Lady Ellingham and the Theft of the Stansfield Necklace: A Regency Romance

by Rochester, Miriam

  Felicity bit her lip. ‘She could hardly tell Richard that the evidence sat right under his very nose, nestled in a black velvet pouch in the drawer of the bedside table. He would want to know how she had acquired it and if he knew that, he would have an apoplexy.’

  Richard misread her silence. ‘No I thought not,’ he replied. ‘We shall have to make the best of things, but Felicity you must not speak of this to anyone, without evidence you could be prosecuted for libel.’

  He bent down, kissed her on the cheek, and got up to go. She grabbed his hand. ‘Richard it is not too late. If you take me around to Thorndale’s house now, tonight, I will apologise and you will not have to meet tomorrow.’

  ‘No Flick,’ he sighed. ‘The arrangements have been made. The meeting shall go ahead as planned.’

  Chapter 5

  Shenanigans on Hampstead Heath

  It was nearly midnight and Felicity could not sleep. Richard had tried to put her mind at rest but the fact remained, he could be seriously hurt or even killed and no matter what he said, it would be all her fault. Richard was as stubborn as she was impetuous and had not let her apologise. Very well then, she would need to think of something else. She sat up in bed, her mind racing to search for a solution.

  Perhaps she could visit Thorndale herself and offer an apology. She need not go unescorted, after all for she could take Sarah. Felicity was intrepid but she recollected her experience of the previous night, and another encounter with a footpad was more than she cared to repeat or even contemplate. Moreover what would Lord Thorndale think of her. A woman visiting a single man alone with only her maid in attendance at this time of night was beyond all bounds of propriety. No doubt, Thorndale already viewed her unfavourably, but she could not have him thinking that she was a light skirt. No, that solution would not answer at all.

  Perhaps she could waylay Thorndale’s carriage. Harry’s clothes were still under the bed. She could disguise herself as a highwayman and hold up his carriage, but then what would she do? She could not keep them at bay forever and she certainly would not be able to bring herself to shoot anyone. What if Thorndale suspected that the attack was a ruse and managed to overpower her, all would be lost. It also occurred to her that if she was wearing Harry’s clothes he would recognise her as the intruder from the night before, exposing her and then the game would be truly up. No, that would not answer either.

  However, he had to be stopped and stop him she would. She racked her brains for a solution. If only she could make him late for the appointment. Richard would only need to wait for him for as long as etiquette required and when Thorndale did not turn up her brother could leave the field honourably. Felicity did not have much of a plan but she knew the time and the place where the duel was to take place. If she could just lie in wait and waylay Thorndale’s carriage, perhaps she could cause it to overturn, which would delay him enough to make a difference. How hard could it be?

  At 5am and with her mind made up Felicity arose and quietly dressed. She quickly threw on her dark blue riding dress fashioned in the popular military style with gold frogs on the bodice and roughly tied her unruly golden curls back in a band. To complete her attire she perched a matching hat with a silver grey feather jauntily on her head. The house was quiet and she silently crept down the staircase across the hall to the front door. Thank goodness, the rain had abated. Quickly she made her way to the Mews to collect her loyal steed Artemis.

  Artemis was a tan thoroughbred hunter that she had brought down from Yorkshire and she had named her suitably after the Greek goddess of the hunt, not that there was much hunting to be done in London. The streets were deserted, there were no footpads out and about at this time in the morning and even the hardened revellers had long since retired to their beds. Felicity’s short trip to the mews was uneventful. Artemis whinnied and nuzzled her nose into Felicity’s neck as she recognised her mistress. ‘Come Artemis,’ she whispered. ‘Are you ready for an adventure? We have some work to do, come girl.’ She quickly saddled the mare and led her into the yard and within minutes, she was galloping out toward Hampstead Heath in the direction of the South Wood.

  Richard had no idea that Felicity had left the house before him and Jeremy Leighton called for him dutifully at 5.30am. Richard was ready, he had managed to grab some rest but had tossed and turned, anxious that he should not oversleep. He dressed himself in a coat of drab grey, which he hoped would blend unobtrusively into the grey of the dawn. He was not going to make himself an easy target for Thorndale to put a bullet through him. He handed the Manton pistols up to Jeremy and climbed up into the phaeton beside him. Jeremy looked uncommonly cheerful and patted his friend on the shoulder. ‘Don’t worry old chap, I spoke to Giles last night. He says that Thorndale rarely shoots to kill.’

  ‘Do you mean he makes a habit of this? I can well believe it but all the same I will be pleased when this morning is over.’

  Jeremy urged the horses on, the carriage moved forward and the two companions made the rest of the journey in uneasy silence.

  Unknown to Richard, Felicity was a good way ahead. She left the London Streets and was in open ground. She needed to find a suitable place to hide where she had a good long view up the lane and to wait for Thorndale to come along in his carriage. She only hoped that he was not on horseback as that would ruin everything but she knew that Richard was travelling in Jeremy’s phaeton and hoped and prayed that Thorndale would choose a similar mode of transport.

  Felicity chose a dense thicket of trees in which to hide and waited. It was fifteen minutes before she could hear the sound of carriage wheels approaching. She looked out into the gloom of the early morning and could just distinguish Richard and Jeremy Leighton bowling along at a stately canter. Artemis was restless with standing still for so long and she whinnied at the approaching sound. Felicity held her by the muzzle and stroked her neck. ‘Quiet girl,’ she whispered comforting the horse. ‘You must not give us away.’

  As always Richard was early, a fact on which she had relied, everything was working to plan, at least to what little plan she had. She quickly retreated behind the thicket until they passed and waited impatiently for Thorndale to arrive. It was a full ten minutes before Thorndale came into view and Felicity was starting to shiver in the early morning cold. The Marquis was seated in a high-perched phaeton and he was driving himself with Giles Kavanagh seated up on the perch beside him. They were ambling along at a sedate trot. Thorndale appeared to be in no hurry having timed his arrival to the minute.

  All Felicity needed to do what gallop towards the phaeton and cause it to overturn, how hard could it be. She could be away before they realised what had hit them and had time to come about. It was a risky strategy but it was all she had. She nimbly manoeuvred Artemis down onto the road, dug in her heels and coaxed the hunter into a speedy gallop, careering towards the approaching phaeton. The pair saw the rider approaching and Thorndale reigned in. ‘I think we have company Giles,’ he said frowning. ‘A strange time of morning for highwaymen, who can it be?’

  Giles was not taking any risks and took out his pistol. ‘I don’t know,’ he replied but I am ready for him whoever he is.’ Giles had his pistol at the ready as the rider got closer. ‘Good God Alex, she is not going to stop.’

  Alex trained his eyes on the tall slim figure, now keenly aware of the female garb and sharply conscious of Giles’s sudden use of the female pronoun. He skilfully manoeuvred his phaeton to the side of the road to allow the Lady to pass but she was heading straight for them and showing no signs of stopping. This was obviously no bridle cull but a Lady whose horse had bolted wildly out of control. What a well-dressed Lady of obvious gentle breeding was doing out at this time in the morning, and so close to Hampstead Heath, he had no idea, but neither had he the time to contemplate for she was upon him. Her horse had come to an abrupt stop and was rearing up causing his own pair of bays to panic and back the rear nearside of the phaeton well and truly into the ditch.

  Gile
s and Alex managed to keep their seat on the high perch but by this time, Artemis was rearing genuinely out of control. Felicity slipped out of the saddle and fell onto the cold damp ground with an unceremonious thump, straight into a puddle, rendering her planned retreat impossible. The two men climbed down off the phaeton. Giles went to the heads of the horses to calm them and Alex went to the assistance of the Lady. He caught Artemis by the reigns and expertly reined her in. He stared down at Felicity with incredulity. ‘You!’ he barked. ‘What the devil...’ He had not words suitable to utter in front of a Lady. ‘Are you hurt?’ he demanded roughly.

  Felicity nodded, she was shaken but seemed unhurt so Thorndale bent down and yanked her unceremoniously to her feet. He held her by the arm so that she was going nowhere and turned to Giles. ‘What is the damage?’

  Giles who had walked around and examined the nearside of the carriage nodded. ‘Nothing broken, everything is in order but if we are to get this damned wheel out of the ditch I shall need some assistance.’

  Felicity looked mutinous. ‘Well you shall get no help from me.’ Thorndale sighed. ‘No madam I think you have done quite enough.’

  ‘I certainly hope so,’ she rejoined with a triumphant smile. Thorndale dropped her arm in frustration and walked over to the nearside of the carriage where Giles was still standing. Giles had already uncoupled the horses and made a few attempts to lift the carriage on his own but to no avail, so Thorndale dropped down into the ditch to add his own weight to the proceedings.

  Felicity eyed her horse out of the corner of her eye. Artemis was peacefully nibbling a piece of succulent fresh grass by the roadside. She considered slipping away when the two men were occupied but decided against it. Her hopes of remaining anonymous were scuppered anyway and perhaps if she stayed, there was still yet time to persuade Thorndale to abandon this ridiculous duel. She began to have hopes that even this would not be necessary. She had succeeded in delaying them considerably, maybe that would be enough and Richard would be long gone by the time they arrived at the rendezvous. To her dismay however, she noticed that the two men had already set the carriage to rights and Giles was now re-coupling the horses.

  Thorndale returned to her side. ‘I suppose your graceless brother has but you up to this trick in the hope of delaying me,’ he snapped sarcastically. Felicity was indignant. ‘He certainly did not! Richard would never do such a thing; he has not a dishonourable bone in his body.’

  Thorndale believed her. He did not know Lealholme well but he had encountered him often enough, and had a fair idea of his character. He was serious and solid unlike his feisty twin sister who stood defiantly before him with steely determination and fire in her flashing violet blue eyes.

  ‘I know what I would do with you if I was your brother,’ he remarked. ‘I would whip the living daylights out of you for such a trick. He might do so yet and you would deserve it.’

  ‘Well you are not my brother,’ she retorted. ‘So you can spare yourself the thought.’

  ‘No I am not,’ he quipped, with a rakish grin. ‘And therefore I can think of much more pleasurable things I can do with you.’ He moved ominously towards her and took her by the arm. Felicity stepped back in alarm, but Giles’s voice intervened. ‘Alex the horses are put too, we will have to spring them if we are to make it in time.’

  Thorndale looked up. ‘Giles, can you take Lady Ellingham’s horse and proceed ahead to let the party know that I am delayed? The Lady will ride in the phaeton with me.’

  Felicity moved to object but Thorndale unceremoniously grabbed her around the waist, threw her effortlessly up into the high-perched seat and climbed up beside her. Giles mounted Artemis and coaxed her back onto the road. To Felicity’s vexation, the faithless creature responded readily to his command and the pair disappeared in a cloud of dust down the lane. To her dismay, she was alone with the rake. Thorndale turned and looked at her as she watched Giles disappear in the distance. ‘You are not very wise my Lady Ellingham. You know my reputation yet you have put yourself in my power. You are fortunate that I have more pressing matters on my mind for I cannot renege on an affair of honour.’

  ‘Not intentionally so, I assure you,’ she replied angrily. ‘And if you were any kind of a man you would not be picking a fight with my brother when your grievance is with me. If you call that honour you are sadly mistaken.’

  He smiled, ‘And what kind of man would you have me? I can assure you that I am also not the kind that would pick a fight with a Lady. It is the way of things madam.’ At that, he sprung his team and Felicity nearly fell back in the seat as the horses jolted forward. She grabbed onto his arm to maintain her balance but quickly released him as he let out a mischievous laugh. ‘I have an appointment madam and despite your interference I do not intend to be late.’

  Felicity had not anticipated that Thorndale would send his second on ahead and knew from that moment that her plan was doomed to failure. She observed to her chagrin that he was an accomplished whip and handled the reins well. She raised her eyes, no doubt a member of the Four Horse Club, ‘typical,’ she thought to herself, ‘a bruising rider as well as a renowned shot.’

  Despite the speed, she could hope for no more accidents. They would arrive at their destination and the duel would take place. She held on to the carriage for dear life and Thorndale had a chance to view her profile. Even at the dawn of day and unadorned with feminine trappings, she was beautiful. Her golden curls had been hurriedly brushed back in a blue band and her skin was like silky cream alabaster, and even though her violet blue eyes looked anxious, she remained quite charmingly attractive. He hated himself for it, but despite her distain, he still desired her for she was like no other woman he had ever met.

  Most of the females he met in the homes and ballrooms of the London ton were like Venus fly traps, out to catch a rich husband in their grasping claws, but this woman beside him wanted nothing to do with him. The knowledge irked him but it only made her more alluring. He wanted her. She was spirited and lively and nothing much seemed to daunt her.

  He wondered what had occurred to give her such a poor opinion of him and made it his resolution to find the underlying cause. It could not be his reputation alone for although he was outspoken and candid, he had not stepped beyond the bounds of decency. If the truth were known his bark was worse than his bite. He enjoyed his reputation however, which in reality was undeserved but he did nothing to refute it. It protected him a little from scheming tabbies that would snare him for their daughters. One thing he knew for certain, the Lady sitting beside him had branded him a thief, and he could not for the life of him fathom why. The accusation had hurt him and all the more so, as he realised with exasperation that he cared about her opinion. He wanted this woman beside him to think well of him and the whole affair had him baffled.

  Thorndale reached his destination only ten minutes late, which under the circumstances was a miracle. Giles had informed Richard of the incident and when they arrived, he stepped forward to the carriage to claim his sister. It had taken all the persuasions of Giles and Jeremy to dissuade him from riding out to meet them, and it was only the knowledge that Thorndale would not back down from an affair of honour that had forced him to agree to remain. He knew that Felicity was safe enough for the moment. Never the less Richard stepped up possessively to claim her from the hands of his adversary. Richard was understandably angry with her and took no pains to hide it as he pulled her roughly down from off the carriage, but that would have to wait. He had more pressing things on his mind.

  Giles and Jeremy marked out the agreed distance of 50 yards and set out the markers. They had both agreed that the longer distance was prudent in the light of the skill of the combatants. They then proceeded to load and inspect the Manton’s to ensure they were identical and informed the principals that the field was ready.

  The proceedings began and the doctor, who had arrived independently, turned his back. Felicity rushed forward toward Richard but Jeremy and Giles pulled h
er back and held her between them. Jeremy put a restraining hand on her arm. ‘There is nothing you can do about it now. It will soon be over.’

  Felicity stood motionless as the combatants strode out their paces to the markers and turned presenting their profiles. They both raised their arms and took aim. Giles dropped the handkerchief and to Felicity’s dismay Richard deloped and fired his pistol into the air. He stood there perfectly still, waiting for the inevitable. She gasped in horror straining against Jeremy’s hold and looked toward Thorndale with beseeching eyes. He had yet to take his shot. His face was grim and his concentration absolute and she knew that Richard was done for. She closed her eyes as Thorndale took careful aim and fired. She hardly dared to open them but when she did, both combatants were still standing. Tears of relief sprung to her eyes and she turned to Jeremy. ‘What happened?’ she asked incredulously. Jeremy smiled. ‘Thorndale missed,’ he informed her. ‘If I did not know the man I would swear it was deliberate.’

  He let Felicity go and she ran towards Richard and arrived at his side at the same time as Thorndale. ‘I have never been so frightened in my life. You deloped Richard, why?’ Richard was grim. ‘Because you are in the wrong Flick, Alex Sheraton is no more a thief than you or I. I am not going to shoot an innocent man.’

  ‘But you could have been killed!’ she cried out unbelievably.

  Thorndale gave an appreciative nod at the acknowledgement. Richard looked him in the eyes. ‘You deliberately missed sir, may I ask why?’

  Thorndale just shrugged. ‘I must be having a bad day.’ He was not ready to admit that he had deliberately missed but everyone present knew it to be so. If he could hit a wafer at thirty yards, he was not going to miss Richard at fifty.

  Thorndale was abrupt. ‘Lealholme I must request your presence and that of your sister at my home in Green Street at midday. I wish to know what Lady Ellingham is about.’ Richard nodded. ‘We shall be pleased to attend sir for indeed I need to get to the bottom of this affair myself.’ What is more, although he did not say it, he believed that Thorndale might just hold the key to the final piece of the puzzle.