‘And that is?’ Harry gave Joe a suspicious glance.
‘It’s about time I married, and she’d make a fine wife. She’s got spirit and beauty, and I liked her from the moment I set eyes on her.’
‘You can forget that, my friend,’ Harry told him, giving a chuckle of amusement. ‘You’d be asking her to live in London, and we all know she won’t do that.’
‘Ah, well, a man can dream.’
They were all laughing with Joe as Stuart refilled their glasses for one last drink before retiring for the night.
The next morning Harry and Stuart were on the first available train, anxious to get back as soon as they could. They didn’t talk as each man’s thoughts were occupied with what they had to do. Stuart was worrying about what he would find at home, and Harry was wondering why he was going to so much trouble to find someone he hardly knew. Now the unpleasant business with Edward was settled he should be relaxing and enjoying his home, instead he was about to go charging around the country to find a girl who had been working as a stable lad. He must be mad, but his father cared and he’d caused him enough grief. At least he could do this for him. And, of course, there was another reason no one knew about, and it was imperative he knew where she was.
‘Would you mind if I came in and talked with your staff?’ Harry asked when they reached Stuart’s home. ‘Someone might know where Chrissie is going.’
‘I doubt she told anyone, but it’s worth a try.’
The moment they rode in, Robert came running to meet them. ‘I’m so pleased you are here, Father. Chrissie left after Mother was nasty to her.’
Stuart jumped down and put his arm around his son’s shoulder. ‘That’s why I’m here, and I want you to tell me what you know.’
The boy nodded solemnly.
‘This is my friend, Major Frenshaw, and he wants to talk to everyone because he is going to try and find her. But before that we need to freshen up and have something to eat and drink. Where is your mother?’
‘I don’t know. She left the house an hour ago and hasn’t returned yet. I think she is unwell because she isn’t making much sense. Nurse has been watching over her as much as she can, but Mother keeps sending her away.’
‘I believe she is very sick, and I’ll see she gets the best care. Now, will you run and ask Cook if she can provide us with a quick meal, then you come and join us in the library and bring Nurse with you.’
‘Yes, Father.’
Harry watched the boy dash off to carry out his errand and said, ‘That’s a fine son you have there, Stuart.’
‘Yes, he’s turning out well now. Taking him to our old school is the best thing I’ve done.’
‘They turn out fine men; just look at us,’ Harry joked.
‘Of course they do. They managed a barrister and a military officer, to name but two. Now, we have a couple of battles to win, so let’s wash up and eat before we plan our action.’
Refreshed after their journey they were joined by Robert and Nurse, listening in grim silence to the unpleasant episode that had driven Chrissie away.
‘Did she tell you where she intended to go?’ Harry asked.
‘No, sir. I don’t think she knew. She told me she was leaving because her being here was upsetting the mistress, and when I woke in the morning she was gone. She must have left before it was light.’
‘Where on earth do I start? She could have taken any direction.’
‘I did beg her to tell me, sir, but the only thing she said was that this area had caused her joy and pain, and as much as she loved it here this was not the place for her. The only thing she could do was take to the road again and look for another place to settle.’
The two men looked at each other, and Stuart said, ‘Are you thinking the same as me?’
Harry took a deep breath and nodded. ‘She certainly won’t be heading back to London, that we know for sure, so the only option left for her is to find the Travellers again. But where would they be now?’
‘She did tell me once that they were going to spend the summer months by the sea, but I don’t know where, sir.’
‘Never mind, Nurse, you have been very helpful by giving me some indication where to start the search.’
‘I hope you find her, sir. She didn’t deserve to be treated so unkindly. From the little she told me, her dream of living in the country has been a rocky road so far. I do hope she finds what she’s looking for.’
‘Thank you.’ Stuart dismissed the nurse. ‘Will you and Robert let me know the moment my wife returns?’
‘Yes, sir.’
When they were alone again, Harry stood up. ‘I’ll start out first thing in the morning, but while I’m here is there anything I can do for you?’
‘Thank you, but no, this is something only I can deal with. From what we’ve heard there is something seriously wrong with Angela. I’ll call a doctor if she needs medical help.’
‘I’m very sorry, Stuart.’
‘So am I.’ He sighed wearily. ‘She wasn’t a vindictive woman when I married her, but she hasn’t been right since little Emma was born. I had hoped she would improve by living quietly in the country, but Emma is three now, and she is getting worse. This can’t go on and I must do what is right for all of us, especially my children.’
‘Of course, but do come to us if there is anything we can do.’
‘I appreciate your kind offer. Let me know if your search is successful.’
‘I will, and thank you for the help with Edward. That’s one problem solved, and now we have two more.’
After Harry left, Stuart checked his desk and found a pile of completed documents with a note on the top saying, ‘Thank you for your kindness.’
She had gone without payment for this work and his worry increased in case she didn’t have enough money for her journey, wherever she was going, but there wasn’t anything he could do about that now.
‘Father.’ Robert came in to the room. ‘Mother is back and she’s in the sitting room.’
‘Thank you, Robert. I’ll go and see her at once. Will you ask Cook to send in a pot of strong tea, please?’
As his son hurried off he braced himself for what was to come, feeling quite certain this was going to be difficult and upsetting.
Angela was sitting in her favourite chair just staring in to space, and he could see at once that something was terribly wrong with her. He sat beside her. ‘Hello, my dear, did you enjoy your walk?’
‘Walk? What walk? I’ve been here all the time.’ She stared at him. ‘Who are you?’
With those words he felt something crumble inside him. He’d seen this before and knew there was no cure, as the medical profession had no idea how to treat someone with lapses of memory. ‘I’m your husband. We have been married for twelve years and have three lovely children.’
‘Oh, have we?’ She lapsed in to silence again.
He knew that questioning her about what had happened while he’d been away would be useless. She couldn’t be blamed for her outburst; the outburst of rage had all been a part of the illness, and he berated himself for not recognising it long before now. He had been so tied up in his work and hadn’t looked too closely, continually telling himself that she would eventually get over what was troubling her.
A maid came in with a trolley of tea, and he said quietly, ‘Will you ask Nurse to come here immediately, please?’
‘Yes, sir.’
She arrived almost at once, looking very concerned.
‘My wife is very sick. Her memory has gone, and I would like you to care for her for a while. I’ll send someone for the doctor and get some expert help for her.’
‘Of course, sir.’ Nurse sat in the chair he vacated and took hold of Angela’s hand. ‘We’ll have a nice cup of tea, shall we?’
Stuart left the room, heavy of heart. She was too young for this to happen, and unless the doctors could do something for her, her normal life was over – and so was his marriage. She had given him three lovel
y children, though, and for that he would always be grateful to her.
When the doctor arrived he confirmed Stuart’s fears and they spent quite a time discussing the best thing to do. Some of the suggestions appalled him, but he vehemently refused to have her removed from her home and children.
‘I won’t have her labelled as out of her mind,’ he declared. ‘Neither will I have her separated from everything she knows and loves. That is unthinkable!’
Finally, it was decided that the best thing for all concerned would be to employ round-the-clock nursing staff to care for all her needs. The doctor did warn that although there would probably be times when his wife was quite lucid, there was a possibility that her condition would continue to deteriorate.
‘I want you to arrange the best possible care for my wife, and I will explain the situation to my children and the staff.’
‘I know just the nurses to do this. They have experience of looking after such cases, and will carry out their tasks with love and understanding. This is a sad situation, sir, and will be difficult for you and your family.’
‘No doubt, but at least we now know what is wrong with her, and I will do anything in my power to see she is well looked after and kept happy.’
‘You are still a young man, and I have known men with an ailing wife to divorce her and marry again. It heartens me to see someone who cares deeply for her welfare.’
‘Marrying again is not an option I would consider. As devastating as this is I still consider myself a fortunate man. I have three lovely children and a profession I love.’ He smiled sadly. ‘That will be enough for me now, and the future will take care of itself.’
Chapter Thirty-One
The next morning Harry set off riding Red, with Midnight on a rein. The search might take some time and he could change horses to give one a rest, because he had no intention of giving up until he had found Chrissie. The only hint he had was that she could have set out to join up with the Travellers again, and he would try to find them in the hope she was with them. They might be easier to track down than a young girl on her own. He still couldn’t believe he was doing this for a servant, because that is what she had been, but she had clearly made an impression on his father, Joe and Stuart. Also, for some damned reason the spectre of her forlorn figure walking away from his house was haunting him. Now she was walking away again to heaven knows where and everyone was worrying about her – including him. Because of what he had done she needed to be found, and then perhaps he could get on with his life.
Every stop he made he enquired about the Travellers or a girl on her own, but always received the same response – a shake of the head. By nightfall as he settled down at an inn, he could only reflect on a frustrating day. He might not even be going in the right direction.
The next morning he was on the road again, and when he came to a crossroads he hesitated. Red stamped his feet and Harry sighed. ‘It’s no good you getting impatient. How about some help here, boys? I’m looking for your blasted friend, so which road do we take?’
Both animals immediately took the left fork and he didn’t check them. This way was as good as any, because he didn’t have a clue where he was going. When he had said he would find her, he hadn’t given the search much thought, but now he was actually on the road it was beginning to dawn on him what a hopeless task this was going to be. He could be out here for weeks, and still find no trace of her.
He found another inn for the night, and after seeing his horses were being taken good care of he was looking forward to a hearty meal. The stable lad was looking at the horses in awe, but for some reason they were being well behaved, for a change. They usually kicked up a fuss if a stranger was tending them, but not on this journey and he wondered if they knew what he was trying to do. Now you are being ridiculous, he told himself. They are tired after a day’s riding, that’s all.
He gave the boy some coins. ‘Don’t be afraid of them. Look after them well for me.’
The lad looked at the money and slipped it in to his pocket. ‘I’ll do that, sir, and see no one comes near them.’
‘Good lad.’ He patted him on the shoulder and then strode into the inn.
The bar was crowded and all eyes turned in his direction, probably wondering what such a fine gentleman was doing in their humble inn. He smiled politely and they made room for him to reach the proprietor.
‘Good evening, sir. What can we do for you?’
‘I would like lodgings for the night, and a meal, if that is possible.’
‘No trouble at all, sir. The wife’s a fine cook and will have something for you in an hour.’
‘Thank you, that is much appreciated. I have been travelling all day and I’m very hungry.’ When the man hurried away to tell his wife, Harry turned and faced the room. ‘I am also looking for information. Can anyone tell me if a group of Travellers came this way in the last few weeks?’
‘I saw them, sir.’ A young lad came from behind the bar. ‘They camped on the spare ground near the village for two days.’
‘When was this?’ Hope soared in him. This was the first news of them he had received.
‘Oh, quite a while ago, sir. I think it was about two weeks, or so.’
‘Do you know where they were going when they left?’
He shook his head. ‘We was told not to go near them without our dads with us. Don’t know why, though, cos they were friendly and had lots of interesting things to see.’
‘In the last week or so has anyone seen a young girl travelling on her own? She’s quite tall and has dark hair and dark eyes.’
Everyone shook their heads in denial, and he knew that was all he was going to learn here, but at least it gave him hope that he was going in the right direction.
After enjoying a substantial meal and a couple of drinks with the patrons of the inn, he retired for the night. Being a military man, he was used to bunking down in not always savoury places, but the village establishment was surprisingly clean, and the food had been excellent. Tomorrow would be a new day and he would stop at every village or hamlet to see if they could give him any information about his quarry.
Chrissie was dirty, hungry and exhausted, and couldn’t believe her luck as she climbed on the cart. People had been kind, but it was harder to get a lift now she was in such a poor state. This man had taken pity on her, though, and she gave a silent sigh of relief as they set off. Every ride she had managed to get had been a help, even if it was for a couple of miles only, and she had walked for miles, as well, and the coast was getting nearer all the time, which was just as well because her meagre amount of money hadn’t lasted as long as she’d hoped. The last three nights she had slept anywhere she could find, like a hayrick, an animal shelter or just a field. With no money left she had also been scavenging for food in the hedgerows or farmers’ fields in desperation. It was absolutely essential that she found the Travellers soon, because she couldn’t go on for much longer, and the condition she was in no one would employ her.
‘There’s the sea over there,’ the man pointed out.
‘Where?’
‘Look over to your left.’
She shaded her eyes and turned in the direction he was pointing. There it was, shining in the late-afternoon sun. ‘How far is that?’
‘About five miles or so. I’ll have to drop you here as this is as far as I go.’ He pulled up by a gate.
‘Thanks.’ She got down, and as he drove away began walking, telling herself that she could manage these few miles before it got dark.
They were the hardest miles she had ever covered. She was weary beyond belief, and so hungry she had almost forgotten what it was like to eat; there were holes in her shoes and her usual optimism and determination were at rock bottom. She might not even find her friends, and what was she going to do then? However bleak the outlook she had to keep moving, and prayed that her friends had kept to their travel plans. They had said they would come here and stay for the month of August. That had to be tr
ue or else she was in terrible trouble.
Forcing one foot in front of the other with her head down, she kept going, feeling as low as she had ever done in her life. How had her dream ended up like this?
The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon when she heard a dog bark and that made her lift her head. What she saw in front of her was more than she could grasp, and tears of relief began to stream down her face. People were running towards her and her legs gave way, unable to hold her up a moment longer.
Everything seemed to be happening in a mist. There was a voice giving orders – a voice she knew, and she was lifted off the ground.
‘It’s all right, Chrissie. You’ve found us and you’re safe now.’
She was beyond speech as she finally gave in and let exhaustion sweep over her. They carried her into Elsie’s home and when she gazed around she knew where she was, relief sweeping through her. The tears came again.
‘That’s right, my dear, you let it all out,’ Elsie told her, holding a cup of tea to her mouth. ‘You drink this and then Ma and me will get you clean and comfortable.’
‘I’m so hungry,’ she confessed.
‘There’s a good nourishing stew bubbling away, and you can have a bowl now.’
It was the most wonderful thing she had ever tasted, and by the time she had wiped the bowl clean with a chunk of bread she could hardly keep her eyes open.
‘Good girl,’ Ma told her. ‘Now, let’s get those dirty clothes off you, and the shoes will have to be thrown away because they are beyond repair. How far have you walked?’
‘A long way. I didn’t know exactly where you were.’
‘We were going to move on two days ago, but Elsie told us we must stay right here. She insisted it was important, but didn’t know why, and we are glad we took notice because you couldn’t have gone on much longer. My dear girl, what were you doing setting out on such a journey by yourself?’
‘It was madness, I know now, but I had to get away and didn’t know where else to go.’
When Midnight Comes Page 23
