by Mary Nichols
‘She stole my horse.’
‘Your horse?’ How far could she have gone on that? he asked himself. She might not be in Lisbon at all.
‘Yes, but it found its way back to the stables where I hired it.’ He gave a harsh laugh. ‘Pity it can’t talk.’
Alex let go of the man, who sank back into his chair. It had been an unsatisfactory interview in one respect, he still did not know where Charlotte was, but neither did the earl. She had run away! Oh, brave, brave Charlotte. But where was she? ‘I am going to find her.’
He turned to leave and the earl, recovering a little, called after him, ‘I would demand satisfaction for that outrage, Lieutenant Fox, if you were a gentleman.’
Alex laughed, setting aside the temptation to tell the earl he outranked him, and went on his way. He would save the satisfaction of that for another day.
* * *
He went back to his lodgings to find Davy waiting for him with a huge grin on his face. ‘You want to know where Miss Gilpin is?’ he asked.
‘You know very well I do. She is no longer with the earl.’
‘No, for she is dressed as a lad and working down by the harbour. I couldn’t believe my eyes at first, so I waited and watched. It was her all right.’
‘Working? What was she doing?’
‘She is employed by a coachmaker called Rodrigues.’
‘A coachmaker!’ Alex’s first reaction was to laugh, the second was to dash down there and demand to speak to her; he had turned and reached the door before he hesitated. He needed to be more subtle than that. ‘I will go and hire a horse and carriage,’ he said. ‘We are going to need one when we find Miss Gilpin. You will follow the earl wherever he goes. Don’t let him out of your sight because I know he is as anxious to locate Miss Gilpin as I am and I have to find her first.’
* * *
Charlotte had completed the decorative painting on the carriage to the elder Senhor Rodrigues’s satisfaction on her second day there and one of the other workers had come to help her varnish it. Unable to communicate except by signs, they had worked silently together and, by the end of that day, the first coat was finished. Her father would have applied seven coats of varnish to any prestigious coach he made and each had to harden before applying the next, but Manuel had said three was enough. She had persuaded him to a fourth.
She was in the course of warming the varnish for the last coat to make it cover more smoothly, when she heard a voice she recognised and looked up to see Alex in conversation with Manuel. It was too late to run and hide for he was looking at her with that familiar half-smile, which made her hackles rise at the same time as it set her heart beating almost in her throat. How she longed to throw herself into his arms, to feel cherished and protected. But that would make him and everyone else laugh, besides mortifying her. She was, after all, meant to be a boy. She turned from him to stir the varnish and take it from the fire to cool.
‘That has a most unpleasant smell,’ he said, approaching her. ‘Do you not find it so?’
‘I am used to it,’ she mumbled in her youth’s voice, though she did not, for a moment, think she had deceived him.
‘No doubt you are. I have encountered it before myself, at the coachworks of Mr Henry Gilpin in London. There is no mistaking it.’ He dropped his voice. ‘Nor you neither.’
‘Sir, I must not waste time talking, or the varnish will go off before I am ready.’
‘As you wish.’
He turned back to Manuel and concluded the hiring of a landaulet and a horse to pull it and then left without speaking to her again. Charlotte looked up to see his tall back disappearing through the door and longed to call him back. She felt tears welling in her eyes and dashed them away with her sleeve. Young men did not cry. Neither did independent ladies who prided themselves on their strength of character.
She cleaned her brushes and her hands and prepared to leave the premises and go to her lodgings. As always, she looked carefully about her before venturing outside, but she wondered if the caution was necessary, considering Captain Carstairs knew where she was. Would he tell the earl? Would she have to run away again, just when she felt she had fallen on her feet? It was so unfair.
She had crossed the square and turned into the narrow road where Madame Felix had her boarding house, unaware that she was being followed. A few yards further on Alex caught up with her. ‘What game are you playing now, Miss Gilpin?’ he asked quietly, falling into step beside her
There was no point in denying her identity. ‘I am playing no game.’
‘No, for it is deadly serious. Do you know what you are about?’
‘Yes.’
‘Forgive me if I doubt that. You could be in danger.’
‘From Manuel Rodrigues and his father? They will not harm me.’
‘How do you know that?’
‘They have been very good to me and I trust them. And they like my work.’
‘What about the other workers? If they have not tumbled to the fact that you are a young lady, they very soon will. I remember saying you did not make a very good midshipman, you are far too shapely. As for working as a coachmaker...’
‘I am a coachmaker,’ she said angrily, wishing he had not said that she was shapely. It reminded her how he had looked after her when she was ill and she did not want to be reminded. His behaviour then and since had been at odds and confused her. When she was in his company, his physical presence held her in thrall. She wanted to melt into him, to feel his strong arms about her, to be held as he had held her in her cabin, nothing between their two bodies but thin cotton. In his presence she was weak as water. When he was absent she made her head take over from her heart and convinced herself he was no more to be trusted than anyone else. Head or heart? She did not know which was right. ‘I know as much, if not more, about building coaches than any of them in there.’ She jerked her head back towards the coachworks.
He smiled. ‘Have you visions of taking over and making the business your own?’
‘Do not be so silly.’
‘It is not I who am silly,’ he said. ‘What are you calling yourself?’
‘Charles Manley and I will thank you to remember that.’
‘And what story have you told them?’
‘That I was pressed into the navy and forced to serve, that I jumped ship and want to earn enough to take me back to England.’
‘Very droll,’ he said, trying not to smile. ‘And they believed you?’
‘Yes. Why not?’
‘You cannot possibly keep it up.’
‘What else do you suppose I should do? I have to earn a living.’
‘You do not have to. You know the Earl of Falsham is anxious to have you back? He is hiding the fact that you are missing for the moment because it would make him look very foolish, but it will not be long before he tells the world you have been kidnapped and then the coachmaker will not protect you. The workers will give you up for a reward.’
She felt her newly won independence slipping away from her. Was nowhere safe? She refused to acknowledge he was probably right and marched on, her back stiff and head held high. He remained glued to her side.
‘Will you go back to Lord Falsham?’
She stopped walking and turned angrily towards him. ‘So this is what you are about, trying to persuade me to go back to that...that...’ Words failed her. ‘You have been hand in glove with him all along. I cannot think which is worse, a man who makes no secret of who he is and what he wants, however bad, and another who hides behind a veneer of friendliness and concern.’
He was angry, too. ‘You do me a great disservice, madam. I do not hide what I am from you or anyone.’
‘No? Then what is Captain Carstairs doing posing as Lieutenant Fox? If that is not hiding, I do not know what is.’
; ‘One day I will tell you, when you have learned to trust me.’
‘Why should I trust you any more than I trust Manuel and Joachim Rodrigues? Or the earl himself?’
‘Ah, now there’s a question. Come with me and I will tell you.’
‘Certainly not!’ She resumed walking, but he had no difficulty in keeping pace with her.
‘Charlotte, you are not safe on the loose, the earl will find you in the end, just as I have.’
Charlotte. He had called her Charlotte. ‘I wish...’ she began slowly.
‘What do you wish?’ he asked gently.
She could not tell him, it would diminish her to admit she needed him, needed him for all manner of reasons: to protect her, to defend her, to stand beside her against a hostile world, to make her feel loved and cared for, to make a woman of her. Her determination not to be lured into marriage, was crumbling. The pity of it was that he was not trying to lure her. ‘Nothing you can do.’
‘Try me. Do you wish to go home to England?’
‘Yes and that is exactly what I intend to do, just as soon as I have money enough to pay for a passage.’ She had begged writing materials from Madame Felix and had written to her father, begging him to come and fetch her home, but she had no idea how long the letter would take to reach him and then he had to find a berth on a ship. And perhaps he would not come, perhaps he would write to the Earl of Falsham and agree to the marriage. Oh, she prayed not. She had always been a dutiful daughter, but if that happened she would have to defy him. Learning to make a living might serve her well in the future.
‘I admire your spirit, madam, but it will take an age and in that time—’ He broke off, letting her imagine the earl coming for her and making sure she did not escape again.
‘What choice do I have?’
‘Let me take you.’
‘What is the difference between you taking me and the Earl of Falsham doing so? My reputation would still be in tatters.’
‘Not if you were married.’
‘I know that and so does Lord Falsham.’ She gave a brittle laugh. ‘He is counting on it.’
‘Do you want to marry him?’
‘No.’
‘What if your father advises it?’
‘He will not make me.’
‘Are you certain of that? It would silence the gossips and would, in the eyes of society, be a perfect match.’
‘I do not care two pins for society.’
‘But your papa does. For the sake of your reputation and his credibility, he might insist.’ He paused while she digested this, though he did not doubt she had already thought of it. ‘There is an answer.’
She stopped and turned towards him again, wanting to trust him, to hear him out. Everything he had said was true, whether she wanted to admit it or not. Dare she trust him? The more he talked, the more inclined she was to put her faith in him. ‘Go on. I am listening.’
‘I need to be sure you are set against Lord Falsham, no matter what arguments are put forward in his favour.’
‘I am set against him. I cannot imagine anything worse than spending the rest of my life with him.’
‘Has he...?’ He paused, trying to frame his question. ‘Has he forced himself upon you?’
She turned to face him, her face suffused with
colour. ‘Has he ravished me, you mean?’
‘Has he?’
‘No. I think he is afraid such a deed would not stand him in good stead with my father and he is counting on Papa agreeing to the wedding and making me accept.’
‘Would you?’
‘I have already told you I would not.’
‘Then marry me.’
She stared at him open-mouthed. ‘What did you say?’
‘Marry me. Here and now. That would put an end to his lordship’s plans, would it not?’
She started to laugh, but it was not a laugh of merriment, but near hysteria.
‘I am glad you find that amusing,’ he said stiffly.
Her laughter turned to tears and she could not stop them. They rained down her cheeks in a flood. He pulled her into an alley away from the curiosity of the people in the street and held her in his arms while she sobbed. ‘I’m sorry,’ she managed to say when the tears dried up. ‘I cannot believe you are in earnest.’
‘Oh, I am in earnest.’
‘But why? Why interest yourself in my affairs unless it is to usurp Lord Falsham? He wants me for my wealth and makes no secret of it. Is the same true of you?’
Her sharp response squashed any idea he might have had to tell her he loved her. Instead he said, ‘No, I have no interest in your wealth. It seems to me to be a stumbling block to true happiness.’
‘How right you are, but at this present moment I have no wealth, I do not have a feather to fly with.’
‘All the more reason to accept my offer. Once safely back where you belong in London with your father, we will have the marriage annulled. I give you my word.’
‘Oh,’ she said thoughtfully. ‘You mean it is to be a temporary marriage of convenience?’
‘Yes. Did you think I meant anything else?’
Her tears had stopped, but her heart was near to breaking. He didn’t want her. For all her wealth, he disdained her. If he had said he loved her, asked her in the approved manner, she would have been very tempted, more than tempted, to say yes, but not like this, not even to escape from the earl and be taken home. Her life would be purgatory, loving him and knowing he did not love her. ‘I thank you, Captain Carstairs, but, no. Please do not ask me again.’
‘You can be sure I will not do that, Miss Gilpin. I am a man and I have my pride.’
They had arrived at her lodgings. She ran from him and went inside, slamming the door behind her. She, too, had her pride.
* * *
Alex turned and walked back down the hill, wondering what had made him offer for her on the spur of the moment like that. It had been unbelievably clumsy and invited a rejection. He should have thought about it more carefully, waited until she was more receptive, not only to the idea of marrying, but to a declaration of love. Angrily to tell her he would not ask her again was the height of folly because he was a man of his word. Now, once again, they were at loggerheads. He felt tempted to kidnap her, but that was exactly what Falsham had done and he would not lower himself to follow in the footsteps of that gentleman.
He must tell her the truth of why he was in Lisbon, put everything back on a business footing and make arrangements for her to stay in a safe place with
ladies to look after her until a ship arrived going to England. His feelings for her and his antipathy for the Earl of Falsham had conspired to cloud his judgement and make him forget his duty. He set off for the British Minister’s Residency. Mr and Mrs Hay would surely take her in and keep her safely away from Falsham.
* * *
‘I am reluctant to intervene without some assurance that Falsham does not have the right of it,’ Edward said when, after a wait of two hours while the Minister dealt with state matters, Alex had been shown into his office and made his request. ‘A betrothal is as binding as a wedding.’
‘But there is no betrothal, certainly not one Miss Gilpin has agreed.’
‘Perhaps she is simply a disobedient daughter. If I could be sure Miss Gilpin’s father is against the marriage, it would be another matter entirely. I would invite her to stay under my protection.’
‘Then I hope Gilpin considers his daughter’s happiness more important than his coachmaking and comes out to Portugal to fetch her home. In the meantime, could you suggest she stays with you until her father comes, just for appearances’ sake? I am concerned that she is exposed to all manner of danger where she is, and not only from Lord Falsham.’
‘I will suggest it to his l
ordship.’
‘To do that, you will have to divulge where she is.’
‘That is true but, as you say, she cannot stay where she is; the idea of a gently nurtured young lady earning a living as a boy is appalling. I suggest you explain to her what I have suggested and persuade her to come here. I shall not keep her hidden away, but I shall make sure she is chaperoned at all times. No doubt Lord Falsham will allow her clothes to be brought here.’
Alex was not sure he liked the idea of the earl being consulted, but it was the best arrangement he could make. He thanked his friend and left to go back to Charlotte’s lodgings.
* * *
Charlotte had only picked at the supper her landlady had prepared for her and then excused herself and gone to her room, to lie on the bed staring up at the ceiling, wishing she was back at home in London and everything was as it had been before the appearance of Captain Carstairs. Being in love was supposed to be a wonderful feeling, but this was not wonderful, it was making her miserable. Her situation in a strange country where she did not speak the language, being sought by two men, one of whom she held in aversion and the other... She was not sure of the other at all. Having to disguise herself in order to earn a living was bad enough without the anguish of unrequited love.
She did not hear the knock at the door at first, but it was repeated and Madame Felix called out to her that there was a gentleman downstairs wishing to speak to Senhor Manley. ‘Tell him to go away,’ she called, without opening the door. ‘I have no wish to speak to him.’
She heard Madame go back downstairs and a murmur of voices as she relayed the message and then the street door was opened and shut again. Charlotte rose from the bed and went to the window to see the back of Captain Carstairs, in his lieutenant’s uniform, disappearing down the hill. Falling back on the bed, she allowed herself the luxury of tears.
* * *
The next morning she rose bleary-eyed, knowing she had no choice but to go on with the life she had made for herself, but she would be doubly watchful. Alex had been right; the earl could find her as easily and he had. It might mean she would have to disappear again and where would she find work and lodgings as congenial as those she had?
