His Fatal Legacy, page 1
HIS FATAL LEGACY
HEATHER ATKINSON
CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
More from Heather Atkinson
About the Author
About Boldwood Books
1
ALARDYCE HOUSE, JUST OUTSIDE EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND, MARCH 1897
Sir Henry Alardyce regarded his wife Amy with a worried frown. She was slumped at the dining table, staring miserably at her breakfast. Ever since her eldest son Robert had got married and moved out, she’d been quieter, more sedate. Her large blue eyes had lost their sparkle and there was a little grey appearing in her glorious chestnut hair. Even her skin was paler. They’d thought it would be a relief that a monster was no longer living under their roof; however, the worry of what he was getting up to now he was no longer restrained by his parents was a constant torture for Amy. She especially feared for Jane, Robert’s sweet, innocent wife. Amy blamed herself for not doing more to stop them from eloping to Gretna Green and marrying over the anvil after both families had vetoed the wedding, but Henry thought she was taking too much on her shoulders. When Robert wanted to do something, no one on God’s earth could stop him.
Henry covered his wife’s hand with his own. The fingers on both her hands were twisted and bent after his mad brother Edward had tortured her, thick reddened skin where the nails used to be. Whenever they were out in public, she wore gloves to hide them as the deformity repelled a lot of people, but not Henry. He loved every sweet inch of her.
‘Shall we go out somewhere today?’ he asked her.
She raised her head and smiled, eyes wide and sad. ‘I don’t feel up to it.’
‘Come on, Amy, this isn’t like you. Where’s all that fire of yours?’
‘I think it’s gone out.’
‘Oh, no, it hasn’t, it just needs stoking again.’
Her lips twitched. ‘Really? What did you have in mind?’
‘Well, I was thinking of catching a play or dining out, but if you have a better idea, I’m more than willing to go along with it,’ he smiled, leaning into her, brushing her lips with his own.
Husbands and wives didn’t usually kiss at the dining table, but Amy and Henry had long ago discarded convention, preferring to show their deep affection for one another rather than hide it beneath an austere front like their contemporaries. Besides, they’d been ousted by society years ago for their scandalous and very bloody family history, which had the unexpected side effect of allowing them to live life on their own terms. Their servants were used to their ways and didn’t blink at this public show of affection.
‘There’s a new programme of music and varieties at the Empire Palace Theatre,’ he added.
‘Sweet Lord, save us from varieties,’ she replied, wrinkling her nose.
‘Or we could dine out?’
‘I’m not sure I could restrain myself if people started pointing at us and whispering behind their hands. I might be tempted to throw bread rolls at them.’
‘I knew it,’ he smiled. ‘Your fire still burns brightly.’
‘Sorry, I have been a bit of a misery lately. You’re right, I need to shake myself out of it, but not with dinners and theatres.’
‘How about we take a holiday, get away from it all for a while? We could go to the Lake District, like we discussed?’
As much as Amy loved living at Alardyce House, the thought of a change of scenery made her beam. ‘You know, I think that could be just the thing. I’m sure the children would love it.’
‘Shall I make the arrangements?’
‘I’ll do it. I need something to occupy my time.’
‘And I’ll send word to have Riverwood aired.’ Riverwood was the small mansion house their family owned half a mile from Ullswater.
She kissed him. ‘Thank you, Henry. This is just what I need.’
He smiled as he watched her rise from her chair with much more energy than she’d had just a moment ago and bustle to the door, calling for her maid, Hazel.
Only when she’d gone did he turn his attention back to the newspaper and to the disturbing article he’d been reading. It was about a woman who’d been attacked in the New Town, a maid heading home after finishing work that evening. She’d been dragged down an alleyway, sexually assaulted and badly beaten. It was the second attack in two months. The poor woman had been found crumpled on the cobbles, bleeding and sobbing. Physically she would be fine, but her mental recovery would be much harder.
When Henry had read about the first attack last month, he’d tried to ignore that nagging voice in his head that said Robert was responsible. He lived not far from where the attack had taken place, but Henry had managed to convince himself that anyone could have done it. The city had a dark side and could be a violent place, especially for women walking alone at night.
Now this second attack had happened close to where the first had been perpetrated and he could no longer ignore that nagging voice. What if his stepson was responsible? Confronting him would be useless, he would simply deny it. On top of that, Robert knew Henry’s secret, the one he’d kept from Amy their entire marriage and which could shatter their relationship if she ever found out. When his younger brother Edward had been executed for almost killing her and for the murder of four other women, Henry had used his influence to have his body turned over to him and had him placed in the family vault. He and Amy hadn’t been together then, so it hadn’t felt like he’d betrayed her, but he should have told her when they’d got engaged. However, he hadn’t, and now it was too late. Robert was enjoying his hold over him far too much to tell his mother but one day he would, it was inevitable. Henry had to tell her before that day came in order to save his marriage, but Amy had been so down lately he hadn’t had the heart. They would take their trip to the Lake District, it would raise her spirits and hopefully when they came home, he would be able to break it to her gently and beg for her forgiveness.
He’d just finished reading the disturbing article for a second time, attempting to glean from it some clue proving Robert was responsible, when Amy returned to the room, the sparkle back in her lovely blue eyes.
‘I’ve told the children and they’re very excited,’ she smiled.
They had three other children – six-year-old Lydia, five-year-old John and four-year-old Stephen. Robert wasn’t Henry’s biological son. He was the product of an affair Amy had with a footman when she’d first come to live at Alardyce eighteen years ago after the death of both her parents. Robert’s real father, Matthew Crowle, had been a rapist and murderer, unbeknownst to Amy at the time, and his son was turning out to be as big a monster as he’d been. Matthew was dead, killed saving Amy from Henry’s mad brother Edward, who had stabbed him in the stomach. However, he’d survived this initial wound. Amy had torn the blade from Matthew’s belly so she and Robert could be free of his poisonous influence, a fact Robert had only recently discovered and which had sent him over the edge.
‘They could use the break as much as we could,’ Henry told his wife. ‘Things have been so tense lately.’
‘Lydia asked if Robert and Jane were coming but I said no,’ she replied. ‘They’re newlyweds and need to spend time together. I didn’t like to say they’re the reason we need to get away.’
Henry considered showing her the article in the newspaper before rejecting the idea. After Edward had attacked her, the entire sickening story had become public knowledge and the newspapers had seized on it. Amy had vowed never to read a newspaper again after the horrible lies they’d printed about her, so there was no risk of her reading about the attacks. As they’d both been rejected by society, there was no one to tell her about them either. Let her live in blissful ignorance just a little longer. He had the feeling Robert’s sickening urges would soon raise merry hell.
Robert sat at his dining table like a king. How he loved finally being his own master and he was only seventeen years old. Most of his friends still relied on their parents’ purse strings to survive, but Robert had his own money. His mother had given him £20,000 from her personal fortune that had not been absorbed into the Alardyce estate, something Henry had insisted on when they’d wed because his own mother had plotted against Amy when she was a girl and thrown her into Matthew’s arms to trap her and take her money from her. Henry had refused to allow his harridan of a mother to be victorious from beyond the grave, which was the only reason why Robert still had any respect left for him. Since his elopement with Jane, the close relationship he’d enjoyed with his stepfather had been destroyed.
Now Robert was master of his own grand home in the very desirable Drummond Place in the elegant Edinburgh New Town, with a beautiful wife and hopefully a child on the way soon. He glanced at his wife from behind his newspaper. She sat at the opposite end
‘You should eat more,’ he told her. ‘Especially if you’re going to be with child.’
‘I’ve never had much of an appetite in the morning,’ she replied, forcing her sweet smile.
‘You don’t have much of an appetite at any other meal. I never noticed before how little you eat. No wonder you’re so thin. I want you to start eating more, Jane.’
‘But I eat what I need.’
‘Then eat more. Last night in bed, your elbow kept digging into my ribs. You seem to get pointier every day.’
Her cheeks flushed and her lips pursed. ‘That’s my natural shape, Robert, it’s how I’ve always been.’
‘Corsets conceal so much,’ he sighed as though he were hard done by.
Jane blinked away the hot tears. Robert had always called her beautiful but the last couple of weeks he’d started making digs about her figure, saying he preferred women with more meat on their bones, and it hurt. It wasn’t as though she purposefully ate as little as possible. They’d known each other since they were children and he’d never been cruel to her like this before.
‘Your comments hurt me, Robert,’ she said.
‘Hmmm?’ he replied, studying the newspaper.
‘I said your comments hurt me,’ she repeated, louder.
Finally she had his full attention and he lowered the newspaper, appalled to see her eyes were shiny with tears.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said, dumping the newspaper on the table, getting to his feet and hastening to her side. He knelt by her chair and took her hands. ‘I’m being very thoughtless.’
‘Yes, you are. You’ve started saying cruel things to me lately, Robert. Are you bored of me already?’
‘No, of course not.’ He looked to the footman standing sentry at the back of the room. ‘Leave us.’
‘Sir,’ bowed the man before leaving, closing the door behind him.
Robert looked back at Jane. ‘How could I get bored of you? I love you.’
‘Then why do you keep saying cruel things?’
‘I don’t mean to be cruel, I’m just worried about you. I heard about my friend’s sister, who was thin. She died during childbirth because the baby was so large. I don’t want that to happen to you.’
‘I know who you’re referring to – Emily Saunders. What you perhaps don’t know is that she was always sickly, right from being a child. I, however, am very healthy.’
‘Yes, you’re right,’ he said, kissing her fingers. ‘I just couldn’t bear to lose you.’
Joy filled Jane. She’d been thinking he was fed up of her, and all the time he was worried about her. She took his dear face between her hands and smiled. ‘You won’t lose me, I promise.’
He kissed her. ‘Good. Why don’t I take you shopping? I remember you mentioning something about a sapphire necklace.’
‘But it was dreadfully expensive.’
‘Nothing but the best for my wife.’
‘Don’t you have business to attend to?’
‘I do, but it can wait. You’re more important.’ Her smile touched his heart. He was relieved something still could.
‘If you’re sure?’ she said, bristling with excitement.
‘I am. We can have some lunch too.’
‘Wonderful. I’ll go and get ready,’ she said, kissing him before rushing out of the room and upstairs.
Feeling very pleased with himself, Robert returned to his seat and picked his newspaper back up to continue reading the story of the maid who had been attacked just a few streets from his house, heart racing with excitement.
Amy was afraid something would happen to stop them from leaving for the Lake District, some emergency to do with Robert or Jane, but nothing occurred and the family left in their carriage for the train station. The servants accompanying them followed in a second carriage piled high with luggage.
They were deposited at Waverley Station and the servants and porters hauled their luggage onto the train while Henry, Amy and the nanny did their best to keep the children, who were thrilled by this unexpected trip, in line.
‘Stephen, please calm down,’ sighed Henry when they were finally ensconced in their first-class carriage, the servants in second class. ‘Don’t hit the window,’ he added. ‘You’re giving me a headache.’
Stephen stopped slapping the glass with his palm and turned to playing with his beloved toy horse instead. Amy smiled as she watched him play, recalling when Robert had been so innocent. In her heart, she knew her other sons wouldn’t turn out like their older brother because they both had Henry’s goodness, it shone out of them. Robert was the one who bore the curse.
Amy smiled when Henry took her hand. She rested her head on his shoulder as the train pulled away from the station.
‘Do you think Robert and Jane will be angry that we left without telling them?’ she said.
‘To be perfectly honest, I couldn’t care less,’ he replied. ‘We’ve earned this holiday.’
‘Yes, we have,’ she smiled, enjoying watching the city whizz by.
2
Riverwood lived up to its name, situated as it was on the edge of a thick, dark forest on the banks of a river not far from the village of Pooley Bridge at the northern end of Lake Ullswater. The house had been built from the traditional grey stone so popular in the Lake District. It was smaller than Alardyce, more of a large manor house than a grand estate, tucked away from view of the road by the trees. Henry’s father had bought it as a country retreat for his family and it had been passed on to Henry when he’d inherited everything.
Amy and Henry left the children to run off their enthusiasm, which not even the long train journey had managed to dampen, in the garden, the nanny watching over them, and went inside the house.
The interior of Riverwood was very cosy, with a country cottage feel. The fires had been lit by the staff from the village who had aired the house and cleaned it before their arrival. Their own servants – Amy’s maid Hazel, Henry’s valet Donald, the first footman Frederick, the cook Mrs Clapperton and the kitchen maid – set about organising tea and sandwiches for the family.
Amy and Henry headed upstairs together, shutting themselves away in their bedroom.
‘This was a wonderful idea of yours,’ smiled Amy, sliding her arms around her husband’s neck as he pulled her to him.
‘You look so much better already and we’ve only just arrived,’ he replied.
‘God forgive me for saying this about my own son, but it’s a relief being far away from him.’
‘Let’s not think about him or Jane while we’re here. Let’s just relax and enjoy ourselves.’
‘Is that your idea of relaxing?’ she smiled when he kissed her neck.
‘Can you think of a better way?’ he murmured into her skin.
‘Perhaps not,’ she breathed.
They jumped when there was a knock at the door.
‘My lady,’ called Hazel’s voice. ‘Do you require me to assist you to change?’
‘No, thank you,’ she called back. Amy smiled at her beloved husband, feeling the stress draining out of her. ‘I already have help.’
Henry laughed as they fell back onto the bed together.
‘I can’t believe you bought me this necklace, Robert,’ beamed Jane, her gloved hands continually stroking the fabulous jewel around her neck as they walked the city streets.
‘You’re worth it,’ he replied. ‘Just be careful to cover it with your coat. You don’t want to get robbed.’
‘Oh, yes, quite right,’ she said, fastening the top button of her plum-coloured fur-lined coat to hide the jewel. ‘We must show Aunt Amy, she’ll adore it.’
