The Incomparable Miss Compton (21 page)

She wanted nothing more than to turn to her own room across the corridor and collapse on her bed to think. But she could not abandon Persephone. Inside the room before her, she heard what sounded suspiciously like crying. For all her cousin had done recently, Sarah still loved her as well. Her own emotions would have to wait. She raised a hand and tapped on the door.

“Persy, it’s me,” she called. At the mumbled permission to enter, she opened the door. Her cousin lay sprawled across the cream satin coverlet of the walnut four-poster bed, head buried in her arms. As Sarah crossed the Oriental carpet to her side, steeling herself to hear the worst of it, Persephone heaved herself up to sit and stare at her.

“What happened?” Sarah asked gently.

Persephone swallowed the last of her tears. “I take it you saw me.”

“Yes,” Sarah replied, going to sit in the rose-colored armchair near the fire so as not to appear to hover over the girl. She said no more, waiting for Persephone to speak. Her cousin merely sat staring at the white marble of the fireplace beyond Sarah.

“Well,” she said at last with a terseness that surprised Sarah, “what do you intend to do about it?”

Sarah frowned. “Perhaps if you told me what ’it’ is, I could tell you my plans. How did you come to be in Lord Breckonridge’s bedchamber, Persy?”

Her cousin waved a hand airily. “I was tired. I came upstairs to nap before dinner, and I must have chosen the wrong room.”

“The wrong room?” Sarah’s frown deepened. “But surely Lady Prestwick has not done all these rooms in an identical manner. My room is done in blues and greens with Sheraton furnishings, while yours is in cream and rose in an older style. Surely Lord Breckonridge’s room is another color and style as well. How could you fail to notice?”

“I told you,” she snapped. “I was tired.”

Sarah decided not to pursue the argument. She hated the idea that was forming in her mind. Persephone could not be so manipulative as to arrange the ruin of her own reputation, particularly with a gentleman who had shown a marked preference for Sarah. There had to be another explanation.

“Very well,” she allowed. “You were so tired you failed to notice the room was not yours. I take it you fell asleep?”

Persephone nodded solemnly. “I awoke when I heard the door opening, thinking it was Lucy come to help me dress for dinner. When I saw it was Lord Breckonridge, I thought he had come to tell me something had happened to you.”

“And what did Lord Breckonridge do?” Sarah prompted, almost afraid to hear. Yet surely a gentleman of Malcolm’s good sense would not take advantage of finding a lovely young woman like Persephone in his bedchamber.

“He was all that is good and kind,” Persephone enthused. “He assured me of his silence, and he bribed his servant not to gossip.”

“Indeed,” Sarah replied, unsure how to react. Part of her was pleased Malcolm had been so level-headed as to spot the danger to her cousin and himself. Another part frowned at the idea of a bribe. Was there something that required covering up? “What exactly did he have to pay his servant for? You were only found there by accident.”

“Oh, most assuredly,” Persephone agreed with enthusiasm. “But still, if people were to find out, my reputation would still be damaged, wouldn’t it?”

The girl sounded positively wistful! Sarah stared at her. “Persy, you cannot want that!”

“No, of course not, silly,” she replied with a giggle. “Not if I were still on the marriage mart. But Lord Breckonridge is such a gentleman. I’m certain he’ll ask Papa for my hand if rumors start flying.”

Sarah rose to her feet, blood firing. “If rumors fly, Persy, I’ll know where they came from.”

“Lord Breckonridge’s valet,” Persy said sagely.

“No, Persy, from you. Do you honestly think you have hidden your scheme? You are transparent as the glass in Lady Prestwick’s greenhouse.”

Persephone tossed her head. “I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, yes, you do,” Sarah told her, nearly trembling with the enormity of it. “You tried to ensnare Lord Breckonridge.”

Persephone gave a laugh, high and bitter. “How silly! I have dozens of suitors. Why would I need to ensnare anyone?”

“Because for some unknown reason you’ve fixed upon him,” Sarah replied, sure of herself. “From the first you wanted him for yourself, Persy. I thought you’d given that up, but it’s clear that clever mind of yours just took another course. Well, I won’t have it. I will not let you force him into marriage.”

“I am not forcing him,” Persephone declared, hopping off the bed to face her. “I was caught in a compromising situation, and he is being a gentleman.”

“You have explained that nothing happened,” Sarah reminded her. “He has no need to be a gentleman.”

“That is for him to decide,” Persephone informed her, stalking to the wardrobe. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I should change for dinner.”

“I warn you, Persephone,” Sarah threatened, “do not attempt to pursue this. I will stand by his side, against Aunt Belle, against Uncle Harold, against the world if need be.”

“Oh!” Persephone turned and glared at her. “I believe you are jealous, Sarah! You refuse to marry him, and you can’t stand anyone else to do so. You are petty and vindictive, and
that
is what
I
shall tell Mother and Papa.”

Sarah felt a sliver of fear, but she forced it away. It was not her concerns that mattered, but Malcolm’s future. “You may tell them anything you like. I know the truth in my heart. It will sustain me.”

“Oh, indeed,” Persephone jibed. “Can you eat truth, I wonder? Can you put it over your head to keep off the rain when you have no other home? Think carefully, Sarah. When I am married to the most powerful man in England, I can afford to be gracious.”

“You could be gracious now if you wanted,” Sarah said quietly. “I don’t imagine more power will improve you. What happened, Persephone? You were such a sweet child once.”

“How dare you say that to me!” Persephone snarled, forcing Sarah back a step with her vehemence. “You didn’t like that child. You couldn’t wait to pack her off so that you could have the manor all to yourself.”

Sarah stared at her. “What are you talking about?”

“You abandoned me!” Persephone accused her. “You forced Mother to send me away to that horrid school. Why would you do that if not to have her all to yourself?”

“I thought you would
like
school,” Sarah told her. “I know I liked it after I grew used to it. You had to be so much by yourself growing up. You deserved a chance to be with other girls your age.”

Persephone’s face was puckered. “Did you really mean it for good? It was awful! No one did anything I wanted. My wishes meant nothing. They laughed when I complained. They laughed at me, Sarah!” Her lower lip trembled. Sarah took a step toward her, and the girl recoiled.

“No, do not attempt to tell me it will be all right. I will
make
it all right. I’ll show them. I’m not spoiled! I’m not weak. I’m not any of those vicious names they called me. I’ll have the very best husband in England. They will all have to come to me to beg for favors.”

“Oh, my poor dear,” Sarah murmured. “I’m truly sorry, Persephone. I had no idea. I thought you liked it at school. I can see they hurt you deeply, but dearest, do you hear yourself? You despise these girls for their cruelty, but do you plan better?”

Persephone blinked, and for a moment Sarah thought she would relent. Instead, her face tightened so that she looked years older. “I knew you wouldn’t understand. You have no idea what it’s like to have your dreams thwarted.”

Sarah felt as if she had been stabbed in the heart. “I don’t know?” she cried, hand to her chest to hold in the pain. “
I
don’t know? Are you blind? Think about my life, Persephone. Better, think of your threat to me a moment ago. How would you like to live your life with nothing to call your own? How would you like to live with the constant reminder of how much you owe everyone?”

Persephone stared at her, face paling. Sarah thought she saw a new light spring to her cousin’s tearful eyes. “I guess we’re not so different after all, cousin“ she murmured. “All those years when I was sick, I did feel like everyone was constantly reminding me of how much I needed them. They all had to cater to me, and I hated it.”

“But I suspect you grew accustomed to it,” Sarah put in. “When no one would cater to you at school, I would think that must have been a very rude awakening.”

“I had to prove I was somebody after all,” Persephone agreed.

Sarah shook her head, feeling tears threaten. “Oh, Persy, you were always somebody. I shall always love you as the sister I never had.”

“You can say that even now?” Persephone all but begged. “Sarah, I’ve said some awful things, done some awful things.”

“Nothing that can’t be fixed, I trust,” Sarah encouraged her.

Persephone hung her head. “Perhaps. I am sorry for treating you like an enemy, Sarah. Maybe it’s possible for us to grow closer again. But I fear I’ve made a mull of things. I treated my suitors abominably. It only took one of them to lose his head to see that.”

Sarah felt a chill. “Who lost his head?” she demanded. “Persephone, are you all right?”

Persy nodded. “It was terrible, Sarah. I should never have encouraged him. But it’s over now. I see him for what he is. I will tell you more about it another time, but right now I fear I have ruined Lord Breckonridge.”

Sarah unease only grew. “How so? You said he was the complete gentleman.”

“He was,” Persephone agreed. “His valet was not. I gave him all my pin money so he would let me in the room and promise to gossip afterward.”

“Oh, Persy, you didn’t!”

“I did,” Persephone murmured. “You were quite right to accuse me of being a conniving little tart.”

“I’m sure I never said any such thing,” Sarah scolded, although she knew she had been thinking it. “But Persy, you must rectify matters.”

Her cousin looked thoughtful. “Perhaps if I tell the valet I’ve changed my mind.”

Sarah shook her head. “If he was willing to be bribed the first time, he will most likely ask for more money this time.”

“You are right,” Persephone said in a hopeless voice. “And I have nothing more with which to pay him. And even if I do pay him, he’d no doubt come after me again expecting to blackmail me.”

“I see nothing for it, love,” Sarah told her. “You will have to face Lord Breckonridge with what you did.”

Persephone paled. “There must be another way. You are clever, Sarah. Think of something.”

Sarah regarded her with pity. “I’m sorry, love, but it appears you are out of options. You said you were tired of being beholden. Look at this as a chance to stand on your own.”

“Small comfort,” Persephone replied with a bitter sigh. “Might I at least do it in private?”

Sarah eyed her. “Certainly. I will look for an opportunity for you to do so. But Persy, if I find that you use that opportunity to Lord Breckonridge’s disadvantage, I will not be shy about denouncing you.”

Persephone reddened. “I understand. Do you love him, then?”

Sarah felt a renewed ache. “That matters not,” she said primly. “What matters is that Lord Breckonridge not be forced into marriage.”

“I suppose so,” Persy replied, but Sarah did not think she sounded convinced. “But Sarah, I must know. Do you intend to accept his suit? Because if you don’t, I see no reason not to continue to attempt to attract his regard. In honest ways,” she hastily added.

Sarah bit her lip. Could she sit by and watch while Persephone pursued Malcolm? True, he had never shown any attraction to the girl, but that was before Sarah had rejected him yet again. And there was a very good chance that once he heard what her cousin had tried to do, he would want nothing more to do with the girl. On the other hand, there was the slight possibility that he would find her attempts flattering and be willing to enter a courtship. Could Sarah chaperone while they drove in the park, whispered endearments to each other, kissed? Her stomach knotted at the very thought. Yet, Persy was right: if Sarah was unwilling to accept him, she had to accept the fact that he would eventually find another woman to court.

But not Persephone.

“Think carefully, cousin,” she told the girl. “I see no reason you would be happy in the match. He does not believe in love. Find someone you love, Persy, not someone whose power you envy.”

Persephone frowned. “Do you think I cannot love him then?”

“Oh, no,” Sarah replied, hearing her own voice turn bitter. “No, he is all too easy to love, with his zeal to see his country safe and prosperous, his gilded tongue to persuade, the way his very hair glows as if with suppressed energy. He is the lightning of the storm and the thunder behind it. What woman would not love such a man?”

“You
do
love him, don’t you,” Persephone asked, wide-eyed.

“God help me,” Sarah said, “but I do. And I have no idea what to do about it.”

Chapter Nineteen

Malcolm wasn’t sure he wanted to go down to dinner that evening. On the one hand, there was a likely chance that Persephone Compton was lying in wait for him, perhaps with the local magistrate in tow. He was sure she had the banns all ready to hand to the local minister for reading. He didn’t believe the girl’s act of innocence for a moment. Not that he had lovely young ladies hide in his bed on a regular basis, but he did realize it was an often-used ploy to force a fellow to the altar. He had no idea why someone as popular as Persephone would want to try it, but he simply wasn’t willing to play the victim.

On the other hand, he was certain he wasn’t ready to face Sarah. He had had to face adversaries from Parliament many times across a dining table. He knew how to keep a smile on his face when his insides churned. He even knew how to graciously admit defeat. He simply wasn’t ready to do so. Yet he also could think of no logical next step in his campaign to win Sarah’s hand.

Persephone’s appearance in his room would only make matters more difficult. He was certain Sarah knew him well enough that she would not suspect him of harming her cousin in any way. On the other hand, if the girl persisted in claiming otherwise, Sarah would have no choice but to protect her cousin’s reputation. Either way Malcolm looked at it, he was sunk.