‘About that mysterious note?’ the countess nodded. ‘Yes, he told me. Sandford had rushed off in search of you before we could tell him that it was some sort of joke—although I cannot believe he took it seriously …’
I’m afraid he did, ma’am,’ said Harriet miserably. ‘He seems to believe I was involved in some secret—tryst—with someone I met at Judith’s party!’
Lady Caroline was indignant. ‘But that is preposterous! Why should he think such a thing? His father will give him such a trimming when he returns! Come, my dear, finish your drink and, if you feel up to it, we will go straight to his lordship this instant.’
The earl had been furnished with the news of Harriet’s return on the moment of her arrival at the stables and was waiting impatiently for her entrance. Running to his chair she cast herself into his arms and burst into tears. He stroked her hair gently, murmuring comforting endearments, at the same time raising his eyebrows questioningly at his wife, who shook her head in response.
After allowing Harriet to cry herself out, Lord William took the handkerchief the countess was offering and set about repairing the damage to her face, tut-tutting as he did so.
‘Now, now, my child,’ he said softly. ‘This will not do. I will not have these pretty eyelids swollen. This redness simply does not go well with that glorious shade of green—and I fear I shall come down with the croup if my dressinggown gets any damper!’
Harriet, smiling weakly, sat back on his footstool and twisted the sodden kerchief between her fingers.
‘I’m so sorry,’ she said tremulously. ‘It isn’t usual in me to give in so easily. But I find myself at such a loss!’
The earl and countess exchanged glances and Beldale motioned to Chegwin to fetch a chair for his mistress. This done, at his lordship’s gesture the valet quietly left the room and Lord William took Harriet’s hands in his.
‘I think you had better tell us what is troubling you and together perhaps we shall make some sense out of your problems.’
‘But you have been so ill,’ said Harriet, in an anguished tone, ‘and I wanted to avoid bringing you more worry!’
Beldale sighed. ‘I have a broken foot, my girl,’ he said briskly. ‘There is nothing wrong with my brain—whatever that fool Lambert thinks!’
And so, tentatively at first, Harriet told her hosts the full story of her lake misadventure and, with increasing confidence, she breathlessly related this morning’s extraordinary events.
Lady Caroline’s eyes grew round with horror at Harriet’s description of her woodland tomb.
‘But this is quite dreadful,’ she exclaimed in dismay. ‘On Beldale lands—how can this be happening?’ and she turned at once to her husband to await his conclusions.
The earl was silent for some little while, conscious of both ladies’ eyes upon him at they awaited some erudite explanation that he feared he did not have. Eventually, he spoke.
‘It is clear that someone has wished you harm from the moment of your arrival,’ he said to Harriet. ‘That person—or persons—seem to be privy to a good deal of information about your movements. On the other hand, a fair amount of coincidence seems to be involved. For instance, at the lake, where you might not have chosen to walk on that particular morning and today—you say you had left Westpark much later than you intended—and who could possibly have foreseen your fainting attack? The emerald ring that they failed to find—thanks to your swift action—has only been in your possession since Saturday evening and advertised only at
Judith’s party and yet, it seems to have been the particular object of the attack—I would not have thought it to be of such singular value.’ He shook his head. ‘I confess, my dears, I am at as much of a loss as you are, but one thing is very clear—one of this household is involved in passing information outside. How else could Harriet’s movements be so well observed?’
He looked at his wife, concerned at her obvious distress.
‘This has been a great shock for you, my love,’ he said, tenderly squeezing her fingers. ‘Most of our staff has been with us for so long, it does not bear thinking about.’
‘I cannot bring myself to suspect any of them,’ said Lady Caroline unhappily. ‘We have hardly any recent additions—Robert’s valet and his man Tiptree, of course, and Rose Watts—but she was parlourmaid here long before Harriet’s arrival …’
Nothing of this sort happened before my arrival!’ Harriet pointed out despondently. ‘It is clear that it is my presence which is causing someone great annoyance!’
‘But everyone adores you!’ her ladyship protested.
‘Apparently not everyone, ma’am,’ said Harriet, rising from the footstool and straightening her skirts. And I can think of at least one person who positively dislikes me, she thought, at the same time sadly recalling the previous day’s easy companionship between herself and that very individual.
‘There is just one thing I must ask of you, Harriet,’ said his lordship with a very serious expression on his face.
‘Anything you wish, sir,’ she replied, uncomfortably aware of what his request was likely to be.
‘Please do not leave the house without a manservant—one that Lady Caroline has chosen personally. I do not wish to curtail your movements, but you must know that your safety is our prime concern. Quite apart from the fact that we have all grown to love you dearly, you must not forget that we have undertaken to deliver you to your grandfather undamaged!
Harriet nodded glumly, unable to dismiss from her mind the irritating thought that had she obeyed Sandford’s identical request she would not have found herself in this unenviable position.
Chapter Nine
Young Rothman waited outside Meggy Watts’s cottage, immensely proud that he had been chosen to accompany Miss Harriet on the visit. Being only third footman in the Beldale hierarchy, he knew that this was a singular gesture on his employer’s part and due entirely to the fact of his being the butler’s son.
The elder Rothman had served the Hurst family since his youth and had worked his way up from under-footman to the full prestigious office of butler. He had married one of the ladies’ maids and produced three sons, the older two of whom had secured positions in other large houses elsewhere. The strapping young Davy had elected to remain at Beldale, thus gaining the benefit of his father’s expert tuition.
He was aware that there was some sort of mystery surrounding Miss Harriet and had heard that she had somehow got herself lost in the copse the other day. Since then he had been appointed to attend her on all of her outings from Beldale, including those from which he derived the greatest pleasure, riding behind her just like a groom! The stable lads had been properly miffed at that, he thought cheerfully, but then her ladyship had wanted someone who could be presentable in both occupations and stable lads just weren’t cut out to be footmen.
He peered through the small window, satisfying himself that his charge had not been spirited away, and seated himself once more on the bench outside the cottage, casually wondering as to the purpose of Miss Harriet’s visit to the villager’s cottage.
Harriet herself was seated on the best chair in the little used parlour, Meggy having dashed around in a flurry after the young lady had requested a few words with her father, flinging open curtains and removing dust-covers from her few precious pieces. The cottager had dismissed Harriet’s request to remain in the kitchen, seldom having had such an opportunity to hold court in her own little palace. She had brought her unexpected visitor tea in a china cup and now sat gazing fondly at the sight