I hesitated. ‘No.’ I felt as though each lie was drawing me further into a bog. ‘Only that after the accident her reason was affected, and she was taken away to London.’
‘Then you have come to me with this, now, for no other reason than someone’s fool curiosity?’ West’s voice rose in anger.
‘My client, I am sure, would help Ellen if he knew where she was.’
‘And he is called Fettiplace? Does he not know others of that name in London? Does he know nothing of her?’ He frowned, his eyes searching me hard.
‘No, sir. That is why he seeks relatives.’
West sat down on the bench I had vacated, looked away and shook his head a couple of times as though trying to clear it. When he spoke again his tone had changed completely. ‘Ellen Fettiplace was the love of my life,’ he said with quiet intensity. ‘I was going to ask her to marry me, despite – ’ He did not finish the sentence. ‘On the day of the fire I rode over from Petworth to tell her father my intentions. I was with the King’s court, which was on summer Progress at Petworth. Master Fettiplace said he would support the match if Ellen agreed. I had asked him to meet me in private, Ellen was not present. He agreed to the match. Duties meant I had to ride back to Petworth that night, but I planned to travel back and see her two days later, make my proposal. It is not a thing one wants to rush.’
‘No.’
‘But next day a message arrived at Petworth from the curate, telling me about the fire and that Master Fettiplace was dead.’
‘Reverend Seckford? I spoke with him when I went to Rolfswood.’
‘Then he will have told you Ellen refused to see me after the fire?’
‘Yes. Or anyone else. I am sorry.’
West seemed to want to talk. ‘Ellen liked me, I knew that. But I was not sure she would have me. She would not want to lose her precious independence. Her father allowed her too much.’ He hesitated a long moment, then said, looking at me with haunted eyes that reminded me of Leacon, ‘She was – wilful. She needed someone to master her properly.’ He spoke with a sort of desperate sincerity.
‘You think women should be mastered?’
Anger flared in West’s face again. ‘You presume, sir.’
‘I apologize.’
He continued quietly, ‘What happened to her, it broke me. I never saw her again. So I went to sea. Is that not what men do when their hearts are broken?’ He gave a humourless smile, a rictus showing strong white teeth that seemed to split his brown face in two. He collected himself. ‘Your friend should leave this be. Ellen was taken away to London, she may be dead by now.’
‘I know Sir Quintin Priddis conducted the inquest, and afterwards arranged for her to be taken away. In fact I have business with him, in his capacity as feodary of Hampshire.’
‘Have you spoken with him about this?’ West asked sharply.
‘No.’
‘Then I advise you not to, and to tell your friend to leave this alone. There were things about that fire it is better not to go into, especially after all this time. Priddis did right: it was better Ellen was taken away.’
‘What do you mean?’
He did not answer directly. ‘How much did Seckford tell you about Ellen?’
‘He told me her father indulged her, yes, but also that she was good and loving before the fire.’
‘People outside families often do not see what goes on behind closed doors.’
I thought of the Hobbeys. ‘That is true.’
West clasped his hands together, began wringing them slowly. ‘Ellen was a woman of fierce moods and passions. She used to throw pots and vases at her father when she was angry.’ He hesitated again. ‘There were other things she did, too, that I learned of later.’
I felt a chill run down my back. ‘What things?’
‘When she was younger, if she was angry, she used to set fires sometimes out in the woods. One of my family’s servants told me about it after the foundry fire – he knew one of the foresters.’ West closed his eyes. ‘So you see, sir, though I loved her I knew it was important she be not indulged too much. I can prove nothing, but I think that night when Master Fettiplace told Ellen of my proposal she became angry, and something happened. I do not know what.’
‘You mean Ellen set that fire, killed two people?’ I asked incredulously. ‘How could a woman alone have done that?’
‘God’s death, sir, how should I know? I have never been able to puzzle it out. But two men died. So tell your friend to leave this matter alone. There are no more Fettiplaces in Rolfswood. Now leave me to try and save this country from invasion.’
West stood abruptly, gave me a final hard look, then turned and marched back to the infirmary building. Everyone else was gone now save for a groom who stood silently waiting, holding the reins of a horse. I stayed on the bench, my mind in turmoil.
Chapter Twenty-eight