Invitation to Passion

by Bronwen Evans

  Madeline had only a few moments of contemplation before the scrape of footsteps behind her warned her that she was not alone. She turned to see that Christopher had returned. When he reached her side, he favored her with an apologetic grin, and leaned heavily against the mantelpiece.

  “My apologies, Mrs. Craven. I’m not the best company myself today. This is a unbearable night for me, for it was on this night, many months ago, that I lost my love.”

  Her anguish lessened in the face of his pain filled words. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” said Madeline, and she covered his hand with her own.

  He put his other hand over hers and they stood silently for several moments.

  “That is why I can’t bear to see you give your heart to someone who is obviously in love with someone else. It’s not fair on any of you.”

  Yesterday, Madeline would have said Richard would never wish to be free of her, but now there may be a child, his child. It would kill him to unable to acknowledge a child of his. “What options do I have? It is not as if I can simply divorce him. I have to have a reason, a very good reason, such as ill treatment. Or else Richard would have to divorce me, but he has no grounds to do so.”

  “You could give him grounds by running away with me. It would free you both. You can find a man who deserves you, who loves you above all else and Richard is then free to marry the mother of his child. If he thinks you are in love with me, he’d let you go. You’d both be free to follow your hearts.”

  She simply removed her hands from where they were entwined in Christopher’s. She didn’t know what to do.

  “But I’m not in love with you.”

  “He wouldn’t know that. We would be pretending. He could walk away guilt free. You’d sacrifice anything for his happiness, wouldn’t you?”

  Yesterday she would have sworn Richard had strong feelings for her. He had insisted he did not love Sarah. But now there was a child in the picture she knew one thing for sure, Richard would want to claim his son or daughter. Richard would do anything for his child. But would he give Maddy up?

  They stood silently together looking out over the garden.

  “I should go home. Rheda must be frantic,” she said softly.

  “Stay, please, for a while longer. At least take some refreshment. It’s a very lonely day for me. I’d appreciate your company. I’ll see a note is delivered to your brother.”

  Christopher had been nothing but kind. It must be difficult to be alone on the anniversary of your true love’s death. Misery enjoyed company. Perhaps they could console each other. She didn’t feel like facing everyone yet.

  “Thank you. I’d like that.”

  Christopher stood looking out his back window, indifferent to the view of the beautiful garden, analyzing just how perfectly his plan was working.

  Maddy had already consumed one cup of tea. She was half way through her second and her words were already slurring.

  Tonight they would head south.

  Soon my love. Soon I will have my revenge.

  “Maddy, my dear. I think it’s time you wrote a letter to dear old Richard.”

  #

  Richard was not at all surprised upon reaching Wrentham’s estate to find that Charles’s long-term retainer, Henderson, had been let go. He had always found Henderson to be an honorable man. And if there were any shenanigans going on, then Sarah would not want a man like Henderson around to see them.

  He followed the footman’s instructions and found out where Henderson had moved to, a cottage down by the village. As soon as he rode up he saw that Henderson was working in the yard. He approached, still sitting on his horse.

  “Mr. Henderson, how are you sir? Do you remember who I am?”

  “Aye, I do that Mr. Craven. It is good to see you.”

  Richard swung down off his horse and with reins in hand walked towards where Henderson was working.

  “Before you ask, I’m no longer in Wrentham’s employ.”

  Richard inclined his head. “Lady Sarah is actually why I’ve come to call. I was actually looking for Graeme Hornsbled. Do you know if he is working for Lady Sarah?”

  Henderson raised an eyebrow. “Graeme Hornsbled followed her from her father’s estate, not long after her father died. He was not well liked by any of the staff. A funny character, he kept much to himself and no one was really sure what his role was in the Wrentham household.”

  “Do you know what his role was in the household?”

  Henderson looked at him thoughtfully. “Can I ask why you want to know?”

  “I’m investigating Charles’s accident. It appears it may not have been an accident.” Richard felt he had to be honest. Henderson would see through any lies and that might make him close up and not answer further questions.

  Henderson turned back to the saddle he was cleaning. “I always did think there was something funny about his accident. Charles was an excellent horseman and I couldn’t see him being casual about checking his girth before a hunt.”

  “Well, can you help me?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t see why not. I lost everything that I had worked for anyway when Lady Sarah let me go. Hornsbled has been around the estate, but no one has seen him lately. However, people tell me things. And someone mentioned that one of the cottages down the end of the estate, which has been empty for the last two years, has suddenly had smoke coming out of the chimney. It wouldn’t surprise me if Hornsbled is staying there.”

  Richard looked at him. “Do you think Graeme Hornsbled could have been involved in Charles’s death?”

  “It wouldn’t surprise me,” Henderson said “he always had an unhealthy attachment to Lady Sarah. In fact, he hated it when you came on the scene. You were the first man Sarah took an interest in.”

  Richard felt satisfaction seep into his bones. At last he had something to go on. If Graeme Hornsbled was in Sarah’s employ and he could find him, then they might have their answers by the end of the day. Richard walked towards his horse and once seated back on his stead, he looked at Henderson. “Thank you for giving me that information. I don’t really need to tell you that you should keep my presence here to yourself. If Hornsbled knows I’m looking for him, I could lose my advantage.”

  “I’m surprised you’re investigating Lady Sarah.”

  “I might be investigating Lord Timothy Chesterton,” Richard responded.

  Henderson looked up and smiled for the first time in their meeting. “Hornsbled wouldn’t piss on Chesterton’s boots if they were on fire. If you’re here for Hornsbled, then Lady Sarah is involved. Do you mean to protect her or expose her?”

  “I’m here to do what’s right.”

  “Aye.” Then Henderson added, “I hear you married Lady Madeline. Fine lady she is.” With a knowing smile, he went back to work.

  With that, Richard turned and rode towards the cottage at the end of estate. A part of him didn’t really want to speak to Hornsbled. He was scared of what he would hear. If Sarah had killed Charles just so that she could be with him, Charles’s death was equally his fault.

  It didn’t take Richard long to get to the cottage. He tied his horse up several yards from the house, not wanting to alert Hornsbled to his presence. He crept towards the cottage, pistol in hand. He moved around the side of the house towards the door listening for any sound inside. There was none. Just as he was reaching for the latch, the door suddenly swung open and Hornsbled stepped out onto the porch.

  Richard knew he had to work fast. He unleashed an almighty punch that caught Hornsbled on the side of the head, sending him crashing to the ground. Hornsbled was stunned enough for Richard to pull him into the cottage and close the door. He stood over him with pistol in hand.

  Richard pressed his booted foot on Hornsbled’ neck, and forced a bit of weight on to it. Hornsbled immediately began clawing at Richard’s boot.

  “You and I are going to have a little chat, Hornsbled. I want to know what you have been up to. And I’m not leaving here until I’m satisfied
I have the truth.”

  Hornsbled looked at him as if he was mad. “I don’t know what you are talking about Craven, let me up.”

  Richard bent over the prone form of Hornsbled until his face was inches from his. “We’ve spoken to Davey. He recognized you from when he was a young boy on the estate. We have his testimony that you gave him the money to cut Charles girth.”

  Hornsbled scoffed. “Who will take the word of a boy over mine? No one-not when I have Lady Sarah’s endorsement.”

  “I know it was you and you are going to hang for Charles’s murder. I’m sure you will want to take whoever is responsible for putting you in this position with you. It doesn’t make sense to take the blame entirely on yourself.”

  Richard could see the indecision flashing across Hornsbled’ face. He also knew he was caught. Would he give up Sarah?

  “If you give me the name of the person who paid you to organize the accident, I could see if your hanging is commuted to transportation to the colonies for life.”

  Hornsbled eyed him warily. “You can do that?”

  “I can try. I’m not going to offer any guarantees. But it is more important that I learn who the perpetrator is. You were merely a pawn.” He leaned closer. “Do you really think Sarah cares about what happens to you? You know she did all of this for me, to be able to marry me. She loves me.”

  Richard watched as the truth of his words sink into Hornsbled mind, and his stomach knotted. It was Sarah.

  “Let me up and I will tell you everything, if you swear on your life to have my sentence commuted to transportation.”

  Richard trained his pistol on him and gingerly lifted his booted foot from around Hornsbled’ neck. He watched cautiously as Hornsbled took a seat on the step leading to the cottage, his head in hands as he began his tale.

  “She was such a lovely young girl was Lady Sarah. She was always kind and pleasant to all the staff, including me. We had a special bond. She would call on me for errands and reward me with coin, but I would have done anything for a smile. Her smiles warmed the cold holes in your soul. I was right proud when she asked her father to let me accompany her to Wrentham’s estate when she married.”

  “Then I became raving mad, seeing how he treated her.” Hornsbled spat in the dirt. “I’m glad he’s dead. I even went so far as to tell her father. And he was going to do something about it, but then of course he died suddenly and Sarah was left in a marriage that had not been to her liking, with no one to look after her, except me.”

  Richard’s gut clenched. Guilt began to eat away at him; he knew he should have stepped in and done something.

  Hornsbled lifted his head and looked at him. “I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know how to help her. A man in my position up against a Marquess; there was not a lot I could do. Until she came to me one day with bruises all over her arms and body and showed them to me. And then she begged me to help her.”

  “So you are telling me it was Sarah who paid you to get rid of her husband?” Richard really wasn’t surprised. All the evidence was pointing towards her; he just didn’t want to believe it.

  “She asked if I could make it look like an accident. I thought weakening the girth was the obvious answer. I knew how much his lordship loved to hunt. She didn’t want me to do the deed, because that would be too obvious and it would be traced back to her. But if we could find someone else who was desperate for money, someone who we could influence.... I had no idea Davey had worked on Sarah’s father’s estate and knew me—it was a big mistake. I should have killed the lad.”

  “We have made sure he is well protected.”

  Hornsbled looked him in the eye and said, “Killing Wrentham is something I will never regret, but killing an innocent boy with a family to feed is not something I would ever do. Wrentham was a sadist. The man won’t be missed. The things he did to Sarah, I mean Lady Sarah.”

  Richard swallowed back a curse. If he was honest with himself, he probably would have wanted to do exactly what Hornsbled had done for her, but they could have found another way. They could have got a divorce on the grounds of cruelty if Sarah had only come to him. But he supposed, with Sarah being pregnant, she didn’t wish to take the risk. If the child was a boy, the Marquess would claim him, and Sarah would lose her child.

  Richard looked at Hornsbled. And he didn’t really know what he was going to do. If he arrested Hornsbled and took him to the Magistrate, Sarah would hang once the child was born. Richard didn’t think he could stand to see the mother of his child hang. What a position to be in.

  Hornsbled must have read his thoughts for he said, “What are you going to do?” Richard said nothing and Hornsbled continued. “I have heard she is with child. And I have also heard it could be yours. If you arrest me, she will hang as well.”

  “They won’t hang her until after the child is born.”

  “Could you really see the mother of your child hang?”

  Richard knew the answer to that, and so did Hornsbled. No, he could not.

  “What do you suppose I should do then? What would you do if you were in my position?”

  Hornsbled looked at him and gave a wry smile. “But I am not in your position. You could drop the investigation now you know the reason why I had to agree to her plan. She’s safe now, and only you and I know the accident wasn’t an accident.”

  Richard ran his hands through his hair trying to think. He looked at Hornsbled and said, “I’m going to take you back to London with me. You’ll stay in the cellar of Craven House until I’ve decided what we are going to do from here.

  As they headed back to London, Hornsbled restrained and with Richard’s gun at his back, all he could think about was the child Sarah carried. Whatever happened, the child would need to be protected. A man like Timothy Chesterton as guardian of a babe who could dispossess him was not a good idea. Children were known to die of illnesses or accidents.

  If the child was his, he couldn’t risk Timothy getting control of him or her.

  However, what really made Richard’s heart heavy was as soon as he arrived home, it was imperative he told Madeline the truth. The child could be his. He should have bloody done so right from the beginning. He should have ignored Anthony’s advice.

  She would be upset, and not only about the child. More importantly she would know he’d withheld important details from her.

  He hoped she could forgive him. The idea that she wouldn’t excuse his deception scared him more than a bullet straight through his heart. He couldn’t bear to have to live with a woman who despised him, especially a woman he now realized he loved. Her good opinion of him meant more than his next breath. Her happiness was his happiness.

  If she asked to leave this marriage, if she could not bring herself to love him anymore, he would have to give her a divorce. It would kill him to do so, but he wanted her happy. She deserved to be happy because none of this mess was of her making.

  He just hoped he was strong enough to let her go should she wish it.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Dear Richard,

  I understand why you left Hascombe so abruptly. My brother has misunderstood our friendship. I will never forgive him for embarrassing me at dinner. My gown was totally appropriate; it was based on one of the sketches you sent me when I asked for descriptions of the fashions at Lady Skye’s ball.

  Please, please, don’t avoid me because of Rufus. He’s likely to leave soon. It’s not him who is stuck here with no one to talk to.

  Your friend,

  Madeline

  Richard arrived home to find his household in an uproar. Both Anthony and Rufus were there to greet him, which made incarcerating Hornsbled in the cellar easier.

  As they locked the cellar door, Richard told them, “Hornsbled has confirmed it was Sarah who asked him to help dispose of Charles. He’s the man who hired David.”

  The silence that followed his statement surprised Richard. “I did expect a positive response to what I’ve learned.”

>   The other two men looked at each other as if a secret code was being spoken.

  “What is it? What’s happened?” Richard’s heart missed a beat, and then began racing wildly. “Where’s Madeline?” There was an ominous, uncomfortable silence.

  Richard sprinted up the stairs, calling out Madeline’s name in desperation. His stomach clenched and he felt nausea rise, and bile flooded into his mouth.

  A steadying hand on his shoulder stopped his panicked ranting. “Madeline is fine. Let’s go to your study and have a brandy while I explain the situation.” Rufus’s words saw Richard’s world go back to an even keel. But his hand was still shaking as he accepted a glass. He took a long drink, the alcohol warming the cold that was seeping into his bones.

  “Where is she?”

  Anthony sighed and moved to stand near the door. “You’re going to hate me. I’m sorry…Christ, this is difficult.”

  He looked over at Rufus. Rufus cleared his throat. “Sarah has told Madeline that the child she carries might be yours. To say Maddy didn’t take it well was an understatement, but Anthony told me how you’d wanted to tell Maddy from the beginning, so I forgive you for keeping this secret.”

  The glass slipped from his hand and smashed onto the wooden floor with a thud. He glared at his twin, not needing to voice ‘I told you so’. “Where is she?”

  Anthony’s eyes filled with pain. “I’m so sorry…”

  He stood up and approached his brother with fists clenched. “Where—is—she?”

  “She’s left you.” Anthony breathed deeply. “Go on, hit me. I deserve it. You told me you should tell her. I’m so sorry.”

  Richard stood stunned by the words his twin had just uttered. “Left me?” He rubbed his forehead. “No, she would never leave me. She promised never to walk away. She would talk to me about this, not simply leave.” He looked at the two men who knew him better than anyone. “I ask again. Where is she? I have to talk with her.”

  Rufus merely handed him a missive written on quality paper. “I suggest we give her a few days to calm down and then we go and find her. Of course you’re not going to divorce her.” He turned to look at Richard through narrowed eyes. “You’re not, are you?”