Never to Part (20 page)

“Unquestionably,” his wife agreed. “But if thou art correct about Eldridge does this not place both in danger?”

Daphne left the baroness well pleased with the dowager’s answers to certain questions. To achieve complete success there remained only leaving Heart Haven before Richard returned.

“Miss Stratton,” the butler called to Daphne as she began to go up the stairs. “Your brother wishes to see you.”

“My brother? He has returned?” she asked.

“Yes, miss. I placed him in the small parlour. If you would follow me?”

Daphne’s heart thudded with dread.
What has happened now
? She craned her neck to see Geof when the butler opened the door.

“Geof,” she greeted him uncertainly. She halted when his grim look altered into the wheedling grimace she most feared.

“It was beyond rude of me to abandon you. To leave you to the whims of the Blanchards,” he said shamefacedly. “I—I want— Will you come with me? We can leave right now.”

A ripple of hope said she erred in judging her brother this time. That Eldridge had also. Perhaps Geoffrey was changing course. Daphne kissed her brother’s cheek. “Wonderful, Geoffrey. I already have my portmanteau packed.” To her surprise he looked almost crestfallen.

Dismay blossomed when he spluttered, “I have a hired coach awaiting us.”

Uncertain what the problem was, Daphne decided to wait until they were well away to explore it. “I shall fetch Saddie and my portmanteaus,” she said brightly. At his nod she hurried away.

Seeing Geoffrey nervously pacing when she and Saddie came down the steps of the Haven Daphne bit her lip. Something was wrong but she had no idea what nor time to resolve it before leaving. The sooner they departed the further ahead of Richard she would be.

Settling in the hired coach, Daphne ignored its sad condition. A new danger occurred to her. “Have you reserved a chamber for us at a posting inn?” she asked after the coach was underway.

“We make straight for London,” Geoffrey informed her. “I should never have agreed to our coming here. I am sorry.” He gulped a swallow. “Now I insist you do as I say.”

“Yes, dear,” Daphne said to placate him. Though troubled at not having bid the baroness farewell, her relief at escaping Richard suppressed that guilt and not a little fear. Far better they go to London and the baron not find them on the road. It would give her a head start on the next leg of her journey.

As the distance between their coach and Heart Haven lengthened Daphne stopped mulling over her lack of options in regard to Richard. Why had Geoffrey returned for her? His behaviour puzzled her. Thinking about it Daphne realized he would have had to have left London before Eldridge had arrived there. She studied her now dozing brother.

The dark circles beneath his eyes and lines of troubled weariness aged his features. Had he finally come to his senses? After all, when had she last had an apology from him? But that odd “do as I say” troubled her. Daphne mulled it over but reached no conclusion.

Discarding that approach she turned to the more pressing matter. Could Geoff free them from the debt he had brought upon them? Daphne recalled the verse in her reticule and her mind circled back to the oft repeated debate. Their desperate need did not do much to assuage the guilt at having not shared the verse with Richard. Daphne stilled.

Richard
.

She closed her eyes unable to forestall a rush of pain. His image wavered in her mind’s eye. With their agreement about the treasure this was not treachery. None the less she sniffed back tears.

 * * * *

Richard handed his mount over to a groom at Heart Haven and retreated to the library. He decided to take a benevolent attitude toward Daphne’s efforts to best him. She had discovered the metal box which eased the way for him. He had found the wood box inside the metal one. Nestled inside it was a pasteboard box, a tightly rolled scroll wedged in it. When he had unrolled the scroll, he had read the verse.

“First victory won, the lovers subdued their pride and on they rode;

But the day with clouds was sudden overcast;

Angry Jove a hideous storm did rain and pour so fast;

That every sight to shroud it did constrain and barred the fair couple’s escape.

But fate cast the Hound elusive in their path, though it hid a betrayer;

The Spirit scare constraint by Cotswold clay won the day
,” he read aloud and sighed, his hopes sinking for an easy solution.

It makes no more sense than when contemplated silently. I’ll have to show it to Mothe
r. Richard thought of Daphne. His heart urged him to confide in her. He would, but not yet.

“I’d best tell Mother after Miss Stratton retires for the evening,” he mused while he stubbornly resisted the urge to go at once to Daphne. “Mother could not refrain from speaking of it at supper if I talked to her beforehand.”

Begrudgingly content with that plan, Richard secreted the verse in a pocket. He sat back and imagined the scene. Daphne would put a brave face forward as he revealed the verse. She would crumble when he refused to show it to her and then order his mother not to discuss it with her.

Richard imagined her delicate chin quiver; tears well in her blue eyes. The image disconcerted him. Did Daphne deserve this for trying to outwit him? Didn’t their agreement of all fair in love and treasure absolve her? Contemplating that, the question Richard most wanted answered came to mind. Was there something driving her to find the treasure of which he wasn’t aware? Had her brother’s debts ruined them financially? Startled by the possibility Richard swore.

An hour later Lady Laurissa watched a sombre Richard join her in the salon before dinner. When he paused on the threshold, she greeted him cheerfully. From the look on his face she deduced that the one person Richard most wanted to see was not present.

Lady Laurel nudged her husband in the ribs. “He ‘tis not going to be well pleased when he discovers Miss Stratton has left Heart Haven.”

“He doesn’t know she also has the verse,” Lord Ricman replied.

“But her leaving ruins the generous gesture he planned.”

Scowling at her, Lord Ricman asked, “What gesture?”

“Richard planned to share the verse with her.”

“Why would he do that? We both heard him crow how he had won at last.”

“That doesn’t matter,” Lady Laurel insisted. “Richard still resists the truth—refuses to acknowledge that he is in love with Miss Stratton—but his heart is yielding.” She flashed an innocent smile at her husband. “Stubborn like his father—like—thee.”

“I knew it would come to this,” huffed Lord Ricman. “Ungenerous, my dear.”

“If thou had listened to me we would ne’er have been caught in a downpour. ‘Twas why Father caught up with us that night.”

Lord Ricman pulled her into his arms. “But wasn’t our interlude before he arrived most pleasant?” he asked as he nuzzled her neck.

“Most,” she agreed, then frowned. “We should have left Daphne and Richard locked in the mausoleum much longer.”

“Patience, love.” Lord Ricman brushed his wife’s lips with a gentle kiss. “As soon as we know Richard’s plans we’ll be off to London and make certain Miss Stratton is safe and off to the Hound as soon as may be.

“Miss Stratton is late,” Richard said.

“Good eve to you,” Lady Laurissa said sardonically. “But Daphne is not late. She has left Heart Haven.”

“What do you mean?” he demanded. “When?”

“Do not use that tone with me,” Lady Laurissa told him.

“I apologize, Mother,” Richard ground that out between his teeth. “Do you know when Miss Stratton left? Did she go with anyone?”

Lady Laurissa fingered the folds of her skirt. “She left some time shortly after you left for the ruins.”

The baron glared at his mother when she said no more.

“Her brother called for her.”

Anger and frustration filled Richard at the thought of that damnable young cub of a brother who brought nothing but grief to Daphne. A sudden fear rose, then was forgotten in the midst of a new thought.

Richard stared at his mother, stunned with realization. “You knew she left. Did you know she had been to the ruin? Why in heaven’s name didn’t you tell me she left as soon as I returned?” he stormed.

“I don’t see why you are so upset,” she protested. “You are unhappy when Miss Stratton and her brother. Now that they are gone you should be pleased.”

“Did Miss Stratton visit with you at any time today?” Richard asked with unusual agitation.

“Why, yes, she did,” Lady Laurissa said.

“What did—” Richard fisted his hand at his side, and then drew a deep breath. He slowly released it and began again. “Was there a specific topic to your conversation?”

“It was delightful.” The baroness smiled as if with fond recollection. “I don’t oft have someone so interested in the family legend with whom to discuss it.”

Richard heard the scold in her voice. He damned the legend but knew he must pursue it. “What part interested her this afternoon?”

Lady Laurissa just gazed at him.

With a mental oath, Richard went to his mother and sat beside her. Her eager smile warned him he would not like what she was about to say.

“She asked about Lord Ricman and Lady Laurel.”

Heat burned his face but Richard managed an inquisitive grimace of a smile. “What specifically about them?” he prompted.

“Oh, about The Hound.” She twittered a laugh. “Can you imagine, Daphne thought it was, well, a
hound
.”

After passing a hand across his brow, Richard placed his palms on his thighs. “I have not paid due honour to the legend Mother. Would you be so kind as to tell me what this ‘hound’ is?”

The baroness chuckled. “’Tis a coaching inn, dear boy. What else could it be?”

“A coaching inn. Exactly.” His features brightened. “Do you know where it is located?”

“I don’t know if it still exists,” Lady Laurissa said, then leaned toward him eagerly. “’Tis part of the wonderful tale of how Lord Ricman, of course he was still just Ricman Blanchard then. He and Lady Laurel were caught in a rainstorm while they fled and halted at the inn. Her father found them there.”

“Where is it?” Richard asked tightly.

“It is said that Ricman, when he came into his title, gave the innkeeper a huge Cotswold jug of brandy as payment. I have heard that the inn displayed it e’en a century later.”

Richard rose. “Where is this inn, Mother?”

“Oh, hadn’t I said? I thought I told you,” she said. “It lies on the road to Gretna Green.”

“Did you tell this to Miss Stratton?”

“Of course, dear. Why would I not?” She looked at her hands and pursed her lips.

“’Tis to be regretted that at the last moment Daphne did not wish to go with her brother. I was told she was forced into his carriage,” the baroness added.

His mother looked up when he stalked toward the door. “Where are you going Dremore?” she asked.

“To London,” Richard replied without pausing. “I am going to wring Daphne Stratton and her brother’s necks,” he muttered. “And then I will go to The Hound.”

 * * * *

Daphne tugged hard on the doorknob. The door rattled but did not give. “Geoffrey, come back here,” she yelled. “Unlock this door.”

“When you agree to the arrangement I have made,” her brother said heatedly from the other side.

“There has to be another way,” Daphne pleaded. “I would never demand this of you.

“If there were a rich heiress to be had, I wouldn’t be asking it of you.”

“Let me speak to Sir Joshua about another loan.”

“I’ve seen him,” Geoffrey said. “There is no other way to save Trotter House, Daph. To save us. If there was I would—

“Please, Daph, do not force me to do what I cannot like. Don’t think to trick me either. When you regain your common sense your bridegroom will be summoned. We have a special license in hand.”

Daphne gave the door a fierce tug. It didn’t give.

“Saddie is locked in her room,” Geoffrey called out.

“How dare—” she began and then stamped angrily. There was no talking to Geoffrey at the moment. She had to think of some way out of this vile predicament.

An hour later Daphne still prowled around her chamber seeking a route to escape. The window was the most obvious but there was little to cushion her fall from the upper floor.

I wouldn’t get far with a broken limb
. With a heavy sigh she slumped down on the edge of her bed.

Chin in hand, Daphne’s thoughts went to Heart Haven and Richard. How angry had he been when he learned she had left? Would he guess she had discovered the verse?

The verse
, she thought and sat upright.
Richard will come to get it from me
. Relief flooded through Daphne.

If left her just as quickly. There was only one thing that would make a difference to her future. She had to find the treasure and pay Geoffrey’s gaming debts.

Daphne paced to and fro. “Perhaps I could ask Richard . . . Lord Dremore for a loan?”

He would laugh in your face. Could you bear that
?

Exhausted Daphne climbed under the coverlet. She thought of auras and of Richard. The reason for her inability to see his niggled at the edge of her mind just beyond her reach. Mayhaps ‘tis not how he is different but how he is like those whose auras I cannot see. When she fell asleep shimmers of spectres and Richard haunted Daphne’s dreams.

 * * * *

Eldridge paused just outside the open library door the next morning. Geoffrey lay sprawled in a chair. As he watched, the younger man pushed a hand through his disordered locks then gulped down the last of the port in his glass. Then Geoffrey set the glass down with a thump and shook his head.