The Black Lotus (Night Flower) (16 page)

The small group looked up wonderingly as the sound of hooves grew closer. The servant’s fingers moved towards their pistols in concern that the horses belonged to highwaymen. The noise grew in volume and presently the riders came into view. Two riders, one a gentleman for his dress and the other dressed in what could only be described as a boat cloak. In a cloud of dust they pulled up and the pair looked over at them.
Both wore mufflers high about their faces and Franklin drew his pistol, prepared to fire.

“Well I never,” A well remembered and odious voice flowed from beneath the hood of the first rider. “A she devil grubbing in the dirt, how delightfully apt.” The first rider pulled down the hood and revealed Montjoy. Franklin lowered his pistol marginally but did not put it away. Montjoy moved his horse forward, a sneer on his lips as he took in Franklin’s stance and his eyes once again roamed over Melissa with lecherous intent. “Good evening Miss De Vire,” An oily smile crossed his lips as he lent out of the saddle and stared down at the injured group. “Would you care for a ride? I can return you to your home” Franklin and Jane stiffened, a look of dislike crossing both faces.

“I am waiting for my coach thank you.” Melissa replied as politely as she possibly could and not quite managing to keep the dislike out of her voice. She keenly remembered the feel of his rough hands against her back and the look of rage on his face.
“I will not accompany you.” Franklin raised the pistol slightly higher, expecting trouble.

“
So high and mighty.” He muttered in a poisonous tone. “You deserve to be taken down a peg or two.” His companion cleared his throat and Montjoy sighed. Sitting upright in the saddle he tossed an insincere smirk back at the group. “I hope you won’t wait long.” He wheeled his horse back to the road and tapped his heels lightly to its side.

The two riders had barely moved out of sight when another sound reached their ears. Montjoy and his companion moved to the side and stopped.

“A
coach,” Franklin noted with a smile. Melissa and Jane looked up at the same time, listening keenly for the sound of wheels and hooves and thankful that Montjoy had left.

“I hear it
,” Melissa woke up a little more as the noise of wheels finally reached her ears and she stood up straighter, looking along the road with hope in her eyes. “Looks like Jeb made good time.” She murmured with a smile.

The carriage rolled to a stop just before the group and the driver looked down at them
, mild curiosity in his deep set eyes.

“It’s not Jeb,” Franklin noted as he walked forward and spoke to the coach driver in low tones.

“Why have we stopped
Coll?” A familiar voice sounded from the inside of the carriage as a gloved hand pushed aside the heavy curtain.

“There’s an accident sir. A Miss De Vire,” The driver answered with a soft toned voice.

“What?
” The coach door burst open and Justin burst out of the carriage with a look of shock on his face. His dark eyes roamed over the ruined carriage with a look of shock before they settled on the swaying form of Melissa. “Meli..” He collected himself and continued. “Miss De Vire. I am sorry for your misfortune.” He ran his eyes up and down the road. “You are not planning to stay by the side of the road all night?”

“We have sent Jeb back
for the second carriage my Lord,” Franklin noted as he glanced up at Justin with some deference. “We do not expect him to be long,”

Further up the road, the two figures of Montjoy and the unnamed rider watched the scene carefully.

“I cannot leave you by the side of the road,” Justin stepped forward, concern etched on his features as he approached her. “I would consider myself ungentlemanly if I did not assist you,” He moved forward into a patch of moonlight and looked down at the dark coloured patch on her dress. “You’re bleeding,”

“I have bound the wound sir,” Jane answered with only a modicum of irritation. “It does require further attention though.”

“
Then I insist that I deliver you home. It is not good for you to be left by the side of the road with such an injury,” Jane stepped forward, her face like thunder and he hurriedly added. “Your maid of course will accompany us! I would not wish you to be without a chaperone. ”

“Then what shall we do about Jeb? He is bound to have returned by now.” Melissa answered, not really thinking clearly about the proposed trip with Justin. Staying by the side of the road was not appealing,
particularly since their unpleasant encounter only a few moments before, yet a ride in Justin’s carriage could be troublesome.

“W
e shall meet him on route and he can deal with the wrecked one,” Justin answered as he turned those disturbing eyes onto her coachman. “Please Lady I insist that you return with me. Here you are at mercy of bandits, not counting the inconvenience of your wounds.” He stepped closer, the soft notes of his voice pleading. “I could not leave you here,”

Melissa glanced over at her would be saviour. He was dressed in everyday garb
and had clearly not been to a ball that eve. His hair was without powder and his dark locks looked black in the bleaching light of the moon. The throbbing pain in her side reminded her of the damage done by Jane’s knitting needles and memories of her near fatal slide into sleep were fresh and gave her cause for concern. Also she could see Montjoy in the distance, what if he returned to bother her further?

He caught her hesitance and leant forward. “
I promise you will be safe from him,” He nodded across at the riders and smiled reassuringly.

“Very well Lord Lestrade
. I will accompany you,” She noted, watching as his face crinkled with pleasure as she spoke the words. With exquisite courtesy he held out a hand and helped her carefully up the steps and into his coach. After a moment, Jane followed reluctantly. Franklin shut the door behind the maid with a heavy thump, before climbing up and taking the empty footman’s position on the rear of the coach.

Montjoy moved off
, losing interest in the group behind him. For a moment the muffled figure stayed in position, his eyes following the scene closer. As she clasped hold of Justin’s arm, the figure clicked to his horse and galloped away, the cloud of dust following slowly behind.

Coll clicked to the horses and slowly the coach turned in the road, leaving the ruined carriage where it lay. Soon they were flying along the road, towards the sleeping hamlets and their estates beyond.

Melissa sat back on the padded seating and stared across at Justin, barely making out his expression in the dim light. Silently he reached forward and handed her a travelling rug, which she tucked carefully about her legs. “Thank you,” It felt like an inadequate response, she was clearly drawing him away from his evening.

“It was the least I could do.
I could not leave you there at the mercy of highwaymen or Montjoy, I saw him on the road.” He answered tersely, his eyes on her. She could feel them in the dark scoring into her soul. Beside her she could feel the tense body of Jane as she kept her eyes on Justin, playing the chaperone for all she was worth.

“Still, thank you. I’m sorry to keep you from your evening.”

“Do not concern yourself,
” Feather soft and gentle, his words mollified her and she settled back, feeling better about the situation. “I’m glad to have been of service, particularly as Lord Montjoy appeared to be making a nuisance of himself.”

Melissa smiled and thanked him again. “
So how did you come to be travelling home without your family?” He asked politely, the cushions creaking slightly as he shifted to a more comfortable position. The curtains were half closed and even with the moonlight, his face was hidden from view. Reaching down, he plucked a fleck of dust from his breeches. Holding it in the air for a movement as though inspecting it, he smiled enigmatically before he waved it free. Hazel eyes watched the fluff drift lazily to the carriage floor, before he returned his gaze to Melissa and took in the damage. Her dark hair hung in mussed strands, the powder shaken from the long tresses in the accident. A smudge of dirt on her nose, coupled with the state of her dress made her appear vulnerable, a tattered rose lost in the dark. His fingers itched to reach forward and brush the smudge from her face. Controlling the impulse, he arranged his hands carefully on his knees and returned his attention to the conversation.

“I left Lady Shearingham’s ball early,” Her voice was polite yet shaky, a remnant of the nasty tumble she had taken in the coach. “I had a headache.”

“Ahh,
” Justin replied, his face unreadable from the shadows. He watched her though; she could not miss the pressure of his eyes upon her. It should have made her uncomfortable, the frankness of his gaze on her, yet despite the odd twinge, she felt safe in his company. The tenderness he showed as he had helped her into the carriage had impressed itself on her mind. Despite their first meeting, she knew that Justin Lestrade possessed a heart somewhere. They lapsed into silence for a moment, unsure of what to say to each other, strangers that they were. Jane had returned to her knitting. She had picked up a spare set of needles from her basket and the clicking sound they made sounded loud in the carriage.

“Why were you not at the ball
?” Melissa broke the silence boldly, ignoring the hiss of surprise from Jane at her elbow. It was a direct question, one that should be danced about or garnered from friends. It was not done to ask outright news from a stranger, yet she could not keep quiet. She wanted to know if the rumours were true and this was the best way to go about it. Her green eyes stared straight at him and she could almost feel him smiling at her boldness in the dark corner opposite.

“
I had a visit from Lord Malison,” He answered directly, with no hint of hesitation. If she could be direct then so could he. “I was given to understand that I was responsible for his daughter’s demise,” A note of bitter anger entered his voice as he spoke. “Since I am clearly a cad, then I must also be a murderer,”

Melissa stared at him, trying to find his face in the darkness before she answered.

“I don’t think you are a murderer,”

“Really?” A note of incredulity entered his voice as he finally leant forward, his eyes shimmering with pent up emotion. “How would you know?” A mocking quality flowed through his tones and she shivered as the notes stroked down her spine.

“I don’t, I just feel that you aren’t,
”

“Then y
ou don’t know, you only believe,” He settled back against the chair, his face stormy in the darkness. The air in the carriage became still, Jane watched carefully from the seat opposite, her placid face still and watchful. Throughout the hushed stillness, the sound of wheels sounded loud, almost deafening as they looked at each other. His fingers were curled lightly on his knees and she regarded the elegant digits with a detached feeling.

“I could be an
ything and you would never know,” His voice was soft, almost hushed and full of a bitter anger that she felt more than heard. In the gloom of the carriage, he became as a statue, immobile and quiet, save for his eyes which searched out her face with an intensity she found unnerving. For several moments, tense quiet reigned in the carriage, save for Jane’s needles and the noise of wheel on stone.

“I’m sorry,
” She apologised, more to break the silence than for anything else. From the seat opposite, she heard him draw a deep breath before he spoke, his voice far more gentle than it had been.

“Don’t apologise, yo
u have nothing to apologise for. I’m out of sorts this evening and liable to be terrible company. For that I apologise to you.” He smiled then, a strange tremulous smile as though he was dredging it from deep memory. “I must also apologise for my lack of regard, the first night we met. It was beyond rude.” His voice was quiet, genuine and missing the mocking confidence that had characterised their first meeting. Melissa looked at him sharply, wondering if this were a joke or some kind of trick, yet he stared back at her clearly. Beneath his frank and open gaze, she found herself re-evaluating their first meeting.