Last Gentleman Standing

by Jane Ashford

  “But may I not offer you something in Elisabeth’s absence? A cup of tea, perhaps, or a glass of wine?”

  “No, thank you.” Derek turned to Ames, who had retreated to the far end of the hall during their conversation. “You’ll tell Miss Elham I called?”

  “Yes, sir,” replied Ames, coming forward again to open the door.

  Derek nodded. “Good day,” he said to Jane.

  “Good day.” She watched Derek move toward the door, a small smile lighting her face as he went out. Descending the last few stairs, she turned and entered the library.

  Twenty-eight

  The day passed very slowly for Elisabeth in the cramped inn parlor. She had nothing to do, and soon boredom was added to her other preoccupations. Once, she opened the parlor door slightly and peered into the hall. Mr. Crenshaw was sitting there in the battered wooden straight chair. “Good afternoon, miss,” he said when she looked out. “Was you wanting anything?”

  “I…I should like another cup of tea,” answered Elisabeth uncertainly.

  “Yes indeed, miss. I’ll get that for you as soon as Mr. Jarrett comes back.”

  “Has he gone?” inquired the girl eagerly.

  “Bless me, no. He wouldn’t leave you, never fear. He’s just upstairs packing his gear.”

  “Oh,” said Elisabeth, and she retreated to the sofa once more.

  When her tea had come, and she had drunk it, and she had paced before the fire for some time, there was still nothing to do. Jarrett didn’t approach her throughout the long afternoon, and this made her partly grateful and partly impatient. She didn’t wish to see him, but she longed to do something about her situation, and as long as he was absent, she couldn’t argue him out of his foolhardy plan.

  She sat on the sofa, gazing blankly into the fire, and thought of the duchess. How was she to prevent her secret from being revealed if she didn’t marry Jarrett? As she would never do, she thought fiercely to herself. Let him do his worst, she would never reward him with her fortune.

  The rain finally stopped about four o’clock, but the sky remained overcast and dark. Elisabeth had tried the window several more times, once seeking to pry it open with a teaspoon. In any other circumstances, she would have laughed at herself for this ridiculous gesture, but she was in no mood for laughter now. At about four thirty, Jarrett entered the parlor once more. He had changed into traveling dress and was carrying a dark garment over his arm.

  He nodded to her. “I think we can prepare to go,” he said. “The day is so dark that we needn’t wait for sunset. Here is a cloak; you’ll need it. It’s gotten even colder.” He held out the wrap.

  Elisabeth made no move to take it. She stood with her back to the fire and spoke quickly and urgently. “Mr. Jarrett. I’ve done a great deal of thinking as I sat here today. As you meant me to, perhaps. I cannot believe you really will do what you’ve threatened. But I’ve decided to offer you a ransom in spite of that.” She stood very straight and tried to make her voice as resolute as possible. “I will arrange for an annuity to be paid to you. We can settle on certain guarantees that will assure you of payment. Your life will be comfortable, your need for money satisfied, but we needn’t continue this ridiculous charade of kidnapping.”

  Jarrett had been listening with an admiring expression on his face. “You’re not one to be intimidated, are you? Many females would have dissolved in a fit of hysterics by now, but you hold up marvelously.”

  Encouraged, Elisabeth continued. “We would also agree that you would not reveal the things you have discovered, of course, and that you would not remain in London.”

  Jarrett laughed. “No, no. Your scheme is unworkable. Don’t you think I considered mere blackmail? I thought of the duchess immediately, of course. She can and would pay me a great deal more than you. But it will not do. I’m tired and soon will be past my youth. I’ve had enough. I want to settle down and cease worrying about the future. Neither of you would give me enough to do that, and in any case, blackmail is a very uncertain kind of income. Indeed, you don’t really understand what you propose. Once you admit a blackmailer into your life, you’re never free again. Who knows but what I might make new demands from, say, the new Viscountess Larenby, in future. A change of your state could alter my mind on the subject.”

  Elisabeth’s cheeks reddened, and Jarrett nodded. “Yes. And I might go to the duchess, as well, to increase my take. You’d never be secure. Take my word; I know of what I speak.” For a moment, his expression was black, then he smiled at Elisabeth once more. “No, I’ve considered well, and my plan is best. We’ll deal very well together, I promise you. Now, put this on, and let us go.” His tone was commanding, and he held out the cloak once more. Elisabeth still hesitated, but he forced it into her hands with a curt, “Come along,” and left the room again.

  Elisabeth remained before the fire, her shoulders slumped. She was trapped, it seemed. But as she nearly gave in to the urge to burst into tears, she shook herself sharply. Nothing was lost as yet, she told herself. There might be many opportunities for escape before even this day was ended. Jarrett couldn’t keep her still in an innyard, for example. She would cry out for help to the first person she saw. Elisabeth straightened and put on the cloak, her expression stony. They’d see who came out of this the loser.

  Jarrett came back, startling Elisabeth so that she jumped. He took no notice, merely saying, “Come along.”

  They went down the hall to the door of the inn and the chaise waiting outside. The driver didn’t look around as Elisabeth emerged. She surveyed him speculatively.

  As if reading her mind, Jarrett said, “The driver is my man.” He grasped Elisabeth’s elbow firmly and urged her to climb into the vehicle.

  The girl hesitated. More than anything in the world, she wished to keep out of that coach. Giving in to impulse, she jerked her arm out of Jarrett’s grip and tried to run away down the muddy road. But before she had gone three yards, he was upon her, grasping her waist and forcing her back to the carriage.

  “Come, come,” he said with infuriating amusement. “You mustn’t be foolish.” Pulling open the door of the chaise, he pushed her up the steps and into it. In a moment, he climbed in beside her, gave the driver the order to start, and the vehicle was moving.

  Twenty-nine

  At four, Derek Wincannon called again at Willowmere. “Has Miss Elham returned?” he asked Ames when he opened the door.

  The old butler shook his head solemnly. “No, sir. And I admit that I’m beginning to worry. She’s sent no word to us, and it’s been hours. It’s not like Miss Elham to go off without a word.”

  Derek nodded decisively. “Well, this time no one shall dissuade me from going in search of her. Who knows, she may have fallen and twisted an ankle or any such thing.”

  At that moment, Jane Taunton entered the hall from the library. She looked faintly surprised. “Why, Mr. Wincannon, are you back?” she asked. “I didn’t think to see you again so soon.”

  “Miss Elham asked me to call at four,” responded Derek shortly. “And I find she has not yet returned.”

  Jane nodded. “Yes, and I am beginning to think her rather naughty. She really ought to have sent word if she meant to stay with old Mrs. Whitlock so long. But you know how old women can be. I daresay Elisabeth is longing to get away but cannot break in on her flow of talk without being rude, which she never is, of course.”

  Wincannon listened to this rambling recital with a frown. “She went to Mrs. Whitlock’s?”

  Jane nodded. “I inquired after we spoke.”

  Derek turned to Ames. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  Ames went rigid. “I was not informed of Miss Elisabeth’s intention, sir.”

  “Oh, it was her maid told me,” added Jane. “Elisabeth happened to mention it to her as she was dressing. Won’t you step into the library for a moment, Mr. Wincannon? I’ll orde
r some tea. You may wait for Elisabeth if you like.”

  But Derek was still frowning. “I cannot understand why she went out through the back garden if she meant to visit Mrs. Whitlock,” he said meditatively. “It is quite the opposite direction.”

  “She wanted a longer walk, I suppose,” replied Jane. “Won’t you come in and sit down?”

  Derek looked incredulous. “Longer than three miles? It is quite that to the Whitlock cottage.”

  “I-Is it?” asked Jane a little uncomfortably. “Well, then, that silly girl of Elisabeth’s must have misunderstood her, that’s all.” She looked down.

  A strangled noise came from Ames’s vicinity, though he said nothing. Derek still frowned. “I don’t like it,” he said finally. “I’ll walk along the field path to make sure Elisabeth hasn’t fallen and been hurt or perhaps lost her way.”

  Jane laughed. “Elisabeth?” she said incredulously. “It’s not possible. She has pored over maps of this district.”

  Just then, Lavinia was seen descending the stairs from the upper floors. When she saw the group in the hall, she hurried forward. “Oh, good day, Mr. Wincannon. You cannot think how fallicious it is to see you. I’ve been so worried.”

  “Why is that?” asked Derek sharply.

  “Elisabeth has gone out, no one knows where, and it has been four or five hours,” said Lavinia. “She’s never done such a thing before, only excepting the time she went careering across the country after Tony.”

  There was an arrested expression in Derek’s eyes. He turned back to Jane. “Are you certain you’ve told me all you know?” he asked her.

  “I don’t know what you mean,” she answered.

  He looked at her with narrowed eyes. “I think perhaps you do,” he said. He addressed the group. “I’m going out to look for Elisabeth.” And he turned on his heel and strode out of the hall.

  Ames held the door for him and followed him through onto the porch. He shut the door carefully behind him and said, “Pardon me, sir, but I would like one word with you before you go. I don’t know what’s going on, and it may not be my place to say this, but I’m worried about Miss Elisabeth, you understand.”

  “Yes. What is it?” asked Derek impatiently.

  “Well, sir, I have to say that Miss Taunton is mistaken. I personally inquired of Miss Ketchem, that is Miss Elisabeth’s dresser, and she had no knowledge of where her mistress had gone.” He sniffed. “And to call Miss Ketchem a silly girl! Well, sir, that is outside of enough, if you’ll pardon my saying so.”

  Derek’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, I think there’s more here than meets the eye. I think Miss Taunton may be hiding something at your mistress’s request. Please say nothing to anyone. I intend to get to the bottom of this.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Wincannon left Ames standing on the porch and walked around the house and into the garden. He looked carefully at the now muddy path, but the rain had washed away any marks it might have shown. He went rapidly across the garden, climbed the stile, and set off into the field. As he went, he looked carefully along the sides of the path, occasionally pushing aside a clump of grass with his riding crop.

  He reached the lane on the other side of the field very quickly. Once there, he stood for a moment, perplexed. He turned at first to the right, then stopped, hesitated, and reversed his direction. He traversed the lane more slowly, straying from side to side, examining the ditches and hedges, often shaking his head disgustedly.

  When he came around the curve that brought the inn into view, Derek stopped. He appeared puzzled for a moment, then his brow cleared and he gestured sharply with one clenched fist. “Of course,” he said aloud to himself. “I’d forgotten this old place.” As he started to move forward again, a post chaise pulled up to the inn’s front door and stopped. Derek also halted and watched as a man came out of the inn, had some conversation with the driver, then disappeared again. When he was gone, Derek started to walk quickly forward. He was halfway to the building when the man returned escorting a woman, and Wincannon halted again.

  He watched as the woman started to climb into the coach, then resisted. As she struggled for a moment with her companion, her face was turned toward Derek, and he recognized Elisabeth. He broke into a dead run as the man forced her into the carriage and climbed in after her. The chaise began to move, and Derek put every bit of energy into overtaking it, but he failed, his grasping hand missing the tail of the carriage by three feet. It drove on, oblivious, and he was forced to give up. He stood in the center of the lane, his chest heaving, and called “Elisabeth!” once. But he was winded, and the word was hardly audible. He panted harshly for a few moments, then turned and ran back the way he’d come.

  Thirty

  As the chaise turned into the high road beyond the inn, Elisabeth leaned back in her seat, sighed wearily, and closed her eyes. This can’t be real, she thought to herself. She’d already tried the door handle on her side of the carriage, but it was somehow secured from the outside, so her plan of jumping out if she became desperate enough was thwarted. There was nothing to do but await an opportunity to call for help.

  “Sleep if you can,” said Jarrett. “The ride may be a long one, and I fear rough and tiring. I regret the necessity of traveling in the darkness.”

  Elisabeth naturally opened her eyes at these words. “Do we go straight to London?” she asked.

  Jarrett nodded. “Don’t be afraid. The driver is very good; he will go slowly when he must. But I fear we’ll arrive at an unreasonable hour.” He smiled mockingly. “I wager no one will be about, even in the streets of London.”

  Elisabeth couldn’t keep some of her disappointment from showing in her face, and Jarrett’s smile broadened. “I’m not an amateur at this, you see,” he added. “Won’t you agree to marry me, Elisabeth, and save us both a great deal of trouble?”

  Elisabeth turned her head away disdainfully, but a sinking feeling began to invade her.

  They drove slowly along the highway for some time. The sky remained overcast, and a rising mist further obscured the road. The driver had to be very careful to avoid ruts and patches of thick mud. As the evening was very cool, Jarrett closed and fastened the window on his side of the coach, further depressing Elisabeth’s spirits. Her window had been closed and swathed in curtains when she entered the coach, and now this last opening was sealed. She could see nothing of the landscape they passed, and thus had no idea of where they were.

  After a time, Jarrett said, “I shall try to sleep. I advise you to do the same. This journey promises to be tedious.” He sat back, leaning his head on the squabs in the corner of the chaise and was soon asleep, or at least so it seemed to Elisabeth from the rhythms of his breathing.

  She watched him and listened for what seemed to her quite half an hour. Finally, convinced that he was not feigning sleep, she leaned forward and cautiously reached toward the door handle next to him. She kept her eyes fixed on his face until her hand was just above the handle, then she looked down at it. In dismay, she saw that Jarrett’s hand was curled around the lever, holding it fast. She raised her eyes, expecting to see him regarding her with a mocking smile, but to all appearances, he still slept. She reached forward again, hesitated, then very gently sought to disengage his hand from the door handle. As she pulled his fingers free, he stirred. And even as she sat back quickly, wide-eyed, he woke.

  He shook himself, stretched, and said, “You would do much better to sleep than to sit there fretting. The time will pass much more rapidly.” And resuming his former position, he returned to sleep himself.

  Jarrett slept restlessly, and to Elisabeth’s surprise and chagrin, she started to feel rather drowsy. The movement of the coach and the growing lateness of the hour were combining to urge her to follow the man’s example. She jerked herself awake several times, but at last, it seemed sleep would overcome her. She nodded once again, leaned back into th
e corner of the chaise, and was just about to succumb when a sound banished all thought of sleep from her mind. A vehicle was coming up behind them!

  Exerting a good deal of control, Elisabeth managed to avoid sitting bolt upright. She looked at Jarrett, saw that he was still sleeping peacefully, then gently leaned forward. She reached across him once again, but this time she concentrated on the catch of the carriage window, which he did not hold in his hand. Working very slowly and quietly, with many glances at his face, she managed to release it. She pulled the curtain out so that it would shelter him from any draft, then opened the window a crack at the top. Cautiously, she shifted herself to the opposite seat and put her eye to the small aperture thus provided. She could see the lamps of the vehicle behind them, but nothing else.

  At that moment, the chaise lurched violently as the driver attempted to speed up and hit an unseen rut in the road. Elisabeth was thrown forward, and though she made a heroic effort to hold herself, her knees jostled Jarrett’s. This, combined with the movement of the coach, awakened him immediately. He shook his head, saw Elisabeth across from him, and glanced quickly at the open window. “Here,” he said roughly, “what are you up to now?”

  When she said nothing, he heard the sounds of a carriage behind them. Instantly, his attention shifted to this potential source of danger. Grasping her arm and pulling her roughly back into her original seat, he turned and opened the window completely. “Who is that behind us?” he called to the driver.

  “No telling, guv’nor,” was the reply. “Can’t see nothing but the glims. He’s moving fast, I will say that, for this dark road. He’ll find himself in the ditch if he ain’t careful.”

  Jarrett peered back into the darkness. “When did they come up with us?” he said sharply.

  “Only just now,” answered the driver. “Turned in from a side road ’bout five mile back. Has a team from the sound of it.”