A Shocking Delight

by Beverley, Jo

  “They . . . must be mad!” she gasped.

  “There’ll be hell to pay,” Amelia agreed and Lucy was comforted to hear that she was out of breath, too. “But that captain’s developed a grudge against us. The candle in my lantern’s gone out.” They were in darkness again.

  “I might just sit here until dawn,” Lucy said. “It can’t be many hours off on a short June night.”

  Amelia was fumbling around. “This has a drawer beneath for a tinderbox. Now to see if I can work it in the dark. When I think about it, there’s really no use to it if I can’t.”

  “True,” Lucy said and laughed. “I’m sorry, it’s not funny.”

  “But we’re alive, and perhaps nothing too terrible has happened.”

  Lucy held the lantern as Amelia scraped the flint and sparks flew. The tinder caught and she puffed at the precious glow. “There!” By the fragile light she grabbed the candle and lit it. The steady glow seemed shockingly warm in the darkness, and they both laughed with relief. Amelia carefully replaced the candle in its holder and shut the lantern door.

  “How precious light is,” Lucy said. “We take it for granted, but without it how could we survive?”

  “Even the ancients had fire.”

  “Given by Prometheus, who as punishment was chained to a rock by Zeus where an eagle ate his liver every day. It grew back, of course.”

  “That is rather horrid.”

  “Those ancient gods were. It was a lesson to mankind not to strive too far. It was ignored, and thus we have wonders.”

  “You sound uncertain.”

  “It might be better if wars had to be fought with sticks and stones. I’m sorry. I think I’m addled by all this.”

  “Come home. All’s well.”

  “No it’s not,” Lucy said, but she didn’t want to talk about her father yet. Ever, really, though she’d have to. How could he do such a thing?

  When they came to the fork in the path, she heard cracking, crumbling noises up above. From Crag Wyvern? She had to go up to see.

  She stumbled once, for Amelia and the candle were behind her, then had to stop to catch her breath. Together, they went on, and when Crag Wyvern came into view, they both halted.

  In a macabre shadow play against wild lanterns, they saw a chaos of reflections and scurrying figures, but one thing was clear.

  “That cannonball took out the south wall,” Amelia said.

  Bits were still breaking free and tumbling to crash and shatter below, but inside, the ranks of windows caught the light.

  They made their way carefully closer.

  “I don’t hear screams,” Lucy said. “Perhaps no one was injured.” But she couldn’t help thinking that the dead don’t scream.

  “What are you two doing here?”

  David’s voice made Lucy jump, but he was alive! Despite his voice nearby, it took her a moment to see him, for he was dressed entirely in black, including a black cap over his hair, and his face was blackened, too. She flung herself into his arms. “Thank God you’re safe!”

  Amelia asked, “Is anybody hurt?”

  “By God’s mercy, nothing serious, but I’ll have that captain court-martialed. It was only by luck that Ada had left her signaling position up there. Why aren’t you both safe in bed?”

  “It’s a long story,” Lucy said.

  “There’ll be many long stories from this night.”

  Amelia went off with the lantern to take a closer look at the damage. Lucy turned in David’s arms to assess the situation. The cannonball hadn’t entirely taken out the wall. Bits of the top story hung precariously over the gaping hole in the middle. As she watched, more stones fell to crash on debris below.

  “I’m surprised one cannonball did so much damage,” she said. “Castles withstood bombardments.”

  “They had thick walls. The Crag is a stone shell designed by a madman. Surprising, really, that it hasn’t fallen down on its own before this.”

  “Yet it looked so massive. There’s a meaning in that somewhere.”

  “Deceit and deception, but not for us.”

  “The inward-looking windows look out.”

  “Inside out at last,” he said, shaking his head.

  “Your lovely rooms are gone. But we can re-create something similar when it’s repaired.”

  “Oh, no. It was ruined by a malicious naval cannonade, but I take it as a message from on high. Down it comes.”

  “Thank heavens. That’s what I hoped you’d say.”

  “Believe me, I’ve not the slightest attachment to the place. We’ll build a new home. Not grand, perhaps, but pleasant and wholesome. A better place to raise children.”

  “With raspberries, honeysuckle, and roses.”

  “Oh, you dreamer, but we’ll try to find a way to have raspberries, honeysuckle, and roses thrive up here.”

  She squeezed him, happy despite everything, despite the shadow of her father’s act.

  What would David think of what her father had done? He was, as Maria had said, a moderate man, but would he be moderate about an attempt to abduct her? Not to mention that her father had alerted Lloyd to the run. Would he be enraged?

  Despite what her father had done, she didn’t want to be totally estranged from him forever. She wanted more than her mother had won.

  “You’re falling asleep,” he said. “I’ll take you back down to the manor. I’ll need a bed there for the night. Where’s Amelia?”

  They found Amelia with the Crag’s maids, enjoying the sight of the corridor skeleton hanging on its chain over nothing, dancing on air, as they said of a hanged man.

  Lucy suddenly giggled. “The Animated Skeleton!”

  “Oh, yes!” Amelia said and laughed with her.

  David shook his head. “Wits turned. Fred? Fred!” he shouted.

  His secretary hurried over. “Sir?”

  “The place isn’t safe. Everyone’s to go down to the village. No one’s to go back in for possessions. I’ll make sure there’s lodging down there, though heaven knows what we do next.”

  “Leave it in my hands, sir.”

  “You’re a prince among men.”

  “I enjoy a bit of excitement.”

  “I’m not demolishing buildings on a regular basis for your amusement.”

  Chumley laughed, looking as if he truly was having the time of his life.

  As they set off home, Amelia said, “Didn’t you keep watch for that navy ship?”

  “Of course we did, but the clouds blindfolded us. Captain Truscott must have become suspicious of the dummy run. It was lucky she was spotted and the alarm raised early enough.”

  “It wasn’t that,” Amelia said. “Lucy raised the alarm.”

  David looked at her. “How?”

  She didn’t want to say, but saw no escape. “I was warned that the Preventive officer had been alerted. Not about the ship.”

  “Lloyd’s around? He’ll be making himself scarce after that mad attack on the Crag. I’ll enjoy being nobly outraged, and he’ll keep his head low for quite a while.”

  Lucy thought she’d escaped, for now at least, but he asked, “How did you know? Who warned you?”

  “My father,” she admitted.

  “Your father? By letter?”

  “He’s here.”

  They encountered people coming up the hill, lanterns bobbing, chattering with no attempt at secrecy, wanting to see the spectacle.

  David called out, “Go home! Yes, the Crag’s damaged, but you can gawk at it tomorrow. Go home and get some sleep.”

  He didn’t add threats, but the men, women, and children turned meekly and flowed back down into the village. He had such authority here, but it carried heavy responsibility with it.

  As they walked to the manor, he didn’t ask about her father. Lucy knew that was only a reprieve. Perhaps he guessed she didn’t want to say more in front of Amelia.

  As they approached the manor, David paused to strip off a dark outer layer, revealing ordinary co
untry clothes beneath. He took off his cap, then used a cloth out of a pouch to wipe the black off his face.

  “How is it?” he asked, turning to Lucy.

  She saw he was David again, at least in appearance. She took the cloth, finding it damp, and removed a few streaks. “As if you’ve simply had an alarming evening. Your hair’s standing on end in places.”

  He laughed and found a comb in a pocket to tidy it. “Better?”

  “Yes.”

  He’d done this so many times before, and would so many times again.

  “Can you really deceive your Kerslake family?” she asked.

  “No, but there’s a tacit agreement about these things.”

  When they arrived back at the manor, she saw what he meant. His uncle, aunt, and cousin greeted them at the back door, in nightwear covered by robes, looking concerned but bewildered.

  “What’s been happening?” Sir Nathaniel demanded, urging them into the kitchen, where the fire was lit and a kettle boiled. One of the maids was tending it. “Was that cannon fire?”

  Lucy noticed that he didn’t ask why she and Amelia had been out of the house.

  “That navy ship fired real shot. Two hit the cliff and could have injured those below. A third took out the south wall of the Crag. The place will have to come down.”

  “Begad, that’s an outrage,” Sir Nathaniel said.

  “Sit and have tea,” Aunt Miriam said.

  “Won’t be missed,” said Henry, surely stating what they all were thinking.

  They did all sit and have tea, well sweetened, going over the outrageous event, but without mentioning why the navy ship had done such a thing. Without mentioning smuggling at all. Lucy supposed the horses were back in the stables, here and all around the area, and people were in their beds. All neat and tidy—except for the matter of her father’s involvement.

  She’d begun to think she could take the Kerslake way, and pretend he’d never been here, but those village people had seen him, had heard her cry for help. It would be the talk of the area tomorrow.

  The excitement settled down and everyone went to bed, but it was only exhaustion that allowed Lucy to sleep at all.

  Chapter 39

  When she woke the next morning, she knew it was late by the sounds all around. Nothing like London cacophony, but the rattling of people working outside and in. A woman was singing in a light but pleasant voice, though Lucy couldn’t make out the words.

  She went to look out through the curtains. To her left she saw a lad carrying a bucket into the stables. To her right a man was picking vegetables as another tilled the soil nearby.

  No sign of last night’s mayhem at all.

  Was David still here? She longed to see him, but dreaded the questions he must have. Despite nighttime fretting, she’d not come up with a way to smooth over the situation.

  Her washing water waited, covered by a towel. Cool by now, but she used it anyway and dressed hastily in her blue. Her traveling gown had suffered in last night’s adventures and the sprig muslin was too flimsy for today. Who knew what it might bring?

  She went downstairs, and when she heard his voice she couldn’t help but smile. She found him in the breakfast room with Amelia and Henry, obviously going over last night’s events as they ate, but looking so very ordinary. So David.

  It was his family here, his Kerslake side, that rooted him in good earth.

  He smiled at her and rose to hold her chair.

  As she sat down, he said, “Amelia’s in favor of another Fonthill Priory.”

  Lucy gave Amelia a look. “Another folly on the hill?”

  “It would bring visitors in their thousands, but I was teasing.”

  “Better to build down here,” Henry said. “Lucy would prefer that, wouldn’t you?”

  Clearly any sane person would and David was waiting for her response. She took the safe way out. “I’m not sure.”

  David went to the door and called for Lucy’s coffee. He sat down again, saying, “There’s no space in the village for even a modest earl’s seat. Even though I don’t intend to hold great state, I don’t want to look peculiar.”

  “Another mad earl,” Henry said, nodding.

  A maid came in with the coffeepot and a plate of fresh toast—a maid who could have been out on the beach last night, ready to bring in contraband. Lucy began to eat, wondering at the idle banter. The smugglers had almost been caught, a house had been irreparably damaged, people could have been killed, and yet the Kerslakes talked as if there’d been a minor ripple in their comfortable lives. Deceits and deceptions, and yet the Kerslake way was sweet.

  Talk turned to where David was to live during the long time he would be homeless.

  Henry said, “Mother’s suggesting we turn the second parlor into a bedroom for you.”

  “I can lodge at the tavern.”

  “She’ll not have that and you know it. Of course when Lucy returns to London your room will be available again. And when you wed, it’ll do for both of you. You do have to return, Cousin Lucy?”

  “My father’s wedding,” she said, avoiding David’s eye.

  “And I can go with you?” Amelia asked.

  “If your parents permit.”

  “David, are you going?” Amelia asked.

  “I think Lucy and I should discuss that, when you’ve finished your breakfast, that is.”

  Lucy realized she’d eaten only half a slice of toast but had no appetite for more. She rose, aware of the palpable curiosity as she left the room. She heard Henry ask, “What’s going on?”

  Amelia replied, “I don’t know.”

  They left by the front door. Lucy knew that was to avoid the kitchen. Aunt Miriam was probably there and she’d be full of curiosity as well.

  When they were away from the house he said, “What troubles you, Lucy?”

  “I think we should get a license and marry here, or as soon as we arrive in London.”

  He stared at her, and then crushed her to him. “Oh, thank God. I thought you’d changed your mind.”

  “Changed . . . ?” she squeaked.

  He relaxed his hold to look into her eyes. “I thought that the rough reality of my life was too much for you. That you wanted us to part.”

  “Never. Never! I admit I can’t like you being in danger like that, but you, only you, are necessary for my sanity. I can’t lose you.”

  “You won’t.” He kissed her gently, tasting her as if she were nectar, and she tasted him back, reassuring herself that he was safe, that they were safe together.

  But then he said, “There’s something I must tell you.”

  “There’s more?” she asked, unable to avoid a touch of dismay.

  He grimaced. “Someone did die last night. A Dragon’s Cove man called Saul Applin.”

  “Oh. The one you warned about his wife.”

  “Yes. He’d also turned traitor, but money was found on him. Fred suspected, but I didn’t believe any local man would be so foolish.”

  “How did he die?”

  “Crushed beneath the fallen cliff. But he’d no reason to be right there. It looks as if he was hiding, knowing what was going to happen.”

  Or, Lucy thought, he’d caused the other smugglers to suspect and they’d inflicted rough justice. This was a wild place, but it was her wild place now.

  “I suspect his wife might be relieved.”

  “And his children. They won’t suffer by it. There’s a fund to support the family of any man killed in action.”

  She nodded and smiled. “Of course there would be.”

  He smiled back, and she saw relief. “Now, let’s plan our speedy wedding.”

  “You wanted banns.”

  “I told my father he wouldn’t stop me, but he doesn’t give up plans he thinks right. Better to forestall him.”

  “Ah, yes, you said your father alerted Lloyd. How?”

  “He was here. He tried to abduct me and carry me back to London.”

  She expected fury
, but he nodded. “I suppose he would, once he learned that you’d come here.”

  “You can’t approve!”

  “No, but I can understand. I’ve always doubted that I could make you happy, so I can’t be surprised that he does.”

  “He had no right to disregard my wishes.”

  “Ah. I can be angry about that, if you wish. I told him he didn’t appreciate your true nature.”

  “You told him? When?”

  “When he came to Susan’s house in London to forbid me to court you.”

  “He did what?”

  He smiled. “I think you can be outraged enough for both of us. He’d found out that I’m Captain Drake and held that as a weapon. If I didn’t desist, he’d inform on me. It would make the situation here more difficult and could lead to arrests. It could, if made public, lead to unpleasant scandal and speculation. But I gave in to his pressure because I thought he was right. That you couldn’t be happy here.”

  “You’re as bad as him.”

  “Not quite, please.”

  “This is not amusing!”

  He took her hands. “No, I’m sorry, but I can’t help but be relieved to have told you. I didn’t want to keep a secret from you, but I thought you’d be hurt.”

  “I am, but I know his action came from another kind of overwrought love. I still think we should marry in haste. That insane love could drive him to try again, and that will only make matters worse. I still hope for peace in the family. But I have to tell you, I don’t think he’d have cared if you’d have been caught, or even killed.”

  “Single-minded.”

  “You don’t mind?”

  “Yes, but you’re right. We won’t be better off for life-long enmity. We can try for the Kerslake way and hope your father will strategically forget some events. But we’re not marrying in haste. We’re marrying with due dignity and joy after banns have been read. I’ll keep you safe.”

  She cradled his face and kissed him. “Thank you. I want that so much.