Fenella J Miller (13 page)

“Sally, are you there? I need my habit; quickly help me change. I have to get to the village, I’m sure something has happened to the children.”

Thankfully her maid didn’t argue, and in less than the allotted time Eleanor was downstairs. Her mare was waiting patiently at the foot of the steps. The groom tossed her into the saddle. He had brought a second horse as he intended to accompany her.

“My lady, his lordship’s gone to the village because a message came saying Master Alexander had been abducted.”

Eleanor’s hands tightened and Silver threw up her head. “We must make haste. I knew my children were in danger.” She gathered the reins, dug in her heels and the horse responded, breaking into a smooth canter.

She had visited Blakely many times and knew most of the villagers by name. There was a single street with the church and vicarage at one end, these stood at the end of their drive. The village green and duck pond were at the far end of the village.

She pulled Silver back to a walk as they passed the church. It might be better if they left the horses in the church yard and approached by the back lane. She dropped from the saddle and pulled the mare’s reins over her head. She needed to be calm, not show the groom her fear.

“We must leave the horses here, they will come to no harm within the walls of the cemetery.”

“Shall I bring my cudgel, my lady?”

“Yes, do so. It’s Jim, is it not?”

The young man nodded. “Do you know where we’re going, my lady?”

“I shall go and speak to Mrs Milner, the seamstress. Her cottage is in the very centre of the village, whatever happened she must have seen it.”

The village was too quiet. The usual sounds of activity, of dogs barking and children playing, were frighteningly absent. Eleanor shivered. She was glad when she arrived at the rear gate of the cottage she sought. She threaded her way through the vegetable patch, past the privy and washhouse, to the back door.

She knocked once; there was no sound of footsteps hurrying to answer her summons. After her second knock she heard movement and the door was pulled open a crack. A white face peered around.

“My lady, whatever are you doing here? It’s a bad day, you should have stayed safe at home. Come in, quickly before you’re seen.”

An arm shot out and she was pulled inside; Jim was a left to fend for himself. “Mrs Milner, what’s going on?”

“My lady, I can’t tell you how dreadful things have been; I’ve never seen the like. At least a dozen or more men, armed to the teeth they were. Three on horseback, the rest on foot. They ordered us to shut up shop, to stay in inside or be killed.” The woman mopped her eyes. “They murdered my little Peggy. Right in front of me, they clubbed her to death because she barked at them.”

“How dreadful! Have they harmed anyone else, do you know?”

“There was deal of shouting and door banging, my lady. I don’t know if anyone else was murdered.”

Eleanor took a deep breath and sent a fervent prayer to the Almighty that her family was safe. Mrs Milner was too distraught to be questioned further. The sound of cups rattling on their saucers heralded the arrival of a tray of tea. A slightly more resilient parlour maid appeared.

“Josie, exactly what we need. Put the tray down here.” She waited until the girl had lowered her burden, worried she might drop it. “Did you see anything out there? Do you know where these men are now?”

The girl began to pour the tea but more liquid went in the saucer than the cup. “I reckon they looked like ex-soldiers, my lady. The man who led them was well-dressed, wearing smart coat and boots, I couldn’t she see his face because his hat was pulled down low.”

“Do you have any idea of the whereabouts of my children when these men arrived?”

“Master Alexander wanted to feed the ducks before they returned. I saw them walking towards the pond. That was a good few minutes before those varmints arrived.”

“Thank you, Josie. Shall I take my tea? Give Mrs Milner plenty of sugar, she needs the sweetness to recover from the shock.”

Whilst Eleanor sipped her tea, she reviewed the information. There was something she could not quite grasp, something important. Yes, she had it. Why did the message only mention Alexander had been abducted? These villains would have taken all three children, not just her son. The children must be safe somewhere. Mentioning the boy’s name had been a ruse to draw Alex into the village.

Her tea slopped onto her lap. There was only one person would wish to harm her husband. Edward must know about her marriage and believed by killing her husband he could somehow retain her inheritance. Her brother was insane. His rage and disappointment had tipped him over the edge.

She should never have married, knowing Edward was given to murderous rages. She should have warned Alex, but she had been so content these past few weeks she had pushed all such thoughts out of her mind.

Now it was too late. For a second time she had put his life in peril.

Alex emerged cautiously from the noisome ditch. The rifle fire was concentrated at the far end where he had tumbled from his horse. His assailants didn’t know they’d moved. Maybe they thought someone as top lofty as himself wouldn’t crawl through excrement to escape.

Keeping low, he ran across the lane and plunged into the hedge that bordered it. The stench he brought with him meant he couldn’t rap on a door and ask for assistance. Until he smelt better, he must lurk in an outbuilding and hope his own men found him first.

He crawled through the hedge and, knowing he was no longer a target, straightened. Tom arrived moments later. He visibly recoiled when within a few yards.

“I know; I crawled through a midden. I take it you were more fortunate.”

“Blooming hell, my lord, if you pardon me saying so. I ain’t never smelt nothing like it.”

“The duck pond’s not far from here, I’m going to immerse myself in that. Here, lad, take my pistols and keep me covered. I can’t think straight until I am less noxious.”

He was in the trees at the far side of the pond checking he wouldn’t be seen from the barn when Davies hailed him from the shadow of a building a few yards away.

“My lord, we heard shooting. We were about to come to the barn when we spotted you.” The man’s eyes widened and he appeared to choke. “Good God! You smell…”

“I am well aware of that, Davies, I don’t need reminding. I’m going to wash the worst from my person in the duck pond. Tom has his pistols at the ready. Is the shotgun loaded?”

“It certainly is, sir. Go ahead; until you’re cleaner we’ve no hope of approaching our target safely.”

The pond water was as good as a bath. A small flotilla of ducks paddled over to investigate and eagerly gobbled up the lumps that floated away. His boots were full of water; far better that than liquid sewage. He sniffed his jacket sleeve—a great improvement, although he would never wear any of these garments again.

He approached his men with a wry smile. “Will I do, Davies? I squelch instead of stink, but hopefully I am more bearable.”

“I thought you were captured, sir. Did they not wish to parley? How are you to get young Master Alexander back if they won’t let not you near enough to negotiate?”

“I don’t think they have my son hostage. They want me. I was lucky not to have been killed.” He faced the ring of incredulous faces. “Look, the bullet grazed my temple.” He parted the hair on his forehead, revealing the graze mark.

“Bugger me! That was a close call, my lord.”

“Indeed it was, Davies. Now, listen carefully. I’m certain they don’t have my children. Remember, the message didn’t mention my daughters. They wouldn’t have taken Alexander and left the girls behind. So we must discover where they are. Tom, find your way back to the horses that Davies abandoned. Ride to Ipswich and raise the militia. We can’t handle this without extra firepower. Fred, later on you must collect our mounts; do it without getting shot if you can.”

Tom asked directions from the estate manager and then vanished into the hedgerow. Alex led his remaining men to the safety of some outbuildings in which farm implements were stored.

“Davies, do you know who lives in that house over there?” Alex pointed to a substantial redbrick dwelling that overlooked the duck pond.

“The new doctor and his wife, my lord. They moved in last spring when the old physician retired to Bath.”

“Unless I’m mistaken, I saw Lucy waving to me from an upstairs window. I dared not remain on open ground to confirm this. If you scaled this tree, I believe you could see over these buildings to the doctor’s house.”

Fred scrambled up the trunk. “You’re right, my lord, it’s Miss Lucy and Miss Elizabeth.”

“What about my son, can you see him?”

“No. Yes, they must have lifted him up. He’s standing on a chair, I reckon.”

Alex sighed, his suppositions were correct. His children weren’t the target; he was. He dismissed the idea of storming the barn, he was undermanned and such an action could only end in disaster. He must collect his children and return them to the safety of Blakely Hall. He employed almost fifty men, they must be enough to deter even the most determined assassin.

“One of you work your way around and reconnoitre with Foster and the others. Bring them back here, but make sure you’re not seen. I’ll make my way to the doctor’s house and collect my children. I don’t know how long we have before those bastards come looking for me.”

“Thank you for the tea and information, Mrs Milner. As the duck pond is on the other side of the road I shall have to go back the way I came and cross where I can’t be seen.”

She left to a chorus of farewells and was relieved to find Jim waiting outside. She was about to tell him what she had heard when the air was rent by a series of rifle shots. Too late to think about the children, she must reach her husband before he was murdered.

Her riding habit had a divided skirt so she flung the trailing part over her arm and ran in the direction of the shots. Jim, taken by surprise, didn’t have time to stop her. The outline of the barn was just ahead, a second fusillade echoed across the village. Was she too late? Would they listen to her pleas?

She steadied her pace and drew breath to shout, when her feet were swept out from under her and a heavy weight landed on her back. Winded, she could do no more than lie prostrate.

“For God’s sake, my lady, what are you thinking of?”

“Foster, how dare you knock me down? Get off at once. Don’t you see? Lord Bentley is in grave danger and I am the only one who can save him.”

He removed his bulk but kept a firm grip of both her arms as he pulled her upright. For a man with grey hair he was remarkably agile and far stronger than she was. If she kicked his shins would he let go? Then Jim and another man were alongside and her chance was lost.

“You must listen to me, Mr Foster. My brother, Lord Thorrington, is behind this dreadful business. He has learnt of my marriage and believes that killing my husband will get him control of my fortune and some of my husband’s as well.”

“You’re distraught, madam, don’t know what you’re saying. You’re accusing your own brother of attempted murder. Only a mad man would become involved in such a crackbrained scheme.”

“He
is
insane, at least partially so. He will not stop until he has achieved his aim, Lord Bentley will not be safe. Edward will not be here himself, he is far too clever for that, but he will have paid others to do his dirty work. It is they who are trying to kill Lord Bentley at this very moment.”

Why didn’t he believe her? What could she say to convince him?

“If I returned to him, I think that would satisfy him. This will give Lord Bentley time to think of a permanent way to stop him. I promise you, I shall not be harmed, I am the golden goose, after all.”

He swore as further shots rang out and she pretended to stumble. His hands slackened and she had her opportunity. Without hesitation she ran into the lane praying that the men with the rifles were not so evil as to shoot a woman in cold blood.

With his men close behind him, Alex made his way to the rear of Dr. Stansted’s house. He was expected. The kitchen door was flung open and three small bodies hurled themselves into his arms. He dropped to his knees to embrace them, surprised to find his cheeks were wet.

“Papa, you are all wet and you smell horrible,” Elizabeth exclaimed.

“I’m afraid I do, sweetheart, and now all three of you are equally pungent. We shall go home at once, but first I must speak to Dr. Stansted and his wife.” Laughing, he stood up with Alexander in his arms and then placed his son back on the ground. “Stay here with your sisters until I come back.”

“You cannot go in smelling like a pigsty, Papa.”

“You are quite right, Lucy. I can hear someone coming, so I don’t need to enter after all.”

The sight of Blakely Hall at the end of the drive had never seemed more welcoming. He had Alexander on his pommel, Elizabeth clinging on behind and Lucy was riding with Davies. His youngest daughter was chattering away behind him, obviously not distressed in any way by the excitement. The two nursery maids were walking home, but he intended to send the gig out to collect them.

The sound of booted feet approaching caused a moment’s alarm, but then he smiled. Marching towards him was a small army of male servants armed to the teeth with cudgels, sticks and shotguns. Tom must have returned to the Hall before leaving for Ipswich.

He reined in to greet them. “Well done, men. It does my heart good to see such loyalty in my staff. Your diligence shall not go unrewarded, I promise you.”

The leader, his coachman Frank, touched his cap and grinned. “We’re right pleased to see you and the little ones, my lord, I can tell you.” His smile slipped as he looked down the row of horses. “You don’t have Lady Bentley with you?”

What is the man talking about?

“No, of course I do not. She’s safe in doors.”

“That she ain’t, my lord. She went off soon after you, taking young Jim with her.”

Alex kept a commendably blank face. “Alexander, you must get down. Frank will carry you. We have forgotten to bring Mama home with us, how could we be so silly?”

He passed his son down to willing arms and then turned to lift his daughter from behind him. “She will be in the village looking for you, and now I shall have to go and find
her—
like a game of hide and go seek, my love. Lucy take your sister and Alexander to the nursery and your nursemaids will take care of you until we return.”

Lucy looked unconvinced but did as she was bid. Elizabeth ran to join her, carefully avoiding any contact with him.

“Your Mama is very naughty, I shall have firm words with her when I bring her home.” His words were meant to make them smile.

Elizabeth stared at him, eyes huge. “You will not beat her for being bad, please say you won’t?”

He flung himself from the saddle and pulled all three back into his arms. What nightmares had his children been forced to endure because of his self-pity? “I was jesting, little ones. I should never hurt your mama, and neither would I raise a hand to any of you.”

He wished he could stay longer to comfort them, but he had a bad feeling about Eleanor’s absence. He pushed the children towards the men. “Three of you take them home, the rest follow me. I wish you to escort the nursemaids home.”

His stallion was fresh and galloped with as much enthusiasm towards the village as he had done earlier. There were horses racing his way, and one of the riders was leading a riderless animal. His heart plummeted to his boots. The little grey mare he had given Eleanor was a riderless.