Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Arabella's head spun with a tumult of different emotions. What had kept her going was the excited faces of two little boys off on an adventure with Robert and the late addition of his brother Simon, who had insisted on accompanying them. She'd been there when Simon had come to speak to his brother and retreated into the shadows, not wanting to stand in any way between the brothers.

"You and Judd can't watch the ladies and children all the time, and I'd rather you didn't give Mama a pistol. I'll ride behind you all the way if you won't let me join you."

"Oh, very well," agreed Robert, clapping his brother on the back. Arabella knew Robert would be glad of the support.

And here they were, their first morning in a place she thought might be the most beautiful, tranquil place she had ever been.

Montbury, with the moors, high hills, and sweeping valleys was an eerily beautiful landscape. She loved the gentle fields and hedgerows of Farrington Hall estate, but the Chateau du Clos de Vauvet was something else entirely.

They had arrived late at night, as Robert had chosen to press on to reach the chateau rather than stay overnight at another posting inn. They had not travelled quickly, and the journey had taken them more than a week, but it was worth it.

The dowager, Robert, and Elinor had greeted the house staff in fluent French. Elinor had told her later that her grandmother had been French, and this had been near to one of her properties in France. Robert bought it after the defeat of Napoleon the year before.

Monsieur and Madame Crevant, the butler and housekeeper, had made them comfortable immediately. Hot copper baths were filled with water and a hot supper awaited them in the dining room.

Elinor and Arabella decided to abandon convention and asked Judd and Tabitha to dine with them. When they had asked Henry and Freddy if they would like to eat with the grown-ups, their excitement had been off the scale.

"Really?" said Henry

"We can dine with the grown-ups?" added Freddy.

"I see no reason why not." Elinor laughed.

"You have both behaved like grown-ups on the journey, so for a treat, you can eat with us in the dining room," added Arabella.

She had woken to cool linen sheets and a pot of tea with lemon in fine Limoges china to take as she prepared for the day. She gasped as she noticed the delicately wrought iron balcony with the French doors leading outside.

With no clouds in the sky and the sun already shining overhead, she needed to remember to tell Henry about the importance of staying in the shade and avoiding sunstroke. The forest close to the chateau looked cool, and she knew the boys would spend much of their time exploring there.

She relaxed in the warm early morning sunshine, looking out at the view of the hills in the distance. Closer to the chateau, she saw the vineyard and the beautiful walled garden, so full of fragrant herbs that she could smell them from her balcony.

Robert had told her there was a lake here, too, hidden in the woods, with a river running through the valley floor into it. He'd been told there was a waterfall, too, and he planned to take the boys on an adventure to try and find it.

He'd been so excited to show them the house he had brought into the family, and his mother had a tear in her eye as she remembered the stories her mother had told her about the area. How dreadful to be exiled forever from somewhere so beautiful.

She saw Simon walking in the garden and waved, drawing her robe around her. It was too lovely a day to stay in her room, and she dressed in a plain dress and wound her hair into a chignon at the nape of her neck.

Plans for the day fell into place. Robert, Simon, Judd, and the boys would go on an adventure trail to find the hidden waterfall. Fran?ois, one of the stable hands, would show them the way. Madame Crevant handed them loaves of bread with thick cheese and some dried ham for their picnic luncheon.

The ladies would take a day of rest. They might go into the local town, but for now, all were content to spend time looking at the mustard fields and vineyards and enjoying the tranquility. Finally, they could relax without worrying about Christopher Farrington. There was still no word of his arrest, but the constabulary was confident he couldn't hide for long.

Arabella found a quiet corner of the garden to write some verses. She couldn't even remember the last time she had written any poetry, and her publisher was clamouring for more of her work. I don't think it will be difficult to write here, she thought as she set out her pen, inkwell, and parchment on a marble table hidden behind a screen of hornbeam trees.

So many emotions in so short a time. Grief, fear, despair, love, desire, hope, and plain old happiness. She knew she was happy, and Henry was thriving. She shivered for a moment, remembering Christopher and his obsessive scheming.

A butterfly with yellow wings flew close to her and settled for a moment on her notebook. She had time to sit in a garden, write poetry, and watch the butterflies. Later today, her betrothed would return with her little boy to tell her all about their adventures and probably show her a sketch of a waterfall.

She must have fallen asleep as she woke with a start after hearing what sounded like a muffled scream. She stood quickly, something making her hide behind the hornbeam screen. Madame Crevant raced from the house down the lane towards the village.

Something was wrong. She felt a moment of relief that Henry wasn't here at the chateau but also apprehension that the only man on the premises was Monsieur Crevant. The stables were half a mile down the road, and no one would hear if she called.

She had to find out what was happening, so she began to make her way towards the rear entrance of the mellow stone house. The garden gave her good cover as she moved quietly, listening all the time for voices. Where were the dowager, Elinor, and Tabitha?

She saw Tabitha close to the back door, hiding behind a statue covered in ivy, and took a risk by hissing to her. Tabitha saw her and cautiously made her way to join her, hidden by an ivy screen. "It's him. It's Farrington. He's drunk or insane, as nothing he says makes any sense," Tabitha told her.

She spoke in a hushed tone, glancing around, her face etched with fear.

"He's in the grand salon waving what looks like an ancient musket about. The dowager and Lady Rathby stayed very calm and did what he asked them to. He's looking for you. He hasn't mentioned Master Henry. I think he sees you as the cause of all his troubles."

"I'm going to have to go and speak to him," Arabella said decisively. "I won't have the dowager and Elinor treated this way. How on earth did he find us?"

"Spies, I reckon," said Tabitha. "Money always loosens tongues."

"What's that? There's someone over by the orangery. One of the grooms, maybe? Or one of the kitchen staff?"

Arabella saw a flash of red uniform, and a soldier gestured to her to stay where she was, putting his hands to his lips to ensure they stayed silent.

He was beside them in an instant. "Your servant, ma'am," he whispered. "Lord Colonel Rathby, here to find my wife and son. Who is that man in the grand salon waving a musket about."

"It's a long story," whispered Arabella. "He's desperate and a fugitive. It seems he is here to teach me a lesson for standing up to him."

"Best way with bullies, ma'am. We need to rout him out of there before he lets off that musket. He doesn't look competent with a weapon."

"I was about to go and remonstrate with him for behaving this way. It's me he wants, and I planned to cause as much of a distraction so the others could slip away."

"We don't want to put you in any danger, but if you can distract him, then I can grab him from behind and disarm him," suggested Colonel Rathby.

"I don't believe he'll shoot me, as he'll have too much to complain about," Arabella said with a smile, which hid the fear she felt inside.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that, ma'am. That musket might go off, but the only person who would be injured by it would be the man holding it," the colonel reassured her.

"I believe I hear reinforcements coming up the road," said the colonel. He turned to Tabitha. "Go and tell them what's happening while her ladyship and I disarm this lunatic."

It went like clockwork. Arabella called to Christopher from the hallway, knowing he would recognize her voice. He began to walk towards the door, at which moment Elinor took a marble ornament and threw it at him from behind, causing him to stumble and falter in his progress.

He roared out in pain and could not decide whether to continue to find Arabella or turn back to deal with Elinor.

It didn't matter. Lord Colonel Rathby caught him from behind, twisted his arm, took the musket, and tackled him to the floor, restraining him with strips of his wife's torn petticoat.

"My love," he laughed at her, his eyes twinkling. "We have not even greeted each other after such a long absence, and you are already revealing your petticoat."

"Charles. How on earth?"

"It was to have been a surprise, my love. Your letter telling me you were coming to Burgundy reached me, and I begged leave of absence from Wellington to ride down to spend a week with you and Freddy."

"Oh, Charles," she whispered, tears filling her eyes.

"You sir, are about to be handed over to the French authorities, and I hope you spend a long time in a French prison. We will have you taken to the local Gendarmerie Nationale."

"I only wanted to … I didn't mean any harm," whined Christopher Farrington.

"Nonsense, man. Following these ladies to France, and then making a nuisance of yourself with a musket. You need to be locked up in a mental asylum, at the very least. From the looks of you, I doubt you are capable of rational thought. But a French gaol will suit you very well."

At that moment, Robert and Simon raced into the room.

"Where's Henry and Freddy?" mouthed Arabella to Robert.

"With Tabitha and Judd. All safe and sound," Robert responded before turning to his brother-in-law. "Rathby! Let's hand this villain over to the gendarmes and find some French cognac.

***

Later that evening, when the boys were tucked up in bed, Robert took Arabella by the arm and led her out to the terrace.

"Oh, look a glow worm," she said, pointing out a bright light in the darkness of the terrace. "Henry will be so sorry he didn't see it. I'll let him stay up late tomorrow and hope it appears again."

"We shall have to request it puts in a special appearance. They are such wonderful creatures and an excellent reason to stay up late."

"Look at the stars, so clear and bright," he said, pointing up to the sky.

"I thought something had happened to you, Elinor, and my mother. We knew something was wrong, and we met Monsieur Craven running to the stables to get help," Robert told her.

"Christopher Farrington was always a coward. I believe we would have overcome him even if Charles hadn't appeared. I was very glad he arrived when he did. I think it is called serendipity. Elinor looks so happy to be reunited with her Lord Colonel again," said Arabella, putting her hand in his.

"And little Freddy's face lit up with such excitement when he saw his father," added Robert.

"This is such a beautiful place, and here I am in the moonlight with a French Marquis."

"Duke, Marquis, it matters not," he said, his voice a little uncertain.

She looked at him, wondering if something was the matter.

"I've been waiting to find a moment to do this, and every time I was about to, something else went wrong. I'm hoping this is the right time and place." He looked at her intently, and her heart fluttered as she moved towards him.

He surprised her by dropping down on one knee. "Dearest Arabella, my beautiful Bella, my life was empty before I met you. Now I have danger and excitement every day." He laughed, "I didn't mean that last line …" He took her hand in his and lifted it to his lips. "I fell in love with you the first time we met; it just took me a little while to figure out what had happened to me. I know we are already engaged, but I never got a chance to do this properly."

"I love you so very much. Will you marry me? I can't imagine a day in my life without you in it."

Arabella stood spellbound. Time stood still around them as she nodded, unable to find her voice to say ‘yes'. This was what life was about, love and building a life together, and she knew this was where she was meant to be.

"Look, a shooting star," he whispered as he moved her close to him and put his arm around her waist. "We must show Henry and Freddy. There is a meteor shower every year in France at this time. But tonight, I have other priorities, and he drew her into his embrace, and his lips met hers.

Warm sparks radiated from her heart through her body, making her feel alive with energy as she curved her body closer to the Marquis de la Rochaille.

"How special to become properly engaged under a shower of stars," she murmured. "I've heard you should never stop kissing under a shooting star."

"I'd make a wish," he whispered close to her ear, "but my heart's desire is already in my arms."