He was still laughing rather ruefully. ‘Because it’s true? I’m nine and twenty, if that seems old to you, chit of a girl that you are, and yes, my mother has made it quite plain to me that it is time I should think about setting up my nursery. She told me, in fact, that this match was made years ago between your father and mine. No more eligible young lady than your sister could possibly exist, she informs me.’
That didn’t seem like much of a reason. ‘So you asked Maria to marry you because your mother told you to.’
His mouth quirked again, as if in self-disgust. ‘And it was my father’s dying wish, don’t forget. Perhaps it really was, though he never told me so. My mother kindly reminded me that I was nothing more than a callow young fool when he died, not fit to be trusted with serious topics. Filial obedience is a virtue, we are told. I’m certainly told as much, with tedious frequency.’
‘Do you always do what your mama tells you? I find that very hard to believe.’ They were straying far from the topic at hand, Meg was aware, and she was hardly being persuasive, pushing him like this, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. She found him oddly fascinating, probably because she might put him in a story. That must be it.
‘Practically never, when it comes to unimportant things. But she is so far right in that I must marry somebody, you know. Why not your sister?’
She turned her head as she rode and stared at him. What an extraordinary way to make what must surely be one of the most important decisions in one’s life. ‘I think you’re very strange.’
He was smiling wryly now. ‘I dare say you do, but I could return the compliment. For my part, I don’t think anyone whose father – whose whole family – is so deeply peculiar has any right at all to cast aspersions on anybody else. You appear reasonably normal to me now, compared with the rest of them, but then we have only just met. The true depth of your oddness is yet to be revealed to me, no doubt. But I hope at least we’ve established to your satisfaction that for my part I don’t know a single thing that can help. At the moment, it seems as though I can’t be any sort of help at all. Therefore I must ask you again to tell me whatyouknow. There may be some detail that is important. For instance, why did you not make your come-out with your sister this year, as one might have expected?’
She rolled her eyes impatiently. ‘It’s completely irrelevant and we’re wasting time, but very well – quite simply, my father wouldn’t countenance it. He certainly wouldn’t pay for it. I didn’t mind, because I didn’t want to attend the London Season particularly, or go to lots of silly parties, except that I would have been able to spend time with Maria. I would have liked that. I miss her.’ She was aware that her voice betrayed her wistfulness; there didn’t seem to be any way to prevent it, but at least he didn’t comment.
‘You’re completely estranged from Lord Nightingale?’
‘I suppose so. Yes. When my mother finally told him that she was leaving him, he told her she could go alone or take me – he really didn’t care – but he wouldn’t allow her to take Maria, his beloved mother’s heiress. Because of what he said, Mama was faced with a terrible choice. And already at thirteen I’d begun arguing with him, and causing the most frightful scenes, while Maria appears to be much meeker and never does. So in the end Mama thought it would be better for me to live apart from him, with her, lest he crush me with his disapproval, as he had tried so hard to crush her. She hated separating me from my sister, and she hated leaving Maria too – she has apologised to us for it a hundred times – but she felt it would be bad for me, and also for my relationship with Maria, for that matter: to stay and be so disregarded, and always at odds with him, and have her goodness and my wickedness thrown in my face constantly.’
‘Does he care for her so very greatly, then? I didn’t get that impression when I spoke with him, I must admit.’
‘I don’t believe so. I’m not sure he cares for anyone living – not my aunt, and not even my half-brother Francis, his son and heir. Nor does Maria care for him, to judge by her letters. But she never disagrees with him or defies him, just smiles and says, “Of course, Papa. Just as you say, sir.” No wonder he likes it and says it reminds him of his dear gentle little sister, who was supposedly a perfect pattern-card of virtue. My mother certainly never behaved in such a fashion, any more than I did. They used to fight terribly.’
‘You said that she “appears to be” meek. Is she, genuinely? I’m sure you can see why I ask.’
‘I don’t think she is. She’s a daydreamer, she lives in her own head most of the time, but I’ve always believed, and Mama has too, that underneath it all she’s strong and determined. It’s just that she rarely shows it to the world.’
‘So running away from a marriage that was distasteful to her – rather than speaking up and making her objections plain and facing all the disagreeable consequences – would be quite in keeping with her character?’
‘Yes, I believe it would. I don’t think for a moment that she’d ever have allowed herself to be forced into marrying you, you know, if she truly doesn’t want to.’
‘What a comfort that must be to us all, and particularly me,’ he said drily.
They’d slowed to a walk, the horses having trotted off their fidgets, and by common consent they dismounted, Meg sliding from the saddle with an agility that denied the least need for Sir Dominic’s assistance. They were back under the trees again now, and Meg sat down on the grass – which was probably something a correct young lady wouldn’t do, for fear of dirtying her habit, but she had more important things to worry about just now – and looked up at him, frowning. She needed to involve him, to make him care, for she could see that at the moment he really didn’t; he was just somewhat interested, which might be more enthusiasm than he usually showed for anything much, lazy, cool and exquisite as he was, but still wasn’t enough. This was her sister’s life at stake, not the cut of a waistcoat or a lapel. ‘She took clothes with her,’ she told him with some association of thought. ‘Not all of them, of course, but more than a gown or two. Her maid has shown me the gaps in her wardrobe. She packed her hairbrushes, too, and all manner of small personal things. It was well-planned in advance, obviously. There was no disorder or confusion among her possessions, nor any sign of haste or panic. And – I suppose it must be some consolation, and I cling to it – she definitely can’t have been taken against her will. I’m not expecting you to rescue her from some gang of kidnappers, or anything of that nature.’
He didn’t engage with that. ‘The servants knew nothing of her departure?’
‘Not a thing. Her maid, Hannah, is our old nurse. My mama made sure she stayed with Maria to support her and keep her safe. She, any of them, for that matter, would surely have tried to stop her, to ask her why, if she’d had the least notion anything was wrong. They’ve all told me as much. They suspected nothing, and she must have slipped away with the greatest secrecy.’
‘Does she have friends whose aid she might seek, or are there any servants who have left your father’s employ that she might conceivably go to for aid and shelter? I can’t imagine from all you’ve said that Lord Nightingale is the easiest of masters. There must be people who have quit his household in recent years and who might be willing to help her.’
Meg smiled up at him approvingly. These were good, solid questions, she thought – it was plain that Sir Dominic, despite his fashionably languid appearance, was far from stupid and could be most useful, if she could draw him in. ‘Yes, to both questions. She went to school for the last five years, a very correct seminary that prepares ladies for their come-out. Accomplishments, you know the sort of thing. The back board, and watercolours, and singing sickly songs in Italian while looking sweetly pretty. My mother had been teaching us herself before she and I left, and continued to teach me, but not that sort of nonsense. You see, my father doesn’t approve of extensive and serious education for women.’ She was pleased to see him shake his head in disapprobation of her parent’s old-fashioned views; he could hardly care what she thought of him, so he must be sincere. ‘He believes that my mama’s bluestocking ways were what made her so very unsatisfactory as a wife, and therefore the breakdown of their marriage, and my quarrelsome nature too, had to be her fault. Nothing to do with the fact that he’s utterly selfish and quite impossible to live with.’
‘Why am I not surprised to hear any of this?’
She smiled briefly in acknowledgement. ‘So yes, Maria went to school, and I recall from her letters that she made a number of friends there, many of whom made their debut this year with her. I know their names, and so do Hannah and my aunt. But I can’t very well go around asking them questions about her, or about where she is now, can I? That’s partly why I need your help so desperately.’
‘Why can’t you?’
‘Because I’m supposed tobeher!’
5
Dominic was forced to conclude that his companion had a point. ‘I can spend time in their company,’ she went on reasonably, ‘and try to see if they are behaving oddly, though it’ll be difficult to tell for certain as I don’t know them at all, apart from what she’s told me in her letters. I have asked my aunt to give me details of anyone Maria is particularly close to, and she has done so, but she’s so very distressed over what’s happened that she can’t be much help beyond that. She’s taken to her bed with a spasm today, Hannah tells me. Or several spasms. And palpitations, whatever they are.’
‘My mother suffers from them too. I’ve always supposed them to be imaginary, but perhaps I’m being unfair. They do sound most disagreeable. But let us not be distracted by such incidental matters. It is plain that you must continue in your deception. Very well. And the servants who have changed their situations? It sounds as though that aspect of the problem might be easier to deal with. If any of them are living and working in London, or near London, I assume their fellow servants will know, and perhaps they’ll even have their directions?’ She nodded. ‘Well then, my valet or my groom, both of whom are utterly trustworthy, I promise, can be admitted into the secret so that they can help us interview them in a discreet manner. Does all this sound like a plan?’
Miss Nightingale had seemed more cheerful for the last few moments – clearly the idea of positive action appealed to her lively nature – but now she said doubtfully, ‘We can do all these things, and we must.’ Dominic could not help but notice that his companion was very keen to involve him much more deeply in the matter than he had so far promised to go, with her clever use of the innocuous little word ‘we’. ‘Don’t think I’m not grateful for your help, sir, because I am, but I’m very conscious that the clock is ticking all the while. When is your wedding to be? I collect it is quite soon, but Maria didn’t say.’
