Regency Romance Collection From Christina Courtenay

by Christina Courtenay

  ‘I took the liberty of borrowing these from the carriage,’ Nick had said quietly when he handed them to her. ‘Synley told me you’re rather good with them. I hope he was right?’

  ‘I am, don’t worry. I won’t hurt myself or anyone else except on purpose. But what about you?’

  ‘I, er, liberated another two from George’s study. I saw that he had a pair of Manton’s finest duelling pistols in there, although I must say I’m surprised he didn’t take them with him.’

  ‘He couldn’t very well do so to a card party and presumably he thinks the ones I have are still in the carriage.’

  ‘Yes, of course.’

  They stayed on the forest tracks as much as possible, rather than taking a direct route, but eventually they came to the Ketteridge’s mansion. Sounds of laughter and conversation floated towards them on the wind and there was a great deal of light spilling out of the windows. Carriages and horses waited on the drive in front of the entrance and the coachmen all appeared to be having their own conference huddled together in one corner.

  Nick and Lexie stayed well outside and dismounted. They walked their horses into a thicket near the road and settled down to wait.

  ‘I don’t think anyone would be able to see us in here,’ Nick whispered. ‘But we’d better stay quiet and as still as possible just in case.’

  ‘I only hope Jasper hasn’t set the trap already,’ Lexie replied. ‘Then we won’t be able to warn Synley.’

  ‘No, how could he? If he’d tied a rope across the road before the party, he might harm someone else by mistake and the whole plan would fall through. It’s my guess he’ll either sneak out towards the end of the evening, or leave a bit earlier than everyone else.’

  ‘Whichever it is, it’s going to be a long wait.’ Lexie sighed and prepared herself for boredom.

  Several hours crept by and Lexie was becoming jittery with frustration. ‘This is impossible,’ she muttered. ‘It’s not going to work.’ The longer they waited, the more things she could think of that might go wrong.

  ‘Yes, it will.’ Nick sounded sure. ‘Synley’s plan was a good one and as long as we follow it to the letter, everything will be all right.’

  ‘I don’t know ...’

  Nick cut her off. ‘Shh, someone’s coming.’

  There were footsteps crunching on the gravel of the drive, then George’s voice came hissing out of the darkness. ‘It’s too risky, I tell you. There must be a better way. Please, I beg of you, think again.’

  Nick and Lexie looked at each other and froze. When they peered out from behind the bushes that hid them, they saw George holding onto Jasper’s bridle, while the latter fought to tug it out of George’s hands.

  ‘Let go, damn it. I’m tired of waiting and this is the only way. No one will know, for heaven’s sake. Someone rides too fast, the horse stumbles, they break their neck. Happens all the time. Now are you coming or not?’

  ‘No, I don’t want any part in this. You can keep your money. I’m on a winning streak anyway.’ George turned to march back towards the mansion.

  ‘Fine, have it your way. I’ll do this by myself.’ Jasper muttered a few choice expletives and set off down the road at a gallop.

  Nick and Lexie waited until he had rounded a bend, before mounting their own horses and following him as quickly as they dared. Every time they came to a curve in the road, they slowed down and Nick jumped off and walked his horse until he could peer round to make sure Jasper was nowhere in sight. They stayed on the grass verge, so as to make as little noise as possible, and about halfway towards Synley Priory their caution paid off.

  Nick returned from one of his observations and pointed up ahead, mouthing, ‘He’s there.’

  Plunging into the forest, they tethered their horses and continued on foot until they could see Jasper some fifty yards away. He had chosen a particularly dark place along the road, where huge trees overhung it, their branches intertwined to form a sort of tunnel. Lexie and Nick crept closer through the undergrowth, keeping out of sight. Jasper was intent on his own business and only stopped occasionally to listen for any sounds of danger.

  Lexie could barely make out the rope and surmised that Jasper had darkened it somehow, perhaps with soot or dirt. The surface of the road was dry and therefore lighter in colour, which was presumably why Jasper was tying the rope fairly high up. She estimated that it was at around the level of a horse’s chest and if someone rode full tilt into it, it would stop the horse in its tracks and the rider would go flying head first onto the road. The thought made her shudder.

  ‘Now what’s he doing?’ Lexie breathed in Nick’s ear.

  ‘Trying to find a good vantage point, I should think. I’m going closer. Can you stay here? If he gets away, fire at him, just to frighten him. Otherwise, follow the plan.’

  ‘Very well.’

  Nick disappeared and Lexie shivered. Not so much from the night air, which was balmy, but from nerves. She was terrified their plan would somehow backfire and that Synley would be hurt or worse. She didn’t think she could bear to lose him again, now that she had finally found him and he’d asked her to marry him. It would be the worst possible luck.

  She waited in tense silence, every nerve stretched to breaking point. She had no idea where Nick had positioned himself, but she hoped it was as close to the rope as they had agreed with Synley. At last she heard the sounds of a horse approaching and craned her neck to see. Her heart did an uncomfortable somersault when she caught sight of him. He was riding much too fast.

  ‘No, slow down,’ she wanted to shout at him, but she knew she had to stay hidden or their plan would fail.

  As he passed her, she swallowed hard and managed to make a sound like an owl out hunting. She and Nick had practised it all morning, and although her throat felt very dry, she knew that Synley had heard her because he raised his whip as though to spur on the horse, but didn’t bring it down. That was the signal they had agreed upon and he was now ready for the next step.

  When he was nearly upon the rope, another owl hoot echoed across the forest. Lexie had to admit that it sounded very real and she would never have been able to guess it had been made by a human, had she not known about it. As if startled by the noise, Synley’s horse began to buck and then leapt into the air, jumping neatly over the rope that was suspended between two trees. His back legs must have touched it, because he stumbled a little upon landing. Synley appeared to be struggling with the big animal, which was dancing around.

  ‘Whoa, whoa there, boy,’ Lexie heard him saying. She couldn’t take her eyes off Synley while she waited to see what Jasper would do next. She didn’t have long to wait.

  A shot rang out and Synley pretended astonishment, then took off at full tilt down the road. Jasper erupted from the trees soon after, giving chase and the two of them disappeared out of sight.

  ‘Lexie? Lexie, are you there?’

  ‘Yes, I’m here, Nick.’

  Nick came crashing through the undergrowth. ‘Are your pistols ready?’ Lexie nodded. ‘Come on then, let’s go and stand in the middle of the road on the other side of that bend.’

  They did so and waited. All was quiet for a while and Lexie fought to quell the fear that rose within her again. What if Jasper had caught up with Synley? What if he had shot him from behind in cold blood? It didn’t bear thinking of.

  ‘I can hear them coming. Wait for it,’ Nick hissed.

  They both cocked their pistols and stood aiming straight ahead. Soon Synley came galloping past them, having led Jasper on a chase through the forest so that they doubled back to the way they’d come. He swerved to a halt just behind them in a cloud of dust, then Jasper appeared, his murderous expression clear in the moonlight. When he caught sight of Lexie and Nick, however, he pulled hard on the reins, making his horse rear up.

  ‘Damnation!’ they heard him shout as he wheeled the horse around. He fired off a shot at them before setting off in the opposite direction once more, but they ran after h
im and returned fire. Nick shot indiscriminately, aiming high, but Lexie stopped and took proper aim before pulling the trigger. She saw Jasper’s horse jump and heard it neigh in fright. She very much hoped the animal wasn’t hurt, she had only aimed at the ground next to his hooves in order to make him nervous. It seemed to be enough to throw the horse into a panic, and it took off, completely out of control.

  Synley had by now set off after Jasper and it was his turn to shoot. Jasper cried out and clutched one arm, at the same time as he was trying to slow his horse down. Lexie watched as he came closer and closer to the rope, which was still strung across the road, and she wondered how much further he would go before swerving off to avoid it.

  ‘What’s he doing?’ Nick shouted. ‘Why doesn’t he stop? He must know we have him trapped, the idiot.’

  At the very last moment, Jasper managed to bring his horse under control and made it jump the rope, in the same way that Synley had done earlier, clearing it without any problems. They heard his laughter, taunting them. Then he turned around and stood up in the saddle, shouting something very vulgar, despite the fact that the horse kept going at a fast pace. In the next instant, however, his words were cut off when his head connected with a low tree branch and he was knocked out of the saddle.

  ‘Oh, dear Lord,’ Lexie murmured. She stood frozen to the spot for a moment before her limbs regained their movement and she began to run towards Jasper, following Nick who was already on his way.

  But Synley, still on horseback, reached him first and when the other two arrived he had already dismounted and was kneeling next to Jasper. He looked up and shook his head. ‘I’m sorry, Nicholas. I didn’t mean for this to happen.’

  Nick stood still and just stared at his brother for a few moments, then he closed his eyes and fell to his knees, grasping Jasper’s lifeless hand. ‘Oh no! I didn’t want him to ... I never wished him ... dead.’ His voice broke slightly and he bent his head, then doubled over as if his body couldn’t keep upright anymore because the weight of his grief was too much to bear.

  ‘Oh, Nick.’ Lexie patted his back awkwardly. She didn’t know what else to do. Nothing would bring his brother back.

  Nick rocked back and forth a couple of times, then took a deep breath as if he was trying to gather his strength. He straightened up and looked at the others with a grim, but determined, expression. ‘Perhaps it was best this way,’ he whispered. ‘I always knew he’d end badly and this is preferable to what the law would have done to a would-be murderer. Will ... will you tell the magistrate, or shall I?’

  Synley put a hand on his shoulder. ‘How about we just remove the rope and I ride to report that there’s been an accident? No one need know exactly what happened here tonight. That way there will be no scandal attached to either your name or mine. What do you say?’

  Nick looked up, blinking. ‘Are you sure? But he tried to kill you. Don’t you want retribution?’

  Synley shook his head. ‘No, I’ve been talked about more than enough in my life and I’d rather not give the gossip-mongers any more grist for their mills. Besides, thanks to you and Lexie, he didn’t succeed. I owe you a great deal.’

  ‘What about George?’ Lexie put in.

  ‘I hardly think he’s going to admit to knowing anything about a murder plot, do you? It might even teach him a lesson so that he starts to think a bit more about the sort of company he’s keeping.’

  ‘Yes, well, miracles do happen, they say,’ Lexie muttered.

  ‘His lordship is right, and even if he did speak up, it would be his word against the three of us,’ Nick added.

  ‘Very well, that’s settled then. Nick, please take Lexie home and then come to Synley Priory. As agreed, we’ll say that I met up with you earlier in the day and urged you to stay with me for a while, since we had some business to discuss.’

  ‘Will do.’

  Synley turned to Lexie and gave her a small smile. ‘I’ll be calling on you tomorrow, Miss Holloway, as I have something I would like to ask you.’

  Lexie managed a shaky smile back. ‘I thought you already did?’

  ‘Ah, but I didn’t actually receive an answer, as I recall.’

  ‘Oh, how very remiss of me.’

  ‘Indeed. You’re sure you want to hear my question?’

  Her smile widened. ‘I can’t wait.’

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  When Lexie came downstairs the following morning, it was to find a very morose George picking at his breakfast, while Margaret harangued him in a very unseemly fashion.

  ‘... and furthermore, I think it very inconsiderate of him to get himself killed while staying with us so that all the arrangements have to be made by you and no doubt paid for as well. It’s not as if we’re that flush at the moment, and what with one thing and another ...’

  ‘Good morning, Margaret, George.’ Lexie had no hesitation in interrupting her sister and she saw George heave a sigh of relief when his wife’s monologue came to an end. ‘What’s the matter, pray?’

  ‘Oh, you haven’t heard? It’s Jasper. He managed to fall off his horse and break his neck last night on the way home from the Ketteridge’s. Apparently he was found by Lord Synley, who left soon after him, but he was already dead then so there was nothing anyone could do.’

  ‘Good grief.’ Lexie turned to George. ‘I’m so sorry, you must be very upset. The two of you seemed close.’

  George squirmed in his seat. ‘Well, I wouldn’t say close exactly. He looked up to me, of course, since I’m his uncle, and I was showing him the ropes, but that was all really. Can’t believe he’s gone.’

  ‘Has anyone informed Nick?’ Lexie pretended alarm on his behalf. ‘He’ll be devastated.’

  ‘As luck would have it, he was staying with Synley last night. The two of them had met up after Nick left here and he’d been invited to spend the night. I believe Synley gave him the bad news. Not sure how he took it.’

  ‘Oh, I must go and see him at once, poor boy,’ Lexie said. ‘Perhaps Rupert and I could ride over to Synley Priory?’

  Margaret frowned. ‘Is that wise? Rupert might say something inappropriate. Besides, he was so ill yesterday, although to be sure, he’s as right as rain this morning.’

  ‘He won’t say anything he shouldn’t, I’ll see to that. And a ride might do him good.’

  ‘Very well, then, but don’t stay long, for heaven’s sake. And if you could find out whether Nick has any funds to pay for the funeral ...’

  ‘Margaret!’ George scowled at her, putting his foot down at last. ‘Jasper was kin. There will be no quibbling over money.’

  ‘If you say so.’

  Lexie and Rupert only got as far as the forest track, where they found Synley and Nick waiting for them in the usual place. Lexie exchanged a glance with Synley first, who gave her a reassuring smile, then with Nick. He was looking pale, but composed and he too managed a reasonably cheerful expression.

  ‘Nick, are you all right? Would you rather not see us today?’ she asked. She realised that she had grown to like him a lot during his stay at Hawthorne, and she would be sad to see him leave.

  ‘I’m fine. More than fine actually,’ he said, ‘and I am very happy to see you both. I wanted you to be the first to know that I’m to be your new neighbour.’

  ‘How so?’

  ‘You’ve bought a house?’ Rupert asked. ‘Capital, then we can play at dragon hunting every day.’

  Nick laughed. ‘Perhaps not every day, but often in any case. And no, I haven’t bought a house. I’m to be given one.’ He glanced at Synley. ‘His lordship ...’

  ‘Jake,’ Synley put in, looking heavenward as if searching for patience.

  ‘... Jake then, has told me he is giving me Downes House and half the surrounding estate, because he thinks it ought to have belonged to my family in the first place. I’m not at all convinced, but he won’t take no for an answer. We’re seeing the lawyers tomorrow.’

  ‘I’m sure that had Catherine’s husband kn
own there is one Torrington who isn’t a bad egg, he would happily have bequeathed the house to you,’ Synley said. ‘He was only afraid that the whole of his fortune would be squandered on gambling and I can well understand his concern, having watched my father do just that. But I doubt you’ll ever be that stupid and if you show even the slightest tendency to gaming, I’ll beat it out of you.’ The smile that accompanied this threat took any sting out of his words and Nick grinned back.

  ‘You may be certain I’m not such a sapskull as all that. And with your mentoring, I’m going to learn to look after the estate properly.’

  ‘That sounds wonderful,’ Lexie said. ‘The best possible solution in the circumstances.’

  ‘It also means I can have my nephews come to stay. I’m sure you’ll enjoy playing with them, Rupert. When it comes to catching dragons, they’re superb. And in between games, perhaps you could share a tutor?’

  ‘Excellent.’ Rupert was grinning from ear to ear.

  ‘How about we ride ahead, you and I, and I’ll tell you a bit more about them?’

  ‘Good idea.’

  Nick winked at Lexie and Synley, and rode off with Rupert, leaving them on their own. Synley dismounted and held out his arms for Lexie to jump down. ‘Let’s walk, shall we? I can’t talk to you from the back of a horse.’

  She took his arm and they walked along the path, leaving the horses behind. As soon as Nick and Rupert had disappeared completely, however, Synley stopped and dropped to one knee on the path, looking up at Lexie and taking her hands.

  ‘Miss Holloway, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife? I know you gave me your tacit agreement the other night, but that may have been under duress because of the unusual circumstances. No one caught you, so you are in no way compromised and I hope you don’t feel obliged to say yes. Have you had time to consider properly?’

  Lexie smiled down at him and put her hands on his shoulders. ‘There was no need for me to consider anything. The answer is yes, as it always has been, no matter what.’