The Viscount's Vendetta (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic)

by Paige Cameron

  “Then please give Mr. Royston my regrets. I’ll have a tray in my room.” Caroline walked across the room and sat at her secretary. “I have some letters I wish to write, and I don’t have much of an appetite.”

  Caroline knew Charles would be further incensed that she would not eat with him, but she refused to pretend a politeness she did not feel toward the man. Let him worry that she might suspect his dark deeds surrounding the death of Damon’s father.

  Chapter Nine

  The next day started out cloudy and damp. Caroline had come down for breakfast late and was glad to have avoided Charles thus far. She decided later she would ride to the village to post her letters to her parents and Joan and Sarah.

  It was lonely being in a new place with her husband gone. This was only the second day since he left and already it seemed much longer. She was surprised to admit she missed Damon.

  After eating a light lunch, Caroline went up to change into a warmer gown to wear on her outing. She had requested the barouche carriage be brought around to the front door. Pulling her pelisse close, she ran through the light rain and quickly climbed inside. As she settled in her seat, Charles’s cold voice greeted her.

  “Not a good day for traveling, milady. I need a few items from the village, so I thought I’d accompany you.”

  “I would think you would prefer to ride your horse to town, sir. Surely a little rain does not intimidate you from riding,” Caroline said as she straightened her skirts.

  He didn’t answer, but his hard stare made Caroline shiver inside. He was relentless in his watching her every step.

  “I hope you were not ill last night. It is surprising such a healthy-looking female would have no appetite.”

  “Perhaps it wasn’t the food that put my appetite off but the dinner companion.” Caroline sparred verbally with him.

  Charles’s face flushed, reminding her of Peter’s warning. Still, she would not let Charles think he could command or intimidate her.

  “In the future, Charles, do not assume that it is all right to accompany me anywhere without checking first. Also now that Damon and I are married, you will need to start eating at your own residence and only join us when invited.” Her words were soft but steady.

  Suddenly, Charles leaned forward and grabbed her by the arms. “I will do as I please, milady,” he spat at her. “Be very careful before you challenge me. Better men than you, a skinny weak female, have regretted the day they crossed me. You are nothing! I’ll see you gone from here before the year is out. Mark my word.”

  “Don’t you think my husband will have something to say about my leaving?” she threw back at him.

  “Your husband will believe what I tell him. I will ruin your marriage and there is little you can do about it,” Charles snapped, releasing his hands from her arms and throwing her back against the seat.

  Caroline took her umbrella and knocked on the roof several times. The carriage came to a stop. She saw the village in the distance.

  One of the footmen opened the door with a questioning look. “Milady, do you need something?”

  “Yes.” Caroline nodded to Charles. “Mr. Royston wishes to get out and continue on his way by foot.”

  His eyes darkened murderously but he got up and climbed out of the carriage. Caroline reached over and slammed the door shut behind him, motioning to the stunned footman to carry on.

  As the carriage pulled off, Caroline glanced back at Charles standing in the middle of the dirt road with the rain pouring down on him. She had made a terrible enemy, but she couldn’t stand to be in his presence a moment longer. She was well rid of him.

  Tomorrow she would look for her husband’s pistols. She was thankful for the lessons her father had given her in shooting. Never did she dream those lessons might save her life someday.

  * * * *

  The village was busy despite the rain. Caroline ran into the general store. She closed her umbrella and took her pelisse off, shaking any drops from it.

  “May I help you, Lady Royston?” A tall, heavy-set, balding man greeted her. “I’m Mr. Kingly, the proprietor.”

  Caroline nodded politely and smiled. “It is nice to meet you, sir. I would like to look around. I have nothing definite in mind, but perhaps you could direct me to where I can post my mail,” Caroline added.

  “Most certainly. I can do that for you, milady. Come right up to my desk. The mail coach will be here within the hour.”

  “Thank you.” Caroline drew the letters out of her reticule and handed them to him. She turned toward the door at the jingle of the bells.

  “Caroline, how good to see you. Aunt Elizabeth and I have wanted to visit, but we did not want to disturb you and Damon.”

  Hannah took Caroline’s outstretched hand in hers.

  Caroline nodded to the older woman standing behind Hannah. “I would love to have the two of you visit anytime. Damon has had to go to London on business. I am at loose ends, as you can see.” Caroline blushed.

  “Then you must come back to Aunt Elizabeth’s for tea this afternoon. Whenever you are through shopping,” Hannah said.

  Caroline saw Elizabeth Brooks’s speculative glance. “I didn’t realize you lived so close to Damon’s estate,” she said.

  “Thank goodness, yes.” Elizabeth smiled. “It made it much easier for my husband to keep an eye on things while Damon was gone.”

  “He didn’t need to do much, I suppose,” Caroline added. “What with Charles being in charge and all.”

  “My husband…” Elizabeth stopped herself. “Will you join us for tea? We can have a cozy talk then.”

  “I’d enjoy the visit. I only need some thread and to choose a book to take with me. The carriage is right out front.”

  “Send it home. You can ride with us, and we’ll see you get home in our carriage,” Lady Sommerplace insisted.

  “I would like that very much.” Caroline quickly chose her items and sent her carriage back to the estate. Across the street, she saw Charles had arrived in town. He watched her and the others. His hate radiated out to her. Determinedly, she turned her back to him and let Lady Sommerplace’s footman help into the other carriage.

  Leaning back against the plush velvet cushions, she sighed. At least for now she felt safe.

  They hurried through the drizzle to the front door. “My dear, come in and stand by the fire. Such a rainy day causes the air to be quite chilly.” Elizabeth Brooks smiled at her new niece-in-law.

  “Thank you. The fire does feel good.” Caroline handed her pelisse and slightly bedraggled hat to the maid.

  “Tea, please, Hazel,” Lady Sommerplace directed. “Do sit in the chair closest to the fire, Caroline. Hannah could you be a dear and go upstairs to my room and bring me my shawl.”

  “Yes, Aunt Elizabeth.” Hannah hurried out.

  “Now we have a few minutes alone. I take it all is not well between you and Damon?” Lady Elizabeth came right to the point.

  Caroline looked down at her hands. “I’m not sure what went wrong, but you are correct. He left early yesterday morning without saying good-bye.”

  Elizabeth reached over and tipped Caroline’s face up to look at her. “Do you care for my nephew?”

  “I don’t know. It is very complicated. Did you know my father, Lord Halsford, was the man the late Viscount lost his money to, shortly before Damon’s father killed himself?” Caroline asked.

  “My husband was almost certain. We were concerned. Damon picked you to marry so quickly after his return to society,” Elizabeth acknowledged. “Not that you aren’t a lovely girl, but Damon does not usually act on impulse.”

  “He has much anger against my father. His feelings regarding my family are all interwoven in his reasons for marrying me. The strange thing is I’ve begun to wonder if his father really did commit suicide,” Caroline stated emphatically.

  Hannah stepped back into the room with a shawl in her hand. “Here you are, Auntie. Now tell me any gossip I’ve missed,” Hannah said
. She looked from her aunt over to Caroline.

  “I know of no gossip,” Caroline said. “I would hope you could regale me with wonderful tales of London.”

  “We have not returned to London since your wedding. I’m just waiting for you to tell me when I can move to my room at Atelstone’s Honor,” Hannah said.

  “How did the house get that name?” Caroline asked.

  “Damon said he had stood on the hill where the house is built before he left to make his fortune. He promised himself to show honor to our people by returning with the money to take care of the estate and them, and that someday he’d build a new home on that spot,” Hannah explained.

  “You see, dear, Damon wanted the old house torn down. There were too many sad memories, I suppose.” Elizabeth stared into Caroline’s eyes. “My husband couldn’t bring himself to have the house destroyed.”

  Caroline looked at Hannah. “It is a beautiful home. I’d love to live there one day with our children. When you marry, Hannah, you and your husband could live in the new house. We would all be close.”

  Hannah’s eyes shone. “What a wonderful idea. But Damon would never agree. He hates Atelstone Hall.”

  Aunt Elizabeth’s hand reached out and squeezed Hannah’s. “Never is a long time, and things can change. Ah, here is the tea at last and wonderful fresh scones.”

  The rest of the afternoon passed pleasantly, and Caroline had just suggested she should return home when Elizabeth invited her up to her boudoir.

  “Hannah, would you mind if we had a private talk without you, dear?”

  Hannah grinned. “It’s probably some wifely advice, I understand. I’m going to play the pianoforte in the drawing room.”

  * * * *

  “Please call me Elizabeth, and if you agree I shall call you Caroline. I feel we are going to be good friends, so we should not stand on such formality. You will make me feel quite ancient otherwise,” Lady Sommerplace added as she opened the door to her boudoir and invited Caroline inside.

  Caroline looked around the lovely sitting room. The walls were pale pink with pink and white curtains. The dark wood floors shone and the fireplace was lit with a small fire. By one of the windows sat a lovely secretary made of dark mahogany.

  Elizabeth closed her door and went directly to the secretary. She opened a panel revealing four smaller drawers and pulled open the bottom one. She pulled out a folded paper.

  “I’ve kept this for many years. I’m not sure what I planned to do with it, but I thought eventually I’d return it to Damon. I found it wadded up in a ball on the floor of his room, after he left to go to sea. Now, I think it might be best to give it to you first. You can decide when to show it to him.” Elizabeth handed Caroline the crinkled paper.

  Caroline smoothed out the stationary. It still had deep creases in it. She glanced up briefly at Elizabeth and at her nod looked back down to read the contents.

  It was a note trying to explain the viscount’s actions to his son. The crumpled paper was evidence of Damon’s reaction to his father’s message.

  “This does not look like the late Viscount’s writing.” Caroline spoke before she thought.

  “You have seen something he wrote?” Elizabeth asked.

  “I went to visit Atelstone Hall yesterday. I happened across his study in my tour of the house.” Caroline hesitated. She was reluctant to tell Elizabeth about the diary, not yet anyway. “I saw some papers in his desk that I assumed were his writing.”

  “You went into the study? Does Damon know you were going for a visit?” Elizabeth walked over and sat in a chair by the fire.

  Caroline joined her in the other chair. “No, but Mr. Royston followed me and was quite upset. I don’t like him. I’m not sure why, but he scares me.”

  “Has he done anything to make you feel afraid?”

  “Not exactly,” Caroline hesitated. “He follows me, and he is always around at the house and was in my carriage today. I put him out in the rain before we got to town, after telling him to stay out of my business.”

  Elizabeth chuckled. “I would have loved to have seen that.” Her expression sobered. “You may have made an enemy of him, and I’m not sure that was a good idea.”

  “Mother has always said I was willful and that it would get me into trouble. I fear she was right.”

  “Do you want to stay with us until Damon returns?” Elizabeth asked. “You would be very welcome.”

  “No.” Caroline stood. “Thank you for everything, but I must go. I will not let him run me away so easily.”

  Caroline folded the paper carefully and put it in her reticule. “Thank you for the letter. I’ll try to choose the best time to give it back to Damon.”

  Elizabeth walked with her to the carriage. “If you need anything, send word to me. We will come quickly.”

  “Tell Hannah she is welcome to move back home at any time, although perhaps now would not be best. You understand?”

  “I agree. I will talk to my husband about our conversation, when he returns tonight.” Elizabeth smiled warmly. “You can trust him to be a strong support.”

  “I am so glad I saw you today. I felt so alone.” Caroline hugged Elizabeth and got into the carriage. She waved until Elizabeth was out of sight.

  Today had turned out better than she expected, but she still planned to look around for some small pistols. She wanted to have one handy, if needed.

  * * * *

  Damon stepped off of his ship onto the wharf. Another shipload of goods had arrived yesterday when the ship put into port. He stood looking out over the sea. Feeling restless, he headed to the office of Higgins Import and Export.

  Jack Higgins stood and walked across the room to shake Damon’s hand. “I didn’t expect to see you so soon after your wedding. Your wife is a lovely lady.”

  Damon grinned at the short, thin, gray-haired man. “Thank you, sir. She is lovely.”

  “So?” Jack Higgins asked. “What are you doing here?”

  Damon slumped into the chair across the desk from Jack. He frowned. “I don’t know. It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

  “It’s none of my business, son, but if you two had an argument, it’s best to talk it out right away. Sometimes it is difficult to stand firm and face the fire, but it’s much better in the end.” His eyes twinkled across at Damon.

  Damon closed his eyes for a moment. He had not slept well the past two nights. He smelled her perfume in the air and remembered the silkiness of her skin. However, then he remembered her turning away from him. Damon opened his eyes to find Mr. Higgins studying him.

  Mr. Higgins spoke up. “You were probably like I was. I’d never been with such a fine lady until my wife. I’d been to sea making my fortune.” He picked up his pipe and lit it. “Young ladies are protected and sometimes shocked by the personal side of married life. Give it time, son. Everything works out with time. Come to dinner tonight. Mrs. Higgins would love to fatten you up.”

  Damon stood. “Thanks, sir, I’d like to join you another time, but I have a previous engagement tonight.”

  “All right, the invitation is always open. Better yet, go home. Next time your lady can come to dinner with you.”

  Damon waved and strolled outside. It was four. He was due at a dinner and dance by eight.

  Damon walked home giving him time to think. He handed his hat, coat, and umbrella to his butler and went back to his study. Walking directly over to a side desk, he poured himself a tumbler full of whiskey and took a deep swallow.

  “Whiskey won’t cure anything.” A deep familiar voice spoke from the shadows. A tall man stood and walked over. “How about pouring one of those for me? It was a long, cold ride from Sommerplace to here,” his uncle said.

  “What brings you to town, Uncle Christopher?” Damon handed him the glass of whiskey.

  “Your aunt is worried about your bride. Of course, anything that upsets Elizabeth disturbs me. What in heaven’s name provoked you enough to leave your new bride by herself
, in a strange home, in a new town, without any support?” His words were loud and angry.

  Damon frowned. “I do appreciate the help you’ve given me over the years, but I am a grown man. I do not have to answer to you. My lonely wife, as you described, has certainly found plenty of support in you and Aunt Elizabeth.”

  “She met Elizabeth by accident in the village, and your aunt invited her to tea. She did not complain, but Elizabeth thinks she is frightened of something or someone. Elizabeth insisted I ride here immediately and ask you to come home.” Christopher Brooks turned away, annoyed, and sat in the chair he’d previously occupied.

  Damon threw himself into the chair behind his desk. “Whatever could she be afraid of?” he asked. “She has a house full of servants. Somehow I never pictured her being the timid, frightened type. She’s probably putting on an act for Aunt Elizabeth. I’m sure she is quite safe. She has the servants and Charles there to handle any difficulties,” Damon stated firmly. “I will return when I am ready and not before.”

  Christopher Brooks tilted his glass and emptied it. He put it on the small table by the side of his chair. He walked over to the edge of Damon’s large desk.

  “So be it. I have done my duty. Damon, I have always been proud of the way you took charge of your life and succeeded. For the first time, I am disappointed in you.” With those words his uncle turned and left.

  Damon sat as the evening shadows darkened his study. The only light came from a lamp in the hall. When he finished his drink, he went upstairs to change.

  He would leave tomorrow, but tonight he would invite a few friends to come for a house party in a few weeks. His wife would not control him or influence his decisions. He was going home because he was ready to go.

  Closing his eyes briefly, he saw long blonde curls and soft silken skin. Damn, the woman haunts my every thought. He would enjoy himself this evening and forget the wife he left at home.

  Lady Ferrier was the first person Damon saw when he arrived at the dinner party. She smiled at Damon, obviously pleased to see he had been seated beside her.