A Bright Particular Star (7 page)

“
Hardly ever,
”
said Sophie, calmly,
“
but
we have been sh
opping and decided
to take luncheon
here
, where we happened upon an acquaintance of mine,
Mr
Theodore Cavanagh.
”

“D
elighted to meet you
.
Lucius
Grey, at your service,
”
he said, giving Theo an assessing glance.

“
Likewise,
”
replied Theo, with an equally shrewd look.

An awkward silence fell until
Mr
Grey observed,
“
I had planned to visit a friend this afternoon, Miss Sloane, but I can take you or your cousin home.
There is room for one in my curricle and I would be happy to oblige—
”

“
No!
”
interj
ected Olivia
.
“Thank
you, but I have some more shopping to do and Sophie has another commission.
”

“
Ah.
”
Lucius
Grey
’s
tone and the ironic lift of one eyebrow suggested he did not believe a word of her hurried explanation.
“
A pity because I always enjoy your company.
Yours too, Miss
Devereux
.
No matter, I shall look forward to seeing you again soon
.
I am engaged to dine at Ludstone next week.
”

“
We shall look
forward to it,
”
replied Sophie
breezily.

There was another pause
while
Mr Grey
’s
gaze
scrutinised them all.
“
Well, it is time I was leaving so please excuse me, ladie
s.
‘
s
ervant,
Cavanagh.
”
He bowed again, bestowed another smile on Olivia, and then strod
e out, his
frame filling the doorway as he followed
Mr
Bowyer into the taproom.

Olivia closed her eyes and groaned.
“
Now we are done for!
Mr
Grey always manages to put me in a fluster.
He will tell Perry,
I’m
sure of it!
”

“
He may not, at least for several days and I will be in London by then,
”
said Sophie.

Theo was staring at the door through which
Mr
Grey had pas
sed.
“
What a
curious fellow!
I have the
feeling I have met him som
ewhere before, but I can
’t
recall
where.
”
He looked at Sophie.
“
We have no control over when
or if
he informs your cousin h
e has seen you, so we should
leave at once.
In any event, we
must reach
T
he Pelican
by nightfall if we are to have any hope of making London by tomorrow evening.
”

“
Yes, of course,
”
said Sophie.
“
Go back now and don
’t
worry about
Mr
Grey, Livvy.
If
you are questioned by Perry
or Aunt Eudora about being seen here with me, do not deny it, but say even though you pleaded with me, I would not divulge
my plans
.
”

Olivia nodded.

“
Good,
”
replied Sophie.
“
I’ll
send for you as soon as I can.
”

With
that, Olivia and her maid left
and Theo urged Sophie to wait in the coffee room while he sought out his groom and gave him instructions.

A short
time later, Sophie and Theo drove out of the courtyard
, unaware their depart
ure had been witnessed by Lucius
Grey who, with
Mr
Bowyer, was watching from the room where Sophie and her rescuer had been only twenty minutes earlier.

“
How far i
s it to Newbury?
”
asked Sophie.

T
hey had already passed throu
gh Atford, Melksham and Devizes
and were heading across the Wiltshire downs towards Silbury Hill.

Since
leaving Bath, the
carriage had rattled along at an impressive pace.
Stevens, Theo
’s
groom, had grumbled his disapproval
at being left behind and
darkly
prophesied trouble ahead
while strapping Sophie
’s
portmante
au
and an overnight bag for his master to the curricle.
The sun
, h
ow
ever, shone steadily and a
breeze
meant
the
afternoon was warm rather than
hot.
Sophie had never travelled this far abroad from Ludstone and found everything in her surroundings of interest.

She
had
talked animatedly, craning her neck to get a better view of the landscape
.
This artless
chatter was interspersed with questions about the landmarks and villages they passed.
Her com
panion had answered them
, glancing down at her from time to time with an amused gleam in his eyes.

“
A little
over forty
miles,
”
he replied
.
He look
ed at the sky, assessing the
clouds
now
do
tted across it.
“T
he weather looks
set fair
which means we should make good time if we don
’t
meet with any delays.
We’ll
reach Marlborough in another hour and
I’ll
change my team then.
There may be time to snatch some refreshment, but
we’ll
have to move on quickly if we are to reach
T
he Pelican
in time for dinner.
”

She nodded, then ventured,
“S
o you sell wine,
Mr
Cavanagh?
Isn
’t
that an unusual pastime for someone in your position?
”

“
Indeed it
is,
”
he replied
with a wry glance
,
“
and if it wasn
’t
for my
family
’s
ancient and illustrious lineage, I would have been ostracised from society
—
the faintest whiff of trade is enough to
set doors slamming in your face!
As it is, most of the
ton
indulge me in what they consider harmless, if eccentric, behaviour.
The truth is that
,
a
s a second son,
I’m
not wealthy and
I needed an occupation after leaving Oxford.
Neither the military no
r the clergy appealed
to me
and
quite
by chance I fell upo
n something that did
—
importing and
selling wine.
Although I
have funds enough to live comfortably
,
th
anks to a be
quest
from my
G
reat
-
a
unt Jane,
I’ve
continued with my venture.
Now it
’s
something I choose to do
rath
er than being obliged to
.
I find
satisfaction in raising monies through my
own
efforts.
But what I really want to do is own a stud farm.
”

“
I think you would be successful at that too
.
Y
ou are obviously a fine judge of horses, as well as an expert whip.
How well you drive!
”
Sophie
watched
in admiration as he rounded a bend and caught the thong of his whip over his head.

A smile
touched his lips.
“T
hank you.
Are you sure this pace isn
’t
too alarming?
My sister says an hour in my curricle is enough to overset her nerves for a month.
”

“
Is your sister of a delicate disposition then?
”

Theo
laughed and shook his head
.
“
Julia is as fearless as any of her brothers, but she delights in teasing me, and in particular about one journey she made to Sussex in my carriage.
”
He chuckled again at the memory.
“
Julia was convinced she would end up in a ditch, and it was only because she was desperate to get to Swanborough tha
t she endured my driving.
I must say
you are a more restful travelling companion than Julia.
You’ve
not complained once and if you are nervous about the speed we are travelling
at
,
you’ve
not shown it.
”

“
Why should I be worried?
”
said Sophie, looking at him in surprise.
“
Your driving is a delight compared to my cousin
’s
, especially now he has that preposterous new carriage.
”
She rolled her eyes expressively.
“
I have warned Olivia not to let Perry drive her out in it
. H
e is so puffed up when
driving the wretched thing
he pays even less
attention to the road.
That, together
with the speed he travels, renders him dangerous and it will be a miracle if he does not end up with a broken neck.
He longs to be
a member of the Four Horse Club
and even apes their dress, but I doubt they would admit him.
”

“
Miss Sloane
’s
characte
r is different
from
her brother
’s
then?
”

“
Completely.
Livvy is more like her dead papa
, my father
’s
brother,
in looks as well as character, although she has more
spirit than Uncle Cecil ever had
.
He was an amiable man, but ruled over by his wife throughout their marriage.
Olivia was a quiet, sunny-natured child
and Uncle Cecil doted on her
, but Perry has
always
been
Eudora
’s
favourite
.
When my uncle died,
there was no one to prevent Aunt Eudora
and
Perry tyrannising
over
Olivia
and treating her
shamefully
.
I was shocked to find her
so cowed when I arrived at Lud
stone
.
T
hey
bullied her and
took every
opportunity to
make her life miserable, treating
her as if she were stupid an
d dull, which she is not at all.
They tried to
browbeat me
too
, but I refused t
o stand for it. Olivia and I
became allies.
She
showed me how to exploit their weaknesses, and I encouraged her to stand up to them
.
They
blame my influence
for the change in Olivia and it
’s
an accusa
tion I am pleased
to admit to.
Olivia deserves a
far
better life than the one she is currently living, that of a drudge
subjected to
constant
criticism.
”

Theo, who noted
Sophie was now
flushed with indignation on her cousin
’s
behalf, observed,
“S
he must have been glad when you went to live at Ludstone
.
”

Sophie agreed.
“
It was for her sake I stayed as long as I did.
I would have left months ago, but I did not think she was able to cope then with
the inevitable
consequences of my departure.
”

“
And now?
”

“
Olivia has
regained
so
me
confidence
.
She will not relent under their pressure.
As soon as is convenient, I intend for her to come to live with me in London.
”

“
Will her mother permit that?
”

“S
he will do her best to stop it, not least because she will have no one to fetch and carry for her, but Livvy will be of age in October and may do as she pleases.
I’ll
be established then, and able to support her.
She is eager to get away too and we would have left together if it could have been arranged.
”
Sophie sighed.
“
We decided it was not possible, however, and ag
reed my plan was the best
solution.
Olivia occupies the room next to her mother
’s
on account of the
robberies
—
my aunt thinks
she is going to be murdered in her bed
one day soon
—
so Olivia
’s
absence would have been noted
before
mine.
”

Theo raised a quizzical eyebrow.
“
Robberies?
”

Sophie looked at his profile, putting up her hand to shield her eyes from the sun.
“
Haven
’t
you heard of the Bath Fox?
”

H
e frowned.
“
No.
Should I have done?
”

“
Y
es
indeed
!
“
she replied.
“T
he whole county is gripped by the exploits of the Bath Fox, a notorious thief who has committed several robberies along Bath Road during the past year.
According to gossip, the Fox and his gang have held up coaches at gun point and relieved the passengers of their
jewellery
and coin.
He
’s
more infamous for his raids on the homes of the
Bath
wealthy though.
He has a penchant for jewels and seems to know exactly where to find th
em when he breaks in.
Why,
he broke into Shaw House
last month
while Miss T
hresher was at a concert
and took
her diamonds!
Robberies have been
committed
as far afield as Reading and Windsor, and
my aunt is convinced it is
a matter of time before he sets his sights on her emeralds
,
hence her insistence on Olivia occupying the room next door.
No one knows where he will strike next.
”

“S
tu
ff and nonsense!
”
declared Theo
roundly
.
“
Never heard of the Bath Fox and even
if
he exists, I doubt he
’s
half as successful or dangerous as gossip suggests.
Most o
f these rumours are exaggerated
with little basis in fact.
”

“
Normally I would agree with you,
”
said Sophie,
“
but I know of several people who have had items stolen and there is proof he
’s
been growing more daring of late
.
Miss Thresher
’s
footman was shot in the leg, and it
’s
only due to
good fortune
the poor man isn
’t
dead.
”