Page 13 of Secrecy (The Chaplain’s Legacy #4)

T ess was pacing round the parlour when Edward returned from the Black Swan. Naturally she was. He would expect nothing less of her.

He smiled to see her, wondering for an instant if her antics would always seem so amusing to him. Would there ever come a time when he sighed, and wished for once for a quiet life? He could not imagine it. He had enjoyed a quiet life for twenty-seven years, and it had been so tedious that sometimes he had wondered if he should provoke a duel with someone just to make life exciting. But then he remembered that being dead or horribly injured or forced to flee the country would be even more tedious, and gave up the idea. He had his own little secret excitement in London, although even that was becoming a trifle dull. But then Tess had come along and all thought of boredom had flown out of the window, never to return.

“Well?” she said, hands on hips.

“Well what?”

“Am I to have my fortune or not?”

“That is not yet decided. It is out of my hands, now. Tess…” He hesitated. Was this the moment to push? Not ideal, perhaps, but he had to try. “Tess, I know you despise me, but if you cannot get hold of your fortune any other way, you would do well to consider my offer. I could ensure that your settlement is generous, and that you have as much freedom as you want. I promise I would not constrain you.”

“Promises, promises. Why should I trust you?” But he could see that she was thinking about it, and she had stopped pacing.

“Because I give you my word.”

“You promised you would give me my fortune, but you never intended to.”

“I made no promise, other than to try to find it, which I did. I am attempting to find the best future for you, Tess, I wish you would believe me.”

“Marrying you? What sort of future would that be?”

“One that does not set you at odds with your family or society at large.”

She paced again, chewing her lip. “Why do you want to marry me anyway? Why not find yourself a demure little earl’s daughter, someone who knows her place and will make you a proper wife?”

“London is full of demure young women, and there is not one of them has half your strength of mind. I want a wife who will challenge me, Tess, not a doormat.”

She gave a little grunt of laughter. “Oh, I would challenge you, all right. You may depend upon it. Would it be… a marriage of convenience?”

“No!” he said sharply. Then, more gently, “I am a peer, so I have to have an heir, to displace my wild cousin Tostig. You have met him, so you know how unsuitable he is.”

“He only needs something to occupy his mind. Leaving a lively child to the care of a couple of elderly spinsters is bound to lead to trouble. I liked him.”

“Oh.” That was interesting.

“Why not give him tutors? Send him to school? Eton would knock him into shape,” she said.

“Because I never imagined he would ever inherit. I always planned to marry and have sons of my own,” he said tersely.

“And now that is to be my duty. How lovely for me.”

“A child or two is not too great an imposition for a wife, surely? I would make no other demands on you.”

She nodded pensively, and he could see that she was, for perhaps the first time, seriously considering it. Time, perhaps, to press home his advantage.

“At least with me you would have something you would never get from Ulric,” he said softly, moving a little closer.

“What is that?” Her voice was low, too, picking up his mood. That was encouraging!

“Gentleness,” he said, reaching one hand to her. “Tenderness. Affection.” As soft as a butterfly wing, he ran one finger down her smooth cheek. Then, brushing aside the heavy curls that fell onto her forehead, he stroked her eyebrows and then all the way down to her chin.

He took another step nearer, but she made no move to back away from him, standing stock still as he reached now with both hands to cup her face. Her lips parted, and astonishingly she closed her eyes, lifting her face a little in invitation.

Slowly, so slowly, he lowered his face until he was only an inch away from her, his lips hovering close to hers. He could feel her warmth, smell the perfume she used, hear her rapid breath. He was breathing heavily himself. So close! He could almost hear his own heart pounding, the blood rushing in his ears. How was it that no other women had ever stirred him in this way? The cream of London society left him unmoved, but this strange chit of a girl had him all of a quiver. He must have her, he must!

Yet she trembled in his hands like a baby bird. Was this the moment where he scared her away altogether?

But he could not have drawn back at that point, not even if Captain Edgerton had held a pistol to his head. He wanted this so badly he could not help himself.

His lips touched hers, and it was as if a fire shot through him. He wanted nothing so much as to pull her tight into his arms and kiss her until she swooned at his feet, but he dared not. He must not scare her away! It was the lightest, most delicate of kisses, and she returned it in the same gentle way, making no resistance. It was glorious.

When, at last, they separated, she tipped her head to one side. “Why did you do that?”

“Because I wanted to,” he said with a spurt of laughter. “And to show you what you will never get from Ulric.”

“But I can get kisses from Tom,” she said, flashing a smile at him.

Tom Shapman again! When would she forget about him? How could she even think about him, after the moment they had just shared? In sudden anger, he shot back, “You will never marry Tom Shapman!”

“If I get my fortune—”

“No. He is engaged to a poultry maid on Gowland’s Farm.”

He regretted it as soon as the words were out of his mouth. It was not for him to tell her, after all. Still, he supposed it was not so bad. She had to know some time, after all.

Her eyes were huge in her face. “I do not believe you.”

“It is the truth. He has been courting her for three years. That is where he was on the night your father was murdered, so he knows he will never hang. Gowland and his family will vouch for him. You dazzled him, certainly, but he has never loved you, Tess.”

The grief on her face tore at his heart. “I do not believe you,” she said again, but the words were barely above a whisper, and her eyes filled with tears. “No. It is not true. It cannot be true.”

Then she turned and fled, tears spilling unchecked down her cheeks.

Nothing was left for Edward to do but to kick the fire irons savagely and curse his stupidity.

***

T ess sent Harold out first thing to secure a post chaise and four, but he returned, dispirited, an hour later.

“No one has anything for hire, Miss Tess,” he said glumly.

“Nothing? But there are several vehicles in the coach house here and any number of horses, I have seen them!”

“All reserved, they say. Same at the other inns. Mebbe tomorrow, they say.”

“That is ridiculous!”

“I dare say, Miss Tess, but there’s nowt we can do about it.”

“Let me talk to them. All it needs is a few sweet words and coins in their hands.”

But she returned, baffled, in a very few minutes.

Captain Edgerton was waiting for her in the parlour. He rose and bowed with a flourish. “Miss Nicholson! A pleasure to see you again so soon.”

“Lord Tarvin is not out of his bed yet.”

“It was you I hoped to see. I am going down to York to have a word with your friend Shapman. If he is as innocent as you say, I should like to know why he confessed to a crime he did not commit and see if we can find a way to release him from prison. I wondered if you might like to come with me.”

She would see Tom again! He could hear the good news that her fortune was found, even if she had not yet got hold of it, and he could retract his confession or whatever was needed to get him out of prison.

“I should like it very much, but there is no post chaise to be had in the whole town.”

“I have my own carriage.”

“There are no horses either.”

He smiled. “I have already bespoken horses. Mrs Edgerton would accompany us, for propriety.”

“Is Lord Tarvin to be invited?”

“Oh, I do not think we need his lordship, do we?” He grinned, and then winked, making her laugh.

“I should have to bring my maid and manservant. My mother insists I take them everywhere.”

“Perfect, for we shall have to stay at least one night in York, or perhaps two. After that, I can see that you get to wherever you want to go. May I collect you in… an hour, say?”

She agreed to it happily. She would see Tom again! Then he would be able to tell her that Edward’s talk about a poultry maid was nothing but moonshine. Captain Edgerton would get him out of prison and they could go back to Corland together and plan their future. Assuming she could get hold of her own money, that is, but now she would have an opportunity to wheedle that safe key out of Captain Edgerton’s care. This unpromising day had just become incomparably better.

She set Betty to packing, and sent Harold to convey a message to Edward’s man that she was going to York with Captain Edgerton, and he need not wait in Pickering for her. She would make her own way from now on, and Lord Arrogant Tarvin could do as he pleased.

Captain Edgerton arrived with two carriages, his own neat travelling carriage for himself, his wife and Tess, and a post chaise for Betty and Harold.

Any journey with Captain Edgerton could not be dull, for he made it his business to create lively conversation. If nothing else offered, he would retell some improbable tale of his days in the East India Company Army. Tess assumed these were so embellished that any resemblance to the truth was pure accident, but nevertheless she was well entertained. There seemed to be no object passed by that could not inspire him to begin, “That reminds me of the time when…” and away he would go again. Mrs Edgerton listened with a smile on her face, saying nothing, for doubtless she had heard every tale many times before. It was left to Tess to protest at the implausibility of the stories, but she enjoyed them, nevertheless, and it seemed no time at all before their carriage was clattering over the cobbled streets of York.

With accommodation secured, they left Betty to unpack, while Captain and Mrs Edgerton and Tess, trailed by the ever-faithful Harold, went to York Gaol.

There was less trouble in obtaining a meeting with Tom this time. Whether that was Lord Tarvin’s influence and the fistfuls of coins he had pressed on the gaolers, or whether it was Captain Edgerton’s military air, just as authoritative in its way as any lord, they were admitted promptly to the bare little room, and Tom was brought there within a few minutes.

He looked better, Tess thought, less tired and dishevelled, and although his wrists still bore the marks, he wore no manacles. He bowed and smiled as if he were happy to see her, but he eyed Captain Edgerton warily. He made another bow as Mrs Edgerton was introduced. Tess was not tempted this time to fly to his arms, or weep all over him. Edward’s words still rang in her ears. ‘He is engaged to a poultry maid on Gowland’s Farm.’ Could it be true? He had never once mentioned Gowland or a poultry maid, and yet she could not imagine that Edward would invent such a tale.

“Tom?” she said hesitantly, as they settled themselves around the table. “How are you?”

“Oh, well enough, Miss Tess. Lord Tarvin must’ve greased the guards’ palms with plenty of silver, for I’ve a cell to meself now, and decent food, too.”

“Tom, I have been to Pickering and found my fortune, just where I thought it was, but…” She threw the captain a fulminating glance. “Captain Edgerton was there, and he has charge of it now, so it may go to my trustees after all, and that is no use to me.”

“Ah, I’m sorry for that,” he said. “I know you’d set your heart on having it in your own hands. Was it as much as you’d thought? The gold bars?”

“Lots of them. Seventy-something — that must be worth quite a lot, I should think.”

The captain reached into a pocket and laid the gold bar on the table. “I shall have this valued tomorrow, which will give us a rough idea.”

Tom’s eyes widened. “By all the saints, that is… well! And you have over seventy of them?”

“Seventy-six,” the captain said crisply. “Some larger than this and some smaller, and without weighing them all, we will not know the exact value, but I think it may safely be said that Miss Nicholson is a very wealthy woman. If the gold should turn out to be hers, of course. That has yet to be determined.”

“So nothing is settled yet,” Tom said, in disappointed tones.

“But at least you can stop this foolish confession business,” Tess said. “Tell the captain the truth, Tom — that you made it all up.”

“Aye, tis true, sir,” he said sheepishly. “I’m right sorry for misleading you but it had to be done.”

“Had to be done, did it?” the captain said tersely. “Would you explain to me, Mr Shapman, why you had to confess to a murder you did not commit? Why you had to shut down my enquiries, thereby leaving the real murderer free? Why you had to mislead everyone, including the murdered man’s widow, into believing that the terrible time was at an end, and all was resolved? Because I can tell you that I am very tempted to leave you to hang for it anyway. It is no more than you deserve.”

“I’m not going to hang,” Tom said, with a little laugh. “I have people who’ll swear I didn’t do it.”

“And I have a written confession, signed by you and witnessed by the magistrate, that swears you did. What do you think the Assize judge will believe, eh?”

“I’ll just tell him that—”

“Tell him? Tell him? Do you know what will happen at your trial, Shapman? Your confession will be read out and you will be sentenced to hang, that is what will happen. You will not be allowed to say anything, and even if you were, no one will listen to a self-confessed murderer claiming to be innocent, no matter how many people swear to it.”

Tom blanched and Tess cried out in horror. “But he did not kill anyone! English justice will not hang an innocent man, surely?”

Captain Edgerton laughed. “English justice is not always as wise as one would hope, Miss Nicholson. However, even if the courts would condemn an innocent man, I would not, so I will get you out of here if I can. Who are these people who will swear to your innocence?”

“Will Gowland, of Gowland’s Farm. About ten miles to the west of Birchall. His four sons will speak for me, too.”

Tess exhaled sharply. So it was true! Gowland’s Farm… and the poultry maid.

Captain Edgerton produced a notebook. “Names?”

Tom listed them as the captain wrote.

“And you were there at the time of the murder — around four in the morning?”

“I were there all night.”

“Relations, are they?”

“No, just friends.”

“Do you often stay overnight?”

“Maybe once a month or so. Walk out the afternoon before, spend the evening there, sleep until about six or thereabouts, then walk home.”

“Why?”

“I… what?” Tom said, frowning.

“Why do you go there?”

“I just enjoy their company.”

“No, the real reason,” the captain said.

There was a long silence. Tom looked at the ceiling, he looked at Tess, he looked at his hands — his calloused, work-worn hands, so unused to idleness. He sighed, he twitched at his sleeves, then he looked at the ceiling again.

Tess could not bear it. “I expect he went there to see his poultry maid,” she said, her voice quavering.

Tom’s head shot round, eyes wide. “You know about Ruby?”

“Oh, is that her name? I know of her existence, yes. I know that you have been lying to me all this time, Tom Shapman.”

“Nay, I never lied! I may not have mentioned Ruby, that’s true, but I told you no lies, Miss Tess.”

That was so disingenuous that Tess could not even respond to it. For two years — two whole years — he had led her to believe that he loved her as she loved him. Oh, he had never said as much, and he had always argued that she was too good for him and anything between them was unsuitable, but he had never once suggested by even the smallest hint that he did not feel the same way about her. And that was as good as a lie… or as bad, perhaps.

Grief poured through her like a rainstorm. Her pleasant dream of a fine, handsome husband was gone. She had wanted a real man who worked for a living, unlike the soft and selfish aristocratic men she met, men who cared more about their clothes and their horses than their women. And then she remembered Ulric, who also cared more for his horses than anything else on earth. Did she really want to marry a man like that? Or would she be better off with Edward, who had promised her both her money and her freedom? What a strange, desperate thought.

Captain Edgerton’s harsh voice cut through her introspection. “You have still not explained to me why you felt it necessary to risk your neck to the noose.”

“Why, so Miss Tess could find her fortune, of course. You’d started looking at Pickering and she panicked a bit, thinking you’d find her fortune before she did. She wanted you called off, so… I confessed. Of course, it was all for naught, seemingly, for you found it anyway.”

The captain buried his head in his hands. “Sometimes I despair,” he muttered. “I thought at the very least you were protecting the real murderer.” His head shot up. “And perhaps you are! As a proven liar, Shapman, why should I believe a word you say? I always doubted the reason you gave for killing Mr Nicholson, that he thwarted your marriage to his daughter, but this is also implausible. You must have known… at least, Miss Nicholson must have known that her trustees had forbidden anyone from entering her house in Pickering, so you could not have had any fear for whatever was inside it. No, you are protecting the murderer, that much is plain.”

“No!” Tom cried. “I’ve no idea who killed Mr Nicholson, truly.”

“So you say, but again, why should I believe you? And there is only one person who might inspire you to confess to protect her from suspicion.”

“No!” he yelled. “Miss Tess never hurt anyone! She’d never kill her own father.”

“So says the man who invented a story about murdering someone. No, that will not do, Shapman. If you did not kill the chaplain, then the most likely murderer is Miss Nicholson herself.”

Tess stared at him in horror. Everything was going wrong! Her fortune was in Captain Edgerton’s hands, Tom would be free but would marry his poultry maid, and now she herself was suspected of murder.

It was so shocking she could not even cry.