Page 54 of The Count’s Charade

The girl twisted her apron. “Oh, Mister Henry, I don’t know how to tell you! I was getting meself dressed, and I looked out the window to see how light it was, and then I saw them.”

Grace’s heart missed a beat. “Saw who, Jemima?”

“Men, Miss Grace. They’re out front, and in the back too. I just checked out the window over the lean-to. All round the house, they are.”

Glancing at Henri, Grace thought he had paled slightly. Her pulse was racing. “Is it the Frenchmen?”

“I dunno. I ain’t seen them, but there are that many men out there, there’s no saying it ain’t them Frenchies an’ all!”

“What men are they?”

“Same as was searching for Mister Henry yesterday.”

Grace cast a wild glance at Henri. “Why? Why have they come? Surely they can’t know you’re here!”

Henri shrugged. “It is possible. Get you dressed, ma chère, and we can find it out.”

What else was to be done? Grace turned to go and became aware of the maid’s startled eyes roaming over the rumpled bedclothes. To her chagrin, Jemima glanced from Henri to her mistress with an abrupt look of realisation. Hastily, Grace wafted impatient hands at her.

“Go, Jemima! Start preparing breakfast. We must strive to look as normal as possible. Go, quickly. I will come down as soon as I’m dressed.”

The maid disappeared and was promptly to be heard tripping down the stairs. Grace cast one harassed look at Henri, who had resumed dressing, and flung herself out of the door.

She stumped loudly as she came down the stairs, hoping the sound would travel to those waiting beyond the front door. She had taken a good look when, once dressed, she had flung aside the drapes at her bedchamber window, staring in feigned astonishment as the three men visible outside one by one turned up their faces to look. She had recognised Clem and Samuel, and another of Mayberry’s men. Were Wooferton’s there too? He had two at his disposal, who were perhaps watching at the back.

She had not dared to look out over the lean-to, for she thought it would be more natural to hurry down and out of the house at the front. Calling loudly to Jemima as she passed the kitchen, she made for the door and turned the key in the lock.

Jemima appeared behind her, whispering. “What are you going to say?”

Grace glanced back and put out a quick hand. “We know nothing of Mister Henry, Jemima. He left here yesterday and we have not seen him again. Remember that!”

The maid nodded frantically. “There ain’t no call to tell me, Miss Grace. I wouldn’t betray Mister Henry, not for anything!”

“I know.” Grace smiled at her. “But you must look both angry and surprised, Jemima. Yes, that’s very good.”

Satisfied that the girl’s subterfuge was as good as her own, Grace took a breath, and opened the door, stomping on to the porch. She put on an irate front.

“What, may I ask, is the meaning of this?”

Clem and Samuel had approached the path, but had not ventured on to it. Clem looked sheepish, and Samuel apologetic. “Orders is we’m to watch the house, Miss Grace,” offered the latter.

“Mr Mayberry sent you?”

Clem touched his forelock. “Begging your pardon, Miss Grace, it were Sir James hisself.”

A knot of desperation settled in Grace’s stomach. If Sir James had ordered this, there could be little hope of evading the outcome. But why, when Sir James had called off the search? If only she had let Henri go last night, as he had intended! Fool that she was, she had held him only to run him into danger. Worse, if she had not slipped into his bed, he might have been away long since. Unless the men had been here already?

She turned abruptly on the reluctant intruders, limping on to the path. “When did you get here?”

The two men looked at each other. Clem jerked a thumb at the others. “Them two come at half-three, miss. Sam and me was here after four, being as we’re only down the lane.”

Then it had been too late long ago! Grace abandoned pretence. “And the men behind the house? Who are they, and when did they come?”

“They be Mr Wooferton’s men, miss,” Samuel explained. “Mr Wooferton sent ’em last night, I reckon.”

Clem grinned. “Cold and half asleep they be.”

Grace held her countenance with difficulty, sick at the thought of strangers outside her house, bearing witness as she and Henri had been engaged in their frantic joining.