Prologue
The window slid up without a sound, with not a rattle nor
squeak to break the silence of early morning. Alethea
hitched a leg over the sill, leant down to pick up her
bundle of clothes, and swung the other leg over to perch
some fifteen feet above the ground. She glanced back into
the bedchamber. The motionless figure on the bed was
snoring quietly, an arm flung out over the covers, his
hair ruffled. The remnants of a fire crackled as a burnt
log broke and fell apart in a shower of sparks.
She eased herself down from the sill on to the branch of
the magnolia tree espaliered against the red bricks of the
house. The huge creamy flowers showed pale in the greyness
of the early morning. She shut the window by tugging on
the glazing bars, dropped the bundle, and began her
descent.
A gentle scrunch on gravel as her feet touched the ground.
A pounding heart, a catching of breath. Fear mingled with
elation as she smelt the misty morning air and tasted the
scent of freedom. She didn't pause to catch her breath or
to think about what she was doing. Time pressed, there was
not a moment to lose. She picked up her bundle and edged
round the corner of the house.
No one stirred. No dog barked, no early-wakening servant
called out to ask who was there. With swift, silent steps,
she crossed the sweep, on to the lawn, running now
alongside the driveway, visible to anyone who looked out
from behind the rows of windows of the great house. No
challenge rang out, no shouted demands for her to stop
broke the dawn peace. The only sound was of birdsong, and,
then, in a distant farmyard, a cock crowed.
Figgins was waiting beside the gate, her face tight with
anxiety.
"What's there in that bundle, Miss Alethea? I thought you
wasn't bringing anything with you."
"Some clothes, and pray remember I'm no longer Miss, nor
Alethea. Mr. Hawkins, if you please. Mr. Aloysius Hawkins,
gentleman."
They were walking briskly along the lane, now, the huge
wrought iron gates behind them, the stately line of limes
hiding them from any watching eyes. Only why should there
be any watching eyes? How could anyone suspect that the
dutiful, obedient Mrs. Napier should abscond before dawn,
leaving husband, house, and all behind her?
"I thought you didn't want to bring anything from there."
"It's best that I'm thought to have left the house as a
woman. If a set of clothes are gone, a blue gown, that is
what they will search for. How suspicious it would be if I
had appeared to set out stark naked."
Figgins let out a snort of mirth at this fanciful notion.
"How far is it to the carriage?" Alethea went on.
"I told them to wait at the corner, where this lane runs
into the bigger road."
Alethea was striding along, relishing the freedom of
trousers and boots, of stretching her legs instead of
taking ladylike steps. She slowed as Figgins stumbled
against a large stone.
"I can't be doing with these country lanes," Figgins
said. "I don't know how folk put up with living in the
wilds like this. It isn't natural; people were meant to
live in cities."
"This is hardly the wilds; we are a mere twenty-one miles
from London."
"Might as well be on the moon, for it's a different world
out here and not one I fancy. Give me cobbles and paving
stones and a bit of noise and bustle. It was so quiet
waiting here for you, it fair gave me the creeps. And
there was something up in the tree above my head making a
dreadful hooting, whooping sound."
"An owl."
"Owls is unlucky."
"Not this one."
They were at the end of the lane. There, standing in the
mist rising from the warming ground, was a coach, with a
postboy waiting by the two horses. As they approached, he
went to the door of the carriage and let down the step.
Alethea gave him a quick good morning and then jumped in,
followed by Figgins. Up went the step, the door was
closed, the postboy swung himself into the saddle and
clicked the horses into movement.
She had escaped.