Daniel did not need a second invitation and ran out into the yard like a whirlwind. ‘Oh, sir. Really. Can I really join you? Oh, how splendid. Just wait until I collect my Zephyrus from the stall.’
Harry smiled. ‘Of course, you can join us. Just hurry and do not keep us waiting too long.’
As Daniel disappeared back into the stable Sophie looked on in astonishment. ‘You knew! You knew all along. Oh, you are abominable. How long have you known?’ she asked in dire mortification.
Harry laughed. ‘I have had my suspicions all along. Perhaps since the Winstanley ball when I discovered you in lady Northcote’s bedchamber. I could not be sure, of course, but too many pieces fitted together. The holdup. Your desire to get your brooch back and oh, those wonderful blue eyes. I was not sure until yesterday at the garden party when I collared young Lord Trevarren crawling under one of the refreshment tables. You should ask him about it. It is quite a tale.’
‘Danny would never have given me away,’ she retorted in exasperation.
‘Oh, do not blame Daniel. Your Aunt was present so once I realised that Daniel was your brother, it all fell into place. Come Sophie, or should I call you Fee. Your secret is safe with me. I understand why you did what you did and I do not think any worse of you for it. A spirited woman does not alarm me. Daniel agreed to keep our meeting a secret. On pain of a very gory death, I might add.’
At that moment, Daniel led Zephyrus into the yard. Sophie watched him in incredulous silence. ‘Traitor!’ she muttered as she watched him mount.
She knew she was being unreasonable as she directed an accusing gaze at Colonel Northcote. Harry had been incredibly understanding but the impression that the Colonel had made a complete fool of her took hold. ‘Seeing as you are both such cosy friends, I shall leave you to each other,’ she snapped. At that, she dug her heels into Excalibur’s flanks and galloped towards the gates in all haste.
Harry looked across to Daniel and cursed. ‘Women!’ he muttered. ‘Have I not been the pinnacle of discretion?’ he added with feigned hurt. ‘I shall never understand them.’
Daniel gave an impish grin. ‘Oh, she will be alright, Colonel. Fee always comes around in the end. If you want my advice, sir. I would just give her a day or two.’
The pair gave each other an understanding nod and both grinning they set off at a leisurely pace in Sophie’s wake. They trotted along side by side for a good few minutes chatting amiably over Sophie’s demise.
Daniel was laughing uncontrollably. ‘Oh Colonel, I have never been so entertained in my life. I don’t know how I kept my composure under all that hay. You do not know how difficult it has been to avoid you these last few days, and the garden party yesterday was the last straw. You see, she was so worried that you would find out. I am so glad that it is all out in the open now and I can be comfortable again. She deserved everything that was coming to her.’
‘Glad to have been of service, young cub.’ Harry grinned. ‘Yes, she did deserve it, didn’t she? But you know she took a dreadful risk that night when she attempted to rob me. Well young Daniel, would you really have shot me? ’
Daniel turned his head sideways to meet the Colonel’s humorous green eyes and his demeanour changed. ‘Only if you had forced my hand, sir. I would have done what was necessary to protect Sophie. I did try to stop her, really I did, but she is so headstrong and impulsive and will not listen to me. She just sees me as her annoying little brother.’
The Colonel understood and dropped the matter. He liked Daniel. The young lord must have been through a lot since the demise of his father. He could not fault his desire to protect his sister no matter how young he was. He was just a young boy and should laugh and play as young boys do, but he transformed into a serious youth whenever necessity demanded it.
They rode on a little further and Daniel suddenly lapsed into an uncharacteristic silence.
Harry glanced across at his serious expression. ‘Alright, out with it, young cub. What is bothering you now?’
Daniel stopped his mount and faced Colonel Northcote with an expression of earnest formality. ‘It has just occurred to me, sir that you kissed my sister in the stable and I have the feeling that I should do something about it. But what, I am not quite sure. Should I challenge you to a duel, sir? Is that the general form? I believe that is what young lord Hartley did last year when his sister was compromised.’
Harry could have burst out laughing but managed to maintain a grave expression. He did not want to quash this young man’s pride but was amused at the sense of the ridiculous. ‘Yes it has been known and young Lord Hartley must now be all of twenty-one years of age. What makes you think I would accept a duel from you, my young shaver,’ he asked solemnly.
Daniel was thoughtful for a moment. ‘No, I did not think you would. Maybe it is just as well because I am sure I would end up worse off in the encounter. Fee is a better shot than me. She could shoot a man’s hat off at a hundred paces. She told me if I practise enough I could beat her one day.’
He gave it some more thought. ‘But I think I should do something. Do you not think so, sir?’
Harry smiled kindly. Daniel was asking him advice on how he should punish him for his demeanours. He was rather amused at the irony of it. ‘No Daniel I do not,’ Harry replied with a twinkle in his eye. ‘Her uncle is her guardian and failing that her cousin Sebastian would stand her mentor. You are too young to be challenging grown men to duels.’
Daniel frowned. ‘But they are not here and I am,’ he responded grimly.
Harry finally broke into a broad grin. ‘Well as Sophie has not really been compromised you can relax, my young shaver. Would it make you happy if I told her that I intend to marry her if she will have me?’
Daniel’s face brightened and he transformed into the young boy again. ‘Really, sir, that is splendid. I must say I think you would make a jolly good brother-in-law. I know you are a Northcote but you are not like the rest of them,’ he added artlessly.
Harry relaxed a little. At least the shaver had stopped talking about duels. He leant over his horse toward Daniel and whispered conspiringly. ‘You will have to help me out a little, though. I have asked her once already and she refused me. Can you do me a favour and work on her defences a little. I could do with a little male support.’
‘You can rely on me, sir,’ he replied cheerfully, ‘but are you sure you really want to marry her? She is a pain in the neck most of the time and gets into the most horrendous of scrapes. Aunt Caroline calls her a most unnatural child.’
Harry laughed. Daniel had not quite reached the age where one understood the force of physical attraction. ‘I shall worry about that,’ he replied gently. ‘You just worry about your bit.’
The pair had just about come to an understanding when Sophie appeared out of nowhere. She had brushed away most of the cobwebs and was flushed with exhilaration, but she was not quite ready to forget the Colonel’s jest just yet. She had been on the edge of nervous anticipation for days now, and all for nothing. The infuriating man had just found the whole thing amusing. No matter how much she liked him, he was not going to get away with his deceit that easily, so she thought to let him stew a little for some retribution of her own.
She approached them and brought Excalibur to a halt. She could not fail to notice the comfortable comradery the pair had developed. ‘I see that you two are joined at the hip. Next, you will tell me that you plan to go fishing together,’ she said acerbically.
Her sarcasm fell on deaf ears. Daniel looked across to the Colonel expectantly. ‘Oh, what a jolly good idea. Can we, sir?’ he asked excitedly. ‘And fencing,’ he added. ‘Papa was teaching me to fence before he died and Sophie has no patience with me, sir. Will you teach me?’
It was quite obvious to the Colonel that now Daniel considered him his prospective brother-in-law, he had adopted him as his mentor. ‘As you wish, Daniel. I have business to attend to in the morning but perhaps we can have a lesson tomorrow afternoon. I wil
l call at two o’clock with some foils.’
He looked across to Sophie, her appearance a combination of beauty and exasperation and his heart missed a beat. ‘Would you care to join us, Fee,’ he asked, deliberately goading her with the pet name Daniel often used.
‘I shall be there,’ she said. ‘If only to get my own back, but you have no need to bring foils. We still have foils that belonged to Papa. Papa was an expert in his young days and fortunately, they are something belonging to him that I still have. I resourcefully managed to conceal them along with his pistols and his sword when the bailiffs arrived. A pity I could not do the same with the brooch but it was included on the inventory.’
Harry’s heart flinched at her last sentence. It was not his fault but he somehow felt responsible. The sooner she agreed to marry him the better. He watched as Sophie pulled deliberately on Excalibur’s reins and the hunter reared. Maintaining her seat, she pointed Excalibur toward home and he watched as she galloped away. He was only distracted by the sound of Daniel’s voice at his side.
‘Don’t worry, sir. She is a plague of a sister. All goodness and light one minute but when she takes umbrage she is your worst nightmare. It is only her pride that is hurt. I shall work on her and the whole thing will be forgotten by tomorrow.’
Harry smiled at Daniel’s vivid description. ‘Yes, No doubt. I will accompany you back to the Grange and will come to see you tomorrow afternoon. I would have liked to have had a few more words with her, but I have so much business to attend to, it will have to wait.’
Chapter Eleven
Colonel Northcote returned to Winstanley Hall and was greeted by Metcalfe who advised him that Lady Northcote was wanting to see him as soon as he arrived home. The butler had a smug smile on his face as he knew that the Colonel was out of favour. Harry frowned. What could Lady Northcote want? He ascended the stairs and entered the drawing room. The Countess looked as if she had just swallowed a wasp and if looks could kill he would most surely have been dead.
She put down her stitchery when he entered. ‘So there you are, Harry,’ she said sourly.
Ignoring her ill humour, he just bowed politely and nodded. ‘You wished to see me, Cecelia?’
‘Yes, you are never around when you are wanted but no doubt you have been out visiting that Trevarren chit,’ she replied testily. ‘Ah, well that is your business but I wish to inform you, that you have no authority to be interfering in mine.’
Harry sighed wearily. He knew what was coming and braced himself for the oncoming verbal attack. He gave a patient smile. ‘I assure you that I only have the interests of our family at heart.’
The Countess ignored him. ‘Winstanley tells me that you asked for an inventory and that you have examined the books. Furthermore, my allowance has been reduced and I am now to apply to Winstanley for any major purchases. Good Lord, I cannot even change the curtains without his approval. How dare you, Colonel. You are not the Earl, merely a younger son, and I resent your interference in the Earl’s affairs.’
Harry felt his anger rising but kept his composure. He did not really know how much his brother had confided in his wife and had no wish to discuss details. He acknowledged her with a brief reply. ‘I think that you must be aware, Cecelia that although you live in the state of luxury, the estates are not in the order that they should be. Your husband has accepted my assistance and I have agreed to help him. I regret that you are inconvenienced somewhat but with your cooperation, I am sure we will come about.’
Cecelia pursed her lips in disapproval. ‘All was well before you arrived here and Winstanley is quite capable of governing his own affairs. I suggest that you return home to Rothbury and set your own estates in order. I would thank you for doing so, Harry, for you are no longer welcome here.’
Harry glanced at her belligerent face. He had once thought her attractive but a glimpse into her true nature had taken some of that attractiveness away. She could complain all she wanted to but he was not going to bow to the will of his sister-in-law.
‘I have an excellent manager and Northcote Manor is in very good order, Cecelia. As you care to point out, I may only be the youngest son but first and foremost I am a Northcote and I care about the Earldom and my family name. I am sorry to disappoint you but I shall be staying for as long as Rupert needs me and you will just have to put up with it.’
The Countess opened her mouth to give a stinging reply but he interjected. ‘I am sorry, Cecelia but I am not prepared to discuss the matter any further. Anything else you have to say you must direct to Rupert.’ At that, he gave her a curt nod and left the room just wondering how much Cecelia really knew about her husband’s activities.
Harry went off in search of his brother who he found in his study looking the picture of abject misery. Although The Earl’s marriage had been typically arranged for the advancement of both families, he had a genuine affection for his Countess. Her reaction to his requests this morning had decomposed him. She was used to fine things and she had put all of the blame at Harry’s door, calling her husband a weak-willed toad-eater. The fact that she did not know that half of her jewellery were counterfeit did not make him feel any better.
Harry sat down in a chair opposite his brother’s desk. ‘I have just come away from Cecelia,’ he said. ‘She is not happy.’
‘Yes, I know,’ replied Rupert. ‘After you left this afternoon I asked her to make economies and she is furious.’ He looked down at the papers in front of him and sighed. ‘I shall have to find a more honest way to make an income.’
Harry gave him a poignant look. ‘If you applied yourself more to your estates they would repay you back threefold. You are not making the most of your land, Rupert. The land is rich and fertile and new effective methods of farming are being introduced that can increase your yields three-fold. If you applied yourself to researching these new developments as much as you have applied yourself to your other activities, you might prosper.’
Rupert who preferred a life of luxurious pleasure as opposed to hard work sighed wearily. ‘Perhaps I will,’ he agreed, looking at the piles of paper on his desk. ‘But first, I need to trawl through this little lot.’
Harry stood up. ‘Well, I shall leave you to it. Can you arrange for the Gainsborough to be taken down? I have obtained Mr Ranleigh’s address and I will go and see him first thing in the morning. I have arranged to meet young Lord Trevarren tomorrow afternoon to give him a fencing lesson so I would like to be back from Ranleigh’s in time.’
*****
The meeting with Mr Ranleigh went better than expected. The return of the Gainsborough did much to enlighten that gentleman’s mood. Mr Ranleigh offered to return the money the Earl had paid for the painting, but on learning of the pitiable amount his brother had paid in comparison with the painting’s worth, Harry told him to keep it as a gesture of good will. Realising that Colonel Northcote was of a different ilk to his brother, Mr Ranleigh thanked him for his intervention in the whole regrettable affair and agreed the matter resolved.
On leaving, Harry turned and reached into his pocket. ‘Oh, I almost forgot. There is something else. I think this belongs to you. I found it on the path by the lake when you fell into the water.’ He handed Mr Ranleigh the ruby inlaid Stuart crystal cufflink that he had found in the clearing the night he had been shot at.
Mr Ranleigh turned it over in his hand and after careful examination, he handed it back. ‘No, I am afraid not. Some other guest must have dropped it when passing. It does not belong to me.’
Harry took it back and returned it to his pocket. ‘I am sorry. It does not belong to the Earl either, so I just assumed it must have been yours.’
Harry left. Either the cufflink did not belong to Mr Ranleigh or he knew exactly where he had lost it and was too clever to implicate himself. Harry sighed. He certainly had a motive that night but there again, so did many others.
*****
When Harry reached Chalcotte Grange that afternoon, he was greeted by an excited L
ord Trevarren who ran out to meet him. ‘Oh you did come, Colonel,’ he cried in delight.
Harry tousled his blond curls. ‘Why of course I came, you young rapscallion. Did you think that I would not?’
‘Well, no sir, but Sophie said that you might not.’
‘Is she still acting like a bear with a sore head then?’ he asked smiling. ‘We shall have to do something to lighten her mood.’
Daniel laughed. ‘She is like Queen Boudicca girding herself for battle. I do not think she has quite forgiven you for gulling her, but I do not think she is truly angry, Colonel.’
He led Colonel Northcote into the drawing room where his Uncle Jack, Aunt Caroline and Sophie were sitting enjoying afternoon tea and he was invited to join them. Sophie poured him some tea, handed it to him, and by a look told him that she had not quite forgiven him. Aunt Caroline did not notice for she was too excited. ‘Sit down, Harry, please do,’ her aunt said. ‘I have just had the most excellent of news. I received a letter from Sebastian this morning and he is coming home. Next week! Would you believe it? I should chastise him for giving us such short notice. Oh, that wicked boy, but I am so looking forward to having him home again.’
‘That is good news,’ responded Harry absently, touching the battle scar on his temple. ‘I shall look forward to seeing my old friend again.’
‘What is more,’ Aunt Caroline added, ‘he has sold out and he is home for good. I so dreaded that he may be sent to the Colonies. Oh, we can all be comfortable again. I was just discussing with Wyndholme that we should have a small gathering to welcome him home.’
Harry looked across to the Baron who just rolled his eyes heavenward. Lady Wyndholme’s idea of a small gathering was not quite the same as her husband’s. Everyone in the community and beyond would be invited. ‘Anything you wish, my dear,’ he acknowledged patiently. His wife could have her heart’s desire as long as it did not interfere with his hounds.
‘And you, Harry, are the first to be invited,’ she added. ‘Do say you will come?’
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