The Lady And The Man Of Fortune: A Wicked Secret: The Eardleys Of Gostwicke Hall, Book 3

by Penelope Redmont

  Anne gaped at the horse. She loved him at first sight.

  Henry shook her head and sniffed. "No, he won't do. He's small — no more than 15 hands," she said. "And he looks pretty," she added. Then she glared at Mr. Walls. "All right, tell me… there's something the matter with him — what? I won't have you put my sister up on a horse with bad habits."

  "No bad habits, Miss Henry, I promise you," Mr. Walls said with dignity. "Yes, he's small — 15.2 — he wouldn't stand up to the weight of a large gentleman. But for a young gentleman or a lady — he sails over jumps like a bird."

  Anne stared. She held out the back of her hand, and allowed Midnight to nudge it. When he tossed his head at her, his eyes kind, she patted his neck and fell in love instantly.

  "Thank you, Mr. Walls. I'll take him, of course."

  "Thank you my lady," Mr. Walls said. "Now if you'd like to choose another couple of horses? Or perhaps you'd allowed me to choose for you?"

  Anne readily accepted the big, well-muscled, and beautifully conformed mare which Mr Walls suggested next, as well as another mare of similar conformation. He promised her that both mares were experienced hunters.

  Henry nodded approvingly. "Right, that's done… Now let's go to breakfast. No telling when we'll be able to eat for the rest of the day. I'll pick up some bread and cheese in the kitchens for my saddle bag, and I'll get some for you too."

  Anne thanked her. She knew that servants would follow the hunt, and would set up a picnic, but there was no telling where the hounds would lead them when they followed the scent. Neither she nor Henry would give up a run just to attend a picnic.

  She pulled her cloak more tightly around her shoulders. A light fog had come in, but the fog should burn off before ten o'clock. "Have Eva and Lady Jane selected their mounts?" She asked Henry.

  In general, fox hunting was a male sport. Only ladies who enjoyed the damp air and the cold mud, as well as hard riding, followed the hunt.

  "No." Henry's tone was short.

  "Don't you think that we should send Thomas to see whether they're up, so that they may choose their mounts if they're riding today?"

  Henry tucked her hand into Anne's elbow. "Let them manage their own mounts… I tell you frankly that I don't like Miss Bywater. I like Lady Jane well enough, but Miss Bywater is plotting something with Miss Wentworth."

  "What do you mean… plotting?"

  "She doesn't like you."

  "My dear — not everyone likes everyone else. We really can't expect them to. I don't expect Miss Bywater to like me, but I am the head of her family. If she follows my instructions and gives me proper respect – what else can I ask?"

  "Rely on me to discover what Miss Bywater's up to with Miss Wentworth… Miss Wentworth is very young and very foolish. It's easy to see that she is the tool of her mother and that other woman. They expect to snare someone wealthy. I've been trying to talk to Eva’s maid Beatie, but Beatie's very loyal to her mistress.”

  "Don't upset Eva," Anne warned. Henry hated secrets. She had to know everything, and spied on others as a matter of principal.

  "I think it's hard, when you've spent good money to turn Miss Bywater into as much of a diamond as she'll ever be, that she offers you no gratitude at all."

  Anne hid her smile, touched at Henry's determination to protect her.

  Eva breakfasted in her bedroom, then Beatie helped her to dress. The French maid Lady Kingston had hired to dress her had refused to leave London.

  "Ma'am?" Beatie set Eva's hat on her head, and pinned it carefully, then unwound the small veil.

  "Take it off."

  "Ma'am?"

  "Take off the veil, do. I look like a fool with that wisp of netting — I'll lose the hat anyway. Bound to, the first time I jump a fence."

  "I wanted to ask you something…"

  Eva looked at her maid. Beatie's head was down, and she wouldn't meet her gaze.

  "Well? What?"

  "It's not my place to say ma'am, but I think Miss Wentworth's plan won't succeed."

  "You do, do you?"

  "His lordship isn't that kind of man. He won't care."

  Eva was amused. "What do you know about it? He's a gentleman. He'll have to marry her if he compromises her."

  "His lordship is a wealthy man — a titled man of fortune. Miss Wentworth is…" She hesitated for a moment, flushing red. "He won't do anything he doesn't want to do. All Miss Wentworth will accomplish is her own ruin."

  Eva shrugged. She didn't care. All she cared about was the embarrassment that the incident would cause Lady Kingston. She'd seen the way that Lord Delmere danced attendance on her ladyship — he was trying to attach her. When his friend the major had made up to Lady Kingston, Lord Delmere hadn't liked it at all.

  "Besides," Beatie went on, "Lady Kingston is bound to discover that you've helped Miss Wentworth. She will be very displeased."

  "Displeased enough to send me back home?"

  "No ma'am — she won't do that. She feels responsible for you, and won't send you back home for such a reason. You will be forced to accompany her to Sommerforth Abbey."

  Eva bit her lip. She still hadn't managed to unlock Lady Kingston's secrets. Her ladyship's locked drawers in the library at Kingston House remained locked. The last time she had dared to go downstairs to check Lady Kingston's desk, Miss Eardley had discovered her. She didn't like Henry, and Henry didn't like her.

  She admitted to herself that she was a little afraid of Henry too. Where Lady Kingston would ignore Eva's bad behavior, Henry would take revenge.

  She didn't like to think of what that revenge would look like. "It doesn't matter," she said. "It will be amusing to help Belinda. It will upset Lady Kingston – she won't believe anything Lord Delmere says, when she learns what happened. And she will learn, because I'll tell her myself."

  "Perhaps –" Beatie hesitated. Then she went on in a rush of words. "Perhaps you might speak honestly to her ladyship. Tell her what you want… Tell her that you wish to marry Mr. Carlisle. She is a kind lady, and she might help you. I'm certain she would. She could have sent me back to Rayburn Manor, but she's kept me in her household, and she's told Mrs. Douglas to train me besides."

  Eva was startled at that. "Train you? I didn't know that. Do you think that you'll stay in London, in Lady Kingston's employ?"

  "I've nothing waiting for me in the north, ma'am. Not like you. And I thought to better myself."

  Why should she care about a maid? Eva was surprised at how hurt she felt. Then she frowned impatiently. "Do what you like. Find me my riding crop. I'm ready."

  After Miss Bywater swept from the room with the train of her riding habit hooked up, and two riding crops in her hand, Beatie tidied. And thought.

  What should she do for the best?

  She sniffed. She knew that Robert Carlisle would never offer for Eva, no matter what Eva thought — Carlisle was no one's fool. He thought to better himself too. He'd only ruin himself by looking above his station. Eva was wrong to think otherwise.

  Mr. Carlisle was ambitious, and she knew that he had already offered for Mrs. Cooke. He wanted the money that Mrs. Cooke's husband had left her. Indeed, he might have married her already. She'd heard him telling the stable master at Rayburn Manor that he'd be moving on soon. He calculated that he would take his new wife and her money, and get hired on at some great estate in the south.

  Why couldn't Miss Eva see that Mr. Carlisle didn't care for her at all, and had no intention of ruining his life for her?

  After ten minutes, she decided that she would speak to Lady Kingston.

  However, went she ran downstairs the courtyard was filled with hounds and men on horseback. She wasn't brave enough to try to find her ladyship in the melee.

  The hunt moved off promptly at ten o'clock.

  "Do you like him?" Lord Delmere asked Anne, nodding at Midnight. "You look wonderful on him — he was a bargain. Let me know what you think of him."

  Anne nodded. Although Midnight had done
no more than trot, she liked the horse a great deal. However, she couldn't help wondering why Lord Delmere had purchased him. The horse wasn't up to Delmere's weight, and he couldn't breed with him.

  Suddenly she realized, and squirmed at her own foolishness. Delmere must want her for his mistress. She knew that Delmere had a mistress, all men did. Kingston had told her about his mistress himself, boasting that he had four children by her. The woman lived on the estate, and Anne had seen her occasionally. Then the woman had moved away.

  She forced her mind away from such unwelcome thoughts.

  "What are you thinking?" Delmere asked. He was riding at her side. Thomas rode behind, with the two grooms that that Delmere had assigned to her. One of the grooms was leading her second and third mounts. He'd take the horses to where the Hunt Master hoped to draw in the early afternoon.

  "I'm just enjoying the day," she said, and smiled at him. It was true. Delmere was a wonderful host, and Peyton Park was set in lovely country. It promised to be a perfect day.

  Suddenly she recalled her charges. Anne turned her head and saw Henry riding with Colonel Marsden. But she didn't see Eva. Anne pursed her lips. She knew that she was losing control of Eva. The girl paid her no attention at all.

  "Lady Kingston," Major Baker-Cornhill rode up on her other side.

  She nodded to him, and assessed his horse.

  "Go away, Kelly," Lord Delmere growled.

  Major Baker-Cornhill merely laughed.

  The hunt got off to a wonderful start. The hounds drew at the very first covert. The Hunt Master blew his horn, and with a great belling of the hounds, they were off.

  Midnight seemed as keen as the hounds. He was speedier than the large hunters. Anne chuckled when she had to steady him and slow him down. "We can't override the hounds," she bent forward to tell him. "The Hunt Master will shout at us, and we'll be in disgrace."

  Lord Delmere caught up with her, and they jumped the fence into a field together. Then Anne stopped thinking completely and enjoyed cold air on her face, the barking of the hounds, and the thunder of horses behind them.

  Half an hour later, the hounds had lost the scent.

  Anne sat on Midnight beside Delmere, watching the hounds. Glancing at the other riders around them, she realized that they'd lost the major. She suspected that Delmere had warned him off.

  Delmere had just turned in the saddle to wave up his grooms, when another groom galloped across the field towards them. Obviously he wanted to speak to Lord Delmere, who trotted his horse to meet him.

  "My lord," the groom was out of breath. "Will you come? One of the ladies took a tumble, and I was told to fetch you."

  Anne's eyes widened. She looked for Henry, who was still with the colonel. Where was Eva?

  "Do you know the lady's name?" She asked the groom.

  "No ma'am — but she's very young, and very beautiful." He grinned. "Very beautiful."

  Well, Anne thought with relief. That wasn't Eva. Even though Eva looked pretty now, after her hair was tamed by Anne's friseur, and she was dressed fashionably, no one would describe her as beautiful.

  Delmere glanced at Anne, and shook his head ruefully. "It's Miss Wentworth, I've no doubt of it."

  Anne suppressed a smile. Miss Wentworth, of course.

  He looked torn. "I suppose I'll have to go back — I don't want to." He turned back to the groom. "Is she injured?"

  "I didn't see her fall, my lord, and her mother came up in a carriage… I couldn't see, with all the ladies fussing — but I don't think so. They sent for the doctor at once."

  Anne knew that Delmere had to go. He nodded his farewell, and rode away with the groom.

  Then the hounds found the scent, and Anne forgot Delmere.

  In the middle of the afternoon, Anne changed horses. The hounds were casting for the scent through a small covert, with the Hunt's servants urging them on.

  She watched one of her grooms ride off on Midnight to take him back to the stables. She smiled — she adored the horse, and wondered whether Delmere would sell him.

  "What are you smiling at?" Major Baker-Cornhill had joined her again.

  She laughed. "The day — I didn't realize how much I missed hunting." She hadn't enjoyed herself so much in years, despite the cold rain which had battered them for an hour. It had now slowed to a drizzle.

  Thomas had given her her oilskin riding cloak and hat which he'd carried in his saddle bags. Anne always dressed for the weather, not giving any care to how she looked when hunting.

  Henry had kept up with her, and was now sitting on her horse a few yards away, chatting and laughing with a young man.

  "Ah, here's his lordship," Major Baker-Cornhill said.

  Delmere was riding towards them.

  Delmere nodded to his friend and bowed to Anne from the saddle. "No need to ask whether you're enjoying yourself, my lady. Your cheeks are rosy, and your eyes are sparkling…" He paused. "Good-bye, Kelly — your head groom was looking for you."

  "The accident?" Anne asked.

  Delmere waved his hand. "Miss Wentworth took a tumble — just fell off. She isn't hurt. Her mother became hysterical, however."

  He paused, waiting until the major was out of earshot. "I saw Midnight returning to the stables. What do you think of him?"

  "I like him a great deal, my lord. Would you sell him to me?"

  Delmere laughed. "Sell him? Indeed no. My lady, I'd like to make you a gift of him."

  A gift? "I thank you my lord," Anne said, her tone stiff. "I do appreciate the gesture… but you must know that I could not accept such a gift."

  "I bought him for you. I've known of the horse for some time, and when he came up for sale I thought of you at once. I can't accept payment, my lady."

  Anne bit her lip. She adored Midnight, but to accept…

  She shook her head. "You're very kind, but no."

  His smile faded.

  Anne straightened her shoulders. She nodded to him, and rode away.

  What had he meant by the gesture? He must be aware that she could never accept such a gift. Was he thinking that he would make her his mistress? She shivered. Or his lover?

  Of course she knew that ladies took lovers. Widows did, and even ladies who were still married, once they had delivered the heir and the spare to their spouse. However, she wasn't truly a widow. She had never been married to Kingston in the full sense of the word "married."

  So even if she had wanted to, she could never take a lover. She would never allow her secret to be revealed. It was too humiliating. She sighed. The rain had begun again, and she lowered her head. She allowed her tears to run. Her marriage to Kingston hadn't been a marriage at all.

  She forced the image of Kingston's face from her mind.

  Earlier that day, Lady Jane had sat on her horse in a field, watching Lord Delmere's carriage. A groom fidgeted beside the horses whose breath blew steam into the air.

  Belinda Wentworth had been placed in the carriage after her accident.

  Lady Jane bit the inside of her cheek as she watched Lord Delmere standing at the door of the carriage, trying to escape Mrs. Wentworth. Each time he stepped away, she waved him back.

  Miss Bywater was also in the lane, on the other side of the carriage, talking to Mrs. Smythe. Riders from the hunt surrounded Lady Jane. They watched Delmere and Mrs. Wentworth with as much interest as she did.

  Delmere turned his hat in his hands.

  Lady Jane might have believed that the chit's tumble from her horse had been an accident, if she hadn't seen exactly what had happened. Riding some way behind the main body of the hunt, she'd watched the Hunt Master, hounds, and riders vanish over the top of a hill after jumping two hedgerows.

  She'd decided that she didn't know her mount well enough to jump him while riding side saddle, so she'd been looking for a gate. Belinda had been riding behind her.

  Reaching the gate, Lady Jane moved her horse alongside, hoping that she wouldn't need to dismount. While maneuvering her horse,
she glanced at Belinda some yards behind her.

  Something in Belinda's demeanor caught her attention. Belinda turned her head to and fro, as if she were looking for someone. Later, Lady Jane realized that Belinda had checked to ensure that none of the other riders was looking directly at her.

  Lady Jane was closest to Belinda, who must have believed that Lady Jane was engaged with the gate. After glancing around, Belinda unhooked her leg from her side saddle, then slid off her horse onto the grass.

  As soon as her feet touched the ground, Belinda bent her knees, and lay down — deliberately. She hadn't been injured in any way. In fact Lady Jane firmly believed that Belinda had practiced sliding down from a horse — she knew play-acting when she saw it.

  Several moments after she'd curled becomingly on the grass, Belinda lifted her head and screamed. Loudly. Then she screamed again.

  Belinda's horse, a staid, well-disciplined bay hunter, turned his head to blink at the chit on the ground. Lady Jane almost laughed aloud. If horses could talk… The horse was obviously surprised to see his rider on the ground, because he'd been standing perfectly still when Belinda slid off.

  Belinda lay unmoving, eyes closed.

  Chaos ensued. What a farce. Several grooms had been chatting amongst themselves on the far side of the field, and a carriage from Peyton Park had just come around the corner of the lane.

  Lady Jane was unsurprised when she saw Mrs. Smythe and Mrs. Wentworth emerge from the carriage. Mrs. Wentworth screamed more loudly than Belinda. "Oh my darling — she's been killed! My daughter is dead!"

  As soon as Belinda screamed, the grooms cantered over to Belinda and her mount. Belinda's horse stood stolidly. He was so unperturbed that he began to crop the grass.

  Lady Jane stifled a giggle.

  The other riders in the field, chatting in a group, had also turned at the sound of Belinda's screams, and rode across the field.

  A formidable older woman on a tall chestnut hunter tossed her reins to a groom and slid off her horse lightly. She hurried over to Belinda, then fished in her pocket. She glanced at Lady Jane. "I know I put my smelling salts somewhere… Best to let the girl lie still, she's breathing well enough. How odd. I know that horse — he's 15 years old. He wouldn't buck no matter what anyone did to him."