The Complete Ravenscar Trilogy: The Ravenscar Dynasty, Heirs of Ravenscar, Being Elizabeth. Barbara Taylor Bradford

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СКАЧАТЬ afraid not.’ Neville touched her arm consolingly.

      Cecily bit her lip, tears brimming, and she instantly stood up, walked across to the window, remained there looking out until she had recovered her equilibrium.

      Returning to the chair, she said to Amos, ‘Would you be kind enough to tell me the whole story, Mr Finnister? I’m afraid I’m a little confused, perhaps because I’m so upset.’

      ‘It’s not surprising, Mrs Deravenel, under the circumstances. I’d be happy to fill you in, so to speak. It’s like this…From time to time, Mr Watkins and I have discussed the possibility that Mr Edward might be…well, in danger, because of the situation with the Grants. For most of his spare time he’s with Mr Will Hasling, but we decided, Mr Watkins and myself, that when he was alone he ought to have, well…a bodyguard. My man is on duty every day, but he’s not always needed. Late yesterday afternoon when Mr Edward left the office he was alone. There was no sign of Mr Hasling. My man immediately followed Mr Edward, who went to Belsize Park, and—’

      ‘To see Mrs Overton?’ Cecily interrupted.

      Surprised though he was to hear this, Amos nodded and went on. ‘My man hung around, loitered in the vicinity. Mr Edward was at the house for about three hours, and he left soon after nine. It was very dark last night, and apparently the area was lonely, no one around, and no hansom cabs. My man realized that immediately. He was some short distance behind when Mr Edward was attacked by two very big men and—’

      ‘The bodyguard was outnumbered,’ Cecily said quietly.

      ‘That’s right, Mrs Deravenel. Once the men, three men altogether, had fled the scene, Harry Forbes, my employee, ran to Mr Edward and was relieved to find him alive. He then went in search of a policeman. Luckily he found one at the top of Primrose Hill. More help was fetched, and Mr Edward was brought here.’

      Cecily nodded. ‘Thank you, Mr Finnister, now I understand.’ Glancing at Neville, resting her hand on his arm, Cecily murmured, ‘Could we go outside for a moment, I’d like to talk to you, Neville.’

      ‘Of course.’ He helped his aunt up out of the chair, and the two of them walked out of the waiting room and into the corridor.

      Once they were alone, Cecily leaned closer to Neville, staring into his face. ‘It’s the Grants, isn’t it?’

      ‘I’m afraid so,’ Neville confirmed, grimacing. ‘The whole thing was handled very clumsily, badly, and so it’s most transparent. His watch was left in his suit pocket, and so was the notebook. Only bank notes were taken. To make it look like a robbery.’

      ‘But he never has very much money on him,’ Cecily pointed out. ‘As often as not Swinton has to pay the hansom cab out of the household petty cash when Ned comes home.’

      ‘It’s the Grants, there’s no question in my mind about that. Who else could it be?’

      ‘What are we going to do about them, Neville? They’re a menace.’

      ‘Reprisals. There will have to be reprisals, I think. To put them on notice that they have met their match in Ned and myself. However, I want to think things out carefully, not act in haste, or rashly. We must be subtle, and we can’t do anything that would involve us with the police. Don’t you agree?’

      ‘I do indeed, and I will leave it to you, Neville. You are a clever man, I know…you take after my brother, your father.’

      ‘Michael Robertson,’ the doctor announced as he came into the waiting room several hours later, just before noon.

      He was smiling as he approached Neville, who had risen and was walking towards him.

      ‘Neville Watkins, Dr Robertson. I’m Mr Deravenel’s cousin. From your expression I’m encouraged to believe he has regained consciousness.’

      ‘Yes, indeed he has. However, he is sleeping at the moment, and we feel he must be allowed to sleep, not be disturbed for a while.’

      ‘I understand.’ Neville brought Cecily over to the doctor, and introduced her. ‘This is Mr Deravenel’s mother, Dr Robertson, Mrs Cecily Deravenel.’

      After shaking the doctor’s hand, Cecily asked, ‘Was my son in a coma?’

      ‘Not a coma, no. But he was unconscious, and he still has concussion, but I can assure you he will recover from this ordeal, Mrs Deravenel. He really will.’

       TWENTY-ONE

      As he blinked in the dim light and slowly awakened, Edward was momentarily disoriented. Blinking again, and endeavouring to push himself up in the bed, he realized that every bone in his body ached.

      Looking around the room, so white, pristine, sparsely furnished, he understood at once that he was in a hospital. Sinking back against the pillows, he tried to focus his mind and as he did so he began to remember the events of the night before. Leaving Lily’s later than he had intended, walking up from Belsize Park Gardens, looking for a hansom cab. The stranger stopping him, asking for directions, and then the unexpected attack from behind.

      Lifting his arm, he gingerly touched his head, felt the bandages, then slowly let his fingers roam over his face. He knew it must be bruised, even a little bit battered, because it was sore, and hurt when he touched it. His shoulders and back ached; now he remembered those heavy blows, the way he had gone down onto his knees so quickly, had lurched forward as additional blows had landed on his head.

      Who had attacked him last night? Thieves, wanting to rob him? Or had the attack been arranged by the opposition at Deravenels? He had no idea. Neither did he know who had found him, or how he had been brought to this hospital.

      After a few moments, Edward managed to sit up; throwing back the bedclothes he swung his long legs to the floor. For a moment he thought he could not stand but eventually he did, instantly realizing he felt weak and slightly dizzy. He sat down heavily on the bed, wondering how to summon a nurse. He needed to ask questions, needed to know more.

      Dizziness overwhelmed him, and he flopped back against the pillows, but he did not have enough strength to lift his legs back onto the bed. He was not quite certain how long he lay sprawled like this, half in and half out of the bed. Perhaps twenty minutes or more. All of a sudden he felt a waft of cool air as the door opened, and he was filled with relief. The nurse at last.

      ‘Good heavens, Mr Deravenel! What on earth are you doing?’ a very masculine voice exclaimed, and a split second later the owner of the voice was bending over him, looking concerned.

      ‘Are you all right?’ the man asked in a kindly tone.

      ‘Yes. Just felt a trifle dizzy…when I tried to get out of bed.’

      ‘I’m not surprised. Come along, let me lift your legs into the bed for you.’ As he spoke the man proceeded to get him settled properly. Once this was accomplished, he explained, ‘I’m Michael Robertson, by the way. Your doctor, Mr Deravenel.’

      ‘So I’ve gathered,’ Edward answered, attempting to smile. He guessed the doctor was about СКАЧАТЬ