Chapter Six

 

Lady Staplegrove’s eyebrows rose in deliberately exaggerated surprise as she stared at her visitors.

‘I confess I am at a loss, sir. Your niece, you say?’

The elder of the two gentlemen smiled unctuously. ‘My most treasured niece. Alas, ma’am, I have not known a moment’s peace since she left the protection of her home.’

The faint, sympathetic smile which the dowager bestowed upon him was designed to give no clue to her thoughts. They were not much in the gentleman’s favour. Even had she had no reason to despise Major Henlow, Lady Staplegrove felt she could not have liked him. Not that he was ill-favoured. On the contrary, the years, which she judged to be some fifty odd, had treated him kindly. Some greying at the temples and a slight portliness of figure were offset by a pleasant countenance and an air of good-humoured benevolence. He was neatly dressed, though frock-coated in a countrified way.

It was rather his manner that had caused her ladyship impulsively to deny all knowledge of Clementina. A studied obsequiousness, together with a calculating look in the eye, gave her an instant mistrust of him when he greeted her upon her entrance into the green saloon with an effusive expression of gratitude for her care of his runaway niece.

‘I am naturally sorry for your distress, sir,’ she responded, ‘but I fail to see what this has to do with me.’

‘Ah, ma’am,’ sighed the Major, ‘I understand you, I believe. You seek to protect Clementina. You believe perhaps that I am not who I purport to be. Only bring her to me and you will have all the proofs you require on her own recognition of her loving uncle.’

With difficulty, Lady Staplegrove refrained from bursting into intemperate speech. A loving uncle, indeed, when she knew him to be anything but!

‘You mistake, sir,’ she said instead, with the utmost sweetness. ‘Believe me, you mistake. I have no knowledge of this—Clementina, did you say?’

‘I beg your ladyship’s pardon,’ bowed Major Henlow, ‘but it will not do. You see, my son was at Lady Waldemar’s rout last evening.’

Her ladyship’s brows rose in hauteur. ‘I trust he was well entertained.’

‘As to that, ma’am, I cannot say. But he will tell you himself what he saw.’ He beckoned to the fair young man who had been standing in the background quietly observing the scene. ‘Allow me to present my son, Lady Staplegrove. Ellis, make your bow.’

Mr Henlow stepped forward into the light that streamed in from the window, and Lady Staplegrove suffered a momentary surprise. What a handsome creature! The thought escaped her involuntarily. Clementina must be blind not to have fallen madly in love with him.

But as he rose from an elegant bow he gave her a smile which twisted his mouth almost into a sneer, and was calculated as his father’s eyes, not even reaching his own. The dowager found no difficulty in disliking him intensely on the instant.

‘My lady,’ he began, in a voice silky-smooth and cold, ‘I saw my cousin last night, in company with your grandson. So shocked was I that I believed at first I must have been mistaken. A few pertinent enquiries, however, elicited the interesting intelligence that the girl was indeed Miss Clementina Hythe, and that she is a guest in your home.’

The grey eyes looked down into Lady Staplegrove’s face with cool insolence, evidently in expectation of a blustering reply. But the dowager was made of sterner stuff. She had taken pains to inform the world of Clementina’s visit, had introduced her candidly as Miss Hythe, but she would deny it in the teeth of them all, should any dare to espouse the Henlows’ cause. What could they do in the face of such denial? Nothing at all.

Giving him back look for look, she raised her brows disdainfully. ‘Then, sir, I have only to say that you were misinformed.’

Major Henlow pushed forward. ‘Maybe so, ma’am, maybe so. But at least you will not deny that Miss Hythe was at the rout?’

‘My dear sir,’ haughtily responded her ladyship, ‘as I am wholly unacquainted with Miss Hythe, I am afraid I cannot say.’

Young Mr Henlow smiled unpleasantly. ‘I wonder if Lord Sothern will be similarly unable to say.’

‘My grandson is out of town.’

Ellis Henlow gave a short laugh. ‘I’ll warrant he is.’

‘Ellis, that will do.’ Major Henlow again turned on his false smile. ‘Lady Staplegrove, I do beg of you to reconsider. I am aware that you are trying only to help my niece, but I promise you this attitude you have adopted is quite mistaken.’

The dowager drew herself up, only too ready for battle. ‘Do you dare to threaten me, Major Henlow?’

‘Upon my honour, you take me up quite wrongly. I meant only to convey that I intend no harm to the child. She will be quite safe with us. Her flight was due to a sorry misunderstanding. Indeed, I heartily regret that I did not clear the matter up more thoroughly. Nothing was further from my mind than to drive her to run away.’

Lady Staplegrove snorted. ‘These protestations had better have been addressed to your niece, sir.’

‘And would be,’ riposted the Major instantly, ‘were you but to allow me to see her, if only for a few moments.’

‘I have told you, Major Henlow, that I know nothing of the girl.’

‘Then how comes it about, ma’am,’ Ellis Henlow interrupted, ‘that the Earl of Sothern embroiled himself in the affairs of a runaway wanted by the Bow—?’

‘Be silent,’ snapped his father.

‘Why, what does it matter? Her ladyship is clearly set on concealing my cousin. It is evident you will gain nothing by your expressions of—’

‘Will you hold your tongue, sir?’ thundered his parent. He turned to the dowager. ‘I make you my apologies, ma’am. My son is too distressed by this business to know what he is saying. I assure you—’

‘There is no need of your assurances, sir,’ interrupted Lady Staplegrove acidly. ‘Since Mr Henlow obviously believes me to be hiding your niece from you, perhaps you would care to search the house?’

‘A waste of time,’ snapped the younger man before his father could reply. ‘It is clear that Clementina is no longer here. We may as well proceed to Dunhythe.’ His mouth twisted sardonically. ‘Since his lordship has left town in something of a hurry, perhaps he has chosen to escort her?’

The major looked much struck by this suggestion. ‘Good God, Ellis, I believe you may be right.’ He glanced at Lady Staplegrove. ‘Is it so, ma’am?’

The dowager’s hesitation was a shade too long. ‘I am not Sothern’s keeper, sir. He is out of town, that is all.’

It was enough. Young Mr Henlow smiled in triumph. ‘Thank you, ma’am, you have told me all I need to know. We will wish you a very good day. Come, sir.’ He left the room on the words, and Major Henlow, pausing only to bid his reluctant hostess a hasty farewell, soon followed.

Lady Staplegrove waited until she heard the front door close, and then crossed to the fireplace to tug violently upon the bell-pull. While she waited for the summons to be answered she thought how readily she could believe in the history Cullen had told her. From the contrast between his father’s bucolic appearance and Ellis Henlow’s expensive, fashionable attire it was all too obvious where Clementina’s money was going to go, should they get their hands on it.

Dorridge came in to find his mistress pacing up and down the green saloon in mingled anxiety and fury. It was as well it was sparsely furnished. For this was the apartment commonly in use for formal occasions, with green-satin sofas and chairs ranged around the walls built rather for elegance than comfort. Gilt finishing to the mantelshelf, the mirrors and the candelabra, the massive chandelier, and various portraits ranged about the green-striped brocade of the walls—including the family group by Mr Gainsborough and that done by the then highly favoured Sir Joshua Reynolds of Lady Staplegrove herself in younger days—all added to the stuffy air of formality.

But at least there was plenty of room to accommodate her ladyship’s agitated pacing. She pounced on the butler as he entered.

‘Dorridge, at last. What an age you have been! You must send immediately for Cullen. No, wait!’

She paused, gnawing at a fingertip, and then brightened as a thought struck.

‘Yes, I have it. Forget about Cullen. Send someone to find either Sir Harry Blaine or Mr Theodore Farleigh. One or the other, I don’t care which; or both, if they should happen to be together.’

The butler gazed at her blankly. Her ladyship almost stamped her foot.

‘Well, don’t stand there staring, man. Get along, do.’

Dorridge bowed. He spoke stiffly. ‘Having located these gentlemen, my lady, what would you wish the footman to say to them?’

‘Say to them? Lord above, Dorridge, don’t be a fool! Summon them here to me, on the instant. The matter is of the utmost urgency.’

* * *

 

Lord Sothern had made good speed in his phaeton and four, in spite of stopping several times to enquire about the occupants of any coaches that might be on the road ahead of him. While he placed little dependence upon Clementina’s having hired a coach at all, it was as well to check at the various post-houses along the way. There were, he learned, at least three ladies travelling in company with one other female that day, and although the descriptions placed two well above Clementina’s age, there was no saying but his quarry might well have been the third.

Accordingly the earl kept to the main stopping-places on the route, and he would not have bothered to investigate a little-frequented wayside inn just beyond Ponders End had not one of his horses cast a shoe.

Cursing freely, Jake limped the phaeton into the yard of the Little Foxes, and demanded the whereabouts of a smithy. The landlord arranged to send the horse with one of his boys, and invited his lordship to partake of refreshment in the coffee-room.

‘For yer honour won’t care to sit in the tap, and there’s nobbut a lad in the coffee-room to disturb yer honour.’

His lordship graciously consenting to share the coffee-room, he was ushered into a small apartment furnished with a couple of dressers and a large round table. Seated opposite the door was a fair young man who looked up on Sothern’s entry.

The lad let out a gasp and leapt from his seat, upsetting a large coffee-pot. Jake found himself gazing blankly into a piquant little face with a pair of startled green eyes.

‘Good God!’

‘Jake! What are you...? How—?’

Clementina broke off, noticing the landlord’s open-mouthed astonishment, and flushed uncomfortably. Seeing the spreading coffee-stain on the white tablecloth, she busied herself with a futile attempt at mopping it up with a napkin.

Sothern pulled himself together, and turned to the goggling landlord. ‘Well, this is a fortunate coincidence. I little thought to run into a friend in this out-of-the-way place. Some wine, landlord, if you please. This calls for a celebration.’

‘But the cloth, yer honour...’ the landlord protested.

‘You may see to it later. The damage is minimal. See? My friend has already attended to the worst of it. The wine, man. I’m devilish thirsty.’

With which, he thrust the landlord willy-nilly from the room, and shut the door upon him. Then he turned to confront Clementina. But before he could say anything at all she rushed into speech.

‘How in the world did you find me? And what do you mean by chasing after me? I am well able to handle my affairs for myself, and I don’t require your assistance.’

‘Softly, my child, softly,’ Jake chided. ‘As it happens, I found you quite by chance. I have been diligently following the post-road and checking for you at the coaching inns.’ He raked her person with lurking amusement. ‘I half suspected some trickery, however. Though I confess it had not occurred to me that you would revert to your male attire.’

‘I couldn’t very well ride dressed as a female, could I?’

Jake frowned. ‘You are not riding?’

‘Why not?’

‘All the way to Norfolk?’

‘Why shouldn’t I? I ride perfectly well.’

‘I don’t doubt it. But you will exhaust yourself.’

‘No, I won’t. I am taking easy stages. Besides, if anyone follows me, I should attract less attention.’

‘As we see,’ remarked Jake dryly.

Clementina clenched her fists. ‘Yes, you would come up with me, wouldn’t you? Why can’t you leave me alone?’

‘Don’t you think I feel some responsibility, having taken it upon myself to intervene in your affairs already?’ asked Jake gently.

‘My affairs have nothing to do with you,’ she snapped. ‘I wish you will go away and leave me to manage on my own.’

Jake was prevented from replying by the re-entrance of the landlord, bearing a tray with two glasses and a bottle of wine. He insisted on covering the damaged cloth with a fresh one, however, before Jake could get rid of him. Pouring the wine, his lordship held one glass out to Clementina.

‘I don’t want it.’

‘Drink it and don’t be childish.’

She glared at him. ‘Do you imagine you can order me about like this?’

He grinned. ‘Dear Clementina, do please—just to oblige me—have a little wine.’

Grudgingly she took the glass, and Sothern invited her to reseat herself. Then he took a chair near her, and sat at his ease, studying her face over the rim of his wine glass. Uncomfortable under this scrutiny, Clementina looked away from him.

‘Well, what now?’ she asked gruffly.

‘Now, my indomitable young friend, you are going to tell me all about your step-uncle, Major Henlow, and your cousin, Sir Jeremy Hythe, and young Mr Henlow whom you saw at Lady Waldemar’s, and whose appearance there led you to run away again.’

Clementina stared at him. ‘How do you know about them? How could you know?’

Jake’s smile was rueful. ‘I’m afraid you miscalculated, my child. You see, Mr Cullen is also my man of business.’

‘Oh.’ Her gaze did not waver, but a shade of reserve came into her face. ‘Then you know—a great deal.’

Sothern shook his head. ‘No, my dear. As you are well aware, Cullen knows nothing more than the tangle in which your father left your inheritance.’

‘It was not his fault,’ Clementina said quickly, bristling in defence of her father. ‘How could Papa imagine that a slight chill would lead to his death?’

Jake placed a hand briefly over hers where it lay clenched on the table, and a tremor went through her.

‘I am laying no blame. Indeed, how could I, when I know nothing of the circumstances? But that you are in grave difficulties through this mismanagement I do know. I want to help you.’ His mouth curved into that charming smile. ‘You must confide in someone, Clementina. I know that you are almost nineteen, but that is not a very great age. Come, can you not do with some assistance?’

A feeling of defeat began to invade her and she sighed. ‘I don’t see what you can do to help.’

‘That we shall see. I can’t tell until I know the circumstances, however.’

She looked at him, then away again in some discomfort. ‘They want me to marry Jeremy.’

‘What, the half-wit? You are not serious?’

Clementina lifted her glass and sipped the wine, calming a little now the thing was said. ‘He is not exactly a half-wit, you know. At least, he is simple, but not stupid. He can think very well for himself, but he is so slow, poor Jeremy.’

Jake controlled himself with an effort. He did not know what he had expected, but it was certainly not that. The idea of this quick-witted, courageous girl tied to a simpleton, and condemned to a life which he did not care to contemplate, was intolerable. It also appeared futile.

‘I don’t see how such a marriage would serve the Henlows,’ he said, keeping his voice carefully neutral.

‘No more did I,’ came with Clementina’s accustomed candour. ‘At first, that is.’ There was hurt in the green eyes. ‘That is what upset me so much when I knew he had called in the Runners. You see, the major pretended that it was all for our sakes—mine and Jeremy’s. A way to sort out the mess without the least bother. For what is the title and the house to Jeremy without the revenue from the estates? I quite see that. I might not have minded so much, if only—’

She broke off and Jake noted the flush that crept into her cheeks. What had she not said? Could she seriously contemplate agreeing to such a scheme?

‘If only—?’ he prompted.

Her glance swept his face and shifted away again. ‘It does not matter.’

Anxious to know more of her story, Jake let it alone for fear she might clam up if he teased her with questions she evidently did not wish to answer.

‘What was the reaction when you refused to wed your cousin, as I assume you did.’

He watched in some consternation as she sank deeper into her chair, as if the burden of the past was too much to bear.

‘They pointed out the truth of my situation. What else was there for me? There could be no question of my coming out and finding a husband in the usual way. I am well dowered, of course, for the estates are worth something, but there is insufficient ready money to be had for the expense of a season. Besides, Major Henlow and my aunt don’t move in fashionable circles and could not introduce me. Indeed, but for this extraordinary so-called friendship with her son, I cannot imagine how Ellis could contrive to get himself invited to Lady Waldemar’s at all.’

‘Ellis being Major Henlow’s son?’

‘Yes.’ Clementina’s face hardened. ‘And a more hateful, unprincipled —’ She broke off hastily. ‘But that is nothing to the purpose.’

Jake was watching her intently, one of his hands curling unconsciously into a fist.

‘Would it not have been more to the purpose,’ he suggested slowly, ‘for this cousin of yours to sue for your hand in marriage?’

Clementina’s eyes flashed. ‘Marry Ellis? I would rather die!’

The contempt was unmistakable. A barely suppressed sigh escaped Jake, and his hand relaxed again. Evidently Clementina was not in love with young Henlow. His experience of women had led him always to be suspicious when they railed against a man. But then, Clementina was unlike any other female he had ever met. He ought to have realised she was too direct to be capable of that sort of duplicity.

‘Yet you were willing to consider allying yourself to the simpleton?’ he said, his tone more mild. ‘I repeat, what possible purpose could this serve the Henlows?

Clementina shrugged. ‘A little reflection and I must have seen it at the time. Jeremy cannot possibly live alone. I had thought at first that they just wished to offload the burden on to me. Perhaps I might have done it, for it would have given me my home back again. And my old governess could have lived with me, for she is too old to seek another situation, and I did want to see her settled.’

‘Do I take it that the Henlows sought by this means to control your cousin’s income and thus benefit?’

‘Now I have had leisure to think about it, I suppose they must have thought to declare him unfit the moment my fortune was in his hands.’

‘With Major Henlow assuming a power of attorney or a role as trustee?’

She nodded. ‘Though why he should think I would not fight to keep him out, I cannot imagine.’

Sothern could well imagine, since Clementina’s legal position as a female would stand against her, but he refrained from pointing this out, preferring to thrash out the seeming insanity of her having considered the proposal at all.

‘Do you tell me that you contemplated such a marriage? To take on the burden of nursemaid to a man who could give you nothing in return beyond a return to your childhood home?’

She shrugged. ‘It was not such a bad bargain, and I am fond of Jeremy.’

The thought sickened Sothern, but he kept his reflections to himself, instead probing to the root of the matter.

‘Then why did you refuse?’

To his surprise, Clementina’s eyes blazed at him in sudden fury. She rose abruptly from her chair.

‘Because I did not care for the ultimatum used to persuade me, though I don’t doubt another female might not have objected.’ Her voice took on scorn. ‘Ellis is so extremely handsome, is he not? As if that alone must satisfy me. But I am no Lady Matilda Ingleby, and I will not be coerced into joining that sisterhood!’

The instant anger at the mention of his mistress’s name was overtaken by extreme puzzlement as Jake rose also, becoming aware that Clementina’s eyes were luminous with unshed tears.

‘But what in Hades has Maud to do with this? My dear child—’

‘I am not your dear child,’ raged Clementina. ‘Not yours, nor Major Henlow’s. And I will die before I allow myself to be used in the fashion Ellis threatened.’

‘How threatened?’ demanded Jake, though an inkling was beginning to curl in his mind. ‘What did he threaten to do to you?’

Clementina glared at him, as if it was his fault. ‘Can’t you guess? Is it not your practice too? Seduction, my lord Sothern, or so Ellis phrased it. I had rather call it rape, but the outcome would be the same. Small hope of my finding a suitor other than Jeremy, if I was already ruined!’

With which, she burst into a paroxysm of sobs.

Enlightenment dawned on the earl. So that was it. They sought to force her into marriage with the half-wit by making her Ellis Henlow’s mistress, after which she would have no choice. By this despicable means, her acquiescence in all their schemes was to be bought, and with great convenience to the Henlows, who would reap all the advantages of matrimony with none of the ties. Small wonder Clementina had run away.

While these thoughts revolved in his head he was moving, and he had enfolded the weeping girl in his arms almost before he came to the end of them. She did not resist and he held her close, stroking her hair.

‘Don’t cry, Clementina,’ he murmured softly. ‘There is no need for all this distress. You are quite safe now. Come, look at me.’ He lifted her face, and smiled down into the drowned eyes. ‘I promise you there is no further cause for alarm.’

‘That’s all v-very well,’ uttered Clementina brokenly, ‘but you c-can’t know that.’

‘Oh, yes, I can. Ellis Henlow and his father will not dare to harm you again. For you see, my sweet Clementina, you are going to marry me.’

The tears were arrested. Clementina gaped at him. Then she found her voice.

‘Marry you? You must indeed be mad!’

Jake grinned. ‘We’ll see that.’

His free hand caressed her cheek. Then his lips came down on hers. Gently, so gently, that she could barely feel them at first. Unconsciously she sighed and closed her eyes. The pressure of his lips increased. A warm glow radiated slowly through her body. Weak-kneed, she sagged in his arms, suddenly helpless. Jake held her closer still as his mouth probed hers.

A sound behind them startled Jake into full awareness. Abruptly, he let Clementina go and whirled to face the door. It was the landlord, goggling, as if unsure whether his eyes had deceived him.

‘What do you want?’ snapped Sothern.

‘Beggin’ yer honour’s pardon, my lad is back from the smithy with yer honour’s horse. I thought you’d wish to know, yer honour.’

‘Thank you,’ Jake said curtly. He glanced at Clementina’s white face. She had almost fallen when he released her, and she was standing half bowed over the back of a chair, gripping it with both hands.

‘You need not wait,’ Jake told the landlord, who was watching her with open curiosity. ‘My friend is a little faint, that is all.’

As an explanation it left much to be desired, but it would have to do. As the landlord retreated, Jake glanced over at Clementina.

‘I beg your pardon. That was stupid of me, with you dressed like that. I forgot myself for a moment.’

Clementina did not look at him. She pulled out a chair and sank into it. ‘It is of no consequence,’ she said faintly.

She was aware of Jake watching her in frowning silence as she tried to gather her thoughts together. They were chaotic. She had not known that she could be so overset by a man’s caress. A wild desire had come over her to fling her arms about his neck and return his embrace. Yet this was Jake; a man many years her senior, a world apart, a man she had known but a few short days. Part of her wanted to cry out, ‘Yes, I will marry you!’ But native caution and her own strong practicality held her silent. What had moved Jake to this quixotic proposal? Pity? He had spoken no words of love. He had said before that he felt responsibility for her. Was that it? She drew a steadying breath, and looked him in the eye.

‘Is not such a measure a little extreme, my lord? Any responsibility you feel for me cannot demand so great a sacrifice.’

Puzzled, and a little hurt, Sothern took refuge in that supercilious lift of one eyebrow. ‘Of that you may leave me to be the judge.’

Her eyes flashed. ‘I may, may I? And I suppose I am to have no say in the matter? No, indeed, how stupid of me. You did not ask me to marry you. You informed me that I was going to marry you. To be sure, I don’t know why I should have expected anything different, used as you are to ordering women as you see fit.’

‘I thought you wanted a way out of your difficulties,’ Jake remarked, with an assumption of indifference.

‘Yes, escape from one tyranny into another, I thank you,’ Clementina said scathingly.

‘What cause have I given you to think me tyrannical?’ demanded Jake with asperity, his control slipping.

‘What cause? From the moment we met you have tried by every means to order my life as you think fit.’

‘Well, for sheer ingratitude—’

‘What have I to be grateful for?’

‘A good deal, my girl. But for my intervention you would have landed in Bow Street, for one thing. For another, I could as easily have taken advantage of you as have introduced you to my grandmother.’

‘You flatter yourself, my lord. Don’t think I would have hesitated to hit you on the head with that candlestick.’

‘Oh, for God’s sake! This is a singularly stupid argument. I have offered a way out of your dilemma. If you don’t wish to avail yourself of it you have only to say so.’

‘I don’t wish to. I had rather marry Jeremy,’ Clementina announced, and sat regarding him balefully.

Sothern compressed his lips on a sharp retort. He poured himself out another glass of wine and tossed it off.

‘Very well,’ he said with forced calm as he put down the glass. ‘What do you intend to do now?’

Clementina looked away. ‘I don’t know.’

‘You had better think, then.’

‘I won’t do so with you standing over me like a hawk!’

‘I beg your pardon.’

He sat down on the other side of the table and silence reigned for some few moments. Then Clementina stole a glance at Sothern and found him watching her. Involuntarily her lips quivered on a smile. In seconds they were both laughing.

‘You bring out the worst in me, you know,’ Clementina told him cheerfully.

‘Permit me to return the compliment,’ Jake grinned. ‘Now that the civilities are in order let us consider what to do.’

Clementina grimaced. ‘I was going to Dunhythe, but sooner or later they will find me there.’

‘And then how will you protect yourself?’

‘I don’t know. All I had in mind was escape, but I have since realised that I must find some way to thwart them. I have to protect Dunhythe—and Jeremy, if it comes to that.’

‘You could make over some of your fortune to him by a deed of gift,’ Jake suggested.

Clementina brightened. ‘That is an excellent notion. Thank you, my lord.’

Jake gave a mock bow. ‘I am entirely at your service, ma’am.’ He grinned as she snorted. ‘I cannot think it will serve any useful purpose for you to proceed to Dunhythe.’

‘Indeed, no. I had much better return to London and see Mr Cullen.’ She frowned suddenly. ‘I must say that I wish he might find some legal way to make sure the rewards of Papa’s good management do not fall into the wrong hands.’

Lord Sothern said nothing for a moment. Privately he doubted whether there was much Cullen could do to prevent the Henlows from battening upon the half-wit, but that was not why he hesitated. All this felt unreal. There should be no need for Cullen’s services, no need of Clementina’s devising ways and means to keep her inheritance out of the hands of schemers. What did feel real was the idea that Clementina belonged to him. It could not fail to strike him that, if she did contrive to settle her affairs suitably, and to keep from marrying her cousin, she would need both protection and somewhere to live, which was where he came in.

Absurd! Clementina had refused him in no uncertain terms? But the curious thought persisted that he was her natural protector.

‘Then if you are determined to pursue this scheme,’ he said at last, in a voice that did not seem to belong to him, ‘I will escort you back to London.’

Since he had not brought his groom with him on what might prove to be a somewhat delicate mission, Sothern was glad that the runaway had elected to travel as a male. It obviated the need for a chaperon, and made it acceptable for him to convey them both to London in his phaeton. Clementina’s hired horse was tethered to run behind until they could find a posting-house from where it could be officially conveyed back to its stable in London.

For the first few miles there was relative silence in the phaeton, with both seemingly occupied with their own thoughts. There was, too, a certain measure of reserve which had built up through the luncheon they had consumed at the Little Foxes.

The earl, glancing round at his companion, found himself affected by the sight of her in men’s clothing, reminding him irresistibly of the night they had met.

‘Where did you get that hat?’ he asked, his eyebrow flying, referring to the small-brimmed beaver perched at a jaunty angle over her red-gold locks. ‘It makes you the very devil of a fellow.’

Her lips quivered, and she twinkled up at him. ‘It is not what you said of me that night.’

‘That night? Why, no. But then I did not know with what a spirited adventurer I had to deal.’ He smiled. ‘Perhaps I did, though. Only I had not yet recognised the fact.’

Clementina bit her lip. ‘I am not truly spirited. Had I been, I should have taken a pistol to that hateful man.’

‘I thank God you were not, then,’ Jake said, laughing. ‘I should have hated to have met you only to see you swing at Tyburn.’

She looked at him with interest. ‘Do you tell me you have no power to prevent such a thing?’

‘Good God, child, I am not a magician. Do you imagine a peer of the realm to be outside the law?’

‘No,’ she replied, ‘but he must have a good deal of influence within it.’

‘Shrewdly judged; but I beg you will not attempt murder in the hopes that I may be able to bring you off.’

Clementina laughed. ‘I did not mean that. I was only thinking how different it all is in your world.’

‘Not so very. I dare say you would soon find yourself at home were you to take up residence in London.’

‘God forbid!’

Taken aback, he glanced down at her. ‘Was it so very bad these few days?’

‘Quite dreadful,’ she said without hesitation. ‘To be so stared at and talked of, and—and all to provide entertainment for a set of idle persons who have nothing better to do.’

‘And what did you find to do of more interest, stuck in your rural retreat from one year’s end to the other,’ he asked coolly, though with a touch of hauteur.

‘Plenty, for I was never at a loss. I rode, and read, and there were games to keep us amused. Bowls on the lawn; shuttlecock and battledore.’ She laughed. ‘Poor Margery could never get in the way of it, so I always won. Then there were the assemblies at Norwich. We visited with our friends, of course, and—and there was Jeremy, too. Papa was used often to ask him for a visit, for he knew Major Henlow did not care for him. Besides, Jeremy was his heir. He always said he should have married again, but he never did. Mama died, you see, after I was born. I suppose he never bothered because for some years my aunt lived with us and kept house. Then she married the vicar and Margery came as governess to me, and she kept house, too. Though indeed it was not supposed to be part of her duties.’

‘Is that where you were going for refuge, to your aunt?’ asked Jake, his interest in these revelations having obliterated the annoyance he had felt at the slight to the milieu in which he moved.

‘Aunt Fanny died. She was the one who had all those still-born children. Besides, they moved away when her husband was given a much better living in Yorkshire. We had not seen either of them for years, though he wrote to me on Papa’s death.’

‘So there is no one at all?’

There was a far-away look in her eyes as she glanced up. As if she did not see him, as if her mind was still back with the memories.

‘There is Margery Plumstead, my governess, you must know. She is keeping house until something may be settled.’

‘You love your home very much, I think.’

Clementina shrugged. ‘Yes and no. One’s home must always be full of memories, I suppose. It is not that so much. It—it is only that—that Papa and I—’ She broke off, swallowing on her distress, but her voice continued husky. ‘We were very fond, you see. We were the closest of companions. Papa was apt to treat me a little as if I had been a son. He taught me to enjoy things that—that perhaps a young lady is not meant to do.’

‘What things?’ Jake asked softly.

‘Oh, riding for one.’ She blushed a little, but could not suppress a quiver of the lips. ‘Astride.’

‘Oh, my God.’

‘Breeches, you see, are scarcely new to me. I always borrowed Jeremy’s, as it happens. Indeed, this is an old suit of his.’

The earl’s lips were twitching uncontrollably. ‘And what else did this admirably innovative father of yours see fit to teach you?’

Clementina giggled. ‘Nothing very startling, in all honesty. We fished the trout stream together, and he did try to teach me to handle a gun, but I had no aim. And try as I would I could not help but jump and squeak with shock at the explosion. So he gave it up.’ She added, with an air of making up for this deficiency, ‘But I proved adept at cards and chess, and could give him a lead when it came to port after dinner.’

It was too much. Sothern collapsed with laughter, dropping his hands so that his team gave a sudden forward lurch and he was obliged to attend to what he was doing to bring them back under control.

‘I wish I might handle a team,’ Clementina commented wistfully, watching his expertise with some envy. ‘Though I can control a pair without quite disgracing Papa.’

‘I will teach you,’ Jake replied easily, quite forgetting what had earlier passed between them, ‘when we are married.’

Clementina jerked bolt upright. ‘We are not going to be married.’

Sothern reddened as everything came flooding back. What the devil had possessed him? He must certainly have taken leave of his senses.

‘As you say,’ he said, at his most bland.

But the barriers were up again. Tension reigned with renewed silence until at length they reached the first main posting-house on the London road.

Sothern’s first move was to get rid of Clementina’s hired horse. While he was arranging for its conveyance back to London, she looked for a chambermaid to direct her where she might use the conveniences of the house.

Recalling her unconventional dress in time, however, she beckoned instead to one of the male servants, and found herself being led through the busy inn and out into the back courtyard. As she approached the water-closet a youth came out of it and she stopped short.

‘Dear Lord, Jeremy,’ she exclaimed before she could stop herself.

The young man jumped, backed hurriedly, and then stood staring with his mouth hanging wide. He was a gangling youth, rather thin, with a gaunt look about the face. Only his eyes, vacant under a protruding brow, belied the appearance of age. He was, in fact, some six and twenty years old, but the gawky awkwardness of his stance, the hunching of his shoulders, and the inability to hold his head fully erect made him seem little more than an adolescent.

‘Clemmy?’ he said in a mystified tone, unable to equate this young man with the face of his cousin.

Clementina hurried up to him, and urgently grasped his arm. ‘Yes, it is I. But what are you doing here, Jeremy? Where is my aunt? Don’t tell me they have brought you without her?’

‘Clemmy?’ he said again.

‘Yes, Jeremy, I really am Clemmy,’ she told him more slowly, realising his confusion. ‘Now, where is your mama?’

He still stared stupidly. Clementina shook his arm.

‘Jeremy, answer me. Where is your mama?’

‘In the carriage,’ he said slowly, his gaze still riveted on his cousin’s attire. The idea finally surfaced. ‘My suit, Clemmy.’

‘Yes, it is your suit, Jeremy. I thought you would not mind if I borrowed it.’

‘Don’t mind. Not for you, Clemmy.’

She squeezed his arm. ‘I knew you would not. Now tell me, Jeremy. Is your brother with you? And my uncle?’

He shook his head slowly. ‘Gone.’

‘Gone where?’

Jeremy shook his head again. ‘Not in the carriage.’

‘No, very well. But where have they gone? To Dunhythe?’

‘Dunhythe is mine.’

‘Yes, Dunhythe is yours,’ agreed Clementina, controlling her natural impatience. ‘But has your papa gone there?’

‘Don’t know. Not in the carriage,’ he repeated, sticking to the one idea of which he was certain.

Clementina gave it up. She had to find out if Major Henlow was at Dunhythe. There was only one way to do so. ‘Take me to the carriage, Jeremy, to your mama.’

Propelling him forward, she urged him on with the same request repeated several times. Grasping her intention, Jeremy then led her into the inn yard where there was a bustle of carriages and passengers, with ostlers and grooms leading horses to and from the shafts, and waiters scurrying with trays of cakes and wine to slake the thirst of parched travellers.

Clementina saw her aunt’s face peering anxiously from the window of a large coach. It was easy to see from where Ellis got his looks, although his mother’s beauty was rather faded now. Her elder son favoured his deceased father.

Mrs Henlow saw Jeremy, but did not immediately connect the fair stripling who accompanied her with her errant niece.

‘Jeremy, at last. I had begun to worry. Come inside, quickly.’ Then she recognised her niece and gave a small shriek. ‘Clementina!’

‘Hush, aunt,’ Clementina whispered fiercely. ‘Don’t call me by name, for heaven’s sake.’

‘But, my dear child, how come you here? And dressed like that?’

‘Never mind that now. It is too long a story. Is my uncle with you? And Ellis?’

‘No, no, they have gone in search of you.’ Mrs Henlow opened the coach door on the words, and instructed her son to get in.

Jeremy stood his ground. ‘Clemmy come?’

‘Yes, of course Clemmy will come,’ his mother said soothingly. ‘You had better get in, my dear. You know what he is.’

Clementina hesitated. ‘Yes, but I am not coming with you, aunt. I have an escort, you know. I am going back to London.’

‘Oh, my love, you will do precisely as you wish. But do get in just for a moment. Otherwise I may never get him back in at all.’

Reluctantly Clementina climbed into the coach, knowing well how stubborn her simple cousin could be.

‘That is better,’ said Mrs Henlow comfortably, as she watched her son clamber in and take his seat next to his cousin. ‘Now, you will tell me all about it as we go.’

‘What?’ gasped Clementina.

In a flash she was up, grabbing for the door handle.

‘Hold Clemmy, Jeremy,’ her aunt ordered shrilly. ‘Hold her. Do you hear me? Hold her tight!’

Obediently the youth seized his cousin about the waist and pulled her back against him.

‘Let me go, Jeremy,’ she cried furiously. ‘Let go!’

In his confusion Jeremy held her tighter, while the two women shouted conflicting instructions. In the midst of the commotion Mrs Henlow seized her parasol from the seat beside her and rapped on the roof. Clementina struggled madly in her cousin’s strong grip as the coach began ponderously to move.

Frantic now, she beat her fists behind her at Jeremy’s body. ‘Let me go, you idiot! Let me go! Aunt, you will regret this!’

Becoming frightened, Jeremy slackened his hold. Seeing it, his mother lifted her parasol and delivered a cracking blow to Clementina’s head.

For a second she stared in horrified disbelief. Then the world began to spin and she sank limply into oblivion.