Clifford frowned and shook his head. "What about him?"
"He's missing. His regiment thought he was here with his family, but he never arrived. He was supposed to becoming down from the North with his wife, to introduce her to the whole family. You don't think..."
Clifford looked shocked beyond words. "Where is Samuel now?"
"Upstairs packing. I saw him a short while ago. He said he was leaving to join in the search for his brother."
"I must go. I might be in time to catch him. This could be the clue we've been waiting for."
"I'm going with you."
"No, Vanessa!"
"I must! I can help. I want to help, to bring Gerald to justice."
Clifford placed her in a chair. "The best thing you can do is stay here. I need to speak to Samuel about his missing brother. But I give you my word, the wedding tomorrow will take place, no matter what. And the wedding night."
Before she could utter a word of reply, his mouth swooped down upon hers, promising all sorts of unspoken delights. She clung to his shoulders, but he slipped from her grasp before she could argue with him further.
Then he was gone, leaving her only a pair of throbbing lips, a body quivering with almost painful need, and a new-found resolve to marry the man who had come to mean more than anything else in the world to her, even her own brother.
Vanessa sat stunned for a moment, but the knowledge that she had finally faced the truth about Gerald was enough to calm her.
She had now faced the demons of her past. While she was not sure she would ever be free of them, helping bring Gerald to justice would at least put most of them to rest.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
To keep her mind off her wedding to Clifford on the morrow, and the missing Martin Jerome, Vanessa went upstairs to pack. She was supposed to spend the night at Stone Court with Josephine and Emma, to prepare for her wedding in the morning.
They would have the nuptial breakfast there, for the weather promised to be fair, and the lovely garden would lend itself to the festivities. It was to be a small gathering due to the nature of her circumstances, and the fact that she was still supposed to be in mourning.
She had selected a pearl-gray gown the day before from amongst those the Jerome sisters' Bath dressmaker had brought with her which would befit the occasion. As per tradition, she had something old, new, borrowed and blue, and looked forward to settling in her new home at Stone Court.
While she had not yet managed to visit her future home due to the chaotic week Clifford had had helping the authorities with their inquiries ever since the girl's corpse had been found in the leat, she knew anywhere that Clifford was would be her home from now on. She would be loved and happy and safe in her new home. Clifford would see to it.
But as Vanessa packed, she began to berate herself for being so foolish as to worry about her wedding things when her dangerous brother was still on the loose.
But what could she do to assist? Postponing the wedding would not help, for Clifford claimed he could not wait to marry her. Any talk of putting it off only upset him because he was so worried about her.
She knew Gerald could strike her whether she was married or not. At Stone Court, or any other house in the area, in the country. If Gerald wanted her dead, he would make it happen. He had done it before. He could do it again. Worse still, he could harm the man she loved. Or his family.
At the thought of Clifford being in danger, Vanessa threw all caution to the winds. With a decisive sweep of her hand she took up her cloak and made her way down the stairs and through the house to the stable block.
"I'm off to Stone Court," she told the chief groom, and mounted the elegant young mare that he hastily saddled for her.
She headed up the winding drive of Jerome Manor, and was just about to go out of the gate when she saw a small, dark-haired woman approaching almost nervously, a shawl clutched around her face though it was not raining and the afternoon was mild. She was mounted on a sway-backed horse, and looked pinched and white, with painfully thin wrists.
"Please, Miss, can you tell me if Clifford Stone is in residence? I called in at Stone Court, but they said he was staying here."
"He's not in at the moment, but yes, he is a guest here. I'm sure the Jeromes will be more than happy to put you up for the night if you would like to wait for him."
"I'm sorry. I must get back home. I've already been away too long."
"Can I help? Clifford is my fiancee."
"I'm Penelope Winston. Perhaps you've heard of me?" the young woman said nervously.
"No, I'm sorry. I can't say that I have," Vanessa said, trying to quell the dagger of fear that shot through her. Surely it was not an old mistress of his... "But then, I have recently returned here from Dorset."
The woman nodded. Then her eyes flew wide. "You're not Vanessa Hawkesworth, are you?"
"I am."
"Oh God, you poor girl. That bastard of a brother of yours--" She practically spat the words at her.
"I don't understand."
"Though he's not as bad as Edmund Cavendish."
"Edmund?" Vanessa repeated blankly.
"Aye, the man who raped me. And Gerald helped, held me while he did it. Dr. Gold came to find me, persuaded me to tell the truth at last. I've been afraid for me and my son. But your man is a good one. He helped me, so I'm helping him. Dr. Gold gave me money for my little boy. Is setting me up in some better lodgings. Dr. Gold said you were in danger. That Gerald tried to gamble you in a card game. Most likely tried to poison you. I'd say he's guilty of far worse than that. I heard them boasting and swaggering."
Vanessa shook her head. "Please, you're not making much sense." She swung down out of the saddle, and led the distraught woman and both horses over to rest by the pillar of the gate.
"Here now, rest yourself a moment, and when you feel able, tell me what happened."
"It was about four years ago," Penelope panted out. "I was young and foolish. I come from a good family up past Willesden. Edmund Cavendish has some racing stables there. He used to go see the horses, even exercise them himself sometimes.
"He got thrown one day and came to us for help. I thought I was in love. I went to see him one evening, to go look at one of his sick horses, or so he said. There was something right sick in that stable, but it was no horse."
Vanessa could feel her stomach heave. She knew all too well what the girl was about to tell her. But even then, she was in for a shock.
"I said no, I was too young, it was too sudden, I was a good girl, a proper Church-goer. He said I was desperate for it, and was going to love it so much I wouldn't be able to get enough. He had his way with me while your brother held me down. Gerald was going to have a turn himself when I struggled and broke free. I ran to the door and nearly got away, when Edmund smashed a lantern into my face."
She drew one edge of the shawl away from her face. Vanessa gasped at the sight of the puckered flesh, one cut so close to the eye it was a miracle it had not been gouged out.
"Oh my God, you poor thing."
"That's the least of the scars they've left upon me, Miss, after what they did. After he hit me, they both dragged me back in again and started to use me once more. I pretended to be unconscious, hoping they would leave me alone. They stripped me naked, touched me everywhere, and I just had to lay there, because I knew if I didn't, it would only be worse for me."
"You've suffered so terribly, I can't even begin to-"
But Penelope pressed on, her eyes wide and unseeing as she relived the horror of that night.
"Gerald was just starting to grope me for his turn on top of me when the other two wild Cavendish boys, James and Charles, came in to declare that it was time to leave if they wanted to waylay the coach coming down from Oxford.
"They tied me up and left me, planning to come back and use me all over again. I was desperate to get away. I knew one way of the other they would be the death of me. So I used the broken glass from the lantern and sawed
through the ropes, and managed to escape.
"I had to walk all the way home on foot in the middle of the night, naked and injured as I was. I thought my family would support me, but my parents were livid. They said I had disgraced them and no one would want to marry me, and locked me in my room as though I had done something wrong. I laughed. With my face as they had left it, who ever would want to marry me anyway? Dr. Gold did his best, but it needed so many stitches." She shook her head.
"I told my parents what I knew, what they had done. They were terrified, said it would only be asking for trouble to try to report any of it. They told me to say nothing. That it would be my word against the four of them, and if they were that dangerous they might harm the estate, or my younger sister. As soon as I knew I was with child, they told me to go elsewhere, so as not to ruin my sister's chances of making a good match."
"I can't believe they would have been so unfair," she said, outraged.
"They were doing what they thought was best for everyone, especially with such powerful enemies so near. My parents gave me a small sum of money, and told me to disappear. I was livid. I had done nothing wrong, except been too trusting. As a result I had been violated and lost my home and entire family. Anything that I had ever cared for in my life was gone.
"I was so furious at the injustice of it all, I went to the Cavendish house. Edmund wasn't home, so I confronted their father instead. I told them what had happened, what his sons were doing. He was livid, refused to give me a penny, or to report them so no more innocent people would be harmed.
"He had me thrown out, down the long flight of stairs at the front. I dragged myself to my feet, badly injured, convinced I would miscarry the child. I was in agony, and could hardly make it to the gate, let alone to the doctor."
"Gods above, they're all savages!" Vanessa gasped, shaking her head.
"Fortunately, not all. One of the men from the house, a servant, I think, helped me into a carriage. The driver brought me to Dr. Gold. When I finally came to fully after my agonized swoon, there was money in my reticule. Not a lot, but more even than my parents had ever given me.
"Dr. Gold helped me, and the baby lived. I don't hate the child because of the sins of his father, but it's been damned hard these past few years. I feared the Cavendishes' power. So I did what my parents had asked me to do and vanished. I went into hiding.
"I was terrified of what old Mr. Cavendish might do to me. His threats were just awful, and he said he would make me suffer for being a whore and lying about his heir. That he was a powerful man who would make my life hell.
"So for the past four years, I've been a fugitive trying to protect myself and my poor boy. I've lived off the small sum I was given, and help from strangers and the public works, and raised my son the best I could. My old nanny is the only one who has ever troubled herself over me, apart from the good doctor. She told Dr. Gold where I was, and I'm here now to tell you my tale as he asked, so that everyone can know the truth at last. Gerald is a fiend, the Cavendishes too. You need to get away from Hawkesworth House. You must stay away. And thank God for the rest of your life that none of them won you in that card game."
"Oh, my dear, I am so sorry. If there's anything I can do--"
"If you're protecting your brother, you need to stop," Penelope said bluntly.
Vanessa nodded. "I know. I was just going over to my house. I just moved here a month ago, after my aunt died. I have only just begun to suspect Gerald was one of the highwaymen. To tell you the truth, I thought my cousins were involved as well. The Stephenses."
"No, not that I ever knew of. But you mustn't go back to Hawkesworth House. What if he's there?"
"I can't not go. A friend of ours has just reported that his brother and new wife are unaccounted for. He went missing somewhere between here and his regimental headquarters near Oxford. I think they murdered his new wife and have harmed or killed him. I need to find some sort of proof before Gerald hurts anyone else."
"Then I'm coming with you," the tiny woman said with a decided air, and reached for the reins of her horse.
Vanessa shook her head. "Oh, no, it's too risky."
"I should have stood up to them all better four years ago. I blame myself."
"You were so young."
She nodded, her lips tight. "Aye, not even sixteen."
"It's disgraceful. But you're not to blame yourself. These young men have had all the privileges a good home and wealth could bestow. Theft? They had no need to resort to such crimes. As for rape, murder?" Vanessa shook her head. "They're savages and must be stopped."
"I couldn't agree more. That's why I'm coming with you," Penelope said resolutely.
"But if they find you--"
She lifted her chin resolutely. Having struggled with her decision for so long, she now embraced it and any possible consequences fully. "I'm prepared to take that risk. I can't do anything against Edmund for the rape, but I can help bring Gerald to justice. He was the mastermind, making the evil suggestions. They simply obeyed. He's cunning and clever, and we need to work together. Come on."
"Maybe we ought to go back to get help?" Vanessa said, following Penelope's lead and mounting her hoses.
"We're two females. Gerald thinks he's superior to any woman. Well, we're going to show him."
The gleam in her eyes determined Vanessa. Time was of the essence. If she was ever to redeem herself in Clifford's eyes, or indeed her own, she was going to have to act now.
Vanessa turned her mare's head toward Hawkesworth House. She had the perfect pretext, after all, for going. It would seem the most logical thing in the world for her to return in order to pack up her things prior to her marrying, and having her new maid with her as chaperone was not in the least odd. It would have been more strange to have gone on her own. The servants wouldn't suspect a thing if she just kept calm.
This might be her only opportunity to sneak into Gerald's room if he was not there in order to see what valuables he had lying around. By rights he ought not to have any jewels or watches, since by all accounts, necessity had forced him to sell everything in the past few years. She knew this from him, every time he had ever importuned her for money, and from the servants, who had watched Gerald's steady decline ever since their father had died.
Been murdered, she corrected, steeling her resolve.
So if she found any jewels or other valuables, she would bring them to the magistrates, and pray that this nightmare would be over at last.
The short trip to the house was accomplished with few words. "You keep the other servants busy, packing up my things, while I search Gerald's room," instructed as she dismounted.
Penelope, already on the ground, nodded. "I have a pistol if you want it."
Vanessa's eyes widened. "No, you keep it," she said after due consideration. "He doesn't know I suspect him. But if he sees you and recalls who you are, he could try to harm you. Here we are. In and out in a quarter of an hour, no more."
"Aye."
Simms the butler was glad to see Vanessa, and relieved that she looked so well. "We're ever so sorry, Miss, that we never heard you trying to summon help. We obeyed the master's orders, never dreaming..."
"That's all right, Simms, it was no one's fault. Is the Master around anywhere?" she asked, hoping she managed to sound casual.
"Haven't seen him since that night you were taken ill, Miss, though he has been in and out at all hours as usual. He was up to London on a tear with the money he got for you. Gambling away your hand in marriage." His tone oozed disapproval. "The very idea. The old master must be turning in his grave."
"Yes, well, the less said about it the better," Vanessa said brusquely. "The fact is that it has worked out happily for all concerned. I'm simply here to pack up some of my possessions. If you could send Hartley and Banks up to my room with my maid Penny here, to assist with my boxes, and get the wagon out, that would be most helpful."
"At once, Miss. We'll have you done in a trice." He was about to st
ep away when he turned back to face her and said in a solemn tone, "If you will take an old man's advice, leave as soon as you can, and never ever come back while your half-brother lives here."
The old man turned on his heel and descended the servants' stairs, giving her just enough time to race up to Gerald's room before the others came up to help her pack.
"My chamber is the third one along. Hurry. Start taking everything out of the drawers, and don't worry about folding nicely. My jewel box is in the bottom drawer of my dressing table. If they ask where I am, tell them the study."
"Aye, Miss. You have any trouble, you shout." She fingered her pistol in the pocket of the jacket, and strode on down the corridor.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
The Rakehell Regency Romance Series Boxed Set 1 Page 29
