A Royal Love Match Page 11

  As Clive well knew that it was built for war and its canon were of the very latest and most effective type.

  The Royal Barge had obviously been up river and had just moored beside the Palace facing downstream.

  Moving swiftly up the gangway Clive leapt aboard and then he turned round to help Nancy jump in after him.

  The Captain of the Royal Barge emerged from the quarter-deck and walked towards him.

  “I am the Marquis of Morelanton,” Clive declared, holding out his hand, “and I have His Majesty’s orders that you should now overtake and board a particular ship that is already hurrying downriver.”

  The Captain, who had saluted him politely and then taken his hand, was obviously delighted.

  “I’ll give the orders immediately, my Lord. Have you any idea the name of the ship?”

  “Miss Gordon, who is here with me now and saw the ship leave, will identify it. How many oarsmen have you?”

  The Captain smiled.

  “Twenty-four, my Lord, and with my men I don’t believe there’s a ship in the Thames that could equal us, let alone beat us!”

  “Then let’s get started!” urged Clive.

  “Aye, aye, my Lord!”

  The Captain gave his orders and the oarsmen below who had been in the process of shipping their oars now pushed them out again.

  By this time Lord Pronett’s ship carrying Alissia was out of sight.

  It was not until they were well past the Tower of London that Nancy gave a cry and pointed downriver.

  “There it is,” she shouted, “but it’s still a long way ahead of us.”

  Clive turned to the Captain.

  “I think it would be a mistake for us to go too far out to sea, Captain.”

  “We are already breaking our record for setting sail, my Lord, and I promise yon ship will not escape us.”

  The wind was now filling the tall sails of the Royal Barge and Clive was aware that the oarsmen were rowing very effectively.

  However, Lord Pronett’s ship was also fast and its Captain was obviously intelligent enough to keep it in the strong current running towards the sea.

  It was only with extreme effort by the crew of the Royal Barge and the skill of its Captain that they managed eventually to overtake their quarry.

  Nancy once again assured Clive that Alissia was on board, but there was no sign of her or of Lord Pronett on deck.

  Then the Captain of the Royal Barge shouted out to the Captain of Lord Pronett’s ship to draw into the bank.

  The ship, which Clive guessed had been hired by Lord Pronett, slowed and then it seemed reluctantly pulled over.

  There was no question of their not obeying and the Captain was obviously overawed by the sudden arrival of the heavily armed Royal Barge.

  Slowly he steered his ship out of the middle of the river to where the water was much shallower.

  The Royal Barge moved alongside Lord Pronett’s ship, which was now pressed against the riverbank.

  Clive then jumped athletically from the deck of the Royal Barge and onto the deck of Lord Pronett’s ship.

  There was still no sign anywhere of either Alissia or Lord Pronett.

  As the Captain walked cautiously across the deck towards him, Clive asked sharply,

  “Where is Lord Pronett?”

  Speaking in a surly manner the Captain, who was obviously a rough type, pointed with a dirty finger.

  “He be in the cabin below deck.”

  Clive did not wait to hear anymore.

  He merely turned round and found his way, because he was often at sea and the layout of all ships was much the same.

  He opened the door of the cabin, which was below the deck and in the stern of the ship.

  Seated in an armchair, Alissia was at the far end of the cabin and Lord Pronett was at the porthole wondering why they were not moving.

  Alissia saw Clive first.

  She gave out a little cry as she jumped up from her chair.

  She ran towards him and flung herself against him.

  “You have come!” she breathed. “Save me! Please take me away, Clive, I am so very terrified.”

  Clive put his arms round her.

  He found as he held her that her whole body was trembling against his.

  Then, as his arms tightened and he looked down at her frightened pleading face, he knew that he loved her.

  “It’s all right, my darling,” he said softly.

  Then without releasing her, he turned towards Lord Pronett.

  “What the devil are you up to, Pronett?” he cried. “nd where are you taking Alissia?”

  Lord Pronett had been staring at him ever since he had burst into the cabin.

  Now he said in a shaking voice that did not sound like his own,

  “How did you get here? How did you find us?”

  “Never mind that, Pronett. How dare you abduct Alissia from the Royal Palace? Surely you must realise that if she now appeals to His Majesty, you would surely be sentenced to imprisonment in the Tower of London for many years.”

  Lord Pronett looked at him in horror.

  “You – cannot – mean that,” he stammered.

  “I certainly do, Pronett, and if you have hurt her in any way, I will have you shot, you blackguard!”

  Lord Pronett held out his hands.

  “I – merely arranged with her stepmother – to take her to my home – and marry her,” he blathered.

  Clive looked at him and then at Alissia.

  Her face was hidden in his shoulder.

  “Listen,” he said softly, “Nancy is up on deck and I want you to go up and join her. I promise I will take you home, Alissia, but I just want a word with Lord Pronett before I do so.”

  “You will not – let him – take me away,” Alissia asked him in a petrified whisper.

  “You know I will not, Alissia, and I will take you back as soon as I have dealt with him and I promise you this will never happen to you again.”

  She glanced up at him and he thought no woman could look so lovely.

  For a moment it was very hard to take his eyes from hers.

  Then as she obediently left the cabin, Clive shut the door behind her.

  “I was intending when I caught you,” he growled, “to give you a good thrashing and it would be something you would always remember.”

  Lord Pronett shuddered, but he did not speak.

  “Now I really want to know, Pronett, why you did something so obviously absurd as to kidnap a girl who you well know is under the protection of His Majesty.”

  There was still no answer from Lord Pronett and Clive continued,

  “If you really meant to marry her against her will, any fool would know that you would be creating a hell on earth for yourself.”

  For a moment Clive thought that Lord Pronett was still not going to reply.

  Then he answered in a timid and hesitating voice,

  “I thought – every woman wanted – to be married to a man – with a title.”

  Clive stared at him as if he found it hard to believe that he had actually said anything so patently ridiculous.

  Then wiping his forehead Lord Pronett added,

  “I really had no idea – it would upset her. I thought she would be pleased and flattered, but when she said that she would – kill herself rather than be married to me – I honestly did not know what to do about it.”

  “You must be incredibly naïve and stupid, Pronett, if you think that anyone as beautiful and lovely as Alissia would ever marry a man she hardly knew and who from all accounts she does not particularly like.”

  “I told her I would make her love me,” wailed Lord Pronett, “although I was not quite certain – how I could do so.”

  There was a brief silence and then Clive asked him,

  “How many women have you made love to?”

  Again there was silence.

  And then Lord Pronett admitted,

  “I have been living in the country for the la
st five years looking after my – father – who was seriously ill and therefore we could not entertain.”

  He stammered over the word ‘father’, but the rest of what he said seemed to come naturally.

  He had no idea that for a moment Clive had felt like laughing.

  Then to his own surprise Clive began to feel a little sorry for Lord Pronett.

  He had been somewhat suspicious since he first met Lord Pronett that he was a social climber and had thought him someone of no influence who could be safely ignored.

  Yet now Lord Pronett had actually admitted that Alissia’s feelings had to be considered too.

  Aloud he said,

  “When I came aboard, I meant to knock you down and teach you a lesson you would not forget in a hurry. You would doubtless attempt to defend yourself, but, as I am more athletic that you are, I could undoubtedly have beaten you into insensibility.”

  Lord Pronett drew in his breath, but again he was sensible enough to say nothing.

  “Now I realise,” Clive went on, “that you have just made a mess of something, which was far too big for you to even contemplate let alone put into action effectively.”

  ”If you are talking of my marriage to Alissia,” Lord Pronett said, “it was her stepmother who suggested it.”

  Clive knew that this was true from what Nancy had told him already.

  “For a marriage to be happy,” he continued, “it has to depend on the two people concerned loving each other. I can understand you wanted to marry into the aristocracy to make certain of your position at the Royal Court. But it is something that you could never have achieved with a wife who hated you.”

  “I can appreciate that – now,” Lord Pronett replied, “but I swear to you, I thought because her stepmother said all girls wanted to be married, she would accept me – and we would build up – a family that would make my name a proud one – in the years to come.”

  He stumbled a little over his words, but Clive felt that he was speaking with a degree of sincerity.

  “Very well, Pronett, I accept your explanation and I will not punish you as I intended when I came on board.”

  He thought that Lord Pronett gave a sigh of relief and then he added,

  “Yet if, as you say, you want to settle down and raise a family, then why not marry a girl who is already attracted to you and who will ensure, I am quite certain, your place at Court.”

  Lord Pronett stared at him.

  He did not understand and Clive explained,

  “I am talking about Nancy. She is not as beautiful as Alissia, but she’s a very pleasant, well-behaved and well brought-up young woman. She told me her mother wished her to marry me, but she would far rather marry you.”

  Lord Pronett still stared at him as if he could not have heard right.

  “Did she say so?” he asked.

  “She did, and I know she was frightened all the way here that we might not be in time to stop you marrying her stepsister.”

  Clive could see a light growing in Lord Pronett’s eyes and he carried on,

  “I can imagine nothing that would help you more to establish yourself and your future family at Court. You may not know that the Countess’s first cousin is the Duke of Devonshire and her family tree is one of the longest and most important in the whole of the country.”

  Now Lord Pronett was listening to him intently.

  “The Countess just like all mothers has exaggerated ideas of her daughter’s attractiveness. But after all you have a large house in the country and I understand enough money to buy yourself a fine one in London.”

  Lord Pronett nodded to show that this was true.

  “Start your family with Nancy,” suggested Clive, “and you will find there are very few people in the Court circle who will not respect you and then be proud of your friendship.”

  He thought the light that now shone in Freddie’s eyes was somehow rather pathetic.

  But he had made his point and he knew that Freddie would only be too pleased to take his advice.

  “Now what I suggest, Pronett, is that having hired this ship to carry you to Norfolk, you marry Nancy before her mother can interfere and say you are not good enough for her. And I will take Alissia back to the Royal Palace with me.”

  “Do you really think – that Nancy will come with – me,” Lord Pronett asked rather humbly.

  “You may have to beg her on your knees to be your wife, but I don’t think you will find it is as difficult as you anticipate. I am certain she will make you a charming wife and one who will please His Majesty the King.”

  Clive smiled before he added,

  “While he will surely give you a wedding present, I suggest you bring him another exceptionally fine picture from your own collection.”

  He noticed as he was speaking that Lord Pronett was staring intently at him – it was as if he could hardly believe what was happening to him.

  He seemed almost afraid that he would suddenly wake up and find it had been a dream.

  “What I am going to do now,” declared Clive, “is to send Nancy down to you and leave you to persuade her to take Alissia’s place. In fact to marry you as soon as you reach Norfolk.”

  “Supposing she says ‘no’?” Lord Pronett asked.

  Clive gave a laugh.

  “That is up to you. I can suggest what I think will make you happy, but I cannot do your wooing for you!”

  “No, of course not. I can only thank you for being so kind and for understanding that I did not mean to harm Alissia.”

  “You did what many men have done before now. You listened to a woman who was jealous and who wanted to run your life her way rather than the way you wanted it yourself.

  “Now stay where you are while I send Nancy down to you. Good luck to you, Pronett, and I hope you will find the happiness we all seek one way or another.”

  He did not wait for Lord Pronett to reply as he went out of the cabin closing the door behind him.

  Outside Clive found the two girls standing looking at the ships and barges going up and down the river.

  Nancy was aware of his approach first and turned round quickly.

  “I want to speak to you, Nancy – ”

  He then drew her to one side so that Alissia could not hear what they were saying.

  “Lord Pronett,” he began, “is extremely upset that he should have frightened Alissia. He was only carrying out your mother’s instructions. I hope you will forgive me for saying that her plan was very foolish and, as it happens, extremely unkind to him.”

  “Unkind?” Nancy queried.

  “I think Lord Pronett is attracted to you, but your mother did not think that he was good enough for you. She therefore planned to take him out of the picture as far as you were concerned and at the same time ridding her of Alissia, who she was afraid might marry me.”

  Clive noticed that Nancy was listening attentively to every word.

  “What I would like you to do is to comfort him and forgive him for being a fool. He knows now that is what he has been for listening to your mother and not following his heart, as he really should have done.”

  “You mean,” Nancy asked in a small voice, “that he cares for me?”

  “I think that is what he will tell you, but you must find out for yourself. You should realise that a man must never be hurt. Not only in his feelings but in his pride in himself. That is what has happened to Lord Pronett at this very moment.”

  Nancy made a little sound, but Clive went on,

  “So what I suggest you do is to go down and cheer him up. If you feel inclined to be brave and do what he suggests, I think you might both find great happiness.”

  He saw Nancy’s eyes widen.

  Then, as if she found it impossible to answer him, she turned and ran towards the door that led down to the cabin.

  Clive walked over to where Alissia was standing.

  She was still gazing out at the ships and barges on the river.

  As he reached her, she lo
oked up at him.

  He thought that the question mark in her eyes and the pleading in her face made her look even lovelier than ever.

  Her look made him feel that she needed him and in return he knew how much he needed her.

  “Now we are going back,” he said. “We have done what we came to do, and I think Lord Pronett and Nancy have much to say to each other. So we must not interfere.”

  As he finished speaking he did not wait for Alissia to reply.

  He walked quickly over to where the two Captains were standing on the quarter-deck talking to each other.

  They were obviously waiting for orders.

  “Lord Pronett is just thinking over the message I brought him,” Clive told his Captain. “I should give him a little time to consider it before you proceed.”

  He did not pause for the man to answer and then he turned to the Captain of the Royal Barge.

  “Her Ladyship and I will be grateful if you would take us back to the Royal Palace as quickly as possible,” he said. “We have no wish for there to be any curiosity at the Court as to why we are aboard His Majesty’s Royal Barge”

  Then he had an inspiration.

  “I think as we have come so far, Captain, it would be extremely pleasant both for Lady Alissia and myself if we could first go a little further downstream.”

  The Captain looked surprised as Clive continued,

  “His Majesty will not need his Royal Barge today, and there is nothing I should enjoy more than to sail in a ship of this remarkable new class and see its performance instead of merely reading about it.”

  The Captain laughed.

  “I would be delighted to show your Lordship how advanced this ship is. In fact without boasting I can say she’s outstanding and there’s no other ship afloat to equal her.”

  “That is exactly what I want to see for myself, and, of course, I can then boast about it to all those who have not had the same opportunity.”

  The Captain laughed as Clive had intended.

  “I’ll take you downriver, my Lord, and then back again, unless your Lordship has anywhere else you would care to visit.”

  “That is very kind of you, Captain, and I know that when I report back to His Majesty, how interested he will be.”

  As the Captain began giving his orders to his crew, Clive joined Alissia.

  Nancy had gone down to the cabin where Freddie was waiting rather nervously.