A Loving Family (25 page)

‘Are they keeping you prisoner too, ma'am?' Spike returned the lantern to her. ‘Is this a jail?'

‘In a manner of speaking,' Jacinta said, holding the door open. ‘Come.' She led them through a maze of narrow tunnels until they came to a dead end. She opened a door and ushered them into a large windowless room lit by dozens of candles.

Stella gazed round in amazement. It was not exactly the height of luxury but it seemed that everything had been provided for her mother's comfort. A large four-poster bed with crimson damask tester and curtains took up at least half the space, and the floor was covered with oriental rugs. Even more surprising, a fire burned merrily in a roughly hewn fireplace, the smoke drifting up a chimney carved through the rock. It was warm but stuffy with the overpowering smell of hot candle wax and woodsmoke. ‘Why are you kept here, Ma?' Stella demanded angrily. ‘We were told that you hadn't been seen for the best part of a month.'

Jacinta sank down on a chaise longue by the fire, patting the empty space at her side. ‘It's a long story, my love. But you're right in one thing. I am a prisoner here in more ways than one.'

Spike cleared his throat noisily. ‘I don't suppose you got anything to eat, have you, lady? I'm bloody starving and I'm parched.'

Jacinta's haunted expression melted into a smile. ‘Of course you are. I never knew a boy who wasn't hungry.' Her eyes moistened and she dashed her hand across them. ‘Freddie could never get enough to eat, which was why I had to leave him and Belinda in the workhouse. It all happened so quickly, Stella.' She rose to her feet, moving in small agitated steps to a dresser where she took a loaf from a crock. ‘There's only bread and some cheese, but they'll bring me food in the morning.' She picked up a knife and gave it to Spike, who was standing close behind her. ‘Help yourself, and cut a slice for Stella. There's water in the pitcher.' She took a wine bottle from the cupboard and poured some into a glass, which she took to Stella and pressed into her hand. ‘You look as though you need this, darling. I still can't believe that it's really you. Never a day has gone by when I didn't think about you. I hoped and prayed that you were happy at Portgone Place.'

‘I wasn't allowed to visit you until the first Mothering Sunday after I went there.' Stella gulped a mouthful of wine. ‘Cook baked cakes for our mothers, but mine got stolen, and then I found you'd gone. I didn't know where to look.' Tears welled in her eyes as she recalled that most dreadful of days.

Jacinta sat down beside her. ‘You poor girl. You must have felt that I'd abandoned you but that wasn't so. I left a note with Mr Walters, telling him that I'd had to leave Freddie and Belinda in the workhouse while I went looking for work and that I'd contact you as soon as I was settled.'

‘That hateful woman, Ma Stubbs, told me that Mr Walters had died. She said she didn't know where you'd gone.'

A wry smile curved Jacinta's lips. ‘And I expect she said good riddance to bad rubbish. She hated me because I was foreign, or part foreign. Stupid people make judgements based on prejudice.'

‘So where did you go, Ma? Why didn't you try to contact me?'

Jacinta took the wine glass from her and drained its contents in one thirsty gulp. ‘I couldn't get regular work, Stella. I washed dishes and cleaned rich people's houses for pennies. I slept in flea-ridden doss houses and when I ran out of money I joined the homeless people who sleep beneath railway arches.'

Stella took her mother's hand and held it close to her heart. ‘Oh, Ma. How awful.'

‘In desperation I went to beg your grandfather for help, but Saul Wilton slammed the door in my face. Then, one Christmas Eve, when I was close to starving, I went to see Aunt Maud. She took me to Ronald and I threw myself on his mercy.'

Stella slipped her arm around her mother's shaking shoulders. ‘I'm so sorry, Ma.'

Jacinta blinked away tears in an attempt to smile. ‘He took me in and gave me food and a bed for the night. I knew that he had treated Maud badly, but I thought perhaps he had been wronged and was not such a bad fellow. How mistaken I was.' She turned to Spike who was stuffing bread and cheese into his mouth as if afraid someone was going to snatch the food from him. ‘Pass me the bottle, and another glass, if you please. I need a drink.'

Stella accepted another glass of claret, but she did not raise it to her lips. She watched anxiously as Jacinta refilled her glass and drank thirstily. ‘What happened then, Ma?'

‘I must have been a sorry sight. I had only the clothes I stood up in and had not washed for weeks, but Ronald took me in hand. As soon as Christmas was over he took me to a dolly shop and bought me a new outfit. He asked nothing in return, and I began to think that Maud had exaggerated his meanness. Then he introduced me to Silas Norville. That was my undoing.'

‘I knew you'd been there, Ma,' Stella said eagerly. ‘You carved your initials on a rack in the wine cellar.'

‘It was clear what Silas Norville had in mind, and Ronald abandoned me. I refused the wretched man's demands at first but he locked me in the cellar and I had nowhere else to go and no one to turn to. I agreed to do what Silas demanded.'

‘He wanted you for himself?'

‘No, love. He had other plans for me. He took me to meet Gervase Rivenhall, who acted like a perfect gent at first. He said he wanted a woman to act as hostess when he entertained his friends, and I accepted.' Jacinta shrugged her shoulders. ‘It was better than starving to death on the streets.'

‘And you came here?'

‘Not at first. This was years ago, Stella my love. I went to live in Gervase's house in Half Moon Street, and I soon discovered what was expected of me.' Jacinta glanced at Spike but he was more intent on eating than on listening to their conversation. She sighed. ‘I had certain duties regarding the gentlemen who attended Gervase's parties. You understand?'

‘The brute.'

‘It was a business arrangement. I worked to pay for my bed and board and Gervase bought me fine clothes. I trod the primrose path, Stella.'

‘Oh, Ma. I'm so sorry. But didn't you try to break free?'

‘Many times, but Gervase always found me and brought me back. I'm weak, Stella. I'm not strong like my own dear mama. I can't stand being poor and hungry. I always meant to return to the workhouse and rescue my children from that life, but somehow the time was never right. Gervase gave me everything except money and I was a prisoner of my own failings.'

‘So why are you here in the caves? You must have been with him for a long time, Ma. Why does he treat you like this?'

‘When we came to live at Heron Park Gervase started smoking opium and took laudanum on a regular basis. The parties he gave grew wilder and more debauched. As well as the women that Ronald supplied there were young girls from the village who were enticed here to entertain the gentlemen, and I was supposed to look after them. When I rebelled and threatened to leave it caused a terrible scene.'

‘And one of the girls lost her life.'

‘Poor creature. I don't know exactly how it happened, but things got badly out of hand that night. I was summoned to the scene but she was already past help. The men carried her body out into the woods and the police were kept away from the caves.'

‘But they must know about them, Ma.'

‘Of course, but Gervase is an important man. He is the landowner and owns most of the houses in the village and the farms in the area. Everyone is dependent upon him in one way or another and so few people are willing to speak against him.'

‘But you know what's been going on. Why didn't you say anything?'

Jacinta drained her glass and rose somewhat unsteadily to her feet. ‘I doubt if I would be believed. The story went round that the unlucky girl had entered the grounds to meet her lover and he had killed her in a jealous rage. The young man who had been courting her disappeared, and I suspect that Gervase gave him money to flee the country.'

‘And he locked you away so that you couldn't testify against him even should you want to?'

Jacinta moved to the dresser and opened the cupboard. ‘There is no more wine.'

Stella leapt to her feet, pushing past Spike, who was suddenly alert. ‘What's going on?' he cried anxiously. ‘I didn't eat all the bread, miss. There's some left for you, and some cheese. I ain't a pig.'

She patted him on the shoulder. ‘I know, Spike. I'll eat in a moment.' She moved to her mother's side. ‘You've had enough to drink, Ma. I'm not blaming you for trying to blot it all out, but getting drunk isn't the answer.'

Jacinta gave her a bleary smile. ‘Isn't it, Stella? How do you think I've survived all these years of degradation? Wine and brandy have dulled the edges and made it possible to get through each day. I've ached to hold my children in my arms and I've dreamed of the day when we would all be together again, but it was never going to be.'

‘But it's still possible, Ma.' Stella led her mother to the bed. ‘Lie down and rest. You'll feel better if you sleep. I don't suppose there's any chance of us getting out of here tonight?'

Jacinta slumped down on the feather mattress. ‘None at all. I wouldn't be here now if there were.'

‘I've found Belinda, Ma. She's safe, and Freddie is in the Navy. I'll seek him out next. We'll all be together again soon.'

Jacinta relaxed against the pillows. ‘How will we manage that?'

‘Kit and Rosa Rivenhall are my good friends. They are the rightful owners of Heron Park. Kit plans to regain control of the estate and then he'll oust his uncle. Kit will help us, Ma.'

‘You must think a lot of this young man.'

Stella turned her head away in order to hide her blushes. ‘I do, Ma.'

‘It might not be as easy as you think.'

‘Why not? Surely it's simple. If we can get you away from here you can testify against Mr Rivenhall.'

‘I can't, Stella.'

‘I don't understand, Ma. After all he's done to you why can't you stand up in court and denounce him?'

‘Because I can't, Stella. I'm his wife.'

‘
YOU MARRIED GERVASE
Rivenhall?' Stella could hardly believe her ears. ‘Why?'

‘I had no choice,' Jacinta said sleepily. ‘He made it impossible for me to refuse.'

‘But that's ridiculous.' Stella hesitated, hardly daring to state the obvious. ‘I mean, he's a gentleman and . . .' She broke off, not wanting to offend her mother.

‘He married me to prevent me from testifying against him in court. I had no choice.' Jacinta closed her eyes and slept.

‘Don't that beat all?' Spike said, shaking his head. ‘Your ma is lady of the manor or something like that.'

Stella perched on the edge of the bed. ‘This is unbelievable. We're in a living nightmare. She's tied to that dreadful man by marriage.' She squared her shoulders. ‘But it stops here. I'm not going to allow Gervase Rivenhall to ruin all our lives.'

‘What will you do, miss?'

‘I don't know yet, but I'll think of something. Get some sleep, Spike. We'll need all our wits about us in the morning when Rivenhall's men come looking for us.'

‘I saved you some bread and cheese,' Spike said, eyeing the food hopefully.

‘I'm not hungry. You'd better finish it up.'

When they settled down to sleep she lay beside her mother staring at the undulating shadows on the roughly hewn roof of the cavern. The fire had all but gone out and she was tempted to get up and riddle the embers, but suddenly an idea came to her. She closed her eyes. She must sleep and wake early to put the plan that was forming in her brain into action.

‘The chimney is wide enough,' Stella said as she knelt before the empty grate, peering upwards into the circle of blue sky. ‘This must have been a ventilation shaft when the caves were excavated hundreds of years ago.'

‘I ain't a sweep's boy,' Spike said nervously. ‘Me crooked legs won't take me up there, miss.'

She sat back on her haunches. ‘No, I know that, Spike. Take off your breeches. We're going to swop clothes and I'm going to try and climb up the chimney to get help.'

‘Take off me trousers? Never.'

She scrambled to her feet. ‘You can wrap a blanket round you or wear my skirt. I don't care which, but I can't climb in petticoats and we're about the same size.'

He backed away from her. ‘I can't wear a skirt, miss. Don't make me.'

‘Do you want to get out of here alive, or do you want those bad men to roast you on a spit like a suckling pig?'

His green eyes widened in horror. ‘They'd never do that.'

‘We're not going to wait to find out.' She held out her hand. ‘Are you going to take them off, or do I have to undress you like a baby?'

The jagged flints cut into her hands and knees as she edged upwards, coughing as the dislodged soot burned her eyes and throat, but she was determined to escape. She had left Spike hunched up on the end of her mother's bed with a blanket wrapped around his lower limbs. She might have laughed at his tragic expression had she not been so scared of climbing the near vertical shaft. She wedged herself with her feet and stopped to draw a breath. The patch of blue was considerably larger now and all she wanted was to escape from the chimney and feel solid ground beneath her feet. She dared not look down in case she lost her nerve and her foothold. She braced herself to continue the ascent, grimacing at the razor-like cuts on her fingers and legs, but there was no turning back. She had no idea of the time but she had to reach the top before Rivenhall's men arrived to find her missing. It would not take them long to ascertain her escape route, and if they lit the fire beneath her she would suffocate in the smoke and fumes.