Serena

by Claudy Conn

  He knew what was happening to him. He was not a fool. He knew he had fallen hard. He could not remember ever feeling quite this way.

  Her honey-gold hair was a rich cascade of curls that started at the top of her fine head and worked its way down her back. Her dark eyes turned to his and stole his thoughts, turned them into gruel and put them daintily back into his mind—mind, what mind? It was lost to her.

  She was vibrant and bubbling with laughter, a veritable treasure—a prize of a woman, and he wanted her for all time.

  How had this happened to him? He had been a confirmed bachelor. Of course, he had hoped that one day in the future he might find a woman he could wed. That day had come charging into his life unexpectedly, and he knew, in that moment, she was the one he wanted for all time.

  He was tantalized beyond logic. He was in a passion for her he was fairly certain he could no longer hide. He wanted her with every fiber of his being. Their lovemaking had set him to dreaming about her. He wanted her, needed her, and couldn’t think of a way of getting her alone again.

  When they had visited her tenants and he watched her tease and play with young Billy, he absurdly imagined her with their child.

  Where had that come from?

  As he watched her, he realized she had no concern for her own welfare, only for the sick boy. It was in that moment that he realized he had been wrong about Serena. There was so much more to her than she had allowed him to see. Or had he just been blind? She was caring and unselfish. She was brave and self-assured. She was gracious and graceful with a style and a mindset all her own.

  It had dawned on him in the middle of the night. She was everything he had ever dreamed a woman could be, and he wanted her for his own. No … it was more than that. He already thought of her as his own.

  The day before, when he had heard she had gone to the rectory alone, he had been furious, furious that she was being so careless with her safety. What had driven her to go there? Had it been his question regarding Eustace?

  It must have been. It had dawned on him that Serena must have had a good reason. He had put it together. She went off to the rectory hurriedly, no doubt in the hopes that she could discover whatever it was she was looking for while Eustace was away.

  He wanted to ask her about it. He needed a quiet moment with her alone. However, as he sat beside her, he had not found an opening before she became distracted.

  Then, once again, his ire was blistered.

  He watched her as she lifted a smile to Freddy. What was she doing? Suddenly, she left him sitting as she got to her feet. He was stunned as she just up and left him to go and speak with his nephew.

  His eyes narrowed. What was she doing? Why did she still lead the boy on? It was the only fault he could find in her, and it was a serious one.

  His anger grew as he watched them walk to a quiet corner. He watched as she whispered to Freddy and felt his agitation grow as they clasped hands.

  What the bloody hell? What was she confiding to the boy?

  Why confide in Freddy and not him? Why?

  * * *

  “Freddy, I have discovered something … we must talk,” she said on a low note, trying to appear casual. In truth, she felt as though she would explode with excitement and couldn’t wait to share her thoughts.

  She took his hand and led him to a quiet corner and turned to tell him, “I think I am onto something important, something about the location of the stolen gold.”

  Freddy’s eyes opened wide. “What?” he was surprised into responding louder than she wanted him to. He lowered his voice and said, “What has happened?”

  “Well, I remembered suddenly this old story Reverend Thomas used to tell me … and I put two and two together and … Freddy, I am certain I know where the gold is.”

  “’Pon my soul!” he exclaimed, again louder than he should have done, and she glared at him.

  “We have to go to the old Bolder churchyard in secrecy and examine one of the crypts,” she told him.

  “Certes! This is beyond everything wonderful,” he was moved to exclaim, his face alight with excitement.

  “Hush, Freddy. You must keep your voice down. Freddy, there is a tunnel that leads from the graveyard site at the Bolder rectory into Piney Woods. I am nearly certain it is being used by the thieves to hide the gold meant for Wellington. We must make a search with no one the wiser and before they try and stop us.”

  Apparently that was all she needed to say. Freddy was thrilled and full with glee as he took Serena’s shoulders and shook her harder than he should have and said, “This is beyond everything, famous!”

  Serena could not help herself. She shot a glance towards his lordship and found his blue eyes studying both of them. His lips looked drawn in anger. She sighed. What was he thinking? Should she take him into her confidence? No, he might feel obliged to immediately tell the magistrate, and she had decided if they were to catch the mastermind of this robbery, secrecy was needed.

  “What is the plan?” Freddy demanded, his whisper not quite as quiet as she could have wished.

  “Tomorrow morning at six, meet me in the Piney Woods—you know the spot. I don’t want the reverend to see us and perhaps object to our poking about. We need total secrecy.”

  “Done,” he said, his eyes alight with anticipation.

  “Right then, and Freddy, when this is over, you will go back to school. You understand you have no hopes in my direction, and it is time. Right?”

  “Well, but, Serena—”

  “No buts. You and I both know the time has come, don’t we?”

  He hung his head. “I suppose.”

  Serena slowly made her way toward Betty and sat beside her. Her uncle was happily engaged in his efforts to instruct Lewis and Jasper both that their new notions of politics was idiotic. She smiled at this and turned to find his lordship’s blues studying her. She inclined her head, but without a smile, he turned away, excused himself, and said that he was expected in town.

  She watched him go and realized all pleasure in the afternoon went right out the door with him.

  ~ Seventeen ~

  SERENA HAD DONNED a pair of old suede britches, a dark and serviceable old riding jacket, and a pair of comfortable high-top riding boots. She tucked her honey-gold hair beneath a wool peaked cap and hurriedly made her way out of the house and down to the stables. It was still dark, as the hour was early.

  She pulled her horse onto the floor and gave her a quick brushing before managing the saddle, and bridle.

  “Miss Serena, ye be up and about early,” said her groom as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and walked towards her.

  “Yes, and I shouldn’t be too long … no need to concern yourself,” she answered. “Don’t make a fuss, for I don’t want the squire hearing of this. Let’s keep it between us, yes?”

  “Aye, of course, miss,” he answered but frowned.

  She could see he was wondering what she was up to, but there was no time for explanations. She took her horse hurriedly to the gate, opened it, mounted her mare, and walked her for a bit before heading for the country path that would take her to the Piney Woods. She stayed clear of the shortcut because it was still too dark.

  She took the main pike at a trot, and although the day was just about to break, it was still rather dark, so she maintained a slow pace as she peered ahead of her. Piney Woods was just ahead, as was the rectory.

  She turned her horse into the woods and allowed her mare to pick her way down the narrow bridle path. She couldn’t quite see Freddy, but she heard his horse pawing at the leaves. With more noise than she wanted to make, she jumped down and cringed as she heard the crackling of leaves and twigs beneath her boots.

  She tethered her horse and looked around, wondering if she had been wrong to think she had heard Freddy’s horse, when a familiar voice at her back said, “Right, where do we start?”

  Her hand went to her heart, as he had frayed her already frazzled nerves, and said on a hushed sound, �
�Freddy! You nearly did me in.”

  She could just make out his grin as he said, “Right, come on then. What’s next?”

  “And good morning to you, as well,” she said ruefully.

  “Forgive me, yes, of course, a good morning to you as well, Serena. I didn’t sleep a wink with thinking of this morning and worrying about being on time.”

  “Indeed, nor did I,” she answered. “Freddy, if what I suspect is true, well, it will be—”

  “Bang up to the nines!” he finished for her enthusiastically.

  “Yes, quite, but let us not do that thing with putting the cart before the horse,” she answered quietly. “We have to make our way to the Tregaron Tomb. Once Uncle and I came to visit the Reverend Thomas, and we found him just exiting out of the crypt. It is my belief that the door to the tunnel is there.”

  “It fair gives one the jitters to be thinking about poking about in a tomb,” Freddy remarked.

  “Don’t be a noddy.” Serena giggled and realized she was on the verge of hysterics. She was more, much more frightened about this undertaking than she had at first realized. “’A crypt may look foreboding, but there is nothing there that can hurt us.”

  “Unless of course you believe in ghosts …” he added, grinning wickedly.

  “Freddy, if you had more schooling you would know that a crypt is an underground gravesite and that is the significance in all of this.” She meant to bring home the fact once more that he needed to return to school.

  She had succeeded only in getting his back up. Looking as though his youthful ego had been wounded, he put up his chin, “I don’t see that it signifies … let’s just do this.”

  They weaved their way through the woods and entered the churchyard’s far corner, where Serena led him directly to the building in question.

  They stood for a moment, looking at the concrete façade and then at one another. There were no windows in the structure, but one large, dark oak, rusted wrought-iron trimmed door. It was bolted with a latch and chain. Over the door, chiseled into the stone, was the name Tregaron.

  Freddy put a hand to his heart and said, “Serena … perhaps we need to bring in m’uncle. A knowing fellow, Uncle Danny … for I tell you what, why would anyone bolt a grave?”

  “Precisely. Did you bring the tools?”

  “Yes, though how did you know we would need them?” he said, handing her the satchel he had been carrying. “Now stand back …” he added portentously as he began to work at breaking the chain.

  Each time the hammer and chisel met with the chain’s links, it made a loud sound and Serena winced. They were far enough from the rectory that no one should hear, and yet, some inner demon was worrying her.

  Had she done the right thing? Eustace would never have allowed her to tamper with the tomb. His lordship would have wanted her well away and safe, and she would not have been a part of this most exciting adventure. She was, of course, being irresponsible, and for a young woman who prided herself on her good sense and responsible nature, it was very odd of her. She had been behaving very unlike herself from the moment Lord Daniel Pendleton had entered her life. At any rate, she couldn’t think about that now.

  Finally to Serena’s relief the chain gave way, and in some furor Freddy yanked it away from the latch, pulled back the bolt, and opened the door wide.

  He turned to Serena, and the two held hands for a moment before entering the dark tomb. “Keep the door open for whatever light we can get … and why didn’t I think to bring a lantern?”

  “Never mind, look … one there on the wall,” he said and went forward to take it up and grin. “You know, Serena, I rather think I was born for adventure,” he added as he struck flint against steel, producing a flame. He got the lantern lit and said, “I came prepared in the event that we would need to use a torch or a lantern.” He held the lantern high, and they stared at the cold stone chamber. Its floor was covered in dust, and they could clearly see footprints throughout.

  “Brilliant, Freddy,” Serena said and patted his arm, smiling to herself to see him preen. She then took a quick survey of the walls and asked, “I don’t think our tunnel door is in the walls—what say you?”

  “I quite agree … and look here, Serena,” he said with gleeful enthusiasm.

  “Yes … of course, the flooring is made of slatted wood,” she said, also excited.

  He frowned. “I wonder though, why do those prints lead to that coffin?”

  “Oh Freddy … of course … look, a hole—a hole in the floor!”

  “A metal pull must fit into it,” Freddy said almost on a shout. He was obviously bursting with enthusiasm.

  “Indeed, and I think it is kept in the coffin,” Serena said thoughtfully. “Come on, Freddy, we must check the coffin.”

  “Certes, Serena. Check the coffin—what do you mean, check the coffin?” Freddy appeared horrified.

  She couldn’t help but laugh and said, “Under it, around it …” She was already sliding her kid-gloved hand along the side of the coffin, but Freddy called her attention away.

  “Serena, Serena …” He held up a metal pull for her inspection.

  “Freddy, you are a wonder!” She almost clapped her hands. “See if it fits the hole.”

  He did just that and it stuck as he turned it around. He looked at her for a long moment and then pulled upward.

  With a creak, a square portion of the flooring no more than two feet by two feet came up.

  Serena put a hand to her chest. Should they go for help now? No, they first had to ascertain that here was the hiding place for the gold. She took the lantern from him and thrust it into the opening to display a stone stairway cut into the earth. It seemed to lead into a yawning cavity. She turned to Freddy and exclaimed, “Faith.”

  “This is beyond all things famous!” Freddy proclaimed in high spirits. “And to think m’mother wanted me up at school.”

  Serena however put a finger to her lips and said, “Hush.” She went to the open crypt door and peered outside. Daybreak was upon them, but it was cloudy and the light still fairly dim. “I thought I heard something.” A flash of movement caught her eye, and she whispered worriedly, “Freddy, someone is moving about near the church. We shall have to make a dart out of here.”

  “But … the tunnel … the gold …” Freddy objected in astonished accents.

  “Freddy, listen to me. This discovery puts us in some real danger. You must see that, and why I thought we could get in and out with so little time before sunrise, I do not know. I usually have more sense, but there you are. Must use our common sense now. I should have used it earlier.” She shook her head. “We have to get away before we are seen. We can return here tonight with none the wiser.” She put a hand over her mouth and then slowly took it away. “Freddy … ’tis Reverend Eustace. We cannot allow him to find us here.”

  Hurriedly, they closed up the trapdoor and slithered out of the tomb. Freddy took a moment to discard the broken link and make the chain look as though it was still bolted before they took off at a run. “We can only hope no one checks the bolt before we get back here.”

  “Yes …” Serena took his hand and said, “Hurry now.”

  Some moments later, they found their way back to their horses, mounted, and moved them at a quick trot through the woods until they reached an opening and entered the main road.

  They took a moment as each needed to catch a breath of air. They looked at one another, and Serena sighed with relief.

  She knew Freddy was thrilled. She was, herself, very excited with their find. Suddenly as they looked at one another, they burst into laughter. She knew the mirth was caused by frazzled nerves and excitement, but she couldn’t stop laughing.

  Finally, their mirth subsided, and as she put a hand to her stomach, Freddy reached and took Serena’s hand. “You are the best of good friends. I have hounded you with my courtship, and I am sorry if it made you uncomfortable, Serena.”

  “Oh Freddy, never mind that. In truth
, at first I was quite flattered,” she responded, much pleased with his new attitude. This is what she had been hoping for.

  He reached over and gave her a hug and a kiss upon the cheek.

  * * *

  His lordship had not been able to sleep. Serena occupied his thoughts, and he was in a state of confusion. He had come to the New Forest to save his nephew from a siren of a woman, but instead had found himself a victim to her charms.

  She wasn’t a siren; he knew that. She was everything that was good, and kind, and gracious. She was dear and sweet and the most desirable woman on earth, and he loved her with all his heart.

  She was not a grasping woman. She was not responsible for keeping a young man from school—at least, she said she did not encourage him, and he wanted to believe her.

  She was, although headstrong, a delight in every possible manner, and he was fairly certain he did not wish to spend the rest of his days without her in them.

  A sound caught his attention, and he got up and opened his door to see Freddy dressed in buckskins and slinking down the hall. What the bloody hell is that boy up to now?

  He sighed heavily and would have gone back to bed had not some sixth sense driven him to wash quickly and throw on his riding clothes.

  He reached the stables in time to see Freddy quietly leading his horse down the drive. His guard was nowhere to be seen, no doubt still asleep. This was not his agreement with Freddy, who had promised to always let the man know when he wished to leave the premises.

  A few moments later his lordship was mounted on his own steed and attempting to follow his wayward nephew.

  When he came to the crossroads, he had to dismount in order to try and track Freddy’s direction. In the end, he took an educated guess and followed the trail to the Piney Wood. This had to have something to do with the ugly business of the gold theft and the murder they had come across. This was precisely what he had warned Freddy about. He was putting himself in danger once again, and his heart became anxious. He, in fact, loved his nephew deeply, and the thought that he might be hurt or killed spurred him on.