An Adventurous Lady

by Valerie King

  “You have spoken sensibly,” he said, his resonant voice playing havoc against her ear. “To that, I fear, I have no answer, but I refuse to be hopeless. Indeed, I have every confidence that before the night is through, you will agree to be my wife.”

  Evelina shifted to look at him. “Mad as Bedlam indeed,” she reiterated.

  Only then did Evelina, glancing at Lady Monceaux, become aware that Sir Alfred had made his way to his wife. He was speaking to her in a harsh undertone. Evelina knew that in previous times Lady Monceaux would have been cringing, but now she wore the expression of a warrior as she turned slightly and merely stared her husband down.

  Sir Alfred leaned back and clamped his lips shut.

  “Madame,” he whispered. “You forget yourself.”

  At that, Lady Monceaux smiled. “You are mistaken, husband. I believe I have just remembered myself, and high time.” With that, she turned toward Evelina. “I fear this chamber is too warm for me. I believe I shall retire.”

  “I shall accompany you, my lady. Indeed, we ought to fetch our shawls, for in a few minutes we shall be taking a walk on the colonel’s property.”

  The ladies hooked arms, and when the crowd parted for them, they quit the chamber. The journey to find their shawls required mounting to the second floor in order to find the ladies’ withdrawing room.

  By the time Evelina was in possession of the garment and had descended the stairs, she found the entire party, some two hundred souls, crushed inside the entrance hall and spilling into the various adjoining chambers.

  She could not help but laugh. “Has the colonel arrived with a shovel and lanterns?”

  The answer was a resounding “Yes.”

  Draping her shawl about her shoulders, she descended the stairs, and upon seeing that Colonel Carfax was working his way amidst the throng from the back hall, she directed him to return from whence he had come. “For we shall be walking in that direction.”

  The crowd as one began to flow toward the northerly rooms. Several doors and more than one low window at the back of the house opened. Like a flood, people began pouring from each door.

  Once Evelina made her way out of doors, she approached the colonel, who was surrounded by several servants each carrying either a lantern or a rushlight. The colonel himself had a heavy shovel slung over his shoulder.

  “Lead the way,” he said.

  Evelina began the same journey she had made with Rotherstone earlier. This time, those of the local gentry who had been involved with the treasure hunt were clustered near Colonel Carfax and the light-bearers. After that, nearly two hundred people trampled the lawn and the path leading to the graveyard.

  Before the gate, the party stopped, as did all conversation.

  “You believe the treasure is buried here?” the colonel asked, shocked.

  “Yes,” Evelina responded. “I am convinced of it. I do not think, however, that in such a small space everyone should go in. We would not be able to move about at all otherwise.”

  The colonel arranged for only the original treasure seekers, and his servants, of course, to enter the graveyard. Once assembled, Evelina addressed Miss Ambers. “If you would be so good, will you tell us where you believe the treasure to be buried?”

  “Do you really wish for me to explain?”

  Evelina nodded. “If you please.”

  “Very well.” She glanced about the original party, meeting each gaze. “First, the most telling riddle, the one that offers the key to the map, is the riddle that speaks of the world being upside down. Blacklands and Darwell are situated in nearly exact locations were the map turned upside down. That is the real trick.”

  All those who knew the map so well immediately murmured a joint “Ah” of understanding.

  Miss Ambers continued, “Next, we are not far from the hamlet of Gildstone. Indeed, if you look in a northeasterly direction you can see the church tower not a hundred yards distant.” As one, the entire party looked through the tall trees. “And we all know there to be a fine old well near the church.”

  “I see the church,” someone said in a great slur of words. Laughter spread through the onlookers.

  Miss Ambers laughed as well, then explained. “The riddle speaking of ale and mead and honey I believe refers to the hamlet of Gildstone. I cannot say what the original meaning of the word ‘gild’ might have been, but in this case I believe it refers to the color gold.”

  The group expressed another sage “Ah.”

  “Next is this gate.” She gestured to the wrought iron. “Remember the reference to ‘some stones flat, others tall, a bridge in death, to any wat fall’? What better way to describe a derelict graveyard, particularly this one.”

  Lady Monceaux interjected, “That is precisely what I said on the very first day of our reviewing the map together.”

  “So you did,” Evelina said enthusiastically. “We ought to have heeded your opinions more.”

  Lady Monceaux smiled. She appeared happier than Evelina had ever known her to be.

  Mrs. Rewell said, “But where is the treasure, then? Are we expected to unearth all these poor dead persons?”

  Evelina laughed. “No, not at all. There is one more riddle that I believe tells us where we are to look. Miss Ambers, you have taken us thus far, pray take us to the end of the journey.”

  Miss Ambers took a deep breath. “The final riddle goes, ‘cross the stones, cross one to dare,’ which I take to mean that we will find a cross on one of the gravestones.”

  Mr. Crookhorn said, “Of course. That is quite obvious now. And the last bit?”

  Miss Ambers said, “‘Pearl and gold within, small and rare.’ If I have understood correctly, there should be a gravestone with the name Pearl written on it, or, if not, 1652, since that date appeared on the map. My guess would be that a cross will appear somewhere on the stone.”

  “That must be it,” Colonel Carfax called out. “But let my servants search for the grave. Over half the stones will need to be lifted in order to read them.”

  “I believe that is an excellent notion,” Evelina said. She nodded for him to thus instruct his servants.

  The search commenced.

  Evelina watched as Colonel Carfax orchestrated a careful and thorough search of gravestone after gravestone. So many had fallen over and shattered that a number of them had to be pieced together to determine the inscription. Finally, the grave was located, tucked away in a far corner, quite small, the date 1652 chiseled at the very top, a cross beneath and the name and dedicatory words, For Pearl carved below.

  The original party of treasure seekers gathered round.

  A solemnity overcame the group assembled round the grave. At the same time, a hush settled over the larger party now drawing closer to the perimeter of the graveyard.

  Again, the colonel instructed his men, and the shovel was set to work. Slowly and carefully the grave was disturbed.

  The first object found wrung Evelina’s heart, a small coffin not three feet long. Colonel Carfax looked at her and asked if she thought the grave should be opened. Evelina nodded. A deeper hush fell upon the crowd. Not a soul breathed as the lid was removed.

  Within was a small skeleton bearing a mass of wispy red hair. The remnants of a gown covered the bones. “Close it,” Evelina said. “I daresay this is Jack Stub’s dear little Pearl, ‘small and rare.’”

  The lid was placed back on the coffin.

  “There would appear to be only earth below,” Sir Alfred said, staring into the depths.

  The colonel directed one of the servants to hold a rushlight overhead. The party moved back and again the colonel directed his question to Evelina. “Should we dig further?”

  She nodded. “Yes, for I am convinced that he left a treasure here for his daughter.”

  The only sound during that early morning hour was of a shovel thumping against damp earth. Several minutes passed until at last iron struck iron.

  A gasp and a sudden cheer went up among all who
heard the sound. Evelina’s heart seemed to explode with excitement. From the time she had found the map, she had envisioned this moment, but never would she have thought to feel as she did now, as though the sky had just burst all by itself into an array of fireworks.

  A few minutes only saw the small iron box pulled from its grave. The colonel’s servant was ready to slam the shovel down on the lock that secured it, but Evelina stayed him.

  “One moment,” she called out. “If you please, I would that Pearl was returned to her resting place first.”

  “Yes,” Lady Monceaux agreed. “That would be proper.”

  “Hear, hear,” several of the gentlemen agreed.

  Little Pearl was placed in her grave, her coffin settled deeply into its earthen vault. The vicar of Maybridge was asked to bless the burial, a service he performed readily and which lent a proper air to the strange proceedings. Afterward, a servant shoveled more earth, this time refilling the grave.

  Only once the gravestone was reset did Evelina nod for the servant to perform the last task. He lifted the shovel high and brought the head clanging against the lock. Three times he struck, and on the last the lock broke and fell away from the small iron box.

  The colonel started to lift the lid, but Rotherstone stopped him. “I believe that this privilege belongs to Lady Evelina.”

  He was not alone in this sentiment, as several of the party once more chimed, “Hear, hear.” Evelina did not hesitate but trembled as she approached the box. How odd to think that all this had begun because of a map hidden in the floor of her great-uncle’s attic. Even odder to think that the map had indeed proved genuine.

  Evelina knelt down, not caring that her gown would be dirtied. She lifted the lid and could not prevent a gasp. The trunk was full of gold sovereigns. On the top of the pile, however, was a scrolled document.

  Evelina carefully removed it. Age and damp had made the paper fragile and the script scarcely legible.

  “A lantern, please.” She gestured to the nearest servant. He drew near and lowered his lantern to the ground beside her. “I can just make this out,” she stated loudly. “ ‘For widows and’ . . . yes, I see what it is . . . ‘orphans.’ ‘For widows and orphans.’ I believe it refers to a scripture about true religion being the care of widows and orphans.”

  “What?” Carfax said, almost indignantly.

  “I believe I understand,” Miss Ambers said. “Pearl was his child, perhaps the very reason for his existence. I believe he loved her very much and wanted to honor the joy she had brought him. Even the epitaph suggests that this treasure was to commemorate her life.”

  “Surely you are being overly romantic about a smuggler’s brat,” the colonel said. Several guests expressed shock at his speech. Still, he continued, “If he had truly wished to honor her, he would have given his treasure to a worthy establishment at the time of his death.”

  Evelina could not help but notice the wild look in the colonel’s eye. She said, “But you are forgetting that at the time, the smugglers were being hunted down and destroyed. What dying wish of his would have been honored by a mob ready to tear him from limb to limb? No, I believe his plan was sound. Besides,” and here she eyed him carefully, “he probably understood quite well that with such a treasure in hand there would likely be a great deal of squabbling over ownership. We, of course, have a very different view tonight.”

  “We have no such thing, if you mean to suggest that the treasure be given away. I wish it made clear at the outset that the treasure was found on Darwell land and will belong to the estate. There can be no two opinions about the legalities involved. Jack Stub’s treasure is mine.”

  Evelina was shocked and appalled by Colonel Carfax’s attitude. She opened her mouth to voice her strong disagreement, but the earl was before her.

  “Well, cousin,” Rotherstone said in a rather bored drawl, “I beg to differ with you.”

  Evelina watched in some bewilderment as the colonel turned to stare at him. “Your opinion hardly matters,” he said. “I intend to retain a solicitor, and I believe the King’s law will prevail.”

  “We should all like to see the King’s law prevail,” Rotherstone said quietly. He paused for effect before adding, “In every possible respect.”

  Evelina saw the hard look in the earl’s eyes and wondered what he could mean by emphasizing these last few words in particular.

  Colonel Carfax shifted on his feet. “I do not take your meaning.”

  “Oh, but I think you do, and if you are wise now you will permit these good ladies to determine what ought to be done with Mr. Stub’s treasure.”

  The colonel looked about him wildly, seeking some recourse. Evelina could not know what threat Rotherstone was making that had set Colonel Carfax on his heels, but he had all the appearance of wanting to run but not knowing where to go.

  “Good,” Rotherstone stated. “Then we are of a mind—is there anyone else here who feels they have a claim to the treasure?”

  Evelina thought Rotherstone had never appeared more masterful than in this moment. Given the gambling habits of more than one of the gentlemen present, she rather thought there were several who wanted desperately to argue the point of ownership. However, no one stepped forward to contest him.

  “Excellent,” he stated, almost angrily. He then picked up the quite heavy box and approached Miss Ambers. “You once asked me to contribute to the refurbishment of the orphanage in Studdingly, and I callously refused. I was very wrong to have done so. I believe we would do well to make certain that Jack Stub’s treasure is allocated in a manner he has already made plain to us. There is probably sufficient money within this box to build a new wing, one that might be named after Pearl.”

  Tears brimmed in Miss Ambers’s eyes. Sir Edgar, standing beside her, said quietly, “Well done, Gage. Well done, indeed.”

  A cheer suddenly went up round the gathered guests.

  “I would give this to you even now,” he added, “but it’s very heavy. For the present, would you have an objection to my seeing it stored at Blacklands until we can see it safely delivered to the orphanage’s bank?”

  “None at all,” she responded cheerfully. “In fact, I would be greatly relieved.”

  As Evelina regarded Rotherstone, warmth swelled in her heart. Was such a gentleman, who would give a fortune to an orphanage, a man she could trust?

  He turned to her. “I believe there is now but one matter of business to conclude,” he said, setting the heavy box down.

  Evelina smiled, her heartbeat quickening. “Indeed?” she queried. Was this a man she could trust?

  In a quiet voice, he said, “For the last of my demands I require your hand in marriage.”

  “You require my hand in marriage?” she returned archly.

  “Yes,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “According to the terms of our agreement.”

  A general muttering swelled over the crowd. “What agreement?”

  “It is a private matter between myself and Lady Evelina.”

  Sir Edgar challenged his friend. “I do not believe you have the right to require anything of Lady Evelina.”

  “You must ask the lady herself whether I do or not.”

  Sir Edgar turned a questioning gaze to her. “Is this true?”

  Evelina sighed. “I fear it is. I suppose there is nothing for it. We are now betrothed.”

  Rotherstone took her hand. “You will not honor me with even one small argument?” he queried, a crooked smile on his lips.

  “I am a woman of honor,” she responded, lifting her chin. “I will abide by our agreement. However, there is one thing I would ask of you as a wedding gift, but it is not a small thing.”

  His smile broadened. Almost he was grinning. “I will give you whatever you ask for, though I strongly suspect I know what it is already. Do I, for instance, have it in my power to give it to you now?”

  “Indeed you do, my lord.”

  He sighed. “Oh, very well. Have it, if it gives
you contentment.” He withdrew Sir Alfred’s note containing his written word that Pashley Court now belonged to Rotherstone. He handed it to Evelina.

  She took it with a smile, opened it and read the contents. “Excellent.”

  Sir Alfred stepped forward at once. “Eh? What’s this?” He moved close to Evelina. “Well, well, I knew you to be a good girl. Now give it here and all will be forgiven amongst friends.” He extended his hand to her.

  Evelina held his gaze. “You presume too much, Sir Alfred. Your wife told me the whole of your history, and if there is forgiveness to render, I believe it is you who must beg forgiveness of Lord Rotherstone.”

  He bristled, and his anger appeared as two bright red spots on his florid cheeks. He made as if to intimidate her, his expression darkening, his fists clenched, but suddenly Lady Monceaux said, “Enough, Alfred. Enough or you will have me to answer to.” Her eyes sparked fire.

  The crowd gasped and cheered.

  Sir Alfred took a step backward, stumbled and fell. As he lay propped on his elbows, he stared at his wife but said not a word.

  Lady Monceaux jerked her head toward Rotherstone. “Do as Lady Evelina has bid you. Now.”

  Sir Alfred addressed Rotherstone, “I do beg your forgiveness, my lord.”

  The earl regarded him for a long moment, and though there was much whispering among the crowd as to what this exchange could possibly mean, the earl finally said quietly, “Done.”

  “Thank you, Rotherstone,” Lady Monceaux said. Turning to Evelina, she added, “Do whatever pleases you with that document. I should not care if you sold the estate and gave the money to Miss Ambers’s orphanage. Indeed, I would be greatly satisfied.” Sir Alfred showed a little sense and chose to remain silent, though he slowly gained his feet.

  “I have but one intention, my lady,” Evelina said. She then offered the note to her. When Lady Monceaux took it, albeit slowly, as one stunned, Evelina added, “Rotherstone will have his solicitor draw up the proper documents making the estate yours. We will not lack for witnesses.” She glanced about the crowd that in turn had been hanging on her every word. Many gasps of astonishment and a few huzzas again passed round the crowd.