‘No!’ Rhys acted shocked as Esther seemed to be relishing her story.
‘Oh, yes, though really they should’ve asked the king for permission first, like.’
‘The king?’ Rhys was getting confused.
‘Not personally, you know, but it was something to do with a Court of … Orphans?’ Esther frowned, as if she was repeating something she’d heard but didn’t understand.
‘Ah, you mean the Court of Wards?’ Rhys knew what that was. An official body that was supposed to look after the interests of rich orphaned heiresses, although from what he’d been told, its officials could be bribed to turn a blind eye.
‘Yes, that’s the one. The uncle should’ve asked them, but I think they’d expect payment and he weren’t willing, so he tried to push her into the marriage by other means. She escaped one dark night and rode her horse all the way here, then waited outside the castle till morning and asked to speak to Lord Worcester. He was impressed by her courage and said he’d protect her until a better match could be found for her.’
‘That’s quite a story!’ Rhys didn’t have to pretend, he really was amazed. Not many fourteen-year-old girls would take matters into their own hands like that. He could see why the marquis might have been sympathetic. All women were supposed to have the choice to say no to a repugnant marriage, even if many were ‘persuaded’ by parents and guardians. Or perhaps his lordship had seen a potential match for someone in his own family? But no, Rhys didn’t believe that as the old man he’d met with had seemed supremely honourable.
‘Isn’t it just?’ Esther seemed pleased to have been able to relay all this gossip to one who’d never heard it before.
‘But what if the uncle comes here to claim her? Isn’t he her legal guardian? Or is that the Court of Wards?’
Esther shrugged. ‘I’ve no idea, but I doubt he’d want to go against his lordship. Would you? And him not even a knight. No, he’s kept his distance, probably enjoying the profits from Mistress Dauncey’s lands for as long as he can, the knave.’
‘Well, thank you for telling me, that was an interesting tale. Now what about everyone else? What should I know about the other inhabitants of Raglan?’ Rhys didn’t really want to know, but couldn’t be seen to be too interested in only one particular woman.
Esther proceeded to regale him with more gossip than he’d ever wanted to hear in his life, but as he’d had the information he needed, he pretended to listen with the odd exclamation and smile. He might need the maid’s help again so it was best to keep in her good graces.
While she prattled on, his mind turned over the information about Arabella. So Huw Howell was her uncle by marriage. Interesting. The man who was running the estate Arabella had visited last night – Merrick Court. Howell was a nasty piece of work by all accounts. Rhys had never met the man himself, but he’d heard of him.
‘That’s one Roundhead you want to keep away from,’ someone had told him. ‘Shoots Royalists on sight without asking their business if they come to his estate, or so I’ve heard. A friend of mine barely escaped with his life while his fellow officer was killed.’
This would tally with Esther’s description, apart from the fact that the estate apparently wasn’t Huw Howell’s, but Arabella’s. What if it was all a Roundhead plot and she was in cahoots with the uncle? Although Arabella had been at the castle for years, perhaps she was a spy sent here by Howell to infiltrate the marquis’s household. With her beauty and those big, guileless eyes she looked appealing enough that anyone could be fooled by her supposed innocence and she would hear plenty of interesting snippets which she could pass on. Was her loveliness only skin-deep? Did she and her uncle pose a danger to everyone in Raglan Castle?
He wished he knew.
He had to admit he’d been taken in by her himself, if indeed she was acting a part. At first, it hadn’t even occurred to him that she may be dissembling, but now he was on his guard. He’d be watching her to see if she really was what she seemed – a young woman who’d been wronged.
Angry with himself for falling under her spell so easily, he determined to keep an eye on her as much as his duties permitted.
Merrick Court, 24th May 2016
Josh wandered round the house, making notes and drawing himself rough room plans. He needed them just to find his way, if nothing else, as Merrick Court was like some sort of giant puzzle. Had any planning gone into this at all? He was beginning to doubt it.
Sure, each part of the house had a layout that made sense in isolation, but it was as though the family had just kept tacking on new bits whenever they felt like it and none of it gelled properly. He had to admit it was quirky though. And charming.
Damn, he was really starting to like it.
‘Oh, at last! Tess said you were around somewhere but I couldn’t find you.’ Mrs Edmonton – Rosie – came striding towards him down a corridor on the second floor.
Josh braced himself. What did the woman want now? Bryn’s remarks had only confirmed Josh’s instinctive dislike of her, although he couldn’t quite explain why he felt so strongly about it. Normally he was very laid-back and loved meeting new people, accepting them as they were. Rosie, however, set his teeth on edge. ‘I’ve been up here for a while now,’ he said. ‘It’s easy to get lost.’
‘Oh, one gets used to it.’ She briefly eyed his board shorts and old T-shirt with a wrinkled nose, but seemed to force herself to concentrate on his face instead, schooling her expression into a polite mask.
One? Who did she think she was, the Queen? But Josh didn’t say that out loud. ‘So why were you looking for me?’
‘I thought maybe we could do lunch?’
Do lunch? Was that, like, having sex and eating at the same time? Josh almost snorted out loud, then got his unruly thoughts under control. He wouldn’t ‘do’ this woman for anything, even though she wasn’t bad looking. ‘Er, thanks, but I was about to head out into the garden. I promised Bryn I’d help him out for a while.’
Rosie frowned. ‘I’m sure he can cope well enough with his job on his own. That’s what he’s paid for, after all.’
‘Well, he’s getting on a bit, you know?’
‘I suppose, but then he’ll be retiring soon, I expect.’
Her easy dismissal of Bryn riled Josh. ‘Not unless he wants to,’ he said firmly. ‘I’ll make sure anyone who buys this house keeps him on for as long as he likes. With assistance. For now, he and I need to make the garden more presentable since your family have let it go to rack and ruin. It might make it more appealing to anyone coming to view the house. Most people don’t want a jungle outside their front door.’ That was a bit harsh, but the garden was in a bad state, she surely couldn’t dispute that.
Rosie glared at him. ‘My brother had better things to spend money on. Houses like this practically eat cash – there’s always something that needs repairing. And it’s not cheap. With listed buildings you have to follow special regulations and use only proper materials and so on.’
‘I’ll keep that in mind if I ever want anything fixed. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going outside.’ Josh headed for the nearest staircase, which he hoped would take him down to the hall, or at least somewhere in the house he recognised.
Rosie called after him. ‘Why don’t you come back for tea and we can discuss the sale of the house a bit more? I really think you ought to consider your duty to the family.’
Jeez, she was a bulldog, this one. Josh turned just before setting his foot on the top step. ‘So far I haven’t been made to feel part of the family, so I don’t think I owe you anything. You want to buy this place – make me an offer I can’t refuse.’
Chapter Twelve
Merrick Court, 24th May 2016
Tess had spent the rest of the day in her workshop and hadn’t seen Josh again. She assumed he’d finished his notes and was now busy ringing estate agents. Why that thought upset her, she didn’t know. It wasn’t as though she’d expected him to stay on so what did it matter who owned
the house? But somehow it did, because it would have been important to Giles.
Rosie had gone out in a huff, muttering something about stubborn Aussies, so Tess was surprised to hear the front door bell again. Had Josh lost his key already? But when she opened the door she found a man standing outside looking up at the façade of the house. She reckoned he was mid-forties or so and some sort of businessman as he was dressed in a very sharp suit with matching silk tie. Ginger hair, cropped very close to his head, glinted in the sunlight. The look suited him, the way it did the actor Bruce Willis in an action hero kind of way. There wasn’t an ounce of fat on him, as far as Tess could see, so he obviously kept himself fit as well.
‘It really is a lovely old place you’ve got here, isn’t it?’ he commented, then held out his hand. ‘Marcus Steele, friend of your late husband’s. We met when I came here to stay for a weekend.’ He smiled and just like the movie star he resembled, this man had dimples that made his smile appealing.
Tess couldn’t recall having seen him before, but didn’t want to be impolite. She shook his hand briefly. ‘Oh, right.’ Whenever Giles brought friends she’d stayed out of the way, especially if they didn’t bring wives or girlfriends. They invariably came for long weekends of poker, which wasn’t her thing at all.
‘I’m really sorry to disturb you, but I’ve come about a business dealing I had with Giles. Do you have a moment? I’ve written to you several times but you haven’t been in touch.’
‘Er, I suppose so.’ Tess didn’t really want to let the man in. Something about him made her wary, although she couldn’t say why. He seemed harmless enough, suave and charming, so there was no reason for her to take against him. And he’d been a friend of Giles’s. ‘This way, please.’
She didn’t remember reading any letters from anyone called Steele, but until recently she’d only been opening envelopes with red on the outside. Everything else had seemed like too much of an effort and probably junk mail. Maybe she should have checked? Damn that medication. She’d let everything slip.
She led him through the hall and down the steps into the kitchen. ‘Tea? Coffee?’ she asked, even though she’d rather he just stated his business and left.
‘A coffee would be great, thank you.’
He took a seat at the big table and waited while she prepared two mugs. She saw him looking around, as if he was trying to put a value on everything in the room. Was he a high-class burglar, casing the joint or whatever it was called? A shiver of apprehension ran through her, but then she shook her head at herself – she really was letting her imagination run riot at the moment. He was probably just admiring the grandeur, like everyone else did the first time they came here.
She noticed he also gave her the once-over and wished she’d been wearing more than a T-shirt and shorts. His gaze lingered far too long on her bare legs for comfort.
‘Here you go.’ She put the mug in front of him and sat down, hiding her legs under the table. ‘Now, what was it you wanted to discuss, Mr Steele?’
‘Marcus, please.’
‘Right. Marcus.’ Tess didn’t know why, but she definitely didn’t want to be on first name terms with this man, but again it felt churlish to refuse.
‘Well, Lady Merrick …’ The way he emphasised her name made it sound like he was waiting for her to tell him to use her first name, but she pretended not to notice. ‘I’m afraid to tell you that you owe me a lot of money. Or rather, your late husband did, but as he’s no longer with us, his debts have become yours. I’ve waited a while out of consideration for your … emotions. It can’t have been easy for you, losing him so young. But I’m sorry to say I really can’t wait any longer. As I said, I’ve already written several times but rather than call in the debt-collectors, I thought I’d come and discuss it in person.’
‘Debts?’ Tess’s heart sank. What had Giles done? But she could guess, even before Marcus confirmed it.
‘Gambling. I own a casino in Bristol – The Black Rose – and Giles was a frequent customer there in the months leading up to his, uhm, demise. I extended him credit, in return for IOU’s, as a favour, because I’d known him for quite a while, but his luck didn’t seem to be in.’ He shrugged and spread his hands. ‘I’m sorry, but I have no option but to claim it back from you. It should have been paid months ago, actually.’
Tess was reeling from the disclosure that she apparently owed this man money, but mostly from the fact that Giles hadn’t told her the truth. He’d promised he wasn’t gambling and had never mentioned The Black Rose. As he’d said, what was there to gamble with? Nothing. But instead he’d signed IOU’s? The stupid, lying bastard …
Her thoughts drifted back to the first time she’d seen Giles. They’d met in a casino, where she was working as a croupier to help pay for her art college tuition fees, but she’d thought then that he was only there with friends. It wasn’t until much later she learned that he was an inveterate gambler, playing anything from roulette, to black jack, poker or whatever. Gambling fever, that’s what they called it, and he’d been unable to stop. Until he had to, or so she’d thought.
More fool her. She should have known he’d never quit.
She considered how to reply, but then remembered that she wasn’t in a position to pay anything at the moment. And perhaps the money owed would come out of the whole of Giles’s estate, not just her portion? She’d have to check with Mr Harrison. Josh wouldn’t be pleased if that was the case. ‘I’m afraid I can’t help you right now, Marcus,’ she said, trying not to show how shaken she was. ‘You will have to contact my late husband’s lawyers.’
‘What, you haven’t had probate yet? But it’s been months!’ Marcus looked shocked, then added jokingly, ‘I’d sack your solicitor if I was you.’
She shook her head. ‘No, no, we have, but I haven’t inherited all this.’ She waved her hand to indicate the house. ‘In fact, I’ll be moving out soon. The house is entailed in the male line so there’s a new owner.’
‘Entailed? Never heard of that.’
‘It means only the men of the family can inherit in a direct line from father to son, not widows, daughters or sisters and their children. So you may have to lodge your claim on the estate.’
He frowned. ‘I don’t have time to mess around with lawyers. I was given to understand that Giles had assets other than this house and it can’t all be entailed, so you’ll have your share.’
Tess shook her head. ‘A few bits and pieces, but nothing much of value.’
‘There must be something – jewellery or such like? I’m sure your husband bought you a diamond necklace or two. You can give me that on account for now and I promise to be patient for a while longer until you can come up with the rest.’
Tess stood up and glared at him. ‘If you must know, Giles sold all my jewellery so he’d have money to gamble with. You’ve probably already had the proceeds if it was your establishment where he was hanging out. Now, please, take the matter up with the estate’s solicitors.’
She’d expected him to stand up as well, but he stayed where he was, looking up at her through slightly narrowed lids as if he was considering whether to believe her or not. ‘Well,’ he finally said, and got to his feet, pushing the chair in slowly. ‘I can see this has come as a bit of a shock to you, and I’m sorry about that, but I would much rather we sorted it out between us, just you and me, without involving the law. I’ll contact you again when you’ve had time to think it over a bit. There has to be another way.’
Tess felt the blood drain from her face. Another way? She didn’t want to even think about what that might mean. She took a deep breath. ‘Just out of interest, how much are we talking about?’
‘Five hundred thousand pounds, give or take a penny or two.’
Shock reverberated through her. ‘I don’t believe you.’
He walked round the table and stopped in front of her, a little too close for comfort. The look he gave her was sympathetic. ‘I’m afraid huge sums are won and lost every
night at The Black Rose. Giles was well aware of that and it was his choice to carry on playing. I’ll send you copies of the IOU’s. I’m sure you’re familiar with his handwriting.’ He stuck out his hand. ‘Lovely to meet you again, Lady Merrick, even though it’s under such sad circumstances. I really am sorry for your loss.’
She took his hand reluctantly and felt his large fingers enclose her delicate ones. Bracing herself for them to be crushed, she was surprised at the gentleness of his grip, almost as though he wanted to caress her hand, which was somehow worse. She snatched it away and was just about to answer him when a cheery voice from the back door forestalled her.
‘Hey, Tess, where do you want these?’ Josh had come in without knocking, carrying a small basket of eggs. ‘Oh, sorry, didn’t know you had visitors.’
Tess breathed a secret sigh of relief. Thank goodness for Josh. Marcus had backed off and was now staring at Josh instead, no doubt taking in the muscles on display as the man was shirtless yet again. This time Tess was glad of it.
‘Marcus was just leaving,’ she said. ‘Perhaps you wouldn’t mind going out the back way? We don’t use the front much.’
The man hesitated for a fraction of a second, then nodded. ‘I’ll be in touch.’
As soon as he’d gone, Tess’s legs gave way and she sank down onto the chair and buried her face in her hands. ‘Jesus!’ she exclaimed.
‘What did he do? Did he hurt you?’ Josh came over to crouch in front of her and looked up at her with an expression that was part worry, part anger. ‘Do you want me to go after him? Make sure he doesn’t come again?’
‘No, thanks, it’s okay. He was perfectly pleasant. I’ll get the lawyers to sort him out.’
Josh took the chair Marcus had vacated. ‘Want to tell me what that was all about? I know, it’s none of my business, but he looked like a smarmy bastard.’
‘Oh? I thought it was just my imagination. He was very polite and …’ Tess drew in a deep breath, still quaking inwardly after the unpleasant revelations of Giles’s debt. ‘He owns a casino in Bristol. Said that my late husband owed him five hundred thousand pounds. And he wants me to pay him back.’
The Velvet Cloak of Moonlight Page 11
