Sir Ashley's Mettlesome Match

by Mary Nichols

  She tried to pull herself away from him. ‘I am enjoying my walk, Sir Felix. What are you doing here?’

  ‘I have come to claim my bride. Please get in the carriage.’

  ‘No. I am not your bride, Sir Felix, nor ever will be.’

  ‘Then you give me no choice.’ He pulled her towards the carriage. She resisted as fiercely as she could and was roughly manhandled for her pains. Her basket went flying and the eggs broke all over the road. She was aware, as she struggled, that the driver had jumped down from the box and come to his master’s aid and Mrs Thornley had left the carriage to help bundle her into it. She had no defence against three of them and was deposited roughly on the seat. Sir Felix and Mrs Thornley got in with her and the driver climbed back on the box and they left the scene at a brisk trot.

  ‘Where are you taking me?’

  ‘Somewhere I can keep you safe. If you want to see your brother alive again, you will not resist. Did you think I was boasting when I said I held his life in my hands?’

  She was shaking like an aspen, but more angry than frightened. Or so she told herself. He must not see her cringe. ‘You are not as powerful as you think you are. When Sir Ashley—’

  ‘Lord Cadogan, you mean,’ he interrupted her. ‘You would be unwise to put your faith in him. He has other fish to fry. I have it on good authority he is busy placating his uncle’s widow.’

  ‘I insist you take me back to Fairfields,’ Pippa said, pushing the thought of Ash as Lord Cadogan out of her mind and concentrating on her own predicament. ‘Everyone will wonder what has happened to me and search for me.’

  ‘And fail to find you.’ This from Sir Felix. ‘At least, not until you appear as Lady Markham.’

  ‘I cannot understand why you wish to marry me at all,’ she said, ‘I have nothing to offer. The late Lord Cadogan himself said that and he was right.’

  ‘But you are a valuable commodity, my dear. Nathaniel will do as he is told while I have you and you will obey me while I decide whether your brother lives or dies.’ He laughed suddenly. ‘And I have a fancy to own Windward House. The easiest way to do that is to marry you.’

  ‘Why do you want Windward House?’ she asked in surprise. ‘It is nothing like as big or as elegant as the Manor. And my aunt always complains it is draughty and cold.’

  ‘I do not intend to live in it, my dear, but it commands an enviable view of the shore and the sea beyond. And ideal spot for signalling. And it has a deep cellar. I am told there is a tunnel from there all the way to the beach.’

  ‘You have been misinformed. I have never seen such a thing.’

  ‘No doubt it has been blocked up. We will soon rediscover it.’

  All the time she had been talking, she had been looking about her, hoping for a way of escape. Perhaps when they passed through Fakenham she could shout for help or try to jump out if they had to slow down. But the coachman avoided the town and they took a circuitous route through countryside with few inhabitants. When she put her hand on the door handle, he noticed it and roughly wrenched it away. ‘Do that again and I shall have to tie you up.’

  She sat back and put the back of her bruised hand to her mouth. Her situation seemed hopeless.

  Chapter Ten

  Having called at the justice’s home in Thetford, Ash arrived at Fairfields that evening to be met by a distraught Augusta with the news that Pippa had disappeared.

  ‘When? How?’ he demanded.

  ‘She left to walk to the rectory with a basket of eggs and did not return. We went looking for her and found the basket on the ground and the eggs all over the road. Her parasol was hooked up in the hedge, but there was no sign of her. Something dreadful has happened to her, I know it.’ And she began to wail so loudly Ash had to beg her to be quiet and let him think.

  ‘This is Sir Felix’s doing,’ he said furiously. ‘God damn the man. Could he have found out what we were planning?’

  ‘What are you going to do?’ she asked.

  ‘Go after them, of course.’ He did not doubt Sir Felix had abducted Pippa, nor did he doubt what would happen to her when he had her safely indoors somewhere. She would be a ruined woman. The man was counting on that. ‘Show me the spot where you found the eggs.’ He shouted at Tom who was leading the carriage horses away, ‘Have my riding horse saddled. I will be better on that.’

  Ten minutes later he was squatting in the road, examining the mess of eggs. ‘There are tracks of a carriage here,’ he said. ‘And hoofmarks of four horses.’ He looked along the road. The eggs had marked the carriage wheels and he could see the direction it had taken. ‘Go back to Fairfields, Mrs Whitehouse. I will track them down, never fear.’

  Then he mounted up, followed the tracks as far as the crossroads and then galloped off across country towards the coast. His horse was put to jump ditches and hedges and scattered farm animals as they fairly flew along. He was in too much of a hurry to take care, but it did not stop him thinking.

  When Pippa had asked why Sir Felix was so anxious to marry her, his answer had been flippant, but it was a question he had often asked himself. Pippa had something he wanted. She was not wealthy, so it had to be something other than money. Did Nathaniel know? It was too late to ask him now. Once, he dismounted to lead his horse to rest it, but was soon in the saddle again, making for Narbeach. It had to be his first port of call.

  At the edge of the village, he left his exhausted horse with a farm boy to rub down and water for him and walked the rest of the way. He approached the Manor cautiously and made his way to the stables. The men and boys were idling in the yard, a sure sign that Sir Felix and his carriage were not there. Had he arrived ahead of them, or had they gone elsewhere? He returned to the centre of the village just as a carriage rolled to a stop outside the Cross Keys and Harry and Alex tumbled out, laughing at some jest. Harry was, as usual, colourfully overdressed and Alex was in naval uniform. If they were surprised to see him standing in the road, they gave no sign of recognition as they went into the inn. A few moments later Ash followed them.

  ‘A quart of ale and a tot of your best cognac for me and my friend,’ Alex was saying to the landlord.

  ‘I hear there’s night-time sport hereabouts,’ Harry said.

  ‘Night-time sport?’ the landlord said. ‘Don’ know what you mean.’ He turned to Ash. ‘Do you know what they mean, Sir Ashley? I don’ understand that Lunnon talk.’

  ‘No, can’t say I do,’ he said, warning them with a look not to recognise him. ‘Unless they mean fishing.’

  ‘Yes, fishing, that’s what we mean,’ Harry said quickly.

  ‘You will need to hire a boat and equipment,’ Ash said, trying not to betray his desperate haste to the innkeeper. ‘I saw a boat and tackle at Windward House. I will take you there, if you like.’

  They swallowed the last of their drinks and followed him outside. ‘What in heaven’s name do you mean by fishing?’ Harry demanded as soon as they were out of earshot. ‘I ain’t dressed for fishing. And what are you doing here? James sent you to Fairfields.’

  ‘Sir Felix has got Pippa. We’ve got to find them before…’ He could not bring himself to put his fears into words.

  ‘And you think fishing will help?’ Harry said, laughing.

  ‘No, of course not, but I had to get you out of there. I need your help.’

  ‘Go on.’

  ‘He nabbed her at Fairfields and bundled her into his carriage, but where he has taken her I don’t know. As far as I can see he has not returned to the Manor, but I may be wrong. Harry, will you pay a call on Sir Felix, see if you can find out where he is? I can’t go, the servants know me and I am sure they have been given instructions not to admit me. Alex, can you pretend to be some sort of official and go to the Customs House and ask to interrogate Fletcher. Ask him if he has any idea where Sir Felix might hole up. Promise him a free pardon if he talks.’

  ‘I have no authority to do that,’ Alex put in.

  ‘Do it anyway. This is no time f
or exactitude.’

  ‘What are you going to do?’ Harry demanded.

  ‘I am going to see if I can get into the Manor by a back way, while you keep the servants occupied. I am sure you can think of a way of doing it.’

  ‘Where shall we meet? Back at the inn?’

  ‘No. Windward House.’ He pointed towards the headland. ‘There, that’s it.’

  They went their separate ways. Ash turned down a lane that ran alongside the Manor wall, looking for a place to climb over and into the grounds. He groaned when he saw the Reverend Mr Fearson driving his trap towards him.

  The vicar pulled up alongside him. ‘Good to see you back, Sir Ashley,’ he said. ‘I trust you have fully recovered?’

  ‘Yes, I thank you, sir.’

  ‘And Miss Kingslake is also well? We have missed her, but now she is back—’

  ‘Back?’ Ash repeated. ‘You have seen her? Spoken to her?’

  ‘Why, no, but I saw Sir Felix’s carriage outside her house not an hour since on my way back from visiting a dying parishioner. I assumed he had been to fetch her.’

  Ash sprang into the trap and seized the reins from the astonished cleric. ‘I am sorry, Reverend, but it is imperative I get to Windward House as swiftly as possible. I fear Miss Kingslake is in danger.’

  Ash was driving the pony so hard, the trap was swaying from side to side and all the poor man could do was hang on to the sides and pray. Down the village street, they went, scattering children and chickens and leaving the women standing with their mouths open. Up the slight incline towards the headland they went with the pony breathing hard, and pulled up outside Windward house. Sir Felix’s carriage stood outside.

  Ash threw the reins to the parson and jumped down almost before the wheels had stopped turning. He did not bother to knock, but rushed into the house. He was met by Sir Felix, Arabella and Sir Felix’s coachman. ‘Where is she?’ he demanded. ‘What have you done with her?’

  ‘Done?’ Sir Felix asked mildly, though his tone belied the furious look in his eyes and the way his shoulders stiffened. ‘Done with whom?’

  ‘He means Miss Kingslake, I do believe,’ Arabella said, coming to Ash’s side and taking his arm. ‘Do calm down, Ash, and tell us what is troubling you.’

  ‘You have abducted Miss Kingslake from my protection, taken her by force, and I demand you release her.’

  ‘If that is so,’ Felix said, with a sneer, ‘your protection fell short of what it should be.’

  ‘Darling Ash,’ Arabella said. ‘No one has abducted the lady. If she left your house, she left it of her own free will.’

  ‘If that is true, she will tell me so herself. Where is she?’ He rushed from room to room. There was no one in any of them, not even Mrs Sadler or Sarah who had been left behind to look after the house. The kitchen fire was cold and the house had a neglected air. ‘Where is she?’ he demanded, coming back to the hall where Sir Felix stood tapping his boot with his cane.

  ‘My dear fellow, how can I know what was in the lady’s mind?’

  ‘Then what are you doing here? And where are the servants?’

  ‘I am here because I expect to own this house soon. And the servants have been dismissed.’

  The vicar came in the front door. ‘What is going on?’ he asked, looking from one to the other. ‘I cannot keep my pony standing outside—’

  ‘Then take it home,’ Sir Felix said brusquely. ‘You are not needed.’

  It was a side of Sir Felix the poor man had not met before and he was shocked. He retreated in confusion. Ash did not think he would be much help in any case. He looked about him. Surely there was some clue as to what had happened. It was no good repeating, ‘Where is she?’—he would not receive an answer. He searched the rooms again, more thoroughly. It was in the kitchen he saw it: a tiny scrap of gauze caught on the latch of the door to the cellar. ‘Pippa!’ he shouted. ‘Pippa!’

  ‘It is no good making that noise,’ Sir Felix said, following him into the room. Hastily Ash snatched the incriminating evidence and put in his pocket.

  He was sure Pippa was in the cellar, but he had to draw Sir Felix and Arabella away from the kitchen. He went back into the hall and pretended to leave. ‘I shall find her,’ he said.

  Sir Felix laughed. ‘You will not need to look far. She will be in church on Sunday to hear the banns read. I advise you to make your peace with Mrs Thornley and get your own banns read as soon as may be.’

  They went outside. Harry and Alex were coming up the lane towards the house. They appeared to be drunk. Sir Felix stared at them. ‘Who are you?’

  ‘They are friends of mine,’ Ash said. ‘Alex, what have you to tell me?’

  ‘The person in question is on his way to Thetford.’

  ‘Agreeable?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Good. Then be so good as to arrest Sir Felix.’

  Alex and Harry ranged themselves on either side of Sir Felix and took his elbows to propel him towards his carriage, while he blustered angrily, ‘How dare you! I am a magistrate and squire of this village. I will not be manhandled.’

  ‘Not even a magistrate is above the law,’ Harry said cheerfully, bundling the man into his coach, while the stupefied driver looked on.

  ‘Get up there and drive us to the lock-up,’ Alex commanded him.

  ‘This one, too,’ Ash said, taking Mrs Thornley’s arm and forcing her towards the carriage. ‘She is an accessory.’ He did not wait to see if they obeyed, but dashed back into the house, along the hall and into the kitchen. ‘Pippa!’ he shouted. ‘I am coming.’

  It took him a minute to find something to break the lock, but then he was dashing down stone steps into darkness. ‘Pippa?’ There was no answer. His heart sank. Had she been made unconscious? Knocked out? Drugged? Killed, even? He was close to panic and had to stand a moment to calm himself. And then he began feeling his way round the walls. The cellar was definitely empty. Where was she? Was the whole thing a masquerade on the part of Sir Felix to put him off the scent? How he must be chuckling. He was about to give up when he felt a ring set in the wall. Half-expecting her to be chained to it, he felt all round it. No Pippa.

  But his eyes were becoming accustomed to the dark and from the little light penetrating down the steps behind him, he saw a small door with the ring in the middle of it. He pulled the ring and the door swung outwards. Whatever was on the other side was as dark as pitch. He put his head inside and yelled. ‘Pippa!’ Her name echoed round and round, but there was no reply.

  He dashed back up the steps to the kitchen, found a lantern and fumbled with the flint to light it. Then he carried it down to the hole. There was a second cellar behind the first. It was dark and damp, but also empty. Even in his anxiety he realised this was an excellent hiding place for contraband and Sir Felix knew that; if he married Pippa, it would be his. Ash explored it and found a second door on the far side. Surely not a third cellar?

  He stepped towards it and nearly fell over a bundle on the floor. ‘Pippa! Oh, my darling.’ He knelt down, took the gag from her mouth and undid her bonds. Then he gathered her into his arms. ‘I thought I’d lost you.’ She was crying and shivering. He held her close and chafed some warmth back into her hands. ‘Darling, darling Pippa, you are safe now. It’s all over. All over.’ He picked her up and carried her back up the steps into the house and put her on the sofa. She was still very cold. He ran up to her room, dragged the clothes from the bed and took them downstairs where he wrapped them round her and sat with her head in his lap.

  ‘You are safe, my love,’ he murmured. ‘Sir Felix has been arrested. He will trouble you no more.’

  ‘Oh, Ash. I prayed you would come.’

  He smiled. ‘And here I am. But what a fright you gave me. I was in despair. If anything had happened to you, I think I should have wanted to die. You are my love, my life, the reason for my existence.’

  Her heart, so cold before, was singing with joy at his words, but she was still puzzled. ‘Ho
w did you find me?’

  ‘It is a long story, my love, and I have to confess to keeping something from you. It tried my conscience sorely, but Nat swore me to secrecy.’

  ‘I don’t understand. You have spoken to my brother? Where is he?’

  So he told her everything: Nat’s first appearance in London, his accusations and search for proof, and the arrangement to meet in Narbeach, which was thwarted when that pistol had gone off. ‘He was carried away again,’ he said. ‘And so I was in no position to expose Sir Felix and then my uncle died at the most inopportune moment imaginable.’

  She smiled. ‘The poor man could not help that. So you took me to Fairfields and went to London. I thought I would never see you again.’

  ‘But, my sweet, I promised to come back.’

  ‘I know, but I knew it would be different then.’

  ‘It is not different. I love you as much as ever—more, if possible.’

  ‘Love me?’ Her eyes lit up.

  ‘Of course. I thought you would have guessed. I hardly troubled to hide my feelings.’

  ‘Sometimes I hoped; other times I thought you were simply playing some rake’s game. After all, you fall in love at least once a month, you told me so.’

  ‘I was bamming. I have never been in love in my life before until now. I am past being a rake. That life is all behind me.’

  ‘Because you are Lord Cadogan.’

  ‘No, nothing to do with that. I may be Lord Cadogan, but I have waived my claim to the estate.’

  ‘Why? Surely that is a foolish thing to do?’

  ‘Not at all. It was a very wise thing to do. You see, I have fallen in love for the first and last time in my life, with the most beautiful, most contrary, most mettlesome redhead in the world. Pippa, I want you for my wife. Please say you love me as I love you and will marry me.’