Nettie's Secret

by Dilly Court

  ‘Yes, I will.’ Nettie had a vision of Ernest sitting on her sofa reading a romance, and if she had not seen the Burton brothers in action she might have laughed, but Wegg hurried from the room as if the devil himself was on his heels. She turned to Rufus with a questioning look. ‘How did you find Wegg?’

  ‘You mentioned his name and I made some enquiries. I have business contacts in the City, and I find it a good thing to keep on the right side of those high up in the Metropolitan Police. I called in a favour and tracked down Wegg to his rooms in Hanging Sword Alley.’

  ‘You did all this for me and my father?’

  ‘You’re part of the company now, Nettie. I can’t afford to lose valuable people. Together we’re going to make Norwood’s Brewery a household name. I’ve found an investor who will put up the capital to allow us to expand and there’ll be no stopping us.’

  There was something in his tone that made Nettie suspicious. ‘Does that person happen to be the heiress your mother mentioned?’

  ‘It wasn’t quite true what I said to my parents. Lavinia and I have had an understanding for a long time, although we were never officially engaged.’

  ‘But you have an understanding?’ Nettie said slowly.

  He grasped her hand, holding it in a firm clasp. ‘That was before I met you, Nettie.’

  ‘What are you saying?’

  ‘I bought the house in Doughty Street for us. It’s you I want, Nettie.’

  A cold shiver ran down her spine and she withdrew her hand. ‘Are you asking me to become your mistress?’

  ‘That’s a harsh word, Nettie. I love you and I want to make you happy.’

  ‘And you think that dragging my name through the mud would do that?’

  ‘I don’t see it like that, Nettie.’

  ‘You have a strange way of looking at things, Rufus. You’ve just insulted me, and Lavinia could sue you for breach of promise.’

  He shrugged and smiled. ‘Only if I don’t go through with the marriage. It’s the one way I can raise enough capital to carry out my plans for modernisation of the brewery and set up the new office. You must understand that, Nettie.’

  She was frozen with anger and she fixed him with a hard stare. ‘So you plan to marry for money and you want us to live in sin?’

  ‘You make it sound sordid, but I love you, and eventually I’m sure Lavinia will agree to a divorce and then you and I will be married.’

  ‘You should be ashamed of yourself,’ Nettie said icily. She met his startled gaze, wondering why she had allowed herself to be taken in by him.

  He raised his hand and then dropped it to his side. ‘It’s not what I would have wanted. You must understand that, Nettie.’

  ‘You would ruin the lives of two women in order to build your business. Think again, Rufus Norwood. I don’t need you. I’m a free woman and I can support myself and my father.’ Nettie stormed out of the room, but as she stepped into the entrance hall she almost bumped into Ma Burton.

  ‘Fallen out, have you?’ Ma said, chuckling. ‘I suppose he’s in a bad mood now, and he’ll be even grumpier when I tell him I’m doubling the rent.’

  ‘I need to get a message to your boys, Ma.’ Nettie forced herself to sound calm, although inwardly she was fuming. ‘Tell them I’ve found Wegg, but if Ernest still wants to read my novel he’s more than welcome.’

  ‘My Ernie is the clever one,’ Ma said proudly. ‘He could read and write when he was just a nipper, whereas my Frankie was always off somewhere, getting into bother, but they’re good sons.’ She waddled past Nettie and knocked on the door.

  Nettie took the stairs two at a time, holding her skirts up above her ankles. She burst into her father’s room and found him sitting up in bed, sipping a mug of tea.

  ‘Softly, please,’ he said in a low voice. ‘My head aches.’

  ‘I’m not surprised, Pa. The state you were in last night you deserve to suffer.’

  ‘That’s unkind, Nettie.’

  ‘I’m not in the mood to be nice, Pa. I’ve just found out that Rufus is using us. He’s going to marry an heiress, but he wants me to live with him as his mistress.’

  ‘The cad!’ Robert swung his legs over the side of the bed. ‘Take my tea. I’ll go downstairs and give him a piece of my mind.’

  Nettie took the cup from him. ‘No, don’t do that. I was a fool to be taken in by him, but I’ve made my feelings perfectly clear. Rufus Norwood won’t bother me again.’

  Robert pulled up the bedcovers. ‘Oh, well. That’s good, my dear. I know I can always trust your good sense.’ He eyed her warily. ‘But there’s something else. Out with it, Nettie.’

  ‘I can’t tell you what I have in mind, but I want you to meet me in the Lamb and Flag at midday. Will you be well enough to do that?’

  ‘The hair of the dog is what I need.’ Robert held his hand to his head. ‘Give me my tea, and is there any seltzer in the cupboard? Get some for me, Nettie, please.’

  ‘Only if you promise you’ll meet me in the pub later.’

  ‘Yes, I will. Now please get me some seltzer.’

  Nettie was on her way to the pub when she heard her name called and she glanced round to see Ma Burton’s boys hurrying after her.

  ‘Where are you going?’ Ernest demanded. ‘This isn’t the sort of place you should be on your own, miss.’

  ‘It’s all right, I’m meeting someone in the Lamb and Flag.’

  ‘They don’t call it the Blood and Bucket for nothing,’ Francis said grimly. ‘They used to have bare-knuckle fights there, and it ain’t the place for a young lady like yourself, miss.’

  ‘We’re coming with you.’ Ernest took Nettie by the hand. ‘Might I come upstairs later, so that I can finish reading the story?’

  She nodded. ‘Of course you may.’ There seemed little she could say that would deter them and Nettie walked on escorted by her two unusual-looking bodyguards.

  The public bar was crowded and filled with smoke from the coal fire and the clay pipes smoked by the patrons. Through a blue haze Nettie could just make out Duke, who was standing at the bar with Samson Wegg, and Rufus. She was about to join them when her father hurried into the taproom.

  ‘What’s this all about, Nettie?’ He glanced nervously at the Burton brothers. ‘Are these men bothering you?’

  ‘No, Pa. They were kind enough to escort me here.’ Nettie took her father by the arm and propelled him towards the bar. ‘There’s someone I want you to see.’

  ‘Duke!’ Robert came to a halt, staring open-mouthed. ‘What are you doing here? And Wegg – what is this?’

  Duke glanced anxiously at Ernest and Francis, who had stationed themselves behind Nettie.

  ‘What are they doing here?’

  ‘You know them, Duke?’ Nettie stared at him in surprise.

  ‘Everyone knows the Burton brothers,’ Duke said grimly. ‘Why did you bring me here, Wegg?’

  Nettie took a step closer. ‘I want you to tell my pa how you used him. Tell him how much you made out of his works, and how you deserted him and left him to struggle on his own.’

  ‘I’m a businessman,’ Duke protested. ‘Your father knew what he was getting himself into.’

  Robert shook his head. ‘You promised me that the copies I made were sold as such. I was shocked when I saw the Botticelli in the condesa’s home, especially when I realised that she thought she had the original.’

  ‘Then you’re a fool,’ Duke said angrily. ‘You deserve to be duped.’

  Ernest fisted his hands. ‘Shall I sort him out for you, Nettie?’

  ‘Yes,’ Francis added. ‘Come outside, Dexter. We’ve been after you for some time.’

  ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ Duke shoved Wegg forward. ‘This fellow is the snitch. You’d best watch out, boys, or he’ll set the cops on you and you’ll end up in choky.’

  ‘I’m a private detective,’ Wegg said icily. ‘You’re the villain here, Dexter. I never believed your version of things, a
nd this is where you get your comeuppance.’

  ‘You’re a cheat and a liar, Dexter. It’s time you was taught a lesson you won’t forget.’ Ernest grabbed Duke by the collar and marched him out of the bar room to a round of applause.

  ‘It seems that Duke is not a popular man around here,’ Rufus said, chuckling. ‘I’ll buy you a drink, Wegg.’

  Wegg glanced round furtively. ‘Ta, maybe another time, but I’ve got things to do. I’m going, but first there’s the matter of payment.’

  ‘Suit yourself.’ Rufus took a wallet from his inside pocket and selected a note, which he handed to Wegg. ‘There. That’s what we agreed.’

  Wegg snatched the money, tipped his battered top hat and rushed out into the street.

  Rufus turned to Nettie and her father with an ingratiating smile. ‘What will you have? Ladies first.’

  ‘No, thank you. I have something more important to do.’ Nettie hurried outside and had to run to catch up with the Burton brothers as they marched Duke towards a narrow alleyway.

  ‘Wait,’ she cried breathlessly.

  They came to a halt.

  ‘You’ve relented,’ Duke said with an ingratiating smile. ‘I knew you wouldn’t allow these thugs to beat up an innocent man.’

  ‘I’ll ask them to let you go on one condition.’

  ‘Anything to oblige a beautiful lady.’

  ‘Then you’ll come with me to a law office in Lincoln’s Inn, where you’ll swear an affidavit that your marriage to Constance was never consummated, and you’ll agree to return all her property to her.’

  ‘You’re not serious?’

  ‘Yes, I am. Either you come with me now or I let these nice gentleman do what they will with you.’

  Ernest twisted Duke’s arm behind his back. ‘We’ll come with you, to make sure this sewer rat does as you say. We don’t like to see women used by men like him, do we, Frankie?’

  Francis nodded. ‘We most certainly don’t. What do you say, Duke?’

  Grimacing with pain, Duke nodded. ‘Yes, I’ll do it. Just stop twisting my arm.’

  Nettie smiled triumphantly. ‘Come along. It’s not too far to walk.’ She turned her head as she heard Rufus calling her name.

  He strode up to them. ‘Where are you going with those men?’

  ‘It’s none of your business, Rufus,’ Nettie said firmly.

  ‘You tell him, girl.’ Ernest patted her on the shoulder. ‘You stand up for yourself.’

  ‘I need to talk to you, Nettie,’ Rufus said in a low voice. ‘You misunderstood what I was trying to say earlier.’

  She looked him in the eye. ‘No, I didn’t, Rufus. It was crystal clear and I’ve been a deluded fool, as has my father. You’ll find that we are not as gullible as you first thought.’ She turned her back on him. ‘Come on, gentlemen. We have more important things to do than to stand here gossiping.’

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Later that afternoon after a successful meeting at the law office, Nettie returned home with the signed and witnessed affidavit in her reticule and a letter to Duke’s bank in Paris, ordering the release of all Constance’s properties.

  Robert was at his easel, brush in hand. He stopped working and looked up, frowning. ‘Where have you been, Nettie? I was worried.’

  ‘You won’t be seeing Duke again, Pa. He’s duped you for the last time.’

  ‘What have you done with him?’

  ‘He’s given up his rights to Constance’s property, and I’ve got the papers that will help her to get her marriage annulled. I’m going to Kent to give them to her.’

  ‘That’s all very well, but what about Rufus? I thought you and he might make a go of it.’

  ‘Didn’t you hear anything I told you, Pa? Rufus is going to marry an heiress.’

  ‘But we could still work for him, my love. I had a quick word with him after you left.’

  ‘And you are happy to work for a man who would set your daughter up as his mistress?’

  ‘I wouldn’t put it like that, Nettie. Rufus said I was welcome to live with you in Doughty Street, and I’d have my own studio in the office. He does mean to marry you, eventually.’

  ‘I’m sorry, Pa. I thought I was in love with Rufus, but I realise now that it was a huge mistake. He thinks of nothing other than making money.’

  Robert laid his brush down. ‘What are you saying, child?’

  ‘I’m a woman now, in case you hadn’t noticed. I’ve devoted myself to you and your welfare for as long as I can remember, and I kept my writing secret because I knew you would think I was being foolish to harbour any ambition for myself alone. I’m going away, and I’m afraid you’ll have to manage on your own.’

  ‘You want a change,’ Robert said hastily. ‘Of course, I understand that. When will you be back?’

  ‘I don’t know.’ Nettie shook her head. ‘Maybe not for a long time.’

  Robert moved away from his easel, wiping his hands on his paint-spattered smock. ‘You’re leaving me?’

  ‘For a while, Pa. It might be too late, but I must try to make amends to the one person who’s always stood by me. I’ve treated him so badly that I wouldn’t blame him if he never spoke to me again.’

  ‘You’re talking in riddles, my dear.’

  ‘Yes, Pa. That’s how it seems to me, too.’ She stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. ‘I’ll always be your loving daughter, but you must allow me this chance to make a life for myself.’

  He sighed. ‘I know you’ll do what you want, no matter what I say. Will you leave me some money to keep me going until Rufus pays me?’

  ‘Yes, Pa. Of course I will.’

  ‘What shall I do about supper?’

  ‘I’m not leaving until the morning. I’m going to Kent first and I don’t want to impose on the Norwoods by arriving late in the afternoon.’

  ‘Is Rufus going with you?’

  ‘No, Pa. I told you, I’m finished with Rufus Norwood. This has nothing to do with him.’

  ‘Oh, dear. I’m more confused than ever.’ Robert shook his head. ‘As you’re going away for a while it might be nice to go out for dinner. I fancy a nice juicy steak or some lamb chops, as I’ll probably be living on tea and toast until you come home.’

  Nettie arrived at Norwood Hall in the middle of the morning, having risen very early and taken a cab to the railway station. She had packed her valise with almost everything she owned, including the manuscript, which she had worked on during the train journey. Mason answered her knock on the door and he greeted her with a nod and a hint of a smile.

  ‘Good morning, Mason. I’ve come to see Miss Constance. Is she at home?’

  ‘I believe so, miss. If you’ll wait here I’ll go and enquire.’ He left her standing in the familiar surroundings of Norwood Hall. Nettie looked round, trying to imagine what it would have been like to be mistress of this charming home, but somehow it had lost its appeal. She was still furious with Rufus for suggesting that she might accept such an indecent proposition – it had been the worst insult he could have given her – but she was not here for Rufus. She had come to give Constance the papers that would set her free.

  Mason reappeared. ‘If you would come this way, miss?’

  She followed him into the morning parlour, but to Nettie’s dismay she saw that Constance was not alone. Jane was seated at the table, a pen held in her hand and writing paper spread out before her. Constance leaped to her feet, but a look from Jane Norwood made her subside back onto her chair.

  ‘To what do we owe this honour, Miss Carroll?’ Jane demanded coldly.

  ‘Good morning, Mrs Norwood,’ Nettie said politely. ‘My business is with Constance. Might we have a moment, please?’

  ‘You can say what you have to say in front of me.’ Jane dipped her pin into the inkwell. ‘I am too busy to listen to gossip.’ She held her pen poised above the paper. ‘I suppose you’ve come to crow about your engagement to my son?’

  ‘Mrs Norwood!’ Constance stared at her in horr
or. ‘Nettie would never behave in such a manner.’

  ‘Hold your tongue, girl. If my son intends to marry this person it is very much my business, and I’ll say what I like.’

  Nettie felt her temper rising, but she took a deep breath. ‘I am not engaged to Rufus, Mrs Norwood. Nor do I intend to live with him in sin, as he has proposed.’

  Jane threw the pen down on the desk, spattering the paper with blots. ‘You are a vulgar young person. I won’t listen to such talk.’

  ‘It’s true,’ Nettie said calmly. ‘Your son intends to marry the heiress, but he wanted me to live with him. I refused.’

  ‘You’re lying.’ Jane stumbled towards the door. ‘I’m going to fetch my husband. He’ll have a few words to say to you.’ She slammed out of the room, and there was a brief silence, broken by a cry from Constance as she rose from her seat and rushed over to envelop Nettie in a hug.

  ‘The wicked old witch,’ she breathed. ‘Don’t take any notice of her, Nettie. I’ve had just about enough of her and so has Percy. It was a terrible mistake coming here.’

  ‘I’ve come with good news.’ Nettie opened her reticule and took out the documents, handing them to Constance. ‘These will set you free,’ she said smiling. ‘You will have your property restored to you, although I’m not sure about the château. I think Duke was renting it, but he tells so many lies it’s hard to believe anything he says.’

  ‘I wouldn’t want the creepy old place, anyway.’ Constance studied the affidavit and the letter to Duke’s bank, and she did a little dance. ‘This is wonderful. I can go home at last. I must tell Percy immediately.’

  ‘Where’s Biddy?’ Nettie asked anxiously. ‘I want to see her before I leave.’

  ‘She’s at school in the village.’ Constance folded the documents and slipped them into the pocket of her skirt.

  ‘Is she happy here? If not I’ll take her with me.’

  ‘She’s settled in so well, and Jane is a different person when she’s with Biddy. Bringing her here was a stroke of genius, but you must stay and see her. She’ll be so disappointed if you return to London without a word.’

  ‘I’m not going to London,’ Nettie said softly. ‘I’m going to France.’