What About Cecelia? (20 page)

Mr. Andrews replied, “She specifically asked me
not to tell anyone where she is. It's a matter of my honor, and the
trust a person puts in the discretion of the church.”

“So you see,” the vicar continued, “we can't
properly answer your question, can we?”

Captain Wood looked at the pair of them. He
stared them each in the eyes, as if he were about to start a scene,
then he relented. “I see your point. You know where she is, but
cannot betray her trust in you. At least that means she's here. I
bid you adieu and won't trespass on your time any longer.”

After Mr. Andrews escorted the Captain out of
the vicarage, he returned to the vicar. “Thank you for not forcing
me to tell him where she is.”

“Is she the one you've been visiting?”

“Yes.”

“Pretty girl is she?”

“Absolutely.”

“I wouldn't get your hopes up, Mr. Andrews. This
captain is obviously a determined man and one who thinks he is in
love with her. He wouldn't have come here if he weren't.”

“Still Miss Wood is such a spiritual young
woman.”

“Mr. Andrews, a piece of advice. Were it not for
your promise to the young lady, I would gladly have told Captain
Wood about St Fili's. Deliberately hiding her smacks of deceit, and
you know that is a sin. Besides, it's not a good way to start out
in married life.”

“Sir?”

“Imagine how she'd feel, if after marrying you
she found you'd not allowed her to meet her true love?”

Mr. Andrews was very downcast at this thought.
“I suppose you are right.”

“I wouldn't worry too much about it. It's always
possible she can't stand this Captain Wood. I'm sure Mr. Hopwell
can handle him if that's the case.”

“True, and he is standing in the role of
guardian isn't her?”

“Yes he is. No you, him. Remember that. Besides,
there's always the diocesan conference in two months. Bound to be
some spiritual young women there.”

“Last year I didn't meet any, not any as pretty
as Miss Wood.”

“We'll have to do something about that. I'll
write some letters to my brethren suggesting they bring their
daughters to the meeting.”

“That smacks of pandering.”

“No. It's not. One of the purposes of the
conference is to build the strength of the church. That includes
helping to ensure that our clergy set an example to their flocks
with loving and friendly marriages. Who better to be a vicar's wife
than a vicar's daughter?”

“The one's I've met tend to be more interested
in worldly things than the church.”

While this discussion was ongoing, Captain Wood
returned to Meadows. “She's here, but they won't tell me where she
is. I gather she made one of them promise not to.”

“I'm sorry sir, but it is a start. As the bard
says, 'The course of true love doth never run smooth'. He's
comparing love to a river with its rocks and turbulent
currents..”

“But I seem to be swimming upstream.”

“I would not say that sir. We've made progress,
however slight. Where now?” They had walked back towards the White
Swan while talking.

“We should check Bevan's bank to see if Miss
Wood has used her account. They might let slip a clue to her
whereabouts.”

“Sir, the dog won't be welcome inside the bank,
perhaps we should leave her at the inn.”

“No, you can hold her outside in the street
while I check.” They strode off down the high street and
immediately ran into trouble. “Meadows?”

“Sir?”

“Do you know where this bank is?”

“Unfortunately not sir. We could inquire one of
the locals.”

“Maybe, but last time I asked anyone about an
address here I ended up in gaol.”

While they were debating this, Heulwen caught a
familiar smell. She started barking and pulling on her lead towards
a distinguished looking woman in her mid-thirties. While Meadows
pulled her away on her lead, Captain Wood stood between Heulwen and
the woman. He apologized, “Ma'am, I'm sorry for our dog. She's not
used to the city.”

“I understand. What a pretty dog. Does she have
a name?”

“Heulwen.”

“Sunshine? What an appropriate name for such a
happy beast.”

“Ma'am, by any chance do you know the way to
Bevan's bank?”

“Yes just the other end of High street from us.
Keep going that way and you can't miss it.”

“Thank you.” Captain Wood bowed and then told
Heulwen, “This way! Whatever has gotten into you?” He pulled the
dog along. Heulwen kept barking and pulling at the woman until she
was out of sight.

The woman watched them depart, then entered the
circulating library. Cecelia looked up from the book she was
examining and said, “Aunt Hopwell, what was all that noise
about?”

“I don't know Cecelia, but a gentleman and his
servant wanted to know the way to Bevan's. I pointed him in the
right direction.”

“Oh, whatever. I think I'll borrow this book, if
I may. I'll have to use your account as mine's full.”

Her aunt wasn't done with her. “What was the
name of your dog?”

“She wasn't my dog, she was the Captain's and
Miss Arnold's. Heulwen. I wonder what's become of her.”

Her aunt just smiled. She had a pretty good idea
that they might find out soon.

Bevan's correspondent bank in Swansea was even
less helpful than the Vicar and Curate of St. Mary's. Unlike in
Abergavenny, where Captain Wood of Penyclawdd house was somebody,
here in Swansea an unknown Captain Wood from some misbegotten place
in the country thirty miles away carried as much weight as the man
in the moon. Indeed, the opinion of the man in the moon carried
more weight since his abode set the tides and Swansea was a port
city.

As they trudged back towards the White Swan,
Captain Wood said to Meadows, “That was useless, wasn't it? I
couldn't even put money in her account to see if there was
one.”

“Shall I rouse you early tomorrow to start
searching the parishes?”

“What's the use? She's buried herself so deeply
that I'll never find her.”

“Don't give up hope, sir. I'm sure we will find
her.”

As they passed the entrance of the circulating
library, Heulwen went crazy again. She kept barking and
pulling.

“What's got into you, dog?”

Heulwen sat. Short of picking her up and
carrying her away there wasn't much either Meadows or Captain Wood
could do.

“Come on Heulwen. We need to get back to the
inn, Tomorrow will be a long day.”

It didn't matter, Heulwen sat. If they relaxed
the tension on the lead, she scooted towards the library.

George finally realized what Heulwen was doing.
“Cecelia's in there, isn't she?”

The dog looked at him. She cocked her head to
one side, asking something from him. Either that or she was trying
to tell him that he was awfully dense for a supposedly intelligent
man. Finally, he realized what she wanted, “Come on girl, let's
find her.”

Heulwen dragged George, followed by Meadows to
the door of the library. Then once he opened it, she pulled free
from his grip, shot in, and dashed around the shelves looking for
her mistress. Shrieks could be heard as Heulwen knocked into
various patrons.

The attendant shouted at George, “Dogs are not
allowed in here, Sir!”

Meadows calmly stated, “If you would let me,
sir. Heulwen come here!”

She came to him, and he took the lead. Together
George, Meadows and Heulwen approached the attendant. The attendant
re-iterated himself, “Would you please remove that animal. Dogs are
not allowed here.”

“In a moment. Is there a Miss Cecelia Wood on
your books?”

“I can't possibly answer that. Now please remove
your animal, before I call the watch.”

Captain Wood pulled a crown from his pocket and
idly played with it. The attendant noticed, and said, “Maybe I
don't have to call the watch.”

The Captain pulled another crown from his
pocket, and added it to the first. Together they produced a
remarkable focusing of the attendant's attention. “I suppose, I
could let you look at the books. I don't remember a Miss Wood being
a member.”

The Captain added another crown to the pile and
said.

“She is a tall young woman, with light brown
hair. She and her aunt were just in here. Her aunt was maybe into
her thirties.”

“Oh, I remember them. She checked out a volume
of Byron's poetry and a light romantic novel. She put it on her
aunt's account as hers was already full.”

“That's Cecelia. Who is her aunt?”

“I'm sorry, I just do not remember her name.
It's been a busy afternoon.”

“Her aunt is a vicar's wife. Does that
help?”

“Not much. But take a look here.” He pulled out
the subscription book and handed it to them. “I'd say there are
only a few vicar's wives who have subscriptions. Novels are
considered so immoral. Don't see why.”

It didn't take long to go through the book.
There were only a few possibilities, which the Captain read out
while Meadows made a list. The ledger suggested the most likely was
a Mrs. Hopwell, since her account was used to take out a collection
of Byron's poems and one of Mrs. Radcliffe's books that very
afternoon.

George put the three crowns on the counter, and
said “Thank you for your help.”

“It was my pleasure, sir.” Three crowns, or
fifteen shillings, three quarters of a pound, was a significant
addition to his salary.

Outside on the street, Meadows asked him, “What
now, sir?”

“It's late, but do you think that blasted vicar
is still at the rectory?”

“Sir? He was not at all cooperative when we
talked to him earlier. Why do you think he would change?”

“How many names are on your list?”

“Four, as you remember, sir, the fifth was very
unlikely.”

“It wouldn't take us more than a couple of days
to try them all, would it?”

“I should think not, sir.”

“Then let's see if his 'ethics' covers saving us
a couple of days work.”

Leaving Meadows and Heulwen at the White Swan,
Captain Wood proceeded to St. Mary's and knocked at the vicarage
door. He was admitted and shortly thereafter was sitting in the
Vicar's study. The Vicar of St. Mary's greeted his visitor on his
return trip with a baleful eye. “I told you that I cannot comment
on the identity of your cousin's hosts.”

“The situation is completely different now. I
have a short list of possible names. It will only take me a couple
of days, at most, to visit them all.”

The vicar considered for a moment, then asked
his servants to fetch them some sherry. “Captain Wood, you place me
in a difficult position.”

“How?”

“My curate, Mr. Andrews, has gone to visit your
cousin. He fancies he is in love with her.”

Captain Wood rose, “No!”

“Please sit down. Don't worry, he's a very young
man. It's just puppy love.”

“Still, I should see her before it's too
late.”

The sherry arrived, and the Vicar gave Captain
Wood one of the glasses. Then he continued, “If your Miss Wood
reciprocates your affections, all will be fine. Unless you're
trying to force yourself on her.”

“I'm not. It's just.”

“Why don't you tell me what happened?”

Captain Wood quickly summarized the events,
starting from meeting Cecelia in Penyclawdd and finishing with his
visit to the circulating library. Along the way, the Vicar asked a
few prescient questions. “So you were upset when Mrs. Ames, at the
time your fiancée Miss Arnold, left with Mr. Ames?”

“A little. My pride was hurt that she would
prefer him to me. So I went for a walk in the hills around
Bath.”

“Did you give Mrs. Ames cause to elope with her
husband?”

“No, not at all. She's since sent me a letter
explaining that she and her husband had a long-standing attachment
and only married once he was free from his family's opposition. She
even sends her best wishes for Cecelia and me.”

“And you didn't talk to Miss Wood?”

“She wasn't awake when I left, and she was gone
when I returned. I chased after her, but, well, we kept missing
each other.”

“Missing each other?”

“She was staying overnight at the ferry inn in
Aust while I rushed across the Severn on that ferry during the
evening. Then the ferry captain took her to the inn where I stayed
overnight, but I'd already ridden to Swansea in search of her.”

“Oh, dear. I hope when you f ind her, that you
can laugh over this.”

“When I find her?”

“I'll give you the directions, but first I must
crave a boon from you.”

“What?”

“Could you please wait until tomorrow
afternoon?'

“Why?”

“My curate, Mr. Andrews is at St. Fili's, that’s
in Rhossili, where Mr. Hopwell is the vicar. I'd appreciate it if
you'd give him time to return before you pursue Miss Wood. He won't
be back until mid-day tomorrow. I'd rather you not meet him until
I've had time to console him.”

“I see, and if she's agreed to his
proposal?”

“Then she didn't love you very much, and my door
will be open to console you.”

“I'll wait. I've had enough fighting in my life.
I'm done with it.”

“Thank you Captain Wood, and may I add my best
wishes for you. From what I've heard, Miss Wood is a young woman of
considerable spirit and enterprise. Mr. Andrews, while an estimable
man, needs a calmer and more reflective helpmate.”

Mr. Andrews feverishly urged his horse onward.
His slug of a gelding only responded in snatches before returning
to its ambling gait. He shouted at it,“You, you vile animal. How I
wish I had even one of the horses from my father's estate. I'd be
there by now.”

The 'there' he was aiming for was St. Fili's
vicarage in Rhossili. The 'now' was as soon as he could be, at
least early enough in the afternoon to take Cecelia for a walk and
tell her what he felt about her before that man found her. His
impatience was ill-founded. The gelding actually worked hard and
pulled his gig into the vicarage yard well before dinner. He had
made good time. It helped that he went down the steepest grade of
the trip on the way there. He threw the leads over a fence post and
tied them fast. Then he set off in search of Cecelia.