A Lady Of Rare Quality

Naturally surprised, but not unduly alarmed, Annis alighted from the carriage the instant the steps had been let down, with the fiercely protective Disher close on her heels.

She had grown accustomed throughout her life to being compared with her father. Not only did she resemble him in looks, but, to a certain extent, in character too. Undeniably she had inherited the late Dr Milbank’s acute powers of observation, which she put to good use as she approached the clearly masculine form lying prostrate in the road, and the handsome chestnut gelding standing a mere few yards away from his evidently injured master.

After casting a cursory glance over her left shoulder at the trees that edged the road, Annis dropped to her knees in order to examine the stranger more closely. The blood oozing from a scorched portion of his jacket sleeve, between shoulder and elbow, told its own tale, as did the slight swelling and gash on his forehead. With her maid’s assistance she managed to turn the stranger over on his back. Unfortunately a brief examination of his various pockets did not reveal his identity, merely the fact that the motive for the attack was unlikely to have been robbery.

‘Begging your pardon, miss,’ the agitated post-boy said as Annis, after a closer inspection of the area surrounding the injured man, rose at last to her feet, ‘but we’d best not linger. No saying as who might still be about, lying in wait,’ he added, before he turned, eager, it seemed, to rejoin his colleague and remount his horse.

‘You are not proposing, I trust, to continue the journey and leave this poor fellow here?’ Annis asked, raising her fine, expressive brows in faint hauteur, a gesture that never failed to put Disher in mind of her young mistress’s aristocratic grandmother, in her time a fearsome matriarch whom one had defied at one’s peril.

The look had the desired effect. The injured man was subsequently deposited in the carriage by the two stocky post-boys, though not without a deal of grumbling, and muttering of colourful oaths. Not disposed to linger herself, Annis did not hesitate to order the resumption of the journey once the stranger’s fine gelding had been secured to the back of the conveyance.

‘Are you hoping someone at Greythorpe Manor might know who he is?’ Disher asked, after watching her mistress’s attempt to make the stranger more comfortable by placing a fur muff beneath his injured head, and covering him with a rug.

‘If he’s from around these parts, and I have every reason to suppose he might well be, then, yes, there’s every chance he’ll be known by someone at the Manor.’ Annis took a moment to study the evident aristocratic lines of a face that, although not handsome, was ruggedly attractive and full of character. ‘His clothes alone suggest a man of some means. His mount too is a fine piece of horseflesh. Moreover, gentlemen with funds aplenty at their disposal usually travel great distances by carriage, not on horseback. That is why I’m inclined to believe he’s local.’

Disher smiled. ‘How you put me in mind of your sainted father at times like these, Miss Annis.’

If she had suspected this praise to be received with any degree of pleasure she was doomed to disappointment. When she attained no response whatsoever, she turned her head, and was surprised to discover deep lines of concern furrowing her young mistress’s intelligent brow. ‘What’s troubling you, miss? Do you suspect the gentleman is badly hurt?’

‘A more thorough examination is needed to be sure, but I wouldn’t have said so, no,’ Annis answered promptly. ‘Clearly he’s been shot, but that I suspect is nought but a scratch. The gash to his head is the more serious injury and, unless I’m very much mistaken, was sustained when he fell from his mount.’ She frowned again, perplexed. ‘What I find hard to understand is the motive for the attack. It certainly wasn’t robbery. You saw yourself the size of the purse I drew from his pocket.’

‘Perhaps we happened along before the robber had time to search for the gentleman’s valuables,’ the maid suggested, ‘and he made a quick getaway before he was seen by the post-boys.’

‘Unlikely, Dish,’ Annis countered. ‘As we didn’t hear the sound of a shot—and neither, I suspect, did the post-boys, otherwise they wouldn’t have been quite so surprised to discover our friend here in the road—it’s reasonable to suppose the incident occurred some little time before we arrived on the scene. This is corroborated by the lack of footprints in the snow. Apart from our own, and the chestnut gelding’s, there were no prints. It began to snow some fifteen minutes ago, no more. So the attack, I imagine, took place shortly before then. Ample time for a would-be robber to rifle through the gentleman’s pockets, I should say.’

As the carriage slowed yet again before passing between the stone pillars of an imposing gateway, Annis’s thoughts turned to more mundane matters. Since their return to the carriage the weather had deteriorated further. It was almost impossible to distinguish between the sweep of the drive and the grass verges, and she couldn’t help feeling a deal of unease about the return journey to town. Time was of the essence. In consequence she didn’t waste a precious second in studying the architectural splendour of the Restoration mansion, when the carriage came to a halt outside the imposing front entrance a few minutes later, but marched resolutely up to the solid oak door.

The footman in smart green livery who came in response to her imperious application of the door-knocker was not slow to divulge his master’s absence from home, or the fact that Viscount Greythorpe rarely saw strangers without an appointment.

Annis, undaunted, merely announced her intention of leaving a letter of introduction, and returning on the morrow, weather permitting, before revealing the more pressing concern of the stranger in her hired conveyance.

Although naturally taken aback, the footman braved the elements and accompanied her back down the steps to the waiting carriage. ‘You evidently recognise the gentleman,’ Annis said when the footman’s jaw dropped perceptively the instant after he had peered into the carriage.

‘Know him, ma’am? I should say so… It’s his lordship!’

Chapter Two

A fter silently acknowledging how incredibly stupid she had been not to have considered the very real possibility that the injured gentleman might just turn out to be none other than the very person she had travelled so far to see, Annis took command of the situation by ordering the stupefied young footman to assist one of the post-boys in lifting his lordship from the carriage.

Even though by no stretch of the imagination had things gone according to plan that day, Annis was determined to maintain the dignified calm that she never failed to exhibit in times of stress, and for which she was much admired. Without experiencing the least reluctance to do so, she followed into the spacious hall, where she caught immediate sight of someone crossing the chequered floor, heading purposefully in her direction, whose mien strongly suggested that he might well turn out to be none other than the iron ruler of the household staff.

Surprisingly he exhibited no shock whatsoever at the means by which his master had entered the Manor. Only when he fixed his steely gaze on her did his expression alter to any significant degree, and he betrayed what looked suspiciously like a flicker of distaste, as though he had detected a slightly unpleasant odour.

“Never, ever, betray diffidence when dealing with servants, Annis,” her mother had once counselled her, “most especially high-ranking ones. Good servants are extremely discerning. They rarely fail to recognise persons of quality, and will respond accordingly.”

Consequently, Annis returned the major-domo’s rather supercilious regard without so much as a blink, even going so far as to raise her pointed little chin slightly, as her mother’s excellent advice filtered through her mind.

‘I came upon this gentleman, whom I am reliably informed is none other than your master, along the road. I do not believe him to be seriously injured. None the less, he will need to be warmed and made comfortable without delay, and quite naturally a doctor must be summoned,’ she advised, and was rewarded a moment later when the butler, seemingly having no difficulty in detecting the dignified authority in her voice, carried out the instructions by summoning several underlings into the hall.

Once she had watched the unconscious master of the house being safely conveyed to the upper floor by way of a handsomely carved wooden staircase, she turned her attention again to the major-domo. ‘Is his lordship’s sister at home?’ she enquired, thereby proving that, although a perfect stranger, she wasn’t completely ignorant about the Viscount’s family.

‘Miss Greythorpe is at present paying a visit to a retired servant residing on the estate, ma’am.’

Annis had no difficulty herself in detecting the slight note of reserve as the butler volunteered at least this snippet of information. In the normal course of events she didn’t doubt for a moment that he would never have dreamed of revealing his mistress’s whereabouts to a complete unknown. The fact of the matter was, though, that circumstances were anything but normal, and protocol must be set aside at least for the present.

The steadfastness of her gaze succeeded in retaining the punctilious servant’s full attention. ‘If your mistress left the house any length of time ago and, more especially, on foot, I would strongly recommend that you take it upon yourself to send out the carriage without delay in order to collect her. The roads are still passable at present, but this, I fear, will soon not be the case. The wind is strengthening as we speak, and drifts will not be long in forming. Which reminds me,’ she added, turning to the post-boy who, having been relieved of the strenuous task of carrying his lordship, had remained in the hall. ‘You must return to town while you’re still able. Secure rooms at the posting-house, and there await my further instructions.’

Finally, Annis focused her attention on her personal maid, who had witnessed proceedings with an appreciative gleam in her kindly eyes for the no-nonsense and dignified manner in which her young mistress had conducted herself in what might have turned out to be a most embarrassing situation.

‘Ensure our overnight bags and my small travelling case are removed from the post-chaise, Dish. Naturally, we cannot think of leaving before Miss Greythorpe returns. No doubt she would appreciate an explanation of how it came about that a complete stranger took it upon herself to convey his lordship back to his home in a post-chaise and four.’

The light of battle replaced the appreciative gleam in Disher’s eyes when the butler looked as if he was about to proffer an alternative suggestion. ‘She’ll appreciate your presence here a deal more if the doctor is unable to visit, Miss Annis. Leastwise, we can see to it that his lordship is as comfortable as may be until the doctor arrives. I’ll take a look at him first if you’re agreeable?’

‘By all means do so, Dish, once you’ve supervised the removal of those bags necessary for our comfort from the carriage,’ Annis urged her. ‘I, in the meantime, intend to await Miss Greythorpe’s return.’ She turned her attention to the butler once more, her own eyes now flashing a challenge. ‘But not in this hall.’

Annis didn’t doubt that even though the iron ruler of the household staff must be troubled by recent events, not to mention puzzled by her unexpected arrival on the scene, he had by this time made up his mind that his lordship’s somewhat unconventional rescuer was, if nothing else, clearly the daughter of a gentleman, for he didn’t hesitate to show her into a small, homely parlour, where Annis wasn’t slow to take advantage of the chair placed by the comfort of a roaring fire, before divulging her full name, and then enquiring his own.

‘Yes, Dunster, I should very much appreciate a dish of tea while I await Miss Greythorpe’s return,’ she promptly replied, after the butler, thawing marginally, had responded to her question and then had made the offer of refreshment. ‘But nothing to eat, I thank you. With luck your mistress will not be long delayed. Then I shall make my way back to town as soon as may be, and eat my dinner there.’

Although her voiced desire to be gone from the Manor without undue delay, thereby not attempting to take advantage of his lordship’s hospitality, had won her a further flicker of approval from the punctilious retainer, Annis wasn’t unduly surprised to be forced to revise her plans a short time later when, having been furnished with the promised refreshment, she was informed that her presence was required immediately in the master bedchamber.

Dunster took it upon himself to act as escort. Whether this singular honour had been bestowed upon her out of deference, or a simple desire to keep a watchful eye on the many valuable items of silver and porcelain to be found gracing various positions en route, Annis wasn’t at all sure. Nor, for that matter, did she care too much, for she took little interest in the richness of her surroundings, wanting only to answer the summons that she was well aware would not have been issued unless necessary.

One glance at his lordship’s arm justified the trust she placed in her maid’s judgement. ‘Yes, Dish,’ she said, settling herself on the edge of the richly draped four-poster bed, the better to examine the injury. ‘There are some threads embedded in the wound. My tweezers, if you please.’

‘I didn’t dare risk probing myself, Miss Annis, not with my eyes,’ Disher admitted. ‘And the wound looks as though it could turn uncommon nasty if mauled about unnecessarily.’

‘It’s certainly inflamed, Dish. But it’s still little more than a scratch, thank goodness! And at least I’ve been spared the necessity of having to probe for a piece of lead shot.’

Out of the corner of her eye Annis saw the butler and another male servant, whom she supposed must be his lordship’s valet, exchange startled glances, as though amazed that ‘a mere slip of a girl’ would ever contemplate attempting such a thing, and smiled to herself before returning her full attention to the injured arm.

‘That’s as much as can be done for the present,’ she announced, a few moments later, after successfully extracting the threads, thoroughly cleansing the inflamed area, and binding the wound up deftly. ‘Has he regained consciousness at all, even for a moment?’

‘Not since he was carried into this chamber, ma’am,’ the valet volunteered. ‘His lordship did not so much as stir when we removed his clothes and placed him in his nightshirt.’

Although not altogether happy to learn this, Annis betrayed none of her concerns as she turned to her maid. ‘I’ll remain with him for the present, Dish. You rest for a while and partake of refreshments. I’m sure Dunster, here, will kindly see to it that you are made comfortable.’

His slight bow in acknowledgement was sufficient to assure Annis that he was prepared, at least for the time being, to leave someone who had shown such presence of mind, and a certain degree of knowledge, in charge of the sickroom. All the same, she had no desire to give the impression that she had any desire to rule the roost, and so requested him to send word the instant his lordship’s sister returned.

The valet, eager, seemingly, to undertake his normal duties, was not slow to follow the others from the room, shaking his head as he did so, while bemoaning the damage to his master’s superbly tailored coat and expensive linen, leaving Annis free to study his lordship in private for the first time.

His straight-limbed and well-muscled physique clearly revealed a life of comfort, but certainly not one of overindulgence. A second and much closer perusal of his physiognomy did not persuade her to change her former opinion. His features, though undeniably regular, were too sharply defined for him to be considered handsome, though a generous breadth of forehead suggested strongly that he wasn’t lacking intelligence. Although her godmother, Lady Pelham, had mentioned that he had attained the age of thirty in recent weeks, there wasn’t a surfeit of lines about the eyes and mouth, which might well indicate, Annis thought, that he was a gentleman not given to smiling much. It did not automatically follow, though, that he went out of his way to be disagreeable or was totally lacking in humour, and it would be a mistake to assume that this might be so.

Leaning forward, she placed her fingers gently over that deep furrow between coal-black brows, further evidence, she quickly decided, of a serious bent rather than a frivolous one. But of nothing more, she reiterated silently, striving to keep an open mind.

Conscious all the while of the dry, yet not excessive, heat rising steadily through her fingers, she turned her head to gaze absently through the window at the slowly increasing pile of snowflakes gathering on the sill and the now totally white landscape beyond, before returning her attention to her patient, and discovering herself the recipient of a steady, albeit slightly puzzled, gaze.

‘Welcome back, sir,’ she said gently, while removing her hand and rising from the bed. ‘Do you recognise your surroundings?’

‘I do… But I cannot say the same for you, ma’am.’

‘Nor should you,’ Annis responded, instantly liking the husky timbre of the cultured, masculine voice. ‘Suffice it to say that you sustained a fall from your horse and it was I who took it upon myself to return you to your home.’

There was a slight grimace as he raised one of his black brows a fraction. ‘An angel of mercy, I perceive!’

Annis couldn’t forbear a smile at the thread of scepticism she clearly discerned. ‘I have been called many things in my time, sir, but an angel has never numbered amongst them until now.’ She became serious again. ‘How do you feel? As though you have been kicked by a mule, I dare swear.’

‘I feel as if someone is pounding my head with a mallet, certainly.’

‘How many fingers am I holding up?’ Annis asked, after raising one hand.

A faint look of boredom flickered over his features. ‘Three.’

‘And you can see me quite clearly?’

There was a slight pause while blue eyes, of a particular dark and striking shade, travelled over the mass of glossy chestnut curls that framed her face. ‘Perfectly.’

‘In that case I shan’t plague you further for the present.’ Reaching for a certain bottle in her case, Annis carefully measured several drops into a clean glass and added water before slipping her arm beneath his lordship’s broad shoulders. ‘Drink this,’ she coaxed, after successfully raising him slightly. ‘It will help you to sleep. Hopefully your head will feel better when you wake again.’

His lordship required no further prompting. He swallowed the liquid meekly, as though unequal to the task of putting up any form of resistance. He certainly seemed disinclined to attempt further conversation, and during those few minutes his eyes remained open he spoke not a word, though Annis had the feeling that he remained very conscious of her presence, before his heavy lids finally lowered.

A moment later the tranquillity pervading the master bedchamber was broken by the reappearance of none other than the butler, who delivered the welcome news that his mistress had returned safely, and was awaiting Miss Milbank in the parlour. Once again he took it upon himself to act as escort, even going so far as to introduce Annis very graciously, before leaving the two ladies alone together.

As she came forward to take the proffered hand, Annis was immediately struck by the strong resemblance between the Greythorpe siblings. Then her perceptive gaze registered the worry and puzzlement in the blue eyes that the brief and tentative smile of welcome could not quite disguise.

‘I do not know how much you have learned since your return, Miss Greythorpe,’ she said, coming straight to the point in her no-nonsense manner in an attempt to allay what she suspected must surely be the sister’s most pressing concern. ‘But let me assure you that, in my opinion, your brother is not seriously injured. In point of fact, he regained consciousness a few minutes ago, and was quite lucid. He betrayed no signs of impaired vision, though he did complain of a headache, which is perfectly understandable in the circumstances. Furthermore, there are no signs of a significant rise in his temperature.’

Annis took a moment to stare once again through a window at the increasing depth of snow covering the landscape. ‘In view of the fact that it is highly unlikely that the doctor will arrive in the near future, if indeed at all this day, I took it upon myself to tend to your brother’s injuries personally and administer a few drops of laudanum to ensure that he sleeps at least for the next few hours.’

The troubled look that followed this pronouncement was not lost on her either. ‘Do not be alarmed, Miss Greythorpe. My father was a practitioner. And an exceptional one, if I may say so. He saw fit to pass on some of his knowledge and skill to me, at least sufficient for me to do more good than harm.’

The concerned expression faded marginally. ‘Please forgive me, Miss Milbank. You must think me quite rag-mannered. Do sit down. As you can appreciate, I am sure, I am somewhat puzzled by what I’ve discovered since my return. I understand that you came upon my brother lying in the road, and that he had been shot?’

Annis didn’t doubt for a second that the tall, angular woman standing before her was finding it difficult to comprehend just why such a fate should have befallen the head of the household. No matter what others thought about Lord Greythorpe, his sister clearly considered him above reproach.

‘That is correct, ma’am. Perhaps, though, I should begin by explaining why it was that I, a complete stranger, should happen along at a most opportune time,’ Annis said, after once again making herself comfortable in the chair by the hearth. ‘It was with the sole purpose of seeking an interview with Viscount Greythorpe that prompted my visit to this part of the country.’

She could see at once that she had captured her listener’s full attention. ‘Although I am not acquainted with his lordship personally, I have been acquainted with another member of your family for very many years—your sister, Helen. In point of fact, her aunt is my godmother. And it was at Lady Pelham’s behest that I have made this journey into Hampshire.’

Although Sarah Greythorpe was clearly intrigued to learn this, her most pressing concern was to discover more about what had happened to her brother, as she proved when she said, ‘And so it was while you were travelling here to the Manor that you came upon his lordship lying in the road?’

Annis nodded. ‘Quite correct, ma’am. Naturally, never having seen him before, I had no notion of who he might be. It wasn’t until I arrived here that I discovered his identity.’

‘Yes, yes. I can fully appreciate that,’ she said, placing a slightly shaking hand to a forehead that was deeply etched, betraying a lingering anxiety. ‘I just cannot understand who might have wished Deverel harm.’

Although she could fully understand these concerns, Annis, being an immensely practical sort of person, considered the immediate future of far more importance.

‘No doubt we shall discover more when your brother is up and about again. Which I do not envisage will be long delayed. All the same, I did take it upon myself to send for a doctor. What manner of man is your local practitioner?’

The response came without a moment’s delay. ‘Thankfully, an extremely conscientious one.’

‘In that case, he will not hesitate to answer the summons, if he is able.’

All at once Sarah Greythorpe looked troubled again. ‘I have already called upon his services once this day,’ she disclosed. ‘He was with me for a time, attending to an injury sustained by a retired elderly retainer. While on the estate, he received word that his presence was urgently required several miles away. He left just as the first flakes of snow began to fall.’