Seducing the Rake (Mad, Bad and Dangerous Heroes) (51 page)

But it was a lie.

~ ~ ~

Outside, in the hall, Morland’s reassurance swiftly gave way to raw fury.

He paced angrily, his fists clenched at his sides. “Damn it, Jamie, I don’t want to alarm her any more than she already is. She’s no fool—she realized almost as quickly as I did that those two were no idle poachers.”

“And we can assume they were after Chessy and not you?”

Morland did not immediately answer, and his silence spoke volumes.

“Well?”

The earl raked his hand through his long bronze hair. “Yes—no—I don’t know. But there was something that made me think…”

“Out with it then.”

Morland frowned at the door to Chessy’s room. “They seemed to know the terrain—every bloody inch of it.”

Cameron gave a silent whistle. “Which means that they might have been after
you,
since they’d taken the trouble to learn the layout of Sevenoaks. Is that it?”

At Morland’s tense nod, he pounded his fist against his palm. “But how can we make any plans if we don’t know
whom
they’re after?”

“Exactly what I’ve been asking myself, Jamie.” Morland’s eyes narrowed. “And that is why you’re going to stay here and keep watch on Chessy while I ride back out and see if I can’t find the answer to that question.”

“What if she wakes? She’ll be angry as blazes if she finds you went back there alone.”

“She won’t wake,” the earl said grimly. “I added some laudanum to the hot chocolate I gave her.”

“Did you now? She’ll be mad as a hornet at that bit of high-handedness, and no mistake.”

Morland shrugged. “Have you any better ideas?”

“I suppose not. At least take someone with you. Haven’t you a brawny bailiff or a gamekeeper of some sort?”

“The bailiff is seventy-six years old and has rheumatism. The estate gamekeeper died at Vimiero,” Moreland went on grimly. “Along with his three brothers. No, I’m afraid it will have to be just me.”

“Well, I don’t like it, not a whit. Be careful out there, do you hear me?”

Morland’s jaw locked in a hard line. “Don’t worry, old friend. I bloody well intend to.”

~ ~ ~

It was the slow, sliding shadow that woke her. He moved just at the edge of her vision, as if fearful of waking her.

Chessy’s heart lurched, then twisted into a knot of fear.

The next instant, she saw the thick bronze hair, the keen sapphire eyes. “Tony!” She sat up sleepily and rubbed her eyes. “I-I thought you’d gone out to speak with Father.”

He turned slowly. His face warmed in a small smile. “I meant to, but … I discovered I’d dropped something—my gloves, actually. Do you mind?”

“That you awoke me? No, of course not. But I did wonder why you were creeping about like that.” She stifled a yawn. “Heavens, I feel like I’ve slept the very sleep of the dead.” Abruptly her violet eyes widened. “You put something in my drink, didn’t you?”

He did not move. “I?”

“You did! Admit it!”

The handsome features relaxed slightly. “Well, perhaps just a hint of laudanum.”

Chessy glared. “I don’t care for it, I warn you. Next time, tell me before you do such a thing.” Then, as she stifled another yawn: “But I suppose it’s only fair to admit it. I haven’t slept so well in years.”

She settled back against the pillows and patted the bed at her side.

He still did not move.

“Is something wrong? It’s not the children, is it?”

As her voice rose in fear, he seemed to shake free of his trance. He strode toward the bed. “No, the children are fine. Just—hush.”

“Oh. I thought—”

He came down slowly beside her. His face was turned away, in profile. “They’re fine, really. Everything is fine. Now why don’t you go back to sleep?”

She smoothed her slender fingers over the soft coverlet. “I … I don’t have to, you know. Sleep, that is.” She swallowed. “I feel fine. Just a twinge or two.” Her eyes were full and very uncertain, but brave as well. She swallowed again and touched the soft linen at his sleeve. And then; her voice low and tremulous: “I-I love you, Anthony Morland. Do you know how very much?”

He might have stiffened, although it was hard to be sure, with his face turned at an angle. His eyes seemed to fill with shadows.

And then he laughed, low and bitter. “Let me get this straight. Miss Cameron. Are you inviting me to share your bed?”

Chessy could only stare at him.

Her look of bewilderment and pain was answer enough.

He smothered a curse and rose abruptly. “Forgive me, my dear. It’s just that—I must not stay. The grounds must be searched.” His eyes darkened as he stared down at her. “Believe me, nothing else would keep me from you right now.” He moved to the door.

“You’ll check on the children, won’t you? Elspeth has been having nightmares, I gather.”

“Of course.”

“And you’ll return? You’ll … be close by?”

His face was unreadable in the shadowed interior where the sunlight never reached. “Every minute, my dear. Every single minute. I’ll be very close.”

It was only later—and far too late—that Chessy realized he’d gone off without the gloves he said he’d come looking for.

He crisscrossed the valley for two hours, but he found no trace of the riders. Deep down, Morland realized he hadn’t really expected to find anything.

Oh, yes, they were good, these men. Already some instinct warned Morland that they were even better than he feared.

When he cantered back up the gravel drive two hours later, his face was very grim, and he was forced to wonder if he could keep Chessy safe, even here at Sevenoaks.

Elspeth was waiting for him outside the stables. Sliding from Storm, he tossed the reins to a waiting groom and then scooped her up into his arms.

The child’s face was very white. “She’s—she’s going to die, isn’t she? The way they always do.”

“Die? Of course not. Who has been talking such nonsense to you?”

“I saw the blood. And then they c-closed the door and wouldn’t let me in. You don’t have to lie, Uncle Tony.”

“I am
not
lying. Miss Cameron is
not
going to die, Elspeth! She simply hurt her ankle and needs to rest for a few days.”

The cornflower-blue eyes studied him, unconvinced.

He made his decision then. He had meant to wait, but perhaps this way was best after all. Carefully he slid back onto a low brick wall outside the stable and settled Elspeth in his lap. “Can I trust you with a secret?”

The blue eyes widened.

“We’d meant to tell you later, but—well, you see, Miss Cameron and I are to be married. Very soon, in fact, and right here at Sevenoaks. Now you’ll have to believe me when I tell you that she is simply resting and
not
sick at all. You want her to look her best for the wedding, don’t you?”

Elspeth’s lip trembled. “Oh,” she said raggedly. “How—how nice. Can Je’emy and I come to visit?” she asked wistfully. “Just sometimes? If you wouldn’t m-mind awfully?”

“Visit?”
Morland caught her cheeks in his hands. He fought to keep his voice steady as rage filled him, rage for the twisted, irresponsible parents who had left this child so uncertain of her future. “My dear child, you’re going to do far more than
visit.
You’re going to live with us, of course, right here at Sevenoaks. And sometimes in London.” He frowned. “Unless you don’t wish to.”

“Not live with you?” Elspeth threw her arms around him and clutched him with all the strength of her five years. “Oh, Uncle Tony, do you mean it?
Truly?”

“Of course I mean it, imp.”

“We’ll be good,
very
good. I won’t torment Cook, and I’ll wash behind my ears. And I’ll say my prayers every night. Even Dolly will be good! We won’t be incorrgI-Incorrsible, not ever again, even if you bring back that horrid Miss Twitchett. I-I promise!”

Tony smiled. “No more Miss Twitchett. We’ll find someone much better, I promise you.”

Abruptly Elspeth frowned. “But—would you possibly have room for one more. Uncle Tony?”

The Earl of Morland, hero of Badajoz and
Sala
manca, swallowed, wondering what bombshell was to be loosed upon him next. “One more? And who might that be?”

“Well, might Napoleon come too? He won’t eat much, honestly he won’t. And he’s ever so clean. For a frog, that is.”

Morland hid a smile. “I suppose we might find a spot for one more,” he said softly. “As long as he’s
very
clean.”

“Oh, Uncle Tony! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Suddenly the hardened soldier of the Peninsular campaigns found himself blinking back tears as he was wrapped once more in a fierce, childish embrace.

~ ~ ~

Chessy slept on through the afternoon, much to Tony’s relief. After his return, he went several times to check on her, and each time he found her sleeping soundly. He had felt a twinge of guilt at slipping the laudanum into her chocolate, but he knew her well enough to realize that she would have refused to rest otherwise.

And Tony wanted her safe inside where he and Jamie could keep a careful eye on her.

He had allowed Elspeth into the room once to reassure her that Miss Chessy was simply sleeping. The little girl had studied Chessy for long moments, then looked up at Tony. “I believe you now,” she said gravely. “She’s—she’s beautiful, isn’t she? Even while she’s sleeping,”

“So she is, imp. And so are you.”

Elspeth had flushed with pleasure, then skipped outside, giggling and eager to pass this amazing bit of information on to her toplofty brother.

As Morland followed her from the room, he heard the drum of horses along the drive.

“Who can that be?” he muttered, closing the door to Chessy’s room and nodding to Cameron, who sat guard in a chair outside, perusing the latest publication of the Royal Geologic Society.

Morland found, several minutes later, that it was Viscount Ravenhurst and his vibrant wife, come to felicitate him on his impending nuptials.

Morland was thunderstruck. “But how did you—”

A grimy face appeared in the carriage window. “Hullo, guv! Hope yer don’t mind, but this here nob was pokin’ about, askin’ where yer and the young miss piked off to. Seein’ he said he was yer friend and all, I decided to tell him.”

“You! And how did
you
know my plans, urchin?”

“Coo! No problem wiff that! All I did was to listen out at the stables while yer gave yer orders to the coachman. Yer really oughter be more mindful where yer do yer talking, guv.” He stared up at the great house, wide-eyed. “Gor blimey! So this is Sevenoaks. No wonder yer was wishful to get back.”

Morland studied the boy thoughtfully. Perhaps this new development was no bad idea. He’d been worried about his lack of manpower and had sent into the village for several reliable men, but he didn’t know how long that would take. Now at least he would have his old friend Ravenhurst to keep watch on Chessy. And the grimy, resourceful Bamaby would be perfect to keep an eye on the children.

“Well, you’ve done me a good turn, young fellow. At least I think you have. Why don’t you go on inside, and I’ll have Cook see to your luncheon. I don’t suppose you’ve eaten, have you?”

The boy shook his head. “Precious little. I cud eat a horse right now, and no mistake!”

“I doubt that Mrs. Sibley has horsemeat on the menu, but I’m certain she’ll come up with an adequate alternative.”

Morland directed the boy off to the waiting housekeeper, who eyed his grimy face with misgiving and led him off downstairs.

The viscount studied Tony thoughtfully. “I can’t say that you look delighted to see us, Morland. Have we come at an inopportune time? When the boy told us of your plans, Tess—that is, we—”