The door to the study opened and James walked inside. “You two are very difficult to find.”
“Not now, James,” Simon said in a dismissive tone.
“He might be able to help,” Caroline implored. “Charlie is his brother too.”
“Very well, come in.”
Once James sat down in a chair near them, Simon explained their confusion with Charlie. James remained quiet for a long moment. Finally, he blew out a long-held breath and shook his head.
“What is it, James?” Simon asked.
“I’m not certain.” James stared intently at him as if gauging Simon’s anger.
“Tell me. I promise to keep my temper.”
“I told you that Charlie was gambling friends with Lambert. But I don’t understand why that would matter.”
Simon hadn’t told anyone about the treasure except Charlie. He clenched his jaw.
“What is it, Simon?” Caroline asked softly.
“Mia found some old pieces from the Middle Ages behind Mrs. Perkins’s cottage.”
“Did Charlie know about it?” James said, leaning forward in his seat.
“Not at first. But I told him and he helped us dig a few times.” And he had returned to Hartsfield only a few days after Mia had seen Lambert behind Mrs. Perkins’s house. Images of Mia’s battered face rose to the surface. If his brother was involved in that, Simon was going to kill him. Blood pumped through him as anger crashed to the surface. Had Charlie insisted he and Mia attend this party so he could steal from him? Or perhaps Charlie had thought to search for more gold and gems behind Mrs. Perkins’s garden while they were away. His hands tightened into fists.
“Simon,” Caroline said softly. “Breathe.”
“If he harmed her or had anything to do with this...” Simon couldn’t finish his sentence.
“We have no idea if Charlie is involved with this or not,” James said quietly. “You need to give him the benefit of the doubt.”
“Indeed? Because he has never lied to any of us before this,” Simon said sarcastically.
“Simon,” Caroline started slowly, “This would be out of character for Charlie. He has always been a rake and a gambler, but he would never do anything to put Mia at risk. They were friends.”
Simon shook his head. “I’m not as certain, Caro. A desperate man will do just about anything. I need to leave now.”
“You can’t leave now, in the middle of a ball!” Caroline exclaimed. “People will talk.”
“People always talk about me. This time, I don’t care,” Simon retorted.
“What about Mia?” Caroline asked.
“She can’t come with me. I need to be swift to catch him.” Simon rose and headed for the door.
“You had better speak with her before you leave,” James counseled.
“She will only insist on coming with me. I can’t let her do that for her own safety.”
Caroline choked. “Her safety? Or because you haven’t told her the truth?”
Simon stopped and glared back at his annoying sister who was almost always right. “Both.”
“What am I supposed to tell her?” Caroline asked.
“Tell her an emergency came up at Hartsfield Park and I had to return tonight.”
As he left the room, he heard James say, “She will never believe that.”
“No, she won’t,” Caroline replied.
Mia searched the ballroom for an hour but still couldn’t find Simon. Her fury had only calmed slightly. The idea that he married her strictly to increase his reputation infuriated her. How dare he! The man was no better than Davies or Paul Smyth. Simon used her just as they had. Perhaps not as badly as Davies but it made no difference. Simon had told her he was marrying her for her own protection.
She had done it again. Only this time, she had married the scoundrel. There was no getting out of this mess.
She leaned against the wall of the ballroom and held her aching stomach. She scanned the crowd for him. Why did she let men take advantage of her? She was strong. Or at least she was most of the time. So why did men use her?
If he had only told her about this before they married, then...
Then what?
She had just been beaten to within an inch of her life. Would she have accepted what he’d done? Most likely not.
But it changed nothing. He should have told her. Perhaps he might have convinced her that he was a changed man. Now, she would never be able to believe that.
As she pushed away from the wall, determination straightened her back. She was done with men. Once she told Simon how she really felt about what he did, she would return to the Midlands. Only this time, she would stand up to her mother and insist on taking over Tia’s responsibilities at Middleton’s estate until Tia returned.
If Tia returned.
And if she didn’t, Mia would continue working as a wise woman there. For the rest of her life. Without another man. Ever.
Before she could do any of those things, she had to find him. Could he be in their room already? There was only one way to find out. She slipped out of the ballroom and raced up the stairs. She intentionally flung open the door so he would realize she was furious, but the room was empty.
Returning back downstairs, she stopped two footmen and asked if they had seen the earl. Neither had seen him. She walked the long corridor, checking each open room as she passed. It was as if he’d just disappeared. Her anger started to ease into worry.
As she passed a closed the door, it opened and James stopped in the threshold. “Have you seen Simon?”
James glanced back into the room.
“Oh, he’s in there?” Mia pushed past him and into the study. She looked around as Caroline rose from a wingback chair. “Where the bloody hell is Simon?”
James closed the door quickly. “Mia, sit down.”
Mia stared at both of them. “What is going on here? Where is Simon?”
“Sit,” James commanded.
Mia had never heard James raise his voice to anyone. Slowly, she sat in the closest chair. “Caroline, you must tell me.”
Caroline implored her brother with her eyes. James shook his head slightly.
“What is going on?” Mia shouted.
“Shh,” Caroline reprimanded. “Ladies don’t shout.”
Mia felt as if she were about to explode. “Then tell me what is going on. And where is Simon?”
“There was an emergency at Hartsfield Park. Simon felt he needed to make speed so he left on horseback.” James finished his very practiced speech and sat down.
“Now,” Mia said, turning to Caroline. “Would you please tell me the truth?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I will. Charlie was gambling friends with Lambert. Simon is afraid Charlie might have had something to do with your beating so he left for Hartsfield Park.”
Mia’s mind spun. “Charlie and I were friends growing up. He would never do such a thing. And why would Simon return to Hartsfield Park? Charlie had already left.”
“Charlie spun a fine tale in order to get Simon to this party,” James picked up the story. “There must be some reason Charlie wanted Simon away from the estate. Charlie might be having monetary difficulties.”
“I don’t understand. Simon is the one with money problems. There is nothing left that Charlie could take—”
“Except personal items that belong in the family,” Caroline interrupted softly. “Simon would never let Charlie sell off those things.”
Of course he wouldn’t, Mia thought. Otherwise, he might have done that months ago to get out of his financial situation. “But he might dig for treasure.”
Slowly, she remembered her reason for her anger at Simon. “Oh no! He’s going to be furious if Charlie had something to do with his money problems.”
“I don’t think that is the biggest issue.” James’s fingers tapped against the arm of the chair.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“If he believes Charlie hired La
mbert—”
Mia jumped out of her seat. “Oh my God! He’ll kill Charlie. I have to stop him.”
James leapt out of his chair and grabbed her arm to stop her. “No.”
“I have to go to him.” She struggled against James’s greater strength. Slowly, she gave up the fight. “I love him,” she whispered.
“I know. We will go together but not until morning. It’s far too dangerous to ride at night.”
“He will be halfway there before we even leave.” She blinked back tears but she didn’t know if they were for herself, Simon, or Charlie. “Please, James. I must go now. We need to stop him.”
James’s grip around her arm tightened for a moment. “This is against my better judgment but you’re right, we will leave tonight.”
“Wonderful, how am I supposed to explain where my family went?” Caroline complained.
“I’m quite certain you will figure out something,” James said. “Go get your riding habit on and I’ll meet you back here in thirty minutes.”
Mia bit her lip.
“What?” James asked in an exasperated tone.
“I don’t have a riding habit yet. Simon said we would have one made after our return.”
“Borrow one of Caroline’s. You’re not that much smaller.”
Caroline rose. “Come along, Mia. I shall get you my habit and then I will have to get back to my party before all the other guests leave. I wish I could go with you both. He tends to listen to me more than James or Charlie.”
“He will listen to me. Thank you, Caroline.” Mia hugged her new sister-in-law.
They both raced up the stairs when no one was watching and into Caroline’s room. She opened her linen press and pulled out a burgundy riding habit.
As Caroline helped her undress, Mia asked, “Caroline, can you tell me what happened with Simon five years ago? Did he really almost kill a man?”
“That was a long time ago, Mia. Simon has grown up and can handle his temper now.”
“Can he?”
“Yes. He won’t hurt Charlie.” Caroline’s fingers paused on the buttons of Mia’s gown. “Well, he won’t kill him. Charlie might deserve a little beating if he hired Lambert.”
“But we don’t know if that’s what he did.”
“Exactly. And Simon won’t hurt him if he had nothing to do with it.”
Except it would be a huge coincidence if Lambert just happened to be out at Hartsfield Park looking for the small treasure she’d found. There was no reason for him to be there unless he’d been told about the treasure. Any one of the tenants might have slipped and said something to Charlie.
“Oh, Caroline, I have a dreadful feeling about all of this,” Mia whispered.
“So do I.”
Chapter 26
Even on horseback, it took Simon over two days to get back to Hartsfield Park. In all that time, he still hadn’t determined what he would do when he found his brother. Most of the trip, he’d been praying he wouldn’t find Charlie there. That he’d been wrong about everything.
Things still didn’t make sense. If Charlie needed money, he could have come to him. Charlie had no idea about Burton embezzling the money until after he’d arrived at Hartsfield Park. It had to all be a coincidence.
He deliberately came up to the house from the back way to garner less notice. He jumped off his horse and walked into the stables.
“Afternoon, milord,” one of the boys said. He stopped mucking out the stall and took the reins of the horse.
“She’s had a very hard ride so treat her well and give her extra oats.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And lad.” Simon waited for the boy to look at him. “If anyone asks, I was never here.”
“Huh?”
“You did not see me here today.”
The boy shrugged. “As you wish, milord.”
“Thank you.”
Simon looked around outside before venturing up to the house. The door opened but he put a finger to his lips before Harris said his name. “Is my brother in residence, Harris?” he whispered.
“Yes, my lord,” Harris whispered in return. “But he’s not at home right now. He went out for a ride.”
“Do not inform him that I am here.”
“As you wish, my lord.”
“I would like a bath, Harris. It’s been a dreadful couple of days.”
“Of course, sir. Did the countess join you?” Harris asked.
“No, she is staying with my sister for a few more days.” Simon walked to the steps with weary feet. “Please make sure no one speaks of my presence to my brother. I would like to surprise him.”
Harris’s white brows furrowed until a deep crevasse formed. “Very good, sir.”
Simon sat on the bed while the footman heated the water and then finally brought it up with the tub. Once they left, he slipped into the bathwater with a sigh. He’d never been so exhausted. As much as he wanted to soak for an hour, he had to wash quickly and dress for his confrontation with his brother.
The hour drew later and he could smell the faint aroma of roasted chicken from the kitchen. His brother must be home by now. Simon walked down the steps to surprise his conniving brother.
“My lord, your brother hasn’t returned from his ride yet,” Harris said.
“Did he say where he was going?”
“No, my lord. Only that he would be gone for a few hours.”
Dammit. Where the bloody hell was that boy! “Very well, I will take my dinner now.”
Harris nodded.
As Simon ate a lonely dinner, he wished Mia were here with him. The large dining room was made to hold fifty people and it felt cavernous tonight. Until now, he’d thought strictly of Charlie and how to handle the situation he’d caused. If Charlie caused it, his conscience reminded him.
But there was also the need to handle Mia’s anger for leaving without telling her. She would be furious when she discovered he’d departed without her. Hopefully, she would understand.
He sipped his wine. She would not understand his reasons. While he’d originally thought she needed to see Lambert beaten as she’d been, Simon knew she would not abide Charlie’s punishment. He wasn’t sure he could tolerate it either. And yet, all he had to do was picture Mia’s battered face and his anger grew.
After dinner, he sat in his study, waiting. By midnight, he decided his brother must be drinking and whoring the night away. There was no use trying to speak with a drunken man. The confrontation would have to wait until morning or afternoon if Charlie was out all night.
Simon went to bed, lonely and missing Mia more than he ever thought possible. Had she come with him, he could have talked to her about the situation and listened to her calm counsel. Instead, he had a large, cold, lonely bed. He had to tell her how he felt about her. Even if she didn’t love him, she had a right to know how much he loved her. As soon as he was done with this mess, he would ride back to Caroline’s and bring Mia home.
Another rut bumped the carriage so hard Mia thought it might tip over. They were doing everything they could to make faster time. They changed horses every twenty miles and even drove through the night. Still, Mia knew that Simon must have already arrived. With only a few more miles to go, she worried what she might find when they arrived at Hartsfield Park.
“Stop worrying, Mia,” James said, looking up from his Bible.
“I can’t help but worry. Especially when no one will tell me what happened five years ago. My imagination might be making it far worse than it was.” She hoped her words would cause James to tell her what happened.
“Highly unlikely.”
“James, I need to know what happened,” she insisted.
“Simon can tell you. I vowed not to speak of it.” He closed his Bible and stared over at her. “But it was very bad indeed, Mia. Which is why Simon doesn’t speak of it.”
The carriage turned off the main road and down the drive to Hartsfield Park. After only being away less than a fortnight, sh
e felt shocked by how much she’d missed her home. She’d never lived anywhere else and had rarely traveled, save a couple of trips to London with her father.
“Well, the house is intact,” James quipped.
Mia glared over at her brother-in-law. “This is hardly a matter for jesting.”
James shrugged. “A little levity might help all involved.”
“Perhaps you should go back to your Bible now.” Mia crossed her arms over her chest to hide her trembling.
It wasn’t just her fear for Charlie feeding her nerves; she would have to confront Simon. And tell him she would be leaving the house. She couldn’t stay with a man who used her as he had. While they couldn’t divorce, they could live separate lives.
The carriage slowed to a stop and a flurry of activity surrounded the coach. The door opened and James scrambled out. He assisted her out and they walked up to the house. Harris opened the door to greet them with a smile.
“Welcome back, my lady. Mr. Blakesworth, welcome home,” Harris said. “It has been far too long since you visited.”
“Yes it has, Harris. Have a room made up for me.”
“Of course, sir.” Harris turned to a footman with instructions.
“Harris, is my husband at home?” Mia prayed he was here and reviewing the books.
“Not at the moment, ma’am. He went out to find his brother.”
Mia swallowed hard. “Has Charlie been here?”
“Yes, my lady. But he has not returned since Sunday.”
Exhaustion forced a yawn from her. “I believe I shall take a bath and possibly a nap.”
Harris called for more footmen to heat water and bring it up to her room. “Is Lucy with you?”
“No, she will be here in a day or two. Send Mary up to help me dress. Thank you, Harris.”
Mia walked up the stairs to her room. She worried that maybe she and James should try to find Charlie before Simon did, but she was barely able to keep her eyes open. Mary followed her into the room.
“Oh, ma’am, we must get you out of these clothes. They are covered in dust.”
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