When It Rained at Hembry Castle Chapter 29

A Plan is Hatched

D

ownstairs the servants buzzed with the news. Lady Daphne to be married to Mr. and Mrs. Ellis’ grandson!

“I think it’s fitting,” said Lainie Graham as she chopped onions for the family’s dinner. “They’re well suited.”

“She has no right to waste her life away like that,” said Leslie Rowland, who was waiting for her ladyship’s tea. “The daughter of the Earl of Staton ought to marry someone of her rank, or higher.”

“Lord Staton moved to America to get away from here,” said Pamela. “Why would he want to raise his daughter to know the life he escaped?”

“What did he need to escape from? Was it too much for him, living in this big house with the likes of us to work for him?”

“The likes of us?” Lainie Graham snorted. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Mrs. Graham swatted her ever-present wooden spoon at the lady’s maid. “You don’t know the Ellises’ grandson like I do, Miss Rowland. He’s a fine lad. Steady, strong. He puts everything in perspective. And he’s on his way. He’s becoming more famous every day.”

“Famous for what? He’s the butler’s grandson, for Heaven’s sake. Whatever happened to the Duke of Norley’s heir?”

Mrs. Graham laughed into the poppy seed cake batter. “Lady Daphne had the sense to keep away from him.” She poured the batter into the baking dish and slid the baking dish into the oven.

“Lady Daphne should marry Mr. Lowerby,” said Jemima. “He’ll be a marquess one day.”

“Lady Daphne loves Mr. Edward,” said Pamela. “Maybe they’ll run away to America.”

“America?” Miss Rowland scoffed. “What do they have in America we don’t have here?”

“I don’t think Lady Daphne and Mr. Edward will go to America,” Ruth said. “Lady Daphne won’t leave her father now he’s the Earl. His lordship relies on her. Someone has to help him with his social duties, especially since he doesn’t have a wife and her ladyship has all but withdrawn from Society.”

“I don’t know,” said Mrs. Graham, speaking now to the poached eggs. “I don’t see Lady Daphne enjoying Society any more than Lord Staton, or his brother or father before him.”

“I agree with Mrs. Graham,” Pamela said. “Lady Daphne and Mr. Edward are well suited. Anyone can see that.”

“Anyone except her ladyship,” said Ruth. “She’s in quite a state about that engagement. I heard her arguing with his lordship about it this morning.”

Miss Rowland’s nose reddened as she took the tea tray from one of the kitchen maids. “Why should her ladyship accept the match? Why should Lady Daphne settle for a mere writer when she could have someone far more suitable? Who is this Edward Ellis? Where did he come from?”

“He came from me.”

Mr. Ellis glowered in the doorway. The kitchen maids scattered while Jemima, Ruth, and Pamela escaped into the servants’ hall. Miss Rowland curtsied at Mr. Ellis as she carried away the tea tray, and Mrs. Graham turned to the bubbling pot on the stove with the concentration of a witch casting a spell over her cauldron. Mr. Ellis heard footsteps coming down the stairs, that creaking third step giving the visitor away. He saw his grandson leaning over the railing.

Edward put on a formal air. “I beg your pardon, Ellis, but might I trouble you for a moment.” Mr. Ellis laughed, and Edward followed his grandfather into the servants’ hall.

“Where is Grandmother?” Edward asked.

“We have a new maid starting today and your grandmother is showing her around. We needed to replace Miss Escott since she’s been taken as a lady’s maid for Lady Daphne. Miss Escott is one fortunate young woman. Hired by his lordship’s brother as a housemaid one day, a lady’s maid the next. What is it, Edward? You look thoughtful suddenly.”

“I was thinking about Lord Staton. I was thinking how his brother’s death has wreaked havoc in so many ways.”

“More than you know.”

“Why, Grandfather. If I didn’t know better I’d say you’re hiding a secret.”

“I hide all the family’s secrets. That’s how I’ve held onto my job for over 40 years.”

Edward heard his grandmother’s keys jingle. “I was thinking about his lordship’s problems too,” Mrs. Ellis said, “and I have an idea.” The butler and the housekeeper exchanged a meaningful glance.

“I don’t know, Mary…”

“We should tell him, Augustus. He should know about the child. He’s a journalist and he has connections. He might be able to help.”

“What child?” Edward asked.

His grandmother shrugged as though the answer were obvious. “The missing child, of course.”

Edward leaned forward in his chair, his elbows on his knees, his chin resting on his fists. “Now you have to tell me.”

“Come with me.” Mrs. Ellis opened the door, saw the hallway deserted, and led her grandson to her sitting room where she explained all in a hushed voice.

Daphne sat

before the mirror in her bedroom while Pamela curled her hair. She watched Pamela’s reflection as the maid kept dropping pins and apologizing.

“Pamela.” Daphne faced the maid. “If you’re not feeling well then you should lie down. I can manage myself. My grandmother won’t like it, but she’s not speaking to me since I became engaged to Edward so her being upset about my hair won’t make much difference.”

Pamela dropped her face into her hands and sobbed.

“Pamela! What’s wrong? Tell me, please.”

“I don’t think you can help, my lady.”

Daphne led Pamela to her bed, and they sat on the pink coverlet beneath the painted tree, her arm around the maid’s shoulders. “Won’t you tell me what’s wrong?”

“If there was anyone in the world I’d speak to it would be you, but I can’t speak without betraying your uncle.”

Daphne grasped the maid’s hands. “He’s no longer here to speak for himself, but you can speak for him. What do you know? Please tell me.”

“My sister is missing, my lady. And her baby son along with her.”

“How do you know they’re missing?”

“I haven’t heard from her since we were in London.”

“That was only two weeks ago.”

“My letters have been returned undeliverable.”

“Are you sure it wasn’t a mistake?”

“I don’t think so, my lady. I’ve been sending her money from my salary. She needs the money, and she wouldn’t turn my letters away if she was there to receive them. I’ve written to her neighbors but they said she’s gone and they don’t know where she is.”

“Do you have any other family? Parents? Siblings?”

“No, my lady. It’s just Lucy and me. Our parents died some years ago, and our brother died when we were girls. My sister’s gone, my lady, and I don’t know where. Where can she be?”

“We’ll find her, Pamela, I promise. But what does your sister have to do with my Uncle Richard?”

Daphne handed Pamela her handkerchief, and Pamela pressed it to her eyes. “Did you know that I was hired here because his lordship, your uncle, that is, asked Mrs. Ellis to give me a place?” Daphne nodded. “Your uncle not only helped me, Lady Daphne. He helped my sister. He sent her money every month.”

“I’m afraid I’m not following.”

“For the child, my lady. Your uncle sent my sister money for the child.”

And then Daphne realized. She stared into the pink wall with the stretching branches and mauve roses, the birdcage dangling as if waving in the wind. “Your sister’s child…?”

“Is not your uncle’s, my lady. Not your uncle the Earl’s, I mean.”

“The child is my Uncle Jerrold’s then.” Pamela shrugged, which Daphne took as a sign of agreement. “But it was my Uncle Richard who supported your sister and the child?”

“Yes, my lady. That was the business he had in London that I told you about. He’d go visit my sister and the baby to be certain they had everything they needed. That’s why I said he was a good man. He took such an interest. He cared so much, and the baby wasn’t even his.”

Daphne closed her eyes as she considered everything she heard. “After Richard died, then your sister must have had quite a lot less to live on.”

“She had hardly anything, my lady. I always sent her whatever I could from my salary, though it weren’t enough to be of much help. When I told Mr. and Mrs. Ellis about my sister’s troubles they began sending money too, though it still didn’t come close to what she had before. She started falling behind on her accounts, and the baby grew sick.”

“Did anyone ask my Uncle Jerrold for help? It is his child.”

“My sister asked him, and I asked him too. Mr. Jerrold made it clear that if either of us contacted him again he’d make sure I lost my position here. He said I’d never work again.”

Daphne’s head hurt suddenly, the pounding inside her skull beating out her Uncle Jerrold’s scoundrel name. “I promise you, Pamela, we’ll find your sister and the baby. And don’t you worry about my Uncle Jerrold. Your position here will never be jeopardized, not as long as my father or I have something to say about it.” Daphne looked into the fire in the hearth and sighed. “First Mr. Palmer was found nearly frozen to death by the lake screaming for my Uncle Richard, and now I’ve learned that my Uncle Jerrold abandoned his own child, leaving my Uncle Richard to handle it all. If it weren’t for Edward, I might think there was nothing good left in the world.” She kissed the top of Pamela’s white cap. “We’ll tell my father. He’ll know what to do.”

Mr. Ellis watched

his grandson over the top of his round-rimmed spectacles. “What do you think?”

“I think we need to find the child, though Lord Staton should be told.”

“Perhaps we should have told him as soon as we discovered the letters,” Mrs. Ellis said, “but we didn’t want to upset him, what with everything that’s happened. Your grandfather and I sent Pamela’s sister whatever we could.”

“That’s good of you, both of you.”

“Not good enough, I’m afraid. It wasn’t enough to keep her from her present difficulties.” Mr. Ellis shook his head as he cleaned his spectacles with his handkerchief.

After Edward dressed in his dinner suit, he waited in the west wing hallway until Daphne left her room. She looked lovely in her midnight blue velvet dress with the pink and gold embroidery, though she could wear a carpetbag and still be the most beautiful girl in the room. Daphne shook her finger at him.

“If my grandmother saw you standing outside my bedroom she’d slap you with her ear trumpet.”

Edward took Daphne into his arms. “We’re engaged. I can wait for you. I can even kiss you if I like.” He kissed her lips and she beamed at him.

“I’d like it if you would kiss me again, Mr. Ellis.”

Which he did. It took time before he pulled his lips from hers. When he found some air, he said, “I wanted to catch you before you went down for a reason. I’ve been talking to my grandparents and I’ve been informed about some difficulties your family is having.”

“Are you referring to my Uncle Jerrold’s child?”

“I should have guessed you would know. Who told you?”

“Pamela. She finally confided in me. We can help her, can’t we?”

“I’ll do everything I can.” Edward considered the polished dark wood floor beneath his feet. “Have you told your father yet?”

“I was going to tell him tonight. But I don’t understand why Pamela’s sister would disappear with her baby like that. Why didn’t she tell Pamela? Who knows where they’ve gone, or what hardships they’re facing. It’s so cold outside. It breaks my heart to think of them out there, without shelter, without food.”

“There’s no reason to think the worst just yet.” Edward kissed Daphne’s cheek. He couldn’t help himself. “Don’t worry, Daphne. We’ll find them.”

Dinner was subdued,

as dinner had been subdued for some months. Though her ladyship no longer appeared as forlorn as she had those first weeks after Richard’s death, she had yet to spring back to her formidable self. She was quiet, so Daphne, Frederick, and Edward remained quiet out of respect. After dinner they met in Mrs. Ellis’ sitting room downstairs—Edward, Daphne, Mr. and Mrs. Ellis, his lordship, and Pamela. It would be safest there, Frederick said, since her ladyship may still be lurking about upstairs and they didn’t want to cause her any unnecessary pain, especially since they didn’t know yet what they were dealing with. In the dark room, lit by two gas lamps and an orange fire crackling in the hearth, the six people huddled close together, whispering though the door was closed and everyone else had turned in for the night.

“There were rumors that your brother, the previous Earl, was seen around London with a young woman and a child,” Mrs. Ellis said. “I’ve heard from other servants from other houses that it’s become accepted that he was the father of the child.”

“And you know for certain he is not?” Frederick asked.

“Yes, my lord,” said Mr. Ellis. “We’re quite certain.”

“May I ask how you know with such certainty?” Edward looked at his grandparents, their faces long in the shadows from the flickering firelight. “None of us know precisely what his lordship’s brother was up to when he would disappear for weeks at a time.”

Mrs. Ellis looked at the photograph of Richard on her mantelpiece. “I can say for certain that the 9th Earl was not the baby’s father. Mr. Jerrold is.”

Frederick leaned his head against the back of the wing chair. He was silent for a long time. Finally, he looked at Pamela. “You know this for certain?”

“Yes, my lord. I know from my sister’s own lips that the baby’s father is Mr. Jerrold.”

“My brother Jerrold. The one so worried about propriety, the one determined to maintain the correct order of things, has been decidedly improper himself. And he wasn’t even man enough to face up to it. Well well. So how did my brother Richard come to be involved?”

“My sister wrote to your brother the Earl, my lord, asking him for help because Mr. Jerrold had turned his back on her. It was out of the goodness of your brother the Earl’s heart that he sent her money and visited her from time to time to make sure all was well.”

“My brother Richard always did have a good heart.”

“Yes, he did, my lord.” Mrs. Ellis removed the packet of letters from her dressing table and showed them to Frederick. “Mr. Ellis saw Colin place these under the floorboards in Staton House. They were stolen by Henry, and we believe Colin then stole them from Henry. The loss of these letters must have caused some worry for your brother when he was Earl.”

“We’re going to have to do something about that,” said Frederick. He took the letters from Mrs. Ellis and turned them over in his hands. He chose one letter and held it close to his face, squinting as he scanned it in the dark room. “Does anyone know who wrote my brother this love letter?” When no one replied, Frederick studied the letter again. “This hand, I think I know it. It seems familiar somehow, though I can’t seem to place it. It’s a lovely letter.” He showed a stunted smile to the crackling flames. “That’s something, I suppose. Richard had love in his life. It makes me glad to know it.” He read the second letter and nodded. “Now this I recognize immediately. My father wrote this.” He took a moment to read the words. “This is very much like my father, to encourage Richard when no one else would. I wonder why my father felt the need to write such a letter.” Frederick handed the letter to Daphne.

“Uncle Richard was always worried about becoming Earl. Maybe Grandpa was telling Uncle Richard he believed he was strong enough to do the job, and that he loved him even if he struggled.”

Frederick tapped his chin as he considered. “What about our intruder friend, Mr. Palmer? He may know something, perhaps not about the child, but he knew Richard well. Is it unreasonable to assume he knew more about Richard than he was willing to say?”

“I’m afraid Mr. Palmer has gone, my lord.” Mr. Ellis clasped his hands behind his back in his familiar pose. “The doctor informed me that the young man left this morning. Mr. Palmer seemed recovered enough, and the doctor had no authority to make him stay.”

“Did he leave any clue about where we might find him?” Edward asked.

“The only thing he said before he left was a message for Lady Daphne. Mr. Palmer said Lady Daphne should say hello to her Uncle Richard.”

“Poor man,” Daphne said. “I wish he would have stayed longer, Papa. I wish he would have let us help him.”

Frederick scanned the letter from Pamela’s sister begging for help for her child. He clenched his jaw so tightly Edward could see the knot of muscles in his cheeks. When Frederick finished reading he threw the paper onto Mrs. Ellis’ desk. “The fact remains Escott’s sister and her sister’s child are out there somewhere and we must find them. Even if they’ve settled elsewhere, we must know they’re safe.”

Edward turned to Pamela. “Where was your sister living before she disappeared?”

“Near Covent Garden,” Pamela answered.

“I’ll begin there then. I’ll ask a few of the reporters at the Observer to ask around to see if anyone knows anything.”

“Edward, know that every resource at Hembry will be made available for their recovery.” Frederick turned to the maid. “Escott, may I ask how your sister came to know my brother Jerrold?”

“Lucy was a housemaid at Meriwether Cottage, my lord.”

“How convenient. My brother preyed on defenseless girls working in his own home. Jerrold.” Frederick spat out the name as though it left a bitter taste in his mouth. “The nerve of him. Lecturing Richard about his wanton ways when Jerrold was the philandering one all along. And Richard, in the goodness of his heart, tried to help by keeping Jerrold’s secret, finding Escott a place here, and paying for the child though it wasn’t his responsibility. And they call me the wayward.”

“Are you going to tell Grandma?” Daphne asked.

“I should. It would serve her right for always favoring Jerrold, encouraging his snobbishness, making him feel he was the superior one when Richard was the one who needed her support. She spoiled Jerrold when she should have been guiding Richard.”

Daphne took Edward’s hand. “When will you begin searching for Pamela’s sister?”

“I’ll return to London in the morning.”

“I want to come,” Daphne said. “I know London a little now. I can help.”

Edward straightened his shoulders and stood tall, the best concerned husband look he could muster. “Daphne, I cannot allow you to come with me. I don’t know where in London I may need to go, and some neighborhoods simply aren’t safe.”

“I’m going, Edward. If Pamela’s sister’s child is my Uncle Jerrold’s, that means the child is my cousin. I’m going to help find them, and that’s that.” Daphne nodded in a regal manner that would have made her grandmother proud. She led Pamela away with great ceremony.

Frederick laughed. “Edward, you may as well know that you’ll be dealing with a firecracker for the rest of your life.”

“I’m quite pleased with my firecracker, Lord Staton, I assure you.”

Frederick nodded. He stretched his legs, then stood near the hearth, straightening himself into his most regal bearing, an easy task with his height and silver-threaded hair. “Ellis, call Henry and Colin here. I have a few words for them.”

“Gladly, my lord.”

Edward sat in his grandmother’s chair behind the desk and waited—this was going to be quite a scene, better than anything he had seen in the London theaters for some time. In a moment, Mr. Ellis reappeared, his round-framed spectacles as close to the tip of his nose as they could go without falling to the ground, his eyes pulled, his lips tight. It was, Edward thought, the finest impression of a stern schoolmaster he had yet seen from his grandfather. Mr. Ellis allowed Henry and Colin into the room, and both young men stopped on their toes when they saw Lord Staton. The Earl stared at the footmen with a blank expression while the young men hopped from foot to foot, waiting.

“Henry, Colin, I have been informed of the issue regarding letters that were the personal property of my brother, the 9th Earl of Staton. Furthermore, I’m aware that you, Colin, hid the letters at Staton House.”

“I did no such thing.” If Edward didn’t know better he would have believed the indignant footman. Colin would do well as a witness in a court case, Edward mused, or speaking at Parliament.

“I was behind you when you placed the letters under the floorboard,” Mr. Ellis said. “And you, Henry, going on about those letters from home that Colin stole from you, yet they weren’t your letters at all. They belonged to the 9th Earl. It should not need to be said that we do not abide by such behavior in this house. Would you like to say it, my lord, or shall I?”

“By all means, Ellis, go on.”

“Henry Horrocks and Colin Pratt, you are both dismissed. I hope you’re able to learn a lesson from this unfortunate event. I hope you’ll learn to think beyond your own selfishness.”

Henry Horrocks stood with his arms crossed before his chest, his eyes darting defiance between Lord Staton and Mr. Ellis. The footman laughed a wicked laugh. “You think you can stop us by dismissing us?” He glared at Lord Staton.

Mr. Ellis stepped toward Henry, but Lord Staton’s hand stopped him.

“Let the young man speak, Ellis. I’m most interested in what he has to say.”

“It wasn’t hard to work out,” said Henry. “The 9th Earl had a love letter and a letter from a woman asking for help for her child. The rumors were true then. He had an illegitimate child. I saw the letters, and now they have a use to me, don’t they?”

Mr. Ellis clenched his fists, presumably, Edward thought, to stop himself from knocking Henry’s skull to the ground. “I believe we’ve heard enough, my lord. It’s time for Henry and Colin to pack for their journey.”

“I agree, Ellis. I’m sorry to be the one to remind you, Henry, but you are no longer in possession of the letters. You have no proof of what you say, not only because you no longer have the letters, but because your conclusions are false.” Frederick gestured toward the door. “I invite you to bring the story to any newspaper you wish. My future son-in-law here is a journalist, as am I, and we both will tell you that without proof of what you say, you will have a difficult time selling anything to anyone.”

Henry turned a smug look onto Edward. “I may not need to do anything to bring this family down, my lord. Looks like that pretty daughter of yours is able to embarrass the family without any help from me.”

Frederick’s cheeks broke out in red spots. “Ellis, escort them upstairs. Be certain the carriage is available to drive them away at first light.”

“Certainly, my lord.”

Henry waved his fist in Frederick’s direction. “You haven’t heard the last of this.”

“I’m sorry to say, Henry, but I believe I have.”

When Mr. Ellis returned, he bowed to Lord Staton. “My lord, I apologize. I should have let them go as soon as I knew about the letters.”

“No, Ellis. You did the right thing. We needed to have our facts straight before we took action.”

“Are you concerned about them selling the story?” Mrs. Ellis asked. “Was that true, that no newspaper would buy their story because they have no proof?”

“That, in fact, was a lie.” Frederick winked at Edward. “Of course, it would be easier for them to sell the story if they still had the letters, but there are plenty of publications out there happy for any hint of scandal no matter the source. It hardly matters if there’s proof behind the slander.” Frederick slumped back into the chair before the hearth. “If they do succeed in selling the story and furthering the gossip about Richard, the sad truth is it doesn’t matter. Richard isn’t here to be hurt by their foul words, and the family is already the subject of gossip because of the circumstances of his death. There’s also been some talk about the fact that my daughter has become engaged to a young man I highly approve of.”

Edward bowed in his seat. “Thank you, Lord Staton.”

“Edward, if you don’t return to calling me Frederick I’ll knock you over the head with my walking stick, I truly will.”

“Thank you, Frederick. Now,” Edward opened the door, “if you don’t mind, I’d like to see my firecracker.”

“Away you go, my boy,” said Frederick. “Away you go.”