Phillip took a breath. ‘He thought he saw your father’s ghost.’
Rebecca felt a peculiar sensation shoot down her spine and the ground appeared to rock. The last thing she wanted was her father to return to haunt her from beyond the grave—why should he appear to Simon? And why here, of all places? It had to be a figment of his imagination. ‘I don’t believe it!’ she said, a tremor in her voice.
‘Neither do I,’ said Phillip firmly. ‘But it’s interesting, isn’t it? And why should he appear here? Is it possible that your father has kin living in the area?’
Rebecca took a deep breath. ‘As far as I know he had no kin. At least he never mentioned any to me, but then he never saw any reason to discuss anything of importance with me,’ she said bitterly. ‘I was only his daughter.’
‘My mother would have loved a daughter, so don’t pull yourself down. Your father was a fool not to appreciate your worth.’
‘You’re just being kind,’ she muttered. ‘Anyway, we’ve strayed from the subject.’
He frowned. ‘Think the worse of yourself then, woman! Tell me instead, is it worth asking the people who live in Minster Draymore about your father?’
‘Surely Simon would have thought of that? Unless he didn’t want to look a fool. Besides, could he be looking for me?’ She looked up at him from scared eyes.
‘Then why come here? Why not seek you out in Oxford?’ he asked reasonably.
Rebecca forced down her fear and smiled. ‘You don’t know how much your saying that relieves my mind.’
Phillip returned her smile. ‘Maybe there is no ghost and it was a real person I caught a glimpse of?’
‘He could have been a vagabond and reacted violently. My next question is—do you think we should speak of this to Simon? He’s normally a man of good sense, but if he mentioned this to you, then it really is playing on his mind.’
Phillip was silent a moment, then said, ‘The person who might know if your father had other kin is your brother.’
Rebecca’s eyes met his and she nodded. ‘But how am I going to get a message to him? I’d have to pay a messenger and I don’t have that kind of money.’
‘I would go myself if I had the time, but—’
‘I would not ask it of you,’ said Rebecca hastily. ‘He might get in touch with me himself before Christmastide, so perhaps I should just wait a while. In the meantime I will see what I can discover here.’
‘I don’t think that will be possible now,’ said Phillip, taking her arm. ‘I’m leaving for Oxford this morning and I offered to escort you and the children home.’
She felt that peculiar leap of the heart. ‘I—I can’t believe you’d want the bother of three young children as well as myself on the journey.’
‘No, I don’t,’ he said, straight-faced, ‘but I could see their poor father was desperate and, as I am heading in that direction, I thought it would be good for you to experience the travelling life, albeit briefly.’
She gave him a severe look. ‘I deem you are teasing me. You are forgetting, Phillip, that I do have some experience of such due to having travelled about with my father for his work. Still, it is generous of you to make such an offer and I accept it gladly. But why is it that you go to Oxford? I cannot believe that you do it purely for my benefit.’
‘God forbid! Why should I want to travel with you, knowing that you can be a shrew at times?’ he said in a mocking voice. ‘You must have forgotten that it is St Giles’s fair today. We plan to perform there. Also, I have been asked by the Raventons to take a look at a vacant property in the town with the idea of setting up a print room, stationer’s and book shop there.’
Rebecca’s eyes lit up. ‘I had no idea. But why would they ask you to do that?’
‘I act on behalf of Nicholas, who has shares in the Raventons’ business. It is some time since they and my brother and I have heard from him and so—’
Her smile faded. ‘When did you last hear from him?’
The muscles of Phillip’s face tightened. ‘Ten months or more, but you must not worry. It is not the first time he has left it for a while before getting word to us that he is safe.’
She placed a hand on his arm. ‘But still you must be anxious.’
‘It would be dreadful, indeed, if there were to be no more tales of his adventures,’ said Phillip lightly. ‘But let us not lose hope. Tell me, by what means did you travel here?’
Rebecca accepted the change of subject and removed her hand from his arm. ‘On horseback. I had two of the children up with me and Margaret, the eldest, rode pillion with Simon.’ She bit her lip. ‘I’ve just realised he will need his horse and mine cannot bear four of us.’
‘I suggest the two youngest children travel in the wagon where Tabitha can keep an eye on them.’
Rebecca seized on the mention of a woman. ‘Tabitha? You have a woman in your troupe?’
He smiled. ‘I couldn’t manage without her. She cooks for us and takes care of the costumes, as well as telling us exactly what she thinks of our performance. She also acts as a prompter if any of us should forget our lines. She is good with children and I’m sure the pair of you will rub along.’
Rebecca felt a pang of envy that he should think so highly of this woman. ‘What is she like?’
‘Young and pretty. She was in dire straits when we came upon her in Coventry, a couple of years ago. Some quick action was called for and we carried her off. It soon proved that we had made the right decision.’
Rebecca found herself almost hating this paragon of virtue despite never having set eyes on her. ‘I look forward to meeting her,’ she said stiffly, thinking that although Phillip had told her there was no room in his life for a wife, he still had a man’s needs. Really he should not have kissed her if he had a mistress! The pleasure she had felt earlier at the thought of travelling to Oxford in his company evaporated, but she could hardly say that she had changed her mind about doing so.
‘Shall we make haste?’ said Phillip. ‘It’s a good four leagues to Oxford and I want to be there in plenty of time to make ready for this evening’s performance.’
When they reached the house, it was to find Simon talking to the woman from the neighbouring cottage. When he saw Rebecca and Phillip, he brought the conversation to an end and approached them.
‘There you are! I was wondering what had happened to you, Rebecca. Has Master Hurst divulged our plan to you?’
‘Indeed he has,’ said Rebecca, deciding to make no mention of her father’s apparition. ‘I will go and see if the children need help getting ready.’
She went indoors, thinking she must also don a pair of riding breeches under her skirts. She was greeted by eight-year-old Margaret, who was fair-haired, with a spare frame and a fussy manner. ‘There you are, Aunt Rebecca! Father says that we are going home today.’
