The Duke's Bride: Book 5 (The Clearbrooks)

by Teresa McCarthy

  “No. Stay here.” Roderick’s command hit her like a brick to the face.

  She lifted her chin, shooting him a warning glare. “I will not. And I do not take commands from you, husband or not.”

  Roderick scowled.

  Vexfield mumbled something and turned red.

  Roderick glared back at her. “Jane! I will not argue with you now!”

  “You know,” Lord Vexfield said, putting a lean hand on Roderick’s arm. “If we approach the lady, she can very well deny any involvement in Garette’s death. However, my gut tells me she was involved. I believe we should make a plan, and whether you like it or not, the duchess should be part of it.”

  Jane smiled. It seemed the earl’s opinion of her had moved up a notch.

  Roderick glowered at her. She could tell he was reconsidering. After a few seconds, he let out a grumbling sigh. “You win this round, wife.” He stalked across the room, grabbed her hand and kissed it. “Can you tolerate being in the same room with the woman?”

  Jane tried not to frown. “I may have to hold myself back from boxing her ears. But yes, I can.”

  Roderick’s gray eyes gleamed with mirth. “Very well, then.” He turned to Vexfield. “She is coming with us.”

  “We shall have to set a trap for the lady,” the man said gravely. “The stakes are high. She may not be the killer, but she could lead us to the killer. And then again, it may mean a wild goose chase. Are you still game, Duchess?”

  Jane nodded to Vexfield as she took one last look in her mirror. She was not quite ready, but she was not going to be left behind.

  On the other hand, Roderick still seemed to be debating the issue. He towered over her, his face creasing with worry.

  Was he thinking about Cecile? Her heart squeezed.

  “I am fine,” she snapped. “I will be fine, Roderick. Now, what else do you want to say?”

  His eyes narrowed in concern as he looked at her. “No one else need know about whatever plan we set,” he said, shifting his gaze back to Vexfield. “Except perhaps Agatha and the king.”

  “The king?” Vexfield gasped. “Do we really wish to involve him? And Miss Appleby?”

  “My good man,” Roderick went on. “The king is already involved. He was staying with Lord Garette before he came here. And Miss Appleby has worked for Whitehall, a fact you will keep to yourself.”

  Lord Vexfield wiped a handkerchief over his sweating brow. “My, my, what a coil. Had no idea the depths of Garette’s friendship with the king until today. The man was not happy about the incident, but he is not blaming the duchess either. Well, we must tell him about our theory then. Think he had a liking for Lady Trayton. What a coil indeed. And Miss Appleby working for Whitehall? What is this world coming to? A bit of a coil, is it not?”

  Roderick’s lips quivered when he took in Jane’s exasperated expression. “I think you have already stated that Vexfield. As for Agatha, she was the one who mentioned that Lady Trayton had been talking to Lord Garette. I believe she will be another set of eyes for us. But if you think it best, we can wait to mention anything to the lady until we have more evidence.”

  Lord Vexfield nodded. “Very well. Here is what I think we should do. Make Lady Trayton feel comfortable. Let everyone know that Lord Garette most likely died of natural causes.”

  Jane worried her bottom lip. “Do you think that wise? Perhaps the lady may want to kill again. If it was her, at all. Yet, was it poison? Do we know for certain?” The thought of Lady Trayton slipping something into her drink, or Roderick’s for that matter, sent chills down her spine.

  Lord Vexfield pulled back his thin shoulders, trying to show Jane his command of the situation. “We will search her chambers. We will let no corner untouched. You must realize, dear lady, I have no evidence she did anything. Only hearsay.”

  “Let me interrogate her in my own way,” Roderick said firmly.

  “Own way?” Jane asked in an irritated tone.

  Roderick laughed. “It is not what you are thinking, sweetheart.”

  “I think we should begin with our evening meal,” Lord Vexfield said impatiently. “No time to lose. Let us head that way. Are you two, uh, ready?”

  Jane put a hand to the stray blond locks that curled about her face. She suddenly realized there was a rip in her gown and frowned. She would have to change. “I will need my maid.” She sent Roderick a knowing gaze. “But I would like to speak with you first.”

  Roderick’s hungry gaze wandered over her. Jane wanted to laugh. Her duke was back.

  Lord Vexfield saw the heated exchange and cleared his throat. “The other guests are wondering what happened. I believe we should let them know immediately about the state of your marriage. No time to waste. I have no idea if Lady Trayton is going to take her leave. Or if any of my guests will be doing so because of the unfortunate circumstances.”

  Roderick grabbed hold of Jane’s elbow and leaned into her. “We will have time later,” he whispered. His eyes darkened, making her heart race.

  “If I could have only five minutes with you,” she pleaded. She needed to tell him about the baby. This had gone on long enough!

  He laughed and gave her a peck on the cheek. “Goodness, Jane. You are a feisty little thing.”

  Jane’s temper rose. She took a peek at Lord Vexfield who was staring at the ceiling. “Roderick, you are being obtuse. I need to speak to you. Now!”

  Roderick tapped her nose. “Later, sweetheart. We will have all night. Things are going to be different now. I have a new look on life.”

  Jane wanted to roll her eyes.

  Lord Vexfield coughed. “Your Grace, we need to hurry. But while you have been talking, I have been thinking. I believe it best we keep the king out of this little plan of ours. He does have a liking for his wine.”

  The meaning was quite clear. Roderick nodded in agreement. “We do not want him saying something he shouldn’t.”

  Jane pushed a stray lock behind her ear. “I cannot agree. He kept the situation about our license a secret, not telling us the truth. He might be an asset.”

  Roderick let out a bubble of laughter. “First, you do not care for the man, then you do. You do not know him like I do. Let it go, sweetheart. I believe Lord Vexfield has the right of it. The king should not to be told a thing about Lady Trayton. At least for now. Perhaps later we will include him in our plan.”

  Jane’s lips fell into a tight line. “I will go along with your plan, but it does not mean I like it.”

  Roderick’s eyes clashed with hers.

  She lifted a challenging brow. “What?”

  Roderick scowled. “Call for your maid. Have the servants move your things in here. We will meet you downstairs in half an hour.”

  Jane’s face fell when Roderick left with Lord Vexfield. She needed to tell him about their son! She hit the bed with her fist. Now, she would have to wait hours! This entire situation was becoming more complicated by the minute.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Thirty minutes later, Jane sat in the drawing room of Vexfield Hall, waiting for the supper bell to ring. Flickering candelabra were scattered about the room, giving off a warm glow. The crowd chattered about Lord Garette’s death and the Duchess of Elbourne, who had been married to the duke after all.

  Jane wanted to scream. The guests were treating her like a queen, acting as if nothing had happened. All she wanted was to be near her husband. But he was determined to find Lord Garette’s killer, and Lady Trayton was at the top of the list.

  The beautiful Lady Trayton had spared a few glances Jane’s way, but her smile never quite reached those catlike eyes. Anxious, Jane’s gaze followed the lady as she moved about the room. Lady Trayton’s gown, with its low bodice, accentuated her womanly features, drawing many male glances her way.

  Of course, Roderick had moved near the lady as well. That was the plan, was it not?

  But Jane was starting to hate that plan! She was just about to move when the king took a seat beside h
er on the sofa. Lord Vexfield’s guests looked toward her with envy.

  “Hope you won’t hold my actions against me, my dear,” the king whispered, sipping his glass of wine. “But Miss Appleby was a force I could not fight.”

  Jane held back a sharp retort. She had wondered what the man was going to say about the altered marriage license when she saw him. “I love Agatha,” she replied. “But she should not have done what she did.”

  The king chuckled, putting a hand on Jane’s knee. “Well, well, good girl. Knew you would not take offense with me. I like you. Heard about the baby too.”

  Baby?

  Jane’s heart stopped. She turned and picked his hand off her knee, placing it back on his lap. How had he known about the baby? Had Agatha told him?

  “I have yet to tell my husband,” she said, looking for Roderick in the crowd. Where had he gone? One minute he had been talking to Lady Trayton, the next minute, he was gone.

  She clenched her hands against her skirt and shifted a worried gaze back to the king. “He knows nothing about his son.”

  The king chuckled. “Oh, I believe he had a hand in it, eh?”

  Jane blushed. “He was in France when the baby was born.”

  “Know that,” the king replied with a frown. “Curse that mission. But it had to be done. Well, never mind that.” His face brightened. “But I am to be the godfather, am I not?”

  Jane blinked. Good gracious, the man was not jesting!

  How in the world could she tell the king that he would not be the godfather of her firstborn? She could not!

  “Of course, you will be the godfather,” Jane said with a brittle smile. “But I would like a few minutes to tell my husband the news.”

  “Well, well, cannot deny that.” He patted her knee. “Word has gotten around that Lord Garette died from natural causes. A cruel thing at his age, to be sure.”

  Jane said nothing. Her mind was still reeling from the king’s comment about her baby. She had to find Roderick! It didn’t matter who had told the king her secret. It only mattered that she told Roderick he had a child before someone else did.

  The king sighed. “No doubt your marriage status will end the gossip.”

  The man eyed Lady Trayton and gave her an inviting smile. The lady smiled back at the king.

  Jane bit her lip. The woman was unbelievable. It was not the first time the king’s gaze had wandered her way.

  “Ah, do you know Lady Trayton, then?” the king asked, turning toward Jane. “Was talking to her a few minutes ago. Quite a pretty lady, don’t you think?”

  Jane nodded. “Quite pretty indeed.”

  The two of them sat in silence. The king seemed embarrassed over the matter of her marriage license. And Jane was livid that he knew about her baby before Roderick. Of course, looking back, she realized she should have told Roderick she had been with child in the first place. But then again, she believed Roderick might have sent her to see his London doctors and forbidden her to see Mrs. Hobbs.

  Jane had not been ready to do that. But at the time, she did not have the stamina to fight Roderick either. She had been thinking for her baby then. At least, that was what she told herself. After she realized she should have told him, it was too late. Oh, what a mess she had made of all this!

  Jane was brought back to reality when she heard the crowd’s random whispers concerning her marriage and Lord Garette’s death.

  “Never believed a word about that license thing.”

  “Horrid prank. Should hang the man who did it.”

  “Always thought she was a lady.”

  “Garette had a bad heart, they say.”

  “Owed thousands of pounds.”

  “Believe his brain burst.”

  “Ghastly way to go.”

  The king nudged her. “You know, I never liked the man. Stayed at his place many times and had the worst wine. Poor quality. By Jove, I think it’s time I ate.” He signaled to Lady Vexfield to announce supper.

  Jane watched in shocked amusement when Lady Vexfield narrowed her eyes and indicated the servant to ring the bell for the guests. To Jane’s surprise, the king rose and took her arm, escorting her into the dining room. Lady Vexfield followed with Lord Vexfield. And then came Lady Trayton and Roderick.

  Well, Jane thought with a frown, Roderick was working fast. And where had he been the last few minutes?

  Though she had agreed to this plan, it did not mean she had to like it.

  Jane caught Roderick’s eyes, and he looked rather amused. She lifted her chin and took her seat beside the king. Lord Vexfield sat at the other end of the long table where Roderick was seated beside Lady Trayton.

  Jane looked up when Agatha came in with Captain Argyle, the two taking the chairs alongside hers.

  Jane wondered how this would all turn out. And who in the world had told the king about the baby? Had it been Agatha?

  “Oh, Roderick,” Lady Trayton said, putting a hand on his leg beneath the table. “I cannot believe you are married. In truth, I believe you have grounds for divorce. Jane Greenwell is not what she seems.”

  Roderick smiled, but his mind raced with anger. This lady most likely killed Garette, and now she was spreading cruel gossip about Jane. It was incredible. At any other time, he would have ejected the lady from the premises.

  “Do you care for some more rolls?” Roderick asked her calmly as he nodded to the servant with the breadbasket.

  The lady frowned, pulling her hand off his knee. “I believe you are making fun of me.”

  “No, indeed,” he drawled. “I believe you are making fun of me, dear lady.”

  Her laugh was a light twitter. “Oh,” she said in surprise. “Then perhaps we could see each other after this boring weekend,” she whispered. “I hear you have been rather lonely, Your Grace.”

  Roderick played along as he buttered his roll. “Indeed.”

  She giggled shyly and leaned into him, letting her bodice dip lower then decorum dictated.

  Roderick wanted to laugh. The lady was about as enticing as a cobra.

  “I am guessing you behaved yourself in France,” she said sweetly. “And then on our travels because of Lord Stonebridge.”

  Roderick stared across the table at his brother-in-law. Jared glanced back at him. It didn’t matter what Lord Vexfield had said, Roderick had decided to tell Jared of his plan with Lady Trayton. He needed someone to look out for Jane in case the killer decided to strike again.

  “Indeed,” Roderick drawled. “The man is a thorn in my side.”

  “I knew it,” Lady Trayton hissed as she buttered her piece of bread. “He is married to your sister, after all.”

  Roderick smothered a groan. Did the women think he had forgotten how she had hooked her claws into Jared before the man had married Emily? By Jove, Lady Trayton was more confident than Napoleon at Waterloo.

  “Yes, and Emily is such a delicate creature,” Roderick added in a whisper. “Stonebridge beats her if she dares to do one thing he does not like.” He laughed to himself. Well, if that was the truth, he was the King of England!

  Lady Trayton blinked and stared at Jared. Roderick wanted to roar with laughter when Jared glared back.

  “I knew he was a nasty man,” the lady said, frowning. “That’s why I never married him. There are many men like that in London. I, myself, will not tolerate anyone striking me. My late husband—”

  Her expression suddenly changed into a beguiling smile. “La, that is nothing to talk about here.”

  Roderick bit back an oath. Had the lady killed her husband too? Had the man tried to beat her, and she had retaliated?

  “Where should we meet tonight?” the lady purred, leaning into him.

  He took a sip of his wine and turned to her, flashing her a set of bright white teeth. “I have no idea when I will be available. I might have to help Lord Vexfield tie up some loose strings with Lord Garette. But you, dear lady, will be on my mind all the while.”

  She choked on her bread
and grabbed her wineglass. “Lord Garette? I thought that was taken care of. Such a sad thing.”

  He stared at her. Waiting. She would eventually talk. The guilty usually tried to cover their tracks.

  She seemed to recover and batted her long lashes at him. “It was quite sad that your wife was found with him, don’t you think?”

  Roderick took a bite of bread, saying nothing.

  She continued. “In truth, I have no wish to talk bad about her, but I do care for you and think you should know everything.”

  Roderick smiled. “Indeed.”

  That seemed to be enough response to keep the lady talking. “Goodness, no wonder why you left for France to look for land. Were you going to send her there? Or were you going to use it for a holiday residence? I do love Paris.”

  “It is quite a carefree place to be,” he said, feeding into her imagination.

  Her smile widened in delight. “Ah, the way they live is wonderful. Wine in the morning. Wine in the afternoon. And well, you know what at night.”

  Roderick almost choked on his meat. He was certainly glad Jane was at the other end of the table. “Yes, they do know how to enjoy life.”

  He was surprised when the lady blushed from the roots of her hair. What the devil was she trying to prove? That she was some innocent?

  “I knew you thought like I did,” she said, between sips of wine. “Of course, if you want to send your wife to Paris, perhaps Captain Argyle will follow.” The lady shrugged. “They could do what they wanted, and no one would care. Perhaps that would take care of things for you too.”

  Roderick’s face tensed. Confound it! The lady had seen his reaction. He had to check himself. He had no wish for her to know his vulnerability.

  “You know how Society is,” he said gaily. “As long as you don’t see anything, all is fine.”

  She sighed in appreciation, sipping her wine. “I had no idea you thought like that. But I cannot agree more. Lord Garette did try his advances on me even before my poor Henry died.”

  Roderick forked another piece of beef into his mouth. Now, they were getting somewhere. Had the lady poisoned poor Henry too?