Harmony did not return Anthony’s smile, or respond to his casual good humor. “Why?” she demanded. “Tell me the truth.” Suddenly, it seemed very important.
Anthony hesitated. His grin faded to a soft smile that barely touched the edges of his lips. “Why didn’t you leave last night when you thought I was asleep?”
A wave of emotion moved through her, leaving warmth in its wake. It was a second before she could speak.
“You were awake, then.”
“I wouldn’t have stopped you if you had left, you know.”
“You called my name.”
“I never said I didn’t try to stop you.”
This time Harmony returned Anthony’s smile, although teardrops quivered at the corners of her eyes.
“Then we’re even,” she said at length, softly.
But Anthony shook his head. “Not quite. I have something I’ve been meaning to return.” He plucked a small object from his breast pocket and held out the sapphire ring. “I don’t think I’ll need this any longer to remind me of the lady with the sapphire eyes. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget her, as a matter of fact.”
Harmony merely stared at the jewel in the palm of Anthony’s hand. She looked up into his eyes.
“No. You keep it. Just to make darn sure you never forget.”
She whirled the gray mare around before Anthony could see the tears spilling over, and set off on the now-visible path through the trees. Within moments she had disappeared into the shadows.
Chapter Ten
All too soon the house loomed into sight. She hardly would have realized it was there, standing darker than the night around it, but for a sliver of light coming from the parlor where the curtains had not been drawn together all the way. Harmony guided the mare to the stone lions and dismounted. She patted the animal’s shoulder and fought back the lump in her throat.
The gray was the last remaining link to Anthony. She knew she had to sever it quickly. With numb fingers she tied the reins to the stirrups.
“Go back to the inn. Find Anthony.” Harmony slapped the animal sharply on the rump. She did not look back as the mare cantered down the road. She took a deep breath, climbed the steps, and tried the door. Not surprised to find it locked, she rapped sharply.
Mrs. Rutledge opened the door. Her eyes widened in surprise. “Miss Simmons! Where—?”
“Never mind where I’ve been.” Harmony brushed past the housekeeper. “Where’s my sister?”
“In the par—” Harmony was already gone.
Agatha sat in her usual chair, a Bible open in her lap. When Harmony entered the room, she looked up with an expression remarkably similar to Mrs. Rutledge’s.
“Harmony! It’s about time you came home. Where have you been?”
Harmony stopped short. “What do you mean, where have I been? I was just released.”
“Released? Released from what?”
“From … from the kidnapper!” Harmony was incredulous.
Agatha made a rude noise. “Kidnapper, my eye.”
Harmony hardly knew what to say. “Well, where … where did you think I was?”
“Hussy!” Agatha spat. “Don’t act innocent with me. I may not know exactly where you were, but I know who you were with!”
“You … you do?”
“You were with that … that … criminal … weren’t you?”
In spite of herself, Harmony experienced a wave of guilt. “Yes, but … but he kidnapped me!”
“Don’t you dare lie to me, you brazen thing! You had a romantic assignation!”
“Agatha!” Harmony was dumbfounded. “I was
kidnapped, I tell you. Didn’t you get the note?”
“What note? I don’t know anything about a note,” Agatha said in clipped tones.
“The ransom note!”
“Hah!” Livid, Agatha pushed to her feet. Her Bible slipped to the floor, unnoticed. “Ransom note, indeed. You’re nothing but a bitch in heat. I knew it the moment you stepped out of the coach and dared that devil to put his hands on you! You went away with him willingly, that’s what you did! There is no note!”
Stunned, Harmony dropped her gaze. Was it possible there was, indeed, no note? Had Anthony abducted her for another reason altogether and covered it up with the kidnapping story? A curious thrill of hope surged through her veins. And then she noticed the Bible, spine broken, on the floor near Agatha’s feet.
“Oh, no?” Harmony stooped and plucked something that protruded from the Bible’s parchment pages. She scanned it briefly and held it out to her sister. “If there was no ransom note, what do you call this?”
An unbecoming flush crept up Agatha’s neck. She recovered swiftly and straightened her already rigid spine. She snatched the paper from Harmony’s grasp as a cunning smile touched her mouth.
“You expect me to believe that’s a genuine ransom note? My, my, you do underestimate my intelligence, sister dear.”
“What are you talking about?” Harmony breathed.
“I’m talking about your evil ways, Harmony. I know you. And I know that this was probably all your idea. A note to extort money from me so you could finance your elopement with your lover,” she finished smugly.
“Agatha!”
“Don’t ‘Agatha’ me, you little tramp!” the older woman hissed.
“Your notion is insane,” Harmony flared. “I only arrived in England two days ago. Yesterday our coach was held up. I spent the afternoon here in the house with you and Mrs. Rutledge, then—”
“Yes, exactly, and then,” Agatha interrupted in a high, shrill voice. “Then you took advantage of Mr. Henry’s presence to sneak out of my house and rendezvous with your—”
“Stop it!” Appalled by her sister’s insane accusations, Harmony stamped her foot angrily.
“How dare you raise your voice to me in my own house?” Agatha demanded. She pushed to her feet and stood nearly nose to nose with Harmony. With one forefinger extended, she poked her sharply in the shoulder.
“And don’t think you’ll ever get away with this kind of stunt again. Life is going to be a great deal different in this house! You’re going to …”
Harmony didn’t wait to hear exactly how her life was going to be different. She already knew. Hands covering her ears, she fled from the parlor to the dark, narrow stairs. She didn’t stop running until she had reached her room and slammed the door behind her. Trembling, she waited for what she knew would come. She didn’t have to wait long.
Angry footsteps trod along the hallway. A key turned in the lock. The prisoner was recaptured, the prison secure once again. Harmony sank to the ground, amid the billowing puddle of her skirts, and wept.
Anemic daylight seeped into the bedroom. Harmony opened her eyes and found herself staring at the ceiling. Sometime during the night she must have picked herself up off the floor and found her way into the bed. She had not even bothered to undress. She closed her eyes again.
Was there a reason to do anything ever again? Harmony wondered. She had descended into hell. She knew she could not survive its fires for three whole years. Agatha was clearly insane, or as close as anyone could get to it without having to be removed from society. Harmony almost wished her time with Anthony had been a romantic rendezvous; that she had been able to extort money from Agatha; and that she had run away with Anthony. Anything, anything at all, was preferable to the life she was faced with now.
Tears tried to squeeze from beneath Harmony’s eyelids. Anthony.
She tried to deny him, to ward off his memory. But it came back, stealing into her heart, constricting her throat. A great sob welled in her chest.
Try as she might, she could not forget their night together, or the following day by the water … and in the water. Despite the tears, a smile tried to pull at the corners of Harmony’s mouth.
She couldn’t deny it; she had never felt closer to anyone. They were so easy together. Conversation was so comfortable and effortless between the
m, and they seemed to have so much in common. The physical attraction between them was undeniable as well, almost overwhelmingly powerful. The only thing that was difficult to believe was that he was, truly, a criminal.
But he hadn’t taken the ransom money, and he had tried to give back her ring. Did he really have a criminal’s heart? And would she really never see him again? It didn’t seem possible that the only light left in her life had gone out, never to be lit again. It was cruel, too cruel.
The memories, like her tears, were scalding. Harmony tried to banish them both. She couldn’t let Anthony back into her head, into her heart. There was enough heartbreak in her life as it was. The years yawning ahead of her were grim and dismal as they were. She could not add weight to the already too-heavy burden on her shoulders.
And she could not lie in bed all day trying to fend off memories of Anthony.
Stiff and miserable, Harmony edged off the bed. She was opposite the mirror over her dressing table, and when she caught a glimpse of herself, she gasped.
The blue suit she had worn since the day of her arrival in London was torn, dirty, and rumpled. Her hair was snarled, matted, and lusterless. There were purplish bruises beneath her red-rimmed eyes. Arms braced on the dressing table, Harmony leaned closer to get a better look.
Was this what she was going to look like at the end of three years? Was she going to let her sister and her grim, dull life steal away her youth and beauty?
The spirit and determination that had always been the hallmarks of Harmony’s personality struggled upward from wherever they had been in hiding. She threw back her shoulders and lifted her chin.
Agatha was not going to defeat her. Not now, not ever. It was simply not going to happen.
The blue suit almost ripped in Harmony’s haste to tear it from her body. She didn’t care. She kicked it aside, along with her soiled petticoats.
Agatha’s house had not been updated with modern bathing rooms. In the corner, however, was an antiquated copper tub that had been filled for her the night before last. The water was chilly, but Harmony didn’t care about that either. She scrubbed until every inch of her skin was pink and tingling.
Wet hair clung to her shoulders and dripped down her back when she stepped from the tub at last. She donned clean underlinens and chose a morning gown of pink satin. Not only did the color compliment her hair color and skin tone, but Agatha would disapprove. It was perfect.
Harmony’s hair was a damp mess, but at least it was clean. When she was finally able to run a comb through it unimpeded, she coiled it around the back of her head and secured it with pearl-studded combs.
Harmony smiled grimly at her reflection. She was herself again. Now all she had to do was wait for the knock on her door.
It was Mrs. Rutledge who arrived at length, and if she was surprised by the change in Harmony’s appearance, she managed to conceal it.
“Miss Simmons requested me to inform you that breakfast is served immediately in the dining room,” she announced without preamble.
Without reply, Harmony swept past her and down the hall. Posture erect and a smile on her face, she sailed into the dining room.
Agatha sat at the head of the long, formal table. There was a place set at her right hand. Harmony took it without hesitation.
“Good morning, Agatha. How are you?”
“Quite well,” she responded tartly. “I sleep the sleep of the just. And you?”
Harmony did not rise to the bait. “Everything is wonderful, thank you very much. The bed was very comfortable, and the room is lovely.”
Agatha snorted. “We’ll see how ‘wonderful’ you think everything is when you’ve gotten into your routine and live life under my rules.”
Still smiling, Harmony spread her napkin over her lap. “Would you pass the toast, please, Agatha? Thank you.”
“You can wipe that smile off your face,” Agatha persisted. “There’ll be no more nights of sin spent with your lover.”
“There never were any ‘nights of sin’ spent with my lover, Agatha,” Harmony replied calmly. “The only … affair … exists in your own twisted imagination.”
“Well, I never!” Agatha’s blue-veined hands slammed down on the mahogany table. Her breakfast plate rattled. “How dare you speak to me like that?”
Fork poised, Harmony looked at her sister. “How dare you accuse me of something I never did?” The fork completed its journey.
Agatha’s hands gripped the arms of her chair. “Go to your room!”
“I certainly will. When I’ve finished,” Harmony said serenely.
“You’ll do what I—”
“Excuse me, Miss Simmons.” Mrs. Rutledge had appeared in the doorway from the foyer into the dining room. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but—”
“Well, what is it?” Agatha snapped.
“There’s … there’s a coach coming up the drive.”
“So?”
“It’s a very elegant coach, Miss Simmons. I’ve never seen the likes of it before.” The housekeeper’s eyes were wide.
“Then I guess you’d best go and see who it is. Hadn’t you?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Mrs. Rutledge made a rapid departure.
“And you, Harmony, will go straight to your room. You will not backtalk me in my own home.”
Harmony put her knife and fork neatly on her plate. “Since I’ve finished, I will happily go to my room.” She pushed back in her chair in accompaniment to the knock on the door. As she walked to the exit that led straight to the corridor, she heard the sound of muffled voices.
“Miss Simmons!”
The excited tone of the housekeeper’s voice caused
Harmony to hesitate.
“What is it now, Mrs. Rutledge?” Agatha inquired with irritation.
“I … I think you’d better come, Miss Simmons,” Mrs. Rutledge said. “There’s a gentleman at the door who insists on speaking to you. He says it’s about your sister’s sapphire ring.”
“The stolen ring?”
Mrs. Rutledge nodded and Harmony’s heart stopped in her chest.
“Go on to your room,” Agatha ordered, and marched from the dining room.
Harmony couldn’t have moved a single muscle had she wanted to. She stood frozen in place as voices droned on in the foyer.
What about her ring? What of Anthony? Terror had so tight a grip on her she could scarcely breathe. Had he been caught?
“Harmony!”
Agatha literally flew back into the dining room. Her features had been transformed.
“There’s a gentleman here. He’s found your ring! He wishes to return it to you!”
Her tongue felt as if it had cleaved to the roof of her mouth. “My … ring?” she said stupidly.
“Yes, you simpleton,” Agatha said impatiently. “The sapphire ring that was stolen. This lovely gentleman’s coachman apparently spotted it lying by the side of the road. Being the honest man that he is, the gentleman took it to the authorities at once. Mr. Henry directed him here!”
Harmony was baffled by her sister’s excitement. The ring wasn’t worth that much. In the next moment, however, she discovered the cause of the heightened color in Agatha’s cheeks.
“Hurry up, Harmony,” Agatha said crossly. “You mustn’t keep Lord Allen waiting.”
Lord Allen?
No, it wasn’t possible. It was all a joke. A cruel and hideous joke.
Numb, Harmony let her sister pull her from the dining room into the foyer. What had happened to Anthony? As long as he lived, she knew, he would not give up possession of that ring. Nearly choking, she entered the foyer.
The elegantly dressed gentleman stood silhouetted in the front door, sunlight blazing around him, gazing outward. His body was long and lean, his dark hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. At the sound of Agatha clearing her throat, he turned.
Harmony saw the eyes first, impossibly dark. Then the crooked smile. As etiquette demanded, and as she had been taught, she offe
red her hand.
Anthony lifted it to his lips.
Chapter Eleven
Harmony, have you lost your tongue?”
Agatha’s prompting brought Harmony sharply back to reality. She looked up slowly and stared straight into Anthony’s eyes, heart thudding madly. What was it he had just said? Her head ached trying to recall. Oh, yes. Allow me to introduce myself. Anthony Allen, Lord Farmington. Almost exactly the words he had used the night he had abducted her. Minus the Lord Farmington part.
“Harmony?” Agatha’s graying brows nearly disappeared into her hairline.
“I … I’m sorry. I suppose I’m a bit overwhelmed. You see, I’ve never met a … lord … before.”
“I shall take it as a compliment then, that my presence should so disturb a beautiful young woman of such obvious charm and poise. You do, however, look a trifle pale. Perhaps you’d like to sit down.”
Anthony’s act was unbelievable. Harmony could only manage to shake her head. She was afraid to leave his presence, afraid he would vanish like smoke. It was almost incomprehensible that he had suddenly appeared at her door dressed as—and claiming to be—a lord.
“Ah, but I have a better idea,” Anthony went on smoothly. He inclined his head deferentially in Agatha’s direction. “If it’s all right with you, of course, Miss Simmons, I should like to take your lovely sister for a short drive. She looks as if she might do with a bit of fresh air. Also, I would like to show her the spot on the road where my driver so fortuitously spied this ring.”
Anthony extended his hand, palm up. Harmony made no move to take it. “May I?”
Before she could respond, Anthony took her hand and slipped the ring on her finger. To her chagrin, his touch sent a shiver through her. Terrified her sister would notice, Harmony quickly withdrew her hand.
“Again,” Anthony said to Agatha, “may I?”
Agatha tittered like a teenager. “If you mean, may you take my dear sister for a drive, why, I’m sure she’d be delighted. Wouldn’t you, Harmony?
Lady Blue Page 7
