“Right, my Lord,” enthused Lovall.
“Keep them chasing you as long as you can. Try to lose them. That will keep them confused. If they stop you, threaten to have the law on them for molesting an innocent man going about his lawful business.
“Then take the curricle back home. You’ll have to abandon the wagon. Now, off with you.”
Selina joined him at the gap in the fence and they watched as Lovall drove the curricle down to the buildings by the harbour, looking uncannily like the Marquis.
As instructed, he slowed when he came to the ticket office and drove close, while keeping his head averted.
To his glee the Marquis saw his enemies start into life at the sight of the coat of arms on the curricle.
They dashed towards him, but Lovall whipped up the horses and sped off into the distance.
“How will they follow him?” queried the Marquis. “Do they have a vehicle handy? No. They must find one.”
“It’s looks as though they are having an argument,” came in Selina.
Fearful as she was, she was able to enjoy the sight of her hated stepfather and the Duke turning on each other. Each was shouting.
There was much running backwards and forwards and waving of arms and then they collided.
Finally they managed to hail a passing carter and scramble into his ramshackle cart with more shouting and pointing.
Money passed and the carter set off.
“Will he catch Lovall?” Selina asked anxiously.
“It seems unlikely. But that doesn’t mean we can relax. They will know which yacht is mine and will turn back when Lovall is out of sight. So we must still hurry.”
“What must I do?”
“Get into the wagon, wrap your cloak around you and pull some of the bags over you until you’re completely covered. Don’t move until the wagon stops and they start taking the luggage out.”
He turned to his sailors.
“Get the carriage as close as you can to the ship and hurry this ‘gentleman’ aboard and out of sight. Mark, you drive. Harry, you, Frank and I will be workmen shifting wood down to the quay. Now Selina – into the wagon!”
She climbed in and lay down on the floor. Then the Marquis and Mark piled the lighter bags on top of her.
“It’s best if I cover your face with a cloak,” he said. “It won’t be for long. Will you be all right?”
“Of course I will, “Selina replied confidently. “I’ll do anything as long as we can get away.”
Despite all her brave words there was a note in her voice that told the Marquis how frightened she was. He laid his strong hands over hers and she clasped him back.
“Drive carefully, Mark, you are carrying a precious cargo.”
The sailor nodded, jumped up into the driving seat and they began to move.
The next stage should be easy, the Marquis thought. With Gardner and the Duke out of sight, it seemed needless for him to take precautions not to be seen.
But he refused to be complacent.
The Duke probably had his servants hanging about, who would recognise him and report to their Master that they had seen him board his yacht.
He hoped he would not be too easily recognisable in Lovall’s clothes. The real danger lay in his hair, which was in an elegant style that no servant would have worn.
“Frank, let me have your scarf,” he requested.
Frank promptly tore off his scarf, the Marquis tied it over his locks and they were ready.
Each took up a large plank of wood and the three of them made their way laboriously down to the quay with the Marquis in the middle.
No journey had ever felt so long.
Now and then he managed to look around the side of the plank and he could just make out the wagon being driven onto the quay.
He wondered what it could be like for Selina, being jolted along in semi-darkness and in his mind he sent her a silent message of encouragement.
Selina felt every bump on the floor of the wagon, and could see nothing but it did not matter, as she was full of hope. Just a little longer now and she would be safe.
The wagon came to a halt.
She heard voices, felt luggage being moved from around her and then Mark leaned down and whispered,
“We’re here, sir – ma’am.”
He was answered by a muffled giggle.
“This is it. Chin up. Now you slide gradually out and look to your left. You’ll see the gangway leading up to the deck of The Mermaid. There’s no sign of those two gentlemen, but you go up that gangway as fast as you can.”
She thanked him and moved cautiously until her feet were on the ground. There was the gangway and at the top of it was a serious looking man, who she guessed must be the Captain. He beckoned her and she hurried.
As she reached the yacht, he extended a hand to pull her aboard.
“You must now go straight below,” he said. “His Lordship’s orders. Peter, here, will show you the way.
She followed the man he indicated below, down some wooden steps, along a narrow corridor and then through a door.
She found herself in a well-appointed cabin, larger than she had expected to find on a yacht.
Looking out of the porthole, Selina was thrilled to see three men carrying planks hurrying along the quay.
At the last minute the planks were tossed into the wagon that had been left beside a high wall. Then the three men sprinted aboard.
They had done it, she thought triumphantly.
The next minute there was a knock on her door and she opened it to find the Marquis.
She was in the mood to throw her arms about him, but the serious look on his face stopped her.
“Are you all right in here?” he asked quickly.
“Yes, truly. But Ian, isn’t it wonderful?”
“I hope it may be, but we must not rejoice too soon. There is still much to do. Stay hidden in here. Don’t come on deck, whatever you do. We’ll move out as quickly as we can.”
“But surely the Duke and my stepfather have gone? They haven’t returned, have they?”
“No, there hasn’t been time enough for that. But I did see two men standing on the quay watching us and I recognised one of them as the Duke’s valet. I can’t be sure he didn’t see me, and anyway once they see my yacht cast off they’ll follow us in Wendover’s yacht as soon as the Duke returns. We must get as far ahead of them as we can.”
He left and she guessed he was going to the bridge.
Suddenly the ship swayed beneath her.
They were on the move.
Because she felt almost exhausted by tension, Selina sat down on the bed and then lay back against the pillows.
‘We have escaped, we have escaped,’ she rejoiced.
Yet she was afraid. It had been too easy. She knew that her stepfather was not a man to give up.
It seemed a long time before the Marquis returned.
When he opened the door, she asked eagerly,
“Tell me what has happened.”
“The Captain has seen another ship on the horizon,” he reported, “and it could be the Duke’s.”
Selina gave a cry of horror.
“Oh, no! Suppose they overtake us. Even if they don’t, how will we ever find anywhere to go if they are always just behind us?”
“I’ve been considering that myself. There’s nothing to be gained by being frightened. The Mermaid is very fast and, although it will be unpleasant, the Captain and I have a plan that may work.
“We are heading across the Channel in the direction of Brest in France. Normally we might have stopped there, but the plan now is to push on through the Bay of Biscay.”
“The Bay of Biscay?” she queried doubtfully. “It has a reputation for being very stormy.”
“You can get a lot of rough weather, but we have a good start and I mean to sail even further ahead. If we leave them behind, we can call in at Gibraltar without their knowing. Then The Mermaid will just sail on and they can f
ollow her as far as they like!”
“Are you quite sure The Mermaid is quicker than the Duke’s yacht?”
“It’s quicker than any yacht I have seen so far,” the Marquis replied. “Now I am going to fetch us a drink.”
He left the cabin and by the time he returned with champagne, The Mermaid was moving at a great speed.
“We’re winning!” he exclaimed. “I’ve just looked through the telescope again and there is no sign of them, which means we are pulling away. I think we should drink to our first victory.”
He poured the champagne and they clinked glasses.
“Now, Ian, will you please show me which cabin is mine.”
“You don’t like this one? This is the Master Cabin and it is yours, but let me tell you something that should interest you. When I was designing this yacht, I thought it was wrong for a yacht to have only one large cabin or, to put it more plainly, one large bed.”
“You mean you have two large cabins?”
“What I have designed is not so much large cabins, but beds big enough for two people. So I can be in comfort without feeling that my guests are cramped.”
He paused before he continued proudly,
“So there are four double beds on my yacht in all. It means fewer cabins for our guests but more comfort.”
“It is very clever of you to think of doing so, Ian, I’ve often thought it was wrong for one person to have all the comforts while others are squeezed into small cabins.”
“So you see, if you prefer to stay in this cabin you won’t be making me suffer.”
“I must see the other cabins first.”
“I think you’ll like the one nearest to this, which is known as the pink bedroom and planned particularly for beautiful young ladies.”
Because she was feeling curious, she went with him and found the pink cabin, which had a double bed in it and was, she thought, extremely pretty.
“Oh, yes, I would like to sleep here,” she suggested. “I will feel I am sleeping in a flower bed and what could be more romantic than that?”
“I’ll have your bags brought in here, Selina, and in an hour I will collect you for dinner.”
Selina unpacked, washed in some hot water brought to her by Peter and dressed in a pretty blue gown with a blue ribbon in her hair.
When the Marquis came to escort her, he was in his dinner jacket. He offered her his arm and together they made their way up to the deck.
In the Saloon she found a table laid for two.
The most elegant dining room in the most luxurious house in England could not have matched this table with its gleaming white napery, its shining crystal and the roses by her plate.
The sun was setting and a fresh breeze was getting up and there were specks of foam on the waves, but the weather was still pleasant.
Selina turned right round so that she could see the horizon in all directions. Wherever she looked there was nothing but sea, and no sign of another ship.
“It’s fine, we must have left them behind by now,” remarked the Marquis.
“Yes, I was wondering, but it’s not all I want to see. The sunset is so magnificent.”
“It’s always best at sea, there is nothing so beautiful as this, except perhaps returning home and seeing my own house again after a long absence.”
The sun was huge, floating above a narrow bank of cloud and turning it to red and next yellow fire. As they watched, it softened, became mauve and later grey.
When they turned back to the table, they found that many candles had been lit.
“I thought we should mark our escape in style,” the Marquis commented.
His chef was an expert who knew how to produce the most delicious dishes in the confines of a ship’s galley.
The meal was delicious and the Marquis engaged her in serious conversation.
This time she had a suggestion of her own to make.
“We were talking about railways, Ian. Wherever they go, prosperity will surely follow. Perhaps you can influence somebody to site a station in your locality. It could do a great deal for your people.”
He looked startled.
“Of course it could. I have been so full of plans to help them, but I never thought of a station. That is just what I must do.”
He looked at her curiously.
“How grateful they would be to you if they knew that it was you who had inspired me.”
“But it is you who will do all the hard work.”
“It is work that’s well worth doing and that is the most satisfying thing of all. Selina, tell me something – ”
But he could go no further for at that moment the ship gave a lurch and his champagne spilled over his hand.
“I think we are headed for stormy waters. Time to go below and batten down the hatches. It’s a pity, because it has been a most pleasant evening.”
She thought it was a shame for everything to end so soon, but the ship was beginning to toss severely and she knew she would not like the next few hours.
“What you have to do,” the Marquis told her, “is to retire to bed and sleep until the sunshine comes out in the morning and by that time we will be nearly at Gibraltar.”
“I hope you are right,” she answered with feeling.
He came with her as far as her cabin door, giving her his arm so she could steady herself against the rolling of the yacht.
“Are you frightened?” he enquired, concerned.
“Certainly not,” she told him firmly. “I am going to have a good night’s sleep.”
“Well done.”
But her smile faded as soon as she had closed the cabin door. She did manage to undress and climb into bed, hoping that the movement would not feel so bad when she was lying down.
She remembered the night that she and the Marquis had spent in the same room and wished he could be with her now.
‘I expect being a man he will not be frightened and he won’t mind the pitching and tossing however bad it may be,’ she told herself.
At that moment the ship reared up so violently that she was tossed up from her bed and seemed to hang in the air for a moment before crashing down.
‘Oh, help!’ she screamed inwardly and buried her head under the pillow.
So muffled was the sound that she barely heard her cabin door open and someone come in.
“Selina?”
She emerged from her pillow to find the Marquis standing beside her bed.
“Forgive me for coming in, Selina, but I wanted to see how you are.”
“Splendid, Ian, everything’s wonderful.”
“You’re not scared?”
“Of course I’m not scared. And why should I be? What is there to be scared of?
“Whoa!”
The cry came from her as the yacht heaved into the air. For a timeless moment it seemed to pause and then it plunged with a force that shook the Marquis off his feet.
He fell onto the bed landing on top of Selina.
For a moment she stared at him. Her face betrayed the fear she would not admit and his eyes were tender.
“Selina – ”
He took her into his arms, meaning only to comfort her, but the next moment his lips were on hers and he was kissing her passionately.
Selina felt herself responding joyfully.
This was just what she had hoped and longed for.
Now it was happening everything inside her told her that it was right.
Strange excitements surged through her and she felt as though her whole body was turning into molten fire in his embrace.
He kissed her again and again and she clung to him, kissing him back, thrilled by the feel of his mouth, its urgency and its gentle persuasiveness.
Somewhere a million miles away a vast storm was raging on the ocean, but it was as nothing compared to the storm raging in her heart.
Beneath her, the ship heaved and lunged, but she was no longer afraid.
She was not afraid of anything in the world at this
very moment.
“Selina,” he whispered against her lips, “Selina.”
Then his voice changed.
As if in a dream she heard him murmuring,
“Dear God, what am I doing?”
Suddenly she could feel the tossing of the ship.
It seemed as though hours had passed since she had been aware of anything but him and the feel of his lips on hers. In that delight all other sensations were blotted out.
But now delight was fading and dread was taking its place as he whispered terrible words.
“Selina – dear God, this is the last thing I meant to happen – after all I tried to – ”
The horror on his face was obvious and it chilled her heart. Something that had been a glorious experience to her was an embarrassment to him.
“I never intended – Selina. It’s unforgivable – ”
“Ian – ”
“I meant only to comfort you – I didn’t want – you must believe me.”
“I do believe you,” she responded in a colourless voice. “Let’s say no more.”
“You are right. Promise me, Selina, you will forget that this ever happened and we can go on as before.”
“I promise.”
“That’s very generous of you,” he said awkwardly.
He got off the bed and went quickly to the door. It seemed to her that he could not escape quickly enough.
When he had gone, she lay staring miserably into the dark.
He did not love her. He had been briefly attracted – enough to kiss her, but he had fled before she became ‘an entanglement’.
She could hear the screaming of the wind, but she was no longer scared.
‘What does it matter?’ she thought, as tears streamed down her face. ‘What does anything matter besides the fact that he does not want me?’
*
By morning the storm had blown itself out.
She was able to rise and dress steadily, wondering what the future could possibly hold now.
The Marquis came to take her to breakfast, smiling blandly as if nothing had happened the night before.
He was telling her that was how he wanted it, she realised. And she must appear to feel the same, if she was to keep her pride.
But her heart cried out that she did not want pride.
The Triumph of Love Page 11
