Page 65 of The Chaperone
They shook their heads, having been making the most of what was as much an entertainment to them as their employers. Sophy’s happy bubble burst, and was replaced by dread. Susan had been so biddable these last few days, and only her rudeness in the carriage had been on a par with her ‘normal’ behaviour. It made no sense until one realised it was the calm before a storm.
‘Harriet, I must search the vicinity just in case Susan has simply twisted her ankle or …’ Sophy thought this so unlikely she could not continue. She sighed. ‘I will take Nichols and if we do not find any trace of her, I want you to return home as soon as the parade is over. If you remain for the present then if Susan should change her mind …’ She squeezed Harriet’s hand, and climbed down from the barouche. She then began what she frankly believed to be a fruitless search, with the dutiful Nichols in her wake. She could not, without raising suspicions, accost everyone, asking if they had seen a lady of Susan’s distinctive appearance, but she did ask the coachmen of a couple of vacant carriages. The last said that he had seen a young lady answering that description, but that she must have been ailing, because she pulled a cloak about her as if cold. Sophy made an answer which seemed to agree with that view, and her panic increased. They left Hyde Park, and she knew that all she could do was get back to Hill Street as soon as possible. They crossed the road to head along Mount Street, and it was then that she thought to ask the crossing sweeper if he had seen a cloaked young lady in the last half hour.
‘A lady, ’ooded and cloaked, comes out the Park and gets into a chaise with a swell gent, a tidy bit ago, ma’am.’
Sophy gave the man sixpence for this information, which left him speechless, and in need of spending at least tuppence of it in the nearest hostelry, and walked home as fast as she could. When she entered the house, Bembridge beamed at her, but her expression froze his smile.
‘When did Lord Rothley leave, Bembridge?’
‘His lordship left but a few minutes ago, my lady. You barely missed him.’
‘Then send one of the servants to his lodgings, which are in Half Moon Street. Oh dear! I have no idea which number. However, I am sure someone in the street would be able to provide his direction. As long as he has not gone to his club! This is an emergency, Bembridge, so make sure you send someone swift-footed and who has seen him today and would recognise him if he catches up with him, as I hope.’
‘Certainly, my lady, but what is he to tell him when he finds his lordship?’
‘He is to request him to return as a matter of great urgency. Now, where is my father?’
‘His lordship is in the library, my lady.’
‘Bring Lord Rothley there when he arrives, please, Bembridge.’ Sophy lifted her hem and half ran up the stairs. Lord Chelmarsh was contemplating an epistle to his wife, and looked up.
‘Sophy, my dear, I—’
‘Papa, Susan has run away again, with a man.’
‘With whom?’
‘I do not know. The only man she—Pinkney! Oh yes, he would, the rogue. Papa. I am so very sorry. We were watching the review and Susan said she had cramp in her foot and got down from the carriage to walk up and down a little, and then the Duke of York was reviewing Lord Edward’s troop and …’ Her words tumbled out as she described what had occurred as accurately as she could. ‘When I noticed Susan was missing it was too late. She was seen climbing into a chaise by a crossing sweeper.’
‘I shall have to follow them,’ Lord Chelmarsh declared, heavily.
‘No, wait, Papa. I have sent after Lord Rothley.’
‘I may understand your faith in the gentleman, but he is not yet connected to this family and she is not his responsibility, Sophy.’
‘No, but he has offered, many times, to do anything to help, not just because of … me, but because he feels a responsibility, since his father showed no care at all. Tyneham has been no help at all, a hindrance in fact, and would be so now, but Lord Rothley is just the gentleman we need in this situation. Besides, if you go off at the rush, everyone will guess the reason. Nobody else will associate Lord Rothley with Susan.’
At that moment Lord Rothley entered the room, waving away Bembridge without bothering to be announced.
‘What has happened? Sophy, you are all right?’ He was breathing a little fast.
‘My lord, thank goodness you were traced swiftly! I … we, need your help. Susan has run away, eloped, with Lord Pinkney, as far as we can tell.’
‘But did she not go with you to the review?’
‘Yes, but upon a pretext left the carriage and then slipped away. She joined a gentleman with a chaise in Park Lane.’
‘The devil she did! The little wretch! How many horses?’
‘Horses, my lord?’
‘Yes, to the chaise.’
‘Oh! Oh, I do not know. I did not ask the sweeper that.’ She put her hand to her cheek, distractedly.
‘No matter. I doubt very much Pinkney could afford a post-chaise and four all the way to the Border. If he did set out in one, it would be for the first stages only and then he would transfer to a pair. I have my curricle in Town, and a tidy pair who can give me a good twelve miles an hour for the first stage, and that will be better than any hired animals.’ He paused. ‘Can you be sure they are heading north?’
‘I can be sure of nothing, nothing.’ Sophy sat down and buried her face in her hands.
