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‘Won’t you be in danger from the mob?’ Nancy asked anxiously.
‘They have no complaints against us, miss. We are employees, just as they are. I suggest you leave immediately. The gates are locked but Corbin will take you along the back road. By the time the mob realises you’ve left, it will be too late for them to catch up with you.’
He handed Patricia into the carriage, followed by Nancy.
‘I’m not happy about abandoning my home,’ Lady Pentelow complained as the carriage door was slammed shut and the horses moved forward. ‘If any harm comes to Trevenor I will blame you, Patricia. This was your idea.’
Nancy and Patricia exchanged weary glances. Nancy could see that it was going to be a long journey home and they had not accomplished what they had set out to do. It was nearly Christmas and they would be spending it without Leo and Alex. It was going to be difficult to explain to the children why their papa had not come home, let alone Rosalind.
They spent the night at a hotel close to the railway station in Plymouth and travelled on the next day, arriving at Newton Abbot late in the afternoon. Nancy was sent to organise two carriages to take them to Rockwood, and it was early evening when they reached home. Nancy had never been so glad to see the comfortingly square and solid outline of Rockwood Castle against a lowering sky.
Lady Pentelow marched into the grand entrance hall as if she owned the castle, but was met by Hester.
‘We’ve come to stay for a while. Kindly have rooms made ready for myself and Aurelia.’
Hester folded her arms across her chest and met her ladyship’s demands with an icy stare. ‘I don’t recall anyone inviting you for the festive season.’
‘Remember your place. You might have married your employer but you will always be the housekeeper in my eyes, Hester Carey.’
‘What’s going on, Patricia?’ Hester demanded angrily.
Patricia hastened to explain why they had fled from Trevenor, and the danger that Lady Pentelow and Aurelia had so narrowly escaped.
‘We will make you as comfortable as possible,’ Hester said grimly. ‘But I don’t want to hear a barrage of complaints from you in the morning, Clarissa Pentelow. You and I are equals now, whether you like it or not.’
Lady Pentelow’s cheeks puffed out and her breath exploded in a gasp of annoyance. ‘How dare you speak to me in that tone, Hester? I demand respect from persons of lower standing.’
‘Demand all you like.’ Hester turned away. ‘You are not in a position to make demands upon us. As I see it, we are saving you from being torn apart by a mob. The trouble is of your own making.’
‘Hester, please.’ Patricia laid a hand on her shoulder. ‘We are all tired, cold and hungry. Is my sister around?’
‘She’s saying good night to the children. Come into the drawing room and get warm. I’ll order rooms to be made up for Lady Pentelow and Mrs Gibbs.’
Aurelia shuddered. ‘I’ve gone back to using my maiden name, Hester. My late husband and I were separated by mutual consent.’
Hester eyed her speculatively. ‘Dead, is he? Did you poison his rum?’
‘I’ll send word to Cook that there will be four extra at the table for dinner,’ Patricia said hastily. ‘I take it you haven’t dined yet, Hester?’
‘No, we haven’t. But there might not be enough to go round.’
Nancy managed to keep a straight face. ‘Come with me, Aurelia. We’ll wait for your rooms to be ready in the drawing room.’ She turned to Lady Pentelow. ‘Would you like to come and get warm by the fire, my lady?’
‘I know my way around this old ruin better than you, my girl.’ Lady Pentelow sailed on ahead, leaving Nancy and Aurelia to follow her.
Nancy could see that this was not going to be an easy time at Rockwood. ‘Perhaps I’d better go and explain matters to Rosalind. I’ll be down directly.’
‘You are getting away easily,’ Patricia whispered as Nancy walked past her, heading for the staircase.
‘I don’t want Rosie to walk into a difficult situation,’ Nancy said softly. ‘I’ll leave it to you to keep Hester and Lady Pentelow from tearing each other’s hair out.’ She shivered as a cold wind gusted through the open front door as James brought in the last of the luggage. Ada was standing by the oak coffer, looking uncomfortable.
‘James, will you take Ada to the servants’ hall, and show her round? She’ll be staying with us while Lady Pentelow and Miss Aurelia are here.’
James nodded and gave Ada a friendly smile. ‘Come this way, Ada. I dare say you’d like a nice hot cup of tea and a slice of Mrs Jackson’s fruit cake.’
Ada blushed and nodded. ‘Thank you kindly, sir.’
James grinned. ‘It’s just James, Ada. You’ll soon get used to our ways here at Rockwood.’
