An Elegant Façade (Hawthorne House Book #2)

by Kristi Ann Hunter

  “Are you ready?” Lady Georgina asked.

  Colin looked about the entry hall. Apparently she was talking to him. “For what?”

  She rolled her eyes. “To go?”

  Trent joined them, a tan coat in place of his dark evening one. “You mean for Colin to come with us?”

  Colin’s surprise exceeded Trent’s. Why on earth would he go? He wasn’t family, had barely even spoken to Lady Jane on two less-than-memorable occasions.

  Georgina glided to the door, a clenched fist on the handle of her valise the only outward sign of her distress. “If you get beat to a pulp rescuing Jane from Lord Howard’s clutches, we’ll need Mr. McCrae to escort us home. It’s not ideal, granted, so do try not to become incapacitated.”

  Colin liked to think he had a decent grasp of how the softer side of the population thought, but he was beginning to think he didn’t understand them at all. If all their minds worked liked Lady Georgina’s, it was a wonder that any man could maintain a sensible conversation with a woman.

  Trent crossed to the door with a shrug. “Care to join us on this little adventure? At least you’ll provide me with some pleasant company.”

  Trent glared at Georgina as they settled into the coach seats. He was probably mad at her for that crack about his getting beaten. Her brother did like to pride himself on his pugilistic skills, and Lord Howard wasn’t known for being very athletic. The fact was Georgina needed Mr. McCrae on this trip. Like it or not, he knew her secret and had thus far shown no intention of revealing it.

  Her heart pounded against her chest once more as the fact that her secret was exposed now insisted on being addressed. She gritted her teeth and shoved her fears away. With Trent in the carriage she couldn’t risk a conversation with Mr. McCrae. Unless he began to share with Trent, she could wait for a more secluded opportunity.

  She hated having to bring him with her, but she needed to keep an eye on him and learn what he planned to do with his newfound information. Besides, with Harriette unfit to travel, Georgina needed him in case she came across another note from Jane or some other missive in need of attention. Relying on the insufferable man for anything made her unsettled, but it was better than bringing someone else into her confidence.

  Instead of pulling straight out of London, the coach crossed the square and headed deeper into Mayfair.

  “Where are we going? This isn’t the North Road.” Georgina jerked away from the window as the coach rolled down St. James’s Street. She couldn’t be seen in this area of town. Her reputation would be ruined.

  “I have to pick something up.” Mr. McCrae watched out the window, perched on the edge of his seat.

  The coach turned onto Pall Mall, and Mr. McCrae jumped out before the vehicle had rolled to a complete stop. Georgina tried to see where they were but couldn’t risk showing her face in the window. The coach was unmarked. They didn’t need anyone wondering why the duke’s family was traveling in an unmarked carriage.

  Before she could slide across the seat to get a better look out the window, Mr. McCrae was climbing back in. The carriage began moving again as he pulled the door closed. His arm was wrapped around a small leather bag. A long strap dangled nearly to the floor.

  “What is that?” Trent and Georgina asked at the same time, the siblings craning their necks to see the bag as Mr. McCrae settled into his seat.

  “Let’s hope I don’t have to tell you.” He slid the bag between his hip and the wall, covering it with his coat as if hoping his companions would forget it was there.

  Little chance of that, but nothing more was said about it as they rolled out of town.

  Trent turned the discussion to sport, which suited Georgina fine. Whatever kept the men occupied suited her. She hadn’t the faintest idea of how to rescue Jane. Though she hated to admit it, she was simply along for the ride, next to useless until they actually located the fool girl.

  “We’re an hour out of London.” Trent pushed the curtain aside to watch the trees fly by. “Let’s start checking inns. At the very least they’ll have to stop somewhere and change horses or take a meal. They may not even push very far, thinking anyone coming after them would race right past.”

  The road to Gretna Green was littered with inns, and the men spent a great deal of debate over which ones to check. Visiting them all would take too long.

  There was also the question of who should go in and inquire after Lord Howard. They couldn’t mention Jane or her reputation would be ruined, whether they found her tonight or not.

  In the end Georgina stayed in the coach with the footman standing guard at the door while both men went in. If it looked like they planned to meet Lord Howard there, their inquiries would garner considerably less suspicion. The ruse took all too much time as far as Georgina was concerned. It was somewhat frightening to sit in the carriage alone.

  After the fourth inn, the men looked grim as they climbed back in the carriage.

  “What if he didn’t come this way?” Trent leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “Jane seemed to think they were going to Gretna Green, but what if they weren’t?”

  Mr. McCrae shrugged. “There are other roads to Scotland. Any town across the border will get the ceremony done.”

  Assuming Lord Howard even intended to take her to Scotland. The men exchanged glances, leaving that last bit unsaid, but Georgina knew what they were thinking. Her shoulders slumped. That was it then. “They could be anywhere, couldn’t they?”

  Trent nodded, suddenly looking tired and defeated. “That’s even assuming they headed north. Howard’s low enough to take her west long enough to ruin her so he can force more money out her father to make the scandal go away.”

  A low thumping noise broke the silence of the coach as Mr. McCrae drummed his fingers against his knee. Such an uncouth habit, but Georgina was thankful that he appeared more in thought than distress.

  His fingers stopped moving, and he pressed closer to the window to look up and down the street. “How close are we to Elstree?”

  Trent looked out the window as well. “About five miles or so. But that’s back toward London. We checked the Flying Pig there, remember?”

  Colin shook his head. “Howard’s maternal grandfather owns a house in Elstree. I can’t believe I forgot about it. I don’t know how often Howard goes there, but it’s enough that the staff wouldn’t question his right to use it.”

  Georgina sighed. Wasn’t that just like a man? “Mr. Fleckmire died years ago. Any house he had has surely changed hands.”

  Mr. McCrae shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips. “No, he’s not dead, just very irritated with all of his daughters’ choice of husbands and his wife’s efforts to spend him into debtor’s prison, so they left the country.”

  Trent was laughing as he stuck his head out the window and instructed the driver to turn back toward Elstree. “Where did they go?” he asked as the coach started rolling again.

  Mr. McCrae gave his smile free rein, and as it spread across his face, Georgina was tempted to smile as well. “Canada. His wife keeps threatening to move to India and claim she’s been widowed. He lets her redecorate the house while he goes off to hunt bear, and that seems to settle things for a while.”

  “How do you know all this?” Georgina hated herself for asking, but she couldn’t contain the curiosity.

  “I trade stocks on the ’Change for him. He’s doing rather well.”

  Was there anyone’s financial situation this man didn’t know about? No wonder all of society kept him close. He could ruin them all. “Where is Canada?”

  He tilted his head in thought. “Think north of America, only colder and more French.”

  “Sounds barbaric.” Georgina shuddered and adjusted her skirts to wrap them tighter around her legs. All the in and out the men had been doing for the past hour left the coach a bit chilly, and just thinking about cold weather made her shiver.

  Trent frowned. “But if he’s in Canada, won’t his house be closed
up?”

  Colin shook his head. “Mr. Fleckmire keeps it open for his grandchildren to use. Says they deserve a place to get away from their fathers.”

  “Sounds like the perfect place for Howard to go.”

  Georgina turned to the window to hide her agitation from the men. If the couple had gone to a private home, it might already be too late for Jane. The lovely but dimwitted Jane had been Georgina’s closest friend in London for years, ever since the other girl had been standing three feet away from two gentlemen coming to blows in Regents Park and missed the entire thing.

  Nothing made Georgina feel safer than an unobservant soul.

  Georgina glanced at Mr. McCrae and found him watching her. He’d been watching her since they’d read the letter. What was he seeing? They were going to have to talk soon, and she hoped she got through it without making a fool of herself. Panic curled her toes, threatening to take over her body. What was he going to do now that he knew her secret?

  He couldn’t do anything if he was busy defending himself. “Tell us, Mr. McCrae, where are you from?”

  His eyebrows lifted as his lips twisted in amusement. He knew what she was doing. “Glasgow. And I think, lass, if we’re going to make a habit of hurtling through the countryside together in the middle of the night, you can call me Colin.”

  She didn’t want to call him Colin. He already knew too much about her. To acknowledge their relationship as being more than circumstantial would put her in a very precarious position. She might actually start to like him. “That would hardly be proper, Mr. McCrae.”

  “Oh, give over, Georgina.” Trent nudged her foot with his boot. “The man’s hied off after your friend without a single protest. The least you can do is offer the use of your name.”

  The odious man’s smirk was almost a grin.

  “Very well. In private company only, you may call me Georgina, and I will call you . . .” She swallowed. Her gaze slid across the carriage to connect with his eyes. They weren’t laughing anymore. “Colin.”

  Their eyes stayed locked together as he nodded. “Georgina.”

  A shiver started somewhere in her middle and worked its way to her fingers and toes, one that had nothing to do with panic and everything to do with . . . Well, she wasn’t sure, but it was rather pleasant. Was he doing it on purpose? Adding the additional brogue to her name? It wasn’t as if he’d never said it before. All he was doing was dropping the Lady from the front. It shouldn’t have sounded so intimate.

  “Good, good.” Trent’s loud joviality broke the spell. “Now that we’re all friends and have a definite destination in mind, what shall we do while we race along hoping highwaymen don’t waylay us?”

  Chapter 19

  Colin had only been to the house once, not long after he came to London. He was fairly certain they’d found the right one, though—unless there were many houses in the area with medieval gargoyles flanking the entrance. It was hard to forget those ugly carved beasts.

  The front drive was closely lined with trees, closing it off from the rest of the house’s grounds. They maneuvered the carriage to the other side of the gate and into a grove of trees. He didn’t know if they were fruit or nut trees, but Colin really didn’t care. They kept the carriage hidden from anyone passing by on the road or the main path to the house. It left them with a significant distance to cover on foot, but they could hardly roll up and announce their presence. They had no idea what kind of situation awaited them.

  Colin jumped to the ground and slung the strap of the small leather satchel over his head so it lay across his chest. He hoped he didn’t need it, but it was better to be prepared.

  Trent was right behind him, holding one of the carriage lanterns aloft. Colin felt no surprise when a third thump indicated Georgina had disembarked as well.

  “What are you doing?” Trent growled.

  Georgina’s eyes narrowed. “I’m coming with you.”

  “You’re staying in the coach.”

  “Do you know how awful it was waiting in that coach while you went into the inns? And that was only five minutes!” Georgina’s voice was growing considerably louder than a whisper.

  “I’ve a better idea,” Colin grumbled. “Let’s stay here and argue until we draw their attention.”

  Trent frowned. “Come along, then.”

  Colin choked on the urge to send both of the siblings back to the carriage. Didn’t they know they were supposed to be sneaking up to the house, not barreling through the underbrush like pigs hunting truffles? He redirected them to the lane, figuring the silence a clear path afforded outweighed the risk of exposure.

  Fortunately, the Hawthorne siblings seemed to find the art of walking lightly by the time they reached the house.

  Georgina held her breath as they approached the building. There wasn’t much sign of life, but at least one room was ablaze with light on the north end of the house. Someone was in residence. They didn’t dare try the front door, and the kitchens were bound to be busy. Only one door was accessible on the darkened south side, but it was locked.

  With a sigh, Colin opened the leather bag at his hip. “Hold that lantern over here, would you?”

  Trent shifted their dim lantern so a little beam of light fell into the bag. Georgina tried to peek, but all she could see was various leather and metal bits. Was that a knife?

  Colin pulled out an iron hoop with several strange-looking keys on it. He then took the lantern and inspected the door.

  Georgina looked over at Trent, who just shrugged.

  The jangle of keys, a few grunts, and then the telltale scrape of the lock.

  Georgina lifted her brows in Colin’s direction. He who always seemed to think himself a little better than everyone else knew how to pick a lock? “You have hidden depths, Mr. McCrae.”

  “I’m beginning to think I’m not the only one.”

  He mimicked her condescending expression as he pushed the door open.

  They were in.

  Colin slid the ring of keys back into the bag and stepped inside. Trent and Georgina followed. It was difficult to tell what kind of room they were in, since all the furniture was covered in sheets. Colin extinguished the lamp and set it outside the door before easing it shut once more. “Let’s see what we can find.”

  They didn’t have to look long. The dining room was across the main hall and there sat Lord Howard and a giggling Jane.

  Georgina wanted to strangle her.

  “Is the pudding to your liking, my dear?” Lord Howard leaned toward Jane and ran a finger down her cheek.

  “It’s delicious.” Jane giggled some more.

  Georgina was never telling that girl a joke again.

  “Why don’t you go on and retire? I’ll see to the house, and we’ll set off again at first light.” Lord Howard helped Jane to her feet and pulled her into a loose embrace. “I cannot wait until I’m married to you, my sweet.”

  Jane wrapped her arms around Lord Howard’s neck and kissed him.

  A burning sensation crawled up Georgina’s throat. She was going to be ill. With eyes squeezed shut, she willed the mental image to fade away. What did Jane possibly see in that man? Perhaps Georgina should have stayed in the carriage.

  “They’ve readied a room for you. Upstairs, to the right.”

  Georgina snapped her eyes back open as Howard’s voice indicated an end to the press of lips.

  Jane nodded and giggled some more before easing herself away, trailing a hand along Lord Howard’s chest. Could she truly be attracted to the man? His appearance was dapper enough, but his mannerisms left a great deal to be desired. Apparently Jane didn’t require as many qualities as Georgina did.

  Such as a lofty title and enough money to silence the masses?

  Georgina nearly groaned. Even when the real man was right next to her she heard him in her head. It was unfair.

  Colin pulled Trent and Georgina deeper into the shadows as the couple stepped from the dining room. Georgina could not be the only
one in their party who wanted to simply snatch the silly girl and run, but caution was necessary if they wanted to avoid Lord Howard. They were, after all, trespassing on his family’s property. And, though foolish, Jane was obviously here of her own free will.

  Lord Howard watched with narrowed eyes as Jane crossed the hall to the stairs. He actually licked his lips before going back into the dining room and closing the door.

  The burning sensation crept to the back of Georgina’s mouth.

  Once the hideous man was out of sight, Colin pulled Georgina after him toward the stairs, Trent bringing up the rear of their little party.

  It didn’t take long to make their way to the room Jane had been sent to. It was the only room with light seeping underneath the door.

  “You go first.” Colin nudged Georgina toward the door.

  Georgina frowned at him. “Why me?”

  Trent groaned. “In case she’s . . . undressing.”

  They had a point. Georgina eased her head into the door and saw Jane turning circles in the middle of the room, fully clothed. Georgina pushed her way in and dragged the men in after her.

  Colin wasn’t sure how he felt about breaking into someone’s home, but the perplexed look on Lady Jane’s face made him glad he’d come. A man’s dressing gown, presumably Lord Howard’s, was thrown over the end of the bed. A scattering of personal effects covered the writing desk. It was obviously not a guest room, and Lady Jane looked completely bewildered.

  “Georgina?” Lady Jane actually smiled as she took Georgina’s hand. “Did you come to see me married?”

  “No,” Georgina said through gritted teeth. “I’ve come to take you home. What is this nonsense?”

  Lady Jane’s eyes softened as she stared hazily off into nothingness. “Lord Howard said true love didn’t wait for things like banns to be read. That is for people with less passion than we have.”