FortunesFolly

by Barbara Miller

  “And yet you aspire to the ton. Stop pursuing dead fashion and set your own, but temper your ethic with compassion. There are many too ill or hungry to work.”

  “I am tired of being lectured to by women.” He got up and strode toward the door then recalled it was his house and he could not evade her plain truths by leaving.

  “Yes, that inferior species, long on compassion but short of brains. I see my estimation of you was premature. I really thought you had changed.”

  “Do you think that’s your mission, to change me?”

  “Absolutely not. I think it is your mission to change yourself. I take responsibility only for my own actions. It is crystal clear to me now that you cannot be mended.”

  “Only one thing is crystal clear to me now. You never had any interest in me, only in my money.”

  “What are you talking about? I did want you to invest in Fredrick’s inventions, so I could not in good conscience let you court me until that was settled. I’m sorry I turned you down. If I wanted your money, I would have accepted you when you proposed. Now I see that it was wise of me to keep you at arm’s length for the sake of your family.”

  “Answer me. Do you care about me at all?” He ran his hands through his hair.

  “Of course I do. I love you. Why would I rant at you if I didn’t?”

  “I really don’t know. I have never met anyone like you. What do you want from me? To be different than I am? I’m not sure I can change.”

  He watched her struggle to voice her terms and conditions for caring about him.

  “You are Holly’s brother and I want so much not to lose her friendship, but you set too high a price on yourself.”

  “What price? I would have given you everything. I offered you the protection of my name.”

  “That’s not quite the same thing. You offered me everything except what I needed. Your trust in my judgment. Now I find that Vance has registered a fake will with the solicitor. Father never meant for him to be our guardian. Not only that, I think Vance killed my father.”

  “The solicitor agrees with you?”

  “He sent Harding for the magistrate. You patted me on the head and assured me my brother’s life is not in danger. That kind of protection, I do not need.” Rox rose and pulled her shawl about her.

  “Perhaps Vance did try to cheat you but he would never dare murder. Besides, your brother can take care of himself. Didn’t he kill that highwayman on Houndslow Heath?”

  “Oh yes, the highwayman?” Her voice echoed in the otherwise quiet room.

  Tanner blew out a tired breath. Was it possible the highwayman had targeted Fredrick? “I think I should let him tell you about that.”

  “Perhaps he may live to do so.”

  “How could you not realize my interest went beyond your brother’s affairs?”

  “Because yours aren’t the first romantic words I’ve heard whispered in my ear. I have been jilted before and it’s not a pleasant experience to think someone cares and then to discover he was only a very good actor. I wanted to put it off as long as possible—hating you.”

  “If one of your calf loves…”

  “It was Lord Wainwright, to be specific. The day after Father was killed, Wainwright disappeared from my life and refused to answer my letters. When I next saw him, he was courting one of the Cavendish girls and he looked at me as though I were invisible.”

  “How was I supposed to know all this unless you told me?”

  “To what purpose? You said it yourself. I have no talent for these false games everyone plays.” She pulled the strings taut on her bag. “No need to see me out. I know my way by now.”

  “Rox, wait.”

  “Tell your mother I will ask her advice tomorrow.”

  “Am I no use to you?”

  “Not when you don’t believe me.”

  “Arresting Vance will not be enough. If he is guilty of all you say, I will call him out.”

  “A white knight is not what I need right now. I had much rather you smashed in his face in your usual manner. But it appears you can act only on impulse.”

  Tanner let her have the last word and followed her to the door to make sure she had a footman for escort. Then he went to the study to brood. He had spoken to Fredrick about Roxanne’s suspicions but this was different. She had a solicitor who agreed with her.

  He should ignore Fredrick’s words of comfort and call on Vance. He couldn’t just walk into his house and smash in his face as Rox suggested, but he might be able to strangle the truth out of him.

  * * * * *

  Roxanne was pleased that for once Fredrick stayed home an evening. She thought it was more because his head ached than that he had heeded her fears. She kept checking in the book room to make sure he wasn’t about to sneak out. The pretense of getting something to read could not serve her more than three or four times.

  “Have you a new dress for the ball tomorrow night?”

  “It’s no use, Freddy. I don’t want to go to the ball tomorrow if Tanner is going to be there. He tricked me. He wasn’t interested in your inventions at first, just in seducing me.”

  Her brother gave her that impatient stare of his as he looked up from the drawings he’d spread on the book-room table. “I’m sure that cannot be right. Still, I must discuss this with him since I believe he is genuinely interested in you.”

  Roxanne gave him a punch in the shoulder that made him grin.

  “I didn’t mean I would discuss his seduction of you, of course, so don’t get that look.”

  “What look?”

  “As though you want me to call him out.”

  “He wanted to court me and I was hesitant because I didn’t want to buy support for you inventions with my affections. I wanted you to succeed on your own. That’s happened now, but we have fought again. It’s hopeless.”

  “Then you do care about him?”

  “Of course I do. I didn’t presume to think about it then.”

  “Or you were afraid to.”

  “It doesn’t matter. The things we said to each other… It was much worse than parting from Wainwright. He just never spoke to me again. I read Tanner out about his treatment of Holly. For that he will never forgive me.”

  “Perhaps all is not lost. Would you wish him to court you?”

  “I don’t know. He is the most aggravating man I have ever met. We fight like ferrets in a sack every time we talk.”

  “You used to say that about me, then Wainwright. My dear levelheaded sister, if you don’t know then you must be moonstruck.”

  “More like thunderstruck. Wait until I tell you what our guardian has been up to. But first I want to hear about the highwayman you killed.”

  Fredrick had the grace to blush. “So bloodthirsty. I could hardly let him rob the female passengers, since two of them looked needier than us.”

  “Don’t you see? Vance might have sent him. Then we have the attack last night. Your life is in danger.”

  “But that defies all reason. You can’t blame everything on Vance.”

  “Just because you cannot work out that there is a plot doesn’t mean there isn’t one. I saw the solicitor today and he agrees that the will may be a forgery. Certainly Vance has been cheating us. We are not poor the way he says.”

  “The solicitor agrees with you about Vance trying to kill me?”

  “He agrees for a fact Vance is embezzling from us. The magistrate is investigating. I have convinced our solicitor your life is in danger.”

  “I can see I will have to visit him without delay. I’m sorry I was so caught up in my work that I ignored your fears.”

  “You will be careful then?”

  “We’ll let the law take care of Vance. I don’t think he would dare try to do away with me now.”

  Roxanne went to her chamber with an evil headache but she felt she had finally made a dent in Fredrick’s complaisance. He at least agreed to go visit the solicitor, but he still did not take the threat to his life seriou
sly. She didn’t even want to talk to him about Mother. She had championed her and made excuses for the lack of letters long after Fredrick had washed his hands of her.

  Against her romantic problem, she could make no headway. She loved Tanner and would much rather have become engaged to him than to Sir John but she had given her word and would not back down on that. She simply felt sorry for the older man and he had asked her when Tanner was angry with her. Sympathy was not sufficient reason for marriage, but she had just as much honor as a man. She would not cry off but she must warn Sir John of the dangers Vance presented.

  Then she recalled that she had far more serious problems than marrying someone she didn’t really love. She had to figure out how to rescue her mother Perhaps she should have discussed her plan with Fredrick but he would have thrown a rub in the way. All he cared about was the casting he was ready to do the next day, as though nothing mattered but his inventions.

  Perhaps Vance would be arrested soon enough to solve all her problems but she placed as little trust in the wheels of justice as she did in most other men. They still had to get a warrant. She would have to be ready to spring into action herself.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Aunt Agatha spent the morning planning Roxanne’s trousseau and immediate future. She was to have all new finery in spite of just getting a dozen new gowns. Agatha could now take her to the Meisners’ ball that night with a good conscience since Roxanne was engaged.

  She was puzzled by Roxanne’s lack of enthusiasm for her plans but happily went off to order fabric while Roxanne stayed home and waited for word about the warrant for Vance. She had sneaked into the town house once and should be able to do so again, but how to convince her mother to leave? Even if she got Vance arrested, there was still Ian Stone to deal with. At least Fredrick had promised to see the solicitor as soon as possible.

  Roxanne had worn a path in the carpet pacing the morning room. It was nearly noon and still no solutions had suggested themselves, when Tanner was announced. With difficulty, she composed herself, shaking the creases out of her green-striped morning gown as she went to greet him. It was not the thing for young ladies to receive gentlemen alone in the morning room but she hoped Tanner did not realize that.

  “Please sit down, sir. This time I owe you an apology for my rant about your family affairs. I had no more right to intrude, even if I am Holly’s best friend, than you had to advise me about my prospects.”

  “And I came to apologize for dumping such awful news on you yesterday.” Tanner took a seat across from her in front of the fireplace.

  “I can scarcely believe it. But Aunt Agatha has been gone for hours and that makes me queasy.” Roxanne looked up at the mantel clock. “She can’t have been ordering fabric all this time, so perhaps she is listening to gossip.”

  “I fear it’s true. My solicitor confirmed it. I went to Vance’s house, I mean your town house, and could not gain admittance. They claimed he is not home.”

  “And short of strong-arming the servants out of the way, you can’t know if he is there or not.”

  “I will find him and wring the truth from him.”

  “No matter. The die is cast. A horrible way to put it but gambling cant does not make me shudder any longer now that I know my father did not game his fortune away.”

  “Your solicitor changed your opinion?”

  “He sent me a note with further findings. When so many investors were selling out of the funds on the eve of Waterloo, Father bought stock. He made a fortune.”

  “Then why would he kill himself?”

  “That’s the point, Tanner. I’m sure he didn’t. I’ve been struggling to piece together the events that I have tried so hard to forget. I recall that Vance arrived on the twentieth with bad news. His investments were wiped out since he sold late. Father shook his head and said not to worry. They sat up drinking after we went to bed. Then I heard that horrible shot. I tried to get into the library but it was locked. Later, Vance said he did not want me to witness the sight but I now know he needed time to sober up and write the fake will.”

  “Can you prove any of this?”

  “All of it, I think, now that the solicitor has told me what he knows.”

  “I have let you down. If I had championed you at the solicitor’s office, he may have seen you the first time you called. I was so caught up in what I thought were my responsibilities, I ignored your very real plight and almost married my sister to a bounder.”

  “I am glad you realized it in time, for Holly’s sake.”

  “I talked to her—rather I listened for a change. She doesn’t want any of them.”

  “And?”

  “And I told her she doesn’t have to accept any of them. There’s always next year.”

  “Tanner, that is wonderful!” She wasn’t sure how but she found herself in his arms hugging him, but then she recollected where they were. She drew back to look at him and he bent and kissed her.

  She returned the kiss tentatively but recalled her situation and stared at him with her hands clutching his lapels and probably ruining them. “I just remembered I am engaged.”

  “I am aware of it.” His arms still held her close.

  “To someone else.”

  “I have come to my senses too late. I was trying to do the right thing but my course is more littered with mistakes than a novice’s weaving.”

  “Your missteps can be mended. You have made a start but I have given my word.”

  “There was a time I would have chided you about a woman’s word but that would be unfair. You honor is just as important to you as mine is to me.”

  The door cracked open and they leaped apart. Sir John was announced and strode into the room, still carrying a riding crop.

  “Miss Whitcomb, I have come to tell you that I must withdraw my offer of marriage. I find that the son and daughter-in-law I trusted have ruined me and I am in no position to take a wife in good conscience.”

  Roxanne swallowed and stared at him, this kindly man who’d been willing to take her when no one else would. She glanced at Tanner and he looked away, wincing at some inner hurt.

  “Fortune or no matters not to me,” she finally said.

  Sir John took her hand. “You are a dear girl to say so but I cannot allow you to throw yourself away on me. Surely someone else will offer for you.”

  “You are a man of honor, sir. I must tell you that our situations have been strangely reversed. It appears my father was not ruined after all and that I shall have an income that would support us.”

  “I am indeed happy for you but I must find my own way out of this mess, so I feel compelled to withdraw my offer. No blame will attach to you. I shall see to that. Everyone knows my affairs now and will understand.”

  “But how? How can everyone suddenly know?”

  “I’m not sure but it doesn’t matter.”

  “Was it my guardian who did this to you?”

  “It was only a matter of time. I should not have been so blind. For now I must go see my solicitors.” He kissed her lightly on the forehead and strode from the room.

  “Now that is a gentleman,” she whispered.

  Tanner stood behind her, so close she could feel his breath upon her neck. “It wasn’t me,” he said.

  “What?” She turned to face him.

  “I wasn’t me who told about his affairs.”

  “I never thought it was. What just happened here?”

  “You had a chance to reverse your decision but chose honor above love.”

  “Did I? I was only thinking how much more he needed me than you do.”

  “Still, you chose him rather than me. Will you never think of what you need, what you want?”

  “I was thinking of that. How could I have lived with myself if I had been the one who abandoned him?”

  “Many women do pass over such decisions without regret.”

  “I am not many women. I am me, too much like my father for my own good. If you can’t a
ccept that, I’m sorry.” She wasn’t sure what his intense look meant but she did not find out since Aunt Agatha burst into the room with news of Sir John’s disgrace.

  She reclined on the divan, fanning herself and castigating the older man until Roxanne told her Sir John had broken the engagement. She wasn’t sure from her aunt’s hysterical laughter if she was happy or sadly insane about that. At any rate, Tanner slipped from the room before she could speak to him again.

  Were they never to settle anything? But did she want to accept him when her whole life was still in an uproar? She would far rather come to him without such baggage. And if she was honest with herself, she did want to vanquish her own dragon in this case.

  She went to her room, where her celestial-blue ball gown was laid out along with her cloak, gloves and slippers. Such fripperies when her heart was breaking into pieces. Well, if Tanner couldn’t stomach a wife with a sense of honor, he could just go marry one of the debutantes and ruin himself.

  She pulled her trunk from under the bed and got out her father’s dueling pistol. It was the lonely mate to the one that had killed him. She was never sure what they had done with that one but she’d found this one in the library in its usual place.

  She carefully loaded it in preparation for tomorrow’s expedition. Or if she could escape the ball tonight, perhaps she could accomplish her task this evening. The ball was the sort of place Vance would go without taking her mother.

  The more she thought about it, the more she saw tonight as a golden opportunity to break her mother free. Possibly she could slip away unnoticed. If she mistook not, the Meisner town house was only one square over from her father’s.

  She changed, slid the pistol into the pocket of her black velvet cloak and carried it downstairs.

  * * * * *

  Tanner drove to the foundry to discover the casting had been poured and two workmen were watching over it. Fredrick had gone home to change for the ball tonight. He wasn’t at all sure he wanted to go, to see Rox there and hear the unkind gossip about her and Sir John. In fact, he had told his mother he was not going. What might have been a triumph for Rox would now be another evening of torture.