The Bet

by Rebecca King

  “Estelle,” Myles began. He paused when she turned to look at him. Deep inside, in a place he would never own to having, he was immediately denying she could possibly be responsible. “Where were you this morning?”

  “Well, in my room,” she replied. “There was a maid there, Bobbi, when I woke up. She had been watching over me all night.”

  Myles nodded, he knew already because Bobbi had told him. “She didn’t see or hear anything unusual,” he reported.

  “When you left your room, did you walk the hallway alone?” Barnabas interrupted.

  “No. Well, yes.” Estelle realised she was doing herself no favours and sighed. “I left the room and made my way to the main staircase so I was alone while I walked down the corridor for a few seconds. When I reached the top of the stairs, I ran into Isaac who was coming from the opposite side of the house. We met and introduced ourselves and then came downstairs for breakfast. I had no idea where I was going, you see?”

  Myles nodded, relieved to be able to cross Estelle off the list of suspects.

  “That’s right,” Isaac confirmed with a nod.

  “Did either of you leave the breakfast room at all?” Myles asked.

  Both Isaac and Estelle shook their heads. Myles and Barnabas knew they were telling the truth because the footmen had confirmed that neither of them had left the table.

  “What about you, Isaac? Did you see anybody else in the hallway this morning?”

  Isaac shook his head. “I got up, came down to breakfast, but ran into Estelle on my way. Besides, I wouldn’t murder my own father.”

  Barnabas snorted. “Why not? You were always tapping him up for money, and always sniping about him. You also know that you are the main beneficiary of the estate, and wealth, on his demise. It stands to reason that out of everybody you have the most to gain from your father’s death.”

  Isaac scowled at Barnabas, all trace of his usual affability gone. Instead, he looked like someone who could only be described as calculating. He levelled a look on Barnabas that was menacing, and would have worried the elder man if it were not for the other occupants of the room watching closely.

  “I am not listening to this,” Isaac hissed. “I have not killed my father.”

  Myles looked away, his attention drawn to his uncle, Vernon.

  “Where were you this morning? I didn’t hear your harp as usual,” he said.

  Vernon looked a little dazed, but then he always did. Myles watched his uncle stare off into space for a moment, as though trying to remember an incident that had happened many years ago rather than just a few hours.

  “I was upstairs in my room,” Vernon replied after several moments of thoughtful silence.

  “Did anybody else see you?” Barnabas demanded.

  Vernon looked at his Barnabas. “No. I didn’t see anybody.”

  “No, I didn’t ask if you saw anybody, Vernon. I asked if anybody has seen you this morning. Did you speak to anybody?”

  “No,” Vernon replied, this time with more conviction. “I was in my room alone all morning.”

  Barnabas sighed. Vernon had always been strange, and more than a little introverted, but was he capable of murder? He couldn’t be sure. Sensing they weren’t going to get any more information out of Vernon unless it had something to do with the lights outside, Barnabas turned his attention to his sister.

  “Beatrice.”

  Beatrice snorted. “You needn’t look at me. I didn’t do it. I don’t deny that I couldn’t stand my elder brother. You have seen enough arguments between the two of us, but that doesn’t mean I would kill him.”

  Barnabas nodded, but his stance didn’t soften toward his sibling. He knew that when Beatrice got into a snit she could be quite spiteful, but whether that spite was venomously deep or not was anyone’s guess.

  “Don’t you think it is odd that we all received those letters cunningly arranging for us all to be here? Then one of us is popped off while we are in residence. Why, Barnabas, I think we cannot rule you out of having something to do with this. I mean, who else knows about everybody’s whereabouts like you do? I told you of my intentions only last week, and I know you and Gerald had been discussing his hunting trip. You are just as guilty as the rest of us, and you know it. There is nothing to say that you didn’t send everyone that letter claiming to be ill.”

  “I did no such thing,” Barnabas snapped, outraged at the suggestion. “This is my house. Why in the blazes would I want someone to be murdered in it?”

  “Because we all know that Gerald wanted more of the family wealth than you were prepared to give him,” Beatrice countered swiftly.

  “Wait a minute,” Myles interrupted. “The family wealth was rightly and legally inherited by my father. You have all had your share, including you, Beatrice. As strange as that sounds, you were indulged because grandfather knew you were too selfish to marry. However, both you and Gerald have spent everything. Rather than accept your lot, and reduce your spending to the size of your purse strings, or find a credible way of refurbishing your coffers, you frequently visit, and quite widely hint that funds are needed while making no attempt to curb your lavish desires.”

  Beatrice lapsed into disgruntled silence. She didn’t argue with Myles because she knew he was right, but the look she threw him before she pointedly turned away could only be described as evil.

  Estelle stared at her. Beatrice was unpleasant at the best of times but she was now positively trembling with her fury. Was that temper likely to get the better of her? Was she capable of murder?

  She is certainly spiteful enough, she mused, but then immediately castigated herself for her uncharitable thoughts.

  Estelle had to remind herself that she was bearing witness to a personal family matter that was truly none of her business. However, she also knew she had been drawn into this through no fault of her own because of the events of last night. Just the memory of what had happened to her made her shudder. While in the light of what had happened to Gerald her experience could only be considered relatively trivial, she couldn’t help but wonder if they were contrived in a way to get her in the house as well. After all, those people had chased her. There were more of them than her, and they knew the area whereas she didn’t. In the cold light of day, she didn’t doubt any one of them could have caught her if they had wanted to. Instead, they had panicked her and rushed her toward the village, straight into the path of a man who had been drawn back to the area by a lie.

  “What are you thinking?” Myles murmured. He knew she had been oblivious to his scrutiny. With her attention diverted, he had taken full advantage of the opportunity to watch the varied emotions flicker across her face. What he discovered was quite telling.

  Whatever she is hiding, it is terrifying her he mused.

  Inwardly, his rage was building. He wanted to grab her and shake her until she told him all of her secrets. He wanted to shout at her and demand the truth. Instead, he was forced to remain beside his father and wait until someone left a random clue, or betrayed a hint of guilt. Then, he had no idea what he was going to do.

  “It is nothing,” Estelle murmured after a few moments.

  Myles wondered if she was unwilling to discuss what was bothering her because of the others in the room.

  “Might I have a private word with you?” he asked quietly.

  Estelle jerked when she realised he was talking to her. She looked at everyone and was dismayed at the accusation in their eyes. A protest hovered on her lips but she gave it no voice. Instead, she rose quietly and allowed him to escort her out of the room. This time, there was no comfort in being alone with him. As she stood in the dark oak and brocade room Estelle felt rather afraid, and watched him nervously as he closed the door and turned to face her.

  “Tell me what you were really doing last night,” he demanded quietly.

  Their eyes met. The several feet of distance between them suddenly became smaller and smaller. The world narrowed until there was only the two of the
m. She had no idea why she knew, but Estelle realised that if there was one person in this house she could trust, it was Myles. Dutifully, she recounted her experience in the woods culminating in her careering into Myles carriage.

  “Did you see any faces?” Myles demanded.

  Battling tears, Estelle shook her head. “I have never seen anything more terrifying in my life,” she whispered. “They were all silent. Whenever I walked I made crackling sounds on the twigs. They didn’t. I don’t know what is going on around here, Myles, but I don’t like it. I don’t like it one bit. I just cannot help but think they are connected in some way.”

  “I don’t think it has anything to do with my uncle’s murder,” Myles murmured doubtfully. He wished he could put some heat in his words but he too had a nagging suspicion there was a link of some kind.

  “How can you be sure of everything right now?” she gasped. She wasn’t. The tumultuous emotions coursing through her were downright confusing, especially given how focused they were on Myles and the affect he had on her.

  “I think it would be wise for you not to mention this to anybody else for the time being,” he whispered. There was a hesitance in his voice that made her look at him.

  She froze. “You saw them too?” she whispered. “The figures in the cloaks? Where? What were they doing? They were terrifying, weren’t they?”

  “They didn’t approach me,” Myles replied, aware of the relief he felt at being able to confide in his own experience out on the road last night. “I think they are local because nobody unfamiliar with the area could walk around the Whispering Woods late at night in weather like that. They had to know the area.”

  “But then for you to get those letters,” she whispered.

  “I don’t know if they are related,” he said, reading her mind quite effectively.

  “You do that a lot, you know,” she declared, trying valiantly to rub some warmth into the chilled flesh of her arms, and failed miserably.

  “What?” he murmured, aware of what could only be described as a sensual awareness growing steadily between them.

  “Read my mind,” she replied.

  Myles’ lips quirked because he knew it was true. “I don’t mean to,” he whispered.

  “I don’t mind.” She didn’t. The slight discomfort she felt was because she was aware of the growing connection she had with this man only wasn’t sure what she should do about it.

  “What happens now?” she asked quietly.

  Her question could have been asked about anything. What happens now given that people suspected she was guilty? Or, what happens now with the investigation into finding the person responsible for Gerald’s death? Or, what happens now given the growing awareness between them? Whichever question Myles was considering, she suspected it had nothing to do with the way she was feeling right now. Deep inside, a molten pool of warmth began to expand, bringing with it an inner yearning for more of him. She had no idea what it was all about yet but was compelled to know more.

  Myles sighed and struggled to ignore the urge to step closer. He knew it was foolish, especially given what had happened this morning, but he didn’t seem able to focus his attention on the matter at hand seeing as that matter at hand was not Estelle. This was the first time since last night that he had been alone with her. It was highly inappropriate but, given this was his home and no less than four of his relatives and an entire household of staff were close-by, he was prepared to ignore that.

  “With what?” he asked politely.

  “Your uncle,” she replied.

  Myles sighed. “We need to find out what is in Gerald’s will next. What is important to me is finding out what happened last night.”

  Estelle’s stomach sank. Immediately, the feeling of being closer to him evaporated. In that instant, it was replaced with a solid wall of restraint that seemed almost impenetrable. It put so much distance between them she wasn’t entirely sure she hadn’t imagined the last few decidedly more intimate moments.

  “What about it? You know more about it than me,” she replied firmly. “This is a family matter. It is nothing to do with me.”

  I don’t care how attractive he is. I am not going to get blamed for a crime I didn’t commit just because I am a stranger. I didn’t ask to be stuck here.

  She scowled at him when a thought suddenly occurred to her. “Why did you bring me here rather than take me to a doctor anyway?”

  “It seemed safest at the time,” he replied somewhat dryly. “If I had known then what I know now I would have dropped you off at the doctors. However, when I saw those cloaked figures I decided it was foolish to leave you with the doctor, especially when they followed us.”

  “But the doctor’s house is in the village. Wouldn’t it have been faster for you to drop me off there and then come home alone, in spite of the risks? At least then I wouldn’t be stuck in this house in the middle of a storm with a killer on the loose,” she declared with a huff.

  Myles struggled not to lose his temper. “I know, but I did what I felt was right at the time.”

  “You wanted to get back to your father,” she said quietly.

  Myles looked her square in the eye but didn’t deny it. “I also had a duty to look after you seeing as I was the one who injured you.”

  “Not entirely,” she countered. “I hit my head in the woods, remember?”

  Myles studied her. “I have been meaning to ask if you heard any of their voices?”

  “Yes. Two of them had a whispered conversation just before they realised I was there. I told you. When another one of them arrived, I decided to use the path they used to get out of the woods and go home. They followed me, but they didn’t ask who I was. They just chased me.”

  “Do you have any idea how close you came to being killed?” he chided.

  “It wasn’t on my mind at the time. I was being chased through the woods by several hooded figures. If you didn’t want them to approach you, why would I? You had a curricle. I didn’t,” she retorted flatly.

  Myles winced at that.

  “I thought you needed protecting from them,” he replied, this time without any hint of accusation.

  Estelle felt thoroughly deflated. “I did,” she answered. “It was terrifying. I don’t know who they are, or what they wanted from me, but I hope I never have to go through anything like that again in my life.”

  “That’s what was bothering you, wasn’t it? It had nothing to do with what has been going on in this house,” he murmured.

  Estelle nodded, and gave in to the emotions that pummelled her.

  Myles nodded and felt something deep inside his chest flip at the sight of the tears that shimmered on her lashes. He tried to warn himself that he should keep his distance, for the sake of the investigation into his uncle’s death, if not his own burgeoning attraction toward her. Unfortunately, when her chin wobbled he knew he was sunk.

  “I am sorry,” he murmured soothingly when she sucked in a breath and looked at him with tearful eyes. “I just have no idea what is going on right now. It is a fraught time for all of us.”

  “I know, and I am sorry for your uncle, I truly am. I just hope you will allow me to help you. Given you saved me from those people in the woods last night, I feel I owe you,” she replied.

  “It is I who owes you. I ran you over, don’t forget,” he said firmly. “I should have taken my time, especially going through the village.”

  She smiled at him, but it was a shaky smile at best.

  “Shall we call a truce?” she offered hesitantly.

  Myles smiled softly at her. “We will call it even,” he replied gently.

  Her tears won. They began to dribble relentlessly down her cheeks.

  Myles swept her into his arms and held her.

  Stunned, Estelle could do little more than lean against him and allow the well of fear and worry to overflow. She was so confused right now by the emotions coursing through her she had no idea where to begin to identify them all. Could she
trust them? Could she trust him? She had to, really, because she was at his mercy. Given the dangers that lurked in the house somewhere, she only had Myles to rely on.

  Was she doing the right thing in trusting him though? Should she allow him this close?

  She realised then just how close she was to him. Her cheek was pressed against his now tear stained shirt. His arms were wrapped tightly around her, holding her close as she gave in to her misery. There wasn’t an inch of space between them, but she still couldn’t bring herself to move.

  “I am sorry,” she whispered when she had finished weeping into his shoulder. She looked at the damp material. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

  Myles leaned back to look at her but made no attempt to release her, nor did he apologise for their close proximity. In fact, even though he knew she was aware of it, she didn’t protest. Instead, she looked up at him with such silent pleading in his eyes that he knew he could not deny her.

  He couldn’t deny either of them.

  Without thinking about what he was doing, or the possible repercussions should they get caught, Myles lowered his head.

  His lips when they slid across hers were petal soft. The touch was so brief that for a moment she wasn’t sure she felt it. When they returned, and this time lingered, she felt the gentle teasing of his warm breath sweep over her lips. It elicited a shiver he mistook as fear. When his arms tightened, she stepped closer to him, silently seeking his strength in this, her first ever kiss.

  Her heart thundered heavily. The world dissipated around them until nothing else mattered but him and her, and this deliciously scandalous moment they shared. It was shocking to be this close to another human being but so delightfully intriguing that she didn’t object when his lips returned and settled over hers more fully.

  She wantonly leaned against him and savoured every moment.