“Nothing? But there are several vehicles in the coach house here and any number of horses, I have seen them!”
“All reserved, they say. Same at the other inns. Mebbe tomorrow, they say.”
“That is ridiculous!”
“I dare say, Miss Tess, but there’s nowt we can do about it.”
“Let me talk to them. All it needs is a few sweet words and coins in their hands.”
But she returned, baffled, in a very few minutes.
Captain Edgerton was waiting for her in the parlour. He rose and bowed with a flourish. “Miss Nicholson! A pleasure to see you again so soon.”
“Lord Tarvin is not out of his bed yet.”
“It was you I hoped to see. I am going down to York to have a word with your friend Shapman. If he is as innocent as you say, I should like to know why he confessed to a crime he did not commit and see if we can find a way to release him from prison. I wondered if you might like to come with me.”
She would see Tom again! He could hear the good news that her fortune was found, even if she had not yet got hold of it, and he could retract his confession or whatever was needed to get him out of prison.
“I should like it very much, but there is no post chaise to be had in the whole town.”
“I have my own carriage.”
“There are no horses either.”
He smiled. “I have already bespoken horses. Mrs Edgerton would accompany us, for propriety.”
“Is Lord Tarvin to be invited?”
“Oh, I do not think we need his lordship, do we?” He grinned, and then winked, making her laugh.
“I should have to bring my maid and manservant. My mother insists I take them everywhere.”
“Perfect, for we shall have to stay at least one night in York, or perhaps two. After that, I can see that you get to wherever you want to go. May I collect you in… an hour, say?”
She agreed to it happily. She would see Tom again! Then he would be able to tell her that Edward’s talk about a poultry maid was nothing but moonshine. Captain Edgerton would get him out of prison and they could go back to Corland together and plan their future. Assuming she could get hold of her own money, that is, but now she would have an opportunity to wheedle that safe key out of Captain Edgerton’s care. This unpromising day had just become incomparably better.
She set Betty to packing, and sent Harold to convey a message to Edward’s man that she was going to York with Captain Edgerton, and he need not wait in Pickering for her. She would make her own way from now on, and Lord Arrogant Tarvin could do as he pleased.
Captain Edgerton arrived with two carriages, his own neat travelling carriage for himself, his wife and Tess, and a post chaise for Betty and Harold.
Any journey with Captain Edgerton could not be dull, for he made it his business to create lively conversation. If nothing else offered, he would retell some improbable tale of his days in the East India Company Army. Tess assumed these were so embellished that any resemblance to the truth was pure accident, but nevertheless she was well entertained. There seemed to be no object passed by that could not inspire him to begin, “That reminds me of the time when…” and away he would go again. Mrs Edgerton listened with a smile on her face, saying nothing, for doubtless she had heard every tale many times before. It was left to Tess to protest at the implausibility of the stories, but she enjoyed them, nevertheless, and it seemed no time at all before their carriage was clattering over the cobbled streets of York.
With accommodation secured, they left Betty to unpack, while Captain and Mrs Edgerton and Tess, trailed by the ever-faithful Harold, went to York Gaol.
There was less trouble in obtaining a meeting with Tom this time. Whether that was Lord Tarvin’s influence and the fistfuls of coins he had pressed on the gaolers, or whether it was Captain Edgerton’s military air, just as authoritative in its way as any lord, they were admitted promptly to the bare little room, and Tom was brought there within a few minutes.
He looked better, Tess thought, less tired and dishevelled, and although his wrists still bore the marks, he wore no manacles. He bowed and smiled as if he were happy to see her, but he eyed Captain Edgerton warily. He made another bow as Mrs Edgerton was introduced. Tess was not tempted this time to fly to his arms, or weep all over him. Edward’s words still rang in her ears.‘He is engaged to a poultry maid on Gowland’s Farm.’Could it be true? He had never once mentioned Gowland or a poultry maid, and yet she could not imagine that Edward would invent such a tale.
“Tom?” she said hesitantly, as they settled themselves around the table. “How are you?”
“Oh, well enough, Miss Tess. Lord Tarvin must’ve greased the guards’ palms with plenty of silver, for I’ve a cell to meself now, and decent food, too.”
“Tom, I have been to Pickering and found my fortune, just where I thought it was, but…” She threw the captain a fulminating glance. “Captain Edgerton was there, andhehas charge of it now, so it may go to my trustees after all, and that is no use to me.”
“Ah, I’m sorry for that,” he said. “I know you’d set your heart on having it in your own hands. Was it as much as you’d thought? The gold bars?”
“Lots of them. Seventy-something — that must be worth quite a lot, I should think.”
