‘I’ll try to do justice to it,’ murmured Elinor as the tray was placed down before her.
‘Well, I’ll just sit here while you do.’ The landlady drew up a chair. ‘There’s little pleasure in eating alone.’ She smiled as she watched Elinor spooning up the broth. ‘I admit I didn’t think to see this. When I first saw you I thought we’d never save you, and that’s a fact! Chilled to the bone, you were, and so pale I thought you was past hope, but Master Ralph carried you in and we got you to bed, popped a couple of hot bricks between the sheets to help warm you and I do think that between the two of us we didn’t do such a bad job of bringing you round.
‘Not that I liked the idea when Master Ralph said you was to have his room, for anyone could see that you was a lady, and we don’t cater for the Quality, but he said you had to be hidden away, in case they came looking for you, and he was right, too for only yesterday my Jem found a rascally fellow snooping around the bedrooms! Said he’d lost his way, but Jem soon sent him packing.’
‘S-someone has been looking for me?’
‘Now don’t you fret yourself over it, Mistress Brown. Haven’t I just told you that you are as safe as anything here? You just finish your food like a good girl.’
‘You are very kind - you know nothing about me.’
‘It’s enough that Master Ralph has befriended you, ma’am.’
‘But you could be in trouble if I am discovered here.’
She was surprised to hear the landlady chuckle.
‘We should be in a great deal more trouble if ‘twas found that Ralph Belham lives here,’ she said, rising. ‘Now, you’ve done very well but I can see that you’re not going to eat any more, so I’ll take these dishes away and leave you to get some rest.’
‘Why
does
Mr Belham live here, in hiding?’ asked Elinor.
Mrs Carew stopped in the doorway.
‘Lord love you, do you not know? Well, then, it’s not for me to say. You’d best ask him – he’ll tell you, an he wishes it.’
For a long while after the landlady had departed Elinor lay back upon her pillows, considering her situation. Her recollection of events since her flight from Weald Hall was incomplete and touched with a dreamlike quality that refused to be dispelled. Elinor summoned her strength to get out of bed. The effort of standing made her pause, her legs feeling weak, and she stumbled shakily across to the large oak cupboard. She pulled open the doors. It was filled with clothing, a couple of black three-cornered hats on the top shelf, and an assortment of shirts, waistcoats and coats neatly arranged below. It took her some time to find what she was looking for but at last with a sigh of relief she spotted the black velvet jacket and knee breeches that she had taken from Andrew Boreland. They had been brushed and folded and put away in one corner of the cupboard. Elinor pulled out the jacket and reached her hand into one of the pockets. It was empty. Quickly her trembling fingers searched the other pocket, that too held nothing.
‘Is this what you are looking for?’
The voice behind her made her turn sharply, a startled look in her green eyes. Ralph Belham was standing in the doorway, holding a small leather pouch from which he pulled one of her necklaces.
‘Megs found them when she was cleaning your coat. Is this the reason you were being hounded?’
‘I did not steal them.’
‘That does not answer my question.’ He walked to the table and tipped the contents out of the bag: it was all the jewellery she had swept into the coat pocket when she left Weald Hall, and in the centre was the ruby brooch. She reached out her hand but Ralph was quicker, snatching up the ruby. ‘Well?’
‘Very well – yes. The rest is my own jewellery, but I believe this one, the ruby, is what Boreland wanted of me.’
Belham studied the brooch with renewed interest.
‘Is it so valuable then? ‘Tis a handsome gem, undoubtedly, but the setting…’ He shook his head. ‘Too elaborate for my taste, and too large for the stone.’
‘Please give it to me.’
He eyed her speculatively
‘Why not let me sell it for you? I can get you a good price, and we can split the money …’ he stopped and laughed at her. ‘Don’t look like that, child. I’m only teasing you! Here, have your trinket! Will you tell me what makes it so important to you?’
Elinor was surprised to see the gentleness and sympathy in those brown eyes. She looked away, confused. It was so long since she had trusted anyone.
‘No – that is, not yet. I – I cannot!’
‘Pray, then, do not upset yourself. It can wait, but there is a matter that I must discuss with you.’ He picked up a shawl from the bed. ‘Here, put this around you and come and sit by the fire. There. Are you comfortable?’
‘Yes, thank you. What is it you wish to say?’
‘We must come to some arrangement about this room.’
‘The matter is easily solved.’ She smiled faintly. ‘Now that I am recovered, I shall be on my way –’
‘It is not going to be quite that simple, Elinor. James Boreland is a dangerous enemy. I have already said that I do not doubt he is still looking for you, so you would be advised to remain out of sight for a little longer.’
‘But there is my house to consider. I must advise Hannah, my companion. She needs to know that I am well, and – and I must warn her, for he may search for me there.’
‘Undoubtedly he will do so. I think it could be arranged that a note is sent to your home, but it need not disclose your whereabouts. You are not yet recovered sufficiently to fend for yourself, so I suggest you remain here, where you need not worry about being discovered, until we can decide what’s to be done with you.’
‘But this is your room. I could not possibly- ‘
‘My dear child, I do not live here permanently, and when it is necessary for me to be here, I can quite easily make do with a truckle bed somewhere.’ He grinned, his eyes twinkling: ‘You will have noticed that there is but one bed in this room and I don’t suppose you would like to….? No, I can see the idea does not find favour with you! To be serious, for the present we need to keep you hidden away, but my activities make it necessary for me to use this room occasionally – with your permission, of course, ma’am. I shall do my utmost not to inconvenience you.’
‘And just what are your - er -
activities
, Mr Belham?’
He grinned at her. ‘Have you not guessed? I work the high toby. I’m a prigger. A
highwayman
.’
If Ralph Belham expected to shock her he was disappointed. Elinor’s brows rose fractionally in surprise, then she chuckled.
‘And I was afraid you might think I had stolen the blood stone! No wonder you want to sell it for me.’
‘Blood stone? Why do you call it that?’
She did not answer immediately, but stared at the brooch, turning it between her fingers so that the ruby glowed in the firelight.
‘It came into my possession following a series of – of tragic events,’ she said at last, her eyes still fixed upon the ruby. ‘It reminds me of the blood that was shed – that must be repaid.’
‘If Boreland is involved you had best leave well alone,’ he advised her and earned for his trouble a scornful glance.
‘I have no intention of giving up now. I will have vengeance.’
Belham shrugged. ‘Well, ‘tis no business of mine.’
She gave him a rueful smile.
‘Very true, but let us return to your business! Why is it so important that you use this room?’
‘Because it has a secret stairway set into one side of the chimney, that leads directly to the stables. It means I can come and go from here without anyone knowing. Very useful for one in my line of business! Would it disturb you if I continue to use those stairs? If you do not trust me, I will let you have one of my pistols to protect yourself.’
Elinor laughed: odd, she thought, that she felt so at ease with this man.
‘That will not be necessary. I am so much in your debt that I cannot refuse to help you in this little way.’
‘Good.’ He rose. ‘You look tired. I won’t detain you any longer, my dear. You should rest.’ He put a hand on her shoulder as he passed her chair. ‘Don’t worry, Elinor. Megs will look after you while you are here. You will be perfectly safe.’
‘Thank you. But – you said you could get a message to my servant?’
‘Certainly, although to do that you must tell me your name, do you not agree?’
Elinor sighed.
‘I must do so. After all, it would be a simple matter for you to discover it, would it not, once I give you my direction.’
‘Good. I will have paper and pens sent up. Write a brief note, tell me the direction and I will see to it all.’
‘Thank you, Mr Belham.’
‘Ralph.’
‘Thank you, Ralph.’
When he had gone, she remained by the fire, a faint smile still playing about her mouth. She felt strangely at peace, and was surprised to find she was not at all concerned to be sharing her room with a highwayman. Her amusement deepened as she thought about her rescuer. What an odd man he was. A gentleman, to be sure, even if he now lived on the wrong side of the law. Mistress Carew obviously idolised
Master Ralph
as she called him and Elinor wondered if the landlady knew anything of his earlier life. She made up her mind to question her hostess at some suitable moment, but for the present she must turn her mind to what she could put in her note to Hannah. Poor Hannah! How shocked she would be when she learned of her mistress’s adventures, although for the present it must suffice her to know that she was safe: explanations could come later.
* * * *
The following day was market day and Mistress Carew returned to the inn laden with packages that she took up to Elinor. There were two gowns, one in green calamanco, the other a grey silk with a quilted petticoat, which she laid out upon the bed for Elinor’s inspection.
‘I’m sorry they are so countrified,’ she apologised as she shook out the dresses, ‘They aren’t what you are used to, I’m sure, but I didn’t want to draw attention to myself by buying anything too fancy. I had to guess your size, ma’am, too, and looking at you now I think we’re going to have to take a little bit out of the waist of the calamanco, but if you’ll just try it on, I’ll have it altered in a trice.’
‘They are just what I need,’ Elinor assured her, ‘I shall be pleased to be able to wear something other than your night-gowns. And as for style, I should look very out of place here wearing London fashions, besides being most uncomfortable. These will suit me perfectly. Thank you, Mistress Carew. I would not have chosen differently myself.’
That dame flushed deeply at her praise.
‘Well, I don’t think you’ll look too badly in them, ma’am. There’s some flannel petticoats and everything else I could think of that you might need in the last parcel.’
‘You must let me know how much all this has cost you.’
‘Oh, but I haven’t paid for a thing!’ replied the landlady, puzzled. ‘Master Ralph gave me your purse and told me to take what I needed – did he not tell you he had done so?’
‘What? Oh – oh yes,’ returned Elinor, making a mental note to speak to Master Ralph later. ‘I had forgotten all about that.’
She had no chance to speak to him during the day, but the idea that Ralph Belham had bought her clothes disturbed her thoughts so much that she lay awake that night long after the fire had burned down, and consequently her ears caught the muffled sound of footsteps coming softly up the stairs, followed by a faint click and the whisper of the wall panel opening upon its near-silent hinges. Daring to peep out, she saw a great-coated figure with a lantern crossing the room. It must be Ralph, she thought, but even so she lay very still, the blankets pulled well up over her face. As he came to the foot of the bed he stopped and she shut her eyes, pretending to be asleep, but her body was rigid with fear. After a few seconds, the figure moved on, out of the door and down the stairs to the main part of the inn.
* * * *
Elinor’s opportunity to speak to her benefactor came the following day when she received a message that Master Ralph considered it would be safe for her to take a little walk, since the road was clear of strangers and the sun was making a brief appearance. Glad to quit her room, even for a short period, Elinor emerged from the inn, a warm scarlet cloak about her shoulders and her feet enclosed in serviceable but clumsy wooden clogs. She found Mr Belham waiting for her and smiled at the look of surprise upon his countenance when he beheld her.
‘Did you expect to see me in a hoop and silver lace, sir? I fear you are disappointed.’
‘Not at all, ma’am. The country style becomes you admirably.’ Taking her hand upon his arm Ralph led her along the lane away from the inn. ‘Tell me if I go too fast. I do not wish to overtax your strength.’
‘No, I shall go on very well. In fact, I am glad of this opportunity to speak to you – about these clothes. Mistress Carew thinks – that is, the money –’
‘Megs told you I had found your purse, and we both know you had no money with you,’ he said helpfully.
‘But it is not right that you should buy my clothes,’ she murmured, her cheeks hot.
‘No, of course not, and knowing that that is just how Mistress Carew would look at the matter, I decided it would be best to tell her it was your own money and save any embarrassment.’
‘Yes, of course. I would not for the world upset our hostess, but that does not mean I can allow you to keep me. You can sell some of my jewellery.’
The gentleman looked amused.
‘‘Of course I could, an I needed to. Calm yourself, Elinor. Why will you not let me help you?’
‘I – I do not wish to be in your debt.’
‘Then you may look upon my assistance in this matter as a loan. When it is safe for you to return to your proper station, I shall of course expect to be repaid.’
‘And you shall be, sir. Every penny!’
He stopped. ‘My dear, there is no need to be so vehement. Lovely as you look with that angry flush upon your cheek and the sparkle in your eye, I would prefer to have you smile upon me.’