Stapleton looked at her with seasoned eyes. “I shall follow up to see if there are any leads.”
“Mrs. Cartwright,” said Hal, “I cannot think it is wise for you and the other ladies to remain under the same roof as Mr. Parker. Yet, I’m afraid of alerting him to our suspicions before we have any proof of his wrongdoing. The three of you can stay at Lynwood House.”
“My lord, that is impossible,” said Anne. “The likes of us cannot stay at his grace’s house in any capacity, although I am touched by your offer. No, Lydia, Angela and I will remain here. I cannot imagine Mr. Parker is a threat to any of us.” As Hal began to object, she continued. “And if he is, by chance, the monster you say he is, we cannot afford to scare him off by removing the three of us from Mitchell House. I thank you for your concern, but this is not the first time I’ve faced danger. Nor, do I expect, will it be the last.”
Hal looked like he wanted to argue, but he nodded. “If you change your mind, you need only send word. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I wish to find Arthur and Vanessa and let them know what has occurred. Miss Sutton, may I drop you at your uncle’s house?” He had quite a bit to discuss with Melanie, though she would likely not welcome a proposal at this time. If at all.
She raised her chin to the familiar stubborn angle. “I have business to conduct here, sir. Good day.”
Hal had no choice but to leave.
But he didn’t like it one damned bit.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Mel arrived home to find a most unexpected and unwanted guest. Mrs. Seton was in the drawing room taking tea with the Earl and Countess of Heffner. Aunt Evelyn’s look was one of extreme vexation. Mel’s uncle looked like he was barely controlling his anger. He rose when she entered. Aunt Evelyn rushed over to give her a kiss.
“Don’t say a word, dear,” Mel’s aunt whispered into her ear. “We are trying to be rid of the woman.”
Aunt Evelyn ushered her to the settee, where Mel made a slight curtsey to Mrs. Seton. For her part, the older woman looked like she’d like nothing more than to give her the cut direct. But at the last moment she must have remembered in whose house she was taking tea. She gave Mel a curt nod. “Miss Sutton,” she bit out.
Mel sat on the edge of the settee and accepted the cup her aunt handed her. Why was Mrs. Seton there? And how quickly could she be persuaded to leave?
“As I was saying,” said Mrs. Seton, as she helped herself to another biscuit. “It pains me to be the bearer of bad news, but your niece has engaged in scandalous activities. She’s visited the docks, conversed with women of ill repute and been seen in the company of disreputable men, even if one of them is the brother of a duke.”
“Mrs. Seton,” said Aunt Evelyn through a thin veil of civility. “I would imagine the very nature of your reform efforts would bring you into contact with persons whose reputations are, perhaps, beyond the pale. But didn’t our Good Lord Himself meet with sinners of all sorts?”
“It is blasphemous to even mention the Good Lord’s name in conjunction with your niece, whom I can all but guarantee is a fallen woman.”
“Mrs. Seton!” said Mel’s uncle. “I will not have you spread these spurious allegations.”
“Spurious!” exclaimed Mrs. Seton in between bites of her biscuit, as if fearing it would be taken away from her. “I have it on the best authority that not only has she visited a brothel on more than one occasion, but there was a wager placed on her virtue! I cannot believe I allowed her in my home or to join my reform efforts. Why, you should turn her out of your house this very instant.”
Mel could barely breathe because of the many horrible thoughts racing through her head. Mrs. Seton knew about the brothel? How was that possible? Then one word seemed to stand out. “Wager?” she asked. “What wager?”
“It is in the betting books at White’s. Lord Henry and his friend wagered on whether or not he could kiss you. Although, I’m told it did not end with a kiss. Just how much further than that it went, I cannot discuss in polite society.”
“Nothing about this conversation has been polite,” said Aunt Evelyn. “Especially you.”
Mel felt sick. This couldn’t be happening. It couldn’t be true. Hal wagered he could kiss her? Then he must also be the source of the story that she had gone to the brothel. Mel thought about how much more he could tell from that evening and felt a wave of nausea rush over her. This couldn’t be happening. She’d disgraced her dear aunt and uncle. She was ruined. Mary would be ruined. She couldn’t bear the shame of it.
She wanted to run from the room, if only her legs would carry her. But before she could do that, her uncle spoke.
“Madam,” he said to Mrs. Seton as he rose from his chair, “the only person who will be turned out of this house is you. Miss Sutton is a much beloved family member. More like a daughter than niece. Neither my wife nor I will listen to your ugly words any longer. Remove yourself from this house immediately. And if I should hear of your spreading tales about Miss Sutton, you shall hear from my solicitor. Slander is still a crime in London and I will not hesitate to bring the full force of the law down upon your head. Now be gone before I forget I am a gentleman.”
“And drop that biscuit,” said Aunt Evelyn.
A rather offended Mrs. Seton took herself off, followed closely by the suddenly unfriendly butler, leaving Mel alone with her uncle and aunt.
Mel’s eyes were welling with tears and her hands were beginning to shake. Aunt Evelyn pulled her close. “There, there, my child. Please do not trouble yourself.”
Mel believed her heart would break from her aunt’s kindness. “But what Mrs. Seton said was true,” she said in barely a whisper. “I did go to the…the…I did go there. But I didn’t know about a wager.”
Aunt Evelyn’s response was to simply pull her closer. Mel couldn’t bear it. She tried to pull away, but her aunt was surprisingly strong.
As strong as a mother’s love.
“My dear,” said Uncle Frederick, gently. “Your aunt and I received a missive today, shortly before that shrew’s arrival. It outlined the very same allegations we just heard, then asked for a sum of money if we wanted to prevent the stories from getting out. But apparently it is too late for that.”
“I’m so terribly sorry,” said Mel, her voice barely a whisper. “I shall return to America as soon as possible.” It was the only way to limit Mary’s exposure to the scandal.
“How can you say such a thing, my dear?” asked Aunt Evelyn as she kissed her niece’s head. “What would we do without you?”
“But the scandal,” she said. “Mary does not deserve this. You do not deserve this.”
“We will weather the storm,” said her uncle. “And you underestimate Mary if you believe this will harm her chances to make a match. I daresay none of us would want her to marry a man who would be so easily scared away.” Her uncle paused, then he continued with some steel in his voice. “And what of Lord Henry? Do I need to make an appointment at dawn?”
“Oh no!” said Mel, pulling away from her aunt in angst. “Please, Uncle, you cannot even think of challenging him. I could not bear to think you might be hurt.”
“What makes you think I would be the one who would be hurt, child?” he asked with a wan smile. “I was once considered quite a shot.”
“’Struth, I wouldn’t want either of you to be hurt,” said Mel, then cursed herself for being such a fool. Hal Kellington was a blackguard and the worst sort of man, but she couldn’t bear to think of him shot and dying.
“I see,” said Uncle Frederick.
“Promise me Uncle that you will not challenge him. It is my shame. My foolishness that has brought this upon us. I must pay the price.”
“Very well,” he said. “I will not call him out.”
“Thank you,” said Mel, as her eyes welled with tears once more. “Now if you will excuse me.” She all but ran from the room, seeking the refuge of her bedchamber.
* * *
It was, for all intents an
d purposes, a council of war. The entire Kellington family was gathered in Lynwood’s study, as well as Inspector Stapleton. They shared what they knew about Charles Francis’s possible involvement in the white slavery ring and the blackmail scheme and tried to come up with a plan of action.
Lynwood’s man of business had looked into Francis’s finances and told him that within the past several months, he’d become much more flush. There was no apparent source of the income, although Francis had bragged about winning at the gaming tables.
“I’ll be the first to admit that a series of successful wagers can allow one to live well,” said Arthur, who’d relied on gaming to supplement his income before meeting Vanessa. “But no one has that much luck for that long a period. Not unless he cheats. And I’ve never heard that said about Francis.”
“Nor have I,” said Hal. “I also cannot recall his winning all that often. Although, truth be told, I was usually in my cups when I was with him.”
“Perhaps,” said Lizzie, “Hal is not the only person he’s blackmailing. Hal, you said that this Madame Thurmond claimed the villain had information on her, as well. Perhaps you’re only the latest in a long string of victims. I believe we should all go to this Madame Thurmond’s place of business and….”
This suggestion was met with a loud and vocal “no” by every man in the room.
“There is one thing I do not understand,” said Lizzie’s husband Marcus, the Marquess of Riverton. “If Francis is indeed blackmailing others and possibly involved in a white slavery ring, it would seem he has access to quite a lot of money. Why would he blackmail Hal, as well? He had to know Lynwood would become involved, as well as the rest of us. It seems to be too great a risk for him to take.”
“Unless it’s personal,” said Vanessa. “Hal, can you think of any reason why Francis would do this to you?”
Hal had been running that question through his mind ever since it looked like Francis might be involved. He could not think of a thing. “We have a convivial acquaintance, drawn together by our love of drinking, gaming and…” Here he remembered there were ladies in the room.
“Whoring?” supplied Lizzie.
“Elizabeth,” said Lynwood. “Was it necessary to fill in the blank? I believe we’d all supplied the word in our minds.”
“I don’t know why you should be offended by my saying the word, when he was the one who actually did it,” sniffed Lizzie.
“We do not know if Francis is guilty, although his presence at Newgate at the time of Rodgers’ murder is certainly suspect,” said Ned. “The question now is one of strategy. How do we learn if he had any involvement at all in this affair?”
Before anyone could answer, Heskiss entered the room. “Excuse me, your grace, my lords and ladies and Inspector Stapleton, but Master Hal has a visitor.”
“I’m not receiving anyone right now,” said Hal.
Heskiss cleared his throat. “It is Lady Mary Broxton, Lord Henry.”
“Lady Mary?” said Hal, with genuine surprise. “What is she…”
Before he could ask the question, Lady Mary stormed into the room, as angry as anyone he’d ever seen.
“How dare you, you miserable blackguard,” she said, right before she punched him in the jaw. She pulled back her hand immediately afterward, wincing.
“Heskiss, do be so kind as to bring some ice,” said Jane, as she approached Lady Mary to look at her hand.
“I’ll not take a kindness from any of you,” said Lady Mary. “Lord Henry Kellington, you’ve ruined one of the dearest people I’ve ever known and if I were a man I’d call you out. My father would have done so, had Melanie not feared for his life.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Hal.
“The blasted wager. And the…the lies you’ve been telling about taking Melanie to a…to a bawdy house.” Lady Mary blushed. “How could you? She trusted you! We all did.”
The color drained from Hal’s face. “Lady Mary, please. Tell me what’s going on.”
“I’m sure you know.”
“But perhaps, Lady Mary,” said Lynwood, “it would help the rest of us if you explained why you are here.”
Lady Mary hesitated for a moment, then told them about Mrs. Seton’s visit. Her mother had sent her out of the room shortly after the woman had arrived, but Mary had listened in. She tried to comfort her cousin afterward, but Mel had been inconsolable.
“I must go to her,” said Hal. “Lady Mary, did you take your father’s carriage? Allow me to escort you back.”
“I’ll do no such thing, you blackguard! And I didn’t take his carriage. I didn’t want my parents to know I was coming.”
“You cannot walk back to the house unescorted and I am going there straightaway.”
“Not with me, you’re not. I would rather fall prey to pickpockets than accept any help from you.”
“Liam,” said Hal, already on his way to the door. “Please ensure that Lady Mary is escorted home. I must go now.”
Liam nodded to the young woman, as Hal left. “Lady Mary, please allow me to see you home.”
The enormity of the circumstances seemed to hit Lady Mary, as she realized she was on her own in the intimidating Duke of Lynwood’s home. But instead of backing down, she raised her chin. “I’ll not accept your help, your grace.”
“Will you accept mine?” asked Jane kindly, as she held a bowl with ice that Heskiss had given her. “I should like to check your hand to ensure you have not harmed yourself.”
Mary turned to Jane and her eyes widened. As a sheltered young lady of the ton, it was likely the first time she’d seen a woman in the late stages of pregnancy. “I…that…I mean,” she blushed.
“Please sit down, Lady Mary,” said Jane. “That way we can both be seated and I can check your hand.”
Too polite to refuse the request, Mary took a seat on the settee that Ned gave her.
“Lady Mary,” said Lizzie. “The next time you hit Hal, do not put your thumb inside your fist. You’ll do more harm to yourself than him that way.”
“What makes you think I’ll hit Lord Henry again?” asked Mary, clearly confused as to why they were being so kind to her.
“Because everyone hits Hal more than once,” said Lizzie. “How do you take your tea?”
* * *
Hal was running through the streets like a Bedlamite, but he hadn’t wanted to wait for the carriage. He had to see Mel as quickly as possible. He had to explain. Though he wasn’t sure just what he would say that would make her any less angry.
When he reached the Earl of Heffner’s house, he pounded on the knocker. The door was opened by the butler Finlay, whose expression darkened when he saw Hal.
“I must see Miss Sutton,” said Hal.
“The lady is not at home,” said Finlay.
“I will see her, whether she’s receiving or not,” said Hal as he pushed past the man. “Please tell her I am here.”
Finlay looked like he’d rather lay him out flat. But before he could make a move, the Earl of Heffner came out of the library, then looked up to see Hal. His expression turned murderous. “You!” he said. “How dare you come here?”
“I am here, sir, to beg for the forgiveness of Miss Sutton and your family, as well as to ask your permission to marry her. Then I shall ask the lady if she’ll have me.”
The earl was momentarily speechless. Then he sternly motioned to his study. “In there,” he ordered.
Hal obediently followed.
The earl seated himself behind his desk, then directed Hal to take the chair opposite. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t call you out.”
“I can think of none,” said Hal. “I behaved abominably. You are within your rights to do so. If I were in your place, I would probably do it.”
That seemed to discomfit the earl. But before he could figure out how to respond, his wife entered the room and both men rose.
“My lady,” said Hal, bowing to the woman, who looked as fierce as any tigre
ss.
“I heard you had a caller, Frederick,” said the countess. “I came to ensure there would be no bloodshed.”
“Apparently, even Kellington believes I should call him out,” said Heffner, helping his wife into a seat by his side. “That’s put an unfortunate damper on my anger.”
“Don’t worry, dear,” said his countess. “I am angry enough for the both of us. Lord Henry, what do you have to say for yourself?”
“I have no excuses, Lady Heffner. I behaved as a child, with no thought for others when I made the blasted wager, if you’ll forgive my language. But in the interim, as I’ve come to know your niece, I feel shame for my earlier actions, as well as a growing regard for Miss Sutton that I have until recently been too dim-witted to recognize.”
“Have your wits recovered sufficiently to recognize it now?”
“Yes, Lady Heffner. I love your niece and wish to marry her, with Lord Heffner’s permission.”
“Why should we entrust her to you?” asked Heffner.
“Because I shall do everything in my power to make it up to her for the rest of my life.”
“Nothing you do could make it up to me, Lord Henry.”
The three of them turned to see Melanie standing in the doorway.
Hal rose right away. “Melanie…”
“It is Miss Sutton, my lord. And do not even try to make excuses for your behavior.”
“I have no excuses. Only shame.”
“You can try to convince my aunt and uncle of your sincerity, but not me.” Mel was all but vibrating with anger.
“Perhaps, Frederick, we should leave the two of them alone,” said Aunt Evelyn.
“I believe leaving them alone was how the problem started,” said her husband.
“Nevertheless, we shall,” said Aunt Evelyn, as she put her arm through his and led him from the room. As she passed Mel, she kissed her on the cheek. “Listen to him, my dear,” she whispered. “He may surprise you.” Then Mel’s aunt and uncle left them alone, but with the door ajar.
Never Run From Love (Kellington Book Four) Page 24
