Chapter Seven
Alice sat against her headboard, idly staring into the darkened space. The images of Lord Arndel’s horse Bandit clear in her mind’s eye. A niggling thought that wouldn’t fade, no matter how hard she tried to disbelieve what her memory had revealed to her. The horse was magnificent, there was no doubt, a memorable horse.
And that was the terrible thought… Had she seen Bandit before?
She reached over and clasped her glass of water, downing it quickly. More deliberation would be needed before she could make any sort of claim against his lordship. Or tell him that she believed his horse had been used by the Surrey Bandit in his nefarious thieving scheme.
Throwing off her blankets, she clasped the candle beside her bed, walked to where she kept the flint, and lit the candle again. Alice walked about the room, lighting all the candles she could find, needing to be able to see, to rid herself of the dark that haunted her dreams.
Lord Arndel had named his horse Bandit. What gumption to name his horse after the very trade in which he partook. He must think them all simpletons, and it would certainly explain as to why no one ever saw his lordship on the black beast, for if they did, some would surely suspect. Just as she did now.
Ass!
Her door opened and she started, before recognizing her sister Victoria who peeped around the threshold. “I heard you walking about. Are you well?”
Alice nodded. “Shut the door,” she whispered, “and come in. We need to talk.”
Her sister seemed eager, and, going back to her bed, she gestured for her to sit beside her. “I had a terrible thought. One that I can scarcely believe myself.”
“Oh no. Do you want to talk about it?”
“What I’m about to disclose to you mustn’t go beyond us. You must promise me this. Swear it even on your life.”
Victoria’s eyes went wide. “Of course.” She crossed her chest with her hand. “I swear.”
Alice studied her a moment and sure she was being genuine, took a deep calming breath and stated, “I think I know who the Surrey Bandit is.”
Victoria stared at her a moment before her sister’s question squeaked out of her. “You do?”
Alice shushed her. “Quiet, or you’ll wake Mama and she’ll want to know why we’re having a tête-à-tête in the middle of the night.”
“Tell me quickly, then. I must know all that you suspect.”
“I don’t know if I ever told you, but on the day that Mama and I were robbed by the Surrey Bandit, I saw his horse. A beautiful, fine thoroughbred, and at the time, I thought it odd that a man of such ill-repute would own such horseflesh. Admittedly, I forgot about it and put the horse down to being stolen. But now, I’m certain that the horse is, in fact, owned by someone very near to us.”
Victoria frowned, leaning forward. “Tell me more, quickly. Who do you suspect?”
Alice understood the moment she said the words she couldn’t take them back. But she wasn’t wrong in this. His lordship was, in fact, the highwayman who had been terrorizing this part of England. He had to be. “Lord Arndel.”
“Don’t be absurd.” Victoria sat back, looking at her as if she’d lost her mind, which Alice may very well have, for such a thing as what she was thinking was surely mad.
“No I’m not. After seeing his lordship ride back to Kester House the other day, and then seeing the horse up close, I knew there was something about the animal that I recognized but couldn’t place. But tonight, somehow it all became clear. I know where I’ve seen that horse before, and as absurd as the declaration is, it is true.”
“So you have not confronted his lordship about this? What do you think he’ll have to say for himself?” Victoria huffed out a breath, clearly shocked. Alice clasped her sister’s hands when she kept wringing them in her lap.
“I haven’t confronted him, no. When we were at his estate, the horse never triggered a memory, not until now at least. Like you, I only noticed its breeding and wondered, like you, of its fine lines. As to what his lordship will say, well, that is anyone’s guess. He could deny it, of course, say his horse was stolen, but…”
“But what? Tell me what you’re thinking. I can see you’ve thought of something.”
Alice wasn’t sure how she was going to say what she must; however, it had to be done. “I’ve never told anyone this before, and please do not think less of me after I tell you my most disgraceful secret.”
It was Victoria’s turn to take her hands. Alice welcomed the support. “I would never think badly of you. Ever.”
Alice hoped that were so. “The day Mama and I were robbed by the bandit, he pulled me a little away from the carriage, stood too close to be deemed appropriate, and asked for a kiss. I offered a trade for a kiss and he seemed in agreement.”
“You kissed the bandit!”
“Victoria, quiet, you’ll wake up the household.” Alice listened for any ensuing footsteps, but hearing none, carried on. “I never kissed him and had no intention of doing so. I only allowed him to believe I would, but that’s not the shameful part. The shameful part was that I wanted him to kiss me. I fell into his dark blue orbs and knew that, should he kiss me, everything would fall away. Or fall into place. My stomach was all a flutter behind that carriage, Victoria. I wanted to touch that bandit, clasp his shirt, and have him hard up against me, and now I know why.”
“Why do you know this?”
“Because I have the same reaction to Lord Arndel. Always have. And never with anyone else. So if his lordship denies the claim, I will know he’s lying. I trust my senses on this. That bandit was his lordship, and I know he wanted to kiss me as much as I wanted to kiss him.”
“Oh my word. This is scandalous! Lord Arndel, our neighbor and friend, is the Surrey Bandit?” Victoria shook her head. “It cannot be true.”
Alice nodded. “It is true, my dear.” But now what were they to do about it? That was the biggest question of all. Alice slid off the bed and paced beside it, thinking back to that day and how his whispered words, his pleading eyes, had tried to seduce her at the back of the carriage. She glared at the landscape portrait above her mantel. What a wicked game he was playing.
“What will you do with this information?”
“I do not know.” Alice sighed, hating the fact he’d put her in such a position, even if unaware of it. Damn him and his thieving tricks. “He’s stolen from so many families, so many people that we call friends. Such actions are not acceptable. What do you think we should do?”
Victoria pursed her lips in thought. “We must go to the local magistrate and tell them what we know and suspect. They can do the appropriate investigation, and if it’s proven that he is, in fact, the thief, well, he’ll be dealt with as expected.”
Alice cringed. Lord Arndel in prison, possibly hanged for his crime? The thought didn’t bear thinking of. She did not agree with such punishment, no matter the social standing of a person. Oftentimes, people were desperate. It was quite possible Arndel had been more desperate than they thought.
“He has a child, Victoria. I don’t think we should involve the magistrate just yet.”
“This is too much.” Victoria walked over to her and pulled her to sit before the fire. Her sister picked up two logs of wood and placed them on the smoldering coals. “How do you know this? He’s never spoken a word about a babe.”
“His lordship was married and fathered a little girl, her name is Amelia.”
“Oh how sweet. I do like Amelia for a name.”
Alice rolled her eyes. “Victoria, please concentrate on the problem at hand, but I agree, Amelia is a lovely name. His wife died after a carriage accident that involved them all. His little girl broke her leg! Having a child complicates this situation slightly, well, in my case it does. We know his family does not approve of him, would have liked someone else to inherit the estate and title, so imagine poor little Amelia being foisted onto them. I doubt very much they would be kind to her.”
“True.” Victoria nibbled her lip, a trait she had when trying to solve a problem. “Maybe we should confront him. Give him the option to explain his actions.”
“I agree. I think this is how we should proceed, at present. Maybe the day after tomorrow? I’m meeting Josh in Ashford in the morning to go through the cottages and look through the plans before building starts.”
Victoria stood, pulling her shawl about her shoulders. “We shall speak more on the subject tomorrow when you return, but I think we should both get some rest. There is nothing to be done about this now, and it seems the Surrey Bandit has halted his thievery of late, anyway, so maybe he’s stopped altogether.”
Alice could only hope, or was the reason behind the fiend’s disappearance because they were more involved with his life and he couldn’t so easily sneak away and steal… “I will see you tomorrow. Thank you for tonight. I needed someone to talk to and get all this off my chest. I’ll sleep better for it, I’m sure.”
Her sister bent and kissed her forehead. “I’m certain of it, too. Good night, dearest.”
Alice bade her good night and watched her leave. She slumped into her chair and watched the lively fire flicker and lick the new wood on its top. What a predicament Lord Arndel has found himself in, and even if he could come up with a meaningful excuse as to why he had partaken in such underhanded means, it did not mean Alice would allow him to get off so easily. He may not face the hangman’s noose, but he would certainly face her punishment, and after stealing her mama’s precious emerald brooch, her penalty would undoubtedly be worse than anything the authorities could mete out.
…
Ashford was bustling, each and every person busy with their business and trade. Alice rode through the main thoroughfare where houses and shops intertwined, a few of the locals looked her way and nodded in welcome. Alice smiled back and spoke to those who shouted out a greeting or remark. How she loved this town and wished only the best for the people who lived here.
Her father, a great believer in helping those less fortunate, would be happy knowing what she was about to embark upon with her little row of houses.
She continued through the narrow streets toward the local inn, where their lawyers from Town had sent the building designs and where, Alice hoped, her brother was now collecting them.
Her groom followed close on her horse’s hooves as she came up to the inn, but she used the hitching posts outside the local butcher. Something told her should her mama find out she tied up Juno before the inn, the notion wouldn’t be seen favorably. Even Alice had to draw the line at how scandalous that would be.
Looking across the gravel road, she dismounted. Her brother’s horse dozed in the sun, its head hung low as it awaited Josh to claim him again.
And thankfully, within only a few moments of her arrival, her brother exited the inn’s front door, a tubular container in his hand as he strode across the dirt-lined road. “There you are. I worried you had forgotten.” Her brother halted before her, grinning. “I have gossip.”
Alice gave her brother a quick kiss on the cheek and took his arm. “Sorry I was late, but it was such a beautiful day I thought to take the longer route into the village and enjoy the county a little. We’ll be in London only too soon, and I’ll miss all this beautiful green.”
Josh nodded. “I agree. And I like going up to Town, but even I must admit, this Season I’m not as keen as I usually am.”
“Why?” Alice studied him.
“I feel this Season both you and Victoria will marry and I’ll be the only Worthingham left at Dunsleigh. As the youngest in the family, even if I am duke, I’ll miss you and V.”
Alice hugged him to her, her eyes smarting at her brother’s words. And he was probably right, they would all marry, if not this year, in the not too distant future, and the life that they had lived as children would be no more. But then, one must grow up, even if one did not wish to. “We will miss you, too, but I promise should we marry and move away, we will visit often. So you will not be rid of us so easily.”
Josh smiled. “I’m glad.”
Alice sighed, looking about a village she knew as well as herself. “Now, what is this gossip you have? I can see by the parcel in your hand you have the housing designs. So what news?”
“I ran into your little friend Benny earlier today. He was waiting outside the inn.”
“Was he with Lord Arndel?”
Her brother raised a curious brow. “Oh ho ho, what’s this? Lady Alice interested in the whereabouts of a gentleman?”
Alice cursed her stupidity at sounding so eager to know if Arndel was in town. Now that she suspected him of being the Surrey Bandit, the eager beating of her heart in her chest really ought to stop. His lordship was a criminal, a thief, and one who had tried to kiss her while robbing her at the same time.
“Don’t be absurd,” she said, sniffing her disdain at such a stupid question, that wasn’t so silly at all. “I was merely concerned for Benny’s welfare. He’s so young, he shouldn’t be on his own.” Alice didn’t bother to mention the boy used to live in this very town and had run about often on his own or with his friends.
“We are talking about Benny, your friend Bess’s youngest lad, who, I might add, is more street-smart than you are.” Josh laughed, shaking his head as they continued their way toward where her cottages were located.
“Even so.” She paused, not wanting to sound too eager to hear what news Benny had imparted. “What is your news? You were going to tell me something.”
“Ah yes, well, apparently Lord Arndel is traveling to London. His house is in an uproar as only yesterday he’s decided to go.”
Alice frowned. “Did Benny mention why his lordship had to travel to London? He’s leaving for Town only a few weeks before the ball. I wonder what would take him there?”
Josh shrugged. “Gentlemen, my dear, travel to Town often, with little or no excuse but to get away. I would suggest he’s merely doing such a thing.”
“And Benny’s going with him, I suppose.”
“He is.” Josh helped her over a small rut in the road. “He’s very excited about it. What with seeing London for the first time, even if only for a night or so.”
“Only a night.” Alice stopped. “Do you not think it odd that he’s only going for one night?” She chewed her lip. “I wonder what the trip is about.”
“You forget, Sister, we traveled up for only one night. Now come on, the builders are waiting for us,” he said, pulling her along.
Alice’s mind whirred with thoughts about his lordship’s trip. Was he up to something? Was his trip linked to being the Surrey Bandit? When she returned home she would consult with Victoria as to what she thought of Arndel’s spontaneous trip to Town. It was too coincidental that, after she’d seen his horse Bandit, he was now high-tailing it to London. He didn’t know that she suspected him, but perhaps he was smarter than she was giving him credit for.
And Lord Arndel had to be particularly intelligent, for he’d been stealing for a while and authorities were not even close to knowing who was doing it. Come to think of it, whenever she’d seen the drawing likeness of the thief nailed to trees and shop buildings, none of them had even looked like Arndel.
They passed another coaching inn and Alice walked over to it upon seeing an image, weatherworn and torn, but still nailed up on the outside wall. She shook her head, the image did the Surrey Bandit no justice, and, with such pictures to go by, it was no wonder he’d not been caught. All but one of the features were incorrect, the eyes—that, at least, someone had drawn correctly—and it set in stone what Alice suspected. With such eyes staring back at her, she was, without question, right in her assumption that Lord Arndel was the highwayman.
“Alice, come. We’ll be late.” Her brother gestured for her to join him, and without hesitation she pulled the image from the inn and joined him.
“What are you doing with that?”
She shrugged. “Victoria wanted to see what he looked like, and this will explain it to her adequately.” And it would give her something to confront him with when she met with him again, if she decided to do such a thing, that is. Nerves fluttered in her stomach at the thought of such a conversation and his reaction to being called out as the bandit. Although Alice didn’t know what he may do on the occasion, something told her it would not be pleasant.
“You look pensive. You’re not worried about the cottages?” Her brother studied her a moment. “It’s a little too late to pull out of the escapade now.”
Alice smiled up at him, if only to hide what was really bothering her. Josh didn’t need to know what she suspected, for if he knew, if anyone were to find out, Alice hated to think what would happen. “Not at all. Everything’s well. I’m merely worried about whether the architects have achieved everything that I wished them to.”
Josh patted her hand. “I’m sure they’ve done exactly as you ordained. They wouldn’t dare upset a paragon like you.”
“Well, aren’t we the epitome of hilarity today.”
“I do try,” he said, grinning as they came up to the first cottage on Pitt Street. “And here we are.” A shining black carriage stood before the first house, the gray-matched pair quietly waiting. On the side of the door were the golden embossed letters that read: Brown and Co Master Builders.
For the remainder of the afternoon, with the guidance of the two master builders from London, they discussed the plans of the dwellings and how to make the best use of the space that was available to them. It was agreed that all homes would have the same basic layout with identical features like stoves and built-in furniture, where possible. They would use the central chimney to heat the upstairs rooms during winter and ensure the parents in the house would sleep separately from their children. All the beds would be built-in, a suggestion from Mr. Brown that Alice couldn’t help but think was a marvel of an idea.
There were other cosmetic repairs, such as new doors and windows, to limit the weather from impacting those who lived there. The houses would be stripped bare and repaired and refurbished to an adequate standard, or at least the standard in which Alice thought appropriate.
“This is going to cost you quite a large portion of your inheritance,” Josh said, taking her arm as they took their leave. “Are you quite certain?” He rolled up the plans.
Excitement rushed through her and she couldn’t wait to begin. “I am well aware of how much it will cost. Isn’t it wonderful?”
Her brother shook his head, expelling a resigned sigh. They stepped out onto the street and started back toward the main thoroughfare of town. “These houses are going to be marvelous, Alice. If I haven’t said it before, I’m proud of you and I know Papa would be proud, too.”
Alice’s eyes smarted at her brother’s words. “Thank you, Josh. And thank you for helping me with it all, even though I know you had your reservations about it. I know it’s going to be grand.”
“You’ve inspired me to do more, and I think I may also look into a venture where I can help those in need.”
As they turned a corner, Juno looked up and neighed at Alice in welcome. “I think that is the very best idea, and if you need any help, you know who to ask.”