“All right, I will go with you, but you must promise not to harm this gentleman.”
“I promise,” growled the man. “Now get in!”
Patience felt a damp hand covering her own and turned to look at Mr. Williams. “I am so sorry. Please forgive me,” he uttered in a low voice. Something in his pleading eyes told her there was more to this than she had first imagined.
She nodded and stepped away from Mr. Williams to enter the carriage. When she looked out the window, she was just in time to see Mr. Williams crumble to the ground from a vicious hit to the head from the butt of her assailant’s pistol.
Patience let out a cry of dismay.
“How dare you! You promised not to harm him!”
The man jumped in and sat opposite her. “Couldn’t trust the fellow. Too soft-hearted by half. Would have run off and given us away in a trice.”
Patience suddenly realized that they were not alone in the carriage as another voice called for the coachman to get a move on and take them to the nearest church.
“Ah but in the end, he did accomplish the deed, didn’t he? I told you he would.”
“Papa! What is this all about?”
“Carlton here missed you terribly, darling.”
Both men guffawed at that. As the man took off hat and scarf, Patience saw that it was indeed Lord Carlton.
“I know all about the dowry. I will not allow the two of you to get your hands on it. You might as well let me down now.”
“I do not think so, daughter. We will reach the church very shortly. I expect you to comply quietly.”
“You certainly cannot imagine that I will say yes when the time comes for me to pronounce my vows!”
“Actually, I do.” The two men laughed over the pun. “You see, should you not respond by the affirmative, you will be putting your Earl in great danger.”
Patience stiffened. “What have you done with him?”
“Nothing yet! The Earl was good enough to comply with a missive I wrote stating he should return to his estate to attend some urgent business. But I had a couple of ruffians watching him. They had orders to waylay him on a stretch of deserted road. By now he should be comfortably ensconced in a little make-shift prison. One word from me, and he will be no more.”
Patience’s heart seemed to freeze inside her chest.
“So what will it be? Will you marry our very good friend, Lord Carlton?”
Patience, too stunned to speak, slowly nodded in acquiescence.
“Good girl. I knew you would come around.”
As soon as the coach had taken off, Jessup came out of his hiding place and rushed back toward the picnickers. It was a good thing he had woken up just in time to see Miss Patty leave with that boring fellow who could talk of nothing but herbs and illnesses. He came to a stop in front of Lady Westbury and Lady Rutherford sitting in the shade of a tree. He had run so fast he could barely utter the words that struggled to get out of his mouth.
Lady Westbury looked up. “Jessup, what is the matter? Did you get yourself into an awful scrape again?”
Jessup shook his head violently. “It’s Miss Patty! Someone took her away!”
“If you are talking about young Williams, it is perfectly all right. I saw them going for a stroll. No harm in that. He can be counted on to act the perfect gentleman, I am sure.”
“No, you don’t understand! Mr. Williams was knocked over the head, and a coach took Miss Patty away!”
The two ladies let out horrified shrieks.
“What is the meaning of all this?” Philip, attracted by the commotion, approached with Miss Arlington in tow.
“Jessup, tell him your story!” ordered Lady Rutherford.
“We better go see for ourselves. Come Jessup, lead the way.” The two rushed off to the site of the crime while the three ladies followed as best they could. When they finally caught up, they found Philip bending over the inert form of Mr. Williams.
“Is he dead?” asked Miss Arlington peering cautiously over Philip’s shoulder.
“No. But he has a nasty bump at the back of his head.” Philip looked at Jessup. “Which way did the coach go?”
“That way,” he said, pointing north. “I also heard one of the fellows inside the carriage ordering the driver to head for the nearest church.”
“Good boy! We’ll take my carriage and go after them. Ladies, I suggest you go back to find help for this man.”
“I am going with you!” Miss Arlington said, grabbing Philip’s arm in a firm grasp.
“It might be dangerous. You should stay here.”
Miss Arlington tapped a dainty foot onto the grass. “I insist. Miss Bingham might need the assistance of a female. If her father is behind all this, as he most surely is, then I definitely wish to be present.”
The other two ladies set off a similar cry. Philip tried again but was no match for their combined efforts.
“Let us go quickly then. We will send the first person we meet to look after Williams.”
Luckily, a couple strolled onto the scene just at that moment. Williams was left in their care and the party made its way to Lady Westbury’s barouche. Lady Rutherford was sadly out of breath by this time and had to be assisted inside the vehicle by both her groom and Philip. Lady Westbury sat next to her. Opening her fan, she set it in motion attempting to revive her friend as best she could. Miss Arlington chose to join Philip in his phaeton. They led the way and set off at a spanking pace causing many heads to turn in their wake.
Patience reached the church much too soon in her opinion. Her thoughts were all in a jumble. No matter how she looked at the situation, she had not been able to come up with an alternative plan. She had seriously considered wrestling the gun away from Sir Rupert, but that man had been wise enough to keep it well away from her. She entered the church flanked by both men, the gun having been hidden in Sir Rupert’s greatcoat pocket — the pocket furthest from her reach she noticed sadly. The church was empty except for a hooded figure bowed in prayer in one corner near the back entrance. As they walked past him, Patience coughed loudly to catch his attention. She doubted that he could overpower her two captors, but he might be induced to get some help. It was to no avail however. The man’s head remained bowed, and he did not even stir.
They found the clergyman in a back room, attending to some business. He was an old and stooped little man who did not look as if he had the strength to wrestle a fly. Did clergymen even know how to wrestle? Patience shook her head. It was amazing the silly thoughts that could cross one’s mind when one was labouring under great stress.
The clergyman looked up from his work and greeted them with a beatific smile. “Good afternoon. I’m Mr. Findley. How may I help you?”
Lord Bingham took the lead. “We have come for a wedding. We are hoping you are available to perform the office now.”
“I am always available to join loving souls into holy matrimony. You have a licence, I imagine?”
“Yes, here it is.” Lord Bingham reached into his breast pocket and took out a folded sheet of paper.
The vicar took it, and after balancing his spectacles on his nose, examined the document carefully.
“All seems to be in order.”
Patience felt her hopes dwindling away as she watched the old man slowly get to his feet. He walked up to her and took her agitated hands between his knobbly fingers. “You seem a little nervous. Do not worry so. The good Lord always looks after his children.”
Patience noticed the twinkle in his faded blue eyes, and realized he seemed to have stressed the word Lord. Was the man sending her a message or was she so desperate that she saw signs where none existed? Now was not the time to be making up stories in her head. She needed to keep her mind focused if she wanted to find a way out of this farce of a marriage.
The Reverend Findley led them back inside the church. All was as it had been when they had first entered it. When he stopped in front of the altar Pati
ence blurted, “Mr. Findley, I must speak with my father alone for a moment.”
He gave an understanding smile and gestured for them to go toward the back of the church where the hooded figure still sat in prayer. Patience caught Sir Rupert’s angry frown, and she had the absurd urge to stick out her tongue at him. She refrained from doing so however. This was her last chance. She must not bungle it. She glanced at the hooded figure as she passed him. She could not see his face as it was bent low over his chest. He now gave off the expression of someone deep in sleep. She definitely would not get any help from that quarter.
“That is far enough,” her father said as they reached the last pew. “Remember, I don’t want any of your fiddle-faddle. If you try anything foolish, your Earl is dead.”
“Papa, what exactly is the deal you struck with Sir Rupert?” asked Patience, getting directly to the point.
“Why, upon your marriage Carlton will fork over half of your inheritance.”
“Did it ever occur to you that I might have given you the half of it had you merely asked me?”
“No, actually. But now that I think about it since you feel so strongly about my gambling, where would be the point in that?”
“I can tell you this much: had you given me the choice between marrying Sir Rupert and giving you half the money, I would have chosen the latter.”
“That is easy for you to say now, but what would have stopped you from backing out of the deal?”
“What is to stop Sir Rupert from doing the same?”
“Oh, it was all done good and proper of course. We had his man of business draw up the papers.”
“Ha! Sir Rupert must be the greatest pinchpenny of all of England! I would not trust him with my last coin. You may be sure those papers are tricked, especially if his own man of business drew them up.”
Lord Bingham blanched a little at that but refused to comment.
“Why could you not have done the same with me?” Patience asked now.
“Because had you gone ahead and gotten married before you turned twenty-one, no husband in his right mind would have sat by quietly and watch you give away your blunt. You may be sure the fellow would have contested the papers and caused a lot of trouble.”
“Papa, I will give you all of it if you will just release the Earl and let me go back to Aunt Louisa!”
“That is pretty talking indeed! To tell the truth, your offer is mighty tempting. But I have gone to much trouble to finally get you here, and I will not risk losing it all when half of the money is guaranteed to come my way now.”
“I thought you were a gambler!”
“One thing I am not is a fool! Rutherford would be sure to have something to say in the matter, seeing as he would lose out a very large sum to me. If I thought your Earl was in love with you, then I might have been more lenient. But had he been in love with you, he would have put a stop to all this right from the beginning. When I fell in love with your mother, I did not let anything stand in my way. He could have married you already by now and made sure no swindler took you away. Bah! Even the lure of a fortune could not make him marry you fast enough. Where is your Earl now I ask you?”
“Right here, as a matter of fact!”
Patience spun around in time to find the hooded figure had risen and was now drawing back his garment. When it fell from his face, she found herself looking straight into Julius’ eyes.
Chapter Nineteen
Patience ran over to Julius and threw herself into his arms, almost knocking him off his feet in the process.
“My lord! I am so glad you are all right! You managed to escape then?”
Lord Bingham’s face turned the colour of ash. “You! How did you get here?”
“Easily enough. I imagine I must have used the same road as you did.”
“But what about the ruffians he had set onto you?” asked Patience, still snuggled within his arms.
“Oh, that. I am afraid your father has underestimated me somewhat. Let’s just say those two louts will not be bothering anyone for some time.”
“Hand over the girl!” Sir Rupert suddenly demanded, withdrawing the pistol from his greatcoat pocket.
While Patience had been busy rejoicing, Carlton had used the opportunity to sneak up to the back door. He was now positioned in front of it, effectively blocking their way.
“Put that thing away, you fool!” Lord Bingham cried moving to stand in front of the couple. “Can’t you see the game is over? Give it up.”
“If you think I am going to let all that money slip through my fingers when we are so close to the goal, then you are the fool! Now come here, girl!”
A commotion suddenly erupted from outside the doors, causing Sir Rupert to turn his head that way. Julius, making use of this distraction, propelled Patience, her father and himself behind a nearby column just as the doors flew open, knocking Sir Rupert down to the ground. As he hit the floor, his pistol went off, the bullet shattering the wall exactly where the three had stood barely seconds before.
Female screams filled the church as bodies piled in the entrance. Philip, noting the pistol in Sir Rupert’s hand, kicked it away before picking him up by the scruff of the neck.
“What have you done with Miss Bingham?” Philip shouted.
“Speak this instant!” demanded Lady Westbury, jabbing him in the chest with her parasol.
“Philip, I believe the man will not be able to utter a sound if you continue to choke him so,” Julius said, stepping away from the column followed by Patience and her father.
“Julius! Miss Bingham!” cried Philip, releasing his charge who promptly fell back to the ground.
The couple were instantly surrounded by the new arrivals.
“Jessup, what took you so long? According to my calculations, you should have been here soon after Patience arrived.”
Jessup had recuperated the gun and now handed it to the Earl. “Mr. Rutherford took a shortcut but got lost along the way,” said the lad, rolling his eyes.
“Did I not say I believed you were taking a wrong turn, Philip?” said Miss Arlington.
“Yes, my love, but I did get us here didn’t I? And just in the nick of time by the looks of things!”
Lady Westbury, who had not missed the Earl’s comment to Jessup, said, “You mean to tell me you knew what would happen all along? Did you hear that, Henrietta?” Her hat askew and her cheeks flushed, she looked from the Earl to his mother.
“Julius is only funning. He would never do such a thing, of course,” Lady Rutherford stated.
“I am sorry to disappoint the both of you, but yes I did. I was hoping some good would come out of all this, and I believe it has.”
Julius’ glance went from Philip’s arm wrapped protectively around Miss Arlington’s form to Patience having a civilized conversation with her father instead of giving him the thrashing he deserved.
“And I thought you were such a sensible, no-nonsense man!” exclaimed Lady Westbury.
“Isn’t that why you and Mother wanted to pair me up with Patience in the first place? So that I would lose some of my starchiness and come to love adventure, drama, and make-believe?”
Lady Westbury chuckled at that. “I never thought your mother and I would succeed so well!”
Patience joined them along with Mr. Findley.
“Will we be having a wedding after all?” the old man asked.
“That shall depend on the lady,” Julius answered.
Patience looked up into Julius’ laughing eyes and smiled in return. “Not before you and I have a long-overdue discussion.”
“Then the answer must be no for the time being.”
The Reverend Findley nodded. “Please come again when all is settled. I will look forward to performing the union.” He shook both their hands before walking back in the direction of his sanctuary.
“I must ask you, my lord, how did you know my father had set a trap for you?”
Julius spotted Lord Bingham being berated by his
sister. Certain the man could not hear them he answered, “That was the easy part. You see, I once read a note your father had written to you pretending to be Philip that first night he tried to take you away. He attempted the same trick with this last note pretending to be my steward. Why it did not occur to him that I would not recognize my own steward’s handwriting is beyond me, but I certainly recognized your father’s. At all events, I do not think we should tell him. This knowledge may prove useful should he be so foolish as to try anything underhanded in the future.”
The Earl caught Jessup by the arm. “And this nosy scamp here turned out to be quite useful. He was actually the brain behind the plot to catch the ruffians.”
Jessup looked quite pleased with himself. “When I learned what your father had done, I told the Earl to send his carriage as expected with two Bow Street Runners inside. Those coves must have been dicked in the nob to think they could get away with such a plumper!”
“Yes well, enough talk. Your parents will not recognize you when they see you next.” Julius gave him a friendly slap on the shoulder. “Although the boy has impressed Bow Street so much that I would not be surprised if Jessup became the youngest Bow Street Runner in history.”
“Julius, that fellow I almost strangled is gone!” Philip suddenly cried out.
Julius shrugged. “I was hoping he would make a run for it. It saves us the trouble of wondering what to do with him!”
“But what if he tries to harm Patience again?”
“As to that, I will shortly be paying him a visit and hope to make myself very clear. Those ruffians hired to assail me will surely speak out once they are arrested. When Sir Rupert and Lord Bingham learn I will only dismiss any accusations made against them should they behave in the future, I am sure we are not likely to encounter any more problems from that quarter.”
Lord Bingham, having escaped his sister’s clutches, approached in time to hear the last part of this speech. “No you will not,” he assured them. “No offence, but I find I prefer the relative safety of the gaming tables over the uncertainties inherent to dealing with my daughter.”