The Ruby Pendant (13 page)

He had arrived
at the rendezvous half an hour beyond the agreed time to find the clearing
deserted. He had cursed roundly in several languages, wishing they had waited,
but he realised that James Martindale, who had no real stomach for the fight,
would have been delighted to go home as soon as the appointed hour passed and
crow over him. His reputation had suffered immeasurably as a result and he knew
he could no longer expect to be received in polite society. And because it was
not in his nature to protest about the injustices life dealt him, he could do
nothing about it.

Since then he
had discovered a little more of the man they were hunting and he needed to tell
his lordship of it. The trouble was that they had not arranged to meet and he
could not openly go to see him. He was quite sure he was being watched. The
ball it would have to be. With luck, he might catch his lordship's eye before
his presence became known and he could leave as soon as their business was
concluded. It was a great pity because he would have to forgo dancing and
talking with Juliette.

He would have
to put her from his mind. It was all very well to talk of a meeting of souls,
but there were other things which must be taken into account, and not just
wealth and position. The obstacles to declaring himself were of his own making,
but that did not mean they could be easily thrown aside. It was a question of
duty and loyalty and love of a very different kind. He could not tell her he
loved her, could not ask. her to wait, not when the waiting might be for years.
Besides, she would not marry a man without a title, without a fortune, much
less a known coward. He would never marry now. The memory of her lovely face,
her delightful laugh, her brightness, would have to be enough. But to
relinquish her to James Martindale, of all people, twisted the knife in the
wound. If only ...

He pulled
himself together; wishing for the impossible was a futile exercise and he did
not have the time. He finished dressing and went out to the hired carriage that
had been waiting at the door for the last twenty minutes.

He arrived at
Martindale House just as her ladyship left her station in the vestibule to go
into the ballroom. His lordship had turned away, intending to have a quiet
drink and a cigar in the library before joining her. He turned back as his new
guest arrived. 'Philip, is it you?' he asked, peering into the young man's
face.

`Yes, my lord.
I needed to see you and...'

Lord Martindale
laughed. 'You make a fine cardinal, though I'll wager there are few churchmen
of your height and build. Come, let us go up to the library, we will not be
disturbed there.'

It was not
until they were seated one on either side of the hearth, each with a cigar in
his hand and a glass of brandy on a table at his side, that his lordship said,
'Now, what news have you?'

`I could
identify no one at Norman Cross and the prisoners closed ranks as soon as I
arrived. It was as if they were afraid to speak, though I was dressed as one of
them and spoke only French.'

`How did you
get away?'

`I saw the
commandant and he arranged for me to escape.'

His lordship
smiled. It was not like Philip to leave a job. 'But there is more?'

'As you know, I
have contacts among the émigrés in London. One of them speaks of an escaped
prisoner of war, who instead of taking the opportunity to return home, has been
organising safe houses and smugglers' vessels to help others escape. I am told
he roams freely all over the eastern counties and frequently comes to London.'

`Do you know
his name?'

`He calls
himself Le Merle.'

`The
blackbird.'

`Yes.'

`He cannot work
without help. I need to know who he is and who is helping him. I think a longer
sojourn among the prisoners is necessary, Philip. Will you go back?'

Philip sighed.
'Yes. I suppose it is not surprising that Philip Devonshire should disappear.
After all, he is a craven coward.'

`You refer to
that duel?'

`Yes, my lord.'

`You did not
tell me it involved my nephew.'

`No, my lord. I
did not wish to upset you and I had no intention of killing him.'

`He would not
have behaved so chivalrously towards you.'

Philip shrugged
as if that fact were of little importance. `As it was, I arrived too late.'

`You know my
daughter heard of it and rode out before dawn to try and prevent it?'

Philip was
taken aback. 'I had no idea. Why?'

`Like me, she
did not want to see anyone hurt. I suspect she thought the quarrel might have
been over her. Was it?'

`No. Why did
she think that?'

`I surmise
because you and my nephew seem always to be at daggers drawn. And you have both
been escorting her.'

`It was not
over Miss Martindale.' He paused. 'I accused him of cheating at cards. He took
exception to it and challenged me.'

'And was he
cheating?' His lordship smiled a little grimly. 'You need not spare my
feelings. His father was just the same.'

'Yes. I am sure
of it. I was angry because his friends backed him against all the evidence and
I accepted the challenge in the heat of the moment. I could not afterwards back
out.'

`So that is how
he has been able to buy new horses and carriages. Three weeks ago he had
pockets to let.'

`I am sorry, my
lord, and even sorrier that Miss Martindale should have been upset by it. She
took no harm, I trust.'

`No. James
escorted her home. And now Lady Martindale is convinced it is necessary for her
to marry her cousin to save face. What have you to say to that?'

Philip's heart
sank. 'Has she agreed?'

`The
announcement is to be made after supper tonight.' His lordship paused, while
Philip struggled with his emotions. 'Why were you not a little quicker off the
mark, m' boy? You know I would have been delighted.'

`My lord, you
know how little I have to offer your daughter. Besides, I have sworn not to marry
while I do the work I do. I would be very vulnerable if I were forever worrying
about my wife while I were away. Besides, I own no estates and the money Maman
and I were able to bring out of France in '94, bought only a small annuity. I
am thankful the British government pays me well for the work I do, but when the
war ends, which I believe it must do soon, I shall not even have that.'

`My friend,
that is what your head might be telling you, but what of your heart?'

Philip grinned
ruefully. 'That, my lord, is another matter entirely.'

`Sometimes,'
his lordship said softly, 'it is better to be ruled by the heart. And so I have
told Juliette. But against Lady Martindale I have no weapons.' He paused and
then appeared to change the subject completely. 'There is another matter, I
would like you to investigate while you are at Norman Cross. There is a
Lieutenant Veillard confined there. I want you to find out all you can about
him.'

`You think he
might be Le Merle?'

`No, this is a
private matter. He was engaged as a gardener at Hartlea, but while he was there
he painted a portrait of Juliette. It was a very strange portrait.' He paused,
wondering how much to reveal to the young man. `He depicted her as a French
aristocrat loaded with jewels. Lady Martindale was particularly distressed.'

`His notion of
a joke, perhaps?' he suggested, deciding not to reveal that Juliette had
already confided in him.

`Perhaps. But
you see, I recognised the jewels. They once belonged to the Comte de Carron.'

`But he and his
family were guillotined in '94.'

`Yes, I know. I
want you to find out all you can about this lieutenant and how he came to know
about the jewels.'

`I will do my
best.'

`You are not to
put it before matters of state, you understand. Finding this blackbird fellow
and his informant must take precedence.'

`I understand.'

His lordship
rose. 'Now, I must join my guests. Will you come?'

`No, my lord. I
might be recognised and that would cause you embarrassment. With your
permission I will finish this excellent cigar and leave unnoticed.'

`Very well.'
His lordship drained his glass and stood up. 'We shall soon be returning to
Hartlea. You may reach me there when you have something to report.'

Philip stood
and watched him go, noting how he seemed to have lost the spring in his step
and looked very tired. The energetic, courageous man he had known as a child
seemed to be weighed down with cares and his heart reached out to him. It might
help if he cracked the nut he had been given as soon as possible. He rose and
left the room.

At the bottom
of the stairs he paused. Then, unable to resist the temptation, he slowly made
his way over to the ballroom door and stood for a moment watching the dancers,
looking for one in particular. Just a glimpse would be enough and then he would
take himself off. The room was packed to bursting and with everyone in costume
he could not see her, and then she danced into view, partnered by James
Martindale.

She was a
vision of delight, but one that was marred by her expression. She wore a small
mask that covered only the upper part of her face. He could see her mouth,
smiling up at her partner for all the world as if she were enjoying herself.

But the eyes!
Those expressive eyes, outlined by the silk of the mask, were bleak, as if she
had just been dealt a devastating blow from which there was no hope of
recovery. Had Martindale proposed? Had she accepted? He had to know.

The dance came
to an end and the pair began to walk towards the open doors to the garden.
Before they reached them, she turned and saw him. Recognition lit her face
momentarily and then disappeared as if she thought her eyes were deceiving her.

He pushed his
way through the throng and intercepted them, bowing before Juliette.
'Mam'selle, will you do me the honour of dancing with me?' He spoke like a
French émigré, whose accent had never quite disappeared. It was aristocratic
and precise.

`No, sir,'
James put in and Philip was certain he had not recognised him. 'The lady is
with me and she wishes to be taken into the garden.'

Juliette laid a
hand on his arm. 'We can go into the garden later, James. I must not neglect my
guests.' She held out her hand to Philip, who took it in his and turned to lead
her back to the dancers, leaving James hardly able to conceal his fury.

`My Lord
Cardinal,' Juliette said with a glint of mischief in her eye, 'is it fitting
for an eminent churchman to waltz?'

He was glad to
see the sad look go from her eyes and whirled her into the dance, feeling her
slim body under his hand and wishing he dare hold her closer than the
stipulated arm's length. `Oh, this churchman is not all he seems.'

`That I
realise.' He was a superb dancer and her feet were carrying her as if they had
wings, following where he led, just as if they had been practising the steps
for years.

`But I collect
you were going into the garden.' And with that he whirled her, still dancing,
out through the doors and on to the terrace, where it was cool.

`Mr
Devonshire!'

`You know me?'

`Of course I
know you. Did you think you could disguise yourself from me? It was very unwise
of you to come. You know what they are saying, don't you?'

`That I am a
coward. Is that what you think of me, Miss Martindale?'

'Does it matter
what I think?'

`It matters a great
deal. I have heard that you rode out in the middle of the night to try and stop
the contest.'

'Oh, I have no
doubt that my disgrace is known all over town.'

`The disgrace
is surely mine.'

She smiled
suddenly. 'Then we are in it together, don't you think?'

`Together,' he
murmured, looking down at her. The fixed smile was still there, but he sensed
her tension beneath his hand on her waist. 'Would it were so. But why did you
do it? You must have known it would cause the most dreadful fuss.'

`I did not think
of that. I was only concerned with preventing you from fighting. I could not
bear the thought of you...' She stopped, confused by what she had been about to
say. 'Of anyone being hurt. But I could have saved myself the bother. You did
not keep the appointment.'

`No, I was
unavoidably detained.'

Her smile was
more relaxed now and there was a hint of a twinkle in her eye. 'That, I
suppose, is as good an excuse as any, and I am glad. There is enough fighting
going on between nations without individuals putting an end to each other.'

`Amen to that.
So, no harm has been done?'

`None
except...' She could not go on.

`Except?' he
prompted.

Her steps
faltered and she stumbled against him. He caught her in his arms. and before
she could cry out, had enfolded her in his arms and was kissing her.