'Drink this, and you'll feel better,' Amanda said, and handed Gerard one of the tankards. He held it to Fanny's lips, and after a while, when she grew calmer, she sipped at it.
'Where is he? Oh!'
John had collapsed, apparently unable to rise, and Lucien, rubbing his hands, was looking about for something to use to tie him. Amanda had been looking round, and silently pointed to a heap of thin rope which had been lying beneath Fanny's gown.
Lucien nodded his thanks, and made swift work of securing John's hands behind his back.
John's nose was bleeding copiously, and one eye was closed. Leaving him sprawled on the ground, groaning, Lucien came across to Fanny, and Gerard gave way so that he could sit beside her.
'I brought a cloak,' he said. 'Gerard, will you fetch it? We can wrap her up in that. My poor darling, you're shivering. Are you cold? Amanda, if there's any more wood can you toss it on the fire?'
Amanda did so, then looked at John.
'What are we going to do with him?' she asked. 'His nose is still bleeding, and that old scar on his ribs has started to bleed as well. I suspect you've broken a couple of his ribs too. Can't we cover him up? He looks so repulsive.'
'We could hand him in to the constable. But I'd prefer to make sure he is taken to the gaol in Shrewsbury. We can use the gig in the yard. I suppose we'd better tidy him up.'
At that moment Gerard came back, and Lucien tenderly wrapped the cloak round Fanny's shoulders.
'Please, can I lie down?' she asked. 'I feel so faint.'
Lucien helped her lie down, then suggested to Gerard they should for decency pull on John's breeches. Afterwards they secured his legs.
'I'm going to rub down the horses and put them in the stables. Ought we to do something about these cuts?' Gerard asked.
Lucien nodded. 'If the horse is capable after a rest I want to drive him to Shrewsbury in that cart as soon as possible. I think it would be best if I get Jenny to come and see to his wounds. She was John's wet nurse, and she knows me. She's always been a nurse to the villagers, and I hope she still lives in the cottage my uncle gave her.'
'I'll manage.' It was John, the first words he had spoken since they found him. 'I don't want Jenny.'
'You'll have her. Amanda, will you be all right if we leave you? You can have one of my pistols, and shoot him if he so much as stirs.'
'I hope he does stir! It would give me the greatest pleasure to shoot him where it will hurt most!'
Lucien gave her a brief smile and followed Gerard from the room. Fanny lay with her eyes closed, still convulsively sobbing. Amanda picked up one of the pistols and aimed it at John. He shrank away from her.
'For pity's sake, woman, don't point that thing at me! Women aren't to be trusted with guns!'
'What a pity. Then no one could blame me if I shoot you through the heart. But I'll aim lower, as I prefer to see you suffer for longer, and swing on the end of a rope.'
He was silent. It seemed like hours but was probably no more than a few minutes before Gerard came back, saying none of the horses seemed to have taken any harm, and he had given them all water and hay. He would give them a more thorough rubbing down later. Fortunately it was warm and they would take no harm. There were no rugs in the tack room.
'I think Fanny is lying on them.'
At that moment they heard voices, and Lucien came into the room, ushering in an elderly woman who was panting from having to climb the stairs.
She took a deep breath, and looked across at Fanny lying in a corner of the room.
'What's my John been doing?' she asked when she could speak.
Fanny looked up at her.
'He's been trying to force me to marry him, for my money,' she said, sounding much calmer now.
Jenny nodded, and moved across to where John lay.
'Let's be seeing what ye've done?' she said, and knelt down to look at the scar which was oozing blood. Then she sat back on her heels and looked up at Lucien, her eyes suddenly filled with tears.
'What is it?' Lucien said.
'This isn't John,' Jenny whispered. 'It's my Silas. My son. I'd know him anywhere by that scar. He had it as a lad, and it never healed properly. Oh, Silas, what have you been doing?'
*
CHAPTER 13
It was the dinner hour by the time everyone was back at Dean House. Fanny had insisted she was well enough to ride, and Amanda, saying she had often ridden astride, took Lucien's horse while Fanny had her gentler mare. Lucien drove the cart, and after he left the others at Dean House he went on into Shrewsbury to hand Silas, as they now knew him to be, into custody there, where he was soon put into the County Gaol.
Lady Charlotte was feeling much better, and when Lucien joined them she was in the drawing room. Fanny had been put to bed, but refused to see a doctor. Dinner had been put back, so that, Lady Charlotte said, they could satisfy their curiosity as soon as possible without the servants being present.
'Well, come and tell us all about it,' Lady Charlotte said. 'Did that wretch tell you anything?'
Lucien sat down, nodding, and accepted a glass of sherry Jehro poured for him.
'He was complaining all the way to Shrewsbury. He said John had died in India, but he would not give me details, apart from saying he had been shot by some villagers as they were riding towards the port on their way home. As they were so alike, and had been away for twenty years, he was confident he could safely impersonate John. He hadn't been to see his mother, afraid she would have known him, so it was his misfortune I fetched her to see to his new wounds. What seemed to offend him most was that there was no money left for him, and the Priory was in such a state. That was why he was so desperate to marry Fanny, for her dowry.'
'I suppose you realise that you are now the Earl,' Jethro said.
Lucien looked at him, and blinked.
'No, I have been too preoccupied to think about that. Confound it! That is the last thing I need, all that mess to sort out.'
'You had better see Mr Sopwith tomorrow. Unless John left a will, which is doubtful, and if it was in India no doubt Silas would have destroyed it, you will inherit what is left. Shall I ask him to come here, or would you prefer to go to Ludlow?
'Ask him here, then we can tell him all that happened today. I suppose he will be involved with Silas too.'
'What will happen to him?' Amanda asked. 'Will they hang him?'
'He'll be transported, for life, I trust,' Gerard said. 'Maybe two years on the hulks first. I understand they are full of vermin and disease. He'll be fortunate to survive them and the journey.'
'I hope he doesn't! He's caused such a lot of misery!'
Gerard grinned at her.
'You are a bloodthirsty woman, Miss Escott. Oh dear, if your brother is now the Earl, do you have a title too?'
'I have no idea, but I prefer to be called Amanda. My father wasn't the Earl.'
'I feel sorry for Jenny,' Lady Charlotte said. 'She hears nothing from him for years, then he doesn't bother to visit her when he does come home, and she suddenly discovers he has kidnapped poor Fanny. She always knew he was a villain, with his gambling, but this is much worse. She had only half an hour with him. I think, Jethro, I will go and see her tomorrow. Now, my dears, it is time we had dinner.'
'I'd like to see Fanny, for just a moment, first,' Lucien said.
'Not tonight, Lucien. I gave her a dose of laudanum, she will be asleep,' his aunt told him.
*
Fanny had told them as they rode back to Dean House how Silas had captured her, tied her up, and taken her to the Priory. She had said nothing of what had happened once they arrived, except to say she must have fainted, and recovered her senses to find herself naked.
'I was so relieved to see you!' she said, and began to weep softly.
'Leave her alone,' Amanda said. 'She doesn't want to have to answer your questions!'
Lady Charlotte had agreed with her, taking Fanny upstairs the moment they arrived.
After di
nner, when he had been able to do no more than toy with his food, Lucien had excused himself and instead of joining the rest of the family in the drawing room he went to his own room. Half an hour later Jethro knocked on the door and came in, carrying a decanter of brandy and two glasses. Lucien, who was sitting in front of the empty fireplace, his cravat torn loose and hanging down over his waistcoat, waved them away.
'Getting drunk doesn't help.'
'I won't give you enough to get you drunk,' Jethro said, and poured out the brandy. He gave one glass to Lucien, took a second for himself, and pulled up a chair to sit opposite him. 'Was she raped?' he asked abruptly.
Lucien looked up at him, and swallowed the brandy in one gulp. Jethro calmly refilled the glass.
'I don't know, and I could not ask her! He was sprawled on top of her when we arrived, but whether we were in time I don't know.'
'Your Aunt Charlotte will ask her, and she will be tactful. Does it matter to you?'
'Of course not, if you mean would I refuse to marry her. It was in no way her fault. I am just so angry I had the utmost difficulty not to strangle the man while I had him in my power.'
'And if she was, and is pregnant, how would that affect you?'
Lucien groaned. 'It's my worst nightmare. But I would still marry her, and when she had the child it would be her decision whether to keep it. But if it were a boy? Could I endure to bring up one of Silas's get to inherit the earldom after all?'
'You are jumping ahead and not thinking straight. We need to know how far he went first. But it would be better not to marry her if she is carrying his child. She could stay here, in mourning for her mother for a year, and no one would know the truth. We can trust our servants not to gossip on pain of dismissal, and you can be wed in a year. You are both young, a delay will not be a disaster. But I would urge her to put the child in a good home, boy or girl. It would always be a reminder to you both. We can find a suitable family, away from Shropshire, and you can forget.'
Lucien gave him a weary smile, and sipped at the brandy.
'I'd never forget, neither would Fanny. But you are right, I am finding difficulties before we know the full facts. Please tell my aunt how grateful I am for her help and sympathy.'
*
No one slept well that night, apart from Fanny under the influence of laudanum. They were all reliving the horrors of the day. Amanda gave up soon after it was light, dressed in an old gown and went out into the gardens. She was in the rose garden, aimlessly plucking roses, when Gerard found her.
'Amanda, you were so brave, chasing after that monster on your own.'
'Fanny's my friend. What else could I do? Oh, Gerard, I've been thinking all night how terrible it must have been for her, how frightening to be alone and in that devil's clutches!'
He sighed and plucked one of the roses, then held it up to his face and inhaled.
'It has made me realise how unpredictable life is. First my mother's death, now this. If you hadn't seen him take her, and followed, and sent us that message, I dread to think what she would have suffered. It could have been hours before she was missed, far too late for her. I expect he thought she would be thankful to marry him – afterwards! He would expect Lucien to disown her – '
'My brother would never do anything so dishonourable! He gave his word, and whatever happened he would not reject her!'
Gerard gave a slight smile and shook his head.
'I know. He told me, while we were drinking port after dinner, that it made no difference to him, he would still marry her.'
'Of course he would.'
'It has made me consider my own behaviour. Amanda, if you still wish to marry me, I would be pleased and honoured.'
Amanda stared at him, for once speechless. He laughed nervously.
'If you have changed your mind because I was so ungracious, I quite understand. It would serve me right. But I want you to know that I have loved you since I first saw you. It was the difference in our social standing that prevented me from making you an offer. It is still a great difference, but if you can ignore it – '
'Oh, for goodness sake stop talking such nonsense, and kiss me! Do you really mean it? '
He gave a sudden smile and held out the rose towards her. She flung down the ones she had picked, then they moved together and she was clasped in his arms, the rose he had plucked forgotten and falling to the ground. Amanda sniffed.
'How can I be so happy when poor Fanny had that dreadful experience? But I do love you, and I was going to propose to you again while we were here. Now I don't need to! Will you need to wait a year because of your mother's death?'
'I daren't let you go now. If you can accept a quiet wedding, perhaps from this house, I want you to be my wife as soon as possible.'
*
Lady Charlotte went up to Fanny's room soon after Prue had taken the breakfast tray up to her. She found Fanny sitting up in bed, having eaten and drunk nothing.
'Come, child, have a cup of tea at least.'
She poured out the tea and held the cup towards Fanny, who sighed and took it, sipping slowly.
'You've had nothing to eat since breakfast yesterday, so you need something now. Have a slice of bread and butter. Cook had sliced it especially thinly for you. She will be hurt if you send it back.'
Fanny smiled wanly, took the slice and began to nibble.
'Thank you, Lady Charlotte.'
'Prue says you are bruised all over, you poor child. I will send some soothing balm that will ease the worst of it.'
She caught the teacup as Fanny began to weep, and put it down on the table beside the bed. Then she took Fanny into her arms and hugged her.
'There, my love, it was a terrible ordeal, but it's all over now, and you'll never have to see that devil again. He'll soon be on his way to the other side of the world.'
Fanny gave a great sob, and then the words came pouring out of her.
'I was so terrified, but I can't recall all of it! I hit my head, I think, and fainted. I remember coming to, and all I could see was this naked man, and then he was coming towards me, and he fell on top of me, and I fainted again. The next thing I knew was a great deal of noise, and Amanda was there, and Gerard. Oh, I was so very glad to see them!'
Lady Charlotte let her sob, persuaded her to drink more tea and eat the bread and butter, and then very gently asked her to describe what she remembered. She found it a difficult task. Fanny's mother had clearly never spoken to her about sex, the child had no notion of what it entailed, and could not comprehend what rape was. When she finally understood she was horrified.
'You mean that dreadful man did that to me? While I was unconscious?'
'Well, perhaps he did not. Amanda and the others may have arrived in time to prevent it.'
She asked some more intimate questions, and was convinced Fanny had not suffered the final indignity. She tried to reassure the girl, but Fanny was appalled, and said she was too embarrassed to face the others.
'They – they will be wondering what happened.'
'You are still very shaken and bruised, you shall stay in bed today, but can I send Amanda up to keep you company?'
'I don't want to see anyone!' Fanny said, beginning to shake.
Lady Charlotte put her arms about the girl and gentled her as she would a young child.
'You owe your rescue to her, and she would like to see you, so can you see her for just a few minutes?' she asked when Fanny's trembling ceased.
'I suppose I must, but please, you won't tell her about – what we have been saying?'
'Of course not. Now, what about Lucien? He is very concerned about you.'
Fanny would not be persuaded, and Lady Charlotte went thoughtfully downstairs. She sent Prue up with the soothing balm, and told Amanda she could see Fanny later. Then she took Lucien out into the garden, saying she wanted to talk to him.
*
She told him bluntly about her talk with Fanny.
'The child is as ignorant as I suppose m
ost girls will be on their wedding night, but I am sure she was not raped, so you need not fear a cuckoo in your nest. She was badly shocked, however. I doubt she had ever been naked in front of anyone but her maid since she was a baby. To be discovered in such a state by you and her brother, as well as Amanda, must have been a devastating experience. You will have to be especially patient with her.'
'What the devil should I do without you and Jethro?' Lucien asked. 'Of course I will be patient. When may I see her?
'Tonight, I think. She has to face up to seeing you, knowing how you found her. I won't permit Amanda to see her first. Were you aware she and Gerard plan to marry? Apparently, from what he has told me, he resisted because of being a Cit, but has now come to realise that does not matter a scrap.'
'He told me, asked my permission. As though I could prevent Amanda from doing anything she wanted. I'm glad, he's a good man, and if Amanda loves him, as she apparently does to the exclusion of everyone else, it will be a successful marriage.'
'I think so too. So you will give her your blessing?'
'Of course I want to see her happy.'
He waited impatiently until after dinner, when his aunt told him Fanny was ready to see him. She was sitting in a chair beside a fire in her bedroom. It was not cold, no fire was necessary, but it made the room cheerful. He pulled up a stool and sat beside her.
'How are you feeling?'
'Not so sore,' she said quietly. 'Your aunt provided a most effective ointment that has eased my bruises. But Lucien, I wanted to see you, to tell you – '
She hesitated, unable to go on, and he took her hand in his own. He had not dared touch her before.
'What is it, my love?'
She took a great gasp, and hurried into speech.
'Lucien, after what has happened, I can't marry you. I am so ashamed.'
He had been afraid of this.
'My love, nothing has happened to make me any less determined to marry you. You have no reason to feel ashamed.'
'You are being kind, and noble, but that man – I can't say his name – he defiled me. Your aunt explained, and I know he did not – ' she paused, took a deep breath, and went on 'rape me, but he almost did. After that, how can you contemplate a life with me? Every time you looked at me you would remember. So would I. It would be intolerable.'
Earl from India Page 15
