The Dangerous Lord Darrington (27 page)

‘It also meant that the Crown could not take the estate, should Simon be found guilty of murder and or robbery.’

‘True, but Papa did not know Simon had been accused. We made sure we kept that from him.’

‘But Radworth knew.’

Beth blinked. ‘What has that to say to anything?’

‘It was entirely in Radworth’s interest to make sure the estate came to you.’

‘That’s nonsense! Miles had never been to Yorkshire before he brought us news of Simon.’

‘But perhaps, once he had seen Malpass, he decided to have it, at all costs.’

A heavy silence filled the coach.

‘You think he proposed merely to gain the Priory?’ she said coldly. ‘That is not very complimentary to me, sir.’

‘Do you think he loves you?’

She sat up very straight. ‘Yes, I do.’

‘Then why were you so loath to tell him that Simon was alive?’ he said softly. When she did not answer he sat forwards. ‘Beth—’

‘No!’ She flinched away from him and huddled herself in the corner. ‘That is a despicable thing to say. I know no ill of Miles Radworth.’

‘Praise indeed!’

She glared at him. ‘I would stake my life that he knew nothing of the Priory or the family when he came north to tell us about Simon. For nigh on two years he has been on hand to support us, even neglecting his own estates in the south and hiring a house in Fentonby. That is not the action of a bad man.’

‘It is certainly the action of a patient one,’ returned the earl mildly. ‘Tell me, Beth—in all the time of your courtship, has he
never
tried to take you to his bed?’

‘He has tried to…to kiss me.’

‘A veritable Lothario!’

Her cheeks flamed. ‘Not everyone is as…as impetuous as you, my lord!’

‘Imp—! Beth, no man who professed to love you could keep his hands off you for so long, believe me!’

‘No,’ she said, putting her hands over her ears. ‘You are trying to tell me that Miles is a fortune hunter and I will not believe it!’ She lifted her head, blinking away the tears. ‘Is it not enough that I am going to end our betrothal. Must you seek to vilify him, too?’

‘I do not seek to do anything,’ retorted Guy. ‘I want you to be on your guard, Beth.’

‘Thank you,’ she replied stiffly, ‘I am quite capable of making my own mind up about Miles and I am sure there is no harm in him.’

Guy relapsed into silence. He applauded her loyalty, but his instinct was to distrust Miles Radworth. Perhaps Beth was right and he was a good man, perhaps it was jealousy that made him so uneasy, but he doubted it, and if his suspicions were correct, then their arrival back at Malpass could be fraught with danger.

There was little time to dwell on what the future might hold, for the journey north proved to have dangers of its own. They had not been travelling long before the coach slowed and the footman came to the door to inform them that the road was flooded. It proved passable, but the rain continued to cause problems and they made slow progress to Godmanchester, where the floodwaters kept them at the inn for three days.

Beth was anxious to get back to Malpass and show Madame de Beaune’s deposition to Simon. She was obliged to curb her impatience, for all the reports coming in spoke of floodwater all around them, carriages swept away and livestock drowned.

‘We are best sitting it out,’ Guy told her. ‘We are safer here than trying to find a way through the floodwaters.’

Beth knew it was true, but the wait fretted her; the only time she forgot her troubles was at night, when Guy would take her in his arms and kiss away her cares. They grew so close, so comfortable together, that she wondered how she had ever lived without him.

Eventually word came through that the road was passable and they set off early the next morning to join a long procession of carts, wagons and carriages crossing the medieval bridge at Huntingdon. Beth watched horrified as they travelled all day through a landscape mired by the floods. Uprooted trees littered the riverbanks, hedges and roads were filmed with mud and buildings displayed the telltale brown watermarks, sometimes as high as the upstairs windows, and the occupants had carried their furniture and belongings into the sun to dry out.

As they moved farther north they left the floods behind them and gradually Beth’s mind turned back to her own problems.

They had spent one more night on the road and after an other long and tiring day’s travel the earl’s carriage drove into Thirsk as the autumn sun was setting.

‘Would you like me to hire a gig for you?’ asked Guy as they slowed to enter the town. ‘You might want to avoid awkward questions and return to the Priory alone.’

‘And what would you do?’

‘I will put up in Fentonby.’

She reached out her hand to him. ‘Thank you, but no. I think it is time I put an end to this pretence. Besides,’ she said, smiling, ‘I would miss you too much.’

He kissed her fingers. ‘I am glad of that. To tell you the truth I do not want to let you out of my sight.’

He leaned out to give instructions to Thomas. Beth clasped her hands together, another few miles and she would be home. She wondered how Sophie had coped without her, looking after Grandmama and Simon. She hoped her brother was getting better. When she had left the fever had abated and he was beginning to look and act more like his old self—his recovery would certainly be helped when he heard her news. She had sent a note by express when they stopped overnight at Retford, telling Sophie to expect her. It was the first correspondence she had dared to write, fearing that any letter might fall into the wrong hands and the truth would be discovered, but now she was aware of a growing excitement.

She clutched her reticule to her. She could not wait to show the letter to Sophie and Simon. Tomorrow they would ask Sir John Marton to call and then… She did not know how the process of law worked, but she was sure that Sir Thomas would agree to Simon remaining at Malpass while his name was cleared. She looked out of the window, her eyes searching the darkness for familiar landmarks. They rattled through Fentonby and she looked out for the elegant town house that Miles had rented. Poor Miles, she was not looking forward to her interview with him, but it must be done, and then she would be free to marry Guy. She swallowed, clamping down the excitement and hope that bubbled within her. She must not anticipate too much yet, there were still hurdles to be crossed and she was foolishly superstitious that if she took her happiness for granted it would all be snatched away from her.

‘Here we are.’

Guy’s words brought her back to the present. The carriage slowed to turn into the Priory’s gateway and a moment later she was fumbling with the carriage door.

‘Here, let me.’ Guy gently moved her aside to open the door and jump out. She could hardly wait until he had put down the steps before descending.

‘Where is everyone? Surely they should have been looking out for us! Perhaps they did not receive my note.’

Picking up her skirts, she ran up the steps. The door opened to her touch and she hurried inside.

‘Sophie! Grandmama!’ She hurried into the great hall, tossing her cloak, bonnet and reticule on to the settle and not noticing the gloves and riding crop already resting there. ‘Oh, there you are! How glad I am to see you both, I—’ She stopped. Her grandmother was sitting in her usual armchair, regal as ever, if a little paler, but Sophie was kneeling at her feet, her face buried in the black skirts. She looked up at Beth’s words, her face white and her eyes swollen with crying.

‘Oh, Beth,’ she cried, her voice choking on a sob. ‘It’s Simon! He has been arrested!’

Chapter Eighteen

‘I
s that you, Elizabeth?’ Lady Arabella peered shortsightedly across the room and held out an imperious hand. ‘Where have you been, girl? It is most irregular for you to disappear in that way!’

Beth hurried to her grandmother, leaving Guy to follow.

‘She is very shocked,’ murmured Sophie. ‘I told her you had gone to London, but I do not think she understood me.’

‘I am here, Grandmama,’ said Beth softly, kneeling beside the old woman and taking her hand. ‘I have been away, but I am back now, and I will take care of everything.’

‘Where is Simon?’ demanded the old lady querulously. ‘You told me he was dead. Now Sophie says it is not so. If he is alive, I want to see him.’

‘We will bring him back soon, I promise.’ Beth looked at her sister. ‘I do not understand. Why was there no one at the door? Where is Kepwith?’

‘We are all in disarray—the soldiers insisted on searching the whole house. Two of the maids fell into hysterics and one of the footmen objected. He was knocked down and cut open his head. Mrs Robinson is with him even now,’ replied Sophie, wiping her eyes. ‘Kepwith went off to the kitchens with—’

She broke off. Guy’s head snapped up as a soft, familiar voice came from the other side of the room.

‘Here we are. I found all the herbs I needed for my special tisane, Lady Arabella. This will settle your nerves.’

Clarice Cordonnier came into the hall, carefully carrying a saucer and cup from which issued a pale column of fragrant steam.

‘What the devil are you doing here?’

Guy could not restrain the fierce exclamation. A glance at Beth showed him that she was on her feet, staring at the woman.

Clarice merely opened her eyes wide at him. ‘I rode over this afternoon. I hired a horse in Fentonby.’

‘Mrs Cordonnier was here when Simon was taken,’ explained Sophie, wiping her eyes.

‘I have been comforting the family.’ Clarice put the cup and saucer into Lady Arabella’s outstretched hands. ‘There you are, my lady. Sip it slowly and you will soon feel better.’

‘And just how did you get here from London?’ demanded Beth.

‘I caught the night mail and then hired a carriage to Fentonby. I have to say, I did not expect you to be quite so far behind me.’

Her mocking glance made Guy clench his jaw in anger.

‘I’ll wager you are up to no good!’

She gave a soft laugh. ‘How suspicious you are, Darrington. After Mrs Forrester’s kindness to me in London I wanted to be of use to her. From our conversation I thought the family might be in some trouble, so I came north to see if I could help.’ Her smile widened. ‘After all, ma’am, you advised me to use Darrington’s money wisely.’

‘But how did you find the Priory?’ asked Beth.

‘You said your family lived close to Fentonby, and by good fortune Miss Sophie was in the town on the very day I arrived!’

She bent her honeyed smile towards Sophie and Guy wanted to place himself between Clarice and the other women, as if by doing so he could protect them.

‘Then thank you for your help, but we will not take up more of your time,’ said Beth. ‘Kepwith will see you out.’

There was an uneasy silence.

‘I invited Mrs Cordonnier to stay,’ muttered Sophie. She flinched as Guy smothered an oath and gazed anxiously at her sister. ‘She s-said she had met you in London, that she was a close friend of Lord D-Darrington…’

‘Perhaps I stretched the truth a little,’ murmured Clarice, still smiling. ‘But with the family in such disarray I thought I might be able to help…’

Beth drew herself up. ‘Thank you, but I think you should leave us now, madam.’ Her tone was quiet but firm. She nodded towards the butler, who had come silently into the room. ‘Kepwith, you will send a note to the stables, if you please. Mrs Cordonnier’s horse is to be brought to the door
immediately
.’

‘I quite understand that you will want to be alone with your family,’ purred Clarice. ‘But surely you would not send me off so late at night…’

Her wide-eyed, helpless look had no effect on Guy, who said merely, ‘There is a good moon, you will not lose your way.’

In no way discomposed, Clarice merely gave a soft laugh.

‘I did not think there would be any harm,’ said Sophie, turning a beseeching look upon her sister. ‘She seemed to know so much about you and Lord Darrington and she was so easy to talk to.’ She paused, then said miserably, ‘I was very lonely here, you see, so much anxiety…’

Lady Arabella looked up from sipping her tisane. ‘It was very wrong of you to leave Sophie here alone, Elizabeth,’ she said severely. ‘The poor child has not been herself.’

Beth patted her shoulder. ‘I shall not go away again, Grandmama, I promise.’

‘And why is Darrington with you? I thought you had gone to stay with Maria Crowther in Ripon.’

‘Hush, Grandmama,’ murmured Sophie. ‘I told you there was a change of plans and Beth went to London instead.’

‘I am quite
désolée
to be leaving you, Miss Sophie, but I can see that you have no need of me, now you have your sister and Lord Darrington to support you.’ Clarice moved across to the settle to pick up her gloves and riding crop. ‘Pray send me word to let me know what happens about your poor brother. Goodbye, Lady Arabella.’

Sophie’s murmured reply was incoherent. Lady Arabella looked up, the tea cup rattling in its saucer. Beth moved swiftly to take it from her as the old lady became agitated.

‘Where is she going? It is very late to be travelling.’ The faded eyes fixed themselves upon Guy. ‘Darrington—is that you? You should escort the lady, my lord.’