Mistletoe and Mischief

bring attention on herself and risk involving Charles.

“Yes, miss,” she said, intending to sound more humble than she was. “I am staying with the Spadgers here in Snaithby.” Better, she thought, to let the lady assume she was some distant kinswoman of theirs. A cousin, perhaps, of a higher class than they-even a cit. It would not matter as long as her answer quelled further questions.

But she had reckoned without considering Jim, and her heart jerked in anticipation when the young lady turned to him with an angry look and asked, “Is this true, Jim?'

“Yes, miss.'

His answer put an end to her strange interrogation, for the lady merely stared at Louisa once again, and then, pulling back into her carriage suddenly, called to the driver to go on. The carollers backed away from the horses’ path, and the coach soon disappeared down the road.

The mood of revelry, which the lady had interrupted, soon took hold of them again. Rather pleased with her performance, and her handling of a situation which might have led to some embarrassrnent, Louisa joined them in the next verse. The group made slow progress down the opposite side of the road, until, some time later, they once again found themselves outside the inn.

Louisa looked for evidence that Charles had returned, but seeing none, she turned back to bid her companions goodbye. She had given her hand and made her adieux to three of the women when she suddenly sensed a large, wheezing presence behind her.

Louisa turned to be confronted by a heavyset, red-faced officer of the Crown.

He looked her over and nodded. Then he cocked a brow and said, “Jim, tha’ says this ‘ere lass be staying wi’ thy folks at T’ Crown and Pear?'

Jim frowned and came forward. “I say it do be so.'

“Wull, lad, I doesn't know what tha's been up to, no I don't. But this lady ‘ere be under arrest.'

“Arrest!” Louisa stared hard at the man, not believing her ears. “Whatever do you mean? What for?'

“For thieving-so Miss Conisbrough says,” the bailiff answered.

“Miss Conisbrough!” Both Louisa and Jim cried out the name.

“Aye. Drove ta my house just now, she did. And made ‘er complaint.'

Louisa's mind darted about, until she recalled the incident not a half hour before. So that's who the young lady in the carriage was! She had never thought of asking Jim the lady's name. She had been so certain her assumptions were correct, and so satisfied with her own conduct, that Miss Conisbrough had been sitting across from her, believing her to have stolen her pelisse, and Louisa none the wiser.

“There's some mistake,” Louisa told the bailiff. “I've taken nothing. If I could simply speak to Miss Conisbrough, I'm certain this could be cleared up immediately.” She was conscious of the villagers’ eyes turned upon her. All those people, who had appeared so friendly and eager to have her with them, now looked at her with shocked suspicion.

Only Jim still believed her, but even he looked shaken.

No matter, though, what his loyalties were-whether to the Conisbroughs or to the law-he took her part. He formed two fists and started to circle around the bailiff.

“Now, lad-” the man put up both hands and spoke in an avuncular tone “-tha’ doesn't mean ta start a wrangle. Tha’ can't ignore what his lordship's sister says now, can tha? Leave off, now-do! Or tha'll find thysel’ in gaol alongside o’ t’ lady.'

“Yes, Jim,” Louisa said hurriedly, not wishing to cause trouble for him, as well. “We must do what the bailiff says. But you mustn't worry. It's all a misunderstanding, and I'm certain it can be set right.'

Then she thought of Charles, of the inconvenience this would cause him and of the wound his dignity would suffer if anyone were to hear of the scandal.

She swallowed unhappily and said, “You must tell my cousin that he must not delay his journey on my account. You will give him that message for me when he returns… won't you, Jim?'

She saw immediately that her last words had been a mistake. Jim put down his fists and stared at her with the first hint of suspicion. What kind of cousin, he must be reasoning, would abandon her to the law?

With Jim's hurtful look burning a hole in her back, Louisa accompanied the bailiff down the road to his gig. The band of carollers had grown silent. Shame and a guilty conscience persecuted her as she rode away from them.

Oh, that she had listened to Charles when he warned her! But no, she was too headstrong, too intent upon what she wanted to do. Charles's only concern had been to spare her reputation, yet she had repeatedly embroiled him in one scrape after another. And now look what she'd done! She'd made a pig's breakfast out of everything!

To extract her from this bumblebroth, Charles would have to make public all the details of their entanglement and risk compromising himself, as well. She would be well served if he left her to suffer on her own.

But whatever he did, Louisa resolved, she would neither do nor say anything to implicate Charles in this affair.

* * * *

Unaware of these noble sentiments, Charles returned to the inn in a hurry-and without Miss Wadsdale. He would have been back much sooner if that troublesome lady had not played him along for so long.

At first she gave the impression of one who wished to be persuaded; and to that end, he had done his utmost to overcome all her tiresome objections. But, gradually, Charles came to realize that it was attention she wanted and that she had no real thought of accompanying him to London.

The importunities of a marquess could only enhance her sense of worthiness and give her a degree of consequence she had hitherto lacked in Lady Conisbrough's household. As soon as Charles detected that the object of her play-acting was her ladyship and not himself, he calmly bowed, politely excused himself with tightened lips and, gratefully turning his back on the whole Conisbrough menage, left the estate.

At the inn door he was greeted by all the Spadger family.

Nan had the look of someone who had been gulled and did not care for it. Echoes of her feelings were reflected in Sammy's eyes.

Jim held Eliza and scowled as if he might throw her in Charles's face. Either that, Charles reflected with a sigh, or plant him a facer. It seemed obvious that Louisa had done something to disgrace them again.

Charles pressed his fingers to his eyes.

“Very well,” he said, letting his frustration show in his voice, “precisely what has my cousin done now?'

“She's been arrested, that's what!” Nan Spadger replied. “And what we're ta make of it, I do not know!'

“Arrested-good God!” Charles's heart almost stopped beating. His throat narrowed, and he forced himself to speak. “What do you mean?” His eyes darted towards Jim. “How did you let this happen?'

“Now, yor lordship-” Of them all, only Sammy seemed to feel that, perhaps, there was room for discussion. “Tha’ mustn't go blaming t’ lad. He did what tha’ said, but tha’ wouldn't expect him ta go against law, I hope?'

Charles bit back his anger, but his heart was still beating queerly. He could only think of Louisa in trouble- serious trouble this time, it seemed-and he wanted to bash someone.

“No, of course not,” he said, gaining control of himself. “It couldn't be Jim's fault. But you must tell me quickly what happened and where I can find her!'

“She wor took for thieving!” Nan cried, dismay in every word.

Jim said sullenly, “She did say as how tha’ might want to go along ta London wi'out her.'

Suspicion hung in the air. Charles could feel it and see it in their eyes, even as a million thoughts flitted inside his head. How well did he know her? Just because she had told him she was General Davenport's niece, did he know it to be true? What if…?

A warm passion took hold of him, and he spoke sharply, “That's ridiculous! To say anything of the kind, she must have been quite upset. Louisa is heedless at times and… a little impulsive. But you all know very well she is no common criminal!'

The relief in his heart as he said this was like a spring bursting from beneath a rock. Of course he knew Louisa. She was a beautiful, infuriating nitwit, and it would give him great pleasure to strangle her. But she was no