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

by Rochester, Miriam

  Felicity crept down to the stables to saddle Artemis, all was quiet in the stable yard and Artemis whinnied in greeting of her mistress. ‘Shhh lass.’ Felicity admonished as she stroked her nose, I am sorry my beauty but once again I must trouble you so early in the morning. We have a long ride ahead of us but together we can do it. I know you will not let me down.’ She quickly saddled the horse and led her into the stable yard and before she knew it, she was heading out for the road in the direction of home.

  That morning Sarah came into her mistresses’ room to wake her with her usual cup of hot chocolate only to find her bed empty. At home, Flick was well known for going for an early morning ride but here at Stansfield Park, she had never done so and Sarah had the uneasy feeling that something was not quite right. She hurried along the corridor to wake the Countess who was equally puzzled and after a quick search downstairs and in the kitchens The Countess decided it was time to inform Richard. Richard was not too concerned thinking that Felicity had gone for a ride and hobbled to the stables to check the horses. He was not surprised to find that Artemis was missing from her stall and somewhat annoyed that Felicity would take herself off without having told anyone. He stormed back to the house promising that he would give Felicity a good ear bending when she returned. He had no doubt she would be back in time for breakfast.

  It was not until Alex arrived downstairs that the family became really concerned. Alex called Richard to the library to inform him of their argument the night before and he suspected that her disappearance might somehow be connected. He refused to divulge the nature of the argument but told Richard that Felicity had taken it very badly and had stormed off in a temper. Richard was understandably angry. ‘For the love of God, what did you say to her Alex, you should know her well enough by now to realise that she could go off and do something rash?’

  Alex looked somewhat abashed but was spared from answering, for they were disturbed by a knock on the door. Sarah entered, curtsied and handed Richard a note. ‘Your Lordship I have just found this note swept partially under the bed. I am really sorry but it must have fallen on the floor so I did not notice it straight away.’ Sarah tactfully left and Richard read the note. It was pitifully short but at least Richard now knew where Felicity had gone. He handed the note to Alex. ‘Would you care to explain yourself? Read that, she obviously feels that she has outstayed her welcome.’

  Alex raised his eyes and cursed to himself and was taken by surprise as Richard threw a well-aimed punch at is Jaw. Alex balled his fists in anger but then relaxed them again, ‘I will not retaliate for I deserved that but I would advise you not to do it again,’ he muttered, rubbing his jaw to alleviate the pain. ‘We will not resolve anything by standing here fighting. I suggest we follow hot on her trail for I suspect she will already have had a good few hours head start and anything can happen to her on the road. Do you know what route she would take?’

  Richard calmed down, knowing he could not completely blame Alex and gave it some thought. Would she take the Great North Road or meet up with the Ripon Road from Harrogate? Felicity could have taken either one of them and there was really no way of guessing which route she would decide on. ‘I have no idea,’ he replied, ‘but I am inclined to believe that the Great North Road would be the better option.’ He ran his finger through is dark blonde hair in frustration and swore aloud, ‘and when I catch up with her I will have her hide. This latest antic goes beyond the bounds of enough.’

  Alex nodded sympathetically but being painfully aware of his own behaviour the night before, he could not really blame Felicity for bolting. He had been extremely angry but had regretted it the moment he had witnessed the look on her plucky but terrified face. She had looked guilty and ashamed, but much worse despite her bravado and gutsy spirit, he had frightened her and the whole affair was completely his fault. ‘There is only one thing for it.’ Alex replied, ‘you take the Great North Road and I will take the other route. That way one of us should catch up with her. She has had a good head start so it is possible we will be nearer to Lealholme Manor when we catch up and probably it will be wiser to continue the journey to your home rather than returning here. Come we cannot waste any more time we must prepare to be on our way.’

  Richard offered Alex his thanks, ‘I only hope that she is alright and does not run into any trouble. The journey may only be forty miles but she probably just thinks it is like going on a picnic. The daylight hours are short and the weather is unpredictable and goodness knows what she will meet on the road.’

  Within twenty minutes, the two men were mounted on their horses and ready to leave. Lady Ellingham waved them off looking very pale and Lady Stansfield put an arm around her shoulders and led her back into the house. Unlike Felicity, Alex and Richard were slightly better prepared with sturdy pistols, waterproof clothing and victuals from the kitchen, which upon instructions from the Dowager, the kitchen maid had hurriedly packed for them. They stopped at the crossroads beyond the park where they were due to part and Alex grasped Richard’s hand. ‘Do not worry my friend; we will all be at Lealholme Park tonight in time for supper.’

  Richard gave a weary smile, ‘I certainly hope so,’ he replied, ‘She is a nightmare but she is my twin sister and life would be very dull without her. If anything happened to her, part of me would fade away and die. And by the way Alex if you are the one to find her, I will trust you.’

  The two men said there farewells, Alex needing no translation of Richard’s last comment. Alex prodded his horse into a gallop as he made his way towards the Ripon road and Richard turned toward the Great North Road that would take him up through Boroughbridge.

  Chapter 18

  Felicity has an Eventful Journey

  By the time Alex and Richard left Stansfield Park, Felicity had already reached Ripon but not without incident. The first encounter with trouble was at the Killinghall Pike. At the sound of horse’s hooves, the tollgate keeper ran out to greet the traveller. He was somewhat surprised to see an attractive Lady riding astride a beautiful tan hunter, dressed in an azure blue, frogged riding habit and a matching feathered hat. He eyed her up curiously and stroked his stubbly chin. She was a pretty piece for sure, decidedly a lady and as such she should have been safely tucked up in bed at home. Felicity waited upon him but as he appeared in no hurry to open the gate, she issued her order. ‘To the gate man if you please!’

  ‘Well I am not sure about that Miss,’ he deliberated, eying her up curiously. ‘Are ye travelling on yer own?’

  ‘As you see,’ she replied imperiously. She was struggling to control Artemis who was restless and straining at the bit. ‘Now if you will kindly let me through!’

  ‘Now that would be costin yer 6d Miss but I am not really so sure I shud be lettin yer through. It don’t look quite right to me, yer travelling up that there road all by yersel and unescorted like.’

  ‘It is hardly your decision to make sir and as far as the toll is concerned, I am sure this Pike is the first on the Road South to Dudley Hill and I should not need to pay you to be going in the opposite direction!’

  ‘A right corky one we have here I see,’ he replied impudently.’ Yer might be havin me there pet but there is no use getting on yer high ropes with me.’ He gave the matter some thought and gave a huge grin, ‘Mebbees I cud be letting yer through for a kiss if yer like.’ He reached up to grab her but Felicity was quick and kicked the toll man square in the chest with her foot. ‘And maybe I should be reporting you to the turnpike trust,’ she retorted, backing up her horse as far as she could. She eyed the gate; her beloved Artemis had jumped hedges that were higher. With one intake of breath, she made a run and before the tollgate keeper had risen to his feet, Felicity had cleared the gate in one graceful leap. She galloped on and only dared to look back when she knew herself to be at a safe distance. She only hoped that this was not the start of what had the making of a very tedious journey.

  She reached Ripon however without further incident. She rode up to the o
belisk in the town square under the disapproving eyes of early female shoppers and the curious gaze of the men who were out. Felicity dismounted and looked around her, she had come 12 miles from Harrogate and both she and her mare were in need of refreshments and a well-earned rest. She led her horse across the square to the Unicorn Inn where a young Ostler ran out to meet her. He could have been no more than seventeen and was dressed in the distinctive emblazoned livery of the establishment. The Ostler looked past her, as if expecting her to be followed by her escort but when no one else arrived, he looked at her suspiciously. ‘Can I help you ma’am,’ he asked, somewhat judgementally.

  Felicity ignored the slight in his voice and dismounted, ‘Some water and feed for my horse if you please,’ she replied firmly reaching into her reticule. ‘I shall return for her in an hour.’ She handed the ostler a crown, ‘here is something for yourself for your trouble.’

  The Ostler looked at the coin in his hand; no one had ever tipped him a bull’s eye before. He forgot his disapproval and gave her a wide toothy grin. ‘Leave her with me Miss; she will be alright in my hands. I will take care of her personally I will.’ With the coin safely tucked in his pocket, he walked Artemis to the stables, leaving Felicity to let out a sigh of relief. She watched after them as they retired to the stalls. She was in a dilemma, if that was the reception she received in the stable yard, she doubted a very much warmer welcome in the Inn. The Innkeeper may not be so easy to bribe with a crown and she had to admit that with her dusty habit and rather dishevelled appearance, she must have looked decidedly odd.

  She looked down at her dusty blue riding habit and began to realise that her feminine garb was nothing but a hindrance. If only she had brought along Harry’s clothes, but it was no use repining over something she could do nothing about. She walked into the market square with its varied shops and still under watchful eyes; she made her way through the square. At least she had the forethought of providing herself with plenty of money. Ripon was just a small market town and she stood out so obviously as a stranger. The fact that she was on her own won her no favours and she felt uncomfortable.

  She came upon a general store where she saw clothing of all sorts displayed in the window. Felicity stood for a long time perusing as if making a decision, and then gingerly made her way into the shop. Fifteen minutes later she came out of the premises wearing a pair of mans’ riding breeches, a shirt, a waistcoat, a riding cape and a tricorn hat. Her blue riding habit and feathered hat were wrapped in a brown paper package under her arm. The shop assistant was quite taken back when Felicity asked him if he had somewhere she could try them on, but led her to the back of the shop where there was a small changing room. As Felicity left the shop he stood there open mouthed not quite believing his eyes and clucking in disapproval. He had worked there for 10 years and had never seen anything like it.

  Felicity by now was feeling hungry and knew that she would need something to eat. The square was by now full of morning shoppers and the warm smell of freshly baked bread led her to a small bakery, where she purchased some hot rolls and an apple pie. It was hardly good etiquette to consume them on the street, so she put them in her bag in order to eat them later on the road. After all, she found no need to draw any more attention to herself than was necessary. However, Felicity found that in her new garb she hardly drew a glance, just the polite nod of residents acknowledging a stranger. All that was left to do now was while away a little time so that her horse could have a sufficient rest before she went on her way.

  She returned to the Unicorn to collect Artemis prompt on the hour but the young Ostler, not immediately recognising her stood there stubbornly. At first he started to refuse her, telling her in no uncertain terms that the hunter belonged to a Lady and he was not going to hand her over to just anyone. ‘The young Miss gave me a bulls eye she did, and I promised to look after her mare good and proper, and I am not going to hand her over to no stranger.’

  Felicity gave him her most disarming smile, ‘you are very vigilant young man and I thank you for it but I am the young Lady, only I have changed my clothing, you see.’

  The Ostler looked at her closely. It took a moment for his eyes to focus properly on her face and he stood there in disbelief with his mouth wide open. ‘Well so you are,’ he managed to utter. ‘Well I never.’

  Felicity left the Inn not only under the incredulous eye of the Ostler but also of those of his colleagues who had spilled into the yard to see the Lady for themselves for they had not believed young Jimmy when he had told them. As it was Felicity was pleased to be leaving Ripon. It had not been a comfortable experience and she cursed the fact that even here in a small provincial country town, she could not enter as a female on her own without raising a few eyebrows. Oh how she longed to be back in her own market town of Richmond where her freedom was relative but being known in the community at least she had a little.

  Richard could not have known that he was on a wild goose chase up the Great North Road as he made his way toward Boroughbridge. Alex on the other hand had reached the Killinghall Pike where he had the first indication that Felicity had indeed travelled this way. Felicity was two miles out of Ripon and sitting on a huge boulder eating the rolls she had bought from the bakery when Alex enquired of the Killinghall Pike man. ‘Has a young Lady in a blue riding habit passed this way?’

  ‘Aye that she has,’ he confirmed, ‘I thought it was funny at the time but I had no choice but to let her through.’ He was not going to admit that the chit had got the better of him. ‘Run away then has she?’

  Alex ignored his enquiry, ‘How long ago since you saw her?’

  The pike man rubbed his chin in contemplation. ‘I’d say nearly three hours ago.’ He grinned, ‘you have some riding to do if you are to catch up with her because I can tell you now, she galloped down that there road like a cat out of hell she did.’

  Alex cursed. It was as he had expected. Felicity must have left at the first light of dawn and was certainly wasting no time. He thanked the pike man, tipped him and proceeded on his way. Unlike Felicity who for the sake of Artemis was taking her time, Alex was pushing hard, intent on changing his horse every ten miles and had gained an hour on her by the time he had reached Ripon. He pulled into the Unicorn to change his horse. An Ostler ran out to meet him. ‘Has a young Lady been this way,’ he enquired as he jumped down out of the saddle. The Ostler looked at him expressively. ‘Hold on a minute I will go and fetch Jimmy, he’ll be able to help yer.’

  He returned with Jimmy who greeted Alex with a friendly nod. ‘A young Lady passed this way two hours ago sir, a pretty lady with golden blonde hair, if she be the Lady you are enquiring about.’

  ‘Was she wearing a blue habit and a feathered hat?’

  Jimmy gave an affable grin, ‘Aye that she was, but she was not wearing that when she left sir.’

  Alex gave a quirk of an eyebrow, ‘No? What was she wearing then?’

  Jimmy hesitated. ‘She had on a pair of breeches, a grey cape and a gentleman’s tricorn hat sir. I hardly recognised her. Wasn’t going to give the Lady her horse at first, but it was her alright. A proper top of the trees Lady if yer don’t mind me saying so.’

  ‘Thank you Jimmy,’ Alex replied. He handed Jimmy his horse. Look after my horse for me until I can send someone to collect him. I need to hire a fresh horse. Have one saddled and ready to go in ten minutes. And I am in a hurry Jimmy so do not saddle me up a slug.’

  ‘Aye sir.’ Jimmy enthused believing himself to be aiding in the reconciliation of a pair of lovers. ‘I will saddle up Victory for you sir, best horse in the stables he is. He won’t let you down.’

  Alex left Jimmy a half crown and walked into the Inn for a glass of ale and a snack, fortifying himself for his continuing journey.

  Felicity was two hours ahead ambling at a leisurely pace ignorant of the relentless push Alex was making behind her. If Richard were fool enough to follow her, he would most likely take the Great North Road. She was certainly not
worried about Alex. Last night he had made it very clear what her thought of her and she did not for one moment, think that he would venture in her wake. All Felicity had to beat was the diminishing daylight, or so she thought but as she looked up she realised that there was the possible complication of the deteriorating weather. Dark clouds had started to gather and she only hoped that the rain would keep off. She had felt a few drops of rain on her cheek but so far it had not lived up to its promise.

  By now, she was perhaps 3 miles south of Masham, a market town famous for its annual sheep fairs. It was a town she was familiar with; its square surrounded by its beautiful Georgian houses and St Mary’s church with is striking stained glass windows. Being approximately 15 miles from home, she had visited it and the nearby Jervaulx Abbey with her parents four years previously and the memory gave her the comfortable feeling of being much closer to home. She was making good progress and the decision to change her clothing had been a good one. Fellow travellers on the road, although few at this time of year had waved a cheery acknowledgement or tipped their hats as they passed by. She had received none of the condemning stares that she had endured at Ripon.

  Felicity had just passed the Marmion Tower with its beautiful oriel window when she came upon a huge flock of sheep blocking the road. Farmers were bringing them to safer pastures ready for the onset of winter. There were hundreds of them vying for space as they walked down the road trying to climb on each other backs and making a general racket as they went. And the flies were everywhere. Felicity could hardly believe how many flies could have survived the cold of November but the insufferable insects buzzed around her making their presence detestably felt. Felicity could not get around the flock and approached the farmer bringing up the rear. ‘Where are you going,’ she asked impatiently, ‘is there no way around you.’ The farm hand looked apologetic, ‘Sorry sir, he replied, ‘we are heading to pastures just this side of Masham; you will just have to be patient.’