Cavalier Courtship

by Oliver, Marina

He would most likely be hung as a traitor. The thought of him dangling at the end of a rope was too horrible to be borne, and she hastily searched for a pen and some paper. She had a store of writing materials in her room, and once she found what she needed, she sat down to compose her letter. She did not know what to say, but had no time for pondering, and at last managed to write a few lines. Hastily sealing the letter, she took up her cloak and crept down the stairs, past Philip's room and down the next flight of stairs to the kitchen.

  There Bessy was busy packing up their food. Caroline put down her letter on the table, then, backing to the door, spoke, with a break in her voice.

  'Bessy, will you give that letter to Philip, please?'

  Before Bessy could reply, Caroline turned and ran out of the kitchen and out of the house. She hurried along towards Westminster, towards the house where Hannah lived. She must hope Hannah would shelter her if her Aunt Mary was not to be found.

  Bessy had caught a glimpse of her face as she left the kitchen, and wasting no time, ran straight up to Philip's room.

  She burst in without knocking, and held out the letter to his surprised gaze.

  'It's from Charles. He's just gone out, looking very queer!'

  With an oath, Philip took the letter and tore it open. It was short and smudged with tears.

  My beloved, I love you too much to be a liability to you. My way is safest for you. I would die rather than bring harm to you. I will write when it is safe.

  For ever I will be yours, Caroline.

  'Did you see which way she went?'

  'Towards Cheapside. The boys are outside. Mayhap they saw which way he – she?'

  'Bessy, finish packing for us, and send the things and the horses to the White Hart in Southwark tonight. I cannot stop!'

  Dropping a quick kiss on her forehead as he ran from the room, he flung the cloak he had snatched up over his shoulder as he took the stairs in two bounds. Bessy was left pondering his use of the word 'she'.

  Outside the house, Philip called to one of the boys playing there, one of Bessy's nephews.

  'Did you see which way Master Charles went?'

  The lad was quick and intelligent, luckily.

  'Aye, sir. He turned westwards up Cheapside.'.

  'My thanks.' Philip threw him a coin and ran in the direction indicated. Reaching Cheapside he threaded his way through the crowd, in between the numerous carts, hackney carriages, and sedan chairs with which it was almost blocked, all the time keeping a sharp eye on the many pedestrians.

  He reached St Paul's, and was becoming worried, for Caroline could have taken any of several streets from here, but as he came out into the open space near the vast church he caught a glimpse of her, going in the direction of Ludgate Hill.

  Following as close as he dared without being seen, for he did not wish to cause an altercation in this busy place, they went along Ludgate Hill, Fleet Street and the Strand, to Charing Cross. Here Caroline turned down past Whitehall, and when she reached Westminster, Philip almost lost her as she turned along one of the streets running northwards. But he saw her in time, and turned after her to see her knocking at the gate of a large mansion. Was this the house of the aunt she had mentioned?

  He had little time for conjecture, for the gate had been opened, and Caroline was swallowed up inside. Now he wondered whether to wait on the chance that she would come out again, or to gain entry into the house and confront her there. It could be awkward as he did not know the house or who lived there, but he decided it was his best course of action, so in his turn he approached the gate and lifted the heavy iron knocker.

  A small grill was opened almost at once, and a porter peered out at him.

  'Excuse me, but I must see the young boy who just entered. Will you admit me?'

  The porter scratched his head.

  'I don't know what to make of it,' he muttered.

  'The boy. Whom did he ask to see?'

  'Well, he said as how Mistress Kenny, the housekeeper, was an old friend of his, and he must see her. I sent him round to the kitchens.'

  'Then may I see Mistress Kenny too? It is very important,' he added as the porter looked dubious.

  'I suppose it be all right,' the man muttered at, last, and unbolted the gate to let Philip in. Opposite the gateway was an arch in the building on the far side of the courtyard. The porter pointed to it.

  'Go through there, and the kitchens are on the left at the back. Someone there will be able to help ye.'

  Thanking the man, Philip made his way as directed, and was admitted to the kitchen quarters of the house by a maid who asked him to wait while she told Mistress Kenny. He did not, however, wish that Caroline, who would presumably be at this moment with that lady, should become aware of his presence and able to escape, so he followed the maid along the passage to what he guessed was the housekeeper's sitting-room. The maid knocked on the door and was told to enter. He waited outside the open door, and listened.

  'There's a gentleman wishing to see you, Mistress Kenny.'

  'Who is he, Kate?'

  'He didn't say, ma'am, and I didn't think to ask.'

  Then Caroline's voice came to Philip's ears in a frightened whisper.

  'Could it be Philip? How could he have followed me?'

  'Child, who is Philip?'

  Philip pushed open the door and entered the room. Caroline gasped at the sight of him, the maid looked indignant he had not waited as she had told him, and the plump, middle-aged lady who was seated in a chair near the window looked bewildered.

  'Madam, may I introduce myself, and beg pardon for intruding in this manner? I am the Comte de St Martin. May I explain this situation to you? It must seem very strange, but I think it can be explained satisfactorily.'

  He gave her his most charming smile, and after a moment she smiled back.

  'Come in, sir, and be seated. Kate, you may go.'

  The maid departed with obvious reluctance, looking curiously at these two visitors who had arrived so strangely and unexpectedly.

  'Pray be seated.'

  Philip sat on a chair opposite the woman, after placing one for Caroline, who accepted it silently.

  'You are Mistress Kenny?' asked Philip, taking charge of the scene.

  The woman nodded.

  'Are you Caroline's aunt?'

  'No. I was housekeeper to her uncle before I came to London.'

  'Caroline, I think we had better explain everything to Mistress Kenny, who will, I am certain, honour our confidence.'

  Caroline nodded, and with promptings from Philip and many exclamations from Hannah, told the story of her running away from home. Then Philip took up the narrative, and told about the time they had spent together in London, ending with his arrest and rescue from prison by Caroline.

  'So you see, madam, it is imperative I leave England at once. If I am caught, I can have no hope of escaping the gallows. But as Caroline is an accomplice in the eyes of the law, she too must leave, or risk that fate also.'

  'I think he will get away more easily without me, Hannah!' burst out Caroline. 'I shall be safe as a girl and with someone who has no connection with Philip. I came to ask if you knew where Lady Tomas, my father's sister, lived. I thought she would give me a home, or possibly you would for a time. I will work to earn my keep. I would – I would even go back to Uncle John if that would save Philip!'

  Hannah looked at her silently for a moment, then shook her head.

  'Your Aunt Mary and her husband, being declared Royalists, have lived quietly out of London for some time. I hear they are now in Brussels, at the Court of the poor King.'

  'Mistress Kenny, I am bound there myself. Caroline, do you not see, you cannot find refuge here. Come with me, and I will not only get you out of the country, but to your relatives as well.'

  Caroline shook her head.

  'I still feel you would escape better without me. What of Uncle John?' she asked Hannah.

  Hannah shrugged her shoulders.

  'I hea
rd once from Benny you had left home, and he swore never to see you again. Oh, my dear, I have been so worried about you ever since I heard you had left him. God knows it was no home for you, but the thought of what might have happened to you has been torture to me. Thank you, sir, for taking care of her. I can see that you wish her well.'

  Hannah, who had remained calm until this moment, began to sob, and Caroline jumped up to put her arms round the woman, who had always been kind to her during her unhappy childhood.

  'You must come with me,' repeated Philip, looking at her above the bowed head of Hannah.

  'I – I know not what to do,' stammered Caroline, at last doubtful. 'I would not endanger you.'

  'You have already endangered me by running away and forcing me to show myself in the streets of London. I do not intend to leave without you. You are dearer to me than life itself, and I intend we shall never again be parted.'

  Hannah lifted her head and looked hard at the man as he spoke these words.

  'I feel in some way responsible for the child, sir,' she told him. 'I agree with you it would be better for her to leave England for a time, and if you can take her to her aunt that would solve the problem. Tell me, do you love her?'

  'With all my heart,' replied Philip simply.

  'Will you care for her, and deliver her safely to Lady Tomas?'

  'You may be sure I will do that.'

  'Then, Caroline, you must go.'

  Philip held out his arms, and with a cry of relief Caroline ran to him, to be crushed in that firm embrace once more. Hannah smiled at them, her eyes misty with tears.

  'Bless you, my children.'

  Philip gently put Caroline into the chair and sat down again.

  'It is dark already, and we ought to leave at once.'

  'Of course. Is there anything I can do for you?'

  'I have had our belongings taken to the White Hart in Southwark, so we have but to cross the river, then we will journey by night. Can you arrange for a boat to take us across the river?'

  'I will tell Jacob, the boatman of this house, to row you across.'

  'Good. We will write to you as soon as we reach Brussels. I cannot express how deeply grateful I am to you for your help.'

  Hannah smiled at him, then sent to Jacob giving him instructions about the boat. She offered refreshment, but Philip was anxious to be gone, and they refused. Hannah gave Caroline a pair of embroidered slippers as a parting gift.

  'They were intended as a gift for my niece, but I can make her some more. I would have you take something to remind you of me.'

  'Hannah, I will never forget you,' declared Caroline. 'Thank you for all your help.'

  'We hope that before long it will be safe to come back to London and see you again,' Philip added.

  Hannah then took them out to the courtyard where Jacob was waiting to take them to the river, and they made their farewells. Jacob took them to the boat and rowed them across the river without any hindrance.

  Thanking Jacob, they made their way through the dark stinking alleys of the Bankside to the White Hart, where Bessy herself was anxiously awaiting them. They greeted her gladly, and she told them she had had their horses stabled, and their baggage was ready for them. They did not linger, and Bessy accompanied them to the stables of the inn and busily oversaw the loading of the saddle bags.

  Then they took a sad farewell, promising to return when they could to visit her. They rode out of the yard and turned along the dark road leading south towards Dover.

  *

  Chapter 11

  They rode in silence for a while. The moon was fitful and they could go but slowly. Several times they passed other travellers riding towards London, and once a group of riders cantered recklessly past them in the darkness. Soon they reached Greenwich.

  Philip began to speak, quietly so that Caroline had to edge her horse close to him to hear.

  'I shall stay on the Dover road through Rochester and till near Canterbury, because there are often travellers along it at night, and we shall not be so conspicuous as along country lanes. But from there we must leave the road and go through Hythe to where I can find these smugglers, on Romney Marsh. With luck we will find them by the end of the third night, and then we will be safe.'

  'I still have doubts of your wisdom in bringing me.'

  'We have discussed that, my dear, and you are not to refer to it again. I have said I will not leave you now, I love you too dearly to risk losing you.'

  'I do not deserve such love.'

  'Nonsense. You are good and brave, and I count myself fortunate in finding you. Do you regret leaving England?'

  'No. I want only to be where you are, Philip.'

  They rode on again in silence. There were heavy clouds scudding across the sky, which hid the moon every few seconds, so they had to pay constant attention to the road. It was April and the nights were long. They had started after dark, and with only a brief pause to rest their horses and eat some of the food Bessy had provided, they reached the posting inn at Rochester as dawn was breaking.

  Philip had decided they would change horses there, but not delay. They would ride on for a few miles more until they found a suitable place to rest in during the day.

  In the inn yard the ostlers were already stirring, and Philip called to one of them.

  'Hey, fellow. While we change horses fetch us some mulled wine.'

  The man went off into the inn and another, sleepily rubbing his eyes, came to take the horses. Philip went with him to supervise the transfer of their saddle bags, and Caroline waited in the yard, watching with interest as the business of the day started. Soon the wine was brought, and she stood sipping it. Philip joined her, and they warmed their chilled hands round the mugs, and drank eagerly, for the nights were cold, and they felt numbed, despite their thick cloaks.

  As soon as they were finished, their horses were led out, and wearily they remounted. Neither of them had slept for twenty-four hours, and the night before that had been relatively sleepless, with Philip lying on the hard bed of his prison cell, and Caroline making plans for his rescue.

  They were thankful to see a small wood, dense with undergrowth, soon after leaving Rochester, and after making sure there was no one on the road near enough to see them, they plunged into its shelter. After only a few yards of threading their way past the thick bushes they were completely hidden from the road, but Philip led the way still further in.

  'I do not want the horses betraying our position by whinnying to others passing by,' he explained.

  At length they came to a small open space, and Philip decided to stay here. He dismounted, and now there was no one to see his apparently odd behaviour in lifting a boy from the saddle, he was able to offer his help to Caroline. She was grateful, stiff as she was from the long hours in the saddle and lack of sleep. They ate more of Bessy's provisions, hobbled the horses, and then Philip spread out his cloak on the ground.

  'Come. We will be warmer together. We will wrap my cloak round us both, then put yours on top.'

  Caroline came to him, and they lay down, while he arranged the cloaks to protect them. Then, with his arms round her, and her head pillowed on his shoulder, she immediately fell asleep. He stayed awake for some time, gazing at her beloved face, childish in sleep, with the long lashes sweeping over her cheeks, and her red lips curved into a smile. Though not particularly devout, he sent up a prayer to God to protect her and let them escape safely out of England. He had never loved a woman in the way he loved Caroline, and he marvelled at his feelings. He had immediately been attracted to the hungry child he had rescued long ago from the outraged cottager, and after a short while in her company, realising she was in fact a girl, he had fallen deeply in love with her. He wondered, as he had done before, whether he ought to have sent her away once he had guessed her sex, but again came to the conclusion that as she did not seem to have anywhere to go, she would be safer with him, unconventional though their situation was, than on her own in the London streets,
where all manner of evils might have befallen her.

  He thought again of the previous day, and with a smile realised their love had been declared and accepted by both of them perfectly naturally, with no thought of the future beyond getting to Brussels.

  I must formally ask her to marry me, he thought to himself, tenderly brushing away a curl of hair that had fallen over her face.

  Kissing her gently on the brow, he too then slept.

  *

  They awoke hours later, as it was getting dusk, stiff and hungry. Philip stirred first, and his movement woke Caroline. She sat up, at first puzzled by where they were, then smiled down at Philip, who was stretching out on the ground. He laughed up at her, then pulled her down on top of him, kissing her fiercely. She responded eagerly, stirred by his ardour, and it was regretfully that he at last released her.

  Sitting up, he remembered his thought of the morning.

  'I have something important to ask you, Caroline. Who is your guardian?'

  'Who is my guardian?' she repeated, puzzled.

  'Yes. Is it this Uncle John, or Lady Tomas?'

  'I don't know. I always assumed it was Uncle John, but I know nothing of any legal provisions. And from what Hannah said, he appears to have cast me out!'

  'Then as there is no one more suitable to whom the question can be put, I must ask you direct.'

  She looked at him, puzzled, and a trifle disturbed. Was he proposing to send her back to her family? Had he had second thoughts during the day about the risks of capture? Now, having come with him, she did not wish to leave him. He went on, however, cutting into her speculations.

  'Mistress – confound it, I do not even yet know your surname! Caroline, my beloved, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife? I have a title, albeit French, to bestow on you, and a fairly large income, I am not quite sure how much, having been away from my French estates for some time, but several thousands a year. You would be comfortable. And I will arrange settlements to satisfy any of your relatives. As for my love, that will be yours for ever.'

  Sitting on the ground still, surrounded by the cloaks, they looked at each other.