CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

When Anna arrived at the Reynold’s farm, there was such a pandemonium of shouting and wailing coming from within the kitchen that no one heard her knock .

‘Where’s Johnny gone this time?’ someone demanded over the din. ‘Joan, pick up the baby and stop him screaming will you? Harry! Where’s John?’

‘Dunno. Gone off with his pup, I ’spect.’

‘Well, find him. He’s not ill now and he’s supposed to be helping . I can’t do everything! ’

Two young voices, presumably those of Joan and Harry began talking at once and the baby’s screams grew louder.

Oh dear , thought Anna. Then, not without a certain amount of dread, opened the door and let herself in to a shambles of dirty dishes, unwashed pots and baskets of laundry.

‘Enough!’ she said crisply and with sufficient volume to be heard over the din. Then, when everyone but the baby fell silent to stare at her, ‘Thank you. Joan, do as your sister said and quiet your little brother. Now … how is your mother? And who else is sick?’

Swallowing hard and managing something resembling a curtsy, twelve-year-old Tess whispered, ‘Mam’s still poorly, milady. And Robbie’s worse. Can’t stop coughing, neither of them.’

‘Yes. I can hear them.’ She could and the coughs sounded severe. ‘How long has it been?’

‘More’n a week now.’

‘Has the doctor seen them?’

‘No, milady.

‘And your father?’

‘He didn’t have it as bad, ma’am. He’s back out digging the turnips now.’

Taking a florin from her purse, Anna beckoned the younger boy and, handing it to him, said, ‘Give that to your father and tell him I said to fetch the doctor. If you see John, tell him to come home.’ And when the boy sped off, ‘Now, Tess … I suppose you’ve been trying to look after your mother and brother and keep everyone fed and I’m sure you’ve done splendidly. But it’s far too much for one person – so while we wait for the doctor, I’ll help you clear all this up and then – ’

‘ You , milady?’ gasped Tess. ‘No. That wouldn’t be right.’

Anna laughed. ‘Why not? I can wash dishes as well as anyone if you’ll just find me an apron. But first, make your mother and brother a warm honey drink. Do you know how to do that?’ And when the girl nodded again, ‘Good. Do it and then put more water to warm.’

By the time Mr Reynolds arrived with the doctor, the kitchen was looking a little less like a battle zone. Aghast at the sight of the viscountess hanging her apron on a hook and rolling down her sleeves, Jack Reynolds said helplessly, ‘My lady … I’m so sorry. Girls – what were you thinking? Her ladyship shouldn’t be – ’

‘Don’t blame the girls, Mr Reynolds,’ said Anna firmly. ‘When something I can do needs to be done, I rarely wait for permission.’ And offering her hand to the doctor, ‘How do you do, sir? I’m sorry to call on your services before we’ve even been introduced.’

‘Not at all, Lady Reculver. Doctor Weatherall, at your service. And if Mrs Reynolds has the nasty infection I’ve seen elsewhere, you did right to send for me because it doesn’t clear up on its own.’ Then, to Tess, ‘Now, child … take me to the patients.’

Left facing Mr Reynolds, Anna said crisply, ‘Looking after the rest of you is too much for Tess to manage on her own. If you’ve no neighbours who can help, I’ll send someone from the Court for a couple of hours each day.’

‘That’s kind of you, my lady, but I reckon Meg Grant from the next farm over will help us out for a bit.’

‘Good.’ And to Harry, ‘No John?’

He shook his head. ‘Didn’t see him nowhere, Miss – I mean, milady.’

‘Well, if I see him on the way back I’ll tell him to go home directly.’

‘No need to worry about John,’ said Reynolds dryly. ‘He clears off with his dog every chance he gets but turns up safe in time for dinner.’ He hesitated, then added, ‘Thank you for your kindness, my lady. It’s much appreciated.’

‘I’m happy to help,’ she replied, ‘and will send a basket of whatever Cook thinks may tempt the invalids. But now I must go or there will be search parties out looking for me. I promised the dowager viscountess I’d be back by luncheon and it’s long past that.’

***

Despite what she’d told Mr Reynolds, Anna took the long way home – less to look for young John than because, after three consecutive days of rain, today was a fine one and, even in a lowly gig, she enjoyed driving. The road took her past the field at Old Fallow, the bottom of which, prior to the recent rain, the team of men engaged by Daniel had been attempting to drain. They weren’t there today – though why they weren’t, Anna couldn’t imagine. She pulled the gig to a stop, wondering if Daniel knew. And it was then that she thought she heard a voice in the distance and, a moment or two later, a feeble bark.

She immediately thought of John Reynolds and his dog but could see no sign of either. Then another, more distinct, cry reached her. ‘Help!’ it said.

Anna twisted the reins about the bar and jumped down from the gig. She couldn’t see anyone and assumed the cry must have come from behind the straggling bit of hedge near the drainage site. Distantly wishing she was wearing different shoes, she set off towards the lower end of the field.

She saw the dog first. It was frantically floundering in the mud and making its situation worse by the minute. Then, a few feet away from it, she saw the boy, lying flat out on the mud and virtually indistinguishable from it.

‘Miss,’ he called weakly. ‘Please, Miss. Help me reach him.’

Several thoughts made their way rapidly through Anna’s mind. The first was, How? And the second, Shoes are going to be the least of my worries .

‘Don’t move, John,’ she called, picking her way gingerly over the increasingly sodden ground. ‘And try to calm your dog. Thrashing about like that isn’t helping.’

‘I know. B-but B-Bertie’s scared.’

And so are you , thought Anna. Getting as close to the boy as she could without joining him in the quagmire, she assessed the problem and didn’t see any obvious solution without a rope or something that would serve as one. Without much hope, she said, ‘I don’t suppose Bertie’s wearing a collar, is he?’

‘Sort of. I tied one of Mam’s k-kerchiefs round his neck with my best knot.’

‘Well, let’s see how good it was. But you’ll have to get a bit nearer. Can you?’

‘A bit, mebbe. I lay down ’cos I thought I could reach him better and ’cos I dunno how deep the mud is.’

‘Not very,’ said Anna with more confidence than she felt. ‘It’s a field, John. There’s a slope but no big holes. So … this is what we’re going to do. Somehow, you have to get hold of Bertie and not let go. If you can do that, I’ll grab your ankles and do my best to pull you both out.’

‘It won’t work,’ moaned John, miserably. ‘Not without rope.’

‘Well, the only alternative is leaving you and Bertie while I go for help. And – ’

‘ No! No, Miss.Don’t leave us! Please! ’

‘Then grab Bertie and hang on – or I’ll have to try hauling you out without him.’

He’s right, she thought, dragging up her skirts. This isn’t going to work. The best I can hope for is not to end up as stuck as the blasted dog is .

***

Arriving home far too late for luncheon and having asked Flynn to send a tray to the library, Daniel found his mother in a state of agitation. Catching him in the hall while he was still removing his gloves, she said, ‘Anna should have been back two hours ago. Something must have happened to her.’

‘Not necessarily, Mama. She was going to Reynolds’ farm and the school. Something at one or the other must have delayed her – most probably the former since there’s sickness in the house. She’ll have stayed to help.’

‘Perhaps. But I have A Feeling.’

He groaned inwardly. It had been some time since his mother had had one of her intuitions but he was more familiar with them than he wanted to be. He said reasonably, ‘What could possibly have happened to her in the village or on our own land? And if something had , we’d have heard about it by now.’

‘Perhaps. Perhaps not,’ came the stubborn reply. ‘I think you should look for her.’

‘Very well. If she isn’t back by the time I’ve had a bite to eat – ’

‘ Food is more important than your wife?’

‘Not normally, no. But right now I’m hungry so – ’

‘Take a piece of pie with you,’ suggested Rebecca, grinning down on him from the turn of the stair. ‘You may as well. You’ll have no peace until you go.’

‘Oh for God’s sake!’ he muttered under his breath. And then, calling, ‘Flynn! Send somebody to stop Barker unsaddling Cicero.’

‘And your luncheon, my lord?’

‘Will have to wait – since I draw the line at eating on horseback.’ And snatching up his hat and gloves, he strode out.

He went to the school first because it was nearest and he supposed there was some chance that he might find Anna there. But the schoolmistress assured him that Lady Reculver had taken her to see the empty cottage, brought her back home and left for the Reynolds’ farm at a little after eleven o’clock. Then she went into raptures over her new home and thanked his lordship a great deal more than he either wanted or had time for.

At Reynolds’ farm, Tess said, ‘She was here a while, milord – helping me wash the pots and clean the kitchen up. And she stayed until the doctor came to see Mam and Robbie. But she set off home a good bit ago now, milord – said she was already late. More than an hour, it must have been.’

Although he smiled and thanked her, Daniel was beginning to have A Feeling of his own. He had taken the direct route to the farm from the village and hadn’t seen any sign of Anna along the way – as, had there had been some mishap to either horse or gig, he would have done. This left only one other possibility; that for reasons of her own, she’d taken the other route by the field at Old Fallow … although, even allowing for a little extra distance, she still ought to be home by now. Daniel turned Cicero’s head and nudged him into a canter.

***

Anna, meanwhile, was up to her elbows and nearly up to her knees in mud. On his umpteenth attempt, John had finally managed to get a grip on Bertie’s ‘collar’ whereupon, with extreme reluctance, Anna had taken the four steps necessary to take hold of the boy’s ankles. The mud was cold, sticky and disgusting. Heavy with it, her skirts made it difficult to move. As for her shoes, one of them had already come off – which, she told herself, was no loss since nothing she was wearing was going to be worth saving. And she was still no closer to dragging John and Bertie free of the mire. She’d probably been trying to shift him for less than ten minutes but it felt like an hour.

‘We ain’t moving, are we, Miss?’ panted John miserably.

Anna ground her teeth. ‘No. I’m still … trying.’

For reasons best known to himself, Bertie recommenced barking. John told him to ‘stow it’ but Anna, still pulling for all she was worth, panted, ‘No. Let him. Somebody might hear … and come.’

Already reining in at the top of the field beside the gig, Daniel stared down at the peculiar sight of what might have been a boy, what he knew was a dog because it was barking … and a female he thought was his wife, all of whom were apparently wallowing in mud. Dropping swiftly from the saddle and looping Cicero’s reins about the gatepost, he raced to the edge of the safe ground and, taking in the situation at a glance, snapped, ‘Do not move – either of you!’

Weak with relief, Anna let go of John’s ankles and cautiously straightened her back.

‘Thank God,’ she breathed.

Tearing off his coat and tossing it aside, Daniel briefly considered also removing his boots. Then, realising he’d have a better chance of staying upright with them than without, he sighed and stepped into the ooze. Two steps took him close enough to clamp an arm about Anna’s waist and he muttered, ‘Don’t struggle or you’ll have us both on our backsides.’ Then he set about yanking her free.

His first attempt scarcely shifted her so he braced himself to try again. Then, with a single, huge heave, he dragged her free and swivelled to deposit her unceremoniously on the firm ground behind him.

Partly from relief and partly thanks to the weight of the mud clinging to her skirts, Anna’s knees gave way and she crumpled into a heap to watch anxiously as her husband fought his way further into the sludge in order to get a better grip on John. She saw him register the fact that the mud was a mere two or three inches away from the top of his boots and heard him say, ‘Hold on to the dog … because I’m not doing this again.’

Wisely, John kept his mouth shut.

Bit by bit, Daniel began inching backwards, towing the boy with him. When he felt the ground growing firmer, he speeded up until he could drag John, arms full of Bertie, to safety. As Anna had done, John folded into a heap on the ground; Daniel walked past both of them to inspect the damage to his boots; and, finding himself free, Bertie planted all four paws firmly on the ground and prepared to—

‘ Stop him! ’ shouted Daniel. But too late.

Bertie launched into a violent and prolonged doggy shake. Mud flew in all directions. It landed in clods and splashes all over Anna and Daniel, including their faces and hair. It even reached Daniel’s previously clean coat, lying on the grass some yards away.

Daniel looked at it for a moment. Then, still in silence, he contemplated his wife’s mud-spotted face … and raised one eyebrow.

‘Oh dear,’ murmured Anna, for want of something better.

‘ Oh dear? ’ he echoed. ‘Is that all you have to say?’

She thought about it. Then, tentatively, ‘Thank you?’

Something happened then; something that surprised Daniel as much as it did Anna. He suddenly saw the funny side. His mouth twitched and then, without warning, he dissolved into helpless laughter.

It was the last thing Anna expected. More than that, it was a revelation. She had never seen him, or indeed anyone, laugh like this … the sound rich and full of genuine amusement at something that few people would have found funny because it actually wasn’t. But Daniel laughed until he cried and then, still hiccupping a little, he said, ‘If I look even half as bad as you do, I hope we don’t meet anyone we know on the way home.’

Anna eyed him uncertainly. ‘You aren’t annoyed?’

‘What use would that be?’ he managed unsteadily.

‘None. But that wouldn’t stop most gentlemen.’ She hesitated, making a vague gesture to the state of her clothes. ‘Aren’t you even going to ask how …?’

‘No. That’s clear enough. You found John and his misbegotten hound and couldn’t resist helping .’ Having, without much success, tried wiping his hands on the grass, he stood up and reached for his coat. Then, somehow managing to banish any hint of laughter from both face and voice, he turned to John, saying, ‘But you can explain to me why you aren’t at school. Well?’

‘I’ve been ill, haven’t I?’ the boy mumbled. And, seeing the look in his lordship’s eye, added quickly, ‘Pa said I could stay off to help Tess, my lord.’

‘And yet here you are.’

John picked at the mud beginning to dry on his face and remained silent.

‘Very wise.’ Offering his hand to Anna, Daniel pulled her up beside him but, continuing to address John, said, ‘You got here on your own, so presumably you can get back the same way. However, I strongly suggest that both you and your dog take a dip in the stream by the corn mill – because if you go home like that you’ll be in even more trouble than you already are.’

‘Yes, m’lord.’ Poised for flight, he halted when his lordship spoke again.

‘Is there nothing you’d like to say to her ladyship?’ asked Daniel gently.

‘Oh. Yes. Thank you, milady. For coming to help and not going away and leaving me. And – and I’m sorry about your clothes and – and everything.’

‘That’s quite all right, John,’ Anna replied gravely. ‘Just go home and make up for playing truant all day, leaving Tess to manage.’

He nodded earnestly and ran off, Bertie bounding at his heels.

Daniel watched Anna scowling down at her skirts and doing her best to hold them away from her legs. Repressing another impulse to laugh, he set off towards the lane, saying, ‘Best to avoid the village, perhaps?’

‘I would think so,’ she agreed, trudging along beside him. ‘Likewise, the front door if you don’t want the novel experience of having it shut in your face.’

‘It wouldn’t be that novel. I’ve had doors slammed in my face before – though admittedly not by my own butler.’

‘There’s a first time for everything.’

‘Trite but true.’ Daniel slanted a grin at her, then stopped. ‘Why are you limping?’

‘I’m not limping. I lost one of my shoes back there and – ’

‘Then why didn’t you say so?’ Without warning, he scooped her up and, ignoring her startled squawk, said provocatively, ‘You’re heavier than I expected.’

Made breathless by a mixture of shock and delight, Anna said, ‘Of course I am. I’m wearing half a ton of mud.’ And felt renewed laughter coursing through his chest. ‘You’re taking this remarkably well.’

‘There’s another way?’ Depositing her into the gig, Daniel untethered his horse and climbed into the saddle. ‘So … while we slink home, why don’t you tell me about the rest of your day? Unless cleaning kitchens and rescuing dogs is the entirety of it?’

‘Not quite. I showed Mrs Jenson the cottage and she fell in love with it. And – ’

‘I know. I saw her earlier whilst retracing your steps.’ And when she looked questioningly at him, ‘Mama had one of her Feelings and was convinced you’d come to a sticky end.’ He grinned. ‘Which you had – though I doubt she could have predicted this .’

Anna swallowed. His mother had been worried about her. More remarkable still, he’d come looking for her in case she was in trouble. It made everything about the last hour suddenly worthwhile. Keeping her tone carefully light, she said, ‘ No one could have predicted this. However … tell me about your morning. What did Mr Longhope say?’

‘The same thing we knew already. We can’t bring a charge of extortion against Grimshaw without proof. Basically, we need a witness.’

Anna drove on in silence for a minute or two, then said, ‘I had an idea about that.’

This won her a sharp glance. ‘Go on.’

‘Grimshaw doesn’t know me, does he?’

‘He knows of you – that is to say he knows you are a wealthy woman in your own right. He congratulated me on marrying you; said I’d done well for myself – to which I might have taken offence, had it not been true. And I’m not just talking about money, Anna. I did do well. A lot better than I realised.’

Not unnaturally, this rendered her temporarily speechless. Her colour rose and she finally managed to say, ‘That is very … gallant of you.’

‘No, it’s the truth. But we’re getting side-tracked. You said you had an idea?’

‘Yes. Grimshaw doesn’t know what sort of person I am. He doesn’t know I’m not the sort of female to be frightened at being caught up in a scandal; or to go behind my husband’s back in order to make the possibility of it go away.’

Daniel’s expression hardened in an instant.

‘No. He doesn’t know those things. But you aren’t going anywhere near him. So whatever you’re thinking – don’t.’

‘Please just hear me out. If I wrote to him hinting that a meeting between us might be mutually beneficial –’

‘No.’

‘And went to see him, accompanied by one of Mr Longhope’s clerks playing the part of a footman … I haven’t thought that part through properly yet but I’m sure you get the idea … and I act the part of a silly, tearful wife, perhaps I can lure Grimshaw into saying things that will incriminate him.’

‘No.’

‘No, it wouldn’t work?’

‘No, you’re not doing it.’ He lifted a hand as if to push his hair back and then, seeing the mud still clinging to his fingers, thought better of it. ‘I know you want to help but – ’

‘Yes,’ she cut in. ‘I do. And the way I see it, I’m the only one who can.’

‘You do more than enough already.’

‘And you don’t?’

‘Don’t what?’ he asked, sounding baffled.

‘Help. Take what happened this afternoon, for example. You saw what was needed and you didn’t hesitate.’ She paused briefly. ‘How is what happened today different to you pulling Mr Selwyn out of the Serpentine?’

The shadows in his eyes cleared and he gave a short, genuinely amused laugh.

‘The Serpentine was cleaner. But in other respects? Not very much, I suppose.’

~**~**~