Garth Nix - Newt’s Emerald

“The measure may be thought bold, but I am of the opinion the boldest are the safest.”

Running away would do no good, Truthful decided. Rather she should take command of the situation, and deny Harnett any opportunity to play with her affections. Going to her writing desk, she took pen and paper and wrote a short letter to him.

Dear Major Harnett,

I am writing to wish you all happiness with Miss Gough, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at Lady Mournbeck’s ball yestereve and who informed me of your long-standing betrothal. Given this intelligence, your most obliging offer to me must be considered a momentary aberration born of the unusual nature of our temporary situation. As your official position with regard to the continued pursuit of Lady Plathenden and the recovery of my Emerald means that we will be constrained to meet upon occasion in the future, I must request that any communications between us remain wholly to do with this official matter and shall not stray into concerns of a personal nature. However, I should like to be informed as soon as may be possible on the exact detail of your investigation into my stolen Emerald, where you suspect Lady Plathenden is now and your suspicions as to her future movements.

Yours etc

Lady Truthful Newington, at Badgery House

Sealing her letter with a wafer, Truthful went downstairs and handed it to Dworkin.

“Have that Sergeant Ruggins send this to his master,” said Truthful. “And I have changed my mind, Dworkin. I am at home this afternoon, and you may admit suitable callers to the Blue saloon!”

Determined to do her best not to languish, Truthful threw herself into a social whirl in the next several days and found that while it did not make her entirely forget Major Harnett, such dissipations as a silver loo party at which she won thirteen guineas; a card party at which she lost three dozen new sixpences; a daily walk in the park; a picnic in Boxhill; and entertaining a constant stream of mainly gentlemen callers did make the time pass more quickly and provided some hint that perhaps at some point in the future she would once again be able to take an unalloyed pleasure in such things.

A slight blemish was put upon these bright amusements by the continued presence of Sergeant Ruggins and her other guardians, who contrived to accompany her in all outings and were constantly about the house and the Square. A greater blemish marred her enjoyment further in the shape of a belated note from Major Harnett, which did not arrive until the Tuesday afternoon. It utterly failed to reply to Truthful’s own letter, neglecting as it did to mention Miss Gough and his engagement at all and being rather vague about the pursuit of Lady Plathenden and the Emerald, in fact telling Truthful less than she had already gleaned from Stephen.

Dear Lady Truthful,

Lady Plathenden still eludes us, but we have reason to believe that she and the Emerald are hiding somewhere in the vicinity of Brighton. I have enlisted the assistance of your Newington-Lacy cousins, among other volunteers, the budget of our own department being not what it was during the times of War. I believe the danger to your person has lessened with Lady Plathenden being out of London, but as I understand you are shortly to remove to Brighton you must continue to be vigilant and your guard shall remain until such time as Lady Plathenden is securely in the Tower. Sergeant Ruggins may be relied on. He is considerably brighter than his appearance would indicate.

Yours etc

“He hasn’t signed it again!” said Truthful, throwing the letter down in disgust. “And he has been unkind about poor Sergeant Ruggins.”

“The same poor Sergeant Ruggins who yesterday you declared was the greatest block alive when he wouldn’t let you out of the house until the suspicious-looking flower-sellers had departed the Square?” asked Lady Badgery. She took up the letter and perused it, while Truthful had the grace to blush.

The two of them were in Lady Badgery’s bedroom with Parkins, overseeing the packing of the Dowager Countess’s clothes for Brighton, which in practice meant sitting together on the sofa, reading letters and drinking orgeat while Parkins and one of the undermaids laid out various dresses on the bed and Lady Badgery indicated whether she wanted them to be taken on the expedition or not.

“It does explain why we haven’t seen your Newington-Lacy cousins,” said Lady Badgery. “I wonder if they will be at Otterbrook’s masquerade, since they are in Brighton.”

“Why would they be?” asked Truthful, surprised. “Sir Robert might be acquainted with the Marquis, but I doubt any of the boys have ever met him.”

“Perhaps they might run across each other,” said Lady Badgery airily. “I daresay they would have many friends in common.”

“I suppose them to be incognito, attempting to find Lady Plathenden,” said Truthful. Her brow wrinkled. “I wonder how exactly they are going about the business?”

“Drinking in the Black Lion I would guess,” said Lady Badgery. “No, no that one, Parkins.”

“I should hope they have adopted some more scientific approach,” said Truthful. She took up the next letter and opened it with Lady Badgery’s Turkish dagger. “Here is Doctor Doyle’s report. It seems Father is doing quite well compared with last week mutatis mutandis . . . really I have asked him time and time again not to put these things in Latin. I suppose he means there has been no change. Oh, I do wish I had the Emerald. Then Father would be well, and I could have no more to do with . . . with such difficult matters.”

Lady Badgery nodded, possibly in agreement. Parkins laid the final dress out, which was greeted with a scowl and a definitively negative wave of the hand.

“Parkins will see to your dresses now,” said Lady Badgery. “And I shall have a nap. Signor Fraticelli has promised our costumes by six o’clock. We shall dine in tonight, for tomorrow we must leave very early. I do not like travelling in the heat of the day.”

“Yes, Aunt,” said Truthful dutifully.

It took little more than an hour for Parkins and her assistant to pack Truthful’s clothes. But when they were done, and dismissed, Truthful went to the locked chest by the foot of her bed and took out several other articles. These she bundled together in a cloak and put at the bottom of the larger case: the shirt, breeches, coat, hat and top boots of a country gentleman; her spare corset; a box with two pocket pistols, powder and shot; and in a snuff box, her ensorcelled moustache.

* * *

The drive to Brighton was a pleasant one, but it was not fast. There was no danger that Lady Badgery’s procession would come anywhere near Sir John Lade’s record run from London to the coastal town. In fact, it was a full eight hours after they set out near dawn that Lady Badgery’s modern and comfortable post-chaise-and-four clattered along the Marine Parade. It was followed by two older coaches: the first for Dworkin, Parkins and some lesser servants; and the second entirely loaded or even overloaded with luggage. The whole convoy was accompanied not only by Sergeant Ruggins and his four men on horseback, but also three of Lady Badgery’s grooms.

Lord Otterbrook’s house was as he described, an extremely large residence four floors in height and a frontage featuring two front doors, with a stableyard and some gardens behind. The house commanded an excellent view across the Parade, the curiously reddish pebbled beach, and the sea beyond.

Truthful and Lady Badgery were welcomed by the Marchioness, who apologised for the absence of the Marquis, who she said “was somewhere about the town”. After they had seen their comfortable rooms in the “right-hand house” as she called it, the “left-hand” house apparently being reserved for male guests, she offered them refreshments, which Lady Badgery accepted. Truthful declined, instead requesting that she might be allowed to walk to the Steine and look upon the Pavilion, which she had only glimpsed from the carriage window as they passed.

This was allowed, a maid being directed to follow her, along with Sergeant Ruggins and one of his cohorts. Truthful quickly supervised the unpacking of her cases, taking care to squirrel away one particular package, and changed her rather dull travelling dress of dove grey muslin for a more fetching promenade dress of pale green with a tall collar, matched with a charming merino coat in a darker shade of green with saffron edges and silver-buttoned epaulettes, topped with a charming straw bonnet adorned with a silver ribbon. Thus equipped to enrapture the gaze of gentlemen and attract the envy of gentlewomen, she went out into the street.

A strong sea wind was blowing in from the south-west, which threatened the bonnet, at least until they turned into the Steine, where some shelter was to be had from the surrounding buildings, even though it was quite a large open space, indicative of its origins as the green it had once been. Truthful, who had studied her guidebook, noted Steine House, the residence of Mrs Fitzherbert, but she was intent on making her way to the Marine Pavilion some little way off. This appeared smaller to her than she expected, though the large dome of the stables behind it was impressive, and she supposed it would be a grander building when the work that was currently in train was finished. At present there was a kind of iron scaffold going up around the small dome in the centre of the building, and a great many workmen were engaged in making a mess of the ground about the place. All in all, it was quite disappointing.