Rivals of Fortune / The Impetuous Heiress (24 page)

Erland smiled down at her. “We have an agreement, he and I.”

“But what is it?”

“Oh no, I may not tell.”

“Just as you may not tell me what he was doing all day in your house?”

“But how would I know that?”

“You know. Frederick told me you did. I must say I think it is horrid of you, both of you, to plot without me. I was in this from the beginning, and now you won't tell me what is happening. Frederick was clearing out his secret passageway today, wasn't he? Did he find anything?”

Erland shrugged and smiled.

Joanna's eyes flashed. “It's too bad of you to treat me this way!”

Seeing that she was really angry, the man said, “Miss Joanna, this could be a dangerous hunt, you know, now that we seem close to whatever my uncle left. I don't think you should be involved.”

Joanna tossed her head. “But my young brother should? A mere boy?”

Erland smiled again, then suppressed it. “I will watch over Frederick. Believe me, I shall take care.”

She glared at him. “If it is safe for Frederick, it is for me as well.”

Erland looked uncomfortable. “Well, we also thought it best to keep our progress as close as possible. All through this affair, too many people have known…”

“You think I will tell tales then?” exploded Joanna, now thoroughly enraged. “You think I can't keep a secret?” She nearly walked away from him then, but somehow she could not. She wanted to show him just how mistaken he was.

The man reddened. “I did not mean…”

“Have I done so before?” she continued quickly. “Am I branded as a tattlebox then?”

Erland's brows came together. “I never said that. But…”

“But what?”

“Well, I believe you have mentioned several things to Sir Rollin Denby that we would have preferred…” He trailed off in embarrassment.

Joanna opened her mouth to confound him, and realized that he was right. In her foolish infatuation, she had told Sir Rollin nearly everything. She crimsoned. It could not matter what Denby knew, but it mattered very much indeed that Mr. Erland knew she had told him and what he thought about that fact. “I…I didn't,” she stammered. “I didn't mean…”

“Of course, you meant no harm,” said Erland quickly.

“No, and I…” Joanna struggled with pride and her intense desire to have this man respect her. “I didn't understand,” she managed. “I was mistaken in him.”

“Mistaken? In Sir Rollin, you mean?”

She nodded. “I thought he was so splendid, but he is
not
!”

“Not?” Erland looked down at her, some emotion growing in his eyes, and in that moment, Joanna realized that she wanted more than respect from this unusual man. She wanted love. He was nothing like the figure she had set up as her ideal short months ago, but she saw now that he was everything one could desire in a partner—intelligent, brave, kind, and principled. How stupid she had been not to see this before, how silly and young and stupid. “Oh, I wish I could do something to help you,” she cried.

Erland held her eyes for a moment, then took her hand. “You help me simply by existing,” he answered, and he brought her hand up and kissed it.

“Oh, how can you say so, when I have been so foolish?”

“Never foolish, sweet Joanna, perhaps only a bit inexperienced.”

She gazed at him, too affected to reply.

“Come, Joanna,” called her father from the carriage. “If we are going, let us not dawdle.”

She started and turned. “Oh, yes, Papa.”

Erland released her hand and walked with her to the vehicle. “I shall see you tomorrow,” he said. Everyone agreed and said good night, but somehow Joanna felt that this remark had been addressed chiefly to her.

When she went to bed that night, Joanna had trouble sleeping. She could think of nothing but Jonathan Erland and the way he had smiled at her as they drove away from the Abbey. Tomorrow seemed full of promise, but also terribly far off. At eleven thirty, she arose, put on her dressing gown, and went to sit by the window. The clouds were breaking up at last, and a half moon showed through the gaps from time to time. Joanna wondered what they would find under the great paving stone tomorrow and what would happen if Mr. Erland did indeed gain a fortune. This last brought a slight smile to her lips, and she was looking out over the garden and smiling when she heard a sound in the hallway outside her bedroom. Cocking her head, she frowned and listened. The noise did not come again, but she was certain there was someone in the corridor.

She walked over to the door and opened it. At the far end of the hall was her brother Frederick, fully dressed but carrying his shoes. He was tiptoeing toward the stairs with exaggerated caution. “Frederick!” exclaimed Joanna, and he jumped a foot in the air, dropping his shoes.

“What are you doing?” she continued, coming into the corridor. “Are you sneaking out of the house again? After Mother expressly forbade you?”

“Shhh,” responded her brother in an agonized whisper. “You will wake everyone.”

“I most certainly shall wake Mama if you do not go back to bed immediately,” said Joanna.

“Joanna, I can't. I am going to the Abbey. Mr. Erland asked me to come.”

She stared at him, astonished. “
Asked
you? Frederick, you…”

“He did. He is sure the thief will come back tonight, to try to pry up the stone. That's why he hurried everyone away today. He means to trap him. And I am going to help!”

This seemed to Joanna a very queer way of taking care of Frederick, as Erland had promised to do. “That will be dangerous.”

“Mr. Erland says thieves are cowards.”

“But he shot the dog and…”

“Yes, but Mr. Erland says that is not like facing another man. He does not think there will be any great danger.”

Joanna was getting a little tired of what “Mr. Erland says.” She put her hands on her hips and looked down at her brother. “Well, that is beside the point. I forbid you to go. Go back to your bed this instant.”

Frederick looked stubborn. “I shan't, and there's no way you can make me, Joanna. I am going now.” He turned and started toward the stairs again.

“I can call Mama,” replied Joanna, raising her voice.

Frederick stopped. “What's the matter with you? Don't you
want
to find out who has been hanging about the ruins?
And
who killed Valiant? We mean to catch him and turn him over to the constable.” He eyed her. “I'll come to your room as soon as I get back and tell you all about it,” he added, with the air of one offering an irresistible inducement.

Joanna considered. She did indeed want to find out these things, and about the treasure as well. But in spite of everything, she still resented being shut out of Frederick's and Erland's plans. Why, Frederick was nothing but a child. She came to a decision. “All right,” she said, “but I shall go with you.”

Frederick was appalled. “Come with me? You can't do that!”

“Why not?”

“But, well, you just
can't
. You weren't invited,” he finished triumphantly.

This only made Joanna more determined to go. “I'm going to get dressed,” she said, turning away. “You will wait for me here, or I shall wake Mother and send someone after you.”

“You will spoil the whole…”

“Not if you wait for me,” snapped Joanna, and she went into her bedroom and began to pull clothes from her wardrobe.

It took her only a few minutes to dress. She put on an old gown and drew a cloak over it. It was not cold, but the grass was still damp, and besides, the cloak was dark gray and would be effective concealment. Joanna's heart beat faster as she thought this. Here was an adventure indeed.

Frederick was at the head of the stairs when she came out. She had been a little afraid he would be gone—she did not really want to wake their parents and betray him. But he was there, and in a moment they were hurrying down to the ground floor.

“I go out through the library window,” said Frederick sulkily at the foot of the staircase. “That way I needn't leave a door unbolted. I don't see how you can climb out with those skirts.”

“I shall manage.”

She did, though her skirts were definitely a hindrance. Frederick caught her when she tripped on them and steadied her for a moment, then they set off on a footpath across the fields. In two minutes the hems of Joanna's cloak and gown were wet and dragging. She started to complain, then held her tongue when she thought what Frederick's reply was likely to be.

The walk to the Abbey was not short, but going through the fields, it took only about half an hour. And the occasional emergence of the moon helped them see their way. They reached the ruins at about twelve thirty, and Frederick grasped her wrist.

“Come along,” he whispered. “I shall lead you to the place.”

He guided her around rocks and behind a section of wall to a place where two walls still stood to form a corner. In one of them, a window gave a clear view of the spot where they had been working earlier in the day. Joanna saw the paving block still propped up on the piece of wood she had thrust in. “This is where we wait,” whispered Frederick. He crouched down on a fragment of stone, oblivious to the wet, and adjusted himself so that he could look through the window comfortably. After a moment's hesitation, Joanna did likewise.

“Where is Mr. Erland?” she whispered.

“He is over on the other side. He told me to keep watch here. You must be quiet, Joanna.”

A bit offended, she turned away from him. She pressed her lips together and began to watch.

In half an hour, she was heartily bored. No one came to the site, and there was nothing to observe. “When do you think he will come?” she whispered to Frederick.

“Do be quiet!” he hissed back, ignoring her question. “Girls! Why
did
you come?”

Angry, she sat back. But in a few moments, they heard a movement behind them and whirled to find Jonathan Erland there. “Joanna!” he exclaimed when they turned. “What are you doing here?” Realizing he had spoken aloud, he lowered his voice to a whisper. “Frederick, what are you about, bringing your sister?”

“I didn't!” the boy hissed indignantly. “She brought herself.”

Joanna added, “He could not stop me. I wanted to join the adventure. It is not fair to keep me out.” Her face felt hot as she remembered their previous conversation.

“You must go home,” replied Erland.

“I won't. If Frederick is allowed to be here, so am I.” Joanna met his eyes defiantly. “I must watch him.”

Frederick made a disgusted noise.

“I don't think you should have asked Frederick to come in any case,” added the girl, pressing her point. “If there is some danger, he could be hurt.”

His eyes twinkling appreciatively, Erland said, “I do not anticipate any danger, but I would still rather you went home.”

Joanna crossed her arms over her breast and set her jaw.

Ignoring her, Frederick leaned forward and whispered, “Did you do it?”

Erland nodded, and before Joanna could ask about this cryptic exchange, murmured, “Listen!”

The others fell silent immediately. They strained their ears, and faint sounds of horses came across the grass.

Erland laid a hand on each of their shoulders and sank down on a rock behind them. Leaning forward, he could watch also, his head just between the two of theirs. “He's coming,” he whispered very low.

Joanna trembled with excitement at the thought. They would actually watch the intruder at his work.

They waited; the sounds of horses came closer. There was more than one. Frederick opened his mouth to speak, but Erland put a hand over it and shook his head warningly.

An instant later, they saw the intruders. Two men emerged from the tumbled rocks at the left and moved toward the pavement. They were leading their mounts. The first was a burly individual in a frieze overcoat. He had a coil of rope over his shoulder and a shapeless hat pulled over his face. Joanna did not think she had ever seen him before, but it was hard to tell in the dim light. She looked toward the other man, and at that moment, the moon came from behind a cloud. Joanna gasped. The second man was Sir Rollin Denby! Erland pressed her shoulder hard.

Numb with surprise, Joanna watched the two make their way to the propped-up paving stone and begin to secure the rope around it. This took some time, as the rope had to be worked through narrow cracks. She couldn't move; she could only stare. Was it really Sir Rollin? She couldn't believe it; yet, there he was. How could he do such a despicable thing?

Though Joanna had decided that Denby was perhaps not all she had thought him in the beginning, she had never expected him to do anything so wrong or dishonorable. Mutely, Joanna turned around to Erland. He met her eyes solemnly, sympathy in his own. He shook his head very slightly. Joanna turned back to the scene before them.

The two men knotted the rope around the rock. They did not speak; clearly, they had made their plan in advance. When the rope was secure, the burly man took the free end and went to the two horses; he began to tie it around one of the saddles.

Joanna watched him knot it, try it with a sharp tug, then go on to Denby's raw-boned hunter and repeat the process. In a few moments, the rope was secured to both saddles, the horses connected as if they were a team. The burly man went back to Denby, who was making adjustments to a dark lantern he had set on the ground near the stone. He tapped Denby's shoulder and gestured toward the horses; Denby nodded. He rose, picked up a large timber lying nearby, then nodded again. The other went to the horses' heads and urged them forward.

The rope stretched taut. The animals strained visibly. At first, Joanna thought that they would not be able to move the stone, but after a moment, it started to rise, first slowly then with a rush. Frederick took a deep breath, whether of chagrin or satisfaction Joanna could not tell.

Sir Rollin pushed the timber into the newly opened aperture. The hole was now at least three feet wide. He waved to the other man, who let the horses slack off. The timber held.

Denby examined it quickly, striking it once to make sure it would not slip, then he picked up the dark lantern and held it down into the hole. There was a thin rope tied around the handle, and as he paid it out, it became obvious that there was a space open under the stone. The burly man came over to peer down just as Denby stopped letting out rope. “I may be a few minutes,” whispered Denby, and he disappeared through the opening.

The next few minutes were among the longest Joanna could remember. She had to remain perfectly still and quiet, for the burly man looked around watchfully, but she was nearly bursting with the need to talk. What did Erland mean to do? When would he descend on the thieves? Did he have constables waiting somewhere to leap out? Neither of her companions made a sign. They merely stared at the hole where Denby had disappeared. What would happen when he came back?

After what seemed an eternity, the light of the lantern shone up through the opening once more. She heard a shrill whistle, and the burly man knelt and leaned down, extending his arms. In another moment, he straightened, holding a metal box about eighteen inches square. He heaved it up and set it on the ground beside him. Joanna turned to stare wide-eyed at Erland. But he did not look at her, and she followed his gaze back to the scene. The man was now hauling up the lantern, and in another moment, Denby was vaulting out of the hole, pulling himself up with his arms. The other man helped him climb out and to his feet, then strode quickly to the horses, loosening the rope about their saddles. Denby bent and picked up the box, carrying it to the now unencumbered mounts. He held it before the pommel of his saddle and swung up.

Joanna turned again, desperately. They were getting away with the treasure. Would Erland do nothing to stop them? He met her eyes, smiled reassuringly, and pressed down on her shoulder. Surely he had some plan? She turned back.

Both men were mounted now, and they moved off among the rocks. She watched until they were out of sight, then, unable to wait any longer, said, “You are not letting them get away? Is someone waiting at the gate? What are we going to do?”

“Shhh,” hissed Frederick. “They might hear.”

“
They
might hear!” She turned desperately to Erland. “Won't you go after them? They have your treasure!”

“There's no need,” put in Frederick. “We…”

“No need?” exploded Joanna. “Why you…you dunce! Don't you understand how important this is to Mr. Erland? Don't you understand
anything
?”

Erland started to speak, but Frederick forestalled him. “Oh, I'm a dunce, am I? Well, it happens that I know quite a bit more about things than you, Joanna. We…”

“You don't know anything, either of you,” retorted the overwrought girl. “All this watching and waiting, and now you have let them walk off with the chest without lifting a finger.” And she burst into tears.

“Joanna…Miss Rowntree,” said Erland.

“Girls!” said Frederick disgustedly. “If we had, what good would crying do? But we didn't. I told Mr. Erland where the treasure was, and he removed it this evening, before we came.”

It took Joanna a moment to understand this statement. She went on crying, and Jonathan Erland took this opportunity to slip an arm around her and offer his shoulder as a headrest. In this comfortable position, she considered Frederick's remarks. All at once, she straightened.

“Removed it?” she cried. She looked accusingly to Erland. “
You
did?”