Page 93 of Exile's Return

‘You’re early,’ Agnes said.

‘Place is in an uproar,’ Sarah replied. ‘Let’s get you dressed, Mistress Fletcher. The way the Colonel is rampaging around, I’ve no doubt he’ll be here soon enough.’

‘How’s the soldier who was hurt?’

‘Simpson?’ Sarah yanked on the laces of Agnes’s bodice. ‘Sore and sorry but he’ll live. Teach him to go crawling after the skirts of that hoyden.’

‘And the intruders…? They got away?’

Sarah hesitated. ‘Aye, except for the one, but you know that.’ She lowered her voice. ‘You can trust me, Mistress Fletcher. Whatever it is you are planning, I’m your friend. I’ve no love for Ashby or those Turners. You’re the rightful mistress here.’

Agnes grasped the girl’s hands. ‘Thank you, Sarah. God knows I…we need friends.’

The sound of heavy, purposeful footsteps in the corridor outside caused Agnes to stiffen. A man’s voice raised in furious admonition almost shook the door. From the tongue-lashing Tobias Ashby was giving Brown, he was not in a good mood.

The door flung open and Ashby stood framed in the doorway.

‘You — out,’ he said to Sarah, who bobbed a curtsey and fled.

‘It’s very early, Tobias.’ Agnes said with a respectful bob of her head. ‘Have you not slept, cousin?’

He glared at her with red-rimmed eyes. ‘No, I have not. You heard about the intruders?’

‘It was hard not to, with that stupid maid’s screams and the comings and goings all night. How is the man who was hurt?’

Tobias dismissed Simpson with a wave of his hand. ‘He’ll live.’ He advanced on her. ‘I want to know what the intruders knew that I don’t. Time you were honest with me, Mistress Fletcher.’

She met his hot, angry gaze. Beneath her ribs, her heart pounded, but she forced a calm smile.

‘I have been reflecting on our conversation of yesterday, and I believe that there is a secret chamber concealed in the children’s nursery.’

Ashby tossed his head. ‘Why didn’t you tell me this yesterday?’

Agnes licked her lips, their careful story was unravelling around her and the more lies she told, the harder it became. ‘Because I only remembered something James told me as I was going to bed.’

‘And what was that?’

Tobias narrowed his eyes and she swallowed. He didn’t believe her and, indeed, why should he? From his perspective, the reappearance of Agnes Fletcher and the theft of the gold could not be a mere coincidence.

‘When he was a child, he found the entrance to a cavity in the wall between the nursery and the chamber adjoining it. I intended to look for it this morning and come to you with the information.’

‘What sort of fool do you think I am, Agnes Fletcher? It seems somewhat coincidental that the men who came last night knew the exact location of this secret cupboard that you have only just remembered.’

Agnes swallowed. ‘Choose to believe it or not, for it is a coincidence. It is entirely possible that James got a message out to them before he died,’ Agnes ventured but even to her ears, her voice lacked conviction. She had never been a good liar. ‘You yourself said there was an agent sent by the King — by Charles Stuart.’

Tobias took a few steps forward until he was almost on top of her. His fingers closed around her right forearm.

‘Come with me, Mistress Fletcher, and let us find this secret cupboard together.’

Tripping over her skirts in her haste to keep stride with the man, Agnes was breathless by the time they reached the children’s nursery. Septimus Turner opened the door to them. The maid, Hannah, sat huddled by the fire, sobbing into her apron with Leah Turner looming over her and a birch cane in her hand. Henry and Lizzie, still in their night clothes, huddled together in a corner of the bed, their eyes huge and their frightened gazes fixed on Leah Turner.

Turner closed the door and stood in front of it, barring any exit.

Agnes veered in the children’s direction but Tobias dragged her away.

‘You are a lying little bitch,’ he said and struck her across the face with an open-handed blow that sent her reeling to the floor. Lizzie screamed and Henry started to wail. Clutching her jaw,the world ringing in her ears, Agnes looked up into the man’s face. Two spots coloured his cheeks and his eyes glittered in the pale light of the early morning.

She rose slowly to her feet, backing away from him so she stood out of arm’s reach.