s a cottage to go with the job. I’ll have a home of my own, and for Annie, if she chooses to live with me.’

  ‘Then you’d better discuss it with her, Joe.’ Kate smiled as she watched him cross the room to sit by his sister. She was happy for them both, and it would be a good Christmas, but for the fact that there was someone very important to her, who was missing.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Christmas was over, but it had ended with the announcement from Giles and Arabella that they planned to get married at Easter. Kate was delighted for her mother, and Lady Lyndon was full of plans for the wedding to be held in the village church with the reception at Warren House. Giles agreed that St Mary’s would suit both him and his fiancée, but he insisted that Pomeroy Park would be a much more suitable venue for the wedding breakfast than Warren House. The guest list seemed to grow by the minute as he included all the notable families in the area and beyond. The whole village would be welcome and he planned to have entertainment that would astound and delight everyone. Kate was not so sure about that, but her mother was so excited by the whole idea that Kate did not like to cast doubts on the practicality of her future stepfather’s plans.

  They had to wait for the thaw, which took place at the end of January, and then Arabella insisted on returning to Finsbury Square so that she could order her wedding gown from one of the top modistes in London. Kate was worried about her mother’s safety if she returned to their town house, but Arabella was determined to make her mark as the bride of Giles Pomeroy-Smith.

  ‘What is the point of marrying the wealthiest man in the county if I dress like a country bumpkin, Kate?’

  There was nothing that Kate could say that would persuade her mother to remain at Warren House until the wedding, and Lady Lyndon did not make matters easier.

  ‘If dear Arabella thinks it’s safe to return to London, then there’s nothing to stop me from moving back to Finsbury Circus. I think you worry unnecessarily, Kate. I’ll get Hattersley to pack my things. We’re going home.’

  It was an unstoppable tide and there was nothing that Kate could do or say that would prevent either her mother or Lady Lyndon from returning to their former residences. The only person who listened to Kate was Annie, who was persuaded by Joe to remain at Warren House. He had started working for Giles, and was learning the job of a land agent. The cottage he had been allocated needed some renovations, and Ted had set about mending the roof, while Ivy, with the help of two village women, cleaned the place from top to bottom. Joe moved in on his own, but Ivy promised to help out if needed, and a girl from the village went in daily to cook and clean.

  Ivy and Ted were happily settled in their cottage in the grounds of Warren House and neither of them wanted to return to the city. The children thrived and were doing well at school, and Martha was delighted to have her kitchen to herself once more. Kate did her best to persuade her mother to remain at Warren House, but in the end she knew she had lost the battle and in some ways it suited her to return to London, too. Harry was somewhere in the city and she was determined to find him, no matter how dangerous it might prove.

  The move back to London went smoothly enough, Kate having sent a telegram to Mrs Marsh, giving her warning so that the house could be made ready, and it was. Everything was sparkling as if cleaners had been working night and day to ensure that Lady Martin was not disappointed.

  Mrs Marsh was obviously delighted to have the house reopened, but her main concern was for Jenny, and at the first opportunity she bombarded Kate with questions about India. Kate was careful to stress the beauty of the country, and the fact that peace had been restored, and though she knew very little about life in the military she assured Mrs Marsh that Hedley was a good man and Jenny was a resourceful woman. They would do well together, of that Kate was certain, and Mrs Marsh seemed happy with that. She went about her work humming a cheerful tune, and Kate could only hope that Jenny was finding life as an army wife lived up to her expectations. Two days later both Kate and Mrs Marsh received letters from Jenny, and it seemed that all their fears had been groundless. Jenny had settled happily into married life and Hedley had received a promotion. They were expecting their first child in late spring, and Jenny could not be more content. Kate remembered Harry’s words when he had accused her of matchmaking, and if that were true it seemed she had done her job well. Now all that remained was for her to find Harry.

  In the days that followed Kate felt bound to accompany her mother to various fashion houses and modistes where the wedding dress and trousseau were discussed at length. She herself was expected to act as maid of honour, and that entailed poring over fashion plates with her mother. They had decided that although traditionally still in mourning, they would choose fabrics in neutral colours so that they did not cause offence to anyone. Kate was growing bored with the whole process, and despite a visit to Perry’s chambers in Lincoln’s Inn, she was no nearer to finding out what had happened to Harry. The police were saying nothing about the case, and Kate was becoming increasingly frustrated. In the end she made up her mind to go to look for him on her own.

  On the fifth day since their return to Finsbury Square Kate was up early. She dressed in some of Jenny’s old clothes that had been set aside for charity, and she wrapped an old cloak
around her head and shoulders before venturing out on a cold, wet February morning. She was always conscious of the threat posed by the Monks gang, and keeping in character as a poor woman, she walked to Cable Street where she had opened the soup kitchen. The fire damage appeared to be minimal, but the windows were filthy and boarded up in places where they had been broken, and the front door looked as though someone had attempted to kick it to pieces. She knocked in the vague hope that Spears might still be living above the shop, but there was no response. She backed away, standing on the kerb, looking up at the grimy windows of the meeting room and she caught a fleeting glance of a familiar face. She went to hammer on the door with her fist.

  ‘Spears, I know you’re in there. Let me in. It’s Miss Martin.’

  She was vaguely aware of curious looks from passers-by but she was determined to speak to Spears. If anyone knew where she might find Harry it would be Augustus. She knocked repeatedly until she saw a shadow on the other side of the glass and heard the sound of bolts being drawn back. The handle turned and the door opened just a crack.

  ‘Are you alone, miss?’

  ‘Yes, Spears, and I’m perished. Let me in.’

  Augustus opened the door just wide enough to allow her to slip inside. ‘What d’you want? Haven’t you had enough trouble here?’

  ‘Where is Harry?’ Kate faced him with a determined lift of her chin. ‘I’m not leaving until you tell me everything you know.’

  Spears backed away. ‘I don’t know nothing, miss.’

  ‘And I don’t believe you. If anyone can help me to find Harry it’s you.’

  ‘I’m flattered, but I tell you I don’t know where he is at this moment in time.’

  ‘But you’ve seen him recently? I always know when you’re lying, Spears.’

  ‘I’ve had enough problems trying to live here without getting meself killed by one of Monks’ men. I don’t want you bringing more trouble to me door.’