She could not assume Philip’s attachment would hold out forever, not after what she had declared she would do, and did with him watching. Did he love her enough to forgive her for nearly marrying Sir Charles? She had even allowed Sir Charles to kiss her. It must have been a blade through Philip’s heart.
And Philip might say that to elope would be dishonourable. Everyone would assume the worst, that they needed to marry quickly or that the general did not approve. She would be arriving at Philip’s house and forcing him to either send her home to a scandal or take her to Scotland and marry her with their reputations damaged.
Most women who elope do so already being secure of the gentleman agreeing to the scheme.
Eleanor trembled excessively, but her resolve inspired a new strength as she inexpertly packed what few belongings she could fit in a small bag. She considered asking her lady to pack the rest of her belongings and send them after her, or at least to Woodston, but none of the servants could be trusted to take her side. She had no friend here to cling to, not even Henry, or at least none who would support her against the general.
It was not eleven in the morning, and no one would notice her missing until she did not sit down to dinner at precisely five o’clock. She would leave no note. If Philip forgave her and agreed to flee to Scotland, she would write to Henry and tell him where she was. It was best the general never learn of it until she signed her name Mrs Brampton.
A wave of fear crashed over her. She had never done anything bold or defiant, and its success depended on whether the man she wronged still wanted her. Eleanor took a great breath and settled her mind, pausing to press the heels of her hands against her eyes.
She could do this one thing for herself, this one act of walking away.
She dressed in walking clothes and hid her small bag under her cloak, and if anyone asked, she would say she was walking the park. Hopefully, no one in the village would report to the house that they had seen her. It would be the greatest evil if she were caught before she married Philip.
If her father returned early and found her gone, if he was sent for and found her before she made it to Scotland, his wrath would be boundless. If he knew she had gone to Belleville and intercepted her, what horrid life would she then have at Northanger?
If Philip agrees to elope, all of my connexions would avoid me on the say-so of my vengeful father, and I would be hated and despised where I previously had been loved and respected.
That loss of reputation would still be better than what she endured at the Abbey. Her father had absolute power over Eleanor Tilney, but could have no control over Mrs Brampton. All women placed themselves into the power of their husbands, but if there was one thing she could be certain of, it was that Philip would never tyrannise her or shame her, or exert the full control over her that the law gave him.
Eleanor forced her shoulders down and breathed through her nose slowly. Life at Northanger grew more unbearable every day, and she could no longer worry about what her father would do to her if he found her first. The hope that Philip still loved her enough to marry her, that he could forgive her the sufferings she had occasioned to him at Welland, made her step forward.
“I need courage to do what I know is right,” she whispered.
All her life she had submitted to her father’s authority, just as a dutiful daughter was supposed to. And rather than respect her as she grew up, listen to her and value her insight and contributions, her father subjugated her and trampled her spirit. For all of her education, her perceptiveness, her intelligence, she could do nothing for herself. Her real power at Northanger was nothing. All she could do for herself was to escape.
General Tilney would never relent, and she had nothing else to lose.
* * *
The first stageof her journey was complete, and Eleanor felt more relieved the farther she travelled. She was now in Tetbury, about nine miles from the Abbey, and had to ask the post-master which coach in the busy inn yard would take her the rest of the way. The next mail coach would take her ten miles to Cirencester, and then another seventeen miles to Burford. From there it was only a short walk to Belleville Village.
I am finally doing something for myself.
It was satisfying, this demonstrating her strength, feeling all the power of acting for her own interest. Now that the decision to leave Northanger had been made, she only had to sit and let the mail coaches take her the rest of the way.
As she watched the bustle of activity around her, she felt if not free from anxiety, then at least she felt a peace settle over her. Her resolve brought her comfort, but she now had to think of what to say to Philip when she knocked on his door. She had the next five hours to decide. She had found the courage to leave her father, and she would find courage enough to say what needed to be said to Philip and make herself sensible.
It might not be that difficult when I see him.It was always easy to talk to Philip, and once he recovered from the shock of seeing her, he would listen. Even if he did not want to elope with her, he would hear her out before sending her away.
The post-master told her the mail coach to Cirencester was ready to leave. As she went to the coach that he pointed out, a carriage cut across the inn yard to change its horses. She thought she recognised the livery as Lord Vaughan’s, but he was in Kent, enjoying his summer with the family he ought to have had.
Eleanor heard someone call out as she stepped in the coach, but they could not have meant her. She was just another anonymous stage coach traveller, and if anyone looked askance at someone like her travelling alone, her liberal tips and pleasant manner made it unlikely anyone would question her. She stepped in last and gave a polite nod to the other passengers crammed in with her.
She was just bracing herself as the horses walked forward when she heard raised voices and the coach stopped. The door was wrenched open, and she gave a little shriek as she was nearest to it. To her great surprise, Philip peered into the coach and locked eyes with her.
His expression seemed to show as much surprise as she felt. He opened his mouth to speak and then looked around at the confused passengers. After heaving a sigh, Philip said, “Madam, I...” He shook his head, looking baffled, before saying quickly, “Um, I was sent to retrieve you.”
Eleanor felt all the air escape her lungs. She tried to imagine how Philip was reached all the way at Belleville to intercept her and bring her home. She shook her head, wetting her lips and trying to speak, when he gave an anxious look to the other passengers. “You could not have wanted to go post, I am sure,” he said heavily. “You must have stepped into the wrong carriage, madam.”
He was staring at her so hard that she wondered if his eyes felt the strain. She felt utterly perplexed as to how he came to be at Tetbury, thirty-six miles from where he was supposed to be. Under the pressure of the curious gazes of everyone seated with her, Eleanor took his hand and climbed down, and Philip touched his hat to the other passengers before he shut the door.
The mail coach pulled away, and she opened her mouth to speak, but Philip shook his head, giving her a harsh look. Others in the inn yard watched as he guided her by the elbow to Lord Vaughan’s carriage. The servant quickly opened the door as they approached. She expected His Lordship to be inside, but the carriage was empty.
“Get in.”
Eleanor felt her temper rising. She stopped at the steps and spun round to face Philip. “Why have—”
