Page 11 of The Book of Lost Stories

Stormy Weather

‘But I would help you escape this villainous lecher, for brother I will no longer call him,’ Cornelio exclaimed, throwing himself at her feet. ‘My desire for you, Cousin, arises only from love, and not from any hope of material gain. Come with me now, or regret this day forever!’

The Travails of Lady Malvina by ORLANDO brOWNE

When they had returned to their lodgings and were alone, Alys gave her aunt an edited explanation of what had happened.

Lady Basset was horrified, mortified and indignant by turns on Alys’s behalf, fully concurring in her urgent desire to leave Harrogate immediately, if only so she could dragoon the squire into calling Lord Rayven out for his insults.

However, she calmed down overnight and after breakfast, which Alys had little appetite for, said she thought Lord Rayven would have passed the incident off as an unfortunate accident, should anyone have happened to notice it, since the truth would make him appear ridiculous.

‘And it was lucky the threat of rain drove the other visitors away, so the scandalmongers will not get to hear of it.’

‘No, I do not believe anyone saw what happened, and cannot imagine that he would tell anyone of it.’

‘I expect he has realized his error, Alys. How he came to be under such a dreadful misapprehension I cannot understand.’

Of course, Alys, not wishing to hurt Lady Basset’s feelings, did not in any way suggest that her manners and dress were such as to have helped lead him to false conclusions.

But when alone, she could not help but go over and over the scene, wondering if there was also something lacking in herself , to have invited such an insult.

But when Alys confided the whole to Nell, her friend assured her that there was nothing about her that would lead any man to think her other than a respectable girl.

Then she pointed out that at least Alys need never see his lordship again, whereas she might very well run into him in Town when she went there next season.

Somehow, this did not console Alys as much as it might.

But at least she had by now realized that the expression in his eyes when, dripping wet he had saluted her, was both amusement and admiration … although of course the admiration of such a man was of no consequence to her whatsoever – that went without saying.

They elicited the information that his lordship had indeed left for London, and it was decided that they should continue their stay until the original departure date, rather than raise questions and conjecture by decamping abruptly.

Lady Basset slowly persuaded herself that the whole incident never happened, or was but an accident, although her manner was somewhat subdued for the remainder of their sojourn in Harrogate.

In all the turmoil of emotion stirred up by this drama, Alys had not missed her letter: indeed, she had entirely forgotten about it until she received a note from Miss Grimshaw thanking her for it, and looking forward to her return.

It was a puzzle to her what had become of it, but she presumed she must have dropped it in the street and some kindly disposed person had sent it on.

The morning of their departure came, and how deeply sorry Alys was to part with her new friend. Nell felt the same, but they promised to correspond.

‘You are to be my window on the big, wide world, Nell,’ Alys said, embracing her as the last of Lady Basset’s numerous bandboxes was carried out, ‘for it is not to be supposed that I will ever travel anywhere again, so that I will relish every little detail.’

‘And you must tell me how Malvina’s adventures end, for I am quite desperate to know,’ Nell returned. ‘Only think how exciting it will be when your book is published, and I know the author, although, of course, I will not admit it to anyone.’

‘If I get it published. And then my real name must certainly stay a secret.’

Alys let down the window and waved her handkerchief for as long as she could still see her friend.

Then she settled back opposite her aunt and, with her writing desk on her knees, beguiled the journey home by setting down all her impressions of her dealings with Lord Rayven as best she could, while they were still fresh in her mind.

The experience had at once angered, excited, alarmed and confused her, especially the realization that he had found her attractive, but not worthy of an honourable love.

Then too, the emotions raised by being held fast in his arms and kissed so thoroughly proved hard to describe – and impossible to forget.

Sometimes she fancied she felt the hard pressure of his lips on hers still …

But although his tall, dark and romantically scarred person had certainly disturbed her dreams since the encounter, in them he was always the villain of the piece.

All these new experiences, mortifying though they might be, would at least enhance The Travails of Lady Malvina , for she felt she had gained a maturity and insight into the perfidy of the male character – as opposed to its ingrained selfishness, which she already knew all about – that she had lacked when she began the book.

At least now she had purchased her own supply of paper, for the squire’s guineas had been expended on more than fashionable trifles and a length of pretty lace for Letty.

Alys scribbled away while Lady Basset snored in her corner, exhausted by supervising the packing of her many purchases, which threatened to engulf them at every jolt of the carriage.

‘Sir,’ Malvina said resolutely, though she shivered from cold and terror, ‘I fear that you, too, have some motive of your own in seeking to remove me from this place to another fastness. My mind is made up, and I will not go with you …’

They arrived back home in the midst of a furious thunderstorm, which was nothing, Alys discovered, to her papa’s mood. He had received the whole tale of Lord Rayven’s attentions from the rector, who was as much a gossip in his sanctimonious way as his wife.

Alys had barely put off her bonnet before her papa was pounding on the floor with his stick and shouting for her to come up, and when she did so she was quite afraid that he might have an apoplexy, his thin face was so suffused with rage.

‘Did I not specifically order you to have nothing to do with the son of Hugo Rayven, who was the means of fleecing me out of as snug a little property as you could please?’

Alys stared at him. ‘He did ? This is the first I heard of it, for I always thought you had your way to make in the world, apart from a very small fixed income, and lived on your officer’s pay and prize money, Papa.’

‘Aye, so I did, till my father died.’

‘Then how did this Lord Rayven’s father fleece you out of your inheritance?’

‘Loaded dice!’ he said triumphantly, and fell back against the pillows.

While she knew that Major Weston had been a gamester, she did not know whether to believe him about the cheating.

But she did sincerely regret the snug little property, which would have greatly added to their comfort.

However, if he had not lost it to Hugo Rayven, she supposed he would have gamed it away to someone else long since.

‘And this is the man you have been flirting with!’ Major Weston began again, feverishly lifting his head and fixing her with an angrily burning gaze from his one good eye. ‘And, for all I know, plotting to run away with, behind my back!’

‘I did no such thing, Papa. In fact, I did all that I could to discourage him.’

‘Ha!’ said the major. ‘You think because I am tied by the leg in this accursed place that I know nothing of what you have been doing.’

‘Well, if you heard that I had been flirting with Lord Rayven, or anyone else, you were misinformed,’ she said calmly, ‘so pray do not get into a fuss.’

But it was evident that she would never be allowed to go to Harrogate – or anywhere else – again.

As long as her papa lived she would continue here in genteel poverty, dwindling into an old maid.

She had always known it was to be her lot, but now firmly put away romantic dreams she had scarce known she was harbouring until that moment of supreme disillusionment by the riverbank.

After her papa’s demise she could probably continue at the Dower House, under the squire or his heir’s sufferance, in reduced circumstances. Indeed, if the major continued to sell out his small capital as he had begun to, exceedingly reduced circumstances.

Or she might seek a post as a companion, but governessing was not an option open to her, since she was sadly deficient in such skills as Italian and the use of the globes.

Her future prospects seemed so infinitely dreary that she quite shocked Letty, to whom she had by now told the whole sorry tale of her encounters with Lord Rayven, by joking that a life of sin was beginning to have some attractions in comparison.

But there just might be another alternative open to her: that of supporting herself – and dear Letty, of course – by her pen. She began to apply herself to her writing with renewed vigour, polishing and reworking her prose until it was as perfect as she could make it.

Then the book was dispatched to Thomas Grimshaw in London, who agreed to undertake the task of interesting a publisher in it.

Should he manage to do so, Letty was of the opinion that he would also drive a hard bargain on her behalf …

or rather, that of Orlando Browne, for much though Alys would have liked to have seen her own name in print, she had absolutely no intention of telling Papa, should her writing meet with success.

‘But if my nephew is fortunate enough to place the novel with a publisher, surely then you must tell the major?’ Letty suggested timidly, when informed of her decision.

‘Most definitely not,’ Alys said decidedly. ‘Should I receive any moneys for my work, then what is the point of turning them over to my father? He would only hasten his end, and our poverty, by drinking them away!’

‘But, dear Alys, to deceive he who must legally have the right to—’

‘He has the right to nothing , for he is incapable of thinking of anyone other than himself. What he doesn’t know, won’t hurt him.

And just think, Letty, if this novel “takes”, then I will immediately write another, and another …

and any money I earn will be all invested to support us once Papa goes to meet his Maker. ’

‘Us?’ questioned Letty hopefully. ‘You … you mean that you would want me to remain as your companion, Alys?’

‘Yes of course. How would I go on without you to bear me company and lend me respectability?’

There was the sound of a pistol shot, a crashing of glass and an almost demonic howl of triumph from the garden, and they exchanged speaking looks.

‘Perhaps you are right, after all,’ Letty conceded. ‘And we may trust Thomas to keep your secret and invest any money wisely for you.’

‘Let us not count our chickens before they are hatched,’ Alys said, although in her heart she was still buoyed up with the confidence of the tyro, and sure that Malvina would be not only published, but also an immediate success.

And if all her future villains turned out to be tall, dark, hawk-nosed men, prone to seizing the heroine in a rough embrace and pressing passionate kisses upon their unwilling lips, well, it was hardly to be surprised at.