The Wicked Cousin

by Stella Riley

  For a moment, he stared at her completely beyond speech. Thanks to her, he had experienced what he devoutly hoped would be the worst hour of his life. Four men had watched him being pushed around at sword-point like a complete fool; he’d been laughed at, mocked and called a lack-wit; and finally he’d been threatened with social ruin. All of it was the fault of this woman – and none of it inclined him towards tact.

  ‘No,’ he snapped, ‘I couldn’t. Haven’t you understood anything I’ve said? They know what you’ve been up to. They knew it before they planned to lie in wait for me this morning. And as if the four gentlemen Audley had with him were not enough to worry about, it appears that Rockliffe is interesting himself in the matter. As I’ve tried to tell you before, that man has more influence than God.’

  ‘Don’t be so ridiculous. Have you no backbone at all? If you’d kept your nerve, it was just Audley’s word against yours. And as far as I’m concerned, it still is.’ Her teeth gleamed in a feral smile. ‘He’ll be on his knees at my feet and weeping tears of blood before I’m done with him.’

  ‘Is that before or after he pillories us both in the scandal-sheets? Because – make no mistake about it, Miranda – that’s what he’ll do. And I’m damned if I’ll be tarred with the same brush as you.’

  ‘You think you’re one whit better than me?’ she spat. ‘You’re not. You’re just a puking coward. And Audley’s bluffing about The Whisperer. He won’t do it.’

  ‘He will. Jesus! What does it take to make you see sense?’ Richard paused, breathing hard. ‘Can’t you understand that you don’t have a choice? His friends will be going around right now, dropping a few words here and there about why that child isn’t a little Audley bastard. One mention of your name alongside that and there’s not a door that won’t be slammed in your face. If you want to hang on to the fringes of society, you’ll stop trying to wreak vengeance on Audley purely because you’re obsessed with him and he didn’t want you. Christ! If I’d had any idea where all this was going to lead, I wouldn’t have come within a mile of you myself! You’ve got more venom in you than a bloody viper.’

  Silence touched the edges of the room while she looked back at him in a way he couldn’t interpret. Finally, almost mildly, she said, ‘Have you quite finished?’

  ‘No. I want your word that you’ll leave Audley alone.’

  Again Miranda took her time about answering. Then, very slowly, she smiled.

  ‘Very well.’

  Mistrusting that smile, Mr Penhaligon frowned. Suddenly, it seemed too easy.

  ‘You promise?’

  ‘Yes. Since you assure me there’s no help for it, I can’t do anything else, can I?’ The smile still lingered. ‘No more attacks on Sebastian Audley. I promise.’

  ~ * * ~ * * ~

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  After leaving the fencing academy, Nicholas and Harry spent an hour at White’s, sharing the newest on-dit with anyone they thought likely to pass it on.

  Audley leaving his by-blow to starve in the gutter? Nothing of the kind.

  Not even his child. How do I know? The brat’s a girl, for the Lord’s sake! Has anyone ever seen an Audley female with hair that colour? Only got to think of Lizzie Holdenby and Audley’s other sisters – brunettes, the lot of them.

  As to the mother – if she is the mother – bats in her belfry. No other explanation.

  ‘That should do it,’ said Nicholas, as they left the club. ‘I even forced myself to speak to that lisping toad Ansford. He’s the biggest gossip I know.’

  ‘He thertainly ith,’ agreed Harry evilly. ‘I got to March – who will pass it on to Charles Fox and from there, one hopes, the world. Let’s hope Philip and Sir Charles are having equal success with their wives’ callers. The men will come round fast enough because the mere thought of being caught in a trap like this is enough to make us all shudder. But it’s the ladies who need to be convinced – and that may take a little longer.’

  ‘True.’ Nicholas paused on the steps of the club. ‘I think I’ll go back to St James’ Square to see how things are progressing. Did you know, by the way, that the club is running a book on whether Adeline will have a boy or a girl?’

  ‘Yes. I put my money on a son and heir. You?’

  ‘My luck has been so bad recently, I didn’t want to tempt Fate by betting at all. No, I’m going because I didn’t see Rock earlier but might manage to get a word with him now.’

  ‘Meanwhile, I’ll be taking Nell driving in the park. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if everyone we meet doesn’t want to stop for a chat.’

  ‘No arguing with that. I just hope Sebastian appreciates all the trouble we’re going to.’

  At Wynstanton House, Nicholas found that the situation had changed little in the last four hours. The Marquis of Amberley was still ensconced in the library with coffee and a book … but of his Grace of Rockliffe, there was no sign.

  ‘Where is he?’ asked Nicholas, tossing down his hat. ‘He can’t still be with Adeline!’

  ‘He is.’ Amberley stood up and stretched. ‘The physician and the midwife have been trying to throw him out but he’s refusing to leave Adeline’s side until she tells him to go.’

  ‘What if she doesn’t? He surely can’t want to be there when … well, at the crucial moment.’ Nicholas looked a trifle queasy at the notion. ‘Nor Adeline either, I’d have thought.’

  ‘Only time will tell. Coffee?’

  ‘No thank you. I’ve just swallowed half a pot of the stuff at White’s, setting the gossip-mill in motion.’ He grinned. ‘It’s a pity you weren’t at Angelo’s. Watching Sebastian scare the hell out of that fellow Penhaligon was even funnier than Sheridan’s play.’

  ‘Am I to gather that it had the desired effect?’

  ‘Yes,’ said Nicholas. And sat down to supply details.

  He had just reached the point where Sebastian had threatened Penhaligon with The Whisperer when the door opened and Rockliffe walked in. Nicholas stopped speaking and stared. Without either coat or cravat, the Duke was in his shirt-sleeves, much of his hair was escaping its ribbon and his expression was of something which, on another man, might have been mildly distraught.

  He said, ‘They’ve sent me away. Adeline says the swearing and screaming phase is imminent and she’d rather I didn’t witness it. I don’t see the logic in that, Dominic. Do you?’

  ‘Yes.’ Amberley shoved his friend into the nearest chair and placed a glass of brandy at his elbow. ‘It means it won’t be very much longer. Everything is all right, isn’t it?’

  ‘I’ve no idea. Sir Humphrey says she’s doing well but it didn’t look that way to me – and it’s been over twelve hours now.’ He held out his hand and stared at it. ‘I think she may have broken a bone or two.’ Then, seeming to become aware of his brother’s presence, ‘Nicholas. To what do I owe the honour? I doubt you’re here to support me in my hour of need.’

  ‘Not exactly – though I would if I thought I’d be of any use. But no. I wanted to talk to you about this near-disaster surrounding Sebastian – though it can wait. You won’t want to be bothered with that now.’

  ‘Tell him anyway,’ advised Amberley. ‘He needs to focus on something other than what’s going on upstairs.’

  So Nicholas began again at the beginning and, though he could see he didn’t have his brother’s full attention, thought he had enough of it to make the exercise worthwhile. Eventually, Rockliffe said, ‘It would appear that it is now merely a question of waiting for the tale to get around. One thing puzzles me, however. Why was Charles involved?’

  ‘No idea.’ Nicholas frowned a little. ‘He and Sebastian arrived at Angelo’s together – which is a bit odd now I come to think of it.’

  Another long silence fell, during which his Grace took to pacing the carpet. Lord Amberley said, ‘That’s not going to make it happen any quicker, you know. And don’t even think about going back upstairs. If they’ve any sense, they’ll have barred the door. God knows, Rosalind ban
ned me from the room the instant the doctor arrived. So sit down and drink your brandy. You look like hell.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Don’t mention it.’

  A further ten minutes passed while Amberley and Nicholas chatted in a desultory fashion. Then Rockliffe said, ‘There is one possibility which might account for Charles lending a hand.’

  ‘Oh?’ asked Nicholas. ‘What?’

  The Duke took his time and finally said, ‘No. I may be mistaken. But whether I am or not, I believe I will leave you to --’ He stopped and erupted from his chair as, from the hall, came the sound of hurried footsteps.

  The butler appeared, his normal gravity somewhat impaired.

  He said, ‘Sir Humphrey invites you to go up, your Grace.’

  His Grace strode from the room and was last seen taking the stairs two at a time. The butler bowed and followed rather more sedately in his wake.

  Amberley grinned at Nicholas. ‘Still hoping to be supplanted, Nick?’

  ‘Praying for it, more like. Do you suppose he’s going to put me out of my misery?’

  ‘Right now, that is the last thing on his mind – but someone should be able to tell us. Ah.’ This as the butler re-appeared. ‘Well, Symonds?’

  ‘His Grace begs you to forgive him and asks you to raise a toast in his absence, my lord.’

  ‘And?’ demanded Nicholas.

  ‘Her Grace has been safely delivered of a daughter,’ announced Symonds with all due ceremony. And added, ‘I believe the name Vanessa Jane has been mentioned.’

  Nicholas dropped inelegantly on to a sofa.

  ‘Oh bloody hell,’ he muttered.

  * * *

  In Mount Street, after the afternoon’s callers had departed, Philip Vernon went looking for his wife and finally ran her to earth in the spare bed-chamber with the little girl on her lap. Looking at the child for the first time in daylight, Philip saw that her hair was a perfectly ordinary red, nothing at all like the distinctive shade possessed by Mr Audley; she was also a very pretty child … gazing at him, thumb in mouth, out of big blue eyes.

  Isabel looked across at him smiling.

  ‘Her name is Alice and she doesn’t speak of parents – only of a Mrs Dane. So it would seem she was taken from an orphanage, not stolen from her mother.’

  This was when Philip got the first inkling of trouble. ‘Maybe so – but we still need to find out where she belongs. I’ll send a note to Bow Street asking them to look into it.’

  ‘Must we?’

  ‘Yes, Isabel – of course we must. If that wretched Silvarez woman stole the child, someone will be hunting high and low for her. And in any case … what else are we going to do with her?’

  Isabel looked away, saying softly, ‘Keep her?’

  ‘What? No. We can’t.’

  ‘Why not? If she has no family, why can’t we give her one?’ Suddenly the brown eyes were swimming in tears. ‘She’s so little, Philip. She won’t be any trouble. Why can’t I keep her?’

  Because the whole of society knows some female tried to pass her off as Sebastian Audley’s bastard, thought Philip. But he said, ‘Isabel … sweetheart, I know how badly you want a child. So do I. But this isn’t the way. Surely you can see that?’

  ‘No. I can’t.’ She brushed a hand impatiently across her eyes and looked back at him stubbornly. ‘Make enquiries, if you must. But don’t ask me to give her up unless it’s to her rightful parents – because I won’t.’

  * * *

  Although he wanted nothing more than to see Cassandra, Sebastian knew better than to broach the subject with her father. Sir Charles had made it clear that he wouldn’t be welcome in Conduit Street until there was evidence that the intended scandal had been averted. Also, he’d promised he would keep his distance and doing so was the best way of convincing Cassandra’s father that he had a care for her reputation. On the other hand, it couldn’t do any harm to send a note, unsealed and enclosed in one for Sir Charles.

  Deciding what to write, however, proved extraordinarily difficult and after he’d screwed up five attempts and was still dissatisfied with a sixth, he gave up in despair. Instead, he decided to dine at Sinclairs and discover what was being said of him.

  Crossing the main gaming floor, the signs were mainly good. Three gentlemen stopped to commiserate with him on being the victim of such a God-awful hoax and a fourth asked how often his sisters told him that hair like his was wasted on a mere man. The weight that had been pressing down on Sebastian’s shoulders began to lift.

  On the way up to the private dining rooms, he met Aristide Delacroix who said, ‘It appears you are once more the talk of the town – though this time through no fault of your own. Unless the female who approached you last night belongs in Bedlam, someone must have a serious grudge against you.’

  ‘Someone does,’ agreed Sebastian. ‘Fortunately, she miscalculated.’

  ‘I’m glad to hear it. You will find Lord Nicholas upstairs, by the way – already half-way through a bottle of Chambertin.’ And in answer to Sebastian’s look of enquiry, ‘The Duchess of Rockliffe has given birth to a daughter.’

  Sebastian continued on his way, grinning … only to stop outside a partly open door when he heard Nicholas say, ‘Why may I not call on you?’

  ‘You know why,’ replied Madeleine Delacroix. ‘You are not just a duke’s brother. You are a duke’s heir.’

  ‘I’m tolerably aware of that fact,’ his lordship grumbled, ‘though I’d argue with the significance of it. You’ve become friendly enough with my sister.’

  ‘That’s different. And though I’ve called on Lady Elinor at her invitation, I haven’t suggested that she visit me because it would be making too great an assumption.’

  ‘Poppycock! Just because Nell collects people doesn’t mean she doesn’t do it with care. She likes you. And if you won’t invite her to tea, I’ll lay money that sooner or later she’ll just turn up on your doorstep.’ He stopped and then said, ‘All right. If you won’t let me call, come driving with me.’

  ‘That’s even worse! People will talk and heaven only knows what they’ll say.’

  ‘I don’t give a tinker’s curse what they say!’

  ‘Then you should!’ Her voice had grown suspiciously brittle. ‘I don’t understand you – or how you can persist in bothering with me. It – it’s very unsettling.’

  ‘That,’ returned Nicholas more gently, ‘is probably the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me. Come driving with me. Please?’

  There was a long silence during which Sebastian edged quietly back along the corridor … and collided with Philip Vernon.

  ‘Audley? What the devil --?’

  With a quick, warning shake of his head, Mr Audley said, ‘Philip! What excellent timing! Aristide says Nick’s here somewhere so I thought I’d join him for dinner unless he has any objection. Otherwise, perhaps you’ll keep me company?’

  ‘I’ll be glad to,’ muttered Philip. And with a morose glance into Sebastian’s face, ‘You’re sounding particularly cheerful this evening.’

  ‘Let’s say I’m more optimistic than I was when I got out of bed this morning. You, however, look as if you’ve just dropped a few thousand at Hazard.’

  ‘That would be better than what’s brewing at home.’ Philip stopped as Madeleine glided towards them. ‘Good evening, Mademoiselle. Lord Nicholas already here, is he?’

  ‘Yes. He was just expressing a desire for turbot which, unfortunately, we do not have this evening. Perhaps your company will make up for the lack. Please go and make yourselves comfortable. I will send Guillaume to take your orders.’ And she moved on.

  ‘Turbot?’ asked Philip blankly. ‘Nick usually eats virtually raw beefsteak.’

  ‘I know. But she had to make some excuse didn’t she? Come on.’

  Nicholas gave his friends and would-be dinner companions an old-fashioned stare.

  ‘Were you out there listening?’ he demanded.

  ‘I may have caugh
t a few words,’ replied Sebastian, ‘Just out of interest … did she say yes?’

  ‘None of your business.’

  ‘Say yes to what?’ asked Philip, reaching for the bottle and pouring two more glasses.

  ‘Letting Nick drive her in the park.’

  Lord Nicholas groaned. ‘All right. If it will shut the two of you up, she said she’ll consider it. But if she thinks it’s going to become a topic of general conversation before it’s even become a fact --’

  ‘Not another word,’ said Sebastian. ‘I hear Rock has a daughter. Is he disappointed?’

  ‘Disappointed? God, no. He’s bloody delighted,’ said Nicholas. ‘You’d think nobody ever had a baby before. According to him, Lady Vanessa Jane is the prettiest baby in all creation – an assertion I had trouble agreeing with considering the little scrap is all red and wrinkled. On the other hand, I suspect she’ll improve since she’s had the sense to inherit the Wynstanton hair and her mother’s eyes. But all that matters to me is that she ain’t a boy.’

  ‘You’ll get over it – and there’s always next time. What do you say, Philip?’

  ‘What?’ Philip looked up abstractedly. ‘Sorry. I wasn’t listening.’

  ‘I thought not. Do you want to tell us what’s wrong? You and the others have all rallied around me today – so if there’s anything I can do in return, you need only ask. I’ve sent a note to Bow Street about the child but --’

  ‘So did I,’ said Philip flatly. ‘But Isabel wants to keep her.’

  ‘Ah. That could be … difficult.’

  ‘Difficult doesn’t begin to cover it. She’s desperate for a child and so far … well, so far we’ve been disappointed. Now she’s refusing to part with Alice unless Bow Streets finds her parents.’ He lifted his glass and half-drained it. ‘Either way, she’s going to break her heart over this. The only question is whether Fielding’s fellows do it … or I do.’

  ‘Let me take the blame,’ volunteered Sebastian slowly. ‘If the child needs a home, I’ll find her one on the family estate.’