Beyond the Sunset Read online

  Leo came bounding up, looking happy. ‘The hens are laying better now,’ he announced.

  The man beside Zachary turned up his nose and stirred in his seat as if thinking of leaving. A spirit of mischief made Zachary say, ‘You’ll be very glad of Leo’s work when we’re eating fresh eggs again, Mr Howish. Without him, those birds would have died. He’s very clever with animals of all sorts.’

  The man smiled reluctantly. ‘I take your point. We all need one another here on the ship, don’t we?’

  Later that day Zachary went to read to a group of young children, with Leo trailing behind him. The charitable lady who’d been reading to them had grown tired of it and he’d not liked to see them disappointed. He found to his surprise that he had a talent for reading aloud, could keep them enthralled for an hour without any trouble. They were mostly the children of the prison guards who were travelling out to Australia with the convicts, but two were the children of cabin passengers. At least children didn’t set invisible barriers between people saying one was fit to chat to and another wasn’t.

  The only convicts who had some leeway were those involved in producing the ship’s weekly newspaper, making copies of the handwritten articles by various passengers. Most of the articles were on rather boring topics, such as ‘The Pursuit of Knowledge’ or ‘Ancient and Modern Navigation’ written in flowery, stilted language. He’d chuckled aloud at one, which addressed the reader as ‘gentle reader’. He couldn’t be bothered reading such articles, but had persevered with the ‘Weekly Record’ of their journey and the ‘West Australian Sketches’ which gave information about the colony. He made note of anything which might help him find his way about.

  He was filling the time on board ship well enough, though he’d rather have had something more engrossing to occupy his mind, but he always had a sense of waiting and marking time. He kept wondering what the Blake sisters were doing, hoping he’d carry out his task well and get them safely back to England. His other main consideration was what he would do afterwards. The more he was away from Harry and the shop, the more certain he was that he couldn’t work under the other man again. He’d learned to fly free, didn’t want to go back into a cage.

  Surely Mr Featherworth would help him find another job?

  Or perhaps . . . perhaps Harry wouldn’t get the job as manager. No, Harry wasn’t stupid. He’d manage the shop very carefully, make people think he was the best person to do it, even though he wasn’t.

  Zachary didn’t rate his own chances of becoming manager very highly.

  7

  Before Pandora could raise the question of riding lessons, to her surprise Francis did. ‘Are you still interested in learning to ride?’

  ‘I’d love to.’

  ‘Then I’ll start teaching you. When I’m too weak to ride, you’ll be able to go out with Livia.’

  ‘When can we start?’

  ‘Tomorrow morning. It’s better not to ride in the heat of the day, for the horses’ sake.’

  Always with him the horses came first, she thought. What about her comfort? But the idea of learning something new made her bite back the words.

  So instead of preparing breakfast, she found herself being taught about saddles and tack, shown how to approach a horse and how to offer it a sugar lump on a flat palm. She wasn’t at all afraid of Duke, because Francis’s horses were well trained and selected for their good temperaments. She’d often heard him say that.

  When she was up on the horse for the first time, she felt nervous, because it seemed much higher than she’d expected, but Francis led Duke up and down, speaking to Pandora as gently as he spoke to his animals when he corrected her posture.

  She was disappointed when he told her to get down.

  He smiled. ‘You did well. We’ll make a horsewoman of you yet. But that’s enough for one day. I’d like to go for a short ride myself now. Livia? Are you ready, my dear?’

  His wife, who’d been watching from the veranda, came across and untied her horse, which had been waiting patiently in the shade of a tree.

  As the two of them rode off along the track, Cassandra came up to her sister. ‘Did you enjoy that?’

  ‘Yes, I did. It’s very exhilarating being up on a horse’s back.’

  ‘So not everything is bad here.’

  Pandora gave her a mock shove. ‘You know I like some things. It’s just the thought of staying here for ever, never seeing Outham again that upsets me, and sometimes a longing for the moors and Lancashire rain sweeps over me. I can’t help that.’ It was getting a little better though. Most of the time.

  ‘I know, love. But you know what our aunt is like. She might even have us killed if we went back. Never forget how she had me kidnapped, and without anyone finding out what she’d done. Now, let’s go and give their house a quick sweep out and tidy while they’re away.’

  Alice woke with a start. The full moon was shining directly on her window and in spite of the curtains, which didn’t quite fit at the edges, she could see everything clearly. Something must have woken her, because she normally slept soundly, rarely stirring till morning.

  Then she heard a sound outside on the landing and to her horror she saw the door handle turn, its faceted glass surface reflecting the moonlight so that there was no doubt it really was moving.

  Someone was out there!

  The door rattled, as if the person was trying to open it, but she’d shot the bolt, as she did every night. Slipping out of bed, she padded silently to the door, her eyes searching for a weapon to defend herself with if the intruder broke down the door.

  It rattled even more loudly and someone called in a throaty voice, ‘Are you awake, Alice Blair? Are you nervous? You ought to be. You’re not wanted here.’

  She didn’t answer.

  ‘You’d better leave town if you want to be safe. Leave town. Leave soon.’

  The person rattled the door again then the handle stopped moving.

  She didn’t hear footsteps going down the stairs, didn’t hear the outside door opening, but she went to the bedroom window, watching carefully. A few minutes later, just as she was about to go back to bed, she saw a man dressed all in black with a hat pulled down low over his face come out from the side alley and run across the street. He disappeared down an alley between the shops opposite. In spite of the bright moonlight she saw only his clothes and hat, not his face. He could have been anyone.

  And what had he been doing for those few minutes?

  Her heart was pounding. Did she dare leave the room, go and see what the intruder had stolen? At first she thought not, then she decided that was cowardly. She’d seen someone leaving the house, hadn’t she? It wasn’t likely that anyone else was waiting for her.

  She slipped on her dressing-gown then lit her bedside candle, wishing they had gas lighting in the bedrooms, because a candle could so easily blow out. For lack of anything better she picked up the water ewer in her free hand to protect herself with and went back to the door.

  Still she hesitated to open it, then told herself she must. No one was going to frighten her away from this house.

  Taking a deep breath she put the candlestick down on the nearby chest of drawers and slid the bolt gently open. She opened the door a crack, ready to slam it shut again. To her relief there was enough moonlight for her to see that there was no intruder waiting for her outside.

  Picking up the candle she went out on to the landing, still holding the ewer as well. After a moment or two she raised her voice. ‘Dot! Dot! Are you awake? We’ve had an intruder.’

  There was an immediate patter of footsteps and Dot came down the attic stairs, a shawl round her shoulders and a poker in her hand. ‘I heard him pass my room and go down the attic stairs, miss.’

  ‘Do you have a bolt on your bedroom door?’

  ‘No, miss, but I put a chair under the handle. And I always take this to bed.’ She held out the poker in a hand that trembled.

  ‘Have you had intruders before?’


  ‘Yes, miss. Well, I think so. Only nothing was taken and Mr Prebble said it must have been my imagination. But I know I heard someone and I definitely saw a light pass my door once.’

  ‘Is it far to the police station? Will there be someone there at this hour?’

  ‘There’s a policeman walks round the town centre every night. Mr Blake had a rattle to call him if needed. All the shopkeepers do.’

  ‘Where is it?’

  ‘I don’t know, miss. It’s vanished. I think she hid it. I asked Mr Prebble about it and he said there was no need for one and the town centre was quite safe.’

  ‘We’ll have to wait till morning then, unless we see the policeman on duty coming along our street.’

  ‘We could keep watch from the sitting room, miss. We might see him pass by from there. Only if we put the gas lights on, we’ll not be able to see outside very well.’

  ‘But he’d notice that the place was lit up. Let’s put all the lights on. Go and light a spill from the kitchen fire.’ She saw Dot hesitating and realised the girl was afraid to go down to the ground floor on her own. ‘We’ll both go and get it. And we’ll make some cocoa afterwards.’

  Sure enough, there was a knock on the front door an hour later, and Dot peered out of the window to see a policeman standing there.

  ‘I’ll go downstairs and let him in, shall I?’ She ran out of the room.

  ‘I saw the lights. Is everything all right, love?’ he asked.

  ‘No, we’ve had an intruder. Come up and speak to my mistress.’

  He wasn’t much use, Alice thought wryly, watching him look round the house and find nothing. They’d already checked each room themselves, just to be sure.

  ‘Are you certain you heard something, miss?’ he asked for the third time.

  ‘Absolutely positive. We both heard the intruder.’ She hesitated, wondering whether to tell him what the intruder had said, but decided to ask Mr Dawson about that first.

  ‘There’s no sign of anyone breaking in.’

  ‘He must have had a key, then.’

  ‘Who would have keys to the shop?’

  ‘The man who manages it, Harry Prebble. The lawyer, Mr Featherworth. And I don’t know who else the Blakes gave keys to.’

  ‘I shall have to report this to my sergeant. It’s very puzzling. I’ll walk past every half-hour or so for the rest of the night. You’ll be quite safe now, miss.’

  She didn’t feel safe. Half an hour was a long time to manage without help if someone was attacking you. She didn’t go back to bed, couldn’t. She and Dot stayed in the sitting room, each occupying a sofa. Dot was soon asleep again, snuffling softly beneath her quilt like a tired puppy. But Alice didn’t dare sleep in case whoever had a key tried to get back in again.

  Who had come and threatened her? And why did he want her to leave?

  She could guess who it might be, but she had no proof, so had only included his name among the people she’d mentioned to the police as having keys.

  She’d keep an even more careful eye on him from now on, however. And she’d forbid Dot to discuss this incident with anyone, especially those working in the shop.

  The next morning she went round to see Mr Featherworth, but he was busy so she found herself talking to his clerk as she waited to see the lawyer.

  Ralph stared at her in shock. ‘I can’t believe what I’m hearing, Miss Blair!’

  ‘I suspect the policeman thought I was imagining it all, but I wasn’t, Mr Dawson. Both Dot and I heard the intruder quite clearly. I don’t want to be driven away, but as things are, anyone can walk into the living quarters from the shop and we’re not sure who has keys to the shop. Why, they might leave the back door unlocked any night by mistake. Neither Dot nor I feel safe there.’

  He sat without saying a word, his brow furrowed in thought, then said abruptly, ‘I shall make sure something is done this very day to render the living quarters more secure. Whoever it was who threatened you, was trying to drive you away. I can’t imagine why.’

  ‘We’ll need to feel secure from those in the shop, too.’ She looked at him, not saying aloud what she suspected.

  The look he gave her in return said he knew what she was thinking. ‘I take your point. You didn’t recognise the man’s voice?’

  ‘No.’

  When Mr Featherworth joined them, he was horrified by her news. ‘My dear lady, you must move back to your cousin’s at once. We cannot have you in danger.’

  ‘I don’t want to move! Apart from the fact that I need the job which gives me time to recover my health, I’d feel ashamed to let whoever it is drive me away.’

  ‘I can’t understand why anyone would want to.’

  She waited for Mr Dawson to say something about that but he didn’t, so she kept her suspicions to herself.

  The clerk cleared his throat. ‘Shall I go and examine the premises, sir? There may be something we can do to render them more secure.’

  ‘But the expense! This is our clients’ money.’

  ‘And our clients are four young women, who will also need to feel secure there when they return. I’m quite sure they won’t begrudge any money being spent on their safety.’

  Mr Featherworth drummed his fingers on his desk, then nodded. ‘You’re right. I shall leave it in your very capable hands, Dawson. But don’t spend more than you need to.’

  Walking back with Mr Dawson beside her, Alice felt relaxed enough to chat normally. He was such a sensible, intelligent man. She smiled at him. ‘I’m looking forward to meeting your sister, but if the living quarters haven’t been made secure, I can’t leave Dot on her own.’

  ‘It’ll only mean postponing your visit. You can come to tea another time.’ As they walked through the private entrance, they heard someone shouting.

  Mr Dawson put his finger to his lips and they both listened intently.

  ‘Tell me where she’s gone or you’ll be sorry!’

  ‘Miss Blair said not to talk to anyone about it. Mr Prebble, stop! You’re hurting me.’

  ‘I’m not just anyone, am I? I’m the manager of the shop. If you want to keep this job, my girl, you’ll stay on the right side of me and—’

  Dot let out a cry of pain and Alice could bear it no longer. She pushed past Mr Dawson and flung open the kitchen door.

  ‘What are you doing here, Prebble?’

  ‘Keeping an eye on things, miss. Dot’s behaving so strangely I was worried about you.’

  She saw Dot rubbing her arm and moved forward, pushing up the maid’s sleeve to show a bruise already forming, the sort of bruise formed by flesh being deliberately pinched, not by a casual bump. ‘Is that why you hurt her?’

  ‘I didn’t do that. She must have banged herself on something. She always was clumsy. If I was too zealous—’

  ‘Wait for me in the shop, Prebble,’ Mr Dawson said curtly.

  ‘But I—’

  The older man didn’t raise his voice, but it rang with authority. ‘Do as I say!’

  When Prebble had left them, Mr Dawson looked at Dot. ‘You did right not telling him anything. Well done. I’m sorry he hurt you. He won’t do it again.’

  ‘He’ll—’ She bit off what she’d been going to say.

  ‘Tell us,’ Alice said.

  She opened her mouth, then shut it and shook her head, whispering in a hoarse voice, ‘I dursn’t, miss. I just – dursn’t talk about him. Not if you dismiss me for it.’

  And what did that say about Prebble? Alice wondered. ‘We’ll leave it for now, then. Could you make some tea, please, and bring it upstairs? Take a cup for yourself as well.’ She turned to find Mr Dawson studying the passageway that led from the narrow owner’s entrance hall into the shop via another area used partly for storage.

  ‘I think we could quite easily put a door in here, with a lock and a bolt on your side. We’ll have the lock changed on your outer door too. That should keep you safe.’

  ‘Dot would appreciate a bolt inside her bedroom as well.’r />
  He nodded. ‘May I look round the rest of the premises?’

  ‘Certainly.’ She led the way upstairs and they walked round the bedrooms in silence before moving upstairs again.

  ‘The attics must be made safe as well,’ he said after they’d checked the bedrooms.

  They went up the narrow stairs to the attics.

  ‘There!’ He pointed and wove his way through the discarded items to the left-hand side of the big space to reveal another door, half-hidden by a pile of boxes. He tried to open it and found it locked with no sign of a key on their side. ‘This needs seeing to as well. It leads into the other attics, which are used for storage for the shop.’

  ‘I’d not have thought of that way of getting in.’ To her annoyance her voice wobbled a little.

  He came back to say gently, ‘We’ll have it all made secure before the day is over, I promise you, Miss Blair. I’ll not stay for a cup of tea now, because I need to get things started, but perhaps another time?’

  He had a lovely smile, she thought. He was quite an ugly man till he smiled, but then his whole face lit up with warmth and kindness.

  She walked slowly back down to the kitchen to tell Dot what was to be done. The maid burst into tears of relief, but Alice hadn’t finished.

  ‘What did you not dare tell us?’

  Dot stiffened.

  ‘Let me try to guess, then you won’t have told me anything, will you?’

  Dot looked at her warily.

  ‘You’re afraid Harry Prebble will take it out on you if you don’t do as he asks. Am I right?’

  Still the girl hesitated, so Alice asked, ‘Or hurt your family?’

  Dot bit her lip, then nodded without meeting her eyes.

  ‘I thought so. What’s the other shopman like, the one they sent to Australia?’

  Dot’s face immediately brightened. ‘Mr Carr is ever so kind, miss. You’d not meet anyone in Outham who’d have a bad word to say about him.’

  ‘I shall look forward to meeting him then – and the new owners. Now, I’ll go and work on the inventory and you can cook us a nice hearty soup for our dinner. We’ll eat it together down here. We’ll both feel better for having company, I’m sure. I’ve eaten too many meals on my own. Governesses aren’t treated as members of the family in most households, you know. They’re neither servants nor gentry.’