At the Highwayman's Pleasure(26)

‘But how can that be?' asked Charity, frowning. ‘Did the money never reach here?'

‘Oh, yes, it reached here.' His mouth thinned to an angry line. ‘I know  the Prize Agents can be tardy in paying out, but that was the first  thing I checked when I got into port. I have no doubt my money arrived,  but not a penny of it was spent on Wheelston. When I had returned to sea  that last time, Mama suggested Hannah should have access to the  account, too, in case anything should happen. From the little  information I could glean it seems my mother's health deteriorated  rapidly after I left and Hannah took over the running of the estate-or, I  should say, the ruining of it,' he ended bitterly. ‘I also discovered  that she left Wheelston before my mother was even buried, telling  everyone that she had not been paid and could not afford to remain. A  few months later she was Mrs Phineas Weston and the Beringham Courant  reported that she brought with her a dowry of three thousand pounds.'                       
       
           



       

‘Three thousand-!'

He looked across at her, his mouth twisting into an unpleasant smile.

‘Her wages as companion to my mother were less than fifty pounds a  year. So how do you think she came by such a sum, Mrs Weston? A sum that  is almost exactly the amount I had sent home over the past three  years?'





      Chapter Seven

Charity stared. ‘You think she stole the money?'

‘I don't think, I know.'

‘But surely-did no one question this at the time?'

‘Why should they? No one knew of the prize money, save Hannah and my  mother. When Hannah married Weston she told everyone she had come into  an inheritance.' He pushed himself out of the chair and began to pace up  and down the little room, the candles flickering as he passed them.  ‘The money I sent went into the family account in York. Enquiries showed  that Hannah had made regular withdrawals from the account, but I swear  none of it went into this house or the land. Instead everything of worth  was sold, tenants' rents were raised until they could not afford to  live in the farms any longer and servants turned off. Only Jed refused  to leave. He was devoted to my mother and stayed on to do what he could.

‘I went to see Dr Jarvis-he had been the family doctor since I was a  boy-and he did not mince his words. Told me I was a damned scoundrel for  going off and leaving my mother at Wheelston without the money to run  the place. It is clear from what you say that that is pretty much what  everyone in Allingford believes.'

‘But surely you told him the truth?'

‘I tried, but he thought I was merely making excuses. My mother had not  told anyone of my efforts to repair the damage caused by my father's  ill-judged investments. And there was no formal engagement between  myself and Hannah. God knows I wanted to make it official, I suggested  we should marry before I returned to sea, but Hannah would not. At the  time she said she wanted to wait until my mother's health had improved,  but looking back I think she was already weaving her plans. After all,  why tie herself to me when I had already given her access to all the  money I possessed?'

‘So what did you do? Did you go to Sir Mark Beverley?'

‘What was the point? I had no hard evidence. Hannah had made sure  everyone in Allingford knew that she had done her best to keep Wheelston  running.' His lip curled. ‘How fortunate for her that Phineas Weston  needed a housekeeper in the same week that my mother died, and even more  fortunate that shortly afterwards Hannah's aunt died and left her a  fortune.'

‘What did you do?'

‘I decided I must talk to Hannah. She kept avoiding me, until at last I  ran her down at a reception in Beringham. I challenged her, there and  then. She denied that there had ever been a betrothal between us and  said she had no idea what had happened to the money I sent home. Weston  stepped in then and warned me off, as if I had been some errant  schoolboy making mischief. That is when I lost my temper.' He dropped  onto the chair again and rubbed a hand across his eyes. ‘I am not sure  now just what I said-having lived mostly at sea for more than ten years  one learns to curse quite roundly and I have no doubt I gave vent to my  feelings when Weston began to trot out those biblical texts and spewed  forth all manner of self-righteous balderdash.'

Charity nodded slowly, understanding more than most what he had gone  through, for she remembered her father holding forth on many occasions  in that overbearing, bombastic manner that made one smart with rage and  humiliation.

‘Your anger was understandable, given the circumstances.'

‘But it was my undoing. Hannah brought a charge of blasphemy and I was  summoned to appear before Phineas the very next day. I could not recall  exactly what I had said, but I am certain it was not blasphemous.  However, several of Weston's cronies were at that reception and only too  willing to testify otherwise. Even then Phineas had not finished with  his plotting and planning. He offered to buy Wheelston from me, hinted  that if I accepted his absurdly low price he would quash the charge. I  swore at him then and told him in no uncertain terms what I thought of  him and his wife.

‘After that there was no going back. I was still raging when I was  found guilty. I paid my fine and thought nothing more of it. I packed up  my things and headed to Portsmouth, determined to go back to sea. It  was high summer and everyone was preparing for a big offensive against  Bonaparte. I was going to throw myself back into my life in the navy, to  serve my country or perish in the trying. However, when I got to port I  realised that Weston had outmanoeuvred me. He had written to the  Admiralty.' He looked across at her. ‘Anyone convicted of blasphemy  cannot hold a civil or military office. I was no longer a captain and I  received a stinging letter from Lord Barham, the First Lord himself,  accusing me of bringing the navy into disrepute and informing me that he  would not countenance my presence on any ship under his command, even  as an ordinary seaman. My character was ruined, my career ended.' He  exhaled slowly. ‘And I was therefore prevented from playing my part at  Trafalgar, one of the most important naval engagements of this damned  war.'                       
       
           



       

Charity realised her hands were tightly clenched around the wine glass.  A scheming woman had tricked Ross of his money, but it was her father  who had deprived him of his career and his good name-everything he held  most dear. Was it any wonder he wanted revenge upon Phineas? A chill ran  through her. He might well think himself justified in taking revenge  upon any member of the Weston family.

‘I am surprised you did not return intent upon murder.'

‘Oh, I did think of it, but I wanted more than that. I wanted justice.  So I came back to Wheelston.' He looked around the room. ‘The old place  was still my home and I wanted to build it up again. It was difficult,  for shopkeepers in Allingford and Beringham were cautious about  extending me credit.'

‘So you became the Dark Rider.'

‘Yes. So far no one has guessed my identity, save you.' For the first  time since they had sat down together some of the anger left him.  ‘Everyone is looking for an Irishman on a black horse. I thought I had  disguised my voice quite well.'

A wry smile tugged at one side of her mouth.

‘You must remember, Mr Durden, I am an actress and used to playing a part. And the black horse?'

He grinned. ‘More theatricals. It is Robin, wearing a little make-up. I  black out the blaze on his nose and his white feet. It has been very  successful thus far. And I am achieving my aim. The tenant farmers are  reinstated and little by little I am beginning to turn the place around,  with a few-ah-donations.'

‘Would that be from the likes of Mr Hutton and-' she searched her memory ‘-Absalom somebody?'

‘Keldy.' Ross laughed. ‘Aye, they are two of Weston's closest cronies  and were only too pleased to bear witness to my misdemeanour when Hannah  brought in the charges against me, along with Sir James Fryton, a  miserly baronet who lives in Beringham. I have no doubt he was persuaded  to back up Hannah's story by the promise of a fat purse. They have all  fallen foul of the Dark Rider and have forfeited a few hundred guineas  between them. Weston himself is proving more difficult, since he travels  with an armed guard. I have caught him twice so far, during his  frequent trips to Filey-'

‘Filey!' Charity looked up. ‘Why should he go there?'