by Joyce Alec
“I think I should like to browse,” Eleanor said, feeling a lot more settled and contented than she had before. “Thank you, Henry. You have been most kind.”
He did not reply, but nodded, before taking a few steps away to begin perusing the books. Eleanor followed at once, standing opposite him and trying to look at the titles in front of her.
However, whenever she looked up, she could not help but feel a thrill of delight to see him looking back at her. Her future was quite safe with Henry by her side. All she had to do was convince Lord Thornley that she was willing to go along with his plans with the sole intention of bringing him to ruin.
Chapter Eleven
“You are going to save me a dance, I hope?”
Eleanor tried to smile and nod, but her mouth refused to move. Instead of a smile, she scowled up at Lord Thornley who was standing in front of her with a wide grin on his face.
“I think three should do it.”
“What a shame,” Eleanor answered, holding up her dance card. “I only have one dance remaining.”
Lord Thornley’s grin vanished at once, grasping the card so quickly that Eleanor’s arm was almost pulled from its socket. He frowned angrily, his eyes piercing her as he looked at her again.
“You did this deliberately.”
Eleanor lifted her chin a fraction. “I did no such thing, my lord. I cannot help if I am beset with gentlemen wishing for a dance with me—and when you are the last in line, can you really place the blame at my feet?”
“You will excuse yourself from these gentlemen,” Thornley bit out, his face growing red with anger. “And you will dance with me.”
Eleanor wrenched back her dance card with an effort. “No, I will not. It would be unseemly, and I am quite sure you wish your betrothed to be all propriety, do you not?”
He paused and took a step back. “You have decided to go along with this, then?”
Sighing, Eleanor let her gaze travel over Thornley’s left shoulder, her own shoulders slumping as she took on the manner of one who had been defeated. “I can see that I must.”
He snorted. “Your love for that companion of yours does you no credit, Eleanor, although it is much to my benefit, I can assure you. Most other ladies would have tossed her aside, but I knew that your compassionate heart would not allow you to do such a thing. It has been your downfall.”
Biting her tongue, Eleanor stopped herself from shooting the harsh retort towards Lord Thornley, remembering what Henry had said. She must appear to be willing to wed him in order to save Miss Wiltshire’s life.
“You will dine with me,” Thornley continued, seemingly forgetting about the dances. “Miss Wiltshire is not welcome. I shall make it a dinner party so that you might show the ton just how much you care for me.” He lifted one eyebrow, his gaze direct. “You will do nothing to embarrass me, Eleanor. I warn you now.”
“I will do no such thing,” Eleanor said, even though her stomach turned over at his words. “When is this dinner to be?”
“Three days’ time,” he said. “I must sort the details at once.”
He left her side almost immediately, allowing Eleanor to breathe a sigh of relief. She did not want to go to the dinner party, but it appeared that she had very little choice. Besides, that might allow her the opportunity to search for the ruby, although she had very little idea about the layout of Thornley’s property. The thought of searching his home had a trickle of sweat making its way down her back, suddenly terrified about what he might do should he catch her in the act.
“I believe it is my dance, Lady Brooke.”
Henry’s hand was on the small of her back as he smiled down at her, although concern radiated from his features.
“Ah, yes,” she mumbled, her breath coming a little easier as she walked onto the floor with Henry. “I do apologize, I was a little distracted.”
“I saw Thornley talking with you,” Henry replied quietly, as they took their places. “I do hope you are all right?”
The concern in his eyes made her smile, the tension draining away from her as they began to dance. “I am quite well, I thank you. I somehow managed to distract him from his irritation over having been refused a dance.”
“And how did you do that?”
Eleanor gave a wry smile. “I did as you suggested, and said I was willing to acquiesce to his demands. He practically laughed in my face, however, stating that my concern for Miss Wiltshire was my weakest point.”
“It is not,” he said, firmly. “It is one of the most beautiful character traits you have. I would not see you without it.”
The warmth in his voice shot straight to her heart, making her cheeks flush with pleasure. “I thank you,” she murmured, catching his gaze for a moment. “It appears I am to attend a dinner in three days’ time.” She looked over his shoulder once more, unable to keep his gaze any longer; such was the intensity of his regard. “I shall try to find the jewel.”
He nodded, his face a mixture of concern and relief. “I am glad, but you must be careful. Remember, that if you find it, you must simply leave it where it is.”
She frowned, looking at him again. “Why is that?”
“He must not know that you have found it,” he replied quickly. “And if it was you who was to discover it, then he could easily claim that you had put it on his person, in order to lift the blame from Miss Wiltshire.”
“Then how are we to reveal the truth of his guilt?” Eleanor asked, growing more confused by the moment.
Henry lifted one shoulder and smiled. “You will tell me, and together, we will think of something. Do not fear. The first hurdle is simply finding it, and that is to be difficult enough.”
Eleanor nodded, a swirl of anxiety sudden rolling around her belly.
“You can do this, my dear,” Henry murmured, evidently seeing her worry. “Do not allow your worry to show. You will defeat him, I promise you.”
***
Three days later, and Eleanor found herself sitting amongst the other guests, trying her best to appear in good spirits. She had been given no opportunity to leave Lord Thornley’s presence, and even over dinner, he had insisted that she be escorted by one of the maids to the retiring room. It was as though he suspected she might to attempt something untoward, fully aware that she knew he was the one who had taken the jewel and was, therefore, taking no chances. The men had only been at their port for a few minutes before joining the ladies in the drawing room, otherwise, she would have used the time to begin her search.
Lord Thornley smiled at her, his eyes dark, and Eleanor found that she simply could not smile back. His smile was snake-like, aware that he had her in his tight grip and that she was unable to wriggle free. As one of the ladies began to strike up a tune on the pianoforte, a few couples stood up to dance, and Eleanor saw Lord Thornley move towards her swiftly. Sick to the stomach of her sycophantic behavior, Eleanor quickly moved away, praying that another lady might prevent him from catching her.
“Eleanor.”
His voice was loud, and Eleanor cringed on hearing him. She had no other choice but to turn and face him, seeing the way his eyes practically pinned her to the floor.
“Yes?”
“You will dance with me.”
It was a statement, not a question.
“Alas, I cannot,” Eleanor said, pressing a hand to her head. “A headache has come on unexpectedly.”
His grip on her arm tightened. “Do not play with me, my dear,” he bit out, his voice low and threatening. “You know what is expected.”
“And I have done everything you have asked,” Eleanor replied quietly, wrenching her arm away. “Do not push me, Lord Thornley.”
He glared at her and was about to speak again, when Eleanor spotted a young Miss Blackthorn sitting alone, looking longingly at the other couples on the dance floor.
“I am quite sure that Miss Blackthorn will dance with you, however,” she said, in a loud enough voice for the lady to hear her. “Can you see?
She has no partner.”
She lifted her chin and ignored the trembling in her soul, seeing how much he hated her for the manipulation. He could very easily hurt her, as he had done before, but certainly would not do so in public.
“I would be quite delighted,” Miss Blackthorn interrupted, rising to her feet and giving Lord Thornley a questioning look.
“I have the headache, I am afraid,” Eleanor said, shaking her head sadly. “In fact, I believe I might have to return home. I shall call my carriage.”
“I should escort you,” Lord Thornley replied, firmly, but Eleanor only laughed and shook her head.
“I would not pull you away from your guests,” she answered, aware that he could not threaten her when Miss Blackthorn was present. She was playing a very risky game, but her future was at stake, and that was a greater threat than the anger on Lord Thornley’s face.
“I shall call upon you in the morning,” he said, his face now a mottled red as his jaw worked. “I do hope your feel better, my dear.”
She nodded and smiled, waiting for him to escort Miss Blackthorn to where the other couples were waiting. Ignoring his glare as he glanced at her over his shoulder, Eleanor slipped from the room and drew in a deep breath. This was the only opportunity she was going to have, for she was quite sure Lord Thornley would not allow her to walk about his home unattended ever again. She had very little idea about the layout of Lord Thornley’s home, but that would not put her off.
Walking to the front door, she asked for her carriage to be brought around and pulled her dark cloak snugly around her. The carriage did not take long to arrive and, once it was there, she quickly stepped inside. It was only when the carriage rounded the corner that she rapped on the roof and, once more, stepped out into the cold, dark night.
Eleanor’s teeth chattered as she made her way to the back of Lord Thornley’s home, more from nerves than the cold. The carriage was waiting for her still, and she could quite easily return to it and leave her pursuit, should she choose to. She could run to Henry and ask to flee to Scotland this very moment, and she was quite sure he would do as she asked, but then the face of Miss Wiltshire floated into her mind, and Eleanor knew she had to continue her quest.
“I will not let you down,” she murmured to herself, as she opened the door to the servant’s entrance and peered inside.
There was no sign of anyone.
Breathing quickly, Eleanor pulled her cloak’s hood over her head, hoping it would provide her with some kind of cover. She kept to the shadows and crept up the old wooden staircase, wincing with every squeak and groan that came from them.
Once she reached the top, Eleanor found a corner in which to hide herself and attempted to calm her shallow breathing. She was quite terrified, aware that Lord Thornley could bring a great deal of punishment should he discover what it was she was doing.
Hopefully, he would be satisfied to learn that she had already left, although Eleanor knew he would still be angry over her refusal to dance. Drawing in one long breath after another, she looked about her and tried her best to think calmly. There were a great many rooms, although the hallway itself was sparsely furnished. She knew where the drawing room and dining room were, already able to hear distant sounds of music drifting towards her. That meant that the study was, most likely, another of the rooms along the hallway, whilst Lord Thornley’s bedchamber would be upstairs. Eleanor scrunched up her nose at the thought of having to enter such a room, although she would not allow her distaste to put her off her task. Fear raced through her veins as she inched along the wall towards another room, her heart beating so loudly she was quite sure the sound was echoing along the hallway.
Turning the handle of the first door she came to, Eleanor stepped inside and looked about her. No one was within, although it was well lit by a great many tallow candles. It appeared to be Lord Thornley’s study, although it was also sparsely decorated. Perhaps this was the proof of just how badly he fared in his gambling habits.
Eleanor did not really know where to begin her search, but made her way to the desk regardless, looking about her with sharp eyes. Biting her lip, she began to leaf through his papers, desperate to see a glint of red.
After a good few minutes, Eleanor had to admit to herself that the jewel was not there. Replacing everything as best as she could, she made her way to the door and, pulling it open just a little, listened hard. No footsteps and no echoing voices drew near her. Stepping out of the relative safety of the study, Eleanor moved quickly to the next room, attempting to be as quiet as possible.
As the hours passed, Eleanor’s fear began to leave her. She was no longer afraid of being discovered, given that Lord Thornley seemed quite taken with his guests. His servants were not about either, having apparently already gone to bed—although Eleanor did wonder whether his staff was as scant as his belongings. Each room was in a poor state of decoration, although it was obvious he kept his dining room and drawing room in good order, for the sake of any guests that might call. It certainly had made her search easier, for she had been able to look in almost every nook and cranny although, as yet, had not found the ruby.
This meant that Eleanor was now forced to go to the one room she had been dreading—Lord Thornley’s bedchamber. It was upstairs, and Eleanor had forced herself to ensure that every other room had been searched before she chose to enter it.
Lord Thornley did not appear to lock any of his rooms, much to her relief, although what he would do if he found her presence in his room did not bear thinking about. Her stomach rolling with a mixture of anxiety and revulsion, Eleanor took a breath and stepped inside.
The room was dark, save for the large fire burning in the grate. Eleanor took a few moments to ensure that no one else was present, before hurrying towards it, picking up a candle from the mantlepiece. The guests would soon be leaving, for it was already well past midnight, and she could not predict what Lord Thornley would do once they had gone. She had to make haste.
The room was as thinly decorated as the others, and Eleanor began her search quickly. The tallow candle gave her nothing more than a dim light, but, placing it on the side table, Eleanor looked through some papers sitting next to it, but found nothing. The chest of drawers to her left was her next target, but, again, she came up empty.
A sickening feeling began to rise in her chest, as she the dawning realization that she was not about to find the item began to take over her mind. If she did not find it, then, whilst her future with Henry might be secure, Miss Wiltshire would never be free from the disgrace hanging over her head. The thought made her quite sick.
“Help me to find it,” she whispered, praying that she would discover where Lord Thornley had placed the red ruby. “It must be here, I know it must.”
At that very moment, her eyes landed on a small box, hidden away at the back of one of the drawers. Eleanor drew in a sharp breath, wondering if her prayers had, suddenly, been answered. With a shaking hand, she lifted the box from its hiding place and, setting it down on the table, lifted the lid.
A bright red ruby lay, nestled there, making Eleanor’s heart leap for joy in her chest. Picking it up, she held it in her hand, the source of all her trouble.
Remember to put it back.
Henry’s words echoed in her mind, and, just as she was about to do so, the sound of footsteps began to echo along the hallway.
Eleanor’s mouth opened in a silent scream as she stood, frozen, for a moment. Then, placing the lid back on the box, she placed it back where it belonged and shoved the drawer closed. With no time to spare, Eleanor threw herself on the floor and scurried under Lord Thornley’s bed, her heart pounding in her chest. It was only as the door opened and Lord Thornley made his way inside that Eleanor realized she still clutched the ruby.
Chapter Twelve
“Whatever is a candle doing over there?”
Hearing the key turn in the lock, Eleanor placed her hand over her mouth and bit down on her finger, hard. She would not sc
ream, no matter how much the fear coursing through her demanded release. The man was slurring, which meant he had drunk a substantial amount of liquor.
“That stupid maid,” Lord Thornley muttered, blowing the candle out. “I shall see to her in the morning.”
Hardly daring to breathe, Eleanor held onto the ruby tightly, glancing about her to ensure that she was, in fact, entirely hidden. Her cloak was tight about her, bringing warmth to her suddenly frozen limbs. What was she to do?
She had to wait.
The thought of leaving Lord Thornley’s bedchamber brought a fresh frisson of fear to her heart, but it was not as though she could remain there until the morning. Her carriage was waiting along with the coachman and footmen. Although she had told them neither to ask questions nor to worry—with a hefty financial bonus for their silence and patience of course—they were bound to grow concerned her absence at some point.
Besides, leaving Lord Thornley’s household in the morning light brought much more danger. She could easily be spotted by one of the servants, or even Lord Thornley himself were he an early riser. Eleanor held her breath as Lord Thornley climbed into bed, practically throwing himself onto the pillows. The bed creaked loudly, but, within minutes, loud snores emanated from his person.
Still, Eleanor did not move.
In fact, she waited for a prolonged amount of time before daring to move, hoping that Lord Thornley was, in fact, truly asleep, and not putting on some kind of act in an attempt to lure her from her hiding place.
He believes you left, she told herself, firmly, beginning to move towards the edge of the bed. Now hurry!
Giving herself something of a firm talking to, Eleanor continued to slide her way towards the foot of the bed, her slippers giving her a good enough grip to move without making a sound. Her breathing was quick and shallow, her entire body alive with tension. The ruby was still in her hand, and, despite what Henry had asked her, Eleanor knew she could not return it now. It was far too much of a risk. She would simply have to give it to Henry and beg him to help her think of a way to return it.
