Beyond the Duke's Domain: Ducal Encounters Series 4 Book 4

by Wendy Soliman

  ‘Other than in Townsend, his righthand man. I am perfectly sure he knows where all the bodies are buried, figuratively speaking.’ She paused. ‘Or perhaps not so figuratively. Anyway, it would be interesting, if it came to it, to see if he’s willing to speak out in order to save his own skin.’

  ‘A distinct possibility, my love, but this is all speculation. We must wait to see what intelligence Adler can unearth and take things from there. It will give Raphael an opportunity to discuss the matter with Ariana. There is an outside possibility that he will be able to pull rank and talk some sense into her, although she appears to be at least as stubbornly determined as all the females in this family, so I don’t hold out a great deal of hope in that regard. Anyway,’ he continued, standing with Frankie still in his arms and transferring her to her bed. ‘It’s time for you to rest.’

  ‘I am perfectly aware of what you mean by “rest”,’ she replied, her eyes sparkling with sensual anticipation.

  ‘Oh, no!’ Zach wagged a finger at her. ‘I shall be treating you as though you were made of glass until this latest confinement is behind us.’

  ‘Not a chance!’ Frankie reached for his hand and tugged him down beside her. ‘Or what I should say is that being aware of your appetites and how to encourage them, you don’t stand a chance of keeping to that resolve.’

  Zach groaned. ‘Frankie, don’t!’

  She laughed at him and set about proving just how weak-willed Zach actually was.

  Chapter Eight

  Lucy returned home after taking tea, cursing herself for being so outspoken with Mr Sanchez-Gomez. Whatever could she have been thinking? Not that it really mattered, she reasoned. It wasn’t as if she was trying to make any sort of impression upon Ariana’s exotic brother, or that he would have any abiding interest in her unsophisticated self even if she attempted it.

  There was something dark and dangerous about him that caused her to shiver with a combination of awareness and desire. Be that as it may, she thought it very ungentlemanly of him to let her express her views without challenging them when they were so diametrically opposed to his own on the subject of children. He really ought to have said something.

  She had never told anyone how she felt about the prospect of motherhood. She couldn’t recall consciously considering the matter before, much less reaching any definitive conclusions, and still wondered why she had chosen to open up to Mr Sanchez-Gomez on the subject. There was just something about him that invited confidence—which of course had absolutely nothing to do with his rugged good looks, the rich intensity in his velvety brown eyes as he focused them upon her, or the way he listened with rapt attention to whatever she had to say as though she was the most fascinating creature on God’s earth.

  He was a master in the art of making a person feel cherished, and had probably laughed afterwards at the ease with which he’d drawn her in simply for his own amusement. Manipulation was no doubt a prerequisite for anyone engaged in his particular line of work, Lucy decided, huffing indignantly. He probably looked upon her as a spoiled and indulged child who was incapable of holding two sensible thoughts inside her shallow head and who was pouting because her big sister’s priorities had changed. Lucy threw back her shoulders and grunted.

  She would show him!

  What precisely she hoped to demonstrate to a man of his stature―a man of the world who had probably already put their encounter from his mind―she had yet to decide. There was a reserve about him which implied that he only revealed as much of himself to the world as he wanted it to see. Another consequence of his occupation, she imagined. An occupation that had made him cynical and slow to trust. Perhaps that was why he had lingered with her when he need not have done so. He could be sure that at least she was no subversive. Her soft heart quailed as she wondered how long it had been since he had last taken anyone at face value.

  Lucy pushed her inappropriate speculations about Raphael to the back of her mind, aware that they could easily dominate her thoughts if she permitted it. Instead, she ruminated upon Petra’s concern for her daughter’s welfare that morning, wondering why that particular episode had put her off the idea of procreation. Whatever the reason, she should not have put that disinclination into words. It was disloyal, and Lucy felt ashamed of herself. Petra had made Lucy her priority and had gone out of her way to protect her interests when they had been abandoned by their father and left to fend for themselves. Petra had now transferred her caring instincts to her own children, probably determined that they would not want for parental affection in the way that she and Petra had, and Lucy now felt self-centred and mean-spirited to have allowed her resentment to fester.

  The carriage turned into Hayward House before Lucy had the time to wonder about Ariana’s preoccupation. Something that had nothing to do with her brother’s arrival and everything to do with Lord Romsey had distracted her, she sensed. Ariana had been so lost in thought that Charlotte had to call to her several times before Ariana realised she was being addressed.

  ‘Hello.’ Petra smiled at Lucy when she walked into the drawing room. Both of the children were with her. Lucy wondered if they had spent any time at all in the care of their nurse. She chased the uncharitable thought away and dredged up an answering smile. ‘Sorry I didn’t get to join you,’ Petra continued. ‘How is the horse? Are you delighted with her?’

  ‘Him,’ Lucy said, swinging her nephew into her arms when he grabbed at her skirts, using them as a means of pulling himself to his feet and leaving sticky finger marks over her lovely new habit. ‘His name is Fizz and I am already madly in love with him.’ She placed the child back on the floor and he tottered about on unsteady legs, waving pudgy fists in the air. ‘Cal has been very diligent, and I had a perfectly delightful time.’ Lucy sat down in the nearest chair. ‘How’s Cassie?’

  ‘Sleeping at the moment, thank heavens.’

  Lucy made a sympathetic face. ‘Do we have any engagements this evening?’ she asked.

  ‘No. We’re dining quietly at home tonight, the three of us.’ Petra smiled. ‘You will want to get plenty of rest so that you look your best for your birthday dinner tomorrow evening.’

  ‘I still find it hard to believe that a duchess is throwing a party solely for my benefit,’ Lucy said. ‘We have come a long way, you and I.’

  ‘You know as well as I do that the duchess doesn’t have a pretentious bone in her body. Cal is vital to the working of the stud, especially now that Lord Amos has taken a step back. The family approve of his efforts and the duchess has generously included you and me in her circle of friends.’

  ‘True enough.’

  Lucy excused herself and asked Jane to prepare a bath for her.

  She was grateful for the quiet evening and tried to make lively contributions to the dinner table conversation. Even so, Cal and Petra were so wrapped up in one another, endlessly discussing their children, that Lucy suspected they wouldn’t have noticed if she’d left the room and not returned to it. Lucy drifted into a reverie and Cal had to address her twice before she realised that he was referring to their planned ride the following day.

  ‘The weather looks as though it will cooperate,’ he said, smiling at her, ‘so we will not have to worry about our excursion being curtailed by the elements.’

  ‘I shall join you,’ Petra said. ‘I cannot abandon my sister on her special day. Besides, I have neglected Cloud for too long and she will enjoy stretching her legs.’

  Lucy smiled and said she would welcome Petra’s company, privately wondering if one of the children would suffer an ailment that prevented her from following through with her promise.

  But the following morning there were no emergencies—real or imagined—in the nursery, and the three of them enjoyed a leisurely ride through the estate. Fizz behaved impeccably and was dutifully admired by Petra, but Lucy could sense her sister’s preoccupation and knew she was anxious to return to her children.

  As they returned to the stables, Lucy just happened to not
ice that Mr Sanchez-Gomez’s horse was not in his stall, and neither was Falcon, Lord Amos’s stallion. Presumably they were riding out together. There would be no accidental meetings with the brooding Spaniard that day, which Lucy decided was probably just as well.

  Lucy and Petra returned home together immediately after they finished their ride. Lucy intended to spend the afternoon resting, in anticipation of the long evening ahead. She didn’t want to linger and give Mr Sanchez-Gomez the impression that she was hoping for a glimpse of him since she most emphatically was not.

  Lucy sat in the garden with a book that barely held her attention. Instead, she allowed her mind to wander as she enjoyed the sunshine and a respite from Cassie’s constant wailing that could be heard all over the house. She was both surprised and delighted to have her solitary reverie interrupted by a visit from Ariana.

  ‘Is something wrong?’ Lucy asked, looking up and smiling when Ariana embraced her. ‘I am of course delighted to see you, but this is so unexpected.’

  ‘I came to wish you the very happiest of namedays,’ Ariana said, smiling.

  ‘That is very thoughtful of you. Thank you.’ Lucy abandoned her book on the bench and stood up. ‘Shall we stroll?’ she suggested, linking her arm through Ariana’s.

  ‘By all means. It is a lovely day.’

  They followed a meandering path that led to the stream at the bottom of the garden.

  ‘It will be chaotic this evening,’ Ariana said after they had walked in silence for several minutes, ‘so I took this opportunity to slip away and have come to bear you company.’

  ‘That is very kind of you.’ Lucy indicated a bench beneath a rose arbour and they both sat down. ‘But excuse me if I think that is not the only reason for this visit.’

  Ariana flashed a rueful smile. ‘You know me too well.’

  Lucy squeezed her friend’s hand. ‘Don’t imagine that I have not noticed your preoccupation. One assumes that having your brother safely restored to you is a great relief, but there is something preventing you from enjoying his company.’ Lucy paused and took her turn to smile mischievously. ‘Let me see if I can guess. He wants you to return to Spain so that he can marry you off to a man of consequence. But your heart is broken at the thought of being separated from Lord Amos.’

  Ariana shook her head impatiently. ‘I came to you because I thought I could depend upon your good sense.’

  ‘Of course you can. I was being frivolous and I most humbly beg your pardon.’ Lucy arranged her features into a more compassionate expression, resisting the urge to tease Ariana about Lord Amos’s growing dependency upon her. Close as to the two girls were, it was a subject that they had never discussed and now didn’t appear to be the right time to broach it. ‘Your discomposure must have something to do with Lord Romsey, in that case.’

  Ariana closed her eyes and allowed a significant pause before responding. Lucy sensed that she was trying to decide how much to reveal, so she left her to her cogitations. ‘I have never spoken to you, or to anyone who didn’t need to know,’ Ariana said eventually, staring off into the distance, ‘about the man who tried to…well, to sell Martina and me to the highest bidder.’

  ‘Good heavens!’ Lucy gaped at her friend. ‘Why has that subject raised its head now? It must have been a horrendous time for you, but it is surely best left in the past. Unless…Is your brother thirsting for revenge? It wouldn’t surprise me. Men have rules about that sort of thing. He will think that he is to blame for what happened to you. Family honour and his own pride are at stake, so he must want to…’ Lucy blinked up at Ariana. ‘Want to what? Has he not already risked his life quite enough in the service of his country?’ Lucy became quite agitated, surprised at the level of her concern for a man with whom she was barely acquainted. But couldn’t stop thinking about. ‘Can you not talk some sense into him?’

  ‘It isn’t quite that straightforward.’

  In a dull monotone, looking at the ground in front of her the entire time, Ariana gave an account of an ordeal that had Lucy gasping with shocked dismay. An account that, Lucy suspected, had skirted around the full extent of the horrors her friends had endured.

  ‘I had no idea,’ she said softly, throwing her arms around Ariana. ‘You poor things. I can barely imagine how terrified you must have been and admire your ingenuity in escaping.’ She paused. ‘I suppose I can understand your brother’s desire to right that particular wrong. If he doesn’t satisfy his family’s honour it will plague his conscience for the rest of his days.’

  ‘Very likely.’ Ariana nodded slowly. ‘Perhaps now you will better understand why I feel so beholden to Lord Amos and do everything I can to settle a debt that will never, ever be within my power to fully repay.’

  ‘I do. Of course I do.’ Lucy sent her friend a confused look. ‘Why are you telling me this now, when quite understandably you haven’t felt the need to talk of it before?’

  Ariana’s throat worked. ‘Lord Romsey came to inform us that Captain Cutler is still bringing foreign girls into this country. Into this very area, in fact,’ she said starkly, her tone devoid of emotion.

  ‘Dear God!’ Lucy clasped a hand over her mouth. ‘He has to be stopped, of course,’ she added, ‘but one cannot help thinking about the coincidence of the timing. I mean, your brother returns, and a situation that he is probably keen to rectify just happens to arise at the same time.’ Lucy clasped her hands in her lap and fixed Ariana with a thoughtful look. ‘What are the chances and more to the point, what is being done to stop Cutler?’

  Ariana shrugged. ‘As if they would tell me.’

  ‘Ah, now I understand the reason for your disgruntled mood. The gentlemen are being overprotective—annoyingly so, no doubt—and you feel excluded from a fight that is rightfully yours.’

  Ariana’s expression remained distracted as she plucked absently at the fabric of her skirt. A breeze sprang up from nowhere, causing rose petals to scatter across the lawns and tumble down onto their heads. Ariana barely seemed to notice.

  ‘Something of that nature,’ she said eventually. ‘Part of me knows that they are right. It’s dangerous and I’m no match for a man, at least in terms of physical strength. But there are other ways to gain the upper hand. And I have more motive than most to seek revenge.’

  ‘I understand, truly I do,’ Lucy replied, squeezing Ariana’s hand, ‘but I can also understand your brother’s need to protect his family.’

  ‘Which won’t resolve the situation,’ Ariana replied with asperity. ‘Lord Basingstoke is not an agreeable person, but neither is he stupid. He won’t reveal his hand in this business, and Raph will have no reason to confront him. Without irrefutable proof, Basingstoke will claim the moral high ground and make Raph look like he is in the wrong.’ She flapped a hand. ‘But he refuses to see reason, the irresponsible, headstrong, stubborn…’

  Lucy shuddered. ‘I saw him in the village the other day, Lord Basingstoke that is, and the manner in which he looked at me made my skin crawl. Now you tell me that he has you in his sights, but you aren’t willing to sit back and give him an opportunity to spirit you away from the Park. Not that he would ever attempt anything so foolhardy—’

  ‘I’m not so sure.’ Ariana drummed her fingers against her knee. ‘This operation has been going on for a while. We thought we had put an end to it when I escaped and the ringleaders were apprehended, but Basingstoke was too wily to be caught. The few people who knew of his involvement were too scared to reveal it, even if it would have made things easier for them. My point is that Lord Romsey has found out about the continuation of the sorry business—’

  ‘Recently, or has he known for a long time and kept it to himself until your brother arrived?’

  Ariana turned sharply to look at Lucy. ‘What do you mean by that?’

  ‘Lord Romsey never does anything without a reason or an agenda of his own. Perhaps he has your brother in his sights. If Raph has given up working for your country, perhaps Lord Romsey wants to recru
it him to help protect ours.’ Lucy lifted a shoulder. ‘I listen when the gentlemen are talking and understand more than they think.’ She chuckled. ‘It’s easy to be overlooked when you are thought of as little more than an irritating child. Anyway, I have heard them complaining that Lord Romsey is a slave to the government’s service. He has tried to withdraw from it but is always lured back in. So too is Adam Pengelly, Lady Portia’s husband, as well as others connected with the duke.’

  ‘I had not considered matters in that light,’ Ariana admitted, tapping the fingers of one hand thoughtfully against her lips. ‘I don’t know if Raph intends to give up working for Spain. I hope so, but we haven’t discussed our respective futures in any depth yet. But even if you are in the right of it, Raph won’t be deterred from becoming involved with Basingstoke if he thinks he was the man who orchestrated our capture.’

  ‘And you want to stop him.’ Lucy smiled. ‘Presumably, you intend to lure him into a trap of some sort. A trap that you need my help to set, in which case you have but to say the word.’

  ‘Thank you, but I couldn’t ask it of you. I simply needed a sympathetic ear. I have kept these things to myself for so long. Memories had started to fade, but this has brought them all back, and they are weighing me down.’

  ‘You haven’t asked for my help, but I’m offering it just the same.’ Lucy chuckled to lighten the mood. ‘Someone has to keep you safe.’

  Ariana threw her arms around Lucy. ‘You are a good friend, but let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.’

  ‘Well, I don’t mind if it does. I have a thirst for adventure.’ She grinned at Ariana, feeling the shroud of her own discontent lifting. Adventure really was what she craved, she realised now. She had been protected by Petra throughout her adolescence, and the thought of passing meekly from Petra’s care into that of a future husband who would assume he knew what was best for her stifled her spirit. ‘What do you have in mind?’