A Game of Shadows (18 page)

“Would your guest like some refreshment, Patrick?  I can organize some bread, cheese and ale.  I was about to have some myself.” 
Sam just waved her away, his mind on rescuing Abbie.  Mrs. Morse took in Sam’s bewildered appearance and retreated.  “Just let me know if you change your mind,” she called over her shoulder.

“Thank you, Deborah, we will,” Sam answered, turning back to Finn. 

“Sam, I already have a plan, and I think it’s a good one.  Now listen to me.  If Abbie has been sentenced to hang, they won’t carry out the sentence at the general’s house.  They will transport her somewhere, most likely to City Hall Park.  That’s where they hanged Nathan Hale for treason last year, and probably a few people since.  That’s where the prisoner camp for American Revolutionaries is and they would want to make an example of her.  Our only chance to get to her is between the general’s house and the place of execution.  If we fail, she dies.  Can we stay here till nightfall?”

“Yes, I’m sure Deborah won’t mind.  What happens after nightfall?”

  “You’ll see.”

September 1624

London

Louisa Whitfield yelped as a hand fan slammed against her back, hurting more than something so flimsy should.  “Keep your back straight and smile, girl,” Aunt Maud commanded, stepping aside and allowing them to continue.  Kit scowled at his aunt, but didn’t say anything, knowing it to be pointless.  The sooner they got it right, the sooner he could escape the clutches of his relentless aunt.  He would have sent her on her way long ago if it hadn’t been for the promise he made to Caro before she died.  Caro said that Aunt Maud was like a loaf of bread
—
crusty on the outside, but soft and warm on the inside.  He was still waiting to see the warm side.

“Those parents of yours have a lot to answer for, neglecting your education this way.  There’s nothing more important for a young lady than knowing how to conduct herself in public
, and being able to dance without looking like a milkmaid at a village dance.  Keep your shoulders back or you’ll look like a hunchback.”

Louisa bit back a retort as Uncle Kit skillfully took her by the waist and lifted her into the air, making a graceful turn before setting her back down.  She could have asked Theo to partner her in this lesson, but she didn’t wish to humiliate herself.  She knew some of the dances popular in Virginia, not that there was much dancing going on.  Such frivolity was frowned upon by the religious leaders of the Colony
, and her parents never took the time to teach her the modern dances since they didn’t know them themselves.  There had been a few parties at Rosewood Manor with lots of food and music, but when her mother and Aunt Louisa danced, they did it with joy and abandon, not this rigid formality that made her feel as if she had a stick up her backside.  Another smack from the fan brought her out of her reverie as she missed a step and fell into Uncle Kit’s arms.

“I’m hopeless,” she complained, looking up at a laughing Kit.

“Just let your partner lead you and try not to let your tension show.  Just follow and smile.”

“What are you telling her?” Aunt Maud interrupted.  “If she looks relaxed and smiles too much, she will appear to have lax morals, like most women of your generation,” she scolded, tapping her fan against her voluminous skirt.

“Then she will fit right in.  Now, if you will excuse me Aunt Maud, I’m expected at Whitehall.  I think your pupil is ready for her debut.”

“Hm
m, that’s doubtful, but we don’t have much time.  Will you be presenting her to the king tonight?” she asked.

“Yes.  His Majesty has permitted me to invite Louisa to Court.  I will return for you and your
aunt before six.  Please be ready.”  Kit was already halfway out the door, eager to escape the forced dance lesson.

“I will
, Uncle Kit,” she called after him, nervous with anticipation.  Theo wouldn’t be there tonight having gone to visit Walter on some urgent business, but Louisa was still excited to go.  Being introduced at Court was beyond the wildest dreams of a girl who grew up on a tobacco plantation in Virginia.  Her breath caught in her throat as she imagined standing in front of the king, but then she reminded herself that Uncle Kit and Aunt Louisa would be with her, and all she had to do was follow their lead.  She would be all right.  She was no country bumpkin, no matter what that awful woman said.  If only she didn’t accompany them tonight.

**

Louisa finally escaped, running to her room before she could encounter anyone, especially Genevieve, who floated through the house like a ghost, unsure of what to do with herself since Louisa’s parents left for France.  Louisa wanted to rest so she could look her best when she was presented to the king and queen, wearing the beautiful new gown that had been ordered specially for the occasion.  She wished Theo could see her in it, but then he preferred her out of her gowns, she thought, giggling to herself.  He’d been shy with her the first few times, but their relationship had progressed over the past few weeks, going from a budding romance to full-blown passion.  Theo had taken her for a drive through London as soon as she came back to town, but making love in the carriage had been uncomfortable and risky, and they couldn’t go to Kit’s house or Robin’s house for fear of being caught. 

Louisa had to admit that the thought of being discovered was somewhat exciting, but she didn’t want to ruin her chances of a respectable marriage.  Theo was smitten, but things could still go wrong
, and she didn’t need all of London society to know that she’d been spreading her legs for a man she wasn’t actually married to.  Louisa talked Theo into renting a room at a lodging house where they could go to be alone.  All she had to do was make sure her face was sufficiently covered so that no one would recognize her and discover her relationship to Lord Sheridan.  No one cared if a young man kept a mistress, but Louisa’s reputation needed to be preserved. 

Louisa stretched on her bed and smiled as she remembered lying in Theo’s arms the day before.  He was
passionate, but gentle, worshipping her body as if she were a goddess and he her faithful servant.  Louisa’s body tingled with the memory of Theo inside her, bringing her to heights of pleasure she’d only dreamed of before she discarded her maidenhood the night of the storm.  She hoped Theo would be back soon; she was aching for him to make love to her again.  If only they were married. 

Theo had finally spoken
with her father before her parents left for France, asking for her hand in marriage.  Louisa thought that his brother Robin had some objection to their union, but Theo assured her that Robin supported the marriage, as would Walter, once he told him the news.  Louisa longed to tell the world of her betrothal, but her father had been reluctant to make the news public.  He said that he was in favor of the marriage, but wanted Louisa and Theo to take the time until her parents returned from France to get to know each other better and allow their feelings to grow. 

Of course, her naïve father didn’t know that she was already lying with her intended, not willing to wait for her wedding night like a
whimpering little virgin.  Thinking of her father made her feel guilty, so she pushed the thought away, knowing how hurt he would be if he knew that she’d disgraced herself.  He was such a dear that she just couldn’t bring herself to ever disappoint him, or her mother.  They’d been so fragile since they lost Finn that she wanted nothing more than to see them rejoice in her good fortune.  So, she and Theo would wait.  Her parents would hopefully be back before the first snow, and then they would be married, her future as Lady Carew finally secured.

“Close your mouth and stop gawking,” Aunt Maud hissed from somewhere behind her as Louisa walked through several rooms on the way to the king’s reception chamber.  She had been in a state of nervous excitement ever since the carriage drew up to Whitehall Palace and uniformed guards admitted them, their weapons held at the ready should anything untoward occur.  Louisa tried not to stare as she followed her aunt and uncle through the palace, taking in the breathtaking splendor of her surroundings.  She’d never seen such finery before
—
or such excess. 

The palace was ablaze with candlelight, the flames reflected in gilded mirrors, suits of armor, and frames of paintings covering the walls.  Curtains of heavy brocade hung at every window, the fabric worked in whimsical patterns of gold and silver thread.  Countless candelabras made of silver stood on every surface,
filling the rooms with brilliant light.  Louisa got a glimpse of a supper table the length of their house in Virginia, set with gold-plated plates and goblets for every guest, with the place of honor in the center reserved for the king and his queen. 

Louisa straightened her shoulders and held her head high as they
finally reached the reception hall.  Dozens of magnificently dressed men and women milled around, talking and laughing as they waited for the king to make his entrance.  The women strutted like peacocks, their gowns made of silk and satin, the colors glowing and shifting in the light of the candles.  Their jewels were breathtaking.  Louisa hoped that once she married Theo, she would have such finery and not be forced to wear Aunt Lou’s castoffs.  She’d lent Louisa a necklace and earbobs made of rubies and gold, but they were embarrassingly dainty compared to what some of the ladies were wearing.  Louisa noted the powdered faces and rouged cheeks of the ladies and wished she’d had the foresight to do the same, but Aunt Lou hadn’t painted her face, so she probably wouldn’t have allowed her to do it anyway. Some women looked ravishing with their cherry-red lips and rosy cheeks, but some, especially the older women, just looked like painted corpses, their faces unnaturally white against the brightness of the rouge.  Aunt Maud was one of those, her waxy features coated in white powder and her cheeks as pink as those of a young maid in love.  She kept a watchful eye on Louisa as she circulated the room, chatting with old acquaintances and exchanging bits of gossip and flattery.

Most men wore dark, curly wigs, their tresses hanging down their back like dead poodles.  Louisa remembered Finn making fun of the style and felt a piercing sadness at the thought of her brother.  How she wished he could have been there tonight to gossip and laugh with after they got home.  Instead, he lay rotting in some unmarked grave, his young life cut short by savages.  Had he even known what it was like to be with a woman before he died?  Finn had been fond of Minnie, but Louisa didn’t think their relationship ever went further than friendship.  Finn would never have pushed Minnie into something she didn’t want to do.  He was honorable, like their father, and a man of his word.  Louisa sighed, forcing herself to put Finn out of her mind.  He was gone forever and now her parents were in France
, so far away from her. 

Louisa
was safe with Uncle Kit and Aunt Lou, but she felt strangely alone and insecure, thrust into a world she didn’t really understand.  She watched as her aunt and uncle exchanged greetings and comments with other couples, circulating around the room in an endless dance of the courtier.  Her aunt was smiling and nodding as some woman told her something behind a fan, giggling prettily.  Aunt Lou laughed along, but Louisa knew her well enough to see the tension in her shoulders and the faraway look in her eyes.  She’d rather be anywhere but here; away from all this forced gaiety. 

Uncle Kit bowed to a handsome man who was dressed in a gorgeous suit of
burgundy velvet, a large diamond glittering on his left hand.  The man moved closer to Kit, taking him by the arm and whispering in his ear.  His eyes never left Kit’s, watching his reaction.  Uncle Kit took an involuntary step back before forcing a smile and saying something to the man that made him smile.  Would this be her life once she married Theo?  The thought was exciting, yet off-putting at the same time.  Uncle Kit said that life at Court was tedious and full of peril. 
What did he mean?
she wondered as she looked around.  No one looked particularly dangerous or bored.  She saw several men talking quietly in a far corner, and a woman to her right looking at another woman’s husband with a suggestive smile that left her intentions quite plain.

A sudden ripple went through the crowd as everyone took their places,
forced looks of rapture suddenly lighting everyone’s face.  The doors at the end of the room opened just as the king and queen were announced.  His Majesty walked in with his wife on his arm, taking his seat on the dais and surveying the room.  Louisa looked down like everyone else, but couldn’t help examining him from under her lashes.  He was middle-aged, with a dark curly wig like all the other men, and a tired, thin face that looked awfully pale against the dark curls.  His dark eyes swept the room, taking everything in.  The king’s eyes gleamed for a moment as they settled on the man in burgundy, but a look of boredom quickly settled on his unattractive face as he continued to gaze at the assembled courtiers.  Louisa barely paid attention as various people came up to greet the king at his bidding and curtsied until they nearly fell over.  Soon it was their turn, and she walked up to the dais woodenly, sinking into a well-practiced curtsey before the king made some comment of welcome and waved his hand summoning the next victim. 

“Was it as exciting as you had hoped?” Aunt Louisa asked, smiling at her niece.  She looked weary of the whole thing, probably longing to be at home with her children.

“Not really,” Louisa replied truthfully.  “He’s just a regular man.”

“Don’t let him hear you say that,” whispered Uncle Kit, leading his wife away for a dance.  Louisa looked around for Aunt Maud.  As long as she stayed on the other side of the room,
this evening would be bearable.  If only someone would invite her to dance.  Couples were taking to the floor, performing the elaborate steps of a Baroque dance Aunt Maud had taught her last week.  They all appeared to be in sync as if they’d been practicing for years, but then again, they probably had.  According to Kit, things didn’t change much at Court unless it was fashion, which everyone was determined to follow with feverish devotion.

Louisa suddenly wished that Theo was there.  His warm smile and admiring eyes made her forget all her fears and misgivings, and she felt like a flower opening up to the sun in his company.  Too bad his brother had summoned him to his estate.  Theo would be back in a few days
, and Louisa couldn’t wait to feel his arms around her and his lips on hers, full of promise and passion. 

“You look even more beautiful than I remember,” a voice whispered in her ear, giving her shivers down her spine.  She whirled around, unsure she’d heard correctly, but there he was, right behind her, his eyes full of mischief.  Two years had done much to change him.  The golden boy she’d pined after had grown into a man who looked confident and at ease in this setting.  He’d put on a little weight, no longer the thin
boy she said goodbye to, but a powerful man, dressed in a suit of dark blue velvet, his unwigged honey-blond hair framing his face and falling into his eyes.  His blue eyes sparkled with merriment, enjoying her look of shocked surprise.

“Tom, how wonderful to see you.  Uncle Kit
hadn’t mentioned that he’d crossed paths with you at Court.”

“I don’t suppose he would.  We rarely see each other
, and he moves in different circles,” Tom said with a sly smile, his meaning unclear to Louisa.  “Will you dance with me, Louisa?” he asked, extending his hand to her and guiding her to the floor before she even agreed.  He was a skilled dancer, and Louisa followed him easily enough, trying to remember all of Aunt Maud’s endless commands.  She smiled prettily, held her head up, kept her shoulders back, and most of all, tried not to show Tom that she was quaking in his arms; her knees buckling at his touch and her heart pounding as it had on that afternoon behind the hedge.  Had he forgotten it? 

He could be married, Louisa suddenly thought, nearly missing a step.  A man of his age and position at Court would likely have found a suitable bride by now, but then again, Annabel would have mentioned it had Tom married
, or would she?  She’d been so ill the last few months before they sailed for England that her brother’s betrothal or marriage would not have been uppermost in her mind. 

Tom put his hands on Louisa’s waist, lifting her and executing a turn before setting her down and taking her hand again.  His eyes never left hers as he led her around the floor, making her feel like warm honey
pouring out of a jug.  Louisa looked around startled as the dance finally ended, and she remembered that she was in a room full of people, two of whom were looking daggers at her. 

“Tom, I must return to my aunt and uncle,” she said, trying not to look at Aunt Louisa’s frowning face
and Uncle Kit’s narrowed eyes. 

“I must see you again,” Tom whispered in her ear.  “
Shall I come to you?”

Louisa lowered her eyes to the floor, giving him an imperceptible nod as he squeezed her hand before letting her go.
  Louisa’s heart pounded in her chest as she rejoined her aunt and uncle, smiling innocently. 

“How did I do, Uncle Kit?  I think Aunt Maud would be proud,” she prattled on, trying to distract Kit from whatever h
e was thinking.  He just nodded curtly, still upset.

“Louisa, you are to stay away from Thomas Gaines, is that clear?  I’ve given your father my word that I will keep you safe and I intend to keep it.  He’s not to be trusted.”  Uncle Kit glared at Tom, who led an older woman around the floor, a satisfied smirk on his handsome face.

“Oh, Uncle Kit, it was just a dance, nothing more.  He was most charming.”  Louisa looked to her aunt for help, but Aunt Louisa looked equally displeased; her lips pursed in a way that made her look very unattractive.  Louisa sighed and looked away.  What did they think she was going to do?  Tom had done enough damage to her reputation in Virginia, she wasn’t about to repeat the same mistake.  After all, she had Theo now, and he was everything she could hope for.  She wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize their future together. 

“Please don’t worry, I’ve learned my lesson,” she said quietly, looking from Kit to her aunt.  I will be on my very best behavior.”

Kit just nodded, accepting her promise.  He still looked skeptical, but he allowed the subject to drop, giving Aunt Louisa his arm to escort her into supper.  Louisa trailed behind, her eyes scanning the room for Tom.  She didn’t see him until everyone was seated, but their eyes met across the table, locking in a gaze of understanding like two co-conspirators.  This game was far from over.