by Joan Vincent
“I care not to bring his retribution upon my head,” Audacia agreed. “I will be off, but you will consider what I have said?”
“Yes, and if I can calm Roland, mayhap we can all go riding on the morrow?”
“But I have no mount.”
“Never fear, Father has a stable full. I shall send word. Good day, dear friend. If only it could be as you say.” Lady Lucille kissed Audacia lightly on the cheek and the two embraced. “I had better walk with you—in case Roland should appear.”
They ambled slowly through the corridor and down the stairs. At the foot of the steps a deep voice reached them. Turning to each other in alarm, they broke into nervous giggles that nearly gave them away. “This way.” Lady Lucille grabbed Audacia’s hand and pulled her towards a door. “Inside.” She pulled the door shut just as Greydon came around the corner.
“Good morn, brother.”
“Blast the morn,” he snapped irritably.
“You aren’t still suffering from the thorns, are you?” she asked repressing a smile. “Mayhap it is just an ill humour.”
Roland cast a withering look at her. “My health is excellent. But Miss Aderly’s shall not be if I chance to meet her. If she were a lad—”
“But alas, she is not,” Lady Lucille interrupted. “Perhaps you should not think so harshly of her, Roland.”
“Never was a woman more deserving of it.”
“Let us not stand about chatting for all to hear. I will come to the Blue Salon in a few moments. There is a matter I must attend first.”
With an answering nod he turned and stalked up the stairs.
“He is gone,” Lady Lucille whispered. “Can you find the door? Good. I will send a note to you this afternoon.”
With a wave of farewell, Audacia hastened to the doors. A sigh escaped her as she settled into a hackney.
* * * *
“I thought I might find you here,” Squire Webster greeted Audacia as she, Helene, and Miss Strowne strolled in St. James Park. “May I walk with you?”
“Of course, squire,” Helene smiled. “Tell me, have you danced much of late?”
“Ah, more than I would have wished,” Geoffrey said smiling. “My feet weary of the demands made upon them and they guide me to card rooms instead of assemblies. But then, a beauty such as yours has not been present.”
Helene blushed, a wide smile revealing her pleasure.
“And you, Miss Aderly. How do you fare this morn? I have heard a strange tale that a certain lord wishes his acquaintance with you did not involve quite as much . . . Well, let us say his spirit has been somewhat pricked.”
“What an odd thing to say. Audee, what can he mean?” Helene asked.
“A gentleman’s nonsense,” Audacia said, a blush denying total innocence of its meaning. “Geoffrey, there is something I would have you do,” she gladly changed the conversation’s trend.
“Only one something?” he parried.
A frown dismissed his tease. “Please speak with Daniel.” She glanced from the squire to Miss Bea and Helene.
“Let us walk forward a pace.” When the distance was sufficient, she continued. “I am very concerned about him. He has been so little near me and when he is, he is as nervous as a man about to be condemned. Father believes it has something to do with boyish pranks.”
“But you do not?”
“Daniel has always confided in me when troubled. I cannot but feel this is something very serious. He may be willing to speak more openly with—with you. Will you do this for me?”
“I’ll stop by his quarters after I leave you, if you but give me their direction,” he assured her. “Come now, smile. I may fail with the gentler sex but with Daniel I shall succeed.”
“You have not failed,” Audacia said pointedly, “with anyone just yet. Persistence shall bring success.”
“In that case, mayhap I would do well to warn that particular gentleman I mentioned. He would do well to leave London if he values his life. There is no one more persistent than you,” he teased.
“More nonsense,” she clipped in reply. “We shall excuse you, Squire Webster.” A weary smile forgave him. “Do see Daniel,” Audacia urged even as she pondered what caused her great concern for him.
* * * *
“I find you at last,” young Darby greeted Daniel Aderly. “Has it been your intention to elude me? Only Hillern’s chance guess brought me here.”
“Why should I not wish to see you, Patrick?” Daniel asked nervously.
“Only you could answer that,” the other returned. He flicked his gloves casually atop the table and sat. “What a mundane establishment,” he noted sarcastically. “I believed I had taught you better. Surely you do not mean to drink that swill?”
Daniel raised the mug and quaffed the remainder of the ale as if to dare him.
“Hillern and I are going to Waitier’s this eve. Shall you accompany us?” Darby asked as he surveyed the soot-stained timbers of the tavern and dismissed it as vulgar. “Will you?” he repeated.
Daniel surveyed the dregs of his mug. Nervousness turned to gloom. “You know I have no more funds. How am I to pay the notes you already hold?”
Patrick leaned back and viewed the dismal lad smugly. “Who would ask a ‘brother’ for payment?”
“Brother?” Daniel leaned forward with a glimmer of hope in Darby’s attitude. “But I am no kin of yours,”
“In blood, no. But marriage could make us so. Speak with your sister. Tell her the advantages of making a match with me.”
“If I did this—you would not demand payment?” Daniel asked eagerly.
“There would be no reason to,” the other smiled.
Relief flooded the young lad, and then ebbed away. “But what if Audacia is unwilling? I mean, she may have a tendre for another.”
“I am certain you shall find a way to convince her my suit is worthy,” Darby said, the edge to his words a warning. “But if you wish,” he shrugged insolently, “I would be willing to give you one last loan with which you may regain your fortunes. Luck cannot desert you forever.
Daniel weighed the offer. “I may play where I wish and what I wish?”
“If you desire it I shan’t even attend you this eve,” Patrick scoffed.
“No, I did not mean that.” Daniel fiddled with his limp, crushed cravat. “I shall do it,” he said overwhelmed by the struggled with the decision. Gambling fever sprang to his eyes with the surrender of reason. All was forgotten as he greedily snatched the bills Darby drew from his pocket.
Chapter 20
Pleading a headache, Audacia retired early that eve. Once in her room, she began to pace. After some time she was forced to bemoan the lack of a worthy idea.
There has to be some way, she thought. Some way to assure both Geoffrey and Lucille of each other’s affection.
“May I come in?” Helene whispered as she peeked into the room. “I thought we might lay our plans.”
“Plans? Oh, yes. But not this eve. I must find a solution for Squire Webster’s problem first.”
“What problem does he have? Are the matrons still treading on his toes?”
Audacia studied the young girl. “This is serious and must be a secret between you and me,” she cautioned.
“A secret? I love secrets. Tell me all,” Helene appealed, sitting upon the bed.
Joining her, Audacia hesitated.
“I promise I shall not tell anyone,” the other reassured her earnestly.
“All right. You see, Helene, Squire Webster is in love with Lady Lucille Mandel, and she also with him.”
“Then there is no problem,” the other stated brightly.
“But there is,” Audacia returned, “and I cannot think of a way to resolve it. Geoffrey believes Lady Lucille merely pities him and Lady Lucille thinks he no longer cares for her.”
“Why not simply tell them they are wrong?”
“I have attempted that. No, one must be more devious than to use the truth with these
two.” Audacia frowned. “If only Geoffrey could be assured—”
“Has all this been caused because he lost his arm?” Helene asked, the thought just now dawning.
“That is, sadly, the hub of the matter.”
“Then the answer lies plainly before you.”
“My mind is befuddled then. I see no answer. Pray, tell me, what is it that you think would suit?”
“Squire Webster thinks Lady Lucille pities him, so the thing to do is to have him do something which would make him a hero in her eyes,” Helene said matter-of-factly. “That would give him the confidence to press his suit.”
“But what could we do to cause that?” Audacia dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand.
“I don’t think it is a foolish idea,” Helene protested. “Why couldn’t we start a rumour that the squire rescued someone?”
“Rescued whom? How could he—” The thought began to take root in Audacia’s mind. “Rescue,” she repeated thoughtfully, more positively.
“Yes, we must invent a tale that will be quickly spread.”
“No, not that. Just think of the effect if Lady Lucille saw Geoffrey pull someone from harm’s grasp.” Audacia rose, her eyes sparkled brightly.
“But who? How?” Helene puzzled.
“I think I know both who and how.” Audacia smiled. “And when.”
“You do?”
“Tomorrow. Don’t you recall the note Lady Lucille sent? I am to go riding with her. She wrote Geoffrey is to join us.”
“What will you do?” Helene asked eagerly.
“Lady Lucille has never seen me ride so it should be easy to convince her I cannot hold my seat.” Audacia honed and refined the idea as she put it into words. “I only wish it was Lady Lucille being saved,” she ended. “But I dare not chance that.”
“I think the idea is superb. If only I could be there to see you,” Helene lamented.
“You would consider it dull. Especially if I am successful. Then the two of them shall be in each other’s pocket, and notice no one else.”
Helene wrinkled her nose in disgust causing Audacia to laugh. “One day it will be the same for you,” she told her and mentally crossed her fingers that tomorrow would see a happy conclusion for Geoffrey.
“It is a beautiful morn,” Audacia chattered happily as the threesome left the Darby’s residence.
“And I the most fortunate of men to be in the company of two such lovely women,” Geoffrey offered gallantly as the footmen assisted the women mount.
“Squire Webster told me you have ridden with him, so I chose one of the more lively geldings from the stable,” Lady Lucille explained. “My Daisy is a gentle plodder, but that suits me. You and Squire Webster can canter ahead if you wish to take the edge from your mounts.”
Struggling with the unaccustomed sidesaddle and skirts Audacia had all she could handle. Once settled in, she glanced at Geoffrey, who was observing her with a broad grin.
“I neglected to inform Lady Lucille of your usual mode of riding,” he teased. He became more serious when Audacia’s gelding snorted, tossed its head and pranced nervously as they entered the more heavily trafficked street. “Can you handle the brute?”
“Never fear,” she retorted, concentrating on controlling her mount. If this continues, she thought, I will have little need of my hatpin.
At first Audacia began to doubt the safety of her purposed venture, but as she gradually became accustomed to the saddle and gained control over the gelding her confidence increased. Assured that it was feasible, Audacia began to enjoy the conversation.
“It is regrettable that Roland would not come,” Lady Lucille noted. She revelled in the early morning May sunshine.
“He may yet appear,” Geoffrey told them.
“What?” exclaimed Audacia, worry creasing her face.
“Last eve he made mention of joining us. I believe he had an early morn appointment.” The squire did not add that he and Greydon had spent the evening in search of young Daniel Aderly, or that the earl meant to call at Hillern’s address this morn.
“You have no reason to fear Roland, Audacia. He is a gentleman,” Lady Lucille reassured her misreading her concern. “The incident with the hedge shall not be mentioned.”
Nodding vaguely in response, Audacia surveyed the area before them. Few riders were in the park because of the early hour. A broad, open meadow lay before them.
Now is the time, she thought. With Pegasus beneath him, Geoffrey will have little trouble “saving” me from the disaster of a “bolting” mount. It could not be more perfect, she reasoned.
The gelding chose this moment to lurch forward. Audacia reined him in tightly, then fumbled with her bonnet as if to right it but secretly removed one of the pins holding it in place.
“With this clear avenue before us, mayhap it would be wise to have a run. It would ease the handling of your steed to take off some of his spirit,” Geoffrey suggested.
“But Lady Lucille does not care to gallop,” Audacia feigned protest. She let the gelding ease ahead so they would not see her prick him. Getting a firm hold on the saddle, she plunged the hatpin home.
The gelding leaped forward nearly unseating Audacia. Dropping the pin, she clung to the saddle and mane, the necessity of deliverance no longer pretence.
Daisy, Lady Lucille’s gentle mare, shied when the gelding snorted. Half-rearing it also broke into a gallop. Geoffrey sought first to assure himself that she was under control.
“For Lord’s sake, Geoffrey,” Lady Lucille exclaimed, “Find someone to go after her. She’ll be thrown.”
Wheeling his mount to pursue the runaway, the squire dug his heels into Pegasus’ flanks. His fear for Audacia overrode Lucille’s words.
A huge black stallion reared to a halt before Lady Lucille as she watched the squire race away.
“What is about?” Greydon shouted, waving at the pair.
“The gelding I chose for Audacia has bolted. I told Geoffrey to find someone, but he has gone after her himself. How can he save her? After them, Roland, Hurry!”
The sleek stallion leapt forward, ate up the ground with a long smooth stride. Gaining on the pair, Roland’s breath caught when Audacia’s gelding swerved from the open meadow and dodged into the growth of trees and brush that surrounded it.
“Go on ahead, Geoff,” he yelled as he cut towards the trees in pursuit. “He may swerve outward again.” Geoffrey looked back. His nod told the earl that he had understood.
On the gelding, Audacia prayed in earnest for deliverance. The beast was far stronger than she had bargained. Having taken the bit in its teeth, there was no way she could halted it.
The trees ranged dangerously close as the brute zigzagged among them. Greydon prayed he would reach Audacia before she fell or was knocked from the saddle by a low-hanging branch.
They closed and the black’s nose edged to the gelding’s haunch. Roland tensed as they slowly drew even. There would be but one chance to pull Audacia from the saddle, Roland reasoned. If he missed his hold the danger that the gelding would shy and knock her against a tree or she would fall and be trampled was too real.
Daring not to look for fear of losing her hold, Audacia heard the pounding of a second set of hooves behind her. She breathed her thanks.
“Count to three with me. Release your hold on three,” Greydon shouted as the animals pounded through the ever-thickening undergrowth.
“One. Two. Three.”
Her trust complete, Audacia forced her fingers to release their hold as a hard arm bit into her stomach. She was yanked free of the saddle. There was a rending sound. Audacia saw the skirt of her riding habit had aught on the fork of her sidesaddle. Her relief at being free of the gelding altered to dismay as the greater part of her skirt flapped in the wind from the saddle. It turned to chagrin as she saw Geoffrey coming after the gelding from another angle.
The arm about her waist held her tightly against a firm, muscled body as the black was reined to a halt
. Audacia knew who it was and could not look at him.
Letting the looped reins drop on the black’s neck, Roland drew Audacia to a sitting position across the front of his saddle.
With her straw bonnet hanging askew on its blue ribbons, black curls blown into disarray by the wind, and her face flushed with excitement, Audacia presented an almost irresistible lure. Even as he saw anger sparkle dangerously in her grey eyes, he had to rein hard on his desire to hold her close and kiss her full red lips, now parted slightly as she stared at him.
“Breeches would be more modest at the moment,” he quipped, forcing his mind to another direction, “but not nearly as attractive as your lace.”
Embarrassment overwhelmed indignation. Audacia spluttered incoherently. “How dare you rescue me. You have ruined everything.”
A crooked smile came to the earl’s lips. “My dear Miss Aderly, your reactions never fail to astound. I know of no other person in the kingdom who resents being kept from harm as you do.” His look darkened as he thought of a second reason for her objection. “Geoff shall not take offence at seeing his loved one in my arms, nor any other man who pulls her from a bolting steed.” His voice hardened. The old haunted hollowness flooded him.
“It is my doing that he could not have rescued you. What was he to do? Drop his own reins to grab yours and be thrown himself?”
The depth of feeling behind Greydon’s words shocked Audacia, threw her into a new confusion. “But you have spoilt it. If Geoffrey had shown Lady Lucille he could rescue me, then his confidence would have increased. She would have been able to assure him of her love in her admiring glances and all would have been set.
“Oh, I could just—You. Why is it always you?” Audacia demanded.
“I ask the same,” the earl said dryly. “Now will you call a halt to the hysterics and explain yourself? You speak as if you had planned for Geoff to rescue you.”
“How else am I to help Lady Lucille accept the loss of his arm? She is as perverse in her thinking as you,” she scolded with a glance that scorched.
“What an idiotic way to attempt a reconciliation. You could have been seriously injured . . . killed,” he said angrily.
