The Mistletoe Seller

by Dilly Court

  Despite her worries, the warmth and comfort of the padded leather squabs was gently lulling her off to sleep when the carriage lurched suddenly and she opened her eyes with a start. The horses had slowed from a spanking trot to a walk, but the vehicle was swaying and creaking ominously. Something was wrong and Angel leaned forward to peer out of the window. It was dark now but she could see the flickering light of flambeaux and the outline of a large house at the end of a long carriage sweep. As the barouche came to a halt it took her a few seconds to realise that they had stopped outside the gates of Grantley Park. She opened the door without waiting for the coachman to alight from the box.

  ‘What happened?’

  Trubshawe was puffing with exertion as he hurried to put down the steps and hand her to the ground. ‘We hit something, miss. It’s too dark to see properly, but it looks as if someone has put a boulder on the road, deliberate like. I think we broke an axle, but luckily we’re outside Grantley. I’ve heard that Russell and a couple of the grooms are still there.’

  ‘They are,’ Angel said thoughtfully. ‘Who would do a thing like this?’

  ‘I dunno, miss. But it’s going to take some time to fix. We’d best get you to the house so that you can have shelter for the night.’

  ‘But there’s no one there. It’s closed while the wrangling over the estate goes on.’

  Trubshawe glanced over his shoulder. ‘There’s lights outside as if they was expecting guests, so someone must be at home. Maybe it would be best if you stay here until I find out who’s there, miss. We’ve all heard about Grantley’s troubles and it might be someone up to no good.’

  Angel could think of only one person who might have gained access to the house. Hector would know nothing of the events that had led to the abandonment of his home. No one had heard from him since his last letter, which had arrived in the middle of September. It had not been clear when he would be free to travel home, but he had hoped it would be soon. The thought that he might be there at this moment, wondering where everyone had gone, put everything else from Angel’s mind.

  ‘Robbers would hardly advertise their presence with flaming torches. I’m coming with you, Trubshawe.’

  Despite his protests she kept pace with him as he marched up the drive towards the house. She stopped at the bottom of the stone steps. The flickering flames added to the feeling of expectancy – perhaps Hector had wanted the whole neighbourhood to know of his return.

  ‘Let me find out who’s there, please, miss.’ Trubshawe stood at her side, looming over her like a guardian angel in a caped greatcoat.

  She was touched by his concern, but she wanted to be the first face that Hector saw and the first person to welcome him home. ‘It’s all right, Trubshawe. Go and get help, I’ll be quite safe.’ She waited until he had stomped off in the direction of the stables and her feet barely touched the ground as she raced up the steps to hammer on the door.

  The sound of approaching footsteps made her pulse race even quicker as she waited, hardly daring to breathe. The hinges squealed as the door was wrenched open and Angel was momentarily blinded by the glare from a lamp held close to her face. A hand shot out and she was dragged over the threshold, and the door slammed shut.

  ‘You think you’re so clever, don’t you?’ Galloway’s voice was unmistakable and, judging by the odour he exuded, he had been drinking and was sweating copiously. ‘You can’t get the better of me, Angel Winter. I’m far too clever for you.’

  She wrenched her arm free and flung herself at the door, but it was locked and he held the key in his free hand, laughing and waving it drunkenly in her face. ‘You won’t get away that easily, my pet.’

  ‘Let me go. You can’t keep me here against my will. Trubshawe will come back for me, and Russell, too.’

  He held the lamp high above her head, staring at her with a grim smile. ‘They’ll be too busy fixing the carriage. As far as Russell is concerned I’m your lawyer and I’ve come here to help you.’

  She leaned against the door, taking comfort from the solid feel of the ancient oak panels. Grantley would protect her, no matter what Galloway said or did. This was her home and she knew every nook and cranny of the old house. It would be impossible for him to keep her prisoner. ‘You put that rock on the road, didn’t you?’ she said boldly. ‘How did you know I would be in the carriage?’

  ‘I’ve had you followed. I know that you left Naked Boy Court and walked to Hackney; then that poor besotted gardener’s boy took you to Westwood Hall. My man came here hotfoot to tell me that you were stupid enough to insist on travelling back to London tonight, so the rest was easy.’

  ‘I might not have come to the house. What would you have done then?’

  ‘What choice did you have, darling? You could hardly spend the night in the carriage and I knew that curiosity would get the better of you. You’re so much like your mother that you could be Jane returned from the grave.’

  ‘I’m not my mother, but for her sake, and if you really loved her, let me go. I’ve done nothing to you.’ She held up her hand as he opened his mouth to argue. ‘Don’t go through all that again. How could an innocent child be responsible for your failure as a man?’ She braced herself as he raised his fist, but the blow never fell, and he dropped his hand to his side.

  ‘You’re a little bitch, but you won’t be so full of yourself when I’ve finished with you.’

  The vicious look on his face and the tone of his voice scared her, but she was determined not to let him see she was afraid. ‘You’ll have to let me go. They’ll come looking for me as soon as they realise I’m missing. Russell and his wife will know that something is wrong if you keep me locked up here.’

  Galloway’s derisive laugh echoed off the wainscoting, coming back again and again like a ghostly chorus. ‘I’ve thought of that, darling. As far as Russell and that stupid wife of his are concerned I’ve come to save Grantley, and you’ll be in good hands.’

  ‘Trubshawe will return to Westwood and tell Sir Eugene what’s happened. He knows that you’re a criminal. He’s on to you, Galloway, and soon the authorities will know what you’ve done.’

  ‘Don’t underestimate me, darling. I laid my plans so that they’re foolproof. You might as well face the fact that you’re spending the night alone with a man who isn’t your father, your brother or your husband. Your reputation will be ruined and no decent man will want to marry you. I couldn’t have your mother, but I’m going to have you, and I’m going to take my time and watch you suffer as I suffered.’

  ‘You’re insane.’ Anger took the place of fear, but even so, Angel could see that he was hell-bent on revenge and she was to be his victim. She looked round, calculating the best way to escape. If she caught him unawares she could outrun him and head for the maze of passages that led to the servants’ wing at the back of the house. The window in the still room had never closed properly due to a broken latch, and the laundry-room door opened out into the courtyard. Unless Galloway had made a thorough search of the house, he was unlikely to have found the spare key that was kept under the soap jar. ‘You can’t keep me here against my will,’ she added defiantly.

  ‘We’ll see about that.’ With the speed of a spitting cobra, Galloway grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back, causing her to cry out. ‘Upstairs now, and if you make another sound I’ll break your arm.’

  Dazed by the pain and unable to break free, Angel could do nothing other than obey.

  ‘This room will do,’ he snarled, giving her arm a savage jerk.

  Several years ago she had been given a bedroom of her own, but only because Susannah had reached her fourteenth birthday and had protested that she was now too old to share. Angel had discovered on her first day at Grantley that Susannah always got what she wanted, and the large, elegantly furnished bedchamber overlooking the formal garden at the back of the house had been swiftly made ready for her. New curtains and bed coverings had been ordered and the room had been redecorated with wallpaper of Sus
annah’s choosing. Angel had been left in their old room, with a view of the deer park and a particularly lovely old magnolia grandiflora outside her window. Its leathery leaves tapped on her window at night when the wind rustled the branches, and the lemon-scented flowers seemed to capture the moonbeams, the large waxy white petals reflecting the silvery light.

  Galloway gave her a final shove, sending her sprawling onto the carpet. ‘I’ll be up later to take what I want, so don’t think you’re getting off lightly. Tidy yourself up, girl. You look like a skivvy and I’m very particular about the women I take to my bed.’ He slammed the door and the key grated in the lock.

  If she had had any doubts as to his intentions, they had been dispelled by his last words. Angel scrambled to her feet, nursing her sore arm. She flexed her fingers and uttered a sigh of relief – at least nothing was broken. Galloway had taken the lantern with him, leaving her in almost total darkness apart from a sliver of moonlight that squeezed through a gap in the curtains. She made her way slowly across the floor and drew them back, welcoming the starlit scene like an old friend. Night after night, as a young girl, she had sat on the window seat, gazing at the view made mysterious and mystical in the moonlight. In summer she had inhaled the scent of roses and honeysuckle and the whispering breeze had caressed her hot cheeks. The distant bark of a dog fox and the cries of barn owls calling to their mates mingled with the chatter of the stream as it flowed over rocks and pebbles on its journey to merge with the River Lea.

  At first she had missed the city with its noise and bustle, but gradually she had fallen in love with Grantley in all its moods and seasons, and accepted it as her home. Despite Galloway’s threats she felt safe in familiar surroundings, although the holland covers on the furniture added to the feeling that she was in the middle of a bad dream and might, at any moment, awaken to find herself in the four-poster at the house in Naked Boy Court. Then a cold shiver ran down her spine as she remembered the look on Galloway’s face and the steely intent in his eyes. The kindly man who used to give her sweets when she was a child had changed beyond all recognition, and she suspected that he was on the verge of madness. He had laid his trap as a spider spins its web and she had walked into it. Now she must think of a way to escape, but as she opened the window a cold wind whipped her hair into a tangle around her face and sent her shivering. Looking down, she realised that it was a long drop to the gravel path below. The sturdy trunk of the magnolia was out of reach, and any attempt to climb to the ground would almost inevitably lead to disaster. It would be pointless to shout for help as the stable block was too far away for anyone to hear, and the only living things close enough to pay attention were the deer grazing in the park. She sat there transfixed, barely able to move as she struggled to think of a way to escape from the maniac who had made his intentions crystal clear. Time ceased to have any meaning as her mind raced, but she was at a loss and chilled to the bone. She was about to close the window when she heard footsteps coming nearer and nearer.

  Angel leaped to her feet, looking round for a weapon of any kind that she might use against a drunken man intent on rape, and the only thing that came to hand was the ewer on the washstand. She snatched it up and moved swiftly to stand behind the door, arm raised ready to strike. The handle rattled as if someone was trying the door, and someone was calling her name. Her breath hitched in her throat as she recognised Danny’s voice.

  ‘Danny, I’m locked in.’

  ‘I haven’t got the key. I’ll have to break it down. Get away from the door, Angel.’

  She moved to a safe distance as the door shook on its hinges, but the first attempt failed and the second, then a third blow had the wood splintering and the door fell to the floor with a loud crash. Danny staggered into the room, coming to a halt as he wrapped his arms around her.

  ‘Are you all right? Did he hurt you?’

  She drew away, caught between tears and laughter. ‘I’m so glad to see you. How did you know I was here?’

  ‘Poor old Dash isn’t a match for the Westwoods’ matched bays. He was plodding along at his normal pace when we came across the barouche with its broken axle. I saw the lights outside Grantley and I knew immediately that there was something wrong. Anyway, explanations later. Let’s get you out of here. Russell will have harnessed the horse to the chaise and he’s going to take you back to Ludgate Hill.’

  ‘But what about Galloway?’ The full enormity of her position overtook her and she began to tremble uncontrollably. ‘He made terrible threats and I believe he was capable of anything. What have you done with him?’

  Danny gave her a comforting hug. ‘I didn’t come alone. Trubshawe and Russell accompanied me. Let’s say that Galloway was outnumbered. He’s not going anywhere other than the village lock-up. Russell sent one of his boys for the local copper, and tomorrow Mr Galloway will find himself up in front of the beak. I don’t think he’ll be able to talk his way out of this one.’

  ‘And the magistrate happens to be Sir Eugene,’ Angel said with a wry smile. ‘He knows all about Galloway and his crooked ways. He’s gone too far this time.’ She reached up to kiss Danny’s cheek. ‘Thank you. I owe you my life – I think he would have killed me if I’d resisted, but I wasn’t going to give in without a fight.’

  ‘He’ll be sent for trial at the Assizes, no doubt, and I want to be there to see the villain sentenced.’ Danny brushed a stray lock of hair back from Angel’s forehead. ‘Never mind him now. Try to forget what happened tonight.’

  ‘I just want to get away from here, Danny.’

  ‘I’d take you home with me, but I think you’d be better off with Lil to take care of you. I’ll be working the market stall for the rest of the week. The dried lavender goes well in the winter and in a few weeks it’ll be holly and mistletoe.’

  She reached up to brush his cheek with a kiss. ‘As I told you before, there’s plenty of it growing on the fruit trees in the orchard, and Grantley is still owned by the Devanes. We’ll pick what we want and sell it as we did before. Christmas is coming – things must get better.’

  ‘Always the optimist.’ He slipped her hand through the crook of his arm. ‘Let’s get you on your way home. I’ll stay here until the constable takes Galloway into custody. I don’t trust that fellow not to try and make a bolt for it.’

  Angel had no wish to see Galloway, even though he was apparently bound hand and foot and being watched closely by Trubshawe. Danny handed her into the chaise and tucked the blanket from the Westwoods’ barouche around her as tenderly as a nursemaid. Russell flicked the reins and the horse moved forward at a trot. Angel turned and waved to Danny and then lay back against the squabs, exhausted and relieved to have escaped from a terrifying ordeal. She would never be able to repay Danny for what he had done – he was a true friend. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift off into a deep and dreamless sleep.

  The noise of the city was tumultuous after the peace and quiet of the countryside and Angel awakened to find the chaise tooling along Ludgate Street in the direction of Ludgate Hill. Russell drew the horse to a halt at the entrance to Naked Boy Court and climbed down to help Angel alight.

  ‘Are you all right, Miss Angel?’ he asked anxiously. ‘That fellow didn’t hurt you, did he?’

  Ignoring the pain from her bruised arm, Angel shook her head. ‘No, and I have you and Trubshawe to thank for that.’

  ‘I’ll leave you here, miss. Will you be all right walking down that dark alley on your own?’

  ‘I’ll be fine, thank you, Russell. I’m used to London ways, so don’t worry about me, and thank you for bringing me home.’

  He tipped his hat and climbed back onto the box. ‘I’ll wait here a while, just in case you need me, miss.’

  Angel smiled and nodded. The dark, dank alleyway held no fear for her. What she had just gone through had been far more terrible, and she entered Naked Boy Court eager to reach home and safety. As she lifted the latch on the tall wooden gate she was reminded of that first day
when she had escaped the boys who were tormenting her and she had seen Sir Adolphus in the yard, feeding the dogs. She could hear Thor barking, with Juno joining in, and it was the most welcoming sound in the world. Almost immediately the front door opened, sending a beam of gaslight onto the cobbles and Angel walked into Lil’s open arms.

  ‘You waited up for me. You shouldn’t have.’

  ‘I ought to box your ears for stopping out so late and frightening us all to death,’ Lil said crossly, but her eyes were moist as she gave Angel a hug. ‘Come in and get warm. Where have you been all this time?’

  Angel bent down to stroke the two dogs, who nuzzled her hands, looking up at her with shining eyes in mute welcome. ‘It’s a long story. I’d love a cup of tea, Lil.’

  ‘Cook and Baines are waiting in the kitchen and the kettle’s been on the hob for so long it’s probably boiled dry.’

  Angel ignored Lil’s testy tone, knowing that her agitation was caused by worry and not anger. The warmth of the kitchen enveloped her as she entered and she was greeted by smiling faces. Even Baines managed to crease his walnut features into the semblance of a grin.

  ‘Sit down, Angel,’ Lil said gently. ‘There’s someone waiting to see you.’

  Chapter Twenty

  Angel turned to see Hector standing in the doorway. Surprise, exhaustion and a jumble of emotions turned her to stone, and she could not move a muscle.

  ‘What’s the matter with you, Angel?’ Lil demanded. ‘It’s Captain Devane – he turned up out of the blue this morning. Aren’t you pleased?’

  Hector stepped forward, taking Angel’s limp hand in his and raising it to his lips. ‘I’m sorry. It was unfair to spring this on you.’ He scanned her face, frowning. ‘You look tired and you’re very pale. Are you ill?’

  They were all staring at her as Angel struggled to find the right words.