Chapter 25

25

Coming into the house from the stables one morning, Rafe heard a commotion, hurrying feet, raised voices. The great building thrummed with tension, of a quite different order from the oppressive atmosphere that had pervaded it since the theft of the jewels had come to light. Something had happened.

A sudden shock of fear ran through him: had the jewels been discovered? Had Sophie been captured? What could he do to rescue her? He was experiencing the severest anxiety as Kemp, the butler, came bustling towards him down the corridor, with Marchand at his heels, both of them imperfectly concealing extreme agitation. ‘My lord!’ the man said in tones of profound relief. ‘I am very glad to see you. Lord Wyverne has reason to believe… That is, he suspects Mademoiselle Delavallois of the theft. There is no time to explain why, but he is most exercised. He has set all the footmen and maids on to search the house for her; I am supposed to be supervising them, but I came to look for you instead, and thank heaven I have found you. You are surely the only one who can help the poor young lady escape.’

‘She’s not with my grandmother?’

‘I am happy to say she is not, sir, or she would have been taken up long since. It was the first place they were told to look.’

Marchand broke in, ‘The young lady has the habit of walking down by the lakes sometimes, milord, when she is at liberty, to take a little air. I am sure she must be there, but I dare not look for her. They will begin searching the grounds soon enough, if they do not find her in the house, but if His Lordship or anyone else should see me, and think I had come to warn her…’

‘No, you are quite right; I will go. No one will dare challenge me; how should they? If you wait for me by the side door under the colonnade, I will bring her to you there.’ He took a key out of his pocket and passed it to her. ‘Take her up to my chamber – will you do that, Madame Marchand?’ She nodded resolutely. ‘Thank you! I’ll go and find her directly.’

It took every scrap of self-control he possessed to stroll casually out of the house and down the steps towards the lakes, quite as if nothing in the world could possibly be amiss. He dare not hurry even when he was among the trees, out of sight of the house, in case any of his father’s watchers should be about. He was glad not to see any of them, though he was on high alert, and gladder still when he came across Sophie a moment later, making her way back towards the Hall. Her face lit up at the sight of him, then fell when he came closer and she observed his expression. But she did not panic. ‘What has happened?’ she said steadily. ‘I perceive that something has.’

She was so brave. He drew her into the shade of a great willow tree, where they could not be observed. ‘I don’t know precisely, only that something has occurred that places you under suspicion. The house is being searched – for you, not for the jewels – at my father’s instigation. It is only the merest chance that you are not already taken. Marchand is waiting by the side door in the colonnade, to take you up to my chamber. It’s the only place where you will be safe for a time, and she has the key so that you may lock yourself in. I don’t believe anyone would think of looking for you there unless they had good reason to. My father has not the least suspicion of any connection between us, I am confident.’

‘I suppose I have no option,’ she said steadily. ‘I cannot leave while the jewels are still in the house, and if I run away, I risk been seen and taken. And flight will make my position still worse – it will be taken as a sign of guilt.’

‘I believe so. But if you hide yourself away in the house, at least for a short while, it gives us a chance to plan.’

‘Very well. Like you, I can see no other alternative. Let us go.’

There was no time to say more, no time for any expressions of reassurance or any other show of emotion; they slipped stealthily through the trees, using their cover to reach a point close to the great curving front of the house, where Marchand would be waiting. ‘Don’t accompany me,’ she told him with a little smile. ‘I will be much more inconspicuous alone.’

‘I’ll try to find out what exactly has happened – I’ll come to you as soon as I can. Good luck, Sophie!’

He watched her as she walked at an easy pace across the short stretch of lawn, a small, drab figure against the grass and golden stone, not hurrying or dawdling, as if she had not a care in the world. If she were seen, she would be captured and placed in the greatest peril, and she knew it, but her back was straight and she reached the shadow of the tall row of columns without incident, so that he was able to breathe again.

But of course he had no idea what might happen to her once she re-entered the house. Once in his room, she should be safe, but she first had to get there. Marchand would not betray him, but she might easily be prevented from coming, or they might be intercepted. A thousand things could go wrong. He needed a share of Sophie’s cool courage, to get through the next few hours. He squared his shoulders and went after her.