Worry flashed in his eyes, and he watched as Honoria pulled her cloak around her throat and ambled toward the inn without waiting for an escort. “I will procure a few furs and we shall ask for heated stones whenever we stop for food. Will that be sufficient?”
The genuine concern he showed surprised Diana. “I think that will be very helpful. Thank you.”
* * * *
True to his word, the rest of the journey, though fast, was warmer. Alex had purchased four thick furs and managed to get two warm stones every time they stopped for food.
They turned down the lane to Buckrose Castle and Honoria sighed. “I shall miss all this pampering, but it will be good to get out of this blasted carriage.”
“I’m sure you will manage to be well cared for within the castle.” Diana watched out the window as a group of boys in school clothes laughed and played on the snow-covered field to the left. “What manner of castle is this?”
Honoria gazed in the children’s direction. “I believe part of the castle is in use as a school of some kind.”
The carriage didn’t stop, though the children paused their play to wave, and all four Horsemen waved back. Honoria waved as well and giggled.
“This is not what I expected,” Diana said under her breath.
The traveling party of five men on horseback and the carriage rounded the right side of the castle, where they approached a smaller entrance and a full line of servants waiting to greet them. The footmen were in black livery and looking very smart alongside the maids, housekeeper and butler. Ten servants in all lined the steps.
Alex handed them down as a man with gray around his temples and a slight paunch dashed over. “My lord, you are earlier than expected. I hope all is well.”
“Hello, Bates. We rode fast despite the weather. Better to be home should anything ill befall us. This is Miss MacLeod and Lady Honoria Chervil. They will be our guests for a few weeks, and have the run of the castle and grounds.”
“A pleasure to meet you both. Mrs. Bates is the housekeeper. She will show you your rooms and see to anything you need.” Bates bowed low.
Mrs. Bates was thin with a kind face and a hint of graying hair poking out from under her cap. She rushed over. “I’m just sure you both need a rest.” Her thick Yorkshire accent was light and comforting, like a favorite aunt who you only saw once a year. “I have everything made up and have arranged baths and maids for you both. I was told you wouldn’t be traveling with your own.”
Alex asked Bates, “How have things been here? Any trouble?”
“Nothing out of the ordinary, sir. I have guards posted as you requested, and no one has seen anything unusual.”
“Follow me, ladies.” Mrs. Bates smiled as they passed her husband.
Diana wanted to hear what the men were talking about, but the lure of a hot bath was too tempting. “Do you think we might find a crust of bread or something, Mrs. Bates? It has been since morning that we ate.”
When she spun around, Mrs. Bates’s eyes were wide and her mouth open. “Good gracious. That won’t do. As soon as I have you both settled, I’ll go and see Cook. You must be half starved. Those men. They should have been more considerate.”
It took a great deal of effort not to laugh. “I think they smelled home today and were anxious to get here.”
Fury waning, she pursed her lips. “I suppose I can understand that, but it’s no excuse for starving the two of you.”
It wouldn’t be surprising to find out Alexander Lynds was in trouble with his housekeeper and would hear about this. Diana giggled. “You are very kind.”
She cocked her head. “Maybe you have not had enough kindness, miss.”
The comment brought tears to Diana’s eyes, and she dashed them away.
Honoria smiled and put her arm through the crook in Diana’s elbow as they walked up the stairs. “That much is certain, Mrs. Bates. Our girl could use a dash of indulgence, and I can tell she is in the right place to be well spoiled.”
A wide smile broke out on Mrs. Bates’s warm face. “We will do our best to care for you just as we care for our Horsemen.”
“Just who are these ‘horsemen’?” Diana asked.
They stopped at a door. Mrs. Bates opened it and showed them in. “You’ll have to ask them that, miss. It’s not my place to say, but I think if you ask, they’ll tell you. It’s not much of a secret.”
Had she never asked? Diana supposed she’d been so caught up in whether she was a prisoner or under protection, she’d never considered just asking them who they were and why they were helping her. “I will ask them. Thank you, Mrs. Bates.”
With a nod, Mrs. Bates said, “You have water for washing and that tub will be filled in a few minutes. Cecilia will be your lady’s maid. She’ll be here to introduce herself in just a few minutes. The footmen will bring your trunk up right away. I’ll see to a meal and Lady Chervil will be just one door down. If you need anything at all, ask any of the staff and we will be happy to help.”
“Thank you.” Diana sat on the end of the soft down bed as soon as she was alone and looked out the window over the snow-covered gardens. Perhaps this place wouldn’t be too terrible.
There was a knock. Maids didn’t usually knock so firmly, but this was a different kind of place.
Diana wished she could have a few more moments to herself. “Come in.”
“It’s a lovely view,” Jacques said from the threshold.
She jumped up from the bed, her heart pounding in her throat. “You… I… I wasn’t expecting to see you.”
He stepped inside but left the door open. “Pres and I found out that Victor Caron was headed this way, so we took the quickest path to get here. We arrived yesterday.”
“Did you see him?” There was no sense in panicking. She was not in control of her life and hadn’t been since becoming a French prisoner.
“No. No one here has seen Farmer or Caron. You will be safe here, Diana.” He stepped closer. “Why didn’t you expect to see me?”
She pulled her chin up. “Why would I? You have your own life.”
“That is where you are wrong.”
“Excuse me.” A girl of perhaps eighteen stood in the doorway. Her dark blond hair was falling out of her cap and her cheeks were bright red like she’d been running. “Should I come back, miss?”
“No. Cecilia, is it? No. Come in. Mr. Laurent was just leaving.” Diana both wanted and didn’t want to know what he meant by his comment. He was too close, and it was too soon. She’d not gotten her heart under control yet. Though, until she’d seen him standing in the doorway, she’d thought she had.
“I’ll see you at dinner, Miss MacLeod.” He bowed and left with the hint of a grin on those beautiful lips.
* * * *
Dinner with only two women and so many men was something new. She wore a blue dress with a modest collar and skipped meeting with everyone in the parlor beforehand. These men were not her friends, with the exception of Jacques and perhaps the Duke of Middleton. The rest wanted information, at the very least.
When she arrived in the dining room, everyone was already seated. She curtsied and took the empty chair between Sebastian Turril and Oliver Graham. The two Horsemen who had met them halfway to Buckrose.
Sebastian was the kind of man women swooned over. Lean and tall, with fair skin, dark eyes and a smile that muddled one’s mind. His dark hair was pulled back in a queue, and he bowed as he held her chair. “Good evening, Miss MacLeod. I trust you have everything you need.”
Avoiding meeting his gaze, she nodded. “Yes. The staff has been very accommodating. Thank you.”
Oliver smiled, and despite the fact that he looked as if he could break a person in half with his huge arms and broad back, the effect was charming. “If there is anything we can do to make your stay more comfortable, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Thank you. You are most kind.”
Across the table, Honoria tapped her fork on her plate. She studied the delicate flowers around the edge of the fine china and the polish on the crystal. “What manner of place is this? Who were all those children we saw playing as we drove up?”
Like all the men, Alex had dressed in a suit for dinner. He was no less formidable than he had been in traveling clothes. “Most of Buckrose Castle is a school run by Mrs. Jessica Fallcraft.”
Intrigued, Diana said, “A school. Are you four teachers of some sort?”
Michael laughed. “Hardly. They can only teach you to roughhouse and defy authority.”
The soup was served, and Honoria sipped, then regarded Michael a long while. “Did you attend this school, Your Grace?”
“I went to Eton, my lady. However, Middleton’s father attended here, as did Laurent’s.”
She turned to Jacques. “Your father was schooled here in Yorkshire?”
Somehow Jacques’s smile sent a warm balm over Diana’s world. She could see his face for ten thousand days and never tire of it. He looked at her as if he could read her thoughts before answering Honoria. “My father and Preston’s met here. It is why the Horsemen saved me when I was scheduled for the guillotine.”
Oliver interrupted. His deep voice and sharp blue eyes left no room for debate. “I hope you both paid your respects to Mrs. Fallcraft.”
Swallowing a spoonful of soup, Preston grinned. “Before we even settled into our rooms, Oliver. Never fear, we know what is important here at Buckrose.”
Sebastian leaned in to speak to Diana. “Mrs. Fallcraft is a remarkable lady. If you can find the time, you will enjoy meeting her. Everyone who meets her falls just a little bit in love with her, as well as learns a healthy fear of a dressing down.”
“Goodness, I’m sure Lady Chervil and I will make it a point to get to know her. If she has all of you on your toes, she must be something.” Diana left half of the bland soup in the fine china bowl and avoided Jacques’s gaze.
The rest of the meal was well cooked and adequate, but nothing tasted good to Diana. She decided it must be her, since Honoria raved about each course.
Pudding was placed on the table. Oliver turned in his chair to face Diana. “Tell us about yourself, Miss MacLeod.”
Even though she expected questions, her heart sank when the kindly pretense was over. “What would you like to know, Mr. Graham?”
“Start at the beginning.” He frowned.
She sighed. “The beginning of my life or just from where French spies carried us off? You’ll have to be more specific. I’m nearly six and twenty. Are you interested in all those years or just these last three?”
Sebastian laughed. “She has a point, Oli. You should just ask what you want to know.”
“All right. Are you working or have you ever worked for the French government or any organization that might harm England or the crown?”
“Well, that was direct,” Nathaniel said.
“Is this necessary?” Eyes filled with anger, Jacques stared the Horsemen down.
Alex said, “If she wants our help, it is.”
Preferring the direct question, Diana held up her hand to stop Jacques from mounting a defense. “It’s all right. I’ll answer.” She took a breath. “My family was captured and tortured. If you want to know about when my mother’s fingers were chopped off, I will be happy to give you a detailed account. No. I have never worked for the French or anyone else besides the Everton Domestic Society. My father was forced to assist, but gave them next to nothing when he could have built their rocket with ease. He protected this country, which is more than England did for him.”
She had to steady her breathing. Thinking of Mother’s pain and Father’s resignation and sorrow broke her heart and infuriated her. She searched for some sign that the men doubted her, but everyone stared back with either surprise or sympathy. Jacques looked ready to leap across the table. “My parents were killed trying to protect me.”
With a nod, Sebastian lowered his gaze and studied some point on the table. He looked at Diana. “How were you able to escape?”
“I bribed a guard who fancied me.” Shame washed through her. But through her embarrassment, she knew she would do it again. “I could not let my parents die in vain only to have those pigs force me to finish Father’s work. I would have killed to escape at that point. What I did seems a small price compared to what Mother and Father gave.” A tear ran down her cheek, but she refused to wipe it away.
Honoria wept openly.
Alex handed Honoria his handkerchief. “I know this is difficult, Miss MacLeod. Please don’t think we are unsympathetic, but there are things our government must know. What part of the better rocket did your father give them?”
“He told them they would need a larger rocket with more thrust in order to reach farther destinations. They asked about accuracy and he researched the problem. He spent hours writing notes regarding his work. None of those notes were correct.”
“For two years he continued that farce?” Oliver’s voice boomed in the quiet dining room.
When she’d read her father’s journals, she’d been shocked and relieved at the cleverness in each page. “He kept them thinking he was working toward their goal. When Victor Caron realized he had been misleading them, things took an ugly turn.”
Alex stood and paced the length of the table. “I don’t understand what they gained by killing your father. Forgive me, but your mother would have made sense. How could they profit by killing the man they captured for his skills?”
She had to close her eyes at the notion that her mother was expendable. It was impossible to feel nothing. Mother had been a beacon of light in a world gone mad, and those animals had slit her throat as if she were a sheep. “It was an accident, I think. A guard stabbed Father to protect himself. Of course, Caron was furious and had the guard killed. He is only a moment away from insanity. He became obsessed with me during our captivity, deciding I was the key to making my father work for their cause.”
The four Buckrose Horsemen looked at each other for a few seconds. Some silent communication passed between them before Alex nodded. “We believe you, Miss MacLeod. When the danger has passed, the king will not require your imprisonment.”
Diana wasn’t certain what to say. “You have that kind of power?”
Smiling, he shrugged. “The Horsemen serve the king and the king trusts our judgment.”
“Will I be forced to complete my father’s work for England?” Certain she was missing some key piece of information, she refused to be caught unawares later. It was best to find out immediately what England had in store for her, and adjust her life accordingly.
Alex crossed his arms over his chest. “His majesty’s loyal subjects are not forced into labor. You will be free to do as you please.”
It was impossible. Nothing she expected from her government had come to pass. Was all of this Jacques’s doing? He certainly had powerful friends willing to help him and extend that assistance to her. Perhaps she had become so jaded she couldn’t see the good in people anymore. Diana stifled the long sigh building up inside her.
“What is to be done about Victor Caron? It is clear he had plans to journey here. It means our enemies know of this place.” Michael pursed his lips and stared at Alex.
“The castle is impenetrable.” Oliver stood and held Diana’s chair.
Sebastian offered his arm. “Shall we all go to the parlor?”
Rounding the table, Jacques offered his own arm. Expression fierce, he bowed to Sebastian, who immediately stepped back.
Jacques stared at where her hand lay on his arm before addressing Oliver. “No place is without flaws. If someone is willing to take enough risk, he can get in and get what he wants. Besides the fortress, what have you done to protect these ladies?”
The familiar knot tightened around Diana’s heart. She would never be safe, and her ordeal would never end. “There is one thing I have not mentioned before, as no one asked.”
Halfway across the hall, they all stopped, an awkward spot with nine people all clustered in the passage.
“What is it, Miss MacLeod? Do you have more information about rockets?” Alex’s question rang with accusation.
“Not rockets really. When Victor became certain that I was his ticket to success, he toted me around the fortress like a rag doll. I saw a plan to burn Porto to the ground. Something about the English army coming through and the city being expendable. Besides his obsession, that may be why Victor hunts me so doggedly.”
Oliver said, “Porto still stands, but the war has been very hard on Portugal and Spain. There has been talk for several years about sending troops. The debate continues.”
“If you like, I can draw you a map of their attack routes in the morning. I have a good memory.” All those memories weighed Diana down.
“That would be helpful.” Uncertainty underlined Alex’s agreement.
All Diana could do was be honest and try to help. Whether they believed her or not was out of her control. “I think I have had enough to eat. It has been a long journey. If you don’t mind, I will retire for the night.”
Honoria took her arm. She looked full of fire. “I agree. I’ve had enough as well.”
With seven pairs of male eyes watching her, Diana had never experienced such an awkward walk up a staircase.
Instead of going to her own room, Honoria followed Diana into hers. “They say they believe you, but these men have too many secrets. I’m not saying they’ve lied, but I think tomorrow we will go and meet this Mrs. Fallcraft and see if their characters can be discerned.”
A Lady's Past Page 16
