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‘What do you mean by that?’
‘I’ve had you followed. I know about the swaddling cloth and the fact that you and Ashton paid a call on Martha Collins. You see, I had already been to visit that lady, to no avail. I didn’t believe her when she said she knew nothing about your birth, but on a second visit she was delighted to tell me to my face that you are the heir to Greystone.’
‘It’s true and there’s nothing you can do about it, Gervase. The will has gone to probate and there are witnesses who will testify to the fact that I am Sir Oliver and Lady Helena’s child, while you are the son of Mr North and Elizabeth Greystone, Sir Oliver’s younger sister.’
‘But I am the only male heir, therefore I should inherit. However, to make absolutely sure of my position, I will have to marry you. As your husband, I will own everything of yours anyway.’
‘My family will come to rescue me. Freddie won’t allow this to happen.’
‘I have a guard on the gates and the groundsmen have been told to apprehend any trespassers. And if you think Freddie Ashton will disobey his mama and marry you, you are very much mistaken. He will give in eventually and propose to the heiress.’
‘You’re forgetting I am an heiress now, Gervase. I have a name and it’s one of the oldest families in the county.’
‘You have yet to prove that in a court of law, my dear. Admit it, Nancy. I am your best bet of becoming mistress of Greystone Park. You need me as much as I need you. Love doesn’t come into it.’
‘The pony and chaise will have been found. Patsy saw your carriage and they will soon work out where I am. You might be able to keep members of the Carey family out but you can’t do anything if the police are involved. I will be home again by this afternoon.’
‘Brave words, but foolish, Nancy. You are ruined, my dear. You have spent the night in my company without a chaperone. I’ll leave you to think things over.’
Chapter Twenty-Five
Starvation was not apparently part of Gervase’s plan. Ivy arrived with a tray at what Nancy assumed must be midday, and the aroma of vegetable soup, hot bread rolls and a plate of apple pie was too tempting to resist. Yet again Seth Wills stood guard outside the door and Nancy did not have a chance to speak to Ivy, who was clearly nervous and distressed by the whole situation. However, when she came to take the tray back to the kitchen, there was no sign of Seth.
Nancy grasped Ivy by the wrist. ‘I can speak to you without being overheard. You must help me, Ivy.’
‘I daren’t, miss. I would lose my position again. I can’t afford to do that.’
‘All I want you to do is to get a message to Rockwood Castle, letting them know that I am being kept prisoner here.’
‘The master would know it was me what done it, miss.’
‘Mr North won’t be master here for very much longer, Ivy. I have inherited Greystone Park, which is why he’s keeping me here. I promise that you will always have employment here with me if you do this one thing. Make an excuse. Tell Cook or Mrs Simpson that you need to visit your parents. Once you’re outside the gates you can tell anyone in the village that I’m being kept prisoner here. They’ll take the information to Rockwood Castle.’
‘The master won’t allow any of us to leave the estate, miss.’
Nancy frowned. ‘Then forget to lock the door. Leave the key in the lock and I’ll do the rest. Please, Ivy. Your future depends upon this as much as mine.’
Ivy eyed her warily. ‘I’ll do it on one condition, miss.’
‘All right, Ivy. What is it?’
‘That you take me with you. The master is known to whip servants who don’t obey him. I’m only doing this for you because I remember how good your family was to Miss Sylvia. She’s a lovely lady and I am fond of her.’
‘Sylvia will return to Greystone even if I am proved to be the rightful heir. She will always have a home here and be taken care of properly.’
‘Does that mean you’ll take me with you?’
‘Of course. We’ll wait until after dark. I know a way through the woods where Christina, Sylvia and Patricia used to play. Patricia told me about it. We’ll go straight to the mill house, where you will be safe. Fletcher won’t allow anyone to harm you, and Patricia will make sure your parents don’t go without.’
Ivy’s brown eyes filled with tears. ‘I don’t know how to thank you, miss.’
‘Just leave the key in the lock after you collect my supper tray. Meet me in the scullery when Cook and Mrs Simpson are having their dinner in the servants’ hall. I’m well versed in their habits since I stayed here to look after Miss Sylvia.’
‘You can rely on me, miss.’
As Nancy had suspected, Gervase had put a guard at the front entrance, but he had not imagined that anyone would try to escape through the servants’ quarters. There was no one about when Nancy and Ivy slipped out through the scullery, and the yard was deserted. Nancy was familiar with the grounds of Greystone Park, mainly from her early days when she and Tommy used to join some of the village children, scrumping apples, cherries and pears from the orchard. They had been expert in evading the groundsmen and gardeners, and Nancy remembered the short cut that would take them to a part of the stone wall that had partly collapsed.
They melted into the darkness and after many stumbles over tree roots and hummocks of long grass, they reached the place where the wall was relatively easy to climb. Once they were in the lane, Nancy led the way to the churchyard, knowing they would be safer there than on the main road. Ivy was terrified of ghosts but Nancy assured her that the dear departed were the least of their worries. It was Gervase’s thugs who were the danger.
