The Secret of Castlegate Manor

by Karen Cogan

  "I am afraid that is precisely what has happened."

  "But how?" Tears filled Lavenia's eyes.

  "That, I do not know. I saw nothing unusual when I went for a ride this morning."

  "We must question the servants. Perhaps one of them will have seen something that may help us."

  Lavenia instructed Edwards to send in the various staff. At the conclusion of the interviews, they were no closer to solving the mystery of Lady Aberly's disappearance.

  Edwards cleared his throat. "If it might be of help, I do know that Lady Aberly received a message this morning. I delivered it to her myself."

  Lavenia sat bolt upright. "Why did you not speak of it?"

  "I am sorry, Miss. I thought nothing of it at the time. The stable hand, Benson, brought it round."

  "What did it say?" Caroline asked.

  "I do not know, Miss. Lady Aberly did not make me privy to the contents." He raised his chin as though she had implied that he could forget his place.

  "Was there a note for me, also?" Caroline asked.

  Edwards looked thoughtful. "Indeed there was. As you were out, I had the upstairs maid place it in your room. I assume you found it without difficulty?"

  "I did."

  Edwards studied the young ladies and, for a moment, seemed to lose his carefully cultivated imperturbable bearing. "If there is anything amiss, I should be happy to do all I can to be of assistance."

  Lavenia nodded. "Thank you. I may as well tell you that Mother has been abducted. If you see anything unusual or hear anything among the servants that may help us, I would be obliged if you would make it known to me."

  Edwards' shocked expression left no doubt that he had been unaware of the foul plot. "My word, Miss. This is ghastly. I shall report any news that may be of help."

  "Thank you, Edwards." Lavenia seemed, once again, close to tears.

  "Perhaps your mother left the note in her room. It may help us to learn what it said," Caroline suggested.

  "Of course."

  They found the room as Lady Aberly had left it after she had dressed for the morning. The room still smelled of her cologne and a book lay open on her desk as though she had decided on a break from her reading.

  A quick glance around revealed a carelessly dropped note sitting on her writing desk. Caroline read over Lavenia's shoulder and learned that it appeared the gardener had requested Lady Aberly's presence in the garden for a decision as to which rose bushes she preferred for more plantings.

  "The gardener said he had not seen Mother this morning." Lavenia's tone sounded doubtful.

  "I'm sure he did not. Did you not hear that Benson had delivered the note. It is possible that he lured her to the garden under false pretense, then abducted her while no one was aware."

  "This is dreadful," Lavenia moaned.

  "We must find out if Benson has left his employment at the stable."

  They hurried along the path. Caroline had an eagerness to see Geoffrey that transcended their current crisis. Whatever Lord Humphrey's twisted plans to force her into marriage, she knew that Geoffrey cared for her. He would not let her fall into the clutches of the distasteful Viscount.

  Nottington was working outdoors, tossing straw into the pens when they arrived.

  "Where is Geoffrey?" Caroline inquired.

  "Lord...Ah...Geoffrey is in the stable, Miss. He had a horse what required his attention."

  "Thank you."

  Geoffrey appeared at Nottington's summons. Nottington returned discreetly to his work.

  "We have received the most frightful news," Caroline said.

  She handed him the note. "I found this on my pillow. Edwards tells us that Lady Aberly received a note also. Lavenia and I found it in her room."

  Geoffrey's frown deepened as he read the neatly penned lines. "She was abducted this morning?"

  "She was in her chambers when Edwards delivered the note summoning her to the garden. She thought the gardener wanted to discuss her roses." Lavenia choked back a sob.

  Caroline patted the girl's shoulder. "Geoffrey will know what to do."

  "Nottington and I will immediately search for tracks. Unless they continued on foot, we may be able to follow wheel tracks in the road. While we are out, we will ask the locals if they have seen anything."

  The confidence in his voice soothed Caroline's fears. Perhaps they would find Lady Aberly before the day was out. It would be frightful to spend a night wondering what had happened to the lady.

  "Did Edwards say who brought the note?" Geoffrey asked.

  Caroline nodded. "It was Benson."

  Geoffrey's expression showed disdain. "And he has disappeared. We have not seen him all morning. At least, that tells us who did the abducting. With your pardon, ladies, I shall saddle Victory and see what can be learned."

  Lavenia wiped her frightened eyes. "You will tell us as soon as you learn anything?"

  Geoffrey's eyes held sympathy. "I will relate my finding as soon as I return."

  "Thank you."

  Caroline steered the girl toward the house. "There is nothing more we can do. Geoffrey will do all that he can to find your mother."

  Geoffrey watched the retreating figures and felt a deep pain. He wondered if it had been right to hide the identity of the true heir when it had put these innocent women in danger.

  He had never planned to care deeply for a female again. After the broken engagement with an officer's daughter, he had sworn off affairs of the heart. But that was before meeting the fetching Caroline, who seemed devoid of the subterfuge that characterized the social set he had known in India. Her sweet temper, devoid of the pouts and carefully worded demands of other females enthralled him.

  Caroline seemed a breath of fresh air to his heart, which had grown stale. He did not care about her background as a ladies' maid. If this had made her what she was, he could only be grateful.

  He wondered if he would be able to equal the trust Caroline placed in him as he turned to saddle Victory. He would find Lady Aberly and he would protect Caroline, even if it became a risk to his own life. For to do less, and betray Caroline's trust, would bring pain worse than death.

  Lavenia, nearly prostrate with heartache, had retired to her room. Caroline, for her part, found it nearly impossible to sit quietly and wait for news. She paced the drawing room, growing more restless as the hours ticked away. Where was Geoffrey? Had he any success at finding the trail?

  Edwards brought her a light luncheon and cast a sympathetic look as she asked, "Have any of the servants remembered something that might be of use?"

  He shook his head slowly. "I am sorry, Miss."

  She sighed and resumed her pacing, wishing she might have gone with Geoffrey so that she might know what he had found. To wait and do nothing seemed much harder than to take action.

  It was after dark when Geoffrey returned. Caroline and Lavenia were sitting in the drawing room, tending to needlework that did not hold their attention.

  At Edwards announcement, they rose so swiftly their work fell to the floor. Yet Geoffrey entered alone, dashing their hopes that Lady Aberly had been found.

  Geoffrey disheveled appearance bespoke the long day he had endured. Caroline's hopes sank at the troubled expression on his face.

  "I am afraid I have nothing of use to report. We picked up horse tracks leading into the woods, but lost them among the underbrush."

  "And no one had seen anything?" Lavenia asked.

  "Unfortunately, no. We stopped at cottages and searched the woods until it became too dark to continue. We will, of course, begin afresh in the morning."

  "Oh, this is simply unbearable. Whatever can that horrible man have done with Mother?" Lavenia began to sob afresh.

  "I suggest you get some sleep. Perhaps there will be better news tomorrow," Geoffrey said.

  "I think I shall go up, but I do not believe I shall be able to sleep," Lavenia mourned. "I think I shall have Maggie bring up a cup of hot chocolate."

  Ca
roline placed her soft hand atop Geoffrey's, lingering while Lavenia retired to be attended by her maid.

  "Thank you. It is kind of you to be concerned for us."

  He studied her, liking the feel of her hand and wishing he could hold it whenever he wished. Honesty told him it was not only kindness which inspired him to search for Lady Aberly. It was guilt.

  He looked away without reply. His natural forthrightness nudged him to confess, "I have not been entirely honest with you, Caroline."

  Caroline withdrew her hand. The expression on her face

  punctured his heart. Would she think him a coward?

  He took a deep breath and continued. "I have allowed you to believe I was in the employ of the heir to the Castlegate estate. I am, in fact, Geoffrey Stewart, heir to the estate. My grandfather is Lord Stewart of India whom you passed yourself off as granddaughter. He had one child, my father. Father died several years ago and Grandfather died last year. Lady Eleanor, then named me heir on the stipulation that I return to England and manage her treasured home."

  Caroline stared. He read the shock in her eyes as disapproval.

  "Do not think I have not suffered for the fact that Lady Aberly is in such straits because I did not make my arrival known. It was a cowardly act, one that I now regret. Yet, it seemed prudent when I first arrived. Nottington informed me that he overheard the Viscount tell Benson that he would murder or marry whoever stood in his way. Since he was not likely to wish my hand in marriage, I presumed murder lay in store for me."

  "I am glad you did not let your position be known."

  Her voice was so soft, Geoffrey was not sure he had understood her.

  She tilted her face to peer at him. "I am glad. I should have died if I had come to know you only to have you taken away."

  His heart settled into a rhythm of relief. She did not hate him. She did not even blame him for the abduction of Lady Aberly.

  "Nonetheless, it is my fault that you and Lady Aberly are in danger."

  "Your death would have done nothing except put us into the position in which we now struggle. However, in that event, we would not have you to turn to for help."

  "I had not thought of it that way." He smiled into her eyes. The temptation of her sweet presence grew overwhelming and he crushed her to him, kissing her fervently before the footsteps of the approaching butler forced them apart.

  Edwards paused in the doorway, looking slightly askance. "Is there anything I might get for you, my lady?"

  "No thank you, Edwards. You may retire if you like. I am just going up myself."

  Edwards nodded. He retreated after casting a last reproving glance at Geoffrey.

  "Only Nottington knows your true identity?" Caroline whispered.

  "Yes. He served with my father in the military before coming back here to work. He knew me as a boy. That is why I knew I could trust his loyalty."

  "As I trust you."

  She placed her small hand back atop his own. He picked it up and placed a kiss upon her palm.

  "Sleep now, my Caroline. Tomorrow, I shall try again to locate Lady Aberly. With a bit of luck, I may even catch the miscreants as well."

  Caroline lay awake long into the night, mixing prayers for Lady Aberly's safety with those of thanksgiving that Geoffrey could still love her in spite of what he knew of her past. She had expected to marry a squire of small estate and keep her guilty secret. It was more than she could have hoped to find a man of fortune who loved her in spite of her lowly position.

  The next day yielded no new information in the search for Lady Aberly. Though Henry came and tried to comfort her, Lavenia's reddened eyes and pale cheeks spoke the despair she suffered.

  "You must go to Lord Humphrey. Promise him whatever he wants. I must know what has happened to Mother," Lavenia implored Caroline.

  "You mean marry him?"

  "He may have a genuine fondness for you. Perhaps it would not be so bad." Lavenia paused in her pleading and surveyed the dismay on Caroline's face.

  "I am sorry, Caroline. Of course you cannot marry him. The man is a monster. It is just that I am so worried about Mother."

  Caroline nodded. "I do understand. And I believe you have come upon a good idea. I shall go to Bath and see Lord Humphrey. Perhaps I may learn something useful."

  Lavenia shook her head. "You must not. I am in no state to travel and I would be beside myself with worry that he would not allow you to return."

  "I shall take Nottington and Geoffrey with me. And I shall make it very plain that they have orders to see to my safe return.

  "Perhaps I should come along," Henry suggested.

  Caroline shook her head. "He might not speak as freely with you about."

  Lavenia grasped Caroline's hand. "You are brave. I am grateful for your effort on Mother's behalf."

  Caroline patted her hand. "I must retire to my chambers and think of a plan. Somehow, I must fool him into revealing the whereabouts of Lady Aberly. I fear it will not be easy, for he is wily and not easily deceived."

  Lavenia smiled a wavering smile. "Whatever happens, I shall always be grateful for the effort you make."

  When a note from Geoffrey summoned her for a meeting in the rose garden, Caroline had her plan carefully in place.

  Moonlight bathed his discouraged visage. "Nothing. Not a sign of her anywhere."

  Caroline licked her lips, wondering about his reaction to her plan. "I have given it much thought. As Lord Humphrey is apparently behind this misdeed, it is to him that I feel we must go. If I can make him believe that his plan has failed and Lady Aberly is deposited safely home, he might reveal the location at which she is held."

  Geoffrey's forehead puckered in thought. "Do you think he would believe you?"

  "I do not see what I have to lose. If you are available to protect me, I do not fear danger. And perhaps I will learn something useful."

  She studied his face, eager for his reaction. After what seemed an eternity he said, "I have no better plan. Indeed, I seem to have come upon a dead end. Therefore, I will agree to this scheme only if you insist upon my being present in the room with you at all times."

  "I would have it no other way."

  "Then I will tell Nottington to ready the carriage. Tomorrow, we will face the fiend together. With any luck, he will tip his hand. Until then, I bid you good-night."

  He kissed her gently, then disappeared into the shadows. She shivered as she thought of the horror Lady Aberly must have experienced with an abduction from this very garden. Tomorrow, she would attempt her best play-acting. Perhaps if she were good, she would meet success.

  CHAPTER TEN

  The coach rocked and swayed on its way to Bath. The early morning sun burned through the high clouds, scattering them like a consuming army. Caroline was grateful they would reach their destination before the warmest part of the afternoon. And she was grateful for Geoffrey's comforting presence across the seat.

  Since Nottington had known of Geoffrey's position all along, he showed no surprise when Geoffrey seated himself inside the coach with Caroline.

  "Lord Humphrey's attempts to frighten us have set me on edge every time I must travel," Caroline admitted.

  "I believe we will be safe as long as Lady Aberly is being held as reward for your compliance in marriage," Geoffrey said.

  Caroline shuddered. "I can hardly imagine what horrors she must be suffering, held captive by the likes of those Lord Humphrey would employ."

  "With any luck, she will provide the proof to tie the Viscount in with this evil deed. Then, we can send him packing, far away where he will not bother us again."

  Caroline smiled. "That does sound good."

  They rode in silence until she caught him chuckling to himself.

  "And what is so funny, my lord?"

  "When you told me you were Grandfather Stewart's granddaughter. Our family in India is quite small. Grandfather had only one child, my father, and he had only one son and daughter. Imagine my surprise upon learning I
had a second sister."

  Caroline felt her face grow hot. "You make fun at my expense."

  He could not resist leaning across the seat to take her hands. She sat stiffly, though not resisting his attentions.

  "I do not make fun. I find you delightfully resourceful. You could not have known my identity. I simply find it amusing that you should present your pretense to the one person who would find you out."

  His eyes lacked malice. Caroline could not help seeing the humor in spite of her embarrassment.

  "I might as well be your sister for the danger I have put myself into."

  He kissed her palm. "I am glad that you are not. I like to look upon you and admire your beauty."

  She withdrew her hand with proper modesty.

  "Tell me about this sister whom I was so foolish as to impersonate."

  He sat back in the seat. "She is happily married to an officer and occupies herself with visits to our mother and local gossips."

  Caroline frowned. "It sounds rather dull."

  "The happily married part?"

  "No, the visiting and gossip."

  "Perhaps is is because she has no groom to take her riding."

  A teasing light danced in his eyes.

  "Perhaps," she agreed softly.

  She thought back to the intimate conversations they had shared, the fun of sharing the outdoors. "I hope we may still go riding."

  "Every day if you like."

  "Are you sure you wish to be seen with me? It is possible that someone from London may recognize me someday and disclose my identity. Would that not be an embarrassment to you?"

  "Of course not. No one would dare to suggest so humble a background for so fine a lady. And no one would believe them if they did so. They would be left feeling quite the fool."

  She lowered her eyes. "You really do not mind? I could not bear to have my former position flung in my face by someone for whom I cared deeply."

  He raised her chin and gazed lovingly into her eyes. "I will never throw this in your face, nor with the last breath in my body, would I allow anyone else to do so."

  His sincerity touched her to the core and melted her last reservation. "I shall be pleased to have you as my knight- errant if only we have the fairy tale ending that is every little girls' dream."