CHAPTER THIRTY

Turning slightly, he said softly, ‘Are you still awake?’

‘Barely.’

‘Hold on for a little longer. I need to tell you something important.’

Another yawn but she opened sleepy eyes. ‘Now?’

‘Yes, now.’ And then, swiftly and simply before his nerve failed, ‘I love you. I love you so much I can’t imagine what I’d do or be without you. And I don’t ever want to find out.’

Suddenly wide awake, Anna sat up. The only candle still burning was the one on his side of the bed so his face was in shadow, making his expression impossible to read. She said wonderingly, ‘Are … are you sure?’

‘Completely sure. I don’t know why it took arriving to learn that you were inside a burning building with no guarantee you’d come out alive to make me realise it. But it did and … well, I wanted you to know.’ Though she couldn’t see his face, he could see hers clearly enough, along with the tears gathering on her lashes. He said uncertainly, ‘That’s all right, isn’t it?’

Anna nodded and, unable to trust her voice, reached out to touch his cheek instead.

He trapped her hand beneath his. ‘Then why are you crying?’

‘I’m n-not.’

‘You are.’ Daniel sat up, eyeing her anxiously. ‘Dense I may be, but I know tears are never a good sign.’

‘These are,’ she whispered. ‘These are happy tears.’

‘ Happy tears?’ he echoed. And was about to ask how he was supposed to know the difference, when the look in her eyes stopped him. There was a difference, he realised. Behind the tears, she looked both shy and incandescent. Relief washed through him.

‘Oh. For a moment, I thought … but, good.’

She managed something that might have been a shaky laugh. ‘I’m sorry. I – I can’t quite take it in.’

‘Why? It’s not so hard to believe, is it?’

‘For me, it is. I’m not beautiful or charming or – ’

‘Your opinion, not mine. You’re beautiful to me … and a score of other things, none of which I’d properly appreciated until I thought I could lose them. I love you, Anna … have done for weeks and I’m an ass for not realising it sooner.’ He stopped, then added awkwardly, ‘I just wanted you to know. You needn’t … you don’t have to say anything in return.’

Anna gave a tiny, unsteady chuckle.

‘Yes, I do.’ Seeing him about to interrupt, she laid a finger against his lips. ‘I was more than half in love with you from the first time I saw you, years before we met. At nineteen, I was weaving girlish fantasies about you. But then I did meet you and I fell in love with the real man rather than the imaginary one. You. It’s always been you.’ She hesitated, then added, ‘I never expected you to love me back, though I hoped that one day you might – just a little bit. I knew I couldn’t be the wife you wanted but I could perhaps be the one you needed.’

Daniel wrapped his arms about her and drew her down with him.

‘You’re both. And more. And always will be.’

‘It may take me a little while to get used to that.’

‘Me, too. God. When I think back … I was completely against marrying for money.’

‘I know. It’s why I called my proposal a business arrangement. It was never that for me … but I didn’t think you would accept anything else.’

‘I probably wouldn’t have,’ he admitted. ‘But for Grimshaw’s demand …’ He stopped, pulling her down into his arms. ‘No. I won’t give him the credit. I’d rather think that we were meant for each other, you and I. Fated, even.’

‘Set in the stars?’ Nestling closer, Anna said, ‘I like that idea.’

‘So do I. If we weren’t both so damned tired, I’d show you just how much I like it. But there’s always tomorrow.’

‘Yes. So there is. Tomorrow … when we’re home again.’

And though both of them were aware of it, neither mentioned that tomorrow would bring Harvill. They merely fell asleep holding each other.

***

Morning came too soon.

Leaving Anna to sleep a little longer, Daniel rose, dressed and went downstairs. There, he obtained yesterday’s left-over sponge cakes and went into the gardens to feed the peacocks. He did it partly because having peacocks eat from his hand was a novel experience … and partly because he needed some measure of peace to settle on his mind before he looked at the man who could very well have got Anna killed.

He was still there, surrounded by fowl who hadn’t yet accepted he had no more food to offer them and were being extremely vocal about it, when Anna found him. She said, ‘Greedy, aren’t they? And noisy. Mama doesn’t like them.’

‘What does she like?’ he asked moodily. Then, dusting crumbs from his hands and rising, he took her in his arms for a kiss, then said, ‘Good morning. You look better.’

She searched his eyes. ‘You don’t.’

‘I will when we’re on our way home.’ He drew her hand through his arm and turned back towards the house. ‘So … today’s schedule. Breakfast, bloody Harvill and then brief stops to speak to both Lowe and Landry?’

‘Yes. And they will be brief. Nathaniel doesn’t need me to tell him what needs to be done. But a number of our workers came to help yesterday and I’d like to give them a bonus by way of thanks. As for Mr Landry, we’ll need him to handle the case against Harvill. After today, I don’t want to hear of that man ever again.’

Daniel nodded. He didn’t say that he would be doing his best to make damned sure they never heard of him again. But first, he wanted to know the truth behind Harvill’s seeming fixation with Hawthorne’s because, try as he might, he couldn’t see even a grain of sense in it.

***

Daniel having made it known that he and the viscountess would want to conduct their own interview, Harvill had been detained overnight in one of a handful of cells beneath the court house rather than in the city gaol. Mr Owens ushered them into an office where a clerk sat unobtrusively in a corner, and offered tea.

‘Thank you, but no,’ said Anna, calmly removing her gloves. ‘As you’ll appreciate, yesterday was extremely trying and my husband and I are anxious to get home, so we’d like to keep this as brief as possible.’

‘Of course,’ agreed Mr Owens. ‘Of course. Most understandable and, in a moment, my clerk will have him brought up. But first, two things. He’s been ranting like a madman all night so we’ll leave the manacles on and I will put a constable outside the door in case he turns violent.’

‘If he turns violent,’ remarked Daniel in a tone of dark anticipation, ‘we won’t need the constable. However … the second thing?’

‘Although I shall take no part in it, I’ll remain throughout your interview.’

‘Why?’

‘Facts pertinent to the incident and therefore relevant to the charges may emerge.’

‘You mean,’ said Anna, ‘that he may say things to us that he won’t admit to you.’

‘Precisely, my lady. If that will be acceptable to you, my lord?’

‘As long as you don’t interfere, yes. So let’s get it over with, shall we?’

Still in yesterday’s filthy clothes, his hair mostly untied and his face and hands in need of further scrubbing, Harvill leaned against the wall and glared insolently at them.

Anna looked coolly back at him under raised brows.

Idly crossing one leg over the other, Daniel finally said, ‘Well? Nothing to say? Or perhaps you’ve lost your voice from spending the night shouting?’

Still Harvill didn’t speak. Eventually, Anna said, ‘I knew this would be a waste of time. Even if he opens his mouth, it won’t be the truth. He has neither reasons nor excuses. And even if he did , what use would they be? He was caught, red-handed, setting fire to my manufactory – and that in the wake of arranging the sabotage of one of the kilns. I don’t much care what drove him to do it. I just want him to pay for what he did.’ She turned to Daniel. ‘Remind me. What is the penalty for arson?’

‘Hanging,’ he replied laconically. And seeing Harvill flinch, decided to let the word linger on the air for a little while before adding, ‘Or perhaps – since transportation to the American colonies is no longer an option – life imprisonment with hard labour.’ He smiled coldly and shrugged. ‘Still nothing to say, Mr Harvill?’

Apparently he hadn’t.

‘You told me you didn’t want Hawthorne’s, just the land it stands on,’ remarked Anna. ‘Why? And why now? The obvious assumption is that you think something is buried there. But if that’s so, it’s been there for at least four decades.’

For the first time, Harvill unlocked his jaws. ‘Longer.’

‘Over a century?’ asked Daniel lazily. And when, once again, Harvill showed no sign of answering, ‘Well, since you didn’t manage to burn the manufactory down, it isn’t going to be dug up any time soon. Not in your lifetime, anyway … which, thanks to your actions yesterday, may be considerably shorter than it might otherwise have been.’

‘I offered to buy it!’ shouted Harvill suddenly, making Anna jump. ‘More than once, at a fair price, I offered to buy – ’

‘Buy it with what? According to my information, you don’t have the money.’

Ignoring this, Harvill continued ranting, his words coming out faster and faster.

‘She should have sold it to me but she wouldn’t. And what’s underneath is mine. Mine! My family owned that land and I want what they left there. I’m entitled to it.’

‘Not any more,’ said Anna calmly. ‘Your family don’t own it now. I do. The land, the buildings on it … and anything buried below. However, I very much doubt that there is anything or ever was because – ’

‘There was. I know there was – and I can prove it!’

‘Because when the manufactory was being built,’ she went on calmly, ‘and particularly in the area where the kilns were to be sited, excavations for the foundations would have been quite deep. If anything had been found there, I would know.’

‘No,’ He shook his head, a sly look entered his eyes and he whispered, ‘But I could find it. And it’s a fortune worth finding.’

Ah , thought Daniel. Thinks he can make a deal , does he? Imbecile.

He said, ‘Go on. And make it quick. We haven’t got all day.’

‘There’ll be plans,’ offered Harvill. ‘Plans of the manufactory before it was built. And I’ve got drawings of my family’s house and gardens that were there before. With both of those, I can work out exactly where my ancestors buried their valuables when they left the city.’

‘In that case,’ said Daniel, sounding bored, ‘why didn’t you say so instead of setting fire to the manufactory?’

‘Because you wouldn’t have listened!’ Harvill was yelling again. ‘Like you’re not listening now! ’

‘To a story that makes no sense?’ remarked Anna. ‘For example, why did your family leave the city? And why couldn’t they take their valuables with them?’

‘It’s obvious, isn’t it? With soldiers everywhere, it wouldn’t have been safe.’

‘Soldiers?’ she asked impatiently. And to Daniel when Harvill said nothing, ‘Do you know what he’s talking about?’

‘I assume he means the Civil Wars of the sixteen-forties,’ shrugged Daniel with a hint of derisive amusement. ‘We’ll have pirates and evil fairies soon.’

‘Not the first two Civil Wars,’ murmured Mr Owens helpfully, ‘but the third one. Forgive me, my lord. The history of Worcester is a passion of mine … and in 1651, Charles the Second’s attempt to reclaim his throne ended here in a great battle against the forces of the Parliament. Enormous damage was done to the city – both during the fighting and in the confusion afterwards. Many houses had to be demolished and others stood empty for weeks or even months awaiting repair.’

‘Thank you,’ said Daniel. ‘That is helpful. But now we have the context, perhaps Harvill might like to fill in the rest?’

Harvill fidgeted and moistened his lips. He said, ‘After the battle, a lot of people left the city until things settled down again. My family didn’t. They stayed and they … adapted.’

‘Adapted?’ queried Daniel gently.

‘To the circumstances. And the opportunities. But after a while, there were new difficulties so they decided to leave for a few months, taking only what could be carried easily. It’s taken years to find my great-grandfather’s diaries – years! ’ His voice started to rise again. ‘ But the record of how the family prospered and the treasures they had to leave behind is all there. A fortune in gold and silver plate and jewels! And it’s my inheritance. Mine! ’

There was a long silence. Finally Daniel said, ‘What does that sound like to you, Mr Owens?’

‘The same thing it sounds like to you, my lord. His ancestors were looters.’

‘That’s a lie!’ shouted Harvill. ‘They were nothing of the sort!’

‘Looters,’ said Daniel flatly. ‘And this so-called buried treasure consists of goods stolen during the inevitable confusion after the battle. Looted from damaged houses and shops – perhaps even churches.’

‘Definitely churches,’ interposed Mr Owens. ‘Even, I’m afraid, the cathedral. A relic pertaining to Saint Wulfstan disappeared at that time and has never been seen since.’

Briefly hoping that Owens wasn’t going to ask if he could dig up Hawthorne’s, Daniel turned again to Harvill. ‘There was probably still an army presence in and around the city. Your ancestors couldn’t risk being caught with their ill-gotten and possibly easily-identifiable gains, so they left them behind when the city got too hot to hold them. They planned to sneak back and collect them later – only for some reason it didn’t work out that way. If any part of your story is true, it’s that. Isn’t it?’

‘No. It wasn’t like that! They only took – ’

‘It was exactly like that,’ said Daniel, coming to his feet. ‘But why you suppose we’d be interested in recovering stolen property, I can’t imagine.’

‘Drop the charge of arson, give me the chance to retrieve it,’ blurted Harvill, ‘and I’ll give you half.’

Daniel gave a harsh laugh. ‘You think you can bribe me? You can’t. You were prepared to burn Hawthorne’s down for something that was supposedly put in the ground over a century ago and that may or may not still be there. I don’t know if you’re stupid, desperate or merely insane – though I suspect it’s the latter. But because of you, my wife might have died yesterday and –’

‘And if she had? You’d still have had her money, so why would —?’

Before he could finish the sentence, Daniel had spun him round and rammed him, face first, into the wall. Then holding him there and in a silky soft tone that Anna thought truly chilling, he said, ‘Have you any idea how much, how very much, I want to hurt you, Harvill? I mean really hurt you? One more word in that vein and I’ll do it. For your information, my wife is worth more to me than all the treasures of the earth. If any harm had come to her …’ He stopped, trying to summon some control. ‘Let me put your position very simply. You will never be given permission to excavate anywhere at all at the manufactory. You will, however, face a charge of arson and the penalty for it dictated by the law.’ Ignoring the fact that Harvill was struggling to breathe and Mr Owens was half-way to the door, presumably to summon the constable, he paused and pressed harder, saying conversationally over his shoulder, ‘You know, Anna …it seems there’s been bad blood in the Harvill line for generations – right down to the current sorry specimen. But I think I’ve heard enough. Have you?’

‘Yes.’ She laid a hand on his shoulder and said softly, ‘Let it go, Daniel. He isn’t worth it. Leave him to the courts. And we have other calls to make before we can go home.’

***

Ruth and Blake awaited them in the hall.

Drawing Ruth to one side, Anna took off her cloak and wrapped it around the maid’s shoulders, saying ‘Would you mind riding outside with Blake? I wouldn’t ask, except – ’

‘It’s all right, my lady. I understand you and his lordship have things to talk about.’ Ruth slid a sideways glance at the groom and whispered, ‘As it happens, so do Joe and me.’

Anna blinked. ‘Oh. You mean …?’

‘Yes. Only Joe thinks you and his lordship wouldn’t like it.’

‘I haven’t any objection. And I can’t imagine why his lordship would either. But I’ll mention it to him, if you wish.’

‘Oh, thank you, my lady! That’d be kind.’

When they were on their way to Hawthorne’s and she was sitting snugly in the curve of Daniel’s arm, Anna said, ‘It seems that Ruth and Blake have an … understanding.’

‘They do?’

‘Yes. You wouldn’t mind, would you?’

‘Why on earth would I?’

‘That’s what I thought.’ She leaned her head on his shoulder. ‘Better now?’

‘Somewhat.’ He sighed. ‘If it’s any excuse, I don’t think I’ve quite got over yesterday yet. But I’m sorry you saw the evidence of it.’

‘Don’t be. You were … formidable.’

He shook his head. ‘I lost my temper. I shouldn’t have. But what he said about the money twisted a nerve. It was true in the beginning, I admit that. But it isn’t true now and hasn’t been for a long time. You believe that, don’t you?’

‘Yes, Daniel. I believe that.’

‘Thank you.’ And after a long pause, ‘As for Harvill, he and his deranged obsessions won’t trouble us again.’

‘No,’ agreed Anna. And thought, Not if he has half a brain and hopes to escape the noose.

***

Mr Lowe greeted them with a grim smile and tidings that the cleaning-up operation was already in full swing. ‘Work is at a standstill while everyone lends a hand with that. I’ve begun ordering necessary replacements and the glaziers will be here tomorrow to see to the windows. I take it you want everywhere freshly painted?’

‘Yes. And all traces of yesterday obliterated,’ said Anna firmly. Then, ‘I was unpacking the scent bottles when it started. Were any of them damaged in the stampede to put the fires out?’

‘Not one. You can go and see for yourself if you wish.’

‘I’ll take your word for it.’ She rose from her seat. ‘I knew you’d have everything well in hand, Nathaniel. I needn’t have come really except I thought it wouldn’t hurt to let the workers see me here and in one piece. Did you reward those who helped yesterday?’

He nodded. ‘Five shillings apiece, as you suggested. Most of them said they’d have done it for nothing.’

‘I know,’ said Anna simply. ‘And that is the point, isn’t it?’

***

At Mr Landry’s office in Angel Street, the lawyer listened in horrified silence and then said, ‘Where is Harvill now?’

‘Magistrate Owens will have transferred him to the gaol by now. We’ve told him that you will be acting on our behalf and will keep us informed of progress,’ replied Daniel. ‘I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that there’s no question of leniency. Harvill might have burned Hawthorne’s to the ground and people could have died.’

‘Quite so, my lord. Rest assured that I shall make that very clear.’

‘Thank you.’

‘And pay off Mr Aldridge,’ said Anna. ‘We have no further need for his services – but you can tell him that the information he found regarding Harvill’s family turned out to be at the heart of the whole business.’ She stood up. ‘I think that’s everything. Liaise with Mr Lowe regarding necessary expenses for the repairs at Hawthorne’s and see that he has what he requires. As always, I have complete confidence in him.’

***

They talked very little on the journey home, both of them emotionally drained by the events of the last twenty-four hours. But Anna asked whether Daniel’s visit to Lord Atherton had yielded the results he’d hoped for and he told her about the greys for the curricle and the mares for herself and Rebecca.

‘A bay for Becky and a chestnut named Juno for you. No carriage horses, so I’ll find those elsewhere once we have the carriage,’ he told her. And added wryly, ‘Also, despite all my good intentions, I let his lordship tempt me into buying one of his prize stallions. But that was less an indulgence than an investment.’

‘An investment?’ yawned Anna.

‘Yes. I’ll tell you all about it later.’ He settled her more comfortably across his lap. ‘Meanwhile, go to sleep. I’ll wake you when we’re nearly home.’

In fact, although he hadn’t expected to, Daniel dozed part of the way himself and awoke feeling even more rumpled and disreputable than he had before.

They pulled up outside the house at a little after four and Daniel was still giving Blake instructions about Cicero who had made the journey tied to the back of the carriage when the dowager appeared on the steps to say irritably, ‘Where have you been until now? Riding off with scarcely a word like that! We expected you back yesterday. And Daniel … what on earth have you been doing? You look an utter disgrace.’

‘Thank you. I scarcely need reminding that I’ve been wearing these clothes since I left Atherton’s estate yesterday morning.’ He walked past her, taking Anna with him. ‘Flynn; tea for her ladyship, brandy for me and baths for both of us, if you please.’ And to his mother, ‘Excuse us, Mama. There was a situation at Hawthorne’s that required our presence and we’ll tell you all about it over dinner. But right now, we’re exhausted.’

‘That’s all very well,’ she argued, following hard on his heels. ‘But what with horses arriving but no arrangements made for them and messages from Sir Phil – ’

‘Later,’ said Daniel, sweeping Anna onward only to be briefly checked by Scamp hurtling at him like a bullet. Scooping the dog up and tucking him under one arm, he muttered, ‘Keep walking, Anna. He who hesitates is lost.’

She managed a weak laugh but said, ‘Messages from Sir Philip must be about – ’

‘I know. But they’ll still be there in an hour.’ Reaching their rooms and closing the door firmly behind him, he set Scamp down, dragged off his coat and dropped it on the nearest chair. ‘Let us just have a brief respite before facing the next hurdle – whatever that may be – not to mention the inevitable barrage of questions Mama has in store.’

***

Bathed, freshly shaved and wearing clean clothes, Daniel felt a new man and, knowing that Anna would be some time yet, couldn’t resist a trip to the stables. Rather than leave Scamp alone to wreak havoc, he found the leash in order to take him with him. That this wasn’t going to work became immediately evident. Scamp, deciding the leash was a new game, grabbed it between his jaws and tugged in the opposite direction to the one Daniel was taking. Deciding to leave this part of the pup’s education to someone else, Daniel gave up and carried him.

He was just handing the dog over to a footman rather than risk a lot of excited barking around the horses when Rebecca arrived at his side. He said, ‘I’m off to the stables – if you’d like to join me?’

‘Yes, please! I’ve seen the new horses. They’re all beauties.’

It wasn’t true to say that Daniel had made no arrangements for the new arrivals. Gregson had known he’d gone to Atherton’s looking to buy and would doubtless have prepared the empty stalls for new occupants. However, what he wouldn’t have been expecting was Orion … and Daniel looked forward to seeing his face.

Gregson didn’t disappoint him. He said reverently, ‘The black, my lord – he’s something out of the ordinary, isn’t he?’

‘He certainly is.’ Daniel produced an apple from his pocket, asked for a knife and sliced it in half. Handing one part to his sister and feeding the other to Orion, he said, ‘The bay mare is yours. Her name is Flora.’ Then, to Gregson as Rebecca danced off, ‘This fellow is Orion. Can you believe I almost didn’t buy him?’

‘No, sir, I can’t. Its be a crime to pass up a horse like this. They don’t come along every day. You’ve ridden him, of course?’

‘I have.’ Daniel grinned. ‘You’ll have your turn, never fear. But put him in the paddock tomorrow and let him settle in. How are the others?’

‘The bay has been a bit on the fidgety side … otherwise, all of them are in fine fettle, my lord. The greys make a nice pair.’

‘They do. Over the next few days, perhaps you can have somebody get the curricle out of retirement and polish it up? As for the chestnut, I’ll bring her ladyship to see her in the morning.’

‘Very good, my lord. I’ll have her ready for you.’

Leaving Rebecca in the stables, Daniel returned to the house and collected whatever mail had arrived during his absence. Three notes from three different gentlemen; Lawyer Longhope, William Grimshaw and Sir Philip Weaver. And all of them, as it turned out, bearing the same news. Daniel climbed the stairs, quietly laughing.

He was still grinning when Anna joined him, clad in a pale blue undressing gown.

She said, ‘You’re looking very pleased with yourself – and not merely on account of a clean shirt, I suspect.’

‘You suspect correctly.’

Seeing the letters in his hand, she said, ‘Good news?’

‘Very good. I’ll give you three guesses.’

‘I wouldn’t know where to start.’

‘You will if you think about it. Try.’

‘One of the letters is from Sir Philip?’

He nodded.

‘So it is something to do with Grimshaw?’

Another nod.

‘He’s admitted to blackmail?’

‘Better than that.’

Anna’s eyes widened. ‘Oh. He’s escaped? ’

Daniel laughed and hugged her. ‘That’s my clever girl. Yes. He’s escaped.’

‘When?And how?’

‘Three days ago. As for how , Sir Philip doesn’t know – only that it happened when Grimshaw was being taken back to gaol after answering some questions about the extortion charge at Longhope’s office.’ He grinned at her. ‘The other letters are from Longhope himself and William. William asks how it is possible that yesterday, while he and his mother were out, his so-called uncle had been in the house and taken a sum of money, along with some clothes. And Longhope … Longhope merely says he can only assume that the guards were slack and didn’t take adequate care.’

Anna eyed him suspiciously. He both looked and sounded too innocent.

‘But you, of course, have your own theories.’

‘I might have.’

Definitely too innocent.

‘I don’t suppose,’ she said slowly, ‘that you by any chance had a conversation with Mr Longhope similar to the one you had with me?’

‘I doubt it. Longhope doesn’t put the same ideas into my head that you do.’

‘I’m referring to the one where you said it might be the best thing all round if Grimshaw did run but at a point where doing so would make him a fugitive?’

‘Oh. That conversation.’ He frowned, apparently searching his memory and then said, ‘No, I don’t think so – or not in so many words, anyway. But I suppose I may have mentioned something like it … just in passing, as it were.’

Anna folded her arms. ‘In passing.’

‘Yes. Indeed, if you were to ask him, I doubt you’d find Longhope has any recollection of it at all.’

‘Oh, I’m sure he hasn’t,’ came the sardonic reply. And then, on a note of laughter, ‘It’s probably best if this conversation is similarly forgotten.’

‘That,’ observed Daniel, pulling her down to his lap, ‘is precisely why I’ve been attempting not to have it. Especially when there are so many more enjoyable things we might be doing.’

Anna smiled at him. ‘And you have ideas about those, I suppose?’

‘Yes, love. Many, many ideas.’ His eyes with their customary lurking smile looked deep into hers, ‘Enough to last a lifetime.’

~**~* *~