Felicia (16 page)

She stopped abruptly as the truth hit her. She loved him!

Heedless of where she was going, Felicia kept on walking, unconsciously threading her way in and out of dray carts, horses, and merchants. How utterly foolish she had been not to have recognized her feelings for him sooner. No wonder her heart had thumped so painfully every time he had approached. No wonder she had felt so contemptuous of Lady Barbara—or had that been jealousy?

How blind you have been
,
she whispered as the realization of her true feelings toward Lord Umber overwhelmed her.
And how utterly stupid
.

Her aunt’s behavior and the fact that she herself was an orphan paled into insignificance, as she tried to adjust to this more overpowering discovery.

Oh! I almost wish I had accepted the very first proposal he made me
,
she sighed.
At least I would have had some pleasant memories.
…
Is that a terribly shocking thought, Mama?
she asked, blushing at her own forwardness.

The memory of the embrace he had given her returned, and she arched her shoulders as though he were caressing her again. Would she ever forget the way his smile had caused creases to form around his eyes, and the way he had worn his hair—so carelessly tied back, yet so fashionable. And the gentleness he showed toward his mother. There were so many things about
him
that she loved. Well, she must not dwell on what might have been. Far better to put her daydreaming to one side, at least until she had found other employment, for it would never do for Lord Umber to guess the truth. She could well imagine the contempt he would feel if he discovered the romantic turn her thoughts had taken. His reaction to Lady Barbara was example enough, and she could not bear the thought that he would discuss her with someone else in similar fashion.

It would be as well to concentrate on her aunt’s behavior. That way she could remain detached and aloof for the next few days. Indeed, why her aunt felt the need to get rid of her was a puzzlement. What sort of threat did she present to her that necessitated such a drastic step? Jealousy surely could not be the only motivation, unless it was tinged with a terrible madness.

Someone jostled her rudely and awoke her from her reverie. “Why don’t yer watch where’s yer going, miss?” a man snarled. “The pavement’s for the use of all us folks, not just you.”

“I…I am so sorry…” Felicia began but realized that she was speaking to herself, the rude man having disappeared into the crowd.

Oh! dear, she thought guiltily as she became aware of the advanced hour, Lady Louisa will be worried if I don’t return soon. She looked around for a hansom as the ones for hire usually stood at street corners. But to her dismay, she realized that she had wandered into an unknown part of London. There was nothing familiar at all, either in her immediate surroundings or in the higher buildings beyond. Her face wore a worried frown as she looked round for a kindly face in the throng to whom she could turn for directions to Berkeley Square. As she did so, her eyes were drawn to an open barouche that was approaching at a steady pace. With a fascinated horror, Felicia found herself looking at her aunt, who was sitting regally in one corner. Momentarily paralyzed, Felicia watched as the carriage drew nearer, and it was only when she realized that her aunt had seen her that she attempted to move away and seek shelter in a near-by doorway.

She turned swiftly and started to run just as she heard
a
voice command, “Stop that thief! That young girl, there. She tried to snatch my reticule.”

Felicia did not stop in the ensuing confusion, seizing the opportunity to get away, although the loud voice followed her.

“That girl, there. The one in the gray dress. Quick, you imbecile, before she gets away.”

Suddenly Felicia felt a hand on her shoulder, and she was spun around.

“This be the one, ma’am?” an elderly man shouted above the crowd as Felicia struggled under the firm grasp. “Oh! No, you don’t, you young bit of vermin, you. Don’t think of trying to get away, because I’ve got you good and tight.” As if to prove his point, he gripped her right arm and twisted it behind her back.

“Please, sir,” Felicia whispered, as a pain ripped through her body. “Please let me go. There has been an awful mistake.”

“You explain that to the policeman, then, and see what ’e ’as to say. But I doubt ’e’ll take your word for it against the lady what ’as made the charge. It’s for people like you that we ’ave the Penal Colony—hanging’s too good for the likes of you.”

The crowd murmured its approval of these sentiments, and Felicia cut short her protests as she felt their hostility. In the meantime, Lady Ormstead, descending from her carriage, had made her way through the throng to Felicia.

“Yes, my good man. That’s the girl that tried to steal my reticule. And, but for you she would have succeeded in getting away.” She pressed a coin in the man’s free hand, and for the benefit of the crowd shuddered in distaste as she looked at Felicia.

“I think you have made a grave mistake, ma’am,” Felicia repeated, unable to stay the tremor in her voice. She turned to the crowd again. “If someone would be so kind as to…as to…” she broke off lamely, realizing that she simply could not invoke Lord Umber’s name in front of all those people. Far better to wait for the policeman as it would undoubtedly be easier to explain to him the awful predicament she now found herself in.

She stiffened as she felt, rather than saw, the look of loathing her aunt bestowed on her and quickly turned to look at her. “Why are you doing this to me, ma’am? What have I or my parents done to you to warrant such treatment?” Although her voice was calm now, Felicia could not control her trembling. Viciously, the man twisted her arm back even further, causing her to cry out in pain.

“’Ere, ’ave a ’eart,” a woman in the crowd shouted out, “you don’t ’ave to be so bloody brutal.”

“Watch yer language in front of the lady,” a fat man rejoined, pointing to Lady Ormstead. “We don’t want to frighten ’er off.” With an ugly laugh he wiped a greasy hand across his unshaven face.

Lady Ormstead looked disdainfully at the man before turning to Felicia. “It will be as well for you, to keep your questions to yourself,” she sneered. “I have nothing to say to the likes of you.”

“But,
Aunt
…”
Felicia
began.

“That’s enough. You ’eard what the lady said. She ain’t got nothing to say to you.”

Before Felicia could continue, the crowd separated as two policemen approached, bent on investigating the cause of the disturbance. Swinging their truncheons, they surveyed the crowd, poking a few slow movers out of their way.

“Ello, ’ello. What ’ave we ’ere then?” the older one said.

“It’s the young vermin, officer,” several voices chanted. “She tried to snatch the lady’s bag.”

The policeman turned to Lady Ormstead. “Is that the truth, ma’am?” Lady Ormstead nodded. “Well, we’ll soon ’ave ’er under lock and key. We can’t ’ave gentry ’armed like that.”

Felicia cast an appealing look to the stolid figure who had spoken, but before she could utter a word, Lady Ormstead stepped forward. “Indeed, officer, I agree with your sentiments. It is as these good people say. This…this…person attempted to steal my reticule, and the very kind gentleman there managed to apprehend her as she ran away.” She opened her purse and pulled out a card. “Here is my direction. I will be glad to answer any questions you may have, at my convenience. Now, if it is all right, I would like to proceed.”

The policeman nodded, dumbstruck by the authority with which she spoke, and quite overawed by her grand manner. “Of…of…course, your Ladyship,” he stuttered, pocketing the card without looking at it, as he recognized the feel of a coin sandwiched between his hand and the card.

He stepped up to Felicia and, rising to the importance of the occasion, intoned, “You ’ave ’eard the charges that will be brought against you, so you best come with me without any more fuss.” None too gently he freed Felicia from the elderly man’s grip and ordered a path be made for them. “Anyone what witnessed the criminal act line up ’ere and give the necessary information to my friend.” He passed on, pulling Felicia behind him.

Furious with herself for getting into such a predicament, Felicia allowed herself to be led away, for one look at the set features of her new captor convinced her that he was too full of himself to listen to her story in front of so many people. And, more importantly, she did not want to give anyone, especially her aunt, the satisfaction of seeing her beg for mercy. So, with her head thrust proudly in the air, she walked away, gracefully sidestepping the various obstacles that the crowd spitefully put in her way.

Once out of earshot, Felicia turned to the policeman and in her well-modulated voice begged that he listen to her story.

Reluctantly he slowed his pace and took a closer look at his charge. He was surprised to find that he was looking at a young girl, who, although visibly nervous, appeared dignified and well-dressed.

“Please, please, you must listen to me. It really is a terrible mistake. That woman who accused me of trying to steal her reticule is my aunt….”

“Yes, yes,” the policeman said resignedly. “And she is trying to get rid of you in order to get ’er ’ands on your fortune. You’ll ’ave to do better than that, my girl.”

“It is true that she is trying to get rid of me,” Felicia protested. “But certainly not because of any fortune. Please say you will help me.” She paused, wondering what inducement she could offer to sway him.

“Now why should I take your word against that of such a fine lady?” He felt in his pocket as he spoke for the coin. “Don’t think you’re the first one with the story of the wicked aunt, ’cause you isn’t.”

“But you must believe me,” Felicia pleaded, a note of desperation creeping into her voice. “This time it is the truth. Please, officer.”

There was a genuine note of suffering in her voice which caught the policeman’s ear. “I dunno ’as ’ow I can, miss. See, it’s against the regulations once I ’ave you in my custody, to do anything more than take you to Newgate.” He scratched his head as he pondered his problem. “No. The only thing for me to do is to take you there and let justice take its proper course.”

“Not Newgate,” Felicia cried out, a look of horrified revulsion spreading across her face. “You cannot mean it, sir. Why…why…that is a place for criminals.”

“Still acting the innocent, are we?” the policeman snapped, his patience wearing thin. “Well, what do you think you is then? You’re a bleeding criminal, and I’m taking you where you belong.”

For the second time that morning, Felicia felt blackness enveloping her, and the policeman caught her as she sagged against him limply.

Pity for her stirred him again, for she did look like a decent young woman. He wondered why she had turned to purse-snatching and then shrugged his shoulders carelessly. He mustn’t get too soft, he thought, just because she reminded him a little of his own daughter. He looked round, trying to locate the police wagon and finally saw it further down the street. Catching the eye of the driver, he beckoned him nearer and without further ado picked Felicia up and tossed her into the back of the wagon, shutting and bolting the doors with a bang.

“You can explain all that to Mistress James, and see if she’ll ’elp you,” he called to Felicia as he swung himself up beside the driver. “And see if she believes your story of a wicked aunt.” He turned to the driver and grinned conspiratorily. “Wicked aunt, indeed. It’s always a wonder the lies these sluts will think up next.”

“She don’t look like no common slut to me,” the driver answered, drawing his top lip over his blackened front teeth in a semblance of a grin. “More like some fine lord ’as tossed ’er out after he ’ad ’is fill.”

“Well, that’s ’er problem, ain’t it now. We’ll just ’ave to wait and see if anyone comes to claim ’er.”

Once inside the high stone walls of the prison, Felicia came to. Fearfully, she tried to comprehend where she was and what had happened, when the policeman dragged her from the wagon into the pale light that was filtering through the clouds, casting a gloomy lambency in the yard. The name David Burton flashed through her mind. Why hadn’t she thought of him sooner? He was certain to help. Comforted by her thoughts, Felicia looked at her jailor with more courage.

“Whom do I see now?” she asked. “I wish to inform my solicitor of this unfortunate mistake immediately.”

“Oh! We do ’ave our airs and graces, don’t we? Solicitor, is it now? Well, you just wait until Mistress James ’as seen you and sees if you still want to see your legal man then.”

Something in his sneer caused Felicia’s newfound courage to evaporate, but with a determination born of fear she ignored his remark. “How much do you want?” she asked with a sudden foresight, “to put me in a private room so that I can write to my friend
before
I see this Mistress James?”

The policeman eyed her greedily. It wouldn’t harm anyone, he thought, if he took her to the smaller office building for a while. “What ’ave you got?”

Reluctantly Felicia opened her purse and exposed the few coins she had. “That is all I have until Mr. Burton arrives,” she answered. “But I know he will reward you handsomely for the inconvenience I have caused you.”