Imitation of Love by Sally Quilford Page A

she would have considered that there would be no welcome for her
from Cousin George, and she might even have to retrace her steps, having no-one
else to protect her. But she was committed to the course upon which she’d set,
and nothing would change her mind.
     
    She headed towards a coaching company,
hoping she would be able to find one going north towards Willoughby Manor. As
she walked, she became aware of a black closed in carriage moving slowly behind
her.
     
    “Miss Willoughby…” a familiar voice
said. “It is Miss Willoughby, isn’t it?”
     
    She turned around to see Mrs. Somerson
leaning out of the window. “Good morning,” said Catherine, in polite but icy
tones. The carriage stopped alongside her, and she saw that it had two rather burly
looking men sitting at the front.
     
    “Where are you headed on this fine
morning? May I offer you a lift?”
     
    Something made the back of Catherine’s
neck tingle. A feeling that all was not right. Mrs. Somerson was being polite
to her for a start. That the lady was awake at such an early hour was another
concern. “Thank you,” said Catherine. “But I’d rather walk. I need the
exercise.”
     
    “Oh but it’s much nicer to see London in
a carriage, I always think. Please, come and join me. I feel I owe you an
apology for my behaviour at Oakley Castle.”
     
    “I think Kitty is the one in need of an
apology,” said Catherine.
     
    “Yes, that is why I wish to speak to
you. Mr. Oakley is furious with me. And justifiably so. I behaved badly. I was
heartbroken you see, because … well, there are things I am sure he would rather
I did not discuss with his ward. I’d hoped that you might convince him that I
see the error of my ways and wish to seek his forgiveness.”
     
    “I do not think I wish to become
involved,” said Catherine. “Besides, I’m going away. I shan’t be seeing him for
some time.” As soon as the words were out, Catherine knew she’d made a grave
mistake. The two men, as if by some silent design, jumped down from the
carriage and grabbed her. Before she could scream, one clamped his dirty hand
over her mouth, whilst the other put a sack over her head. She struggled
violently, but they were too strong for her.
     
    “Quickly, quickly!” a woman’s voice
said. It wasn’t Mrs. Somerson, and in her panic, Catherine could not place the
speaker. “Get her in the carriage.”
     
    She was thrown roughly into the carriage,
and pinned in place, struggling to break free all the time. “Be quiet, you
stupid girl!” Someone clouted her hard around the head, and she fell into
blackness.
     
    Catherine didn’t know how long she was
unconscious, only that when she came to, the sounds outside seemed to have
changed. The city of London, even in the morning, had its own particular rhythm.
But Catherine was a country girl, and it didn’t take her long to realize they’d
travelled into the countryside. She put her hand to her aching head and
realized that somewhere along the way she’d lost her blue bonnet.
     
    “Are you going to be sensible?” the
woman asked. “If not we will have to kill you.”
     
    “Yes.”
     
    She felt the sacking being pulled from
her, and struggled for a moment to focus. She found that she was sitting
between Phoebe Somerson, and the French maid, Celine.
     
     It was Celine’s voice she heard, but
with a lower class English accent. She seemed to be very much in control of the
situation.
     
    “So Mr. Oakley believes you are going
away?” said Celine. “It is no good trying to lie. We’ve already heard you say
it.”
     
    “Yes. I left a note saying that I was
travelling North to my old home. But they’re sure to find out I haven’t reached
my destination.”
     
    “Willoughby Manor is a full day’s travel
from London,” said Celine, who was clearly very well informed. “It will take
you a day to get there, and even if they write to you, it won’t be soon, I
shouldn’t think.  Not when