“Who are the suspects?” Earl Benton demanded. “I will spare no expense to track down these scoundrels and make them pay.”
This caught Elizabeth’s attention and she turned to address her father. “Surely impoverishing us is not necessary when His Grace has a vast fortune. Besides, I’m sure this is all a series of unfortunate incidents attributed to Cici’s clumsiness and inelegance.”
“You have always been a cold, unfeeling self-absorbed creature, but I never knew you were an outright bitch until this very moment.” Maggie’s voice hid none of the contempt she felt for Elizabeth as she immediately set the tone for the evening.
Duncan walked at the tail end his fiance’s outburst. Walking up behind her chair, he squeezed her shoulder firmly murmuring a warning, “Language, Maggie.”
“No Duncan, I won’t sit here and listen to her spew invectives about Cici. What kind of a sister would imply that such a heartbreaking loss as Cici and Andrew suffered was a mere unfortunate incident? You make me sick.”
“Maggie, that is enough,” Andrew warned as he redirected his sister. “Although the sentiment is understood and the message apropos, we are not here to sling mud. We are here to find the culprit.”
Maggie snorted in an undignified manner then fell silent. When Andrew looked at Elizabeth he saw her shoot his sister a smug smile that was hauntingly familiar. He listened with half an ear as the group discussed possible threats, all but Elizabeth. She contributed nothing to the conversation. It came to him then where he had seen her smugness before. On the night of their impromptu engagement she had beamed that smug grin of satisfaction from across the ballroom. She had a similar look the night of Cici’s miscarriage. As her mother wept and her father paced in concern for his youngest daughter, Elizabeth had stood calmly and complacently taking it all in. She had even seemed to savor her sister’s misfortune.
His loud booming voice interrupted the conversation. “Lady Elizabeth, you were present during the incident at the opera and then again in town today. Have you any theories?”
“Me? What could I possibly know about all this? Today I accompanied Mama to do some shopping before we were to meet Cici for luncheon. I was going to buy a new pair of gloves if you must know, Your Grace.” The smugness in her expression continued,.“Imagine my alarm as I saw my own sister fall awkwardly into the street before several members of the upper order including Duchess Whitamore herself. It was humiliating.”
“Silence, Elizabeth.” Lord Benton roared as he rose to his feet. “Your total disregard for your sister’s well-being is disgraceful. You will either guard your tongue or I will ensure that you do so myself.” Looking aside at his stricken wife, he continued, “I blame myself for turning out such a shallow and superficial young woman. I should have limited the overindulgence that went on for years. I am sorry that you have so often borne the brunt of her vile tongue, dear Cici.”
“Do not apologize to her, papa.” Rising to her feet, her face flushed an unbecoming scarlet and her tongue continued foolishly. “She is the one who absconded with what should have been mine. I am the oldest and by far the most beautiful. I should be the duchess, not her. She cannot deport herself as I can. She is not adored and admired for her grace and beauty as I am.” Turning to her father she continued to rant. “I blame you as well, father. You doted on the brat, leaving me to mother’s care. I could have used a little bit of fatherly attention, but you poured it all on Cici. The little horror ruined everything. I wish she’d never been born into this family. It's not fair that she has risen beyond her station in life. The ugly duckling doesn’t deserve titles and wealth and grandeur. I do.”
“Merciful heavens, what did I ever do to make you hate me so?” All heads turned to Cici not noticing that she had risen to her feet and was trembling with anger before she uttered her accusation. “Are you responsible for all of this? You were always getting me involved in your silly schemes and when caught let me take the blame. You treated me like an underling. I see it now, you never loved me or were my friend. You just used me. You drugged me so you wouldn’t have to marry Andrew and laughed as I was ruined.” As she spoke she had been slowly crossing the room to stand before her sister, ready for a confrontation.
“Was it you who pushed me at the opera? Did you pay that poor lad to push me into the street?” Her hand then flew to her mouth in agony, she turned to her husband. “She was there both times and is somehow behind all this, I know it.”
“Andrew there is something you should know…” Duncan attempted to get his attention but Cici was too far gone and Andrew was preparing to step in if things got ugly between the sisters.
Turning back to her sister, she noticed Maggie had also risen and now stood at her side, supporting her in her foray against the conniving Elizabeth. In just a few short months, Maggie had been more like a sister to her than Elizabeth had ever been. Fortified by Maggie’s presence she stepped closer and rising on tiptoe looked into her sister’s hate-filled eyes and charged. “It had to have been you. You vicious jealous bitch, you killed my baby.”
A twisted look of anger crossed Elizabeth’s features before she shouted angrily at Cici, “I wish it had been me, you pathetic excuse for a duchess. But if it had, I can assure you I would have done a more efficient job.” A loud crack silenced the room as Cici’s open palm connected with her sister’s cheek. Instantly a vivid red handprint blossomed on her fair skin.
Startled by the blow, Elizabeth’s hands flew up protectively and she pushed Cici away. As she watched her fall backward into Maggie, her brain immediately started reeling. She hadn’t meant to admit her innermost thoughts. She tried to recant only making things worse. “Wait, I never said that I did it.”
The room had erupted in chaos, everyone was talking at once except for her mother who was wailing at her father to do something. Cici who recovered her balance quickly with Maggie’s help, was beyond hearing. Seeing red she launched herself at her sister, hands outstretched and fingers curled eager to sink her nails into her loathsome face. She’d had all she could take. Maggie tried to pull her back, but her fury had given her added strength and she shrugged her off. The only thing stopping her from raking her nails down her sister’s flawless skin was the powerful arm that wrapped around her and pulled her away from her target.
Attempting to pull the usually rational Cici back to the present, Andrew spoke loudly in her ear trying to be heard over the noise in the room. “Cici, stop this now. It will accomplish nothing.”
When she felt his strength and support behind her and it gave her courage to rail at her sister. “Get out of my house. I don’t ever want to see you again. As of this moment you are no longer my sister.” Unable to look at Elizabeth any longer, she turned her face into her husband's broad chest and whispered. “I never knew she hated me so.”
Elizabeth looked at the shock and disappointment in her parent’s eyes. She focused on her mother who had always been her champion. “I couldn’t have pushed her down the stairs at the opera. I was seated next to you and Papa the entire time. As for the other incidents, clumsiness and bad luck is my guess. Mama, you remember, please make them understand that I am innocent.”
Earl Benton spoke up then. “She is right. She was in our box the entire time and went with us when the attendant summoned us to Cici’s side.”
“She is telling the truth, Andrew. The boy met with a police artist and they were able to make up a sketch of the lady who paid him to push Cici. She was tall, thin with blonde hair and blue eyes.”
Cici turned in the circle of Andrews arms. “That is Elizabeth, exactly.”
“No, that is Countess Winslow exactly. He also said she was older and described the frown lines around her mouth and eyes.”
Elizabeth nodded in satisfaction as if she was blameless for any crime.
But the Earl looked at her with disgust. He moved to stand between his daughters and Andrew. Although busy comforting his distraught wife, Andrew was seething with barely controlled rag
e and was liable to explode at any moment.
Duncan recognizing his friend’s fury interceded at that point. “Earl Benton, I suggest you take your daughter in hand. Although she may not be involved in the string of incidents concerning the duchess, she is hardly innocent. She is spiteful and jealous. Her vile tongue is sharper than a rapier and her words drip with malice. So if you value her health, and I’m not sure why you would, I’d remove her before His Grace does something unthinkable. We wouldn’t want to bear witness to a homicide. Surely this family has been through enough already.”
Elizabeth cried out shrilly in alarm at his implied threat. But Earl Benton, only nodded and without a word, rose and gripping his daughter by the arm, pulled her from the study and out the front door. She for once kept blessedly silent. The countess rose numbly and approached her stunned daughter. “Cici dear, I don’t know what to say.” Tears streamed down the older woman’s face as she tried to make sense of her daughter’s malicious actions.
“I can’t believe she would be so cruel and wish harm to you and your baby. You won’t have to deal with your sister again if you don’t wish to. I promise. We will take her to the country and hope she can find some compassion and civility.”
Andrew gathered Cici tightly against his chest as he spoke coolly to his mother-in-law. “I suggest you find a physician who specializes in disorders of the mind. She is obviously unstable to behave so. As Cici has said, she is no longer welcome in our home or around any of our family. She cannot be trusted. Do you understand me, Madam?”
“Clearly and without question, Your Grace.” With those last words, she turned and with a look of sheer anguish on her face, followed her husband out.
Cici collapsed then, her knees buckling and her body trembling in the aftermath of the family drama. And even though finding out her sister hated her was distressing, it fell short of the fear that someone else was out there attempting to harm her. She was distraught and her brain was having trouble processing further information.
Several hours later, she awakened to a blanket of heat engulfing her. As sleep cleared her foggy head, she remembed being plagued with a headache. She had skipped dinner and gone to bed with one of Cooks herbal teas. She quickly assessed her pain and finding it gone, snuggled into the warm body behind her, sighing in contentment. She felt Andrew’s strong arm pull her firmly against him as his lips seared her exposed neck and shoulder. Turning in his arms, she looked at his masculine beauty and thanked God for sending her such a loving, protective husband. She noticed that he watched her intently as if waiting for something to happen.
It was at that moment that reality crept in and shattered the idyllic moment. The smile faded from her face and she closed her eyes. Dropping her head against his chest she moaned in emotional agony. “How could she come to hate me so, Andrew?”
“I don’t know. It is disturbing considering how close my own family is. I’d rather cut off my own arm than see something happen to Maggie. James was the same way.”
“She wasn’t always this way. As girls we played and were the best of friends.” Cici laughed derisively, “Or maybe that was a lie.” She absently stroked his broad, muscular chest as she spoke. The small amount of chest hair was just right and it tickled her nose as she rested against him. His strength was such a comfort to her. “I guess she changed when the boys started noticing her. She got so much attention that she became shallow and self-absorbed.”
Propping herself on her elbow she looked down at him, bewilderment wrinkling her troubled brow. “I never knew she felt so neglected by papa. He never was overly affectionate. He did take note of my interest in education and travel, but he never doted on me as she claimed. Do you think she somehow substituted the attention from boys for what she didn’t get from papa?”
“Most likely, when she saw you getting the attention she so desperately wanted, she turned on you as well. I gather that when you married before her, getting the title she’d always dreamed of, that combined with the waning interest from men all became too much and she lashed out.”
“So where does that leave us?”
“The police are searching for Lady Winslow as we speak.” He raised his hand and with a long finger smoothed the furrows from her brow.
“Lady Winslow,” she said with derision. Her name alone leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. “I must say your taste is women leaves a lot to be desired, husband.”
“Present company excluded?”
“Hm… you didn’t exactly pick me, did you.”
Andrew sighed heavily. “Guilty as charged my sweet. But I think that if Maggie had arranged the introduction she planned, the result would have been the same. You are special I noticed while we were in the garden that night. I feel certain I would have figured it out.”
Leaning down, she kissed him. “You are very sweet, Andrew.”
“Let’s not let that get around, it could damage my reputation.”
“Your secrets safe with me.” Smiling, she laid her head against his shoulder and they lay quietly, both lost in thought. “Did you ever suspect she was behind it?”
“She was my second suspect behind Elizabeth. Duncan did some checking and found out she left town yesterday. This gentleman in the alley must be helping her with all of her schemes. At the time of the opera she was on the continent, evidently she is trying to cover her tracks.”
“What can she hope to gain by this?”
“Maybe is using you to hurt me.” He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. “Don’t worry, we’ll find her.”
“What about the man?”
“I haven’t a clue. Until we find her, we won’t be able to identify him.”
Snuggling down against his chest again she sighed. “It’s like some awful nightmare that I can’t awaken from. Pinch me Andrew and tell me it is only a dream.”
“I wish that I could. With every ounce of my being, I wish it were only a bad dream.”
Chapter Eighteen
Her maid was putting the finishing touches on her hair when Andrew walked into her room. She sighed as she admired him in his evening clothes. His tall broad frame was perfect for the formal black tailcoat. It was matched with a black silk waistcoat, narrow neck cloth and white silk shirt with a turned down collar. His wavy hair was brushed back from his forehead and his face was smooth from a recent shave. He smiled as their eyes met and he returned her assessing gaze.
Turning back to her mirror, she checked her appearance a last time before dismissing her maid. “That will be all, Mary. You have again worked miracles.”
“Your beautiful hair is easy to work with, Your Grace.” She bobbed a curtsy and took her leave.
“You are stunning as always, my love.” His eyes swept over her beautiful face and up to her wealth of red hair. The unique color was a mix of red and gold hues that shone in the light and surpassed the beauty of the small yellow tea roses that were worked into the intricate design. Her maid had achieved a stunning upswept style with the bulk of her hair gathered loosely at her crown leaving several soft tendrils flowing across her bare back and shoulders. He was pleased to see that the front of her hair was side swept without the fussy sausage curls that were so popular these days.
“None of the dreadful sausages, Andrew. I can’t stand them either.” She rose to stand before him, shaking out her pale yellow gown. She stood petite before her tall husband, the top of her head reaching only to his shoulder. Looking up into his handsome face she smiled dreamily. “You look so fine in your formal attire. I should be carrying a big stick to beat off all the hussies who will be drooling over you and clamoring for your attention.”
“And I should load a pistol to keep at the ready to deter the fools that will be ogling and drooling over your gorgeous dugs, my sweet.”
Smacking her fan against his sleeve, she giggled.
“Didn’t I veto this gown? How on earth did you get her to make it up?”
“I asked her to raise the neckline a bit. To keep
you from coming to blows with the other gentlemen, of course.”
“Humph! She fell short by at least an inch then, dear heart.”
“Nonsense Andrew, if left up to you I’d wear nothing but high necked blouses and be accused of being a dowd.”
Pulling her close, he traced a long finger across the tops of her breasts left bare by the daring neckline. “These belong to me, wife. Can I be blamed for wanting to keep this bounty for my eyes alone?”
“This is a French design and perfectly presentable. There will be many women attending tonight who have much lower necklines than I do.”
“I don’t care about the other women, Cici. They are not married to me.”
“Oh Andrew, that is such a wonderful thing to say.”
“Let’s go over the rules again.”
Cici sighed and rolled her eyes, “We’ve been over them a hundred times.”
“Then this will make one hundred and one. And don’t roll your eyes at me, it’s disrespectful.”
“Yes, Andrew.”
“Rule One?”
“No going out in the garden, period.”
“Rule Two?”
“Mama will direct and interact with any of the extra staff.” Due to the number of guests expected they had arranged for extra help with serving and security.
“Rule three?”
“I am not to leave the first floor for any reason until the ball is over. Stay away from stairs, doors and windows and don’t eat or drink anything that you don’t give to me. I know them all, Andrew.”
He frowned down at her. He still didn’t like it, a houseful of guests and strange staff members worried him. But he and Duncan had screened them all and had made it absolutely clear that no one was to be admitted without an invitation .
Reaching up she cupped his smooth cheek, “Don’t worry, my love. Tonight will be perfect.” Standing on tiptoe to kiss him, she felt a jab in her side and looked down to see he was holding a long velvet covered box. “What do you have there, husband?”
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