The Swan Maid by Dilly Court

Author:Dilly Court
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780008137458
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2016-02-25T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Lottie had tossed and turned all night, listening to the rain and the wind soughing round the camp like a soul in torment. She had not wanted to leave her mistress in such a state, but Aurelia had insisted that she wanted to be alone, leaving Lottie no alternative but to return to her sleeping quarters. The tent was not the most comfortable place to be when steady rainfall beat a tattoo on the canvas, and damp seeped up from the hard-packed soil beneath them. Teddy was restless and, despite a hefty dose of laudanum, even the slightest movement made him cry out, and this disturbed Molly, who needed to be fed every two or three hours.

At first light Lottie gave up all attempts to rest even though the others were now sleeping peacefully. She roused herself, dressed and went outside in the cool of a grey dawn. It had stopped raining, but as she went to fetch water she was faced with a sea of mud. Fires were being lit and wood-smoke formed a dense cloud above the encampment. The chill in the air made Lottie shiver as she picked her way towards Lady Aurelia’s hut, avoiding the deep puddles as best she could in the hazy light. The kindling she had collected previously would be dry enough to get a decent fire going, and the prospect of a cup of tea made her quicken her steps, but as she approached the squat building she had a feeling that all was not well. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled with apprehension as she entered the hut, only to find it empty.

Even in the dim light she could see that the large cabin trunk was open and garments were spilled onto the floor. Gloves, hats and shoes were scattered around, and Lady Aurelia’s jewel case lay empty and abandoned on the bed. Lottie’s hands shook as she took in the scene. It looked as if a robbery had taken place, but she suspected that the truth was even more shocking. The bed had not been slept in and Lady Aurelia’s portmanteau and valise were missing. There was no note to explain her ladyship’s sudden departure, but, if her mood the previous evening was anything to go by, she had taken matters into her own hands and had gone to find Gillingham. There could be no other explanation, but what to do now? Lottie picked up a shoe and placed it in the smaller trunk. She found its match and put them together, working automatically as if tidying the room after a particularly trying session when Aurelia could not make up her mind what to wear. She folded the discarded garments and packed them away before sweeping up the fragments of glass.

When everything was put to rights she lit the fire and placed the kettle on the trivet. Perhaps Lady Aurelia would realise her mistake and return before anyone had missed her? It was a question that buzzed round in her head like a swarm of bluebottles on the dung heap at The Swan.

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