‘As if that was any comfort. Oh, my poor darling, what will you do?’
‘God knows. But there will be time to think of something, on the Savannah. I know you won’t let me starve. Not that I care much. I shan’t go back to France,’ she added. ‘I couldn’t bear that. Not now. Not after this. England, perhaps?’
‘Stay here! My cousin has a house he never uses. In Charleston, down on one of the creeks. You can row right up to the door. You could live there, as quiet as you pleased. I could come to you ... sometimes.’
‘Hyde!’ She looked at him somewhere between tears and laughter, ‘I do believe you are offering me a carte blanche.’
He took her hands. ‘I do believe I am.’
‘You know the answer as well as I do: No!’ He was pulling her towards him. ‘Hyde! I can’t stand any more. Let me go now. Think of tomorrow.’
‘Yes,’ he said grimly. ‘We had better.’
***
Morning brought no sign of Josephine, so it was Juliet who stood on the bluff with Hyde, watching President Monroe’s boat rowed briskly over from the Carolina shore, to the sound of salutes first from the revenue cutter Dallas, and then from the wharf and George Washington’s cannon on the bluff. She had, afterwards, only the vaguest memories of being introduced to the lanky, blue-eyed President of the United States and his Secretary of War John C. Calhoun from South Carolina. She watched, through tear-dimmed eyes, as the President reviewed the Savannah Volunteer Guards, drawn up along the bluff, resplendent in their new scarlet and blue uniforms, and then mounted on horseback to ride along West Broughton Street to Mr. Scarbrough’s house.
She supposed she must have said the proper things to all her friends, gathered together for this gay occasion. Strange and desolating to realise, suddenly, just how many friends she had, here in Savannah ... But Hyde was pressing her arm. In warning? How odd, how delicious, how wretched it was to have him, all of a sudden, her accomplice in the charade. ‘Time to be looking for the carriage,’ he said, ‘if we are to reach West Broad Street in time for the President’s address. You would not want to miss that?’
‘No indeed.’ They were in the thick of their friends: No time now for tears.
‘I told Charon to wait for us in Johnson Square,’ he said. ‘I knew you wouldn’t mind walking that far.’
Had she slept at all the night before? She was glad of his supporting arm across the grassy bluff and the loose, sinking sand of Bay Street and along Bull to Johnson Square, where Charon was waiting with carriage and horses comfortably tucked into the shade of a blossoming Pride of India Tree. How like Hyde to have thought of that.
‘Any news, Charon?’ was Hyde’s first question, as he helped her up into the carriage.
‘None, sir,’ Juliet had half-expected, had nerved herself to find Josephine waiting, angrily, in the carriage. Surely she would not be long behind her letter?
‘Then we had best get along to Mr. Scarbrough’s house,’ said Hyde. ‘Mr. Jay’s pavilion looks fine, does it not?’
‘Yes.’ She looked at the huge temporary building through blurred eyes. The ball for Monroe was to be held there five days hence, on the last day of his visit. She would undoubtedly be in hiding by then. At Winchelsea, they had decided last night, so at least she would see the beloved place again.
West Broad Street was much more crowded than the bluff had been. Rich and poor, black and white, carriage parties, horsemen and pedestrians thronged the wide street. Gay little black boys flowered in the trees and Charon had to pull his horses up short to avoid running over one who had suddenly decided to improve his position.
‘What do you think?’ asked Hyde. ‘Do you want to get out and try and fight your way through to the house?’
‘No. Let’s stay here, shall we?’ Why waste a precious moment alone with him, even if they were alone in the midst of a crowd.
‘Too late anyway,’ he said. ‘Look, there he comes.’ The President had appeared on the upstairs balcony of Mr. Jay’s handsome new house and the crowd had gone wild. ‘Time enough to see Mr. Scarbrough’s house tonight at the dinner,’ said Hyde. ‘I hope.’
‘Yes.’ She hardly knew, now, what she hoped. Would it not be best to have it all over, to be on her way to Winchelsea, and exile? Mr. Monroe was speaking, saying all the inevitable things, about friendship between north and south ... the great bond of union ... She let it wash over her head and hardly even noticed when it was over and the cheering broke out again, louder than ever. Mr. Scarbrough was on the balcony now, with the President. ‘He looks wretched,’ she turned to Hyde.
‘Almost the way I feel,’ he said. ‘Yes. Things are bad with him, I’m afraid.’ His laugh grated. ‘All the kinder of him to buy that wretched necklace.’
‘Wretched, yes.’ She turned to him impulsively. ‘But I’m so glad he did. Do you know, the worst thing of all, before, was knowing I would have to go without saying goodbye to you. Now, at least, we have had this.’
‘This!’ He turned to speak to Charon. ‘Let’s get out of here. As fast as you safely can.’ And then, his hand on hers. ‘You think this one day can make up for a lifetime of loneliness?’
‘Well,’ she said. ‘It will have to, won’t it?’
‘Yes.’ His teeth grated on it. ‘And, do you know, I have the strangest feeling that when we get home we will find Josephine there. Monroe’s was not the only boat that crossed from the Carolina side, did you notice? Charon! Take us round by the Jewish graveyard. It’s the only quiet place I can think of,’ he turned to explain.
‘Hyde, should we?’
‘Why not? Why should a devoted husband not take his wife for a refreshing turn after such a morning of crowds and confusion? And at least,’ he smiled down at her, ‘today we should not happen on any young bloods duelling there.’
‘Yes, but Hyde —’
‘Hush! A wife’s duty is to obey her husband, and I propose, this once, to stand upon my rights.’
And yet, when they got to the quiet walled plot on the edge of the town where its thriving Jewish community buried their dead, there seemed to be nothing to say. They took one silent turn among the oleanders and the neat marble and granite gravestones, his arm warm on hers. Then she looked up at him pleadingly. ‘It’s no use, Hyde. Let’s go back. Let’s get it over with.’
Charon was still slowing his horses outside the house in Oglethorpe Square when Pete came running out. ‘She’s here, sir.’
‘I knew it.’ Juliet gripped Hyde’s arm.
‘It could be worse.’ His hand was reassuring on hers for a moment. ‘At least, this day of all days, we should be safe from visitors. Where is she, Pete?’
‘In your —’ he spoke to Juliet, looked confused, and began again. ‘In her room. Locked in, and mad as hops,’ he confided, ‘’count of Anne and Alice have both took themselves off to see the doings. She came in the back way, through our quarters.’ It amused him. ‘She’s given orders, ma’am, that you’re to come up to her the minute you get back. Without the master knowing.’
‘Just so.’ Hyde had leapt down and now turned to help Juliet alight. ‘Let us go upstairs and surprise her, shall we?’
‘Hyde —’ She hung back. ‘Just like that?’
‘How else?’ His grip hurt her arm. ‘Come, my dear. Mrs. Richardson is probably watching us from her parlour window.’
In the house, Juliet was aware of the stir of excitement. Far more servants than usual were loitering in the hall and downstairs rooms. They all knew. They were all waiting for the inevitable scene. ‘What’s all this?’ Hyde’s voice, unwontedly angry, sent them scurrying. ‘Moses. You will stay here and see that nobody whatever is admitted. Not the President himself.’
‘No, sir.’ Moses drew himself up. ‘Over my dead body, sir.’
‘I hope it won’t come to that. After you, my dear.’
Juliet trembled convulsively as she led the way up the curving stairway. Even in her own wretchedness, she found herself horribly sorry for Josephine, the only person in
the house who did not know what had happened. ‘Shan’t I go first?’ she turned to plead with Hyde. ‘And prepare her?’
‘No.’ His face was set. ‘She began this. She must see it through.’
No use to stand there arguing. Juliet tapped on the closed door of her room. ‘Jo, let me in.’
‘And about time too.’ Josephine must have heard the carriage draw up. She flung open the door as if she had been waiting behind it, then paused, open-mouthed, at sight of Hyde. ‘You!’ And then, viciously, to Juliet, ‘Traitor.’
‘Calmly, my dear.’ Hyde ushered Juliet into the room and relocked the door behind her. ‘Let us not make more of a Roman holiday for the servants than need be.’
‘You mean they know? You’ve told them too?’ Josephine’s glittering gaze was all for Juliet. ‘And curried favour with them, as I well know. Gifts for the children! Sugar for the old! Don’t think I haven’t seen what you were trying to do. And as if that was not enough, now, I take it, you have told my husband God knows what kind of a lying tale. Well!’ she sat down in a flurry of taffeta, ‘so much for our bargain. You can work your passage home for all of me.’
‘Sit down.’ Hyde’s reassuring arm had sustained Juliet throughout this tirade. Now he placed her, firmly, in a chair across the room from her cousin and stood, himself, leaning against the chimney-piece, between them. ‘As for you,’ he turned to Josephine. ‘There are a few things you need to know. First, your cousin has never betrayed you. I saw through the trick all the time.’
‘You what?’ She could not believe her ears.
‘I must say,’ his tone was tolerant. ‘I’m surprised at you, Josephine. That your cousin should have thought me so gullible is understandable enough. After all, she had never met me. But what in the world made you think me such a fool? No —’ He threw up a hand. ‘Don’t tell me. I think it’s best I should not know. After all, like it or not, we have our life to lead together, you and I.’
‘Ah!’ Some of the tension went out of Josephine. ‘At least you admit that.’
‘Well, of course. We married, did we not, for better, for worse? There is nothing about this crazy scheme of yours to release me from the bond.’
‘More’s the pity?’ Angry colour burned through her rouge. ‘Don’t think I’ve not known what was going on between you two. But what I’m doing is more important than any of us. It’s not a crazy scheme,’ she turned her rage, now, on Hyde. ‘It’s going to work. I’ve got my ship. I’ve got my crew waiting at Charleston. Nothing is going to stop me.’
‘Oh yes it is,’ said Hyde mildly. ‘I am.’
‘You? How?’
‘You can take your choice. By laying information against you, if you push me to it. Our government, you know, is on friendly terms with Louis XVIII. They would never allow of such a venture setting forth from one of our ports.’
‘And you’d do that. To me?’
‘If you make me. You must see that I would infinitely prefer to let the whole mad project dwindle into the moonshine it really is.’
‘Mad! Moonshine!’ She was almost beside herself. ‘And you —’ she turned back to Juliet. ‘I suppose I have you to thank for convincing him that my plan is mad.’
‘I wish you would allow me the use of my own intellect,’ said Hyde wearily. ‘Of course it’s mad. I don’t know what kind of captain you’ve got for your ship — the Liberty, is she? Nor what kind of crew. But just assume them capable of finding their way to St. Helena, how do they propose to free Napoleon from his guards? And, if they do, how could they possibly get him safe back to Europe, where, frankly, I think he would be most unwelcome, even in France. No, no, my dear Josephine, I fear you must give up this idea of yours, though. I confess I cannot help respecting you for what you have done. So: here’s a bargain: give it up; I will forget the trick you have played on me. Juliet, who is nothing if not generous, will forgive you the foolish things you have said —’
‘And do what?’ Josephine’s voice was still dangerous.
‘I sail on the Savannah,’ said Juliet.
‘Her expenses paid by me,’ put in Hyde.
‘As well they might be!’ Juliet quailed at the fury in Josephine’s voice. ‘I’m not quite a fool,’ she went on, ‘though you two choose to think me so. Suppose I choose to divorce you, sir, on the evidence before my eyes?’
Juliet’s heart gave a great leap. Her eyes met Hyde’s. ‘Nothing,’ he said, ‘would please me more. We may have to fabricate the evidence, it’s true, but if you are agreeable, my love,’ to Juliet, ‘I certainly am.’
‘So it’s come to this.’ Josephine spoke through her teeth. ‘Purchis of Winchelsea will be dragged through the courts ... My God, what a scandal that would be for the old Savannah harpies! Lord, it’s tempting. But, no,’ she flashed a glittering, vengeful glance from one to the other. ‘I wouldn’t dream of doing that to you, Hyde. Of course I take your word that nothing has happened between you of which even Aunt Abigail would not approve. In fact,’ her voice rose a note, ‘I actually believe you! It’s just like you two. So — there is nothing in the way of our happy ending.’ She held out a graceful hand to Hyde. ‘If I have said anything you did not quite like, remember the strangeness of my situation, and forgive me. And as for you,’ she turned to Juliet, ‘I suppose it is my own fault if you have proved a more adequate substitute than I intended. But, now, the substitution is over. When does the Savannah sail?’
‘Not until about May 20th.’ Hyde answered her, his voice absolutely devoid of feeling. ‘We had decided, Juliet and I, that she should spend the intervening week or so at Winchelsea. Safest so.’
‘Yes. And the sooner she gets there the better. You’ll tell Aunt Abigail?’
‘No,’ Hyde answered. ‘It would kill her. Juliet will have to hide in the old wing. I hope you understand what you have done to her, Josephine?’
‘I believe I am beginning to.’ No mistaking the satisfaction in Josephine’s voice.
Chapter Fifteen
‘Perhaps I might have the use of my own room?’ Josephine’s glittering gaze travelled from Hyde to Juliet. ‘It’s time I thought of changing for Mr. Scarbrough’s party. Best if you help me, Juliet? This is the safest place for you, I suppose, until it is dark enough to leave for Winchelsea. Is my green silk fit to be worn? I feel in a mood for emeralds.’
‘Of course it is.’ Juliet moved over to the bedroom door, as much to hide her anger as to obey the implied command. ‘Alice has seen to that,’ she added over her shoulder.
‘Alice! I won’t have her anywhere near me. I warn you, Hyde, we’ll have to make a clean sweep of the servants. I collect, from their behaviour today that they are all in the know. I’m not having them here to gossip and titter behind my back about what’s happened.’
‘No?’ Juliet knew, if Josephine did not, how near Hyde was to losing control. ‘Before we discuss that, there is something we have forgotten to tell you. You are being blackmailed.’
‘Blackmailed? I?’ No question about her amazement. ‘But what in the world about?’
‘That is precisely what we do not know, and why Juliet felt it necessary to hand over your sapphire necklace to the blackmailer.’
‘My sapphires! You did that!’ She looked ready to fly at Juliet.
‘Control yourself! It’s safe back.’ He moved into the alcove where the jewel box stood.
‘Enfin!’ All three of them swung round at the voice from the window. Standing there, in the entrance to the wide second storey verandah, Tarot could see only Josephine, since Hyde was concealed by the alcove and Juliet by the bedroom door. ‘Denied even to me,’ he went on mock reproachfully. ‘I’m too old for this Romeo-trick of window climbing.’ And then, ‘Mon Diu, ‘Phine!’ He caught her as she fainted.
For a few moments he was too busy laying Josephine on her chaise longue and chafing her hands to notice the other two occupants of the room, who gazed at each other, speechless. Then, ‘Her smelling salts,’ said Hyde.
‘Yes.’ Juliet withdrew into the bedroom, found the little bottle and returned to hold it to her cousin’s nose while Tarot supported her in his arms and called on her, with many a French endearment, to pull herself together. He took the bottle from Juliet’s hand without a glance, and waved it under Josephine’s nose.
‘I never meant to frighten you, chèrie.’ And then, taking in, belatedly, what he had heard, he looked back over his shoulder at Hyde. ‘Tiens, the husband.’
‘Just so,’ said Hyde.
Tarot shrugged. ‘Time for you later, monsieur. But why she should faint now, my lion-hearted Josephine, is more than I can comprehend. Some burnt feathers, perhaps?’ He looked up, at last, at Juliet. ‘By God!’ Was it the measure of his amazement that he spoke in English? Then down at Josephine, still lifeless on his arm. ‘Nom d’un nom …’ And back to Juliet. ‘It was you, all the time.’
‘Yes,’ said Hyde. ‘But before we come to explanations, I really think it might be worth trying burnt feathers. An old fan, perhaps?’
‘No need.’ Juliet had been watching her cousin. ‘She is beginning to stir. The smelling salts a little closer, sir. They’re not something I use much myself. They may not be of the freshest.’
‘Two of you.’ He moved the bottle more closely under Josephine’s nose but kept his eyes, now, on Juliet. ‘So like and yet —’
‘So unlike,’ Hyde finished it for him.
‘Ah.’ A slight movement turned all his attention to Josephine. ‘She’s coming to. Lie still, my little love. I have you safe.’ And then, across her to Juliet. ‘Peste! No wonder you did not fall into my arms, as I expected. My apologies, madame, though I confess I do not quite understand …’
‘No more do we,’ said Hyde. ‘Who are you, sir?’
A look, almost comic, doubt visible, played across his face, then he came to a decision. ‘Rien ne va plus,’ he said. ‘The game’s over.’ He looked down at Josephine, who was breathing more easily, laid her gently back among velvet pillows and rose to his feet. ‘Claude Hercule Simon de Joinville, M’sieur, and entirely at your service.’
All for Love Page 20
