Deadly Engagement: A Georgian Historical Mystery (Alec Halsey Crimance)

by Lucinda Brant

  Even if Emily had been raped why hadn’t her mother lied to the Earl? Why stay silent? She could think of only one explanation and it horrified her. Perhaps her mother did suspect Alec Halsey of assaulting her granddaughter but her infatuation meant she could not bring herself to voice her suspicions to his estranged elder brother? But to protect him at the expense of her granddaughter’s future? Lady Charlotte was mortified. No wonder the Earl was beside himself with doubt. It angered her that her mother had put her in such an awkward position. It angered her even more that Emily had been born at all. She stood up. The Earl faced her.

  “When I learned of the maid’s accident I immediately sent for Sir John Oliphant. Perhaps you have heard of him? A well-respected and most excellent physician. I know Mamma would prefer there to be as little fuss as possible, but I cannot be easy in my mind about the state of Mamma’s health until Sir John has examined her.”

  “My lady, you are a worthy daughter. I commend your caring nature.”

  “Thank you. Though I am only doing my duty,” answered Lady Charlotte primly. “As Sir John is coming all this way to see Mamma I don’t see why he can’t see Emily too. Once he is in possession of the facts of this most shocking incident I know he will be only too willing to oblige. He is a discreet man and utterly devoted to his profession. He has attended on Her Majesty. So you may rest easy, my lord.”

  Delvin bowed over her hand. “I cannot thank you enough. I was at a loss, I must confess, but I should have known you, madam, with your superior understanding and moral perceptibility, would find the perfect solution. Sir John sounds an admirable choice. May I then leave this matter in your capable hands?”

  He pocketed his snuffbox and waited for Lady Charlotte to leave the room ahead of him.

  She hesitated.

  He raised an eyebrow. “My lady, do you perceive a problem?”

  “No. That is, may I be frank?”

  Delvin inclined his powdered head.

  “Whatever Sir John’s findings, what is your intention, my lord?”

  “My intention? To make Emily my wife.” He frowned. “Madam, you did not think… you could not think…” He looked shocked. “I assure you, Sir John’s findings will not alter my desire to ally myself with your family. But you are sensible enough to see that if Sir John does discover in truth that my dearest Emily has been violated then the wedding, it will be postponed until such time as it can be determined whether she has been impregnated. There are methods—I’m certain Sir John will advise us—to deal with such a hideous prospect. Did you think I meant to cry off, my lady?”

  “Certainly not!” she retorted. “You are too noble a gentleman not to stand by your convictions. Emily could not ask for a better mate. I only hope she has sense enough to realize it.” She squeezed his velvet sleeve as she went before him out into the passageway. “This conversation remains between you and I. You have my word. And please, do not worry yourself unnecessarily. I will see to everything.”

  Delvin grinned at her straight back. “Thank you, my lady. I knew you I could rely on you to do what was right and proper.”

  Selina and Emily walked in silence along the narrow footpath that followed the river downstream and connected the old pier to the new and then wound its way back up to the house. At the new pier workmen were busy erecting fireworks set-pieces which were to be secured in the punts bobbing up and down on their moorings in the reeds, and later anchored offshore to be set alight during the Fireworks Ball. This building activity had effectively closed off the path to any guest wishing to take a stroll along the riverbank and return to the house, thus the two women were forced to turn back. But Selina stopped at the old wooden pier hoping the swan family were nesting in the reeds and wondering how best to broach the subject of last night’s assault with Emily.

  “Shall we see if M’sieur and Mme de Cygne are in residence today?” she asked Emily cheerfully, and held out her hand so they could cross the weathered boards together.

  “The swans? Yes, I’d like that. Do you know, that’s what Alec calls them. M’sieur and Mme de Cygne he says in his most thickly accented French, and he speaks to them in French also.”

  “Yes,” Selina said with a smile. “I remember.”

  “I wish we’d brought them something to nibble.”

  Selina produced two breakfast rolls from her pocket. “One cannot visit the de Cygnes without bringing them an offering. That would be non pardonné.”

  They sat on the edge of the pier, reigning in their billowing petticoats from the strong breeze that also stirred the overhanging willow branches. It chopped at the surface of the water causing it to swirl about the tall reeds struggling to poke through the rotted boards and slapped against the encrusted pylons sending up the occasional cold spray of mist.

  “I’ve heard Alec say that too,” Emily answered in a distracted way, eyes on a fast moving skiff headed down stream, a small boy on board waving frantically to them and clapping when the salutation was returned. “Selina. I miss Jack,” she stated abruptly. “I wish he was here now. I wish…I don’t know what induced him to foolishly fight a duel with Edward. Edward says Jack was in love with me and was jealous of him but I know that can’t be true. I do love Edward for wanting to protect me from the truth but I hate the thought of everyone thinking it is my fault they fought a duel at all! What must Lady Margaret think of me? How shall I ever face her and her daughters again? And you, what must you think of me? You and Jack were so close and—”

  “Jack’s death is not something for which you need feel responsible,” Selina firmly assured her. “I know the duel was not fought over you. Jack was in love but it wasn’t with you.”

  Emily sat up, her gray eyes very round. “Oh! So you do know,” she said with a sigh of relief. “I should have realized Jack would confide in you. He told me about his feelings only days before he—before he died. He was so happy.” She saw surprise register on Selina’s face. “He—he didn’t tell me her name and I wasn’t so forward as to ask it of him. I was just so pleased he had finally met the right girl.”

  They broke the bread into the crown of Emily’s straw hat.

  “If we both know Jack was in love with someone else then do you not see that Delvin told you a falsehood about the reasons for the duel?” Selina said gently. “Don’t you think it a possibility it may have been Delvin who forced the fight on Jack?”

  Emily thought about this and frowned. “That’s what Alec said too, but Edward would not lie to me. He loves me.”

  “Emily dear, Delvin did lie to you by suggesting it was Jack’s jealousy of him which prompted him to draw his sword.”

  “Then Edward must have had good reason to lie,” Emily replied defensively. “Perhaps he wanted to protect me from the truth? He’s like that.”

  “Perhaps he did,” Selina answered lightly, fingers playing in the breadcrumbs but her attention focused on Emily. “Although, I had thought you more like me… you’d want to know the truth, regardless of how that may affect you. You would not want to be lied to. I have never wanted to be one of these females who is forever treated as a child, to be spoon-fed only the information others feel it is fit to receive. Sybilla is one such female.”

  “How can you say such a thing about Aunt Sybilla when she is your friend?”

  “That does not make her any less my friend. Besides, she likes to be treated that way. The Admiral is the perfect husband for her. I envy her that. She and Charles have a happy marriage.”

  “Because you were married against your will, Mrs. Jamison-Lewis?”

  Selina smiled. “Oh, do call me Selina. I despise my married name. Here come the de Cygnes,” and she leaned forward to throw small morsels of bread into the river as two swans and their brood of chicks came gliding up to the pier. “I was forced to marry J-L but that was not the worst of it. I was in love with someone else and my husband knew this, and although he did not love me and really did not care for me he was one of those men who has to have something becaus
e another man wants it.” As she said this she undid the clasp of the pearl and diamond broach that pinned her fichu to the front of her low cut bodice. “He could not abide the thought of my mental unfaithfulness so he beat me. Not very often. Some would say I deserved the beatings because I was not a good wife to him.” She carefully removed the length of gossamer material from her breasts. “You see, I refused to have him in my bed, Emily, but he insisted upon it, which was his right as my husband. Do you understand what I am telling you?”

  Emily watched the breeze catch the end of the fichu and toss it up into the air only for Selina to bring it to earth and tie it about her wrist. And then Emily saw the healing welts across Selina’s breasts. The sight of such cruelty turned Emily white before her face flooded with color and she began to cry. Selina took her in a comforting embrace and held her and assured her it could never happen again. It wasn’t many minutes before Emily was telling her everything about the night before.

  And this was how Alec found them, an hour later, still on the pier. Selina had her back to the warmth of the sun and was leaning against a pylon with Emily dozing in her arms. She stared out across the water, the weight of her curls caught up off her lovely neck with ribbons and pins and glinting red-gold in the full sun, and he was struck by the determined set to her lovely straight jaw and the smile in her dark eyes. It was as if she had decided something there and then that had made her feel at peace with herself. It brought a smile to his lips. He could have gone on admiring her in this way for a lot longer had she not sensed a presence and turned to find him staring at her. He immediately looked away, unable to hold those dark expressive eyes. She did not register surprise but her whole being tensed causing Emily to stir, sit up, and apologize sleepily to Selina for falling asleep.

  Alec had not come alone. Peeble patiently waited at the end of the pier.

  “Your grandmother needs you up at the house,” Alec told Emily, helping her to stand, not a glance in Selina’s direction. “Guests have begun arriving for afternoon tea and she can’t greet them without you. Will you be all right?” he asked gently, giving her a searching look. When she nodded he kissed her hand. “Good. Peeble has come to take you back.” He scooped up her straw bonnet and escorted her down the pier, turning his back on Selina who was left to fend for herself. Once he had Emily securely across the rotted boards and on firm ground he gave her over to Peeble’s care.

  Emily looked past his shoulder at Selina standing alone on the pier brushing her petticoats free of crumbs and creases. “Selina—”

  “Mrs. Jamison-Lewis and I shall be along shortly,” he answered her with a smile and with a nod to Peeble he returned to the pier. He had crossed most of the sturdy boards when Selina came up to him from the opposite direction and would have passed him had he not blocked her way. “I want to talk to you,” he stated and when she stubbornly stood there added, “It’s about Jack.”

  Selina walked back to the edge of the pier and threw the last of the bread into the water for the swans had glided in again. Alec squatted on his haunches and finding a piece of bread roll wedged in the boards held this out to Mme de Cygne, coaxing her forward in softly spoken French. He finally stood up to stretch his legs and said in English, eyes still on the swan family,

  “Uncle Plant is bringing Cromwell and Marziran out to St. Neots. They’ll enjoy the run of the grounds after the congested streets of Paris.”

  “After Paris? Indeed they will. Especially in the wood to catch rabbits.”

  “Or to frighten Olivia’s deer into the park?”

  Selina smiled at a memory. “I’d forgotten about that. She wasn’t too pleased when her precious herd trampled the herb beds. Mayhap they’ll stick to ferreting out the rabbit warrens.”

  “Those two rogues? Did you really think so?”

  Selina shook her head. “As I recall they were never content until they had run to ground the biggest and best of her Grace’s bucks. Is your uncle truly coming here? I thought he deliberately kept his distance from ‘this idle class of wasteful good-for-nothings who succeed at nothing but succeeding’,” she quoted and smiled. “The Duchess and Lady Charlotte were none too pleased with that speech Plantagenet Halsey made in the Commons about abolishing primogeniture. Lady Charlotte was practically frothing at the mouth! When is he due?”

  “Today and staying on for the Fireworks ball. Olivia asked him particularly.”

  “Indeed! Why?”

  “Oh, because they are fond of each other.”

  “No?! The Duchess and the republican?” Selina’s eyes twinkled mischief. “How diverting! And I had every expectation of being bored beyond belief tonight. Observing those two will give me no end of entertainment.”

  “Yes, I thought you’d be pleased. You always did have a way of discovering interesting and often quite shocking tidbits about people who looked for all the world to be about as exciting as a shoehorn.”

  They both laughed and then immediately fell into an awkward silence until Alec said bluntly, “Olivia suggested you may know why Jack and Delvin crossed swords.”

  “I have no idea,” was her wooden response. “I told you so at St. James’s Place.”

  “You saw him the day before he died, in Hyde Park in company with a colleague of mine, Simon Tremarton.”

  “Yes I did. But Jack didn’t mention Delvin.” She regarded him candidly. “Jack told me Simon Tremarton is in the Foreign Department. Do you know him well?”

  “We have been at a few embassies together and had drinks at our club from time to time, that’s all.”

  “I see. So you don’t know him at all really.”

  “Not intimately, no,” he answered, wondering why her eyes suddenly sparked and how she had managed to turn the conversation so that it was she who was asking the questions. “Did Jack give you any indication of how he felt about Emily’s engagement?”

  “No. He didn’t know about the engagement when I met him in the Park,” she answered patiently. “He’d just returned from ten days away at his shooting box in Yorkshire. No one seems to remember that fact. Emily and Delvin had only announced their engagement the day before and it wasn’t due to be gazetted until the following morning; the morning of the duel.” She brushed a stray curl off her cheek. “Besides,” she said quietly, “Jack was too happy to be much bothered with anyone else’s news, good or otherwise.”

  Alec looked down at his feet to where tall reeds poked up through the rotted boards. “Jack wasn’t interested in female company, was he, Selina?”

  She hesitated; it was the use of her name. He had always made a point of calling her by her married name. It was this and not the question that made her slow to respond. When he prompted her she said flippantly with a shrug of one shoulder, “Oh, he and I were always together.”

  “You forget: Jack and I were at school together.”

  “And that makes you an expert on Jack’s feelings?”

  He smiled, the corners of his blue eyes crinkling up. “No. Not on his feelings. He tried hard to mask his true inclinations but I suspected he was not the least interested in the petticoat line.”

  Selina turned her face away. “Then you know very well he didn’t give two straws for women.”

  “Yes.”

  Absently she played with the embroidered end of the gossamer fichu which she had tied loosely over her bosom but not pinned back into place, looking at some distant point on the opposite river bank. “Forgive me. I’m being stupidly cautious and there’s no need to be with you. Jack would never have married, not even to continue the line. Poor Aunt Meg, she was destined to live in hope for the rest of her life. So you see why the duel couldn’t have been fought over Emily. That’s just a convenient excuse Delvin concocted; one most people will readily believe because the truth about Jack wasn’t widely known.”

  Alec followed her gaze out across the water. “Do you think the duel may have had something to do with Jack’s preference?”

  Selina shook her head. “I don’t believ
e so. Delvin may privately despise such men, but he has never voiced his disgust. As for calling Jack out because of it? Why? And why now when Delvin’s known for years about Jack. There has to be some other reason why he murdered my cousin.”

  “Thief, liar, cheat and murderer?” Alec stated, eyes on the toe of his black leather shoe. “Is there anything left of which you wish to accuse my brother, Madam?”

  His light-hearted remark hid an undercurrent of mixed emotions but all Selina heard was his sneering disgust. So he took the scene last night at face value. Well, she couldn’t blame him for that. Delvin’s stage-management may have taken an unexpectedly painful turn but he had no less achieved his desired object in unsettling his brother. She forced herself to look Alec in the face. “I did not invite Delvin into my bedchamber last night, or on any other night—”

  Alec cut her off, putting up a hand with a smile that was a little too broad. “My dear, you need not justify your behavior—”

  “No, I need not,” she answered curtly. “But you are very wide of the mark if you believe what you think you saw last night. I thought you knew me better. And if not me, then surely you know your brother well enough to realize he is capable of the grossest deceit. That said, I’m sure you did not detain me to talk of what must be of so little interest to you…”

  Alec took a moment to reply for he was regarding her with an expression Selina found hard to interpret. She was uncertain if what she had said had angered or confused him. He went to speak, changed his mind and with lips pressed firmly together took a quick turn along the rotted planks of the pier. When he came back he said in a level voice, “Were you able to speak with Emily about what happened to her last night?”

  “Yes. We may all rest easy,” she said calmly. “From what she described, and indeed from what she did not say, she was not raped—”

  “Thank God.”