by Joyce Alec
Lord Ancrum’s brow lifted and he turned towards James, a hundred questions in his eyes. James could say nothing, thinking of Miss Preston and trying to convince himself that she had not been about to elope with anyone. A girl did not go to the docks to escape to Scotland. No, they would have to be traveling by carriage and go through the night were they to make it safely and before anyone noticed. Besides which, Miss Preston had not spoken of a gentleman courting her, or someone who wished her to marry him.
A sudden doubt hit him full force, like a punch to the stomach. Miss Preston might well have hidden such a truth from him, for he had never asked her specifically whether or not she had someone important in her life. Someone who had asked her to escape with him, someone whom her parents disapproved of. Surely the rubies story could not be a ruse, simply to hide her disgrace from him?
“I think Lord Charleston is a little worse for wear,” Lord Ancrum murmured, getting to his feet and stretching a little awkwardly. “That is enough to ask Miss Preston about, surely?”
James nodded, his throat feeling dry and scratchy. He did not want to believe that Miss Preston had been lying to him, did not think that this was an elopement that had gone wrong, but it was still something that he would have to ask her about.
“It is just a rumor,” Lord Ancrum reminded him, slapping James on the arm as they turned to make their way from White’s. “A rumor that only adds to the mystery that surrounds Miss Preston.”
“Unless it is the truth,” James muttered, his doubts still filling him. “The rubies might have been taken to ensure that she and her husband-to-be had a good living ahead of them.”
Lord Ancrum shook his head. “She would not go to the docks in order to elope,” he said confidently, echoing James’ own thoughts. “Not unless they were planning to escape to the continent.”
James swallowed hard and looked at Lord Ancrum, whose confident expression quickly began to fade.
“It is possible, I suppose, but hardly likely,” he said, trying to evidently convince James of it.
James shook his head, brushing one hand down his face as they left White’s. “It could be true,” he said slowly. “Miss Preston might have had an attachment to someone that her parents disapproved of. Waiting for the opportunity to escape, she took the rubies and went to meet her lover at the docks where they intended to board ship and wait until it set sail.” He climbed into his carriage and sat down heavily, rapping on the roof the very moment that the door had been shut behind Lord Ancrum. “But her gentleman turned out not to be a gentleman at all. He stole the rubies and left her behind. Could that not be so?” He searched Lord Ancrum’s expression, seeing the same uncertainty that he felt growing in his eyes.
“It could be,” Lord Ancrum agreed reluctantly as the carriage made its way back to James’ townhouse. “But I do not think it likely. I know Miss Preston. She is not the kind to lie.”
“She did before,” James pointed out starkly.
“That is unfair,” Lord Ancrum replied, suddenly sober. “I thought you understood, that you were sympathetic to her plight.”
James found himself growing cold towards Miss Preston, his doubts and fears that she had not been telling him the truth making his compassion die away. If she had been about to elope with a man only to have him trick her, steal the rubies, and run away, then was that not her own doing?
“Carrick!” Lord Ancrum said loudly, snapping James from his thoughts. “You must not allow a single rumor to turn you against Miss Preston! That is entirely unfair.” He leaned forward across the carriage. “I believe that you feel a good deal more for Miss Preston than you are willing to admit to yourself. Do not ruin that now by permitting a whisper of gossip to damage all that you feel.”
With an effort, James tugged himself out from the dark thoughts he had toward Miss Preston, realizing that Lord Ancrum was speaking wisely. “You are correct,” he muttered, rubbing at his forehead. “You are right to suggest that I feel a good deal more for Miss Preston than I am willing to say at present and I must also confess such feelings have me greatly tangled, for I have never experienced such a thing before.” He gave his friend a wry smile as Lord Ancrum sat back in relief. “Perhaps because I am so unused to such feelings, I find myself deeply uncertain as to what I am to do next. What Lord Charleston said has quite thrown me, for it has made me realize that I have trusted Miss Preston’s word ever since the day she first awoke.”
“That is not something to be criticized,” Lord Ancrum replied as the carriage began to slow. “Miss Preston has, I am quite certain, learned very quickly that gentlemen who suggest all manner of inappropriate and outrageous things ought not to be trusted. I know that she will have struggled to gain the trust of her parents again and I cannot imagine that she would have done something so foolish again.” He shrugged. “Besides, did you not think her both distraught and ashamed when she told you of what had happened in the past?”
James sighed and rubbed at his forehead. “Yes, you are quite correct again,” he conceded, a little embarrassed at having been so confused for a moment. “But I must speak to her of this and see what her reaction is.”
Lord Ancrum blinked suddenly, looking around the carriage as though he had just realized something.
“What is it?” James asked as the footman pulled open the carriage door. “Is something the matter?”
“Grieves,” Lord Ancrum exclaimed, making James’ heart stop for a moment. “Where is your brother, Lord Carrick?”
James groaned, closing his eyes in frustration. “In my anger and upset, I left White’s without even recalling that I was to seek him out,” he grumbled, throwing himself back into his seat. “If you would wait with Miss Preston and Lady Ancrum, then I shall return to fetch him.”
Lord Ancrum chuckled and shook his head. “No, indeed, I can tell that you are quite desperate to speak to Miss Preston. You go inside, Lord Carrick, and I shall return to White’s. Please.” He grinned as James shook his head ruefully. “Go and speak to Miss Preston and I shall be back with Grieves not long thereafter.”
“Very well,” James agreed, knowing full well that his relief was more than a little apparent. “Thank you, Ancrum.” So saying, he climbed out of the carriage and hurried into the house, desperate to speak to Miss Preston and to confirm that all the doubts that had plagued him only a few minutes before were nothing other than that—doubts that had no substance and would be blown away like smoke with just a word from Miss Preston.
9
“You have found Lord Carrick to be a very gracious host, then?”
Henrietta blushed at once, dropping her eyes to her lap. “I think that Lord Carrick has put up with a good deal,” she said softly. “I am a complete stranger to him and even now, he is putting his reputation at risk by continuing to allow me to reside here.”
“Your reputation would suffer also,” Lady Ancrum—who had insisted that Henrietta call her Lydia—stated, quite calmly. “But that does not seem to concern you.”
Considering this for a moment, Henrietta spread her hands. “I have so many things that concern me at present that I suppose that does not seem of such great importance,” she said honestly. “But you are quite correct that if I was discovered here, then there would be a great deal of difficulty.”
Lydia smiled, her eyes gleaming. “I do think that Lord Carrick would marry you in order to save you from any disgrace.”
“I should not ask him to do so,” Henrietta replied fervently. “He has been nothing but kindness itself and I should not like him to have to do something that he would be entirely unwilling to do.”
Tilting her head, Lydia regarded Henrietta with sharp eyes, making Henrietta feel as though she were being studied in a most probing manner.
“I would rather remain a spinster than insist on any such thing,” she said, when silence grew between them both. “A disgrace such as this would be easier lost from a gentleman than a lady. He would still have the opportunity to marry someone of h
is own choosing.”
“I suppose that is correct,” Lydia acknowledged, looking at Henrietta with a gentle expression. “But he is very committed to your safety and to the conclusion of this matter, Henrietta. What if he is beginning to think of you in the way that you think of him?”
Henrietta shook her head, refusing to accept such a consideration from Lady Ancrum. “I would not even consider such a thing possible,” she declared. “I will not allow my mind to become even more conflicted than it is at present.” Sighing, she spread her hands. “I have parents who have left me in London, without reason or explanation. I have my mother’s rubies gone from me. I have an injury to my head and now I have my own difficult heart deciding that it prefers Lord Carrick to any other.” Sighing again, she closed her eyes for a moment. “No, Lady Ancrum—I mean, Lydia. No, I shall not think of him with that sort of hope.”
The silence grew between them, leaving Henrietta to consider what she had said, and she slowly realized that she had admitted to Lady Ancrum that she had more regard for him than she had wanted to admit. Squeezing her eyes closed, she let out a long breath and rubbed at her forehead.
“There is no shame in having affection for a gentleman, Henrietta,” Lydia said gently. “And it is quite natural that it should come within your heart when you have been flung into such a situation as this. Lord Carrick is known to my husband and Lord Ancrum has often commented that Lord Carrick often shows very little consideration towards any young lady of his acquaintance.” She smiled as Henrietta dared a glance in her direction. “Except now, he shows a great interest in you.”
“That is only because he feels he has a responsibility towards me,” Henrietta protested. “Because I have been flung into his world and he knows that I have no other place to go, given that I fear my parents would refuse to admit me.” Grimacing, she shook her head, not letting her heart flicker with delight at what Lady Ancrum had suggested. “I cannot let myself believe it.”
Lady Ancrum laughed and got to her feet, although the sound was not unkind. “Mayhap you will have time to examine your heart a little more once these strange circumstances have revealed themselves,” she told Henrietta, who sat and looked down at her hands again. “There may be a happiness there waiting for you, should you only be brave and bold enough to grasp it.” She began to meander towards the window, giving Henrietta a quick backwards glance. “And do not fear that you shall make a similar mistake to the one that was made with Lord Kingsley, Henrietta. Lord Carrick is not such a gentleman.”
“I know he is not,” Henrietta agreed in small voice, feeling a nervous anxiety mixed with excitement begin to fill her. “But I must be on my guard.”
Nothing but silence met her words, making Henrietta consider Lord Carrick all the more. Was there any truth in what Lady Ancrum said? She did not dare to believe it, feeling as though she were already unworthy of the consideration that Lord Carrick had shown her thus far.
“Oh, they are returned!”
Henrietta, pulled from her thoughts, looked up from where she had been watching the flickering flames of the fire to see Lydia beckoning her towards the window. A little relieved that their conversation was at an end, she rose, feeling that Lady Ancrum had managed to uncover a good deal more from Henrietta than she had intended to share.
“Although neither have come out of the carriage as yet,” Lydia said, sounding confused. “I do wonder what is happening.”
A little reluctantly, Henrietta came to join Lydia at the window, looking down to see the carriage and horses on the street below, lit dimly by the lanterns.
“Oh, I see that one is coming into the house,” Lydia said, gesturing to the figure who had climbed out of the carriage. “And now the carriage is moving off again. How odd.” She turned a quizzical eye upon Henrietta, who merely smiled.
“I am certain all will be explained in a moment or two,” she suggested as Lydia took her arm and led her back towards the small fire that kept the library warm this late in the evening. “Although I do wonder if they have discovered anything.” Her heart beat a little more quickly at the thought, although there was a gladness in her heart over the return of Lord Carrick. It was very odd, she considered, seating herself, to be sorrowful over the absence of someone who had only been absent for a few short hours and to feel such joy at their return.
“You must not hide your feelings from Lord Carrick when the time comes,” Lydia urged under her breath, making Henrietta blush. “If you are bold, I believe he will be bold also.”
Henrietta wanted to say something in return but found she could not, for the door opened and Lord Carrick strode in, stopping only to bow.
“Lord Carrick,” Henrietta said, rising to curtsy quickly, only for him to gesture for her to sit down again. “Did you have a successful evening?”
“And where is Ancrum?” Lydia asked, looking quizzically at Lord Carrick. “I saw the carriage drive away again.”
Lord Carrick cleared his throat, looking a little self-conscious. “We—I—forgot my brother,” he said awkwardly. “Lord Ancrum has gone to fetch him for I had something that I had to speak to Miss Preston about.” His eyes turned toward her and Henrietta resisted the urge to press one hand against her heart, such was the fervent beating that accompanied it.
“Oh, but of course!” Lady Ancrum said at once, a brightness about her voice that made Henrietta blush. “I shall just fetch a book and sit over here, so that I do not disturb you.” She smiled knowingly at Henrietta as she removed herself to another corner of the room, taking a candlestick with her.
“Miss Preston,” Lord Carrick began, pacing up and down in front of the fire, his arms behind his back. “I have heard a rumor that I must put to you.”
“Of course,” she said, her heart beating furiously as Lord Carrick stopped only for a moment to look down at her. “What is it?”
Lord Carrick let out a long breath and ran one hand through his wheat-colored hair, which seemed to be nothing more than strands of dark gold as the light from the fire and the candles caught it.
“I confess, Miss Preston, that I did not know what to make of this rumor at first,” Lord Carrick said slowly, his head low as he resumed his pacing. “It was said that Lord Cuthbert’s daughter had eloped.” He paused and looked at her, a question in his eyes. “But the whisper was nothing more than that, for now it is believed that you are, in fact, wed.”
Henrietta blinked in astonishment, taking in what Lord Carrick had said and trying to make sense of it. She had not a single gentleman caller who could have sparked such a rumor, and certainly no proposals of marriage.
“I did wonder if you had gone to the docks to meet this gentleman, whomever he might have been,” Lord Carrick continued carefully, now no longer pacing but turning to face her, looking more like shadow and darkness. “The rubies were, perhaps, taken so that you might start your life together. But then I realized that—”
“I beg your pardon?”
Henrietta pushed herself up out of her chair, looking directly up at Lord Carrick and feeling her heart sinking slowly into her shoes.
“It was a consideration only,” Lord Carrick said hastily, holding up both hands in defense. “I was wrong to think it.”
“Indeed you were,” Henrietta agreed as a spike of anger began to burn up into her chest. “I would not even consider doing something like that, Lord Carrick! I have only just returned to society, if you might recall, and certainly did not have any gentlemen callers or offers of marriage. I have never had any intention of eloping or the like.” Her voice was rising, heat racing up her spine and burning into her cheeks. “I have brought shame on my parents once before and I shall not do it again.”
“I know,” Lord Carrick said, sounding humble and apologetic as he took a small step closer to her, his head bowed low. “I should not even have thought it, Miss Preston. And mayhap, I ought not to have mentioned that I even considered it.” There was a rueful note to his voice that began to soothe Henrietta’s ang
er, making her brows lift from their angry lowering and her fists begin to loosen. “I should have merely told you that these are the whispers I have heard but that I am quite assured that there is no truth in them.”
“No,” Henrietta maintained, feeling her anger begin to ebb away at the apology in his voice and expression. “No, there is no truth in it, Lord Carrick. As you can see, I am not wed.” She arched one eyebrow and saw him smile, feeling her own lips curving in response. “But that is a very odd rumor, I must confess.”
Lord Carrick nodded, letting out a long breath that spoke to her of relief and regret over his foolishness. “It is indeed,” he concurred, “but it is one that has come to naught, for there is no evidence of your elopement.”
Henrietta bit her lip for a moment, her gaze drifting away from him. “And there is no mention of the gentleman that I have supposedly married?” she asked, seeing Lord Carrick shake his head. “How very odd.”
Lord Carrick chuckled and then shook his head. “I fear I have added yet more mystery to what is already a confusing situation,” he said, reaching out to grasp her hand for a moment, his thumb rubbing the back of her hand. “I am sorry for it.”
“I am glad you have heard something,” Henrietta replied honestly. “Although no, it does not bring any clarity to the circumstances.” She sighed heavily and rubbed at her forehead. “Mayhap there will be an answer from my parents to Lady Ancrum’s letter sooner than we think.” She smiled up into his eyes, seeing that he was still holding her hand, and she heard Lady Ancrum’s previous words coming back to her. “That might help to add to our understanding.”
“We may be required to arrive at their estate and demand some answers,” Lord Carrick said softly, his head lowering just a little as he looked keenly into her eyes. “I know you believe that you would not be welcome, but it may be the only way for us to find the truth in its entirety.” He studied her carefully. “Would you be willing to return to them with me?”
