Voices in a Haunted Room

“I don’t know how long I shall be here. Lottie naturally will stay with me. It would arouse comment if you stayed on with us after David is back at Eversleigh. No, this is the best. There’s no time for discussion. We have to act quickly. I’ll take care of these things, and if he’s not here we’ll scent him out. He’s got to be stopped getting back to France.”

Jonathan said crisply: “I’ll see that the horses are made ready. Claudine, be ready in half an hour.”

I was bewildered. My mother came to my room to help me prepare.

“It seems so ... dramatic,” I said.

“It is. I accept it. I was caught up in France, remember. That man Blanchard went round the country inciting the French to revolution. He and his kind were responsible for my mother’s death. I narrowly escaped through Dickon’s courage and resourcefulness.

What happened in France must not happen in England, and that is what men like Blanchard and Alberic are trying to bring about. We have to help. We have to do all we can, and if we don’t always understand at the time, we T have to wait for explanations later.”

I could not believe that only yesterday I had been sitting on a riverbank watching the water flow by, philosophically talking to Jonathan.

The horses were waiting for us. “You should get a good way by tonight,” said Dickon.

“Then go to an inn and rest for a few hours, but t be off with the dawn, and you might with luck reach Eversleigh by early afternoon.

He can’t get there much before you.”

We went through the city, past the Tower-grey, gloomy and menacing; then we were away. Jonathan looked different, very determined. It was fortunate that I was a good rider. The bantering mood of yesterday was gone and in its place was one of intense seriousness. He was going to get Alberic ... if that young man had decided to return to Enderby.

All through the afternoon we rode, stopping only to slake our thirst and eat a little cold lamb and bread. Then we were off again.

It was about ten o’clock that night when we pulled up at an inn. Our horses were flagging and I wondered if Jonathan was as tired as I was. They had only one room. At any other time I should have protested, but we had to eat and sleep if we were going to make the long journey next day.

We ate in the inn parlour. As it was late, there was only cold food mutton pie-and ale to drink. It was enough, and I was almost asleep over it.

There was only one bed in the room. I took off my boots and fully dressed lay down on it and was immediately fast asleep.

I was awakened by a light kiss on my forehead. Jonathan was standing over me.

“Wake up,” he said. “Time to be off.”

Then I remembered where I was and sprang up.

“We won’t stop for food,” he said, “We’ll try to snatch something on the way.”

We went out to the stables; our horses had been fed and watered and were rested.

They were as frisky as ever.

As we rode out, Jonathan laughed heartily. I asked what was so amusing.

“It has just occurred to me. I have often thought of spending a night with you ...

to find you lying there beside me when I awoke. I’ve imagined that often enough, and when it does happen, all we did was sleep. It’s funny, you must admit. Come on.

With luck we’ll make it by early afternoon.”

The journey was long and arduous. Twice we stopped for light refreshment but mainly to rest the horses. It must have been two o’clock in the afternoon when we reached Eversleigh.

“First,” said Jonathan, “we’ll go to the stables and get fresh horses. These have done enough. Then we’ll go to Enderby. I want you to find out whether Alberic is back. It will come better from you. Don’t let them know we want to see him urgently.

There may be others of his friends in the neighbourhood. We don’t want them warned.”

“Don’t you think he would have got away by now?”

“He might. But he hasn’t had much time. He couldn’t have beaten us here by much, even if he left immediately after seeing you in the coffee house. Come on.” We went through the gate and into the stables.

One of the grooms came out to greet us.

“We want fresh horses, Jacob,” said Jonathan. “Quickly, these are tired. We have to go out immediately.”

“Yes, sir. You’ve come back and, master ...”

“Never mind now. Get the horses and see to these two.... They’ve had a pretty long ride.”

“Shall I tell the household you’ve returned?”

“Do that. Is Billy Grafter about?”

“I’ll see, sir.”

”If he’s there, make sure he doesn’t go away. I want to talk to him seriously ... but not now.”

“Right, sir.”

“Make sure you have him ready for me. Lock him in one of the rooms so that he doesn’t stray.”

All the servants at Eversleigh had learned to obey Dickon without question, and I could see the same applied to Jonathan.

Twenty minutes later I rang the bell at Enderby and one of the servants opened the door.

“Oh, Mabel,” I said. “I’m not calling to see my aunt. I just wanted a word with Alberic.”

“You’ve just missed him, Mrs. Frenshaw.”

“Missed him! He’s back from London then?”

“Only just a little while ago. He’s been in and out again.”

“Where did he go?”