Chapter Fourteen
‘If they call you ‘pretty maid’
and chuck you ’neath the chin’
Molly brought Gerald to the morning room where Julia, dressed for their ride, was waiting for him. After the usual pleasantries she asked him to be seated. An inquiring look came over his face but he sat, or rather sprawled, in the chair across from her, while she explained her conversation with Wyatt on the previous day. He raised an eyebrow when she said that perhaps he could unravel the connection of her great uncle’s business activities and his association with Wyatt.
‘Hmm, so that rogue wants to embroil me in all of this does he?’
Julia clenched her hands together and almost pleadingly begged of him. ‘If you know what Great Uncle Thomas was involved in, with or without Wyatt, please, please tell me.’
He absent-mindedly scratched the side of his head.
‘I really don’t know everything. Mr Farraday was a very reticent man regarding his affairs, and it’s dangerous to talk.’
He lowered his voice and looked towards the door.
‘There are ears everywhere.’ He stood up. ‘I think perhaps it would be better if we went for our ride.’
Walking over to her, he whispered, ‘We can continue our conversation outside.’
She nodded her agreement, inwardly thinking herself a fool for not having thought of it herself and led the way to the stables. Her mind was confused as she tried to formulate the questions she so longed to have answered.
It was while they were walking the horses together and Gerald was chatting in an inconsequential way about the Wentworth family that Julia brought herself to interrupt him, somewhat abruptly, using Wyatt’s words to her.
‘According to Wyatt you knew my great uncle better than I ever realised. Please, Gerald, tell me whatever it is you know and I promise my lips will never reveal to another living soul what you tell me.’
Impulsively, she leant across and put her gloved hand over his. His eyes fixed on hers for what seemed an eternity, and then he sighed and in a low voice began to speak.
‘Do you know why Mr Farraday never married?’
The question took her by surprise for Athene, at that moment, reared her head and sidestepped a little as a cluster of butterflies hovered about her head, causing Julia to remove her hand from Gerald’s to settle the mare.
‘No, not really. There was some talk. Mrs Knight alluded to it. She thought he had been disappointed in love as a young man, and after that, took something of a dislike to women.’
Gerald gave a harsh laugh and turned a burning gaze upon her.
‘Well, he wasn’t that young when he fell in love and do you have any idea who the lady was that he became so enamoured of?’
Julia remembered with a sinking heart, how, on the day of her arrival in Winchelsea, her great uncle had commented on her lack of beauty compared to her mother.
She remembered from her childhood the whispers of the servants and her father’s features clouding over at the mention of his uncle’s name. It all came back to her with a rush.
‘It was my mother, whom he met in Dublin, that he fell in love with and so desperately wanted to marry, but she refused him completely.’ Gerald’s voice had a triumphant ring. Julia could only sit in stunned silence, her mind trying to come to terms with the words she was hearing.
‘Your mother? Why, but, I thought....’
‘Oh yes. He never loved anyone after her, this I believe. However, many years before that he had seduced one of the village girls who bore him a son.’
Again he scrutinised her with intensity, ‘Do you have any idea who that might be?’
Realisation hit her like a blow. ‘Wyatt!’ she gasped.
He nodded his head. ‘Quite so.’
For several minutes there was silence as the horses ambled along, Julia’s mind assembling all she had just learned. and like a jigsaw puzzle the pieces began to fit. The relationship between the two men, the inheritance left to Wyatt, the easy access to the house; it suddenly made sense, yet…
As if reading her mind, Gerald turned towards her again.
‘She was the local beauty of course, a headstrong madcap from a totally disreputable family of poachers, smugglers and worse. Wyatt looked nothing like your great uncle except for his size, but he was accepted by him as his base-born son and he did his best by him. Jeb Wyatt is still a thoroughly bad lot though, and nothing can change that.’
‘What happened to Wyatt’s mother?’
‘Oh, she was looked after. She married a local man, a fisherman, had a family. Her husband was one of the clever smugglers who did well and she only died about ten years ago.’
‘How do you know all this?’
He shrugged. ‘Since I came back from India to live here permanently I made it my business to find out.’
He smiled at her conspiratorially. ‘It wasn’t easy and took time to find the true facts though I’d already heard the gossip in my youth.’
‘Are there any secrets I should know about you?’
She had meant to say it in a teasing fashion, but her voice had come out sounding so serious that a shadow fell across his face. He looked at her and abruptly said, ‘No. Let us gallop.’
With a quick smack of his whip, his horse leapt forward, leaving a contrite Julia to urge Athene forward in his wake. Just before they reached the house, Gerald slowed his mount and Julia ranged Athene up alongside him.
‘Gerald, please wait a moment.’
He brought his horse to a walk and turned towards her.
‘Were you and my great uncle involved in business ventures together?’
His face hardened, but he did not look away. ‘Several years ago, yes.’
‘Did it include smuggling?’
‘Regretfully yes, but only in a small way and not for long.’
There was a dryness in her throat, but she forced herself to continue. ‘Please explain what you mean.’
He suddenly looked sullen and he flicked his whip against his boot.
‘Mr Farraday had a large interest in a certain local vessel and needed an investor to join with him in the purchase of, well, cargo for the ship. I was persuaded to enter into the venture and that’s what happened.’
‘Contraband?’ Her voice came out as a croak.
He shrugged again and looked away. ‘Yes, you could call it that, but,’ the gaze he swung at her was suddenly white hot, ‘everyone along the coast was involved in similar pursuits and we needed the goods instead of those damn embargos.’
‘But we were at war with France!’
‘We have been at war with France, on and off, for more years than I can remember. Do you think the local people here care as long as they can get what they want and don’t have to pay the excise men their exorbitant fees? Anyway, since the Bourbons have been restored and peace declared, smuggling has now virtually ceased.’
‘That, I presume, is because the Government has lifted the duty and tariffs on so many prohibited goods?’
Gerald looked directly at her. ‘You are quite correct. It has certainly made a difference.’
He gave a wry smile. ‘Your great uncle and I did not see eye to eye over a number of issues, and consequently, in spite of what you might have been told by that blackguard Wyatt, our business was of a short duration.’
Julia was aware of the sincerity in his voice, and asked. ‘What became of the vessel that you said he had an interest in?’
‘The Lady Lydia. She still plies the Channel, however, with a more legitimate cargo these days. Of course,’ he added, ‘the ship would not be registered in Mr Farraday’s name. More probably that of Wyatt or the master at the time. Gossip relates that your great uncle got his money out of the Lydia when peace was declared and had no further involvement in the trade. That was very sensible of him, don’t you agree?’
Julia nodded. ‘Yes, but what of that night, when the barouche was taken and the excise men were here? What was that all about?’
&
nbsp; He sighed deeply. ‘I really don’t know other than it was possibly some political fugitive, fleeing from the wrath of the Bourbons, seeking sanctuary here.’
‘Do you really believe that?’
‘Yes, I do. Those Bourbons are trying to round up anyone faithful to the Bonapartist cause and the only sane thing to do is flee until the time is right for an uprising in the future.’
Julia shot him a piercing look. There could be no doubt whatsoever in her mind where his sympathies lay and yet it seemed fantastic. It did seem logical what he was saying and very probably her great uncle had not been involved at all in the escapade. He may have simply been used by the smugglers to assist in their escape by taking Athene and the carriage to flee from the revenue men.
Jimmy was waiting as they entered the stable yard, and as soon as she had dismounted and he had led the mare away, Julia turned to farewell Gerald. Looking up at him, she found he was scrutinising her with such intensity that the colour rose in her cheeks.
‘Have you heard from your noble earl?’ The voice was abrupt with the hint of a sneer.
‘Yes, Philip has written to me.’ It was an effort to speak in a level tone.
He raised his eyebrow as if to say, ‘And?’ but Julia lowered her eyes and turned away.
‘There is a change coming in the weather. Tomorrow could be wet. If so, will we resume our ride the day after?’ she asked.
‘Yes, of course.’ She received a charming smile in reply, like the sun coming out from behind the clouds, and with a graceful nod of his head he trotted off. Julia could not help but think what a fine figure he looked as she watched his retreating form. Looking up at the house, she was suddenly aware she was being watched as a figure moved away from one of the windows.