Brushed by Scandal

by Gail Whitiker

  ‘Anna, are you all right?’ Julia enquired softly.

  Anna looked up, aware that her worries must have been reflected on her face. ‘Fine. It’s just that Edward and I are not on the best of terms these days.’

  ‘No, I thought not. Never mind, I’m told it often happens between siblings,’ Julia said, making an attempt at lightheartedness. ‘But I am surprised Lord Hayle and Mr Rand are not on better terms. I would have thought they’d be good company for one another, being so close in age.’

  ‘I believe that was my father’s hope as well, but it is not to be,’ Anna admitted with a sigh. ‘They are two very different men and they do not see eye to eye on anything.’

  ‘How unfortunate,’ Julia murmured. ‘Your brother has been so kind to me. He’s called several times this week to see how I was faring and to ask if there was anything I needed. When I enquired as to how your father went on, he said it was unlikely he would call, given the nature of the investigation surrounding my necklace. I didn’t know what he meant by that.’ Julia chewed thoughtfully on her lower lip. ‘Or what he meant when he said he was following up on some leads of his own.’

  ‘I don’t know either,’ Anna said, hoping she sounded convincing. So, Edward was paying regular calls on Julia and dropping hints as to his father’s involvement in the theft. What a dutiful son, she thought cynically.

  She had to talk to Barrington. If Julia was to hear from Edward that their father had taken the necklace—

  ‘Ah, Jones, there you are,’ Julia said as a maid came in with the tea tray. ‘I was just about to ring.’

  ‘Beg pardon for the delay, ma’am,’ the girl said. ‘Cook wasn’t able to find the right jam.’ She put the tray down hard and one of the sandwiches fell to the floor. ‘Oh, I’m ever so sorry.’

  ‘That’s all right,’ Julia said as the girl bent to retrieve it. ‘That will be all.’

  The girl’s cheeks went as bright as cherries, and hastily stuffing the fallen sandwich into her apron pocket, she bobbed a curtsy and left.

  ‘My apologies, Anna,’ Julia said. ‘The girl is new and sadly in need of training.’

  ‘What happened to your other maid?’

  ‘Unfortunately, Miss Smith left to attend to her sick mother. At least, that’s what she told me, though I wonder if there might not be a man involved,’ Julia confided. ‘I noticed a definite change in her over the last little while, both in manner and in appearance. She lost weight and didn’t seem as competent at her job. When I asked her if she was all right, she assured me she was, but given that I wasn’t about to pry into her personal life, I left it at that. But I was sorry to lose her. It’s not easy finding good staff.’

  No, it wasn’t, Anna reflected, but neither was finding a good position. Were Miss Smith’s reasons for leaving as simple as Julia made them out to be? Anna hadn’t forgotten the sight of her brother and the maid locked in a passionate embrace. Had Miss Smith been caught in the arms of another guest and the discovery forced Julia’s hand? If the maid had allowed Edward to kiss her, who was to say that she hadn’t allowed other men to do the same—or worse?

  Still, Anna knew it was none of her concern. Servants no more appreciated their affairs being discussed by their betters, than those above stairs liked thinking their problems were being discussed by those below. As such, she wasn’t at all sorry when the conversation veered back to the upcoming masquerade and to the elaborate costume Julia was planning to wear. They spent the next half-hour happily discussing hairstyles, with neither Edward nor the missing necklace being mentioned again.

  * * *

  It wasn’t often that Barrington found himself in a quandary. His nature was such that when he was given a task, he set about resolving it as efficiently as possible. That was the manner in which he had approached the Marquess of Yew’s request that he find his wife’s latest lover, and the manner in which he had expected to solve the case of the baroness’s missing necklace.

  But when faced with the daughter of the prime suspect insisting that he return the necklace before the identity of the thief could be confirmed, Barrington realised that resolution was going to be neither quick nor easy.

  That was his dilemma as he stood beside her at the Billinghams’ soirée two nights later and the reason for his preoccupation. Because by doing what Anna asked, he risked compromising the entire investigation. There were always a series of steps that needed to be followed. Questions that had to be asked. Leads that had to be investigated. Following the steps in order helped ensure that he didn’t miss a vital piece of information.

  Doing what Anna suggested threatened to throw everything off. It was like closing the barn door after the horse had bolted. Granted, he was relieved to have the necklace back in one piece, but it wasn’t just a simple matter of handing it back to the baroness now and calling the case closed. He had to find out what had prompted the theft in the first place. He’d meant what he’d said when he’d told Anna that if the thief found out his first attempt to discredit the earl had failed, he might well try again.

  But how could he not try to accommodate her when doing so would make her so happy—

  ‘Barrington?’

  Her voice, gently insistent, recalled him to the moment. Guiltily, he looked down to find her watching him. ‘Forgive me, Anna, I was following a train of thought.’ They had slipped into the comfortable habit of calling each other by their first names when they were alone and Barrington was glad of it. Somehow, it lessened the distance between them. Now, as he gazed down at her, he tried not to notice how glorious she looked in the beautiful cream-coloured gown, the soft swell of her breasts rising provocatively above the edging of fine lace. ‘You were saying something about your brother?’

  ‘I was saying that I’m afraid he’s going to expose my father in front of Julia,’ Anna whispered. ‘Why else would he have said what he did?’

  ‘I don’t know.’ Barrington tried focusing his attention on her face, but that didn’t work either. Her smile captivated him, her mouth entranced him. And her lips…her lips were an invitation to seduction—

  ‘Barrington, are you even listening to me?’ she accused. ‘Yes, of course.’ He dragged his mind back with considerable effort. ‘What makes you think your brother would turn on your father in such a way?’

  ‘I’m not saying he would. But you said yourself, there’s been tension between them of late and that’s why I need you to return the necklace to Julia as soon as possible. If she has it in her hands, she won’t believe that my father had anything to do with its theft, no matter what kind of rumours she hears.’

  ‘Why would she believe your father guilty of having taken the necklace if she didn’t have it in her hands?’ Barrington asked logically. ‘Has she any reason to doubt your father’s integrity?’

  ‘No, but Edward can be very persuasive when he wants to be. If he wished to put my father in a bad light with Julia, he is entirely capable of doing so. And I didn’t like the way he was looking at her. It was far too…familiar. And Julia admitted that he had been to see her several times since the theft of the necklace.’

  Barrington let his gaze travel around the room, his thoughts occupied with what she had just said. So, the son was paying court to the woman his father was in love with and making no attempt to hide it. It wasn’t a pleasant situation for anyone and it had the potential to cause considerable harm. ‘Anna, I understand your concern—’

  ‘No, I don’t think you do. You don’t know my brother the way I do. You don’t how vindictive he can be.’

  Having born witness to Hayle’s temper during the fencing match, Barrington was strongly tempted to disagree, but, equally aware that voicing an opinion would only stir up another hornet’s nest, he said, ‘Very well. If it means that much to you, I will return the necklace to the baroness tomorrow.’

  ‘You will?’

  ‘Yes, but you are to tell no one that I’ve done so, and I shall counsel the baroness to do the same. The integrity of the in
vestigation must be maintained—as much as it is now possible to do so.’

  Anna glanced down at the floor, but when she raised her head and smiled at him, Barrington caught his breath. He had been the recipient of a thousand smiles, but none had ever affected him to the degree hers did. ‘Thank you, Barrington. I am now and for ever in your debt.’

  And you are now and for ever in my heart.

  The sentiment came unbidden, and Barrington stood motionless, the realisation having caught him totally unawares. He was in love with her. He had no idea when it had happened. All he knew was that he wanted to pull her into his arms and whisper a thousand secret longings in her ear. To take her to his bed and make love to her until they were both weak and trembling. To obliterate every thought from her mind that didn’t involve him.

  But he couldn’t do any of those things because nothing had really changed. Anna was still who she was and he was still who he was. Their situations hadn’t altered. Only the way he thought of her.

  ‘Parker! A word in private, if you don’t mind.’

  The crisp, imperious voice had Barrington turning around in surprise. ‘Good evening, Colonel.’ Curious. Tanner never spoke to him when other people were around. He wondered what could have prompted the change. ‘I was just finishing speaking to Lady Annabelle.’ He turned back and bowed over her hand. ‘Would you excuse me?’

  ‘Of course. But we will speak again soon?’

  He saw the glimmer of hope in her eyes and felt it echoed within his heart, though for entirely different reasons. ‘You may be sure of it.’

  She departed in a whisper of silk, the sweet scent of gardenias lingering in the air. Barrington didn’t follow her progress across the room because he knew better than to display an interest in her here, where all the world could see. But he felt her absence keenly. ‘You wished to speak to me, Colonel?’

  ‘Damn right I wished to speak to you. I want to know if you’ve found Elizabeth!’

  ‘I have, but I fear you will not be happy with what I am about to tell you.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘Because it turns out that Miss Paisley has come under someone else’s protection.’

  ‘The devil you say!’ The Colonel’s bushy white eyebrows drew together. ‘You mean…she’s left me?’

  ‘I’m afraid so,’ Barrington replied gently.

  ‘But why? I gave her everything she asked for: gowns, trinkets, pretty ribbons for her hair.’

  ‘Can you think of any other reason she might have left?’

  The Colonel’s cheeks coloured. ‘I never asked her to do anything disrespectful, if that’s what you’re suggesting. Wouldn’t consider such a thing.’

  Barrington studied the face of the man before him and felt a genuine stab of pity. Tanner obviously had feelings of affection for Miss Paisley, but if she didn’t care about him in return…

  ‘I have no answers as to why she left, Colonel,’ he said quietly. ‘I can only tell you that she did.’

  ‘Who is he?’

  ‘I’d rather not say.’

  ‘Why not? That’s why I engaged you, isn’t it?’ Tanner said gruffly.

  ‘No, you engaged me to find out where Miss Paisley was and if she was safe. That’s what I’ve done. There’s really no value in my telling you anything more than that.’ Besides, he would no doubt find out soon enough on his own, Barrington reflected. The movement of mistresses between society gentlemen was not a closely guarded secret.

  The Colonel knew it, too. He gazed across the room, disappointment evident on his face. ‘So you don’t think she will come back?’

  ‘I have no reason to believe she will, no.’

  The older man nodded. ‘Right. Well then, I suppose that’s an end to it. At least I know she’s all right.’ He cleared his throat, rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet. ‘Appreciate you taking it on, Parker.’

  ‘I’m sorry the news wasn’t better, Colonel.’

  Tanner nodded, but walked away before Barrington had a chance to say anything more. It was clear that Miss Paisley’s defection had hurt him and Barrington was again moved to wonder what had prompted her to leave. The Colonel had taken her off the streets and given her a place to live, paid for the clothes on her back and made sure there was food on her table—yet she had still walked away.

  Why? What prompted a woman like that to leave a man who had been so good to her? The arrival of a wealthier lover? One with a loftier title? Surely that could be of no consequence to a woman like Elizabeth Paisley. She was a lady’s maid turned prostitute, not a blushing débutante looking for a husband. And while Hayle was certainly the younger man, Barrington doubted he would have given her more in the way of jewels or clothes than the Colonel. It was quite possible he’d given her less, believing that mistresses were twenty to the dozen. Tanner, being older and wiser, knew more about life and love…

  Love. Oh, dear God, surely that wasn’t what had lured Elizabeth Paisley away? The misplaced belief that Hayle might offer her more than just a bed? That he had genuine feelings for her?

  As unlikely as it seemed, Barrington knew it wasn’t an impossibility. If Miss Paisley had any degree of education, she would know more of the world than the hardened doxies who made their livings on the streets and might well believe that such things happened. According to Tanner, she had come from a decent family, only to fall on hard times when her parents had died. She had tried making a living as a lady’s maid, but had fallen victim, as so many women did, to the wandering hands of the master and, without the references necessary to obtain another post, had ended up on the streets.

  Yes, it was entirely possible that Eliza’s move had been prompted by unattainable dreams, Barrington reflected sadly. He’d rather think it was that than something more disturbing. Something that bordered on the devious. Something that was in all ways far less admirable.

  * * *

  Anna stood by the edge of the dance floor and listened to the lilting strains of a waltz. The dance was far less scandalous than when it had first made its appearance in the ballrooms of society, but it was still one of the few that could raise eyebrows. Gentlemen sometimes moved a little too close and, if a mother’s watchful eye was turned, a hand might draw a slender waist nearer or hold a lady’s hand tighter than was acceptable.

  Anna had spent a good deal of time watching the actions of couples on the floor. While it was not advisable for single girls to dance the waltz, there were always those who did and who had required Anna’s services not long after. Tonight, however, her thoughts were not on the dancers, but on the situation with her father and her brother, and even more so with the uncomfortable predicament in which she found herself with Barrington.

  She knew that by asking him to give the necklace back to Julia, she was asking him to do something that went against his principles, but she was so afraid for her father’s reputation that it was more than she could do to withdraw the request. But what damage had it done to her relationship with Barrington? It felt as though they had not been easy with one another for an age. And though she knew they would not have a future together, why, oh, why couldn’t she just put him from her mind altogether? This constant thinking about him was wearing her down. Why couldn’t she just accept that he was beyond her reach and move on?

  Because you want to be the one, whispered the voice inside her head. The woman he turns to in the darkness of the night. The one who smoothes the lines of worry from his brow, and who makes him forget everything but the sweetness of the moment…

  ‘Anna, where have you been?’ Lydia said, coming up to her. ‘I’ve been looking for you all evening!’

  ‘Why?’ Anna said, lingering in dreams. ‘Is something wrong?’

  ‘I’ve just heard the most dreadful thing.’ Lydia glanced around, lowered her voice. ‘About your father.’

  The dreams vanished, destroyed in the rush of returning reality. ‘Tell me!’

  ‘Not here.’ Taking her arm, Lydia led Anna to a far corner of
the room. When she was sure they were beyond anyone’s hearing, she said, ‘There’s a rumour going around that—’ she broke off, blushing furiously. ‘Oh dear, this isn’t at all easy.’

  ‘Please, Lydia. I must know!’

  ‘Yes, of course you must. It’s just that…I can’t believe he would do something like this.’

  ‘He?’

  ‘Mr Rand.’

  ‘Peregrine?’ Anna frowned in confusion. ‘I thought you said you’d heard something about my father?’

  ‘I have.’ Lydia took a deep breath and said, ‘Apparently, someone overheard Mr Rand say that…he’d found the baroness’s necklace amongst your father’s things.’

  ‘What?’ Anna didn’t realise how loud she’d spoken until she saw heads begin to turn in their direction. Quickly forcing a smile, she waited for them to look away again before leaning in closer to Lydia. ‘There must be some mistake. Peregrine thinks the world of my father. He would never do something like this.’

  ‘That’s what I thought, too, but I’m just repeating what I heard. And there’s more,’ Lydia said unhappily. ‘Rumour has it that your brother’s debts have been paid off and people are wondering where the money came from.’

  Anna’s first thought was that they had not acted quickly enough. Her second was to wonder how to stem the damage before matters got any worse. ‘Who started the rumour?’

  ‘No one seems to know. But it isn’t a secret that your father and brother were having trouble meeting their debts. So when word leaked out that the baroness’s necklace had been stolen and that she and your father were…well, involved, it was suggested that your father might have seen an easy way out of his financial difficulties. Then when Mr Rand said he’d found the necklace in your father’s things, followed by word of your brother’s debts being cleared, it only added fuel to the fire.’ She broke off, sick at heart. ‘I’m so sorry, Anna, but I thought you should know.’

  Anna muttered something unrepeatable, apologised to Lydia, then quickly left the room. She was seldom moved to profanity, but what else could she say when matters kept going so terribly wrong? Peregrine had been discovered in an illicit affair with Lady Yew. Everyone seemed to know that her father and brother were mired in debt. And now rumours were flying that her father was a thief and that a member of his own family had given him up.