The Swan Maid
Page 17
‘He’s not my lover,’ Lottie said angrily. ‘He had to take an urgent message to someone important. I don’t know who.’
‘Oh, well, that’s what happens in wartime.’ Aurelia walked away to join Gillingham, who was waiting with the horses. He lifted her into the saddle and his hands lingered longer than was strictly necessary around her waist. Aurelia bent her head and said something that made him laugh. It was an intimate scene and one that confirmed Lottie’s suspicion that her mistress and Gillingham were still deeply involved. It was a dangerous situation and one in which there could be no happy ending.
She hurried over to them. ‘Might I leave a message for Private Ellis, my lady? He will wonder why I’ve left so suddenly.’
‘Yes, but be quick. We’re riding to the French camp at Kamiesch to watch the races. I’ve heard that Fanny Duberly will be there, and I confess that I’m curious to meet such an intrepid horsewoman and extraordinary army wife. Anyway, I’m bored to death with war and disaster, and I’m longing for something more exciting.’
During the three-mile ride to Kamiesch Lottie’s thoughts were with Gideon. She had left a message with Benson, explaining her sudden departure, but he had been intent on his work and she was not sure how much he had understood or would remember when he came to pass it on. It was early afternoon by the time they reached the makeshift racecourse, and the French officers were showing off their equestrian skills to the delight of the onlookers. Lottie had no choice other than to follow Lady Aurelia while she moved amongst the crowd, chatting to old friends and acquaintances. Gillingham was constantly by her side, and they might have been at a race meeting anywhere in France or England. The carnival atmosphere made it hard to believe that only a short distance away the town of Sebastopol was under siege, and the fighting continued unabated. The irony of the situation seemed to have escaped Aurelia, and she was obviously in her element as she basked in the attention of her many admirers.
Lottie had to smile inwardly when Gillingham introduced Mrs Duberly to Lady Aurelia. The two indomitable military wives were, in fact, quite alike in appearance; being of a similar height and slender build, with flaxen curls and blue eyes, but it was obvious to Lottie that they would never become bosom friends. The meeting was polite and compliments were exchanged, but Aurelia was quick to spot a familiar face in the crowd and made her excuses to move on, with Gillingham and Lottie following close behind.
‘Fanny Duberly is a remarkable woman,’ Gillingham said earnestly. ‘She’s accompanied her husband throughout the campaign, and I believe she’s been keeping a journal of events that she intends to publish on her return to England.’
Aurelia stopped in her tracks, turning to him with a tight little smile. ‘Is that so? I wanted to see this paragon of womanhood, and now I have.’
‘Then you must agree that she is everything she is purported to be.’
Aurelia tossed her head. ‘I’ve heard that she comes from quite an ordinary family who live in Wey-mouth, wherever that might be. I doubt if I would invite them to dine if we were at home in Bath or Chatham.’
‘Really, Aurelia,’ Gillingham said, sighing, ‘sometimes I despair of you. I am not high born and yet you and I are soul mates. Fanny Duberly is a brave woman and deserves your praise and not your condemnation because of what you consider to be her inferior social status.’
Lottie held her breath, waiting for the storm to break over Gillingham’s head. She could have warned him that he was on dangerous ground, but it seemed that he was oblivious to danger signs.
Lady Aurelia came to a halt by the refreshment tent. She glared at Gillingham, her eyes narrowed and her teeth bared like a lioness about to attack a predator that was threatening one of her cubs. Then, just as suddenly, she threw back her head and laughed. ‘You put me nicely in my place, Farrell. You may buy me a glass of champagne to make up for being horrid to me.’ She shot a sideways glance in Lottie’s direction. ‘You’d better go and wait with the horses. We’ll be leaving directly.’
‘You are a perverse woman, Aurelia,’ Gillingham said, chuckling. ‘But I adore you anyway.’
‘Of course you do.’ Aurelia glided into the tent, acknowledging a dragoons officer who had attracted her attention.
Gillingham turned to Lottie. He put his hand in his pocket and took out some small coins. ‘Buy yourself something to eat and drink. We’ll be leaving soon, but I don’t want you fainting from hunger and thirst during the ride back to Balaklava.’
Lottie took the money and bobbed a curtsey. ‘Thank you, sir.’
He smiled. ‘I’m sorry you had to leave without saying goodbye to Private Ellis. He’s a good man.’
‘Yes, sir,’ Lottie said, nodding. ‘He is.’
She hesitated outside the tent, suddenly alone amongst foreigners, and to her own countrymen, the high-ranking officers, she might as well have been invisible. She was both hungry and thirsty, and at a loss to know what to do in order to find something to eat and drink. It seemed that she would have to go without when, while walking back to where the horses were tethered, she came face to face with one of the French cantinières. It would have been difficult to miss the woman with her tight-fitting military jacket worn over a short, bell-like skirt and bloomers. Ruby had told her about these women, who were employed by the French army to run the canteens and do the laundry for the officers and NCOs. The fact that they received full pay for their services and the respect of the French military had been a sore point with Ruby, who, like the other army wives, endured harsh conditions for very little reward. That aside, Lottie was hungry and the smiling cantinière was carrying a tray laden with pastries and a flask of wine. Although she did not know a word of French, Lottie was able to make herself understood and the woman was there to sell her wares. Having drunk a cup of rough red wine, Lottie handed over the money and walked away munching a sweet pastry.
The ride back to Balaklava was uneventful and the sure-footed horses coped with the rugged terrain with the skill of mountain goats. A full moon lit their way, turning the world to silver as the temperature dropped close to freezing. Spring might seem to have arrived earlier, but now winter returned and wrapped their small world in ice.
As she rode, allowing her mount its head, Lottie’s thoughts were with Gideon, living in the draughty ruins of the old inn. At least she could picture him now, sitting at his bench and operating the instruments that kept vital communications open. When they passed through Kadikoi she had to curb the sudden impulse to break away and join him at his post, but that would be wrong and stupid. He had his job to do and she had hers, and even more important than attending Lady Aurelia’s needs, she had taken on the responsibility for a young life. She hoped that her mistress might have a change of heart and acknowledge Molly as her child, but from what she had seen today, her ladyship was intent on enjoying herself and had no thought for anyone other than the man she loved.
Lottie yawned and shifted to a more comfortable position on the saddle. They were only a couple of miles from camp. It had been a very long day, but perhaps there would be another chance to visit Kadikoi tomorrow.
Next morning Lottie was up even earlier than usual. Molly was fretful, even though Ruby had just given her a feed, but she stopped crying when Lottie picked her up.
‘You are a bad girl,’ Lottie whispered, smiling. ‘You just want attention, don’t you? You are so like your mama.’
Molly gazed up at her with wide blue eyes.
‘All right, miss,’ Lottie said softly. ‘I’ll carry you round with me while I do my chores, but then you must promise to be a good girl for Ruby.’ She knew that Molly did not understand a word of what she said, but the sound of her voice seemed to quieten the baby, and Lottie felt a wave of tenderness for the child whose mother had rejected her. She carried her round until Ruby awoke, refreshed and ready for the start of a new day.
‘Did you mention the baby to her ladyship?’ Ruby asked anxiously. ‘Will she ever admit that Molly is her child?’
‘I won’t need you today.’ Aurelia held up a silver hand mirror, turning her head this way and that in order to get a better view of her perky little hat. ‘Gillingham is coming to collect me and we’re riding to the monastery.’
‘Are you sure, my lady?’ Lottie tried not to sound too eager. ‘I don’t mind the ride.’
‘You did well yesterday, considering you are relatively new to the saddle, but I think that my husband intends to take me to look over a house on the other side of Kadikoi, with a view to renting it for the duration. I won’t need you.’
‘Very well, my lady.’ Lottie cast her eyes down and folded her hands meekly in front of her. It would not do to let her ladyship see that she was bitterly disappointed.
‘Don’t sulk, girl. It doesn’t suit you.’ Aurelia snatched up her riding crop. ‘I know you want to visit your man again, but he has his work to do and you mustn’t distract him.’
The unfairness of this remark almost made Lottie forget her place. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell Lady Aurelia Dashwood a thing or two. Surely a woman who was cheating so openly on her doting husband was not in a position to criticise someone who simply wanted to be with the man she loved? She remained silent. There was nothing to be gained and everything to lose if she lost the trust of her wayward employer.
Aurelia moved swiftly to open the door. ‘Gillingham, I recognised your footsteps.’ She stepped outside, leaving the door to swing on its hinges.
Lottie stood in the doorway, watching them ride off with a feeling of foreboding. Lady Aurelia was growing reckless and Gillingham seemed to be totally under her spell. She was about to close the door when she saw Mrs Fothergill coming towards the hut. As usual she was dressed as if she were about to promenade in the park on a Sunday afternoon, with a perky feathered hat perched on her red wig, and her long skirts trailing in the dust. She wafted a lace handkerchief in front of her face, which was screwed up as if she had been sucking a lemon.
‘The stench in this camp is intolerable,’ she grumbled as she entered the hut, pushing past Lottie. ‘I wanted to see Lady Aurelia, but I see I am too late.’
‘Her ladyship has gone riding,’ Lottie said cautiously.
‘Really?’ Mrs Fothergill did not sound convinced.
‘Yes, ma’am.’
‘Then that was her ladyship I saw just now, and she was in the company of Lieutenant Gillingham.’
‘Yes, ma’am. He came to escort her to the monastery.’
‘Well, that is extremely odd because the colonel is attending a meeting here in Balaklava at Lord Raglan’s residence. I came here at his request to ask Lady Aurelia to join us for luncheon.’
Lottie looked away. The triumphant gleam in Mrs Fothergill’s eyes sent cold shivers down her spine. ‘I know nothing about her ladyship’s plans, ma’am.’
‘Of course you do.’ Mrs Fothergill tapped her foot impatiently. ‘That innocent look doesn’t work with me, Lane. You’ll come with me and tell the colonel everything you know.’ Her hand shot out, catching Lottie by the ear. ‘You may think I’m a fool, but I know there’s a baby in your tent and it doesn’t belong to you or that other woman. Cole has been doing some checking on my behalf and I know all about Mrs Wagg.’
‘She is a poor widow of a soldier who died of the cholera, Mrs Fothergill.’
‘And she lost her baby too. It’s on record, Lane, so there’s no denying the fact. Who, then, is the mother of the child she is at present nursing?’
‘I couldn’t say, ma’am. Lady Aurelia took pity on an orphan baby in Constantinople.’
‘Rubbish. Absolute nonsense. If that were true why did she hide the object of her charity while on board the Albatross? I suspected then that you and the Seacole woman were attempting to cover up something, and now I know what it was.’
‘I don’t know anything, ma’am.’
Mrs Fothergill opened the door and thrust Lottie outside. ‘You can tell that to my husband and the colonel. Let’s see if they believe you.’
Short of running away, with nowhere to go and nowhere to hide, there was nothing Lottie could do other than to accompany Mrs Fothergill to Lord Raglan’s residence. The ensuing interview was not pleasant, but Lottie stuck to her story and refused to corroborate any of Mrs Fothergill’s claims against Lady Aurelia. The colonel was visibly troubled and the major-general sat through the hearing with a grim expression on his weathered face.
‘This is a nasty business, Dashwood,’ he said gloomily. ‘It could create one hell of a scandal if word of this got out.’
‘It’s just gossip, as far as I am concerned.’ Colonel Dashwood glared angrily at Mrs Fothergill. ‘I’ll thank you not to spread stories like this, ma’am. My wife is above suspicion.’
‘No one is above suspicion, Colonel. Your wife at the very least is guilty of conduct that leaves her open to such gossip, as you call it. I hear that she was at the races at Kamiesch yesterday afternoon.’
Colonel Dashwood’s florid complexion deepened to a rich shade of purple. He fixed his gaze on Lottie. ‘Is this true, Lane?’
There seemed little point in lying. Lottie nodded. ‘Yes, sir.’
‘And you were in attendance?’
‘I was, sir.’
‘With Lieutenant Gillingham?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Then I am satisfied that my wife was adequately chaperoned.’ Colonel Dashwood faced Mrs Fothergill with an ominous frown. ‘Are you implying that there is anything untoward in their relationship, madam?’
‘I’m implying nothing, Colonel. It’s for you to decide, but questions are being asked as to the parentage of the infant in Lady Aurelia’s care.’
Colonel Dashwood rose to his feet. ‘If my wife said she took pity on a poor orphan then that is the case. I would expect you to refute any suggestion that this is not so.’
‘Steady on, Dashwood.’ The major-general slammed his hand down on the desk. ‘My wife is not in the dock.’
‘And neither is mine, sir.’ Colonel Dashwood made for the door. ‘Come along, Miss Lane. This conversation is at an end.’
Lottie hurried after him as he strode out of the room.
‘Mrs Fothergill has had her knife into Lady Aurelia from the start, Colonel. She’s a mean woman.’
Colonel Dashwood stopped to snatch his hat and cane from an orderly. ‘I agree, but tittle-tattle like this can cause a great deal of trouble. Where is my wife? I need to see her urgently.’
‘She said she was going to the monastery, sir.’
‘I see. Thank you, Miss Lane. That will be all.’ He placed his hat on his head and marched out of the building.
Lottie followed him more slowly. She needed time to think and she needed to speak to Mrs Seacole, who was the only witness to Molly’s birth. One unguarded word from her would ruin Lady Aurelia’s reputation and her marriage, if that was not already beyond saving.
Chapter Thirteen
Mary Seacole was on the wharf helping to care for the constant stream of sick and wounded soldiers who were waiting to embark on ships bound for Scutari. Lottie saw her wave the last man on board and then she turned her attention to a small drummer boy who had hurt his arm.
‘Good day to you, Lottie Lane,’ she said cheerfully. ‘Just let me deal with this little chap’s injury and I’ll be with you.’ The copper-headed child, who could not be more than ten or eleven, was trying hard not to cry as Mary examined his left arm. ‘This will hurt a bit, soldier,’ she said gently, ‘but you’ll soon be as good as new.’ She kneeled at his side and with a quick movement set the bone. The boy uttered a sharp cry and fell into a dead faint. ‘Pass me those bandages and the laths, please, Lottie.’
‘The poor little fellow. He seems too young to be involved in this terrible war.’
‘I agree, but tha
t’s the way they do things and they leave us women to fix their mess. This one is lucky because he’ll be out of action for a long time. Maybe they’ll send him home to his ma.’ With impressive skill, Mary splinted the arm while Lottie cradled the boy’s head in her lap.
‘What was it you wanted with me, miss?’ Mary’s shrewd eyes twinkled merrily. ‘I can see that you’re troubled.’
‘You’re right, Mrs Seacole. I came to ask your advice.’
‘Always happy to oblige. What is it?’
‘You remember Mrs Fothergill?’
‘I ain’t likely to forget her, honey.’
‘She’s trying to ruin Lady Aurelia, and she’s putting it about that Molly is her child.’
‘Truth will out, as my dear old ma used to say.’
‘I know, but it will be the ruin of Lady Aurelia and will do nothing for Molly.’
‘If you’re asking me to keep my mouth shut, you don’t have to worry. I am a professional woman even though I didn’t take no Hippocratic oath.’ Mary held a vinaigrette under the boy’s nose. ‘Wake up, honey. It’s all over.’
He coughed and spluttered and opened his eyes. ‘It hurts.’
‘Sure it does, and you’re a brave soldier.’ Mary produced a slab of sponge cake from her capacious black bag. ‘You munch on that and Mary will mix you up a draught that will ease the pain.’ She dug deep and took out a bottle of laudanum and a cup.
Lottie supported the boy while Mary mixed the potion. ‘What’s your name, soldier?’
‘It’s Edward, miss.’ He nibbled the cake and a little colour tinged his waxen cheeks. ‘They call me Teddy.’
Mary held the cup to his lips. ‘Drink this down in one, honey. The pain will go away.’
He obeyed without question.
‘There’s a good boy.’ Mary shook the drops from the cup and put it back in her bag. ‘He should be taken care of, but there’s no place for a boy his age in Scutari. As to the hospital here, I wouldn’t trust them with a pet monkey.’ She fixed Lottie with a knowing smile. ‘I guess you might have a little room in that tent of yours, Miss Lane. Another poor child won’t make much difference.’