The Dangerous Lord Darrington (33 page)

She shrugged him off. ‘Never! How can you expect me to marry you now?’

‘As you wish,’ he murmured. ‘Pity, because you are quite beautiful and I would enjoy having you as my bride. But there it is—if you wish to cry off, then your brother will hang for his…crimes, and as the sister of a murderer, are you sure Darrington will want to marry you? He has been trying to re-establish his position, you know. There are calls for him to return to the Cabinet. He won’t be able to do that if he is involved in another scandalous liaison.’ He stepped up and held out his arm. ‘Come, madam. Be sensible. Do what is right for your family.’

Beth hesitated. A sudden break in the crowd gave her a clear view across the room to where Lady Arabella was sitting, the Malpass diamonds glittering in the candlelight. She must buy time. Time to consider. Time for Guy to come back to her. Slowly she raised her hand and laid her fingers on his arm.

‘For tonight we will continue,’ she said coldly. ‘I cannot think properly.’

He put his hand over hers. ‘Very well, my dear. Look, there is a new set forming. Let us join the dancers.’

She allowed him to lead her out and into that same crowd, more dazed than ever.

As they took their places in the set he leaned closer. ‘Did I tell you how ravishing you look tonight, my dear?’

She averted her head. ‘Please, Miles, people are staring at us.’

‘Let them,’ he said, carrying her hand to his lips. ‘We will soon be husband and wife, will we not? They should not be surprised if we act like lovers.’

Lovers. Beth could barely suppress a shudder at the word. The music began and she went mechanically through the steps, her smile fixed, but all the time she was trying to order her thoughts. Panic was beginning to fill her: she would have to break the engagement. But how? When? It was impossible to say anything tonight, in so public a place. When Miles led her off the floor and they began a tour of the room, gathering congratulations as they went, she felt she was being swept inexorably along in the wrong direction.

Suddenly her wandering gaze alighted upon a group of gentlemen gathered about a voluptuous lady in gold satin, ostrich plumes nodding from her blonde head. She stopped.

‘Ah.’ Miles followed her gaze. ‘Mrs Cordonnier. Shall we speak to her?’

‘I would rather die first!’

He laughed softly. ‘Very well, we will turn away.’

‘I could tell Sir John—’

‘And what would be the point of that, when I have told you that I have the paper now?’ His hand tightened. ‘Smile, Elizabeth. Remember this is a happy day.’

Reluctantly Beth curbed her impatience and allowed Miles to take her down to supper. She was tired and dispirited. She longed to go home, away from the whispers and curious glances, but Miles was determined to show her off. Her grandmother was also content to stay; when Beth suggested to Davey that he might wish to retire he quickly denied it, saying how much he was enjoying the company. Since he had spent the best part of the evening with Sophie beside him Beth could well believe it. She looked around her, trying to conceal her desperation. Where was Guy?

Miles claimed her hand for the last of the country dances, but as soon as the music ended she begged to be taken back to her grandmother.

‘Forgive me, Miles, but these past few days have been very anxious for me.’

Miles patted her hand. ‘I understand, my dear. Perhaps it is time I moved into the Priory. I could be of more help to you—and there will be much to do. I will need to draw up an inventory.’

Beth threw up her head, an angry retort springing to her lips, but at that moment their attention was claimed by a flurry of activity at the entrance.

‘Good Gad,’ said Miles, ‘who can be arriving at this time of night?’

Beth’s fatigue vanished as she looked towards the door. Guy had returned and on his arm, looking about her nervously, was Madame de Beaune. So
this
was why he had asked her to trust him. They did not need the deposition if they had the lady herself to give evidence!

‘What does Darrington think he is about?’ muttered Miles, beside her. ‘To bring a guest in now, when all the dancing is ended.’

He did not recognise her, thought Beth. But why should he? When he had seen her she had been a pretty French bride, powdered and bewigged. Now she was merely a sober young widow in an unremarkable gown and with her own hair curled neatly around her head.

Beth hid her smile and gave his arm a little tug. ‘Come along, then. I will present you!’

Sir John Marton and Mr Davies were talking with Guy and the lady as they approached and Beth slowed her step, reluctant to interrupt, but almost immediately Sir John spotted her and broke off, beckoning her to come forwards.

‘Well, well, Mrs Forrester, this is a turn up and no mistake!’ cried the magistrate, beaming at her. ‘It would appear Lord Darrington arranged for this lady to come here and speak in your brother’s defence.’

‘And I am delighted to see her,’ replied Beth. ‘Madame de Beaune, you must allow me to tell you how grateful I am that you have come here. Allow me to present Mr Miles Radworth to you, Madame. You may recall he was with Simon on that fateful night.’

Miles had dropped behind but now he stepped up and made a flourishing bow. Madame de Beaune curtsied.

‘Of course I remember you,
monsieur
. You were travelling with poor Monsieur Wakeford.’

‘He will not be “poor Monsieur Wakeford” for much longer,’ declared Sir John. ‘My lord, bring this lady to me in the morning and I will take her statement, If all you have told me this evening is true, then Wakeford will be a free man by noon.’

From the corner of her eye Beth noticed Clarice slipping out of the room. She wanted to call Guy’s attention to the fact, but only for a moment. Clarice Cordonnier was no longer important.

She said with a smile, ‘That is excellent news! I must tell Grandmama and Sophie!’

‘Of course,’ said Miles, stepping back for her to pass him. ‘But if you will excuse me, I think I should be going. It is getting late.’ He began to move towards the door.

‘Just a moment!’ Guy stepped forwards. ‘What has happened to your watch, Radworth?’

‘My… I didn’t bring it tonight.’

‘That’s odd, I am sure I saw you looking at it earlier,’ remarked Davey.

Guy reached out and hooked his finger around the chain at Miles’s waist. The watch slid out from beneath the flowered waistcoat. Guy held it out, allowing the distinctive face to catch the light.

Madame de Beaune gave an anguished cry. ‘My husband’s watch!’

‘Is it, now?’ Guy turned it over and read out the letters engraved on the back. ‘F. D. B. Hardly your initials, Radworth.’

‘It belonged to my husband, Fernand,’ stated Madame de Beaune clearly. ‘It is a Breguet. One of the best watchmakers in the world.’ Her face paled as she stared in horror at Miles.

‘It was you,’ she whispered. ‘
You
attacked us!’

Even as she was speaking Miles pulled the timepiece from Guy’s hands and made a bolt for the door, pushing Beth out of his way so that she cannoned into Guy, preventing his pursuit. There were screams and confusion, but just when Beth thought Miles could escape, Davey thrust out his cane to catch Miles’s legs and he crashed to the floor. Sir John immediately ran forwards and stood over him, fists curled menacingly.

‘I think,’ he said sternly, ‘we should finish this discussion somewhere more private.’

Chapter Twenty-Two

T
hey gathered in a small room on the next floor. Guy took up a position by the door. Having got this far, he would make sure Radworth did not escape now. His glance shifted to Beth, who gave him a faint smile. She was looking a little tired, but still beautiful, her silk gown glinting in the soft light, the blue-green colour accentuating her flame-red hair. She was sitting beside Madame de Beaune, who was staring at the watch as if to assure herself it was really there in her hands.

‘Now,’ barked Sir John, ‘perhaps, Radworth, you will explain yourself. What is this about?’

‘A misunderstanding, nothing more. It can all be explained.’

‘I think not.’ Guy’s voice cut across the room. ‘Before you try to worm your way out of this, let me tell you that the man you paid to follow Madame de Beaune and murder her has been caught and has already confessed everything.’ He glanced across at Beth, adding for her benefit, ‘I set two plans in motion before we left London. One was to send word to Bourne Park and persuade Madame to place herself under my protection. The other was to ask Sir Henry Shott to find Radworth’s hired killer. He soon discovered the culprit, a man from Radworth’s estate in Somerset.’

‘That greed should have caused all this!’ She shuddered.

Miles was standing by the fire, looking down pensively into the flames. ‘It was not greed, it was love,’ he said calmly. ‘Love, lust, desire—call it what you will. Darrington said I am a collector, but he is wrong. I am a connoisseur. Imagine my delight when I found myself travelling back from France with a young man who was only too keen to describe to me his home, an ancient Priory, full of antiquities. Then in Portsmouth we dined with the de Beaunes. The old man was not excessively rich, but he had two treasures, his young bride and the Breguet. As soon as I saw the watch I knew I must have it.’

‘So you attacked them—a woman and an old man.’ Guy’s lip curled in disdain.

Radworth shrugged. ‘Getting the watch off the old man was not difficult, but then Wakeford came along. Chivalrous young fool decided to play the hero. I snatched the woman’s necklace and ran off, but I decided to go back, for I had thought of a way I could have all the treasures that had been described to me that night. Once I had removed the old surt-out and cap and replaced my wig and tricorn, no one would recognise me.’

‘What about your wounded accomplice?’ asked Guy.

‘The fool thought I had devised some plan for his escape. Once I had persuaded Wakeford to see Madame and her husband to the packet, it was an easy matter to add another stab wound. He was dead by the time the constable arrived.’

‘You murdered him.’ Beth gasped. ‘And placed the blame for the theft upon Simon.’

Miles gave a thin smile. ‘The necklace was a mere gewgaw, so it was no hardship to slip it into your brother’s portmanteau. You have no notion how difficult it was to persuade the constables to check the bag, but at last they did so, and when Wakeford returned he was marched off to gaol.’

‘And you were happy for my brother to be falsely accused.’

He looked across at Beth and smiled. ‘I thought it a rather neat ending. I had the Breguet, Wakeford would take the blame, then I would marry his sister and have his inheritance, too.’

‘We thought you so kind.’ She shook her head. ‘I have never known anyone so, so
evil
.’

‘But that is not the end, is it?’ said Guy slowly. ‘You had to make sure Simon would not be acquitted.’

‘No.’ Beth shook her head. ‘How could he do that?’

‘Buying strong ale to stir up the mob, then laying on an unseaworthy ship to carry away the freed prisoners. Was that it, Radworth?’

‘Precisely. How astute of you, Darrington.’ Miles smiled to himself, like a man reminiscing on some past glories. ‘It was only a matter of waiting until the news came in that she had gone down with all hands. Then, of course, I came to Malpass, to offer my condolences.’

‘And your wicked scheme almost worked.’ Beth’s lip curled.

‘Yes. If only the fools I paid to kill Madame de Beaune had not failed me!’

‘They did not fail you,’ put in Guy. ‘But they killed the wrong Madame de Beaune. That is what made me suspect that you were involved, when Clarice hinted that Madame was dead. I knew that was not true, because she was by then living under my protection.’

‘I was very ’appy to stay,’ put in Madame, smiling slightly. ‘I remember Monsieur Wakeford with great affection.’

‘As I am sure he remembers you, ma’am,’ Beth replied warmly. ‘I know he will be delighted to renew his acquaintance with you.’

‘I went to fetch Madame earlier this week and installed her in a house nearby.’ Guy spoke directly to Beth. ‘We arranged that she would come to the Assembly. I wanted her to confront Radworth, but I received word tonight that Madame was too afraid to travel here without me. That is why I had to leave you. I dare not tell you, I could not risk Radworth becoming suspicious—’

Her smile lit up the room for him. ‘It did not matter. I knew you would come back to me.’

Sir John jumped up. ‘Well, if that is all for tonight I think we should be going,’ he said. ‘My lord, I would be pleased if you would give me your company to put Mr Radworth into the lock-up for the night and in the morning I will take him to Thirsk and he will be able to exchange places with young Wakeford. I do not think we need to keep your brother locked up any longer, Mrs Forrester.’

‘Perhaps not quite an exchange,’ said Guy. ‘I greased several palms to find a safe, comfortable cell for Simon and employed a guard for him, too.’

‘Do you mean Logan?’ said Beth quickly. ‘You put him in the gaol to protect Simon?’

‘Yes. I was afraid Radworth might try to get to him.’

‘As a matter of fact I did,’ said Miles. ‘You have just explained why my bribes failed.’

‘I c-cannot believe what you are saying!’ exclaimed Beth. ‘You paid court to me and all the time you were—you were—’