Page 38

The following morning dawned clear and bright, perfect weather for a long journey home.

Everyone was up early and breakfasted and once again two maids and Zadoc Flynn climbed into the coach and made extra space for Corinna carrying baby Emma, wrapped against the dawn cold but already looking less flushed.

The Purfoy coach was the most luxurious Eliza had ever seen, with its navy satin interior and tasselled blinds.

She traced her finger over the gilded coat of arms on the door.

Audaci Venus ut Fortuna favet. She was intrigued and turned to Taz. ‘What does this mean?’

He chuckled. ‘Oh that’s the Purfoy family motto; ’is lordship is very keen on quotin’ it.

Summat like, Venus, like Fortune, favours the bold.

’ She looked at him, trying to fathom what amused him so much about his master and his conduct.

She wrote it hastily into the small notebook she carried in her reticule. Then she climbed in and they set off.

The large wheels and well-oiled springs meant it was a much more comfortable ride and the horses were swift and so well-matched they seemed to fly over the miles.

It was clear to everyone why Taz was considered the best man to drive any vehicle.

Under his skilled hands, the whole equipage worked with optimum speed and efficiency.

They spent an uncomfortable night at The Rising Sun in Reading and after another long day’s travel, rolled wearily into Brook Street.

Everyone fell ravenously on the cold supper Cook had to offer and then hurried to bed.

Eliza was delighted at the chance to ride again and looked forward to the morning.

Before allowing herself to succumb to sleep, she wrote a quick note requesting a meeting and addressed it to Marina Fairley.

She hoped this new friend would help her discover who her real father was and she placed his letter, the miniature portrait and her mother’s haberdashery list on the table beside her bed, alongside Mr Fox, and fell asleep with her hand resting on the precious pile of relics.

* * *

Alick Wolfe carried his daughter up to bed. Corinna put a hand on his arm. ‘I’ve been sleeping with her and think I should tonight. The fever seems to have passed but just to make sure she is all right.’

Alick looked down at his wife and said quietly, so as not to wake his sleeping child, ‘There’s no way you and I are not sharing a bed after these days apart. Emma can sleep in with us.’

‘Well then you’ll have to help Meg bring the cot in to be beside me.’

After she and Meg had settled Emma, she looked up at Alick.

‘We’ll get the doctor tomorrow just to check she is truly getting better.

’ Polly had unlaced her and she was sitting in her dressing gown, brushing out her thick russet hair while Alick, propped on an elbow against the pillows of their bed, watched her.

‘Poor Eliza had a terrific shock. Her longed-for father has turned out to be not her father but a monster who, wishing to punish his wife, manipulated a maid to wilfully lose her young daughter in a crowd.’

Alick’s smile froze on his face as he sat up abruptly. ‘There are some iniquitous people in this world.’ Then he met her sympathetic eyes and his face softened as he added, ‘How lucky you were with your father – and your husband.’

‘I know.’ She was ruminative. ‘Then this wicked man informed her in the coldest manner that her mother was dead of grief, it seems! But Eliza thinks she has a miniature portrait of her natural father. So we will see if that helps her find out a little more of her family.’ As she put down her brush and started to plait her hair for the night she continued, ‘And your relation, Mr Flynn, has a wild scheme to race his new horse against Horatio. I fear the ructions.’

Alick sighed. His relation was proving to be rather a trial and he was hopeful that he would move onto the next stage of his Grand Tour and head for Ireland. ‘Sometimes excessive wealth can lead to scattered brains and untrammelled appetites.’

‘And our dearest Rav seems so out of sorts. I don’t want him further upset.’

‘Well don’t tattle to him. It’s not our business and anyway, it may not happen.’

‘Eliza said something else that troubles me. She said Rav had indicated to her he was transformed by love – for a woman she saw on his arm in Bath. Who could this be? Has he confided in you, Alick?’

‘No. But then it’s not something Rav would talk about. Transformed by love doesn’t sound much like his lordship either.’ He snorted with laughter. ‘Anyway, I wouldn’t have thought that he’d characterise what he feels for Mrs Cornford as anything close to love.’

‘You’re mistaken, my darling. Something has loosened the bounds round his heart, but I thought it was our beautiful guest who was responsible for that.’

Alick sat up in bed and opened his arms to her. ‘I’m tired of talking about Rav’s romantic escapades. The bounds on my heart sprang free the moment I saw you felled by a beefy carter’s fist. It was suddenly simple. I adore you and am lucky indeed that you love me in return.’

‘Shh, don’t wake Emma.’ Corinna put her finger against his lips.

‘I’ve missed you so much. Come to bed, mistress mine!’

* * *

There was a week to go before the race and Eliza and Zadoc Flynn were up with the dawn to ride in Hyde Park, accompanied by Taz, when almost nobody else was about.

Here they could gallop Ohio without being seen and Mr Flynn experimented with the saddle and length of stirrup to see what best suited Eliza.

He had seen a few of the jockeys in America shorten their stirrups and ride out of the saddle instead of sitting upright, as they did in England.

Taz was impressed. ‘Good to lift the bumfiddle off a racer’s engine. ’

Zadoc Flynn was taken aback at Taz’s language and sounded surprisingly disapproving. ‘Taz! Don’t forget Miss Gray is a lady.’

Taz was unabashed and laughed. ‘Lady or not, Miss Gray ’as a bumfiddle along with the rest of us!’ He adjusted the stirrups. ‘Or would ye prefer summat more fancy like derrière ?’ And he rolled his Rs in mockery.

Eliza interrupted. ‘I agree with Lord Purfoy. Taz has such a talent with the horses he can speak how he likes. I’m quite aware that dressed like this and riding off the saddle, my “bumfiddle”, as Taz calls it, is more prominently on show certainly than the average lady’s.

’ Eliza turned to Mr Flynn. ‘What do you think of Ohio after that?’

‘For a trial ride, she looks fine and dandy.’ He was happy again and Taz nodded in agreement.

Eliza added her verdict. ‘I’ve never ridden so fast before. She’s a wonderful ride, smooth and flowing; it was as if I were winged like a bird carried on the wind.’

Everyone felt exhilarated as they made their way back to the mews. As Eliza dismounted she asked Taz, ‘When are you expecting Davey and the Wolfe coach to return?’

He gave a wink. ‘Ye mean when’s ’is lordship back?’

Eliza coloured and said brusquely, ‘No, I don’t. I was wondering when Davey was back so he could accompany me on my rides.’ But of course it was Lord Purfoy for whom Eliza longed, admonishing herself for such foolishness; it would take time to extract him from her heart.

‘Well, methinks two days. ’Tis a slower journey than it would be with me drivin’ the guv’nor’s best prancers.’

Eliza returned from the stables before her hosts were up and dashed up the stairs to change out of her borrowed schoolboy clothes.

She feared most of all deceiving Mr and Mrs Wolfe and wondered what a nest of intrigue she was creating once again.

After washing, she slipped into her blue muslin morning dress, rearranged her hair and went down the stairs to breakfast. She was just eating her toast and reading yesterday’s The Times when Corinna and Alick came into the room together.

Eliza sprang up and took Corinna’s hand. ‘How is Emma?’

The tension had lifted from Corinna’s face and she smiled with relief. ‘The fever has passed and she had a peaceful night for the first time in three days. I think she was exhausted. I certainly was.’

Alick poured them all some coffee. ‘This morning I’ll fetch our doctor. You can never be too careful with sickness in the very young.’

Zadoc Flynn came into the room bringing a gust of the outdoors with him. ‘Good morning, everyone,’ he said in his bluff manner. ‘I’m hungry!’ He piled his plate with bread, pickle and ham and sat down with a jug of ale and The Sporting Magazine .

Alick looked across at him with a smile. ‘At this rate you’re going to be far too heavy to ride that pretty little filly you’ve bought.’

‘I know. It’s hard relying on others but we have some fine jockeys back in Kentucky so I shall just have to enjoy being a spectator of her flying hooves.’

Gibbons knocked on the door and entered. His benign old face seemed to be smiling even when he was not, and Eliza understood just why he was so loved in the Wolfe family. This morning he proffered a silver salver with a letter upon it and, smiling at Eliza, said, ‘This is for you, Miss Gray.’

Eliza was delighted to find that it was an answer from Miss Fairley.

Dear Miss Gray,

What a pleasure to hear from you. There is much News to share. Would two hours after noon suit you? I’ve just read this and wonder if you agree, ‘Alter ipse amicus’ – a friend is another self. That is what you are to me.

M F

Eliza held the paper to her breast. How that sentiment warmed her heart and made her spirit soar!

She looked up and asked Corinna if she could borrow Polly as a chaperone for an hour or so.

She then made her way into the library to finish re-reading The Corsair, feeling all the while consoled by having her father’s letter and mother’s list close, slipped between the last pages for safekeeping.