Alicia (25 page)

“As you wish, Lady Coombs.”

“Lord Stronbert, did you have this man...”
but Alicia found it impossible to ask the question. Her companion regarded her inquiringly, at ease. She lowered her eyes and turned toward the office again. “Never mind. Let us make the list of necessary repairs.”

Stronbert was relieved that she had not brought the matter to a head. He would not have hesitated to tell her the truth, but he definitely preferred not to. She would resent his interference and he could not blame her. It was becoming a very tricky situation.

Alicia mentally chastised herself for allowing her imagination to run rampant. It was ludicrous to think that Stronbert would have set a man to watch her property or herself, especially on a night when she was not even to be at home. She sat down at her desk and calmly discussed with him the necessary repairs. He undertook to put them in hand immediately. As they walked back to the front of the shop he waved her thanks aside.

“I think you will find that there are many in Tetterton who will come to your assistance in this emergency, Lady Coombs. I hope you will not be too proud to accept their help.”
His eyes were serious and troubled as they rested on hers.

Alicia flushed. “I do not like to be beholden to people,”
she replied stiffly.

“You must learn to be. They will come in all sincerity to offer what they can, and I would be ashamed for you to spurn their kindheartedness out of stiff-necked pride.”

He had never spoken so roughly to her, and she could feel the stinging behind her eyes that promised tears. His voice softened as he continued, “It is a tradition here to give support when a neighbor undergoes a setback. I am sure you would do the same yourself.”
 

She whispered, unable to meet his eyes, “I will not reject anyone’s help.”

“Good girl. Here is Jeff now. I should like to introduce you to him.”

Subdued, Alicia advanced to meet the young giant approaching them. To her surprise he was apologetic. “Oh, ma’am, I should never have let the fire get started at all,”
he groaned. “I heard the breaking glass, but I did not for a while realize what it meant.”

“I am sincerely grateful to you, Mr. Thomas. It is owing to you alone that there is a shop standing here this morning at all.”

Jeff made to protest, but the warning in Stronbert’s eyes was heeded. “Well,”
he murmured, shuffling his feet nervously, “I am glad it was no worse.”

Alicia noticed his bandaged hands and her face lifted to Stronbert inquiringly. “Jeff suffered some burns in attempting to quell the blaze,”
he told her calmly, while the young man flushed crimson. “They are not severe.”

“No, ma’am. They’ll be right as anything in a day or so,”
he proclaimed stoutly, almost beseechingly.

Alicia did not wish to embarrass Jeff further. She thought of speaking with him about the payment for the two men, but could not bring herself to do so in the face of his discomfort. So she offered him her hand and took his carefully with another word of thanks, and he gratefully escaped to await Lord Stronbert outside the shop.

Stronbert rewarded her with that smile which made her feel fluttery inside. There were others coming in now to console her on her troubles and offer to set the shop to rights, and she barely had time to say goodbye to him before it was necessary to organize the work. The morning passed in a flurry of activity, and before it was over, a carpenter and a painter had appeared to survey what was needed.

Dorothy and Rowland had their traveling carriage stop in the street outside. Rowland’s lips became a tight line as he surveyed the damage, and his sister looked as though she wished to cry. She ran to Felicia and caught her in her arms, wet and sooty as the girl was. “I wish I could take you home with me, away from all this!”
she exclaimed.

Felicia’s eyes twinkled. “Actually,”
she confessed, “I am quite enjoying the bustle. Ever so many people have come by and they are all so kind.”

Dorothy regarded her with mock exasperation. “I might have known that you would find something good about it, my dear. We would stay to help but Uncle Nigel said he will do what he can, and Mama is expecting me. You do not think us poor spirited to desert you at such a time, do you?”

Felicia’s eyes softened and she said fervently, “You are the best friends I have ever had and I cannot thank you enough for all the kindnesses you have shown me. I shall miss you excessively.”
Her glance included Rowland shyly.

“And we you,”
Dorothy cried, her eyes sparkling with tears. “I must say good-bye to Lady Coombs,”
and she scurried off.

Felicia stood sadly before Rowland, her heart aching. “Felicia,”
he said softly so that she would raise her eyes. “I shall be back in a month or two. I hope you will not forget me.”

“Never,”
she breathed, as she extended her hand shyly to him.

Rowland took the offered hand gently and raised it to his lips, never taking his eyes from hers. “We must leave now, but it will not be so very long before I return. Take care of yourself.”

“And you,”
she replied softly, her face showing a tendency to crumple.

Rowland abruptly released her hand and turned to make his farewells to her mother. Felicia could not see them leave very well because of the tears in her eyes. Alicia joined her and put her arm about the girl’s shoulders comfortingly. “Go home with Mavis for a while, love, and see to some luncheon for us.”
Felicia nodded mutely and left the shop. Her mother sighed, but was recalled to the pressing demands of those about her and soon involved herself in directing the removal of the damaged counters.

When Mr. Allerton had had a chance to eat his meal, Alicia slipped away to the cottage for a few moments of peace and something to sustain her. It was there that Mrs. Maple and her two daughters found her. Fortunately Alicia had caught sight of herself in a glass and had hastened to scrub her face and tidy her hair before the visitors arrived.

“We have just heard of the fire, Lady Coombs, and hoped that we might be able to help you in some way,”
Mrs. Maple suggested. “Samantha and Tabitha thought perhaps your daughter could drive with us a while if she is not too busy.”

Felicia entered the drawing room at that moment and smiled shyly at the two girls. “That was very kind of you,”
she said softly, “but I plan to return to the shop now.”

“No,”
her mother said firmly. “You have done your share and a drive is just what you need.”

“But, Mama, there is so much to do!”

“It will be there tomorrow,”
Alicia retorted.

“Do come with us,”
Samantha begged. “We have the loveliest fur rug in the carriage so we need not even feel the chill.”

Felicia wanted to go with them but she did not wish to leave her mother to cope alone with the shop. Alicia, as though reading the girl’s thoughts, said, “You forget that Mr. Allerton is more than capable of supervising everything without either you or me.”

Felicia agreed then to go with the Maples. She changed into a becoming blue dress and bundled herself in a warm mantle and matching scarf. Alicia watched them leave with relief; Felicia would have some friends after all. But would she even be in Tetterton to enjoy them? Alicia could see no way to retain the shop, when doing so would mean the necessity of replenishing the expensive stock. She could not allow herself to become discouraged, though, with so many kind people coming to their assistance. So she returned to the shop with a determined smile on her lips to continue the clean-up.

* * * *

When Stronbert joined Jeff Thomas outside the shop, he paused to send a messenger to the Court before they mounted their horses to ride to Tosley Hall where Sir John Wickham was a local justice of the peace, and the magistrate before whom Tackar was to be brought. Sir John was a weak and ineffectual man, if not unkindly. He was dominated by his wife and taunted by his son, and had allowed a vagueness of manner to isolate him from these annoyances. Stronbert was shown into his library and received a jovial welcome, which was somewhat marred by the nervous twitch Sir John’s eye suffered when under stress.

“My lord, what has brought you today? Not that I am not honored by your visit, you understand. Flattering, most flattering. Good of you to call,”
Sir John mumbled enthusiastically.

“I came in regard to the fire in Lady Coombs’s shop last night. I understand the culprit is to be brought before you this morning.”

“Yes, yes, indeed, he has been.”
Sir John would not meet the marquis’s eyes, but regarded his shelves of books as though they might enlighten him on how to handle the matter.

“Already? But I have just ridden here with Jeff Thomas, who apprehended him,”
Stronbert remarked calmly. “I should have thought you would wish to hear him speak before you made a disposition.”

“No need, I assure you. Had his statement from last night.”
Sir John’s eye began to twitch in earnest.

“I see. And is Mr. Tackar to be turned over to the next Assizes?”
Stronbert asked softly.

“No, no. Case of mistaken identity. Wasn’t the right man at all. This man Tackar was merely walking along the street when Thomas attacked him. ‘Twas another set the fire.”

“Was it, indeed?”
Stronbert’s voice was ruthlessly scornful. “Whatever induced you to believe such a thing?”

“Thomas’s statement said he did not see the man in the shop, just at the door. Could have been anyone set the fire.”

“You cannot possibly believe that.”

Sir John’s eye was almost continually closed now, giving the impression of a preposterous wink. “Certainly I can,”
he retorted with weak spirit. “Man is wealthy, well known. Why would he set fire to a poor widow’s shop? Hardly the thing, you know.”

“Mr. Tackar is not likely to consider such niceties. Had you made the effort to have Mr. Thomas present he might have explained to you that he was currently assigned to prevent Mr. Tackar from doing just such a thing as he did.”

Sir John regarded him with unfeigned astonishment. “You had set a watch for him? Why would you do such a thing?”

“Tell me, Sir John, did Mr. Tackar admit to knowing Lady Coombs?”

“I did not ask him.”
Sir John’s face had begun to twitch, too. “He protested any knowledge of the whole affair; said he was only going for his horse in the lane.”

“And his reason for being in Tetterton?”

“He gave none. Can’t very well ask an Englishman why he’s in an English town.”

“When he is charged with arson, a very serious crime, I do believe it would be possible, even necessary. What have you done with him?”
Stronbert asked, his tone dangerous now.

“Let him go, of course. Can’t very well hold a man for a crime he didn’t commit,”
Sir John said stubbornly as he pulled out his handkerchief to wipe his brow.

“Did your wife have any opinion on the matter?”

“She could tell right off he was quality,”
Sir John pronounced proudly. “And Lawrence knew him by repute from London—quite the dashing fellow, I hear.”

“I will have you unseated for this,”
Stronbert said coldly, rising to take his leave. “And if any further harm comes to Lady Coombs from that man you will answer to me for it.”

“Here now! You cannot threaten me!”
Sir John blustered, his face white.

“You are supposed to represent the law in Tetterton. You have deliberately ignored a crime to which an honest, straightforward witness has sworn. Instead of locking the fellow up to await his just punishment, you have licked his boots. I shall take the matter to a higher authority—the matter of Tackar and the matter of you.”
Stronbert strode angrily to the door, pulled it open, and left. Sir John slumped in his chair and cursed himself for the fool he was.

Jeff had never seen Lord Stronbert as he appeared at the door of the hall. His eyes were blazing, his mouth grimly pressed, and the grip on his gloves was furious. Jeff himself had always been treated obligingly by his employer, and any rebukes had been justly deserved and never given in anger. He watched with amazement while the marquis brought his temper under control, strode over to the horses, and motioned for Jeff to follow him. “Am I not to speak before Sir John, then?”
he asked anxiously.

“There is no need. Sir John has set Tackar free.”
The voice was level.

“Free? He can’t do that. Is setting a fire no crime?”

“Sir John does not believe Tackar set the fire. You were mistaken in attacking him. I wonder that Tackar did not think to set the law on you.”
Stronbert’s hard-won control deserted him for a moment in the sarcasm of this speech.

The enormous young man turned uneasily in his saddle to face Stronbert. “You do not believe that, do you, sir? I am sorry I was so slow to act, but I made no mistake in the man.”

Stronbert sighed and grimaced. “Forgive me. I did not mean to upset you, Jeff. You must know that I believe you and that I am well pleased with all you did. Neither of us expected an attack on the shop. I might have thought of it, but I did not. It is such a cowardly act, and Tackar faced me bravely in...No matter. I did not expect him to stoop so low. It was my fault and none of yours.”

The young man breathed a sigh of relief. “I could see no need to be there last night,”
he admitted, “what with her ladyship at the Court. I had even thought to have a quick one at the Feather and Flask.”
His face flushed with shame at the memory.

Stronbert shrugged. “No matter. We all misjudge situations from time to time. It was the women themselves I concentrated on. I even had the coachman carry a weapon last night.”

“Well, you were not wrong that he meant trouble. Will he try again?”

The glint returned to Stronbert’s eyes. “I should like to see him try. But no, I intend to handle things myself now, though if you and Peter are willing, I will keep up the watch.”

“Certainly, sir. Peter has never minded much, it being daytime and all,”
Jeff said with a grin.

“Should you like to switch?”

“No, sir, there seems to be more activity at night.”
He met the older man’s amused gaze gravely and the two rode back to town in silence.

* * * *

Lady Gorham was considering the possibilities of a nap. She sat in the winter parlor, feeling the warmth of the sun make her drowsy. The melody Cassandra was playing in the music room, too, was inducive to a short rest, and Lady Gorham had finally determined that she would just lie down for a bit when the rattle of wheels on the carriage path aroused her. No one was expected and she could not see the front of the house from the winter parlor. Well, visitors would be more amusing than a nap in any case. The abbey had seemed lonely since the Coombses had left, she thought sadly.