The Rake's Redemption (18 page)

“Charles, Thomas and I were so young, foolish.” That almost sounded as if she were as excusing herself for preferring Charles to his brother. Which was the last thing she needed right now. “Too young to know sense. Now I have Theodore” However unpleasant that might be in reality, naming her betrothed left no room for Charles to imagine any future for Judith and him. If that was what he meant.

“I really thought you and Thomas would be happy. If we hadn’t gone to Spain you might have been.” Judith wasn’t sure what to say in this very uncomfortable conversation. Charles seemed determined to focus on her and Thomas, confusing that with his own private regrets.

“What happened to you and Jane?” Much better, more definite, Aunt Matilde and Amara would be proud of her. After all she’d come here to delve into the odd way things were between Charles and Jane, not to listen to his hopes for her and Thomas. “I thought Jane wanted to go to Spain, wanted the adventure?”

“She did.”

Judith waited but Charles showed no sign of expanding his answer. If she were to get to the bottom of this she’d have to press him. Whether or not that was quite fair to Charles Judith put from her mind, she needed to know, and besides Theodore and Jane could return at any time.

“Why aren’t you angry at Thomas, Charles?” Maybe a change of tack would elicit more of a response. She didn’t sense any resistance from Charles, oddly enough he seemed to want to talk, just not in any way that made sense or answered the questions she had lodged in her mind.

“There’s no reason why I should be, Judith, it wasn’t his fault. Jane should not have been there. But I was busy with my duties and I’d asked him to look after her. He did his best. It must have been terrifying for her to be chased like that by those dragoons. They make the Spanish women run for fun you know. At least Thomas saved her from that.”

“He betrayed you. Your own brother. How can you not be angry with him?” She couldn’t believe the detachment he was showing. What was the matter with Charles?

“No, Judith. You have it wrong.”

“But you challenged him. Shot him.” Judith couldn’t help herself but to argue. It was impossible to credit anyone with the ability to forgive such an affront.

“I could do nothing else. The scandal ran round the army and I was ashamed and humiliated. If I could take that shot back I would, Judith.” He was so clearly sincere Judith couldn’t doubt the truth of what he said, but that didn’t bring her any closer to an understanding. How could Charles find it in himself to forgive his brother and his wife?

“Do you blame Jane?”

He hesitated and Judith knew that he did. He wasn’t going to say it though. “I should never have married her, that was my fault. Thomas questioned whether I was wise in that. He said Jane was too young and too wilful, and he was right. We quarrelled over it, I thought he was interfering. playing the big brother too strong. Then when my father told him to exchange into my regiment he made no difficulty. I feel guilty for that.”

“Your father told him to exchange?” This she had not known. It was one of the things she hated Thomas for, that he had swapped his militia commission for service overseas with a line regiment while she was away at Aunt Chloe’s. All without a word to her.

“He thought Thomas would look after me. None of my family have much faith in me you see.”

She nearly laughed out loud at the irony of that. Charles still hadn’t the least trace of self pity about him. He might not be telling her all of it but she believed implicitly what he had told her. And he didn’t blame Thomas. So did that mean she might have misjudged the man?

“Jane and you.” Charles turned his head to the side at the question implicit in her words. Judith knew she was asking far too much, even Matilde and Amara might well have drawn the line at this question.

“She was like a butterfly in Lisbon. Revelling in the society that headquarters drew around it. As we moved through Spain there were balls and routs to celebrate our victories. The Spanish needed to celebrate their liberation. Even if they wanted to pretend they’d done it themselves. Jane loved it all, loved it too much. So no, there will not be a happy ending for Jane and myself.”

Yet he was here with his wife, and Judith could feel the strength of the urge to ask him why. The obvious course would have been to make straight for Penwick to take up his position as heir. There was too, for the first time a sense that Charles had dissembled in his answer. Not that she doubted his conclusion, but there was something unsaid.

“Did Theodore bring you here to unsettle Thomas?” She’d gone so far beyond the bounds of what was socially acceptable to discuss there could be no harm in one more question, even if it revealed her own distrust for the man she had accepted as her future husband.

“I would not plot against him, Judith. That was not why I came. I had hoped we might find some way to reconcile, but there seems little prospect of that. Jane wanted to come. She hoped provincial society might be more forgiving, she was terribly hurt by our reception in London.”

That didn’t answer why Charles had allowed Jane to come to Horsley Hall or why Theodore thought it worthwhile, but Judith lost her train of thought at his next announcement. “I hope to persuade father to rescind his decision. Thomas will make a far finer Earl of Penwick than I.”

Judith was uncomfortably aware she was staring, and she had a nasty suspicion her mouth might have dropped open. 

“You have paid me the complement of being honest Judith, and asked what was on your mind. You will not gainsay me the same privilege surely?”

She could only shake her head.

“Then help me with this where you can. Persuade Thomas that I am sincere in this and that if he joins his voice to mine father has to listen. I can and will refuse the title so he has little choice.”

Judith’s first thought was to protest the practicality of what he asked of her. “I do not meet Thomas. He has withdrawn from society to avoid...” She stopped, helpless to complete her protest with the unpalatable truth.

“To avoid meeting me and perhaps being forced to another duel. That is why I need your help Judith. Thomas will trust you, he cares deeply for you. Since we are being painfully honest with each other I will transgress further with the expectation of your forgiveness if I offend. It is for the sake of the family that I must succeed with this. Thomas will breed far better heirs than ever I could.”

His demeanour as he said it bordered on the conspiratorial and Judith found herself with no idea what he meant or how to reply. “Thomas intends to take the militia to Spain, he could be killed, anything.”

Charles couldn’t be blamed in the least if he drew the inescapable conclusion that she was weak minded. She deliberately sought him out, surpassed every boundary of society and then concluded with an objection of mind numbing banality.

“True, Judith. It is a great pity that you do not go to Spain with him. With such an incentive Thomas would be far less foolhardy in risking his life. I have no doubts of your ability to cope with such an adventure. Unlike Jane you have both the courage and the sense that a lady needs.”

The breathtaking assumptions he was prepared to make left her speechless and let Charles have the last word. “Sir Theodore and Jane appear to have finished their discussions, Judith. Please think hard on what I have said. You have the opportunity to help my family greatly. You cannot imagine how much I regret that duel.”

Jane Stainford didn’t appear to regret anything, she had the air of one who has succeeded in her aims and is pleased for it. Theodore Horsley looked worsted and out of sorts for it. Neither made for convivial companionship and Judith found herself making her excuses without thinking how fleeting her visit must look to her host and future spouse.

“So soon Judith, when we have hardly spoken.”

“I am sorry, my intent in coming here was only to be sure that there was no rift between us after last night. Now that I am reassured on that there is much to attend to at Oakenhill.” He had insisted on seeing her to her carriage, and Mrs Rogers was scurrying ahead to make sure there was no delay in getting away. She always had had the knack of reading her mistress’s intentions.

“I had thought Tomkin would take much of that burden from your shoulders, Judith.”

“He is not satisfactory, Theodore. Lazy.”

“I have always found him quite reliable.” There was a warning note to his remark that was quite out of place between a happy couple. “Surely there is little need to bring your chaperone with you to Horsley Hall, Judith?”

“I should have thought there was every need, Theodore.” Judith knew she sounded prim, but her only concern was that she sounded prim enough in response to what was an improper suggestion.

“We are to be married, Judith. What harm in a little anticipation?” The stroke of his hand on her arm, light as it was, left no doubt of his meaning, and left Judith repulsed by the very thought of physical contact with him. Theodore waited long enough to realise he wouldn’t be receiving her assent before he produced his justification. “After all I haven’t held back from providing John with financial support. He’d be scuppered without my purse.”

As a threat it was crude and quite unanswerable. Judith fought down the desire to pick up her skirts and run to the Hampton coach, cranky windows and all it represented safety at this moment in time. But she knew she had to answer him. “I’ll remind John of your largesse, Theodore. But I will continue with my present arrangements every time I come here.” She could see Mrs Rogers standing by the coach waiting for her and watching with interest, and the temptation to scuttle away to her was overwhelming.

“Which I hope will be more often from now on, Judith. Your housekeeper doubles as chaperone does she? Perhaps her services might be fully dispensed with once we are married.”

She knew instinctively that he wouldn’t hesitate to throw poor Mrs Rogers out of her position for spite. It made his threat the more menacing, as he doubtless intended. “That is not for you to say, Theodore. But l will visit more often from now on. With my chaperone.” It took every effort of will she had not to break into a run as he left her to walk the last twenty or so yards alone.

Mrs Rogers chattered all the way back to Oakenhill, which served very well to fill the void left by Judith’s melancholy. She caught herself starting to rub her face on the worn leather squab of the coach seat, something she used to do as a girl in frustration when she didn’t get her own way. Not that Charles hadn’t been helpful, just that talking with him only left her more puzzled, and there was only one way now to find the answers she needed. But she didn’t want to see Thomas, it was so much more comfortable to avoid him.

So Emily Rogers’ commentary on the shortcomings of the food served at Horsley Hall was a soothing backdrop to the journey home, it nourished a comforting sense of superiority to compensate for being so powerless. Theodore was a wicked man, not simply the buffoon he appeared to be, but with a strata of evil embedded through him. Yet there was little she could do to oppose him.

She almost missed her cue, only a sustained pause in the flow of opinion alerted her to the need to respond. “What’s that, Mrs Rogers?”

“I expect the Viscount Alsbury will be glad to be back in England. That is the new Viscount Alsbury. He’s a nice man, not that there was much wrong with the old one.”

“No.”

“Not really army though. Not a man’s man. In that way anyhow.” From all the significant looks she was getting Judith knew she should be following the meaning closely, but she couldn’t find her way past the ambiguity.

“It’s wicked mind, when folks are not allowed to follow their nature. When they’re doing no harm.” Emily Rogers with the bit between her teeth wasn’t to be interrupted so Judith sat back into her seat and waited for the next part of the diatribe.

“Miss Jane Fox would be well advised to think on that.” It would have choked their housekeeper to give Charles’ wife her new title when it ranked above the family she’d served all her life. Judith could only admire her discretion, but using the girl’s maiden name didn’t make it any easier to understand what point the housekeeper was making. But then that seemed to be the theme for today, confusion and half stories. Leaving her to tackle Thomas Stainford if she wanted to get to the truth.

“She wants more money?” Florinda Horsley could make her son feel small enough to crawl under the chair she was sitting on. Without trying. “What use does she think she had been till now to be asking you for even more money?”

“She thinks.” Theodore’s pause was eloquent testimony to the realisation that he’d been placed in the wrong without realising it. “Hang it all mother, it’s up to me to decide whether to pay her or not.”

“Quite so. And yet you bring your troubles to me. Your father made his own decisions. Not always right, but they were his.” She softened the harshness of the comparison with a wave of her hand that invited him to continue his explanation.

There was a defeated air to Sir Theodore as he picked up his story again. “Jane thinks her husband will put her aside. With an allowance, but not what she would wish.”

“And she wants you to make up the difference. A high price. For what exactly? The pleasure of her and her husband’s company? As far as I can see Stainford is continuing to take over your regiment just as he was before you brought them here. Or am I missing something?”

“The family cannot afford more scandal, mother. That is my trump card.” He was trying to sound confident but not quite managing it.

“Scandal, piffle. Families like theirs have been mired in it since the day and hour the first countess obliged her royal master to get her husband his family lands. That’s how they got where they are and they fight like demons to keep their position. If you think they care for scandal Theodore you’re a fool.”

“The Earl will care for this particular scandal and more importantly society will too.” Her son was growing visibly in confidence and Florinda Horsley had a inkling that the boy might not be the weakling she’d always half feared.

“Well, what else do you know Theodore, and why do you need Jane Stainford?”

“For the simple reason that her word is my proof. The lady is in a unique position to know the truth about her husband.” His mother could see how much Theodore was enjoying his exposition and she determined to let him have his fun.

“Which is what? And it had better be startling, Theodore. For the price you’re paying.”

“Let’s just say that Charles Stainford will not be producing any heirs since he hasn’t consummated his marriage, mother. I don’t know if that’s what Thomas was trying to do in that Spanish village, Jane is remarkably evasive on that, but her husband is of no use to a woman. Not his cup of tea at all if you follow me.”

For once Florinda Horsley really had nothing to say, and she didn’t need Theodore to tell her the significance of this information. Not that he was going to let that stop him.

“So the mighty Earl of Penwick has effectively put an end to his line by disinheriting his eldest son. But I think any of the Stainfords will still go to some length to save Charles from exposure. Thomas Stainford is curiously fond of his brother, fond enough to delope in their duel anyway. This type of scandal has made many a man put a pistol to his temple. I wonder if Master Thomas will be willing to risk that.”

His mother was nodding approvingly and Theodore basked in the rare display of maternal appreciation.

“And while I’m about it I’m going to make sure that Miss Hampton understands who holds the master’s cards round here. I’m going to enjoy dismissing that tight faced bitch of a housekeeper she drags around with her.”

“Good. Theodore you need to keep an eye on that one. She’s too high and mighty by far. And watch her with Stainford. The elder doesn’t share his brother’s disposition and Judith Hampton is too fond of showing her tail to him. You bring her to heel Theo.”

~

Deciding to tackle Thomas Stainford was easy, there really wasn’t any other option after Charles had disclosed so much and revealed so little. Working out how to do it was more difficult, she couldn’t just turn up unaccompanied at the militia camp to see him and John was unlikely to volunteer to escort her. Father of course was too unwell still, which was a partial blessing in that it prevented him questioning what she was up to. It also left her free to chastise their steward for his failings, secure in the knowledge that Mrs Rogers would have the footmen restrain Tomkins before she’d allow him to disturb father’s rest.

Visiting Trefoyle would have done it, and she cared little enough for convention to dare it, except that Thomas was likely to be away early and back late. So for her to escape Oakenhill at the right times would be difficult without causing comment. And however much she might disregard convention it would be easier not to have father or John agitating. It would only create friction which would find its way back to Theodore.

The stakes were too high to play lightly. It wasn’t just herself but the rest of the family as well who would be affected by any action which upset Theodore. Besides if she was to manage his appalling behaviour it was wiser not to hand him ammunition. Similarly it would be wrong to draw Mrs Rogers into this, however willing she might be to assist, so no coach or chaperone, she would go to Trefoyle on horseback.

Easier to avoid attention that way, but this was no repetition of their trysts of years ago. This time her only purpose was to resolve the mystery of what had really happened in Spain and uncover whether in any way the truth of that could help her avoid the sad fate of becoming Lady Horsley. For that she’d meet Thomas Stainford and force herself to be civil to him, but for that and only for that.

Then the notion hit her. She didn’t need to see Thomas himself. His man Wright was likely to be privy to what had gone on in Spain. That gave her the chance to arrange this without incurring so much risk. As chatelaine of Oakenhill it would be natural to confer with a neighbouring estate over poachers. Stretching matters somewhat to pick on a visitor’s servant but that would only leave more confusion if anyone unearthed what she was about. Theodore could hardly be jealous of her arranging to meet a servant.

That left only the arrangements. Perkinson could take a note to Wright to arrange a meeting tomorrow. Wright had been marvellously discreet before, and he had always been very pleasant to her. Perkinson was a bright and obliging lad who would be told only that she was concerned over the loss of game.

Riding to the arranged meeting place this morning, yesterday’s idea didn’t seem quite so clever anymore. Wright might well be unwilling to divulge what he knew for she had no legitimate interest in his master’s business. He might not know the truth of the matter at all. Or he might just keep silent to protect his master’s adulterous behaviour. At least he would turn up for she could see a man and a horse waiting at the foot of Sporley rise.

And he was pleased to see her for his smile split his face as he strode forward to take her reins. “Good morning Miss Judith. It’s a lovely day to be out riding.”

“It is, Wright. Very pleasant.” The day was calm and sunny, though without real warmth. In fact ideal weather for a good long ride across the countryside. If she weren’t so weighed down with scheming and worrying that made it impossible for her to enjoy an innocent pastime.

“Not so good for the poaching though, visibility is far too good.”

“No.” This was her time to explain why she’d really arranged the meeting and instead she was totally tongue tied. That’s what came of rushing into things without thinking them through.

“I spoke with Murchison when your note came Miss. He says the extra drills at the militia camp have cut down the losses. Some of the worst offenders are too busy to get up to their tricks.” If anyone should know it would be Trefoyle’s head keeper. It was an old magistrate’s trick to insist that convicted poachers enlist in the fencibles to cut down their opportunities for mischief. So Thomas Stainford had already reduced the poaching problem without needing her help.

“That’s good, Wright. It’s a nasty business, poaching.” Tongue tied and pathetic. Why couldn’t she think of something intelligent to say?

“It is, Miss. Was it something in particular that’s giving Oakenhill a problem? I’m sure Lord Guilmor would be happy to help if you need to borrow some keepers. Or if you need a specific individual dissuaded from his ways I could arrange for him to have a change of heart myself.”

Judith had to smile at the delicate phrasing of his offer. She could only imagine how effective Wright would be at dissuading some hapless poacher from preying on Oakenhill game. “I thank you, but there is no specific problem in that sense.” That wasn’t nearly enough of an answer and she could see him waiting for her to go on.

“Actually there was a matter I wanted to ask you about.” She sensed rather than saw him throw a glance over his shoulder back towards the copse of trees that decorated the slope above them. The crusty old oaks fostered a tangle of nettles and brambles and Judith realised they made an ideal hiding place, from which every word of their conversation would be clearly audible. She was a fool. A fool to concoct such a half baked plan, and a bigger fool to imagine Wright would fall in with it without telling his master.

“I wanted to ask you how the Viscount Alsbury, I mean the former Viscount, managed to find enough time to spare from his duties to go hunting trollops in the Spanish hinterland.” The disappointment she saw in Wright’s eyes made her regret her harsh words, and when no one emerged from hiding Judith wished she could take them back. She could see Wright struggling to think of some answer and his plight made her curse the impulse that had led her to denounce his master.

Then a chuckle came from the trees and she knew she’d been right. His stallion was impossibly glossy and Thomas unfeasibly tall in the saddle as he let the animal pick its own way down the slope. Judith could hear her heart thump at the impact of him. But then that was his stock in trade, all the glamour it needed to turn the head of the unwary.

She could see Thomas blinking as he came out of the shadows into the sunlight and Judith seized her chance to loose an arrow. “Some unsavoury characters skulking in the undergrowth today, Wright.”

“Quite so, Miss Judith. I expect the Major will be able to help you with your poaching problem?” He said it with a sweetness that made Judith’s guilt over her subterfuge so much worse and to her consternation the unstoppable blush started making its way up her neck toward her face. She had no option but to cast her glance down.

“Yes, thank you Wright. You’ve been most helpful.” Judith knew the man was looking to make his escape so she shouldn’t have surprised to see him mount his beast and turn its head away. Just that the fond smile as he departed took her back four years to all the times he’d nodded and led her groom away.

“Judith?” Sitting his horse not six feet from her Thomas Stainford had the gall to smile. As if he weren’t the cause of most of the problems she had to deal with. “What do you want to ask me about? Besides my dereliction of duty.”

Impossible to answer him truthfully when he sat there defying her to repeat her previous comment. Impossible too to pretend she wanted nothing. “I wanted to ask Wright about poaching.”

“Most of the landowners round here are very tough on it Judith, I wouldn’t recommend you take it up.” He was enjoying himself, it showed in the ease of him, sitting on Swiftsure as if he owned the world. Even the facetious advice that so amused him didn’t take away from the impression of strength he gave off. The man had it in his power to be an oasis of calm in all the fraught uncertainty her life had become. Or he might have had that power once, before she realised how completely undependable he was.

“Shall we dismount, Judith? Not fair on the beasts to just sit them here. Unless you’d prefer to ride?”

Was she supposed to slide down from her horse into his arms and lose herself and all sense in a resumption of their youthful passion? As it was she nearly tripped herself when her skirt snagged on the horn of her saddle but she managed the dismount somehow without his help.

“I want to know why you deloped in your duel with Charles.” It felt much better to make the bald statement. Let him decide how he would respond. With the truth or evasion as he chose.

“Is that all, Judith?” Just why I chose not to shoot my own brother?” He made the question sound scathing a though it were the most normal thing in the world to stand as a target while someone tried to shoot you without making any effort to defend yourself.

“Charles regrets it now, but he was trying to kill you then. He nearly succeeded.” Judith saw the calculation in the look he gave her and that impelled her to push home her question. “Why didn’t you defend yourself?”

“A duel’s not about defending yourself, Judith. It’s a matter of honour, to have the courage to stand your ground. To settle your differences, finally.” She could have taken against his patronising but there was a weariness in his words that made it sound as though he’d put up with a minor irritation unavoidably foisted upon him, not a near fatal duel for stealing his brother’s wife.

“Did it?”

“Did it what, Judith?” The man could take languid to extremes, baiting her with his deliberate obtuseness.

“Settle your differences. Because your father disinherited you, and Charles thinks you should still be the heir.” A flicker of interest at something he hadn’t known, then the eyes hooded again.

“It’s not up to Charles though, is it? My father has acted as he saw fit and that’s an end to it.” he said the words in a tone that defied her to continue. “You have spoken with Charles about this. I am surprised.” Again the tone of disapproval as if she’d been engaged in something less than salubrious.