The Reluctant Widow Read online

  Miss Beccles smiled at his lordship. ‘Dear Elinor was always such a lively girl!’ she murmured. ‘So spirited! I know your lordship will make allowances.’

  ‘I should be happy to do so,’ he returned. ‘But I do not find her at all spirited. On the contrary, she appears to me to take an unnecessarily despondent view of her situation. There is really no need that I am aware of, Mrs Cheviot, for you to put yourself in a fret.’

  ‘Oh, she is not as chicken-hearted as you would suppose, Ned!’ Nicky said blithely.

  Mrs Cheviot, speech failing her, rose, and took several agitated turns about the room. Carlyon went to her, and took her hand. ‘Come!’ he said reassuringly. ‘I should not leave you here, you know, if I thought you stood in any danger. To run away must be nonsensical. By remaining, like a sensible woman, you may be very helpful. I am persuaded you must see, in the light of what has happened, that my placing you in charge here was a very lucky chance.’

  Elinor gazed at him. ‘A very lucky chance!’ she echoed faintly. ‘My lord, when I first encountered you the suspicion crossed my mind that your intellect was disordered. I am now certain that this is so!’

  Ten

  An exhaustive search of Eustace Cheviot’s bedroom having brought to light nothing but some more crumpled bills, and several irrelevant papers tucked into the pockets of various coats, it became apparent that if Eustace had indeed had in his possession any document destined for French eyes he had hidden it away in some place where it was unlikely papers would be looked for. Even Nicky was a little daunted by the prospect of being obliged to search minutely a house crammed with chests, cupboards, commodes, drum-tables, and old coffers. ‘And when we have ransacked every drawer in the place, ten to one it will be found poked up a chimney, or stuffed into the lining of a chair!’ he said pessimistically. ‘I do not know how we are to do!’

  ‘I suppose,’ said Elinor, who, in spite of herself, had begun to take an interest in these proceedings, ‘that it was not upon his person?’

  Carlyon shook his head. ‘I have everything that was in his pockets,’ he replied.

  ‘I wonder,’ said Miss Beccles diffidently, ‘if he perhaps put it between the leaves of a book? I cannot help feeling that that would be a very good hiding-place, and I noticed that there were a great many books in that room below-stairs. If you should like it, my lord, dear Mrs Cheviot and I can busy ourselves to-morrow with taking them all out, and dusting them at the same time.’

  ‘A very excellent notion,’ Carlyon said. ‘I am much obliged to you, ma’am.’

  ‘So am not I!’ said Elinor. ‘Why, I dare say there are more than a thousand books on the shelves!’

  Nicky, who was beginning to feel tired, sat down on the edge of the bed, and said disgustedly; ‘Oh, lord! There is no end to the places where we should search!’

  ‘Do you not think, sir, that if a warming-pan was brought up, as I dare say it might be directly, and the fire kindled in your bedchamber, you would be more comfortable in your bed?’ suggested Miss Beccles, in her gentle way.

  Nicky naturally scouted this idea, declaring that he should not retire before dinner; but upon being assured that he should not be fobbed off with gruel, but should be supplied with a tray loaded with sustaining and palatable viands, he began to think more kindly of his bed, and finally consented in a magniloquent spirit to get between the sheets again. Carlyon went downstairs to give orders for the securing of the secret door; and Elinor took Miss Beccles off to install her in the bedchamber next to her own. Miss Beccles sighed her pleasure at the sight of the fire already burning in the hearth, and smiled mistily upon her hostess. ‘It should not be, my love, but such a comfort to one! I do not know if I stand on my head or my heels! From the moment of his lordship’s coming I have been cast into such a flutter! I declare I could not believe the evidence of my ears when Polly – you remember Polly, my love: a very obliging girl! – when Polly came to tell me my Lord Carlyon wished to see me! And me in my old olive-green merino, for you must know I was engaged in polishing the furniture, and not in the least expecting to receive a visitor, much less so noble a visitor! But I dare say he would not notice, for thank heaven I had my wits about me enough to strip off my apron, and thrust it under a cushion. But to see such a fine gentleman in my poor little room – ! I declare I was so overcome I had scarcely strength enough to drop him a curtsy! But he is most truly the gentleman! I was rendered easy in a trice!’

  ‘Lord Carlyon’s manners are certainly well-bred, but –’

  ‘Oh, my love, I perceived at a glance that he was used to move in the first circles! And the beeswax lying on the table, and an old rag, and my merino so crushed! I was almost over-powered! And what he could want with me I knew no more than Polly, but that was soon told. You may imagine my astonishment! I fear he must have supposed me to have less than common sense, for I was obliged to beg him to repeat the whole before I could credit it!’

  ‘I do not wonder at it! You must have been excessively shocked to hear what a dreadful tangle I was got into!’

  ‘I own, my first reflections upon the event were of so agitating a nature that I was obliged to sit down plump upon the nearest chair. But all was soon explained! And then to learn that I was to come into Sussex the very next day, to be with you! I was left with my head in such a whirl I scarcely knew what I was about, or how I should contrive!’

  ‘Poor Becky, you have been shamefully used!’ Elinor said warmly. ‘I would not for the world have had you pack up in such uncomfortable haste! But I might have known how it would be! He is the most abominable creature, and thinks everyone’s convenience must give way to his!’

  ‘Oh, no, my love, indeed I do not know how you can talk in such a way! Only fancy his calling to take me up into his own chaise, and sitting beside me all the way, just as though I had been a person of the first consequence! Alas, dear Mrs Cheviot, you must know as well as I how seldom it is that one meets with any extraordinary civility when one is only a governess!’

  ‘Yes, indeed I do know, but –’

  ‘Every observance was shown me! The most distinguishing notice! And such kind attentions! And I in so much agitation that every faculty was in danger of becoming suspended! I am sure he must think me the most antiquated fidget, for what must I do but forget my netting-box! I am quite ashamed to think that I should have exclaimed that I believed I had not brought it, for his lordship, without the least show of being vexed, instantly ordered the postilions to turn back! And a glass of ratafia and a macaroon on the road, though I assured him I was not accustomed to take anything in the middle of the day!’

  ‘I will allow him to be thoughtful in such matters as that, but –’

  ‘And such a well-informed mind, my love! I did not look for him to put himself to the trouble of talking to me, I’m sure, but he was all that was most amiable! You may judge of my relief to know that you were in the care of one whom I could so truly respect!’

  ‘Becky, let me make it plain to you that I am not in Carlyon’s care! How I came to let myself be thrust into this imbroglio I cannot imagine! And now to hear you, whom I have all my life believed to be a model of propriety, talking as though a piece of good fortune had come to me, puts me out of all patience! For it is quite shocking, Becky!’

  ‘Indeed, my love, I do partake of your sentiments, but depend upon it you did right to trust his lordship to be the best judge of your actions.’

  ‘Did right to let myself be married and widowed within a couple of hours? How can you say so?’

  ‘To be sure, when you speak of it in such terms as that it does sound a trifle unusual,’ Miss Beccles admitted. ‘But I have never been able to support the thought of your being condemned to the life I have been obliged to lead. And you know, my dear Elinor – if I may still call you so, though I know I should not – from all his lordship was condescending enough to tell me it does seem as though it is a merci