Page 63 of A Kiss to Stop a Wedding
‘Strange, I would have thought, since he had invitedyou to come alone…’ He trailed off, shrugging a little. ‘But if the fellow did not tarry, then no harm done. I suppose you and Lord Whilton have now settled your, er, differences?’
‘As to that, we shall see,’ replied Flora with a smile that she was far from feeling.
Quentin would know by now that something had gone wrong with his plans and she had no idea what he would do next.
* * *
Matt stirred. His head ached, his mouth was dry and when he moved a searing pain shot through his left arm, making him wince. He opened his eyes to find a stranger bending over him.
No, not a stranger. Jepps. It was all coming back to him now.
‘You are still here,’ he muttered.
‘Aye, sir. I gave you my word!’
The man sounded aggrieved, which would have made Matt smile, if he hadn’t been so parched.
‘I need water,’ he said. ‘And something to eat.’
‘Water I have here.’ Jepps helped him to sit up. ‘If you can manage to hold the glass, sir, I’ll go and tell the landlady to send up your breakfast.’
Matt frowned as he took in the man’s homespun garments. ‘Don’t tell me you passed yourself off as my valet dressed like that!’
‘Why, no, sir.’ Jepps looked at him as if he was afool. ‘You mentioned gardens, so I said I was your groundsman, come to look at some plants with you.’
He went off and Matt sipped at his water, thinking that the man had surprised him for the second time. He was intrigued by the fellow, but the entrance of a maid with his breakfast tray put to flight everything but the problem of how to eat it with only one good arm.
Despite his injury, Matt enjoyed his meal and left only empty plates to be removed with his coffee cup. When the servant came to take them away he asked her for pen and ink and spent the next hour propped up in his bed with a board across his knees, writing.
* * *
‘Ah, Jepps, I need you to fold these for me,’ he said, when the man came in some time later. He pointed to the first of the sheets. ‘That one is for you to give to Cripps at Bellemonte—I have written the direction on the other side. I take it you can read?’
‘Of course, sir. I ain’t no heathen!’
Matt hid a smile as he handed him a small purse. ‘This should be enough for your journey.’
Jepps took the purse, then picked up the letter and scanned it.
‘This is mighty generous, Mr Talacre. How do you know you can trust me?’
‘If you were intent on robbing me, you have had plenty of time to take the purse from my coat, and find the other one in my saddlebag. The fact the money isstill there is encouraging.’ Matt grinned. ‘My leg aches like the devil, but I am not quite bedridden, I checked everything earlier this morning.’
Jepps began to stammer his thanks, but Matt waved a hand to silence him.
‘How you fare at Bellemonte is up to you; if you show promise my man there will soon promote you. Now, this other note is for the landlord of the Red Lion in Whilton. I want you to find a reliable fellow to go and fetch my portmanteau.’ He held out another handful of coins. ‘That’s enough to pay my shot and he can keep what’s left. The letter doesn’t say where I am and impress upon the messenger that he is not to mention it. Tell the man I will reward him for his trouble when he returns here with my belongings.’
‘I’ll get on to that right now, sir.’
‘Very well. The landlord tells me the coach to Banbury isn’t due for another two hours yet, so when you have done, there should be time for you to take a drink with me. I need diverting,’ he explained, seeing the man’s look of surprise. ‘Until I have my portmanteau, I have nothing to read!’
* * *
It was not long before Jepps returned to Matt’s room, carrying two tankards of ale and reporting that he’d sent one of the grooms to Whilton.
‘He’s a bright lad, sir, and the landlord said he’s not one to blab.’
‘That’s good,’ said Matt. ‘Now pull up a chair and tell me about yourself.’
