The Fencing Master's Daughter Read online

  Louis directed the footmen to carry a table nearer the bed and this he covered with a clean linen sheet. Several bowls and bottles of jenever were placed on this table and Louis set about selecting some surgical instruments from his bag and immersing them in a bowl of jenever spirit. He ordered lanterns fetched and then folded some towels which he placed beneath Edwards’s leg supporting the thigh and raising the level of his ankle and foot. He watched Madelaine assist her father holding his ankle as directed so he was not jolted badly by his leg being moved.

  Lady Chalcombe returned somewhat flustered but neatly, if not quite as frivolously, dressed as usual. She too had donned a cap covering her glossy black curls as if her coiffure was of low importance, although her cap was trimmed with some exquisite Brussels lace.

  A large glass jar containing the leeches swimming in clear water arrived and was placed upon the table. Plovett was hovering, but was looking a little green was sent to fetch a bottle of wine and a glass. On his return Louis poured a glass and added some drops of liquid from a small bottle. The glass of laudanum he asked Edward to drink.

  “I don’t want it! I want to know what is going on!” Edward objected.

  “It will not render you unconscious, but it will lessen the pain a little. It would be better to allow it to take some effect before Dr Ashton opens up your leg. Madelaine, make him drink it.” Louis handed the glass to her and she handed it to Edward.

  “You are in severe pain and your leg needs treating. I will not marry a one legged man, so do as my father says, or I shall cry off! Now stop being stupid, Edward and drink this,” Madelaine berated him.

  Dr. Ashton entered, shedding his coat and washing his hands before examining the earl’s leg. Introductions between him and the Comte were made, and Dr. Ashton concurred with Louis’s opinion. Dr Ashton demurred at operating on Edward himself. He had little experience of battle injuries, but he agreed the wound must be quickly dealt with and promised to assist Louis in cleaning the wound.

  Plovett was looking faint as they discussed how to treat the earl’s leg and Louis advised him to stay away until they had dealt with his master. Timothy Griggs was asked if he would pass out at the sight of blood and he said he would do whatever was necessary. So he was divested of his footman’s jacket and wig and made to wash before being asked to put on another apron.

  Louis tipped a jug of scalding hot water into a bowl and added a small pellet of myrrh and some dried borage leaves which he left to steep.

  “Milady, it might be better if you leave the room too,” Louis suggested.

  “I’m staying, Edward is my only son,” she insisted.

  “Very well my lady, but once I begin to operate there must be no distractions. If you swoon I will leave you where you fall,” he said coldly to his inamorata.

  When the water in the bowl had cooled a little he immersed a length of cloth and used this to cleanse the area of the scar on Edward’s length. He then applied several of the leeches around the scar and left them to reduce the swelling around the wound. When the leeches were fully engorged Louis removed them placing them in an empty small bowl.

  “Madelaine sit beside Edward on the bed and hold him still. Timothy stand at the end of the bed and hold his feet still, please,” Louis directed.

  Louis made a neat incision parallel to the original scar. He mopped up the gushing filth that ran from the cut with a cloth infused in the hot water. He swabbed as much of the putrescence from inside the wound as possible, and Dr. Ashton held a lantern high so he could inspect the flesh inside Edward’s thigh. Dr. Ashton passed him blunt nosed forceps with which to delve within the inflamed tissue. Edward flinched, but Madelaine held him still with surprising strength. She did not look behind her, at what Louis was doing but kept Edward’s eyes on hers and talked quietly to him of inconsequential matters, just to keep his mind on her voice.

  “The muscle has healed remarkably well,” said Louis “ah, here is something,” as he extracted a small piece of metal, placing it carefully in an empty dish. “That will not have helped healing but did not cause this infection.” A second fragment of metal joined the first. Louis apologized for continuing to prod and search for further foreign bodies, sluicing the pus and blood as he examined minutely the exposed flesh within the earl’s thigh. Then finally he removed a long splinter of bone deep within his leg. He washed the wound out thoroughly and smoothed the skin back towards the incision.

  “Well I can find nothing more within the wound, Madelaine will you stitch it up please. Were you on horseback when you were injured, my lord?”

  “Yes, the horse died, I was luckier.”

  “Well I rather think the piece of bone I removed from your leg came from the horse. You have a better chance of healing now it has been removed.”

  Madelaine bent over his leg to stitch up his leg. She worked as a team silently with Louis; she inserted a looped stitch and tied it as Louis cut the thread. Edward watched this part of the process with considerable discomfort, but gritted his teeth realising the pain being inflicted upon him would soon drop to a more bearable level. Despite the pain of the new cut and the bruising of his flesh from the leeches and Louis’s exploration of his leg, his leg felt less swollen and agonising. How much was the effect of the laudanum he was not certain, but he hoped his leg would now heal properly. He did not relish losing his leg, or Madelaine, now she had finally consented to be his bride.

  Lady Chalcombe excused herself while Madelaine stitched her son back together and went to complete her toilette. When Madelaine had finished the stitching she wiped the area around the stitches with lavender oil and then applied honey directly to the scar site before binding a clean pad of linen to his thigh.

  Louis dressed correctly before drying and putting away his instruments whilst chatting with Dr. Ashton. That gentleman seemed to think Louis had done an excellent job cleaning out the earl’s wound. Louis rattled off some instructions to Madelaine in French before the two doctors went away to see how Sir Horace Charrington was doing, and then to examine how the injured footman’s arm was healing. Madelaine instructed footmen in the disposal of the various utensils and cloths and ushered Plovett back to shave his master. Madelaine left the earl to Plovett’s ministrations, returning to the room a little later, which Plovett had put to order. She had dressed in a pale lilac day dress and her hair was once more arranged becomingly in loose curls piled high.

  A tray containing a belated and very austere breakfast for the earl was carried in. Madelaine allowed Edward to consume tea and toast before brewing him a tisane containing an infusion of myrrh and valerian and ordering him to sleep. Edward said he would sleep shortly but first she needed a ring to wear to denote their betrothal. She told him it could wait but he insisted she brought him two small boxes from one of the drawers of his bureau. Seeing he would not settle until the matter was settled, she did as she was bid. He asked her to open the boxes. The first contained a ring with an oblong emerald surrounded by brilliant cut diamonds. The second box contained a ring with a single huge heart-shaped pink diamond. Both were exquisite rings but Madelaine took some time to decide between them trying both on her finger.

  Lady Chalcombe returned and came over to examine the rings.

  “The emerald is a fine stone but the setting is slightly ordinary. The pink heart is stunning although some old sticklers might think it slightly vulgar. Take the heart Madelaine, it is the prettier of the two rings and my son will be the one blamed for the lapse in taste. No one looking at your taste in clothes would criticise you for wearing it,” Lady Chalcombe teased and so it was decided.

  Edward was properly thanked and tucked up before being ordered to sleep.

  The ladies went away together as there was much to organise before the Christmas Eve party on the following day. Henri had already readied a light luncheon for those staying at the Manor. He had acquired a fair understanding of the numbers and quantities required for the event and he and the kitchen staff had been baking pies of
all kinds, tarts, cakes and pastries.

  Henri had decided a confectionary centrepiece would not be appreciated and was instead concentrating on producing good plain quality food in sufficient quantities for all those who would arrive. The banqueting hall had already been festooned with greenery under cousin Almira’s direction and barrels of beer and cider had been placed on trestle tables at one side of the hall to settle after being rolled into position. The banqueting hall was not much used except for open days and was adjacent to Chalcombe Manor’s ballroom, which would be used for dancing in the afternoon of the party. Cousin Almira was directing a group of maids over the arrangement of garlands of beribboned greenery around the ballroom as footmen climbed ladders to tend the vast chandeliers arranging fresh candles in each holder.

  Several huge round cheeses, both white and yellow had been delivered and these were to be served as part of the feast that Henri’s team were slaving to produce. The Manor’s pantry was already full to overflowing with food prepared for the following day’s party and Henri was concentrating on producing some pretty confectionary for the children to finish the meal. Then he would prepare that evening’s meal, before setting bread to rise over night while roasting capons, and legs of beef and ham to complete the feast for the morrow.

  Lady Chalcombe told Madelaine usually the family members performed a song or recited a piece of poetry during the afternoon before the dancing started. Madelaine asked whether she would be expected to perform and Lady Chalcombe confirmed this but said she need only sing some country song.

  “Unfortunately I cannot hold a tune my lady. I can do card tricks, would that be acceptable?”

  “It will make a refreshing change Madelaine, but I thought you didn’t play cards?”

  “My father forbids it! Will he be expected to perform?”

  “Only if he wishes, I don’t know what to do about Edward, as he will want to be involved.”

  “My father says he must not put his foot to the ground for a week. He will need a bath chair if he is to attend. Perhaps there is one somewhere in the house?”

  “Edward’s grandfather used one when he was in the gout. I will have it searched for.”

  “You should ask Henri to do his party piece, if the servants respect him now, they’ll jump through hoops after seeing him perform.”

  Lady Chalcombe tried to discover from Madelaine what Henri’s party piece involved but Madelaine merely smiled sweetly and said it would be more entertaining if a secret.

  In the afternoon Edward awoke and was feeling much better and demanded to be fed. Madelaine arrived at the same time as a light luncheon tray, even though it was only a couple of hours before dinner was served. However when he asked for a bottle of wine, he was served one glass and Plovett took the bottle away. Edward’s protests were overridden by his fiancée who said he would heal quicker without an excess of alcohol and she expected him to be an obedient patient.

  Later that afternoon, Lady Sophia visited her brother, with Lady Callista Purcell, before they dressed for dinner that evening. The whole house had heard the earl’s wound had reopened and they were relieved to see he was in good spirits even if he was confined to his bed. They congratulated Edward and Madelaine on their engagement and examined her ring with much approval. The two ladies left to change, but were replaced by Sir Horace Charrington who walked with the aid of a stick and still looked exceedingly unwell.

  “Could you leave us alone my dear? I have something I wish to talk to the earl about in private.” Madelaine curtseyed to the elderly baronet and left to change into evening dress.

  “I’m glad you are going to marry that pretty girl, because what I have to say will shock you. My doctor has given me less than a year to live and your comte and Dr Ashton concur with his opinion. I have some kind of growth in my abdomen and it will kill me. The comte said it could be cut out but he could not guarantee I would survive the surgery and said it would probably re-grow,” Sir Horace informed Edward.

  “I’m very sad to hear that, Horace. You will be missed,” Edward said sadly.

  “As the only surviving child of your uncle William, I used to believe that the estates and titles should be kept separate, but when my dear Maud died without providing me with living heirs, I knew the baronetcy would come to Sophia’s eldest, unless you have children of your own. I wrote a will leaving everything unentailed to a friend I used to go hunting with, but I have become disturbed about his character in recent days and it seems to me he is looking forward with hopeful anticipation to my death.” Sir Horace coughed and Edward poured him some water, which he sipped before continuing.

  “Last year I visited his hunting lodge in Markshire and I saw him clandestinely meet another man, whom I am convinced was French. Sir Robert was secretive about it and when I questioned him, he tried to convince me I had misunderstood the situation. I wanted to believe him but found I could not. I made it my business to find out more about Sir Robert Dickinson and I discovered little to his credit. I spoke to Lord Armstrong not long before he died. He was Sir Robert’s godfather and had intended for some years to leave Perriswood to him. They argued some years back and he made your father and by extension, you, his heir.”

  “I know of the bequest from Lord Armstrong. I was aware that he’s fallen out with his godson, but not that he was Sir Robert,” Edward said somewhat shocked at Sir Horace’s story, even though it confirmed his own doubts.

  “Lord Armstrong’s suspicions were rather more serious than mine. He thought Sir Robert was a traitor and was involved with a smuggling gang that carried information in and out of the country. Lord Armstrong was too frightened to ask Sir Robert any questions and told him he had changed his will back and had left Perriswood to him. I didn’t want to believe Lord Armstrong’s misgivings because they seemed so outlandish. Lord Armstrong had heard stories bandied about that Sir Robert had blackmailed a young lord of his acquaintance and that his business dealings had been less than honest. I wish I could tell you that there was no truth in these tales,” Sir Horace said sadly, shaking his head. Edward remained silent but took the old man’s hand in his to try to offer him comfort.

  “My own enquiries discovered Sir Robert’s financial affairs were in very poor shape. I was told stories in confidence, that Sir Robert encouraged young men to gamble beyond their means and was responsible for introducing them into gaming clubs, which were far from respectable establishments. It was rumoured young Lord Penham’s suicide was caused by Sir Robert’s introduction to one such club. My agents said Sir Robert was in regular contact with persons from the criminal classes.”

  “I believe what you are telling me, Horace, even though I want to find excuses for Sir Robert, I can’t,” Edward said appalled.

  “I am loath to mention it, because gentlemen do not usually discuss their dealings with the muslin set, but I also heard he is not welcome in a number of London’s bawdyhouses because he had been excessively rough with their female employees. It disgusts me that any man of my acquaintance, could get pleasure from hurting women, even birds of that feather. I realise with the responsibilities of Chalcombe and now Perriswood thrust on your shoulders you already have a lot to deal with, but I intend to leave my estate, except for a few minor bequests to you. You will deal with my people fairly and make sure Sir Robert’s strange behaviour is looked into in the correct quarters. I will give you the letters from my agent for you to deal with as you think proper.”

  “I will make sure of it, Horace. Be sure of that, Sir Robert will pay for his crimes. I already had suspicions about Sir Robert and I believe the authorities may be examining his affairs,” Edward said heatedly as the case against Sir Robert piled up.

  “You can leave Chartley to a younger son or to Sophia’s sons. You will find my affairs in order and my debts have been paid, although there will not be much left over apart from the house and land. I would appreciate if you would arrange for your family lawyers to draw me up a new will before I return home to Chartley,” Sir Hora
ce added.

  “I feel you are wise to change your will, although if you left your estate to a charity for retired soldiers or to anyone other than Sir Robert, it would not bother me. I will make arrangements for Clarkson to visit to draft your will as soon as possible. There have been several unsuccessful attempts on my own life. I am convinced a French spy and Sir Robert are responsible for these attempts. You might also be at risk, if it becomes known you intend to change your will. I believe it imperative you do so soon. I’d prefer you to stay at Chalcombe with our family for your safety, you’re very welcome here. I don’t like to think of you alone at Chartley in the circumstances,” declared the earl.

  Sir Horace promised to consider staying on at Chalcombe and left Edward while he changed for dinner. Edward looked forward to his dinner with some interest. If Madelaine was eating dinner downstairs with his other guests, then she would be unable to restrict him to only one glass of wine. He was unfortunately soon to discover Plovett would not go against either Louis or Madelaine’s orders where he was concerned. When Plovett refused to fetch him a bottle, Edward threatened to sack him. To which Plovett replied, “and Lady Madelaine will skin me alive if I do, my lord.” He then bowed and left closing the door behind him.

  Madelaine sat with him after eating her dinner, continuing with her never ending embroidery and discussing the plans for the following day’s party.

  “Her ladyship said I would be expected to do a turn at the party tonight. I can’t sing or play an instrument, so I offered to do some card tricks,” Madelaine said.

  “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, it will not look a very ladylike thing to do. Is there not something else you could do?” Edward asked.