Page 41 of A Lady's Past
“We were at sea for a long time, though I have no idea how long. They rationed our food, barely keeping us alive, and the rocking made Mother so sick she couldn’t keep much down. As bad as the ship was, I dreaded arriving.”
Honoria nodded. “Did your father say anything? Did he know why they had taken you?”
“Yes. Of course, he knew. He was the foremost expert on rockets. The French had tried to curry favor with him before. They had offered him riches to give them his research and had even tried to steal it once.” Pulling her hand back, Diana crossed her arms.
“Where did they take you once you reached France?”
“It was an old castle.” Diana relived the moment when she’d seen the dark spires and crenellations against the gloom of an approaching storm. The rain that followed was nothing compared to the deluge of her life for the years to follow.
“You can tell me, Diana.” Honoria’s jaw was tight, but her gaze steady.
“I think you will be sorry you asked, my lady.” When Honoria nodded, Diana continued. “They put us in a dungeon and demanded my father make improvements on their rockets. They wanted them to go further. Father refused, so they beat Mother and I in order to get him to comply. Eventually, he started work. Most of what he told them was misleading. They would do as he said, and the rocket would fail. This went on for months. Victor Caron became our warden some months into our imprisonment. He’d been promoted and was very pleased with himself. He was also determined to succeed where his predecessors had failed. His brand of torture was far worse. He cut off two of Mother’s fingers. He beat us until we lost consciousness.”
“My God!” Honoria covered her mouth as a tear ran down her soft cheek.
“It might have been much worse, but I don’t believe Victor likes ladies much. He became more and more obsessed with me, trying to prod me to work with my father. I refused, and Father said I was just a girl who knew nothing of science. However, one day Victor lost his patience. He came at me, disgusted but determined. Father lost his temper and attacked. Mother did what she could. My hands and feet were bound. All I could do was watch in horror while the guards stormed in and killed my parents.”
Honoria pulled her into a hug.
Diana wanted to cry, but a chill settled where her heart had been. “Once it was clear they would force me to finish my father’s work, I bribed a guard with the very thing Victor threatened to steal and made my escape. I walked miles through muddy woods. Eventually I found a kindly farmer who hid me in his cart and carried me to the coast. I dressed as a boy to get work swabbing decks on a ship to Spain. There I managed to find a small boat to take me to Cardiff. It took me a long time to make my way by land from Wales back to England.”
The silence that followed gave Diana time to shake off the memories that haunted her sleep. Somehow, she felt lighter. It was wrong to share her burden, yet as Honoria said it would, it helped. “I’m sorry you know such terrible things about me, my lady.”
Honoria placed her soft, chubby hands on Diana’s cheeks. Gently, she turned her head and met her gaze. “These things are not about you, my dear. They only happened to you. You endured more than most people could bear.”
Unable to fathom why Honoria wasn’t disgusted by her, Diana stared. She probably looked like a fish as she gathered her words. “You understand I gave away my virginity to escape. I’m soiled beyond repair. I’m a whore and you should keep clear of me.”
“Nonsense!” Honoria smiled. “You did what was necessary. No one would fault you for that. Besides, no one need know such a personal thing.”
Jacques’s face flashed in Diana’s mind. He must never know. She couldn’t stand it if he looked at her with disdain.
“One day, when you fall in love, you can tell your husband the truth or you can tell him you fell from a horse as a child, it will be entirely up to you. You can thank God that no child came of it and move on unhindered by such a small thing.” Honoria kissed Diana’s cheek and brushed out her skirts as if she were brushing away the ugly thoughts.
“I’m surprised you put such little stock in virginity, my lady. Generally, people of society value it in a young lady above good character.”
Honoria smiled. “And isn’t that a shame?”
It was, but there wasn’t time to say so. Boots clomped up the stairs and down the hall toward them.
Leaning in to Diana’s ear, Honoria whispered, “I hope you are a good actress, Diana. Follow my lead, but don’t say too much. Keep those bits of lace from your petticoat handy. We’re getting out of here.”
Even if she’d had time to contradict Honoria, Diana was too shocked by the ferocity in the dowager’s tone to utter a word.
The bolt slid and Victor threw open the door. “I want to know how you intend to give me money, old woman. If you can convince me, I will keep this lovely little bitch alive a while longer.” He pulled Diana’s hair, ripping several strands from her head.
Diana bit the inside of her cheek to keep from crying out at the sting to her scalp. Screaming never did any good, and Victor seemed to derive pleasure from it.
Honoria narrowed her eyes. “As you keep mentioning, I’m an old woman with little to live for. If you don’t control yourself and treat Miss MacLeod with respect, I’ll give you nothing.”
“I could kill her and torture you until you give me what I want, hag.” He pulled Diana close and licked the side of her face.
Diana’s stomach roiled. His breath, putrid from rotting teeth, sent a wave of disgust through her. It was as if her escape never happened. She’d done it all for nothing.
“Torturing me will not incite my man of business to give you a thing. You will take me and Miss MacLeod to Fleet Street where we will visit C. Hoare & Company and meet with Mr. Richard Colt Hoare. He will give you the balance of my account. You will not be disappointed. I expect you to release us after you are paid.” Honoria added the last sentence quickly.
“I will not release her. I need her. You may stay with your Mr. Hoare for all I care. Your payment will only grant your life, and an extension on hers.” His grin exposed crooked yellow teeth.
Honoria flounced on the bed. “Then you may as well kill me now. I’m not giving you a penny unless you agree to free us both. Keep in mind, with the kind of money I’m going to give you, you’ll not need to return to France at all. You can live in luxury anywhere in the world. Though I would suggest you leave England, as your welcome will be rather bleak.”
