by Anne Herries
‘I wish I had never met him!’
George’s attention returned to his sister. He looked at her ruefully as she wiped her tears.
‘That was my fault for introducing you. Had I known what a rogue he was, I should never have invited him to join us that autumn.’
‘It was not your fault, George,’ Verity replied and dabbed at her eyes with a lace kerchief scented with lavender water. ‘I do not know what possessed me to become involved with him. I had discovered Markham’s affair and we were at odds, but I should not have been drawn into a clandestine relationship of my own. This is all my fault.’
‘No, dearest,’ Lord George comforted his sister. ‘You need not imagine that Jane would betray you. She is the bravest…the most sympathetic of women…’
‘You care for her?’ Verity’s soft brown eyes widened.
‘I hardly know Miss Lanchester—but, yes, I do care for her good opinion.’ Lord George sighed. He was uncertain as to the depths of his feelings, though he suspected that they might be deeper than he knew. ‘I dare say she thinks me an unprincipled rogue—but she would never betray me or you.’
‘I have ruined your life as well as my own,’ his sister declared a trifle dramatically. ‘You will hate me. You cannot possibly pay such a huge sum. What shall I do? Markham will divorce me.’
‘It may not come to that,’ he said to comfort her. ‘I am looking into my affairs to see how much I can raise. Blake may be reasonable—or I may be able to recover the letters. I should attempt it if I could discover where he has hidden them.’
‘Would he not have them at his country house?’ Verity said. ‘It is little more than a cottage, really, but no more than an hour’s ride from Markham’s estate. It was where we met when…’
Lord George stared at his sister in disbelief. ‘Why have you not mentioned this before? You knew I was searching for him, Verity.’
‘I thought you knew he had a house in Devon.’ She blushed and turned away abruptly. ‘I was embarrassed to mention it and it slipped my mind until this moment.’
Lord George bit back the sharp remark. Had his sister felt inclined to tell him this, he might never have become embroiled in the abduction in the first place.
‘If you will furnish me with more details, I shall pay Captain Blake a visit tomorrow.’
‘I dare say he will not be there. His last letter hinted that he was in town and would contact me soon. Besides, the house is closed up and there is only a caretaker—which was convenient when…’ Once again she was unable to continue.
‘All the better. I intend to search the place and it may be easier if there is only a caretaker to deal with.’
‘Supposing he is there—supposing he discovers you searching his house?’ Verity gave a little sob of despair. ‘He would kill you and ruin me. If Markham discovers the truth, it will be the end of everything.’
‘Have you not considered telling your husband the truth? Perhaps it would clear the air between you. If you told him how miserable you were and swore it would not happen again, he might forgive you.’
‘Please, do not ask me to do that,’ his sister cried in alarm. ‘You must help me, George. If I am disgraced, I shall kill myself.’
‘Promise me you will not be so foolish.’ Lord George sighed. ‘I shall do all I can to recover your property, dearest. Tell me again what he has of yours, please.’
‘There are at least ten letters, a silk kerchief with my initials—and a brooch Markham gave me. He would never forgive me for losing it, but the pin was loose and—he promised to have it repaired.’
‘I dare say Blake may have sold it if it was valuable.’
‘It was a diamond star and an heirloom. I was such a fool to trust him—but he was so charming and I was very unhappy.’
‘You were taken in and Markham had broken your heart. I do not blame you, Verity, but we must face facts. If I am unable to conceal this business, some of the truth may come out—and if it does you would do well to throw yourself on your husband’s mercy and ask him to forgive you.’
‘I cannot. I would rather die.’
Lord George turned away with a sigh. It seemed he had no choice but to search Blake’s house. If he were lucky enough to discover his sister’s letters, he might save her from the threat of blackmail, but he had an uneasy feeling. Blake was ruthless. If he did not get what he wanted, he would find some other way of taking revenge.
The only way to free his sister of the threat was to see Blake behind bars—and that meant confessing his own guilt in the abduction of Lady Fanshawe.
It was as well that he had been prevented from saying more to Jane by the arrival of Lady Mary that morning. George had been too busy to consider marriage since his return from the army and now was not the time. He could yet be arrested and tried for the abduction of two young women.
Even had he been certain that Jane Lanchester was the woman he wished to make his wife, he could not have spoken. Besides, he wanted to be absolutely certain of his own feelings for Jane. George had seen his sister marry for the wrong reasons and some of his friends had put money and property before true affection.
Still, he believed that Jane was a brave, independent lady and the kind of woman he had looked for all his life. Given the time and opportunity he would like to know her better—but for the moment he had other things to do.
Chapter Six
‘I am pleased to meet you,’ Jane said as she was introduced to Lady Markham. ‘Thank you for inviting us this evening. It was most kind of you’
‘Oh, that was my brother George’s idea,’ the lady said and then blushed. ‘Forgive me, I did not mean to sound ungracious. Of course I wished to meet you. George has told me a great deal about…well, you know…’
‘I dare say you have things on your mind,’ Jane replied and touched her hand. ‘You must not feel uncomfortable. Nothing your brother has told me will pass my lips. You have my promise.’
‘Thank you. This is most awkward—forgive me, my husband is looking this way. I must enquire what he wants.’
Glancing towards her host, Jane saw a man in his middle years. He was good-looking, but a little overweight and looked to be of a hasty temper. She saw what she thought was a sharp exchange between husband and wife and then everyone was asked to remove into the dining room.
‘May I take you in, Miss Lanchester?’
Jane took Lord George’s arm and smiled at him. ‘You really should not have pressed your sister to invite us, sir. I think you have thrown out her arrangements.’
‘I needed an excuse to see you,’ he replied and laughed softly. The sound was attractive and Jane reflected that there had not been much occasion for laughter so far in their relationship. ‘I shall be leaving town for a short time—on the business that you know of. I felt it only polite to tell you.’
Jane nodded. His manner was polite, but there was nothing intimate about it, but then, they had not known each other long. Circumstance had thrown them together, but he was a very distinguished and well-liked man. There was no reason he should pay her particular attention.
No doubt he could have his pick of the young ladies looking for marriage.
‘I have written to my brother. He should be here in a few days, sir.’
‘I shall be happy to speak to Lord Lanchester when I return.’
‘Your trip out of town…’ she lowered her voice ‘…you go in search of Captain Blake?’
‘I have learned of a house he owns that I did not know existed. I intend to see if he is in hiding there—and perhaps I will be able to recover Verity’s property.’
‘Yes, I understand. I wish you good fortune—please take care, sir. I should not like you to come to harm.’
‘Thank you, Miss Lanchester. It is good of you to take an interest in my welfare after the way I behaved.’
His lips smiled, but his eyes did not reflect warmth. She wondered at his thoughts. Why did she feel that he was holding back from her? She had revealed so muc
h of herself to him when they were fleeing from Blake, but it was almost as if they were strangers. Why had he created this barrier between them?
‘I think you were a little too reckless at the start, perhaps, but in every other way you are blameless.’
‘Thank you. You are generous, Miss Lanchester.’
Still so formal and no true smile. Had she offended him? Was he trying to show her that she had no claim on him? Glancing away, she felt her cheeks become heated. She would never dream of making a claim on him—certainly none that would require a sacrifice of him. He had kissed her in a way that had seemed to indicate feeling or need, but nothing else had occurred. Did he think she would expect an offer from him?
The thought embarrassed her. Jane would never make a marriage of convenience. For her true affection and respect were all-important.
They had reached the dining room. Jane discovered she had been placed between her host and a lady she knew only slightly. Lord George held a chair for her and then took his place at the opposite side of the table. She saw the quick glance of annoyance he sent his sister’s way and guessed that he had hoped to sit next to her. Since it would have been impossible to continue their conversation at the table, Jane was not too distressed at finding herself with strangers. She made pleasant conversation with her companions, noticing the odd glances her host sent his wife’s way throughout the evening.
Turning to him, she said, ‘It was kind of Lady Markham to invite us this evening, sir. I believe she must have had to make new arrangements for our sake?’
‘My wife is fond of her brother. He asked if she would invite you, Miss Lanchester. I must say it is unlike him to make such a request. He has shown no preference for any lady of our acquaintance before this. My wife was pleased to oblige him. We should all be pleased to see him settled.’
‘I hardly know Lord George,’ Jane said, blushing faintly. Goodness! Was George thinking it his duty to offer? ‘You must not read too much into a simple request, sir.’
‘Well, I know nothing of these things, Miss Lanchester. As I said, my wife is very fond of her brother. I would she were as fond of her husband.’
Jane did not know how to reply to his very odd remark and merely smiled. Clearly, Lord Markham had something on his mind or he would not have said such a revealing thing to a stranger. She doubted he even realised what he had said, but was merely voicing his thoughts aloud.
Did he suspect his wife of having had an affair? Could he possibly know the whole story? She certainly thought she caught a jealous look in his eye once or twice, but kept her thoughts neatly tucked away at the back of her mind. She must say nothing that would arouse suspicion, and yet something in his manner made her suspect that Lord Markham was in love with his wife and might have come to her rescue had she been brave enough to confide in him.
It was not Jane’s affair to speculate on intimate matters such as these. She must not interfere. What she had been told was in the strictest confidence.
* * *
After dinner, Jane and Lady Mary took their leave of their hostess. She was able to say farewell to Lord George, but no more, for they could not linger.
* * *
George watched Jane Lanchester leave his sister’s house and felt a deep regret. He cursed the moment of recklessness that had made him agree to help Blake. Had he met Jane under other circumstances, they might have stood a chance, but he could not think that she would have the slightest interest in a man who had abducted both her and one of her friends. The wonder was that she had not immediately denounced him as a rogue to his friends.
‘Is something the matter, Marlowe?’
George turned his head as his brother-in-law approached him, bringing his thoughts sharply back to the present. ‘No, nothing at all—I was just lost in thought.’
Lord Markham inclined his head. ‘Miss Lanchester is a charming young woman. You might do much worse if you were thinking of settling down.’
‘I think I could do no better,’ George said with a rueful smile. ‘However, I do not believe she will have me.’
‘She would be a fool to turn you down, George. You are one of the best catches on the market, dear fellow—and a good sort. Verity is very fond of you.’
‘As I am of her,’ George replied. Something in his brother-in-law’s tone made him wonder if Verity might receive more understanding from her husband than she believed. ‘Are you bothered about something yourself?’
‘No…’ Lord Markham hesitated. ‘Nothing at all.’
George looked at him thoughtfully. Markham was hiding his thoughts, as he himself had earlier. It was a pity that Verity would not make a clean breast of things to her husband. He was fairly sure that it would clear the air between them so that they could begin again—but, since she was not prepared to take the chance, George must try once again to recover her property.
‘Well, I have an early start, so I shall take my leave of you, Markham.’
‘Going out of town again?’
‘Yes. Business takes me away for a few days. Excuse me, I must say goodnight to Verity.’
Walking away, George put his thoughts of private happiness behind him. He needed to find those damned letters—and then he was determined to bring Blake to justice, whatever the cost to himself.
* * *
‘Andrew—you’ve arrived,’ Jane said as she entered the house after a shopping trip two days later. ‘I hardly expected you so soon.’
‘Did you expect me?’ Andrew frowned. ‘I received some interesting information and posted up to town immediately.’
‘Then you will not have had my letter?’
‘You wrote to me—about?’
‘Lord Lanchester,’ Lady Mary said, turning to greet him and interrupting their conversation. ‘How lovely to see you again so soon. I do hope you have come to stay for a while this time?’
‘I could remove to a hotel if it is inconvenient, ma’am. I had business here—and wished to consult Jane on a matter of some importance.’
‘Naturally, you will stay here,’ Lady Mary said. ‘I should not dream of your going to a hotel. You are very welcome whenever you choose to visit.’
‘Thank you.’ He reached out and took her hand to kiss it. ‘It is a while since I visited London for pleasure. Perhaps I may accompany you this evening?’
‘We go to a ball,’ Lady Mary said. ‘Lady Mellors is a good friend and will not mind my bringing an extra gentleman guest in the least. The more gentlemen the better.’
‘Then I shall be pleased to escort you.’ Andrew bowed his head and then glanced at Jane. ‘When you have a moment to spare, I should be grateful if we could have a quiet word?’
‘Of course. I shall just go up and tidy myself—and then we shall talk.’
Jane frowned as she ran up the stairs. What had brought Andrew to town in such haste?
* * *
She was not kept long in ignorance. Andrew was waiting for her when she returned to the small back parlour. He had been standing with his hands behind his back as he gazed out into the gardens, but turned immediately to face her.
‘I believe I may know the true identity of that George fellow,’ he told her. ‘I spoke to some of my colleagues in the regiment before I came here and one of them mentioned a name. I thought that night that I might have seen the man before, but was not sure—now I think I recall him. He was an officer in another regiment, but his sister was rumoured to be involved with a Captain Blake…’
‘Yes, I know,’ Jane said, her cheeks taking fire as he stared at her. ‘The man I knew as simply George is actually Lord George Marlowe—and, well, I cannot tell you the rest for it was told to me in confidence. I shall tell you that I believe him to be a man of honour despite what happened.’
‘When did you discover this?’ Andrew frowned. ‘Was that the reason for your letter?’
‘What I may tell you is that Lord George became involved in the whole sordid affair in order to recover some property from Blake. I believ
e him when he says that he was told it was merely an elopement—and I know that he is truly sorry for his part in the affair.’
‘That is as may be.’ Andrew’s mouth thinned. ‘If you know all this, perhaps you can tell me where I can find this…gentleman?’
‘I believe he is out of town,’ Jane replied. ‘He has discovered something, a house he did not know of previously, and intends to make a search for his property—and Blake.’
‘I wish he had waited for me. From what I have learned of this Captain Blake, he is a ruthless devil. Lord George might be killed…’ He broke off as Jane gasped. ‘I hope you have not become attached to the fellow, Jane. You should not place too much trust in what he tells you. He may yet be a scoundrel and a rogue for all we know.’
‘You are too harsh, Andrew. Had Lord George been a rogue, he would not have rescued either Mariah or me. I believe he has risked a great deal to do so.’
‘You may be right. However, Blake must be brought to justice. He has been thwarted once, but a man like that will not rest until he has what he needs—and that is a great deal of money. One of the things I discovered from my colleagues in the regiment is that he is deeply in debt. As I understand it, his family estate in Devon is to be sold by the bank soon.’
‘Then he may try again.’ Jane looked at him anxiously. ‘Will Mariah be safe?’
‘Mariah and her friends are going abroad as soon as it can be arranged,’ Andrew said. ‘She is almost well enough to think of a sea journey. In the meantime, she does not leave the house alone. Avonlea has doubled the patrols about his estate and the men have been told to challenge strangers and shoot if necessary.’
‘I am glad to hear it. I do not think she could bear to have such a thing happen again.’
‘Mariah is of a stronger constitution than you might think, though still very quiet and reserved, most unlike herself. It is touching to see her so affected. Perhaps that is why I feel so angry with a man who ought to have known better than to become embroiled in such an affair.’
‘You have seen her recently?’
