by Joyce Alec
“You are weary, Miss Preston,” Lord Carrick said at once, looking down at her with concern as they stepped through the French doors of the ballroom and out into the sunshine. “Come, there is a bench where you might rest for a time.”
She said nothing but walked with him, wanting to lean into him, wanting to take a hold of his strength, but finding that she could not. Not when she knew that such happiness would soon come to an end.
“Here,” Lord Carrick urged, seating her down and patting her hand before letting her go. “I am certain the sunshine will revive you.”
Henrietta looked up at him, squinting a little in the sunlight. Lord Carrick was tall, broad, and handsome and she wanted to revel in his company for a moment, before it was torn from her.
“Lord Carrick,” she began, her voice hoarse. “There is something I must say. It is to do with—”
“Miss Preston!”
Lord Carrick grinned and stepped to one side to reveal none other than Lady Ancrum hurrying towards her, with Lord Ancrum following steadily behind. Henrietta’s mouth fell open in astonishment, for not only had she quite forgotten that she had spoken to Lord Carrick about seeking out Lady Ancrum, she had not thought for one moment that they would be willing to come to her aid.
“Lord Carrick spoke to us last evening,” Lady Ancrum said, reaching for Henrietta’s hands as Henrietta struggled to her feet. “And we came just as soon as we could. Good gracious, Miss Preston, whatever has happened to you?” Her eyes, filled with concern, clung to Henrietta’s face. “And what is it that we can do to help?”
Henrietta, overcome by the arrival of Lady Ancrum and quite taken with how kind she was being towards her after what she herself had done to bring difficulty upon Lord Ancrum, bent her head and squeezed Lady Ancrum’s hands.
“There is a lot to tell,” she whispered, not quite trusting her voice. “I cannot believe that you have deigned to come and speak to me, Lady Ancrum. Not after what I did.” She shot a quick glance towards Lord Carrick, who frowned at this remark but made no comment of his own.
“Nonsense,” Lady Ancrum said blithely. “You know very well that we do not consider you responsible in any way, Miss Preston. Rather, at the time, we were grateful for your courage and your honesty. My dear husband might not even be my husband had it not been for you!” She smiled into Henrietta’s eyes, who only just managed to return it. “And you are to call me Lydia, for whilst we might not have been friends before, we shall be now. I am very glad that you thought to ask Lord Carrick for our help, Miss Preston. It was good of you to think of us, for we are truly glad to be here with you now.”
Henrietta wanted to press her grateful thanks towards Lady Ancrum, wanted to tell her that she was overwhelmed by her kindness, but instead, she felt a wave of tears, sorrow, and regret burst all through her. Lowering her head, she began to cry pitifully, fearing that everything she had come to trust in would be taken from her the moment Lord Carrick knew of what she had done. She felt as though she did not deserve this, did not deserve the compassion that was being shown her. All she could do was weep.
8
“And because Lady Starling saw Lord Kingsley and me in a rather… improper embrace—although it was one that I struggled to remove myself from—she then decided that she would use me to her advantage.”
James frowned heavily, seeing how pale Miss Preston looked.
“She used Miss Preston very ill,” Lady Ancrum said firmly. “But we do not hold her responsible in any way, Lord Carrick.”
“No, indeed,” he agreed, seeing how Miss Preston looked up at him in astonishment. “I quite understand, Miss Preston. Truly.”
Miss Preston blinked rapidly, her green eyes still a little glassy.
“It is a roguish gentleman who dares treat a lady with such disregard,” he stated. “I do not hold the blame against you, Miss Preston, but rather against Lord Kingsley and, of course, against Lady Starling.” He shook his head and harrumphed, wondering if this was why Miss Preston had appeared so ill at ease earlier. “You did not fear that I would turn my back on you for revealing such a thing, I hope?”
Again, Miss Preston blinked furiously, her hands toying with the lace handkerchief that had been used to wipe so many of her tears away. She said nothing but stared at him as though she could not believe what he was saying.
“I believe that she did, Lord Carrick,” Lady Ancrum said gently as Lord Ancrum rose to pour himself another brandy. “But that is your own guilt placing burdens upon your shoulders that do not need to be there, Miss Preston. Surely you must know that Lord Carrick does not see the same shame as you do?”
Miss Preston closed her eyes and took in a shaky breath. “I fear that my parents consider me to be a brazen, improper sort of lady,” she admitted, opening her eyes and looking back at him. “I think that this is why my mother returned to the estate without so much as a backwards glance.”
James frowned. “You mean to say that you believe she thought you had gone out of the house in order to behave in a most improper manner and, therefore, decided to leave almost at once?” This did not seem to make sense to him, for surely a parent, no matter how upset they might be, would still be concerned for the whereabouts of their child.
“I think that must be the case,” Miss Preston said sadly. “I cannot think of any other reason as to why my mother left London without explanation and now states that I am staying with relatives somewhere. It is as though she wants to ensure that no shame comes to the family name by distancing herself and my father from me.”
“That would make them rather hard-hearted,” Lady Ancrum commented, looking at Miss Preston with concern. “They do care for you; I am quite certain.”
A sudden memory of Miss Preston and her mother walking through the London streets came back to James with a great rush. The lady he now knew to have been Lady Cuthbert had been waving her arms around and seeming to berate Miss Preston with all of her might. Had her fear been so great that her daughter would behave foolishly again that she had decided just to leave her to herself?
“It would surprise me if such a thing were true,” he said slowly, seeing Miss Preston’s eyes flicker. “There are still too many questions, Miss Preston. Questions as regards the rubies and what occurred to you thereafter. Why were you struck so forcefully? What was the reason for doing so?” He saw Miss Preston shudder but continued to speak regardless. “There must be a reason for someone to wish you gone from this earth, Miss Preston.”
“Which is why we must be very careful not to allow anyone to know of your presence here,” Lady Ancrum interrupted, her eyes lit with concern. “That is so, is it not, Lord Carrick?”
He nodded fervently. “I have done my utmost to ensure that such a thing does not occur, Lady Ancrum. My brother and I are the only two to know of her residence here.”
“And whilst I would like to have you removed to my own residence, I cannot think it wise at this stage,” Lady Ancrum remarked, looking towards Miss Preston. “If someone were to see you when we still have very little understanding of what is occurring, then you might be in grave danger.”
James nodded fervently, finding that the thought of Miss Preston leaving his residence was not, in fact, a pleasant one. This was the second week that she had been with him and he had enjoyed her company, now that she was recovered. They had spent some evenings in the library where he had continued his habit of reading to her, which seemed to take her mind from all of her troubles and helped calm her fractious thoughts. He had enjoyed being with her, even though there had always been a maid or footman present also, to keep things as proper as they could be in these unusual circumstances. That, he thought, keeping his thoughts entirely to himself, he did not want to end. Whilst he was quite determined that Miss Preston should have all the answers she sought, he did not want her to leave his house. It was a very strange sensation, for he had never drawn close to anyone before in such a manner as this. He had always enjoyed the company of young ladies and the l
ike, but had never sought to further his acquaintance with any of them. He supposed that, given the circumstances, he had not had any other choice but to further his acquaintance with Miss Preston and, in doing so, his regard for her had begun to grow steadily.
“We will aid you as much as we can, however,” Lord Ancrum said, sitting back down beside his wife. “What is it that we can do, Miss Preston?”
Miss Preston’s mouth opened and shut, and she shook her head as she glanced down at her hands.
“There is just so much confusion,” she said faintly. “I do not know who wrote the note and threatened me in such a way, although a good many of the beau monde would know of my mother’s rubies, for they were very rarely seen but very often spoken of.”
“So we must discover who it is behind such a scheme,” Lord Ancrum said, throwing a quick look towards James, who nodded in agreement. “And what else must we do?”
James cleared his throat. “If you are quite certain that your parents will not accept you back, Miss Preston, then might I suggest that we find a way to ensure that your suspicions are entirely correct?” He smiled at her, seeing the way that the corner of her mouth lifted. “There may yet be a reason as to why they have refused to see you, one that you cannot know for certain.”
Miss Preston lifted one shoulder in a half shrug and looked away. Clearly, she was unconvinced by such a suggestion. “Mayhap they might even believe that it is I who have taken the rubies,” she said sorrowfully. “But I suppose you are correct to state that one ought to discover the truth in its entirety, Lord Carrick.”
“I think it would be wise,” Lady Ancrum agreed. “I shall write to your mother at once and state that I was seeking to invite you to reside with me at my husband’s estate for a time after your marriage and see what response she gives me.” Tipping her head and looking thoughtfully at Miss Preston, she lifted her shoulders in a delicate shrug. “I shall say that I have seen you in town but that you have gone again from it with your new husband and that I am most eager to pass on this invitation. I will say that I have a very poor memory and cannot recall where I have put your card or even if you ever once gave me your new address.” She gave Miss Preston a warm smile. “It may take some time, but some clarity might very well come from it, Miss Preston.”
“I do hope so,” Miss Preston replied wistfully.
“And I must insist that you stay for dinner this evening,” James declared. “Although thereafter, Oliver and I are to go to White’s for a time.” He chuckled, seeing Lord Ancrum’s interested look. “It is nothing more than a few acquaintances gathering together but we thought it an opportunity to see if there is any fresh gossip that might aid us in some way.” He gave a small shrug. “You would be welcome to join us, Lord Ancrum.”
Lord Ancrum turned to his wife, who laughed and smiled up into his eyes. “You may do as you please, my love,” she said, making Lord Ancrum grin. “I shall stay with Miss Preston, of course, and await your return when, thereafter, we shall make our way home. Does that suit?”
“Indeed it does,” Lord Ancrum said, looking quite delighted. “You are perfection itself, Lady Ancrum.”
For some reason, James found his eyes turning toward Miss Preston as this was said, as though he wanted to see her reaction to this statement. Miss Preston was, he saw, looking back at him with the same warmth in her eyes that he was certain lingered in his own. Then, she blushed and looked away as silence fell across the room.
“You are all very kind,” she said softly, her voice tremulous. “I came to London with very few acquaintances and certainly none that I would call friends, and now, when I am in the direst of circumstances, I find that I have found not only the help I need but more kindness and compassion than I could ever have expected from those I knew not at all and from those I considered to be already slighted by my lack of sense.” Her head lifted and she looked at Lord Ancrum, Lady Ancrum, and then back to James. “I cannot express my gratitude enough,” she finished, her eyes lingering on his. “This would have been much too difficult for me to endure alone.”
“You are most welcome,” he replied, feeling as though the rest of the room were fading away, leaving only himself and Miss Preston within it. “I could not leave you there on the docks, Miss Preston, and thereafter, I have found that my only wish is to aid you in your difficulties. Such a thing ought not to happen to anyone, and certainly not to a young lady.” He smiled warmly and saw how her eyes glistened with what he hoped were tears of happiness and relief. “You are becoming a matter of great importance to me, Miss Preston, and I do not think I shall be satisfied until you are happy and content once more.”
Lord Ancrum cleared his throat, making James start visibly. He looked at the gentleman, who was grinning with a knowing look in his eye.
“Shall I ring the bell for tea?” James said hastily, getting to his feet so as to cover his embarrassment. “And I must inform the cook that we are to have company for dinner.”
“Thank you,” Lady Ancrum replied as he rang the bell. “You are goodness itself, Lord Carrick. How fortunate Miss Preston has been to fall into your waiting arms rather than those of a rogue!” She smiled at him as he walked to pour himself a brandy, a twinkle in her eye. “I am certain you will do everything in your power to aid Miss Preston.”
“I will,” he said, a little more stiffly than before, “for I am very much resolved. Of that, Miss Preston need have no doubt.”
“Do be careful, Ancrum!”
James could not help but grin as his brother narrowly avoided Lord Ancrum as he carried back three glasses of the very best French brandy that White’s had to offer.
“We are to sit here now, I see,” Lord Ancrum muttered, clearly having enjoyed a good few glasses of brandy already. “Why did we move from where we first sat?”
James chuckled. “Because we have to talk to as many gentlemen as we can,” he explained, waving a hand towards the next few gentlemen who were seated in various places. “You have not forgotten the reason we have come here, have you?”
Lord Ancrum set the glasses down carefully on the table, frowned, and shrugged. “I have not forgotten.”
“We are to see if there are any rumors or the like,” Oliver said, accepting a glass from Lord Ancrum and swirling the brandy around in the glass. “I have heard none yet, although…” He looked about him and then got out of his chair. “We might have more success if I spoke to those over there and you remained here, Carrick.”
James frowned. “You will be careful, will you not?” It had been less than a month since his brother had come to him with the request for help and James was not yet convinced that Oliver could easily manage his liquor with the determination that he spoke of.
Oliver lifted his glass, smiled, and nodded, his eyes clear. “I am well able to be careful,” he said, clearly aware of what James meant. “I know what you require of me, Carrick, and I am more than willing to be of assistance to Miss Preston.” His expression became a little darker. “After all, you forget that I was present when you brought her to the tavern. I shall never forget the sight of the blood.” Closing his eyes momentarily, he cleared his throat and put a tight smile on his lips. “I am as determined as you to ensure that the truth is discovered,” he finished, before inclining his head and making his way past James towards another part of White’s. James tried his best not to follow his brother’s progress, telling himself that he had to make certain that Oliver was permitted to behave just as he wished without James watching over him continually. After all, such a statement seemed to have forced Oliver to consider his actions and, thereafter, change them.
“Lord Ancrum!”
His attention was caught by a large man with a bulging stomach and a cravat that was no longer perfectly tied.
“Good evening, Lord Charleston!” Lord Ancrum exclaimed, getting up to greet the older man. “How do you fare this fine evening?”
Lord Charleston chuckled, his face rather red and his eyes nothing more than narrow sl
its as he laughed. “Very good indeed,” he said, raising a glass. “Especially if they keep bringing in this very fine brandy. Excellent, I must say!” Draining his glass, he set it down on the table and sighed, pouring himself into the chair that Oliver had only just vacated.
“What news of society?” Lord Ancrum asked whilst James attempted to look nonchalant. “My wife and I are only just returned to London and I must hope we have not missed too much.”
Lord Charleston snorted and rolled his eyes, looking as though he were about to fall asleep at any moment. “Oh, there is the usual nonsense,” he said, shrugging. “A debutante has been found in a rather compromising situation and is to be wed by the end of the month.” His mouth, half open, remained so for a moment. “And there is talk of a young gentleman being in a good deal of debt, although that has not come to anything, it seems. I do not even know the fellow’s name.”
James closed his eyes, letting out a long, slow breath and fearing that should Lord Charleston have known the name, he might well have spoken of Oliver.
“Oh, well, that does not give too much for the gossip mongers to chew over,” Lord Ancrum chuckled, reaching forward to get his own brandy glass from the table. “There will be something more very soon, I am quite certain!”
“It would not be the Season if there was not,” Lord Charleston agreed, waving a fat hand about. “Although there was a whisper of one young lady eloping, but that has come to nothing.”
It took all of James’ strength not to sit up straight and demand to know who this young lady was, seeing how Lord Ancrum shot him a hard glance that told him to remain entirely silent.
“A young lady, indeed?” Lord Ancrum said, trying to sound quite nonchalant. “What was her name?”
Lord Charleston sighed, his brow furrowing low. “I think that it was something or someone to do with Lord Cuthbert, although he was not in town himself.” He sighed again and shrugged, his eyes closing now. “Not that it came to anything, as I said. Think the chit got herself hitched and there was just a whisper that it was an elopement.”
