by Archer, Kate
Slowly though, his despair began to recede like a Thames tide. In its place, a hunger for life swept over him like a crashing wave. Along with a determination to live, to have more days in front of him, anger came roaring in. Lady Carradine had betrayed him. Miss Farnsworth had been his undoing. Lord Ashworth had upset his plan. They were all guilty.
Somehow, those who could be made to pay must pay. Nancy Manton may have escaped his net, but there were others who had not.
He must only think of a way.
For now, he would pawn the silver and whatever else of value Nancy Manton had left behind. He’d find lodging in some low and out of the way place.
Then, he would think. The hangman’s noose and the dark and mysterious Thames could wait. He would purchase a supply of laudanum to have on hand. If he were cornered, he would drink it, rather than be taken.
Just now, though, he had no intention of succumbing to defeat.
*
Lily had imagined the lord would set her down on the pavement, but instead he raced down the street with her in his arms. She did not struggle against it. She was not certain her legs would hold her up and she felt encased in a blanket of safety in his arms.
He turned a corner and put her gently back on her feet.
“There is my carriage, let us go quickly,” he said.
Lord Ashworth’s coachman appeared expressionless upon viewing this sight, as if his master were in the usual habit of running down the street with a lady in his arms.
Lord Ashbridge waved the footman off and opened the carriage door himself. He helped Lily inside and said, “Cork Street,” to the coachman. He then had words with the footman, though Lily could not hear what was said.
Once inside the carriage, Lily felt relief wash over her. They were out of danger. The tingling in her arms and legs, as if they had all fallen asleep, receded.
The carriage set off and Lord Ashworth said, “We must plan quickly. On no account can your servants understand the true nature of what has occurred here.”
“Why should they not?” Lily asked, surprised. “Certainly, Mr. Shine will be prosecuted and all will know of his villainy and what we have suffered at his hands.”
“Miss Farnsworth,” Lord Ashbridge said sternly, “if anybody were to know that you were locked in a room with a gentleman, you would be ruined. Tell your aunt what has happened, I will trust her to keep the secret and she must understand she is never to go near this house again. For the purpose of servant’s gossip, you will say Lady Marchelan took you to a late-night rout and then home to account for the missing time. Use Carlton House, the routs go on until dawn. You will say Mr. Shine was mistaken about a country party.”
The enormity of what had happened to her seemed to crash upon Lily all at once. Of course, she would be ruined if the truth were known. A young lady just out was known to be gambling late into the night, her family member gone home, and then circumstances lead to her being alone with a lord and nobody could say what occurred? Whatever Mr. Shine’s crimes, a female could never overcome such talk.
“I do not know what tomorrow will bring,” Lord Ashworth said, “or whether Mr. Shine and Lady Carradine work together, I must see how that unfolds. I will make it my business to dissuade people from going there if she dares to remain open. Beyond that, I cannot determine what should be done, except nobody is to know you were ever alone with me. Mr. Shine and Lady Carradine must be dealt with, but they must be dealt with discreetly.”
The lord noticed her hands shaking in her lap. He covered them with his own and stilled them.
“You must act the part,” he said urgently. “The footman who opens Mrs. Hemming’s door to you will not pay the least attention to my coat of arms on the carriage door if you distract him properly. My own footman has been directed to open the door for you as soon as we have stopped and place himself in front of the arms. I will stay back in the shadows. Leap out of the carriage and be gay, as if you have had too much champagne. Say something of Lady Marchelan being so kind to take you to a party. It will cement the talk in the servant’s hall—they will only think you inconsiderate for keeping your own carriage out late without cause. Then, see your aunt in the morning.”
Lily was not certain if her heart beat so rapidly because of the part she knew she must play, or that the lord had so far not removed his hands from her own.
*
Lily found herself still shaken as the sun came through her windows. She had played her part on arriving to her aunt’s house. She thought she’d played it well, as she was certain there had been a look of irritation on the footman’s face. He would think her careless and spoiled, and that was perfectly fine.
She had been enormously grateful that it had not been Ranier who had been standing by to let her in. The butler knew her too well and might see through her playacting. He was also far more observant than the footmen and might have noticed Lord Ashworth’s coat of arms, however quickly it had been hidden.
She did not think for a moment that Ranier, if he had known the truth, would ever expose her secret. But it was just as well there was no secret for him to keep.
The house had been nearly dark with only a few candles lit and one handed to her to make her way above stairs. Her aunt had long since retired, having full faith in Lady Carradine as a chaperone.
It was only upon closing the door to her bedchamber behind her that Lily felt she was truly safe. That was, until a hundred crowding thoughts came upon her.
Where had Lady Carradine been? Why had she not stopped Mr. Shine from sending her carriage away with a story about a lady who did not exist? Had she known of the marked cards? Had she known that Mr. Shine had taken them prisoner?
Now that Lily had time to think, she thought it must be so. Lady Carradine had been charged to put her in her carriage. It was too unlikely that the lady had simply forgotten about her and gone to bed. Further, when they had made their escape, it seemed as if there were not any servants left in the house. Surely, it had been Lady Carradine who had sent them away.
To think, a lady who had been so trusted by her aunt had engaged in such a scheme!
She must tell her aunt all of it, and she feared the shock would be great.
As she willed the tremors to leave her hands, Lily’s thoughts turned to Lord Ashworth. She would be still locked in that attic if it were not for him. No, she would most likely be dead, they both would, if it had not been for his quick actions.
Lily blushed as she thought of all the unjust thoughts she’d had about the man—that he was condescending and could not tolerate being bested by a female. All that rancor over cards—it had all been so petty! She’d bristled over his comment of trickery, though in her heart she knew her peculiar skill was some kind of trickery. At least, it would seem so to others.
When her life had hung in the balance, he’d acted bravely and swiftly. She might be better at cards, but he had been able to decisively plan an escape. He’d got her away, and then he’d told her exactly what she needed to do to protect herself.
While he might have been honor-bound to rescue her, he’d no responsibility to save her reputation. Considering how curt she had often been with him, and considering how she’d got them both into that dangerous circumstance to begin with, she had to admit that she had misjudged him. She’d thought him an arrogant and conceited man, and perhaps he was a bit of both of those things—what eldest son of a duke could escape it after being petted and fawned over all one’s life? Yet, he was also of strong character and resolute courage.
It felt both strange and right to revise her opinion of him.
And then, she could not help but think of his strong arms, into which she had landed more than once. The arms that had carried her to safety. The finger that had laid upon her lips to quiet her when Mr. Shine came out of doors to dismiss her carriage. The hands that had laid themselves upon hers in the carriage. The intensity of his eyes as he urged her to act her part.
Pips interrupted her thoughts, unce
remoniously charging through the door without a knock, but with a look of murder on her features. She would be tired from her late-night excursion to collect her at Lady Carradine’s club. Her murderous expression softened somewhat when she noted that Lily had dressed herself and would not require assistance. Pips turned and left in a huff and Lily thought she could expect many more huffs from the lady’s maid before her visit came to an end.
Now, though, it was time to go down and see her aunt.
Chapter Eleven
Hayes sat in the breakfast room, once more alarming his servants by taking only coffee. His thoughts were too full of the events of the previous evening to attend to the plate in front of him.
Having seen Miss Farnsworth into her house, Hayes had allowed himself to relax, at least for a moment. Somehow, he had gotten them both out.
He’d have to decide what to do—Mr. Shine must be dispensed with, perhaps Lady Carradine too, though at the same time Miss Farnsworth’s reputation must be protected.
How brave the lady had been! It had been no easy feat to escape their captor and he’d feared she would lose her nerve, but she had not. She had only hesitated a moment at that first drop, and not once did she cry out. He could think of a dozen ladies who nearly swooned over a bee buzzing their bonnets. Miss Farnsworth had faced a high likelihood of death with nary a whimper. He knew she’d been terrified, but she’d gone forward anyway. Was that not a mark of a good soldier? To cast aside very real fears and carry on?
He pushed away the image of her stockinged legs poised above him, the thought being ungentlemanly. The only man who should see Miss Farnsworth’s legs was her husband. Still, it was a picture that did keep drifting back. That, along with the feel of her soft little hands and how light she’d been to carry. Her worried expression and her wonderful hair, disheveled from their adventure. She had always been rather marvelous in appearance and the intensity of their adventure had only made her more so.
As pleasant as it was to consider Miss Farnsworth’s charms, he forced himself to put his mind to the situation at hand. There was much he did not know, but as Mr. Shine had been bold enough to wave a pistol at him and lock him up in an attic, he must be careful. Before he’d retired the night before, he’d ordered Cobb to hire men to guard both his house and Mrs. Hemming’s house. He’d taken the further step to set a watch on Lady Carradine’s house. He wished to know who came and went, and he wished to know if the gambling establishment would dare open its doors again. He also needed to know more about Lady Carradine and if she were in league with Mr. Shine. He suspected she must be, as she had conveniently absented herself from the previous night’s activities.
He would wait for a report from the men watching Lady Carradine’s establishment. At some point, he would see Dalton and put out the word that the club was now to be avoided. But before that, he would visit Mrs. Hemming’s house and speak to the lady. It had always seemed to him that she was a particular friend of Lady Carradine and she might be able to shed light on the lady’s relationship to Mr. Shine. He doubted now that they were cousins, but he was undecided on the exact nature of the connection. If he were mistaken in his guesses at her involvement, might she somehow be under his power?
If she were under his power, it would account for her failing to escort Miss Farnsworth to her carriage. If she were under his power, might not she need rescue herself?
There was much to be discovered, principally—would Mr. Shine take flight, or somehow attempt to stand his ground?
The idea that he would soon see Miss Farnsworth again poked at him like a sharp pin and presented various images, some to do with her legs. He dismissed them all.
Of course, he had softened toward the lady. It was only natural after going through such an ordeal. It was only natural after seeing her act so bravely. But it was no more than that.
*
Lily had taken her aunt into the drawing room and waited for Ranier to close the door behind him. She’d taken her aunt’s hands in her own and related all of the events of the previous evening.
To say Mrs. Hemming was shocked was an understatement. She’d paled to an alarming degree.
“Dear Lily,” she said, “it is my fault. I should never have left you there. What was I thinking? But then, it all seemed so reasonable in the moment. I would have trusted Lady Carradine with my life and so why not my niece? My God, what would I have said to my brother if something had happened to you? It is too awful to think about!”
“But I am well,” Lily said. “So, there is no need to tell anybody anything. It is best that way, Aunt. I would be ruined if people knew that I had been alone with Lord Ashworth behind a locked door.”
“Oh, yes,” Mrs. Hemming said. “Quite ruined. I presume he was a gentleman, under the circumstance?”
“Most circumspect,” Lily answered, thinking she need not go into how often she’d found herself in the lord’s arms.
“Of course he would be. I know you do not like him, he can have that way about him that the high and mighty often do. For all that, though, he’s always struck me as every inch a gentleman.”
Lily hardly knew how to explain that her feelings had undergone no little transformation. As her aunt did not look for a response, she gave none.
“But what can have happened to Lady Carradine?” Mrs. Hemming asked. “I cannot understand it at all. I have known the lady these past five years, Lady Edith and I were some of her first members to the club. She is a friend, I cannot conceive that she would do anything to harm you.”
“That, I cannot say—”
Before Lily could expound on her ideas regarding Lady Carradine, Ranier entered with a letter on a silver tray. He brought it to Mrs. Hemming. “Just arrived for you, madam. The messenger who delivered it claimed it to be of some importance.”
Mrs. Hemming took the letter with a shaking hand. Ranier appeared rather perplexed by it but said not a word and left them alone.
“It is her,” Mrs. Hemming said softly. “I recognize the handwriting.”
“Lady Carradine?” Lily asked, surprised.
Mrs. Hemming nodded, all the while staring at the note in her hand. “I suppose she writes to apologize, or to explain. Oh, I cannot imagine what she writes.”
“Do open it, Aunt,” Lily said. “It is the only sure way to know what she writes.”
Mrs. Hemming slowly unfolded the paper and Lily peered over her shoulder to read it.
My dear Amelia,
You will have received this after I am gone. I am sorry I did not put Miss Farnsworth in her carriage, but she was in the company of Lord Ashworth and I remain confident he did the duty. In any case, I have full faith in Pips managing the thing quite well. I could not stay to see to it personally as I have been forced to flee the city.
You will know that Mr. Shine is not my cousin. I cannot go into the details of how it was that he should push his way into my establishment, only that he did. Mr. Shine is a cheat, my dear, and I send you this missive as a caution. Do not bet your money there, as you will likely lose it, he will be discovered eventually, and a shade will fall on all of the members. Please tell your friends.
As for me, I cannot be a part of such a vile operation as Mr. Shine intends it and so must go and make my way elsewhere. Know that I have always considered you a friend and will think of you often, regardless of where the wind takes me.
Judith Carradine.
Mrs. Hemming had just laid down the note when Ranier once more entered.
“I am sorry to disturb, madam,” he said. “Lord Ashworth is at the door and quite insistent on seeing you.”
“Goodness,” Mrs. Hemming said, her voice faltering, “I suppose you’d best show him in.”
Ranier nodded, though Lily suspected he was beginning to wonder at the activities of this particular morning. First, she and her aunt closeted themselves in the drawing room, then Mrs. Hemming was visibly struck by a letter he hands her, then a lord arrived at an unseemly hour.
It was onl
y a moment before Lord Ashworth strode through the door. Ranier, never giving over to any strange circumstance, had gathered himself into his usual visage of understated competence. He was prepared to shower down upon the lord all manner of tea things, but Lord Ashworth claimed to want nothing.
Ranier’s true feelings on the matter briefly made an appearance. Lily could guess he was deeply disappointed that he was not to show to good effect the skill and readiness in which he kept the kitchens of his household. He shut the door behind him with a decidedly firm hand.
Lily felt a wave of embarrassment upon seeing the lord so soon after their adventure. Perhaps the embarrassment sprung from how often she had found herself in very close proximity to him the evening before, or perhaps it was to do with her altered opinion of him. She could not say, but she clasped her hands together to stop them from fidgeting.
After the lord had suitably greeted Mrs. Hemming, he turned to greet Lily. She had the notion that he was less than comfortable to see her too.
“I have much to tell you both,” he said, sitting down next to Mrs. Hemming.
“And we, you,” Lily said, handing him the letter from Lady Carradine.
Lord Ashworth scanned it and laid it back down. “This answers some questions, at least,” he said. “I had wondered if Lady Carradine might be under Mr. Shine’s power and needed rescue, but it seems she’s rescued herself.”
“I still cannot understand how she involved herself with that person,” Mrs. Hemming said.
“I rather think he involved himself with her,” Lord Ashworth said, “though I haven’t the slightest idea how he did it. Last night, I set a watch on Lady Carradine’s house—too late to catch Mr. Shine in his departure. This morning, I discovered from my man that the house is closed up. The day servants arrived to find the doors locked and a note that said it would be shut for the foreseeable future. They have all been summarily dismissed. Now we know Lady Carradine has flown the coop. I think it’s safe to say that Mr. Shine has too. I hope we will not see either again.”
