by Tess Quinn
The house was silent, all the other staff long retired. With Mr and Mrs Bingley off to their country home in Hertfordshire, and Miss Bingley distracted and spending more of her meals and evenings out, the staff had been enjoying light duty these past days – all but Sara, though she was not complaining – and the household workers took full advantage of such lulls in their work. Well they might, for when Miss Caroline’s unusual complacency of late broke, they would once again feel her critical sting: rooms not maintained properly, fires not banked well, cuts of meat too tough, all manner of delinquencies would once again be noted. Everyone had hoped (among themselves only of course) that when Mr Bingley had leased the property, the oversight of the house would fall to an amiable lady. And they were quite pleased to assess Mrs Bingley as such. But Miss Caroline had arrived with the couple and been given purview over household functions. She seemed unwilling to relinquish her management; and indeed Mrs Bingley’s very amiability kept her from claiming that right from her new sister.
Sara had only just stoked the kitchen’s fire a bit and placed the kettle to boil when she heard a distinct tapping noise coming from the direction of the tradesman’s entry adjacent to the kitchen. She stood a moment transfixed in fear, for what possible good would be seeking entry at this hour? As she stood there listening, the tapping ceased; perhaps she had only imagined it. Yet barely had Sara breathed a sigh of relief than it began again, more insistent this time. She considered it possible that one of the staff had been locked out in not returning home in timely manner and felt she should investigate if this was the case.
Gathering her nerve and moving to the door, she slid back as noiselessly as she could the shutter to the small window next the door, in hopes of seeing the source of the tapping without giving away her own presence. Sara cautiously peered out, but jumped back in alarum as a dark countenance filled the window on its opposite side, staring in at Sara. A second later, the blinder panel on a lantern had been lifted just enough to illuminate the impish but smiling face of Joss.
Recovering her wits, though still breathing a bit heavily, Sara hastened to open the door to the young man. “Joss!” she cried, then lowering her voice so as not to arouse any of the household whose rooms were located off the kitchen, she whispered, “You gave me ever such a fright. What are you doing here? And at such an hour?”
“Beggin’ your pardon, Miss Sara. It was not my thought to scare you; but I knew of no other way to rouse your attention.” The young man gave her an apologetic look, though Sara could not help but notice also a bit of mischief in his eyes. Sara quickly bobbed her forgiveness, and Joss went on. “I have been waiting for some time outside for signs of activity within. I am ever so glad it is you as has come to the kitchen! I do not know how I should have explained myself to anyone else.” He laughed.
Sara grinned and dropped her eyes as a slight blush suffused her. “But why are you here at such an hour, Joss?”
“Oh! Cor’, I almost forgot, seeing you. Er, I have an urgent message for your mistress… er, … from Sir John.”
“And what makes you think my lady has not retired for the night, or in any case would accept such a message now?”
“Well, as to the latter I cannot say, I am sure. But for the former, the lady’s curtain is still open and her lamps burning, I could see from the lane this while. And my master did say if Miss Caroline was asleep, I was to have you wake her. It is most vitally important.”
Sara laughed. “Well, I thought your master had the measure of my lady, but if he thought you would be successful in that, then he surely does not know Miss Bingley very well at all!”
Joss looked at Sara Allen and, once again, his mission receded in his mind. When she laughed, Sara’s golden curls bounced around her face, and her eyes in this light looked the colour of river moss in the shade. He smiled in appreciation of her charms.
“Um,… Joss?” Sara’s voice broke his reverie, and he returned to the business at hand.
“Please, Miss Sara, will you see if your lady will speak to me? It is as much as my job is worth to fail in this!”
Sara took pity on Joss, though she knew he exaggerated his plight; she knew full well that Sir John held him in great affection. She told him she would approach her lady, but made no promise of success. She quickly made up the cocoa tray for Caroline and left the kitchen. Joss followed Sara with his eyes as she walked away, holding ajar the kitchen door and tilting his head to the side to better watch her in the long hallway until she turned to go up the stairs.
Well, this is a fine mess, thought Sara. It was the middle of the night, her lady had been out of sorts ever since she had arrived home… and now Sara was expected to talk her into exerting herself to go speak with a hired man about his master, the man who Sara presumed had gotten Miss Caroline out of sorts at the start.
Unsure of what she would find on entering, Sara put the tray down outside Miss Caroline’s door, and knocked softly for entry. She heard no reply, so she very slowly and quietly opened the door and peeked in. Miss Caroline was lying across her bed in her morning gown, the canopy drapes as well as those on the room windows still open. Allen ventured to open the door wider, and brought the tray into the room. She carried it to the bedside table and placed it there. Only then did she turn and notice that her mistress was sound asleep. Oh, dear, Sara thought, I was told to wake her, but do I have the courage to do it?
Screwing up her resolve, Sara considered how to approach the sleeping woman. Before she did so, Miss Caroline saved her the trouble. The lady had sensed movement in the room, and opened her eyes. She lifted her head from the bed and looked to see her maid standing nearby. “Allen?” she said, in a state of some disorientation.
Sara stopped in her tracks, and turned to face her mistress. “Begging your pardon, ma’am. I had no mind to wake you.” This was not totally truthful, though Sara had yet to determine just how she would rouse the lady. She was too sensible, however, to admit that truth. “I brought you a warm cocoa, Miss, and thought to see if you were ready to retire…” Her voice trailed off.
Caroline seemed then to realise that she had been slumbering fully clothed on her bed surface, and this brought back to her the events which had led to it. As she rose, she muttered under her breath, “blasted man! Vile, stupid, arrogant mule!”
Sara turned away to hide the smirk she could not banish. Oh dear, she thought. This is not going to be an easy task. When she turned back to Caroline, Sara’s countenance must have mirrored her concern, for Caroline stopped and asked, “What is it?”
When Sara hesitated, Caroline closed her eyes in exasperation. “Please, Allen, you obviously have something to say, and I have not the patience to pull it from you, girl.”
“Yes, Miss. It is only… well…” Seeing her mistress sigh in exasperation, Sara blurted out, “It is only, Miss, that Sir John’s man, Joss that is, he is downstairs, Miss, asking to speak with you.”
“He what? Joss, you say? Certainly not! Why, the impudence! the…"
“Miss, yes Miss, only he says he has a message for you from Sir John – an urgent message.”
“Urgent? Preposterous! And if Sir John needs speak with me, he may appeal to me himself and at a reasonable hour.” She stopped, considering the matter at an end. But seeing Allen still standing there, she added, “Well, send him on his way, girl; and none too kindly.”
“Yes, Miss.” Sara was afraid to push the issue, so with reluctance, she started for the door.
“Wait!” At Caroline’s command, Sara stopped in mid-step. Caroline went on. “I will tell him myself. I will not hear him out, but would have him take a message of my own to his master, and no mistaking its meaning by having you soften it in the relay. Where is the scoundrel?”
“In the kitchen, Miss. Shall I bring him to the library?”
“Of course not! I will speak to him in the corridor by the kitchen. Go and fetch him, Allen, I will be down presently.” Sara curtseyed quickly and escaped the room.
&
nbsp; She found Joss in the kitchen in the same chair he had occupied on his last visit, quite enjoying himself by the look of it. But at Sara’s entrance, he jumped up. “Well?” he asked.
“She will see you, but she is not inclined to hear you, Joss. She has every intention of sending you off with an earful yourself for your master.
Joss winked at Sara. “Thanks for the warning, love – I will see if I can convince your lady…”
“Well, I doubt you will succeed, Mr Impertinence,” she replied with a blush. “But come, I will take you to her.”
Sara took Joss into the entry hallway near the front stairs. After what seemed an eternity of standing there, reticent to speak lest Miss Caroline appear, the lady finally descended the stairs. Allen was certain her lady had intentionally kept Joss waiting. Caroline had just alighted from the bottom step, and looked to open her mouth to speak. Before she could utter a word, Joss sprang forward and held out a paper to her. “Please, madam, will you accept a message from the Cap’n, with his compliments?”
“I certainly will not! And what do you mean coming at this hour? I would have you return to your Captain at once with a message of my own.” She was about to expand on her topic, when Joss bowed slightly, affected a worried countenance, and pleaded, “Madam, please I beg you. It is more than my job is worth to fail in my mis—”
Joss did not complete his sentence. Sara, who stood behind Caroline in Joss’s line of vision, was shaking her golden curls violently at him, the alarum in her expression warning him that appealing to Miss Caroline for mercy would have an effect opposite of his desired one. And so he wisely changed his course.
“Miss Bingley, please reconsider. Sir John would attend you himself if he could, no disrespect intended to you, Miss. But he will be distraught if you do not give him a hearing, even though the request comes from a humble servant like me.”
Caroline looked closely at the boy as he gazed deferentially at the floor. She nearly found some sympathy to offer him, until she recalled his cheek on the night she had torn her dress on the plane tree. Her countenance turned cold as any inclination to be merciful left her. Joss noticed; he adopted his most conciliatory expression and looked about to continue with his mewling speech, when Caroline stopped him.
“Oh, Lord, save me from fools and toadies!” She sighed. “Give me the letter.”
Joss held the paper out to her, stifling a grin with effort. Caroline snatched the note from his outstretched hand and, on opening it, saw once more the symbol of a raven. Beneath it was written quite formally: Must see you. Of utmost importance and interest to us both. Please allow Joss to escort you to my present location. It was signed “JWR”. Then, scribbled hastily beneath: Please, Caroline, I beg you…
After reading the note, Caroline handed it back to Joss. “This is all very provocative, but it does not move me. Tell your master to call upon me tomorrow after one if he wishes to speak with me.”
“Miss Bingley, please reconsider, Ma’am.” The lady’s eyes flared at his persistence, and Sara Allen could not help but consider Joss very brave indeed as he continued. “Sir John thought as you might not wish to come with me, and truly regrets that he was unable to make this appeal in person. But if you will pardon my familiarity, Miss, if you can find it in your resolve to allow me to take you to him, you will not rue the decision. And he charges me to say that this will be the last mysterious noct… night-time adventure. Please, Miss?”
For one moment Caroline thought to herself, this is what I have been reduced to? The pleadings of underlings? Then to her own surprise, she found herself saying, “Oh, very well. But I warn you – and your employer – that I am not in the mood for intrigues and mysteries tonight. I have been sorely tried. Should your master disappoint me in his plans, I will not consider myself bound to previous promises of discretion on his account. Do you understand me?”
Joss breathed an audible sigh of relief. “Yes, Miss, of course. Thank you, Miss. I have a carriage out front, Miss Bingley.”
“Very well. Allen, get my wrap, will you?”
“Just one other thing, Miss?” Caroline glared at Joss, unsurprised that there was more to this than he had let on at first. Joss cleared his throat, and continued, “Sir John, Miss, he asked if you would please bring your maid along with you.”
“Whatever for?”
“I am sure I do not know, Miss. He did not confide in me.”
“This is too much to bear. I am not in the habit of making midnight rides with my household servants!”
Sara Allen stood transfixed at this turn in their speech. She did not know whether to be thrilled or frightened. She could no more imagine her inclusion in this adventure than her lady could do; yet some part of it excited her interest. She held her breath for a long moment while Caroline glared at Joss. The lady looked from one to the other of the servants to determine if she was a victim of some collusion. Seeing true disconcertment on Allen’s face, she relented.
“This is ridiculous. I cannot believe I am agreeing to this farce. Let us go, then, before I change my mind.” She turned and headed for the front door before her affront at the mere thought could overturn her curiosity.
~~~~~~
True to his word, Joss led them to a large carriage waiting outside the house, into which Caroline allowed Joss to hand her. When he then went to assist Sara Allen inside as well, Caroline glared at him. Sara, not wanting to risk her inclusion in the night’s adventure, quickly began to climb up into the driving bench; seeing her do this, Joss assisted her, then joined her there. The trio took off into the night.
When they had gone some distance through central London, the carriage stopped near a green; Joss jumped down and opened the carriage door. Caroline looked out but saw nothing in her vision’s range that would induce her to step down. She saw only trees. She looked to Joss, who had a sheepish, apologetic countenance.
“Miss Bingley, Miss, I am sorry, truly I am. But I must ask you if you will wear a blindfold now.” He cringed as he spoke the last few words.
“Oh, no. I will not. That is the last of it. Take me home this instant, this night’s adventure is over.”
Joss looked down at his feet, shuffling. He could not bring himself to glance up at the lady for long, and there ensued a charged silence while she stared him down. “I cannot do that, Miss,” he finally confessed.
“You…” Caroline’s words were cut off when the carriage’s door opening was filled with another body; within seconds, Sir John had entered the carriage and was sitting opposite her.
“Miss Caroline.” Sir John bowed as well as he could in the confined space. “Do not spend your anger on Joss; he is only following my orders.”
“Then I shall spend it on you, Sir. This is not to be borne!”
Sir John cut Caroline off before she could proceed further. “Oh, Caroline, do be quiet!” At her gasp of outrage, he reached to close the carriage door and continued. “This ends tonight. For good or for ill, together or apart, tonight we resolve this. I have had many thoughts of you over the last months, Caroline, but I never thought you a coward.”
Caroline made to get out of the carriage on her own, but Sir John blocked the path with his arm quite effectively, his hand gripping the handle. As they glared at one another, Caroline felt the carriage moving again, yet she still sought to open the door.
“Fine,” said Sir John. “If you wish it that way, we will end this as we began it.” Saying this, he took her wrists both into one of his hands and, pulling a cloth from his coat with the other, he tied hers together. Caroline made it difficult, but Sir John’s size and strength was no match for her efforts, especially as the carriage was travelling over a rough surface and she could get no purchase. When once her hands were bound, he produced another cloth and tied it loosely around the struggling lady’s eyes to blind her.
“You may scream if you like,” he said with good humour. “I doubt anyone could hear but if they did and came to investigate, you might find yourself
in a difficult predicament to explain.”
Caroline was furious. She knew if she yelled, she would be muzzled, and the only acceptable aspect of that might be if she could bite the vile man’s fingers off in the process. She resolved to retain some dignity. However, all previous promises were null. Sir John and his background and his profession would be fair game at the next dinner party or ball. In fact, she would not wait for an affair – she would call tomorrow on every one she knew to apprise them of her special knowledge, enjoying finally the full attentions of an inquisitive society with every telling. She would suffer through this night; but Sir John would suffer a lifetime in payment of it. Absorbed with such thoughts, Caroline sat back stiff and silent for the remainder of the journey.
After some while, the carriage stopped yet again. Sir John opened the door and stepped down, turning then to guide Caroline out of their transport. Caroline called immediately for Allen, but there was no reply, the maid having already moved off with Joss.
“Will you behave and come willingly, or must I carry you indoors?” Sir John’s words dripped honey.
“Sir, have your sport with me if you must. Wherever we are, I will see this through. But do not be in any doubt that I will have my day.” Caroline held her voice steady as she said this, but the venom in her tone was unmistakable.
“Ah, that’s my Caro again,” laughed Sir John. “Come along then.” He led her up a flight of stairs and into a building. From there, Sir John led Caroline to another set of stairs, and they began to climb slowly, he guiding her steps as necessary with words of encouragement. At the top, they turned left and entered through a doorway. Caroline felt the jamb graze her side as the passed through it. She noted her surroundings were warm.
