by Ella Edon
Well, he had touched Jane but not in the same way, and Alexander wasn’t about to say that to Lee, who glanced at his hands with barely a change in expression.
“I know the Earl has been trying to get you to leave his home, and now he’s got no choice but to allow you to stay. You and Lady Jane are now suspects in this attack.”
“What?” Alexander snorted. “You can’t seriously think we could do anything about this?”
“I know you wouldn’t lay a hand on a woman like that…”
“Says the gentleman who thought I might have attacked her due to a false allegation.”
Lee held up a hand.
“If you let me finish. While I believe you, I have to treat you as a suspect. And you need to stay at the house.”
At least Alexander didn’t need to shock anyone into allowing him to stay. He had a legitimate reason to stay on the premises.
“That’s going to make Lord Crawley’s day.”
“He’s not in charge here. I am. I’m ordering you to stay.” Lee fixed him with a long, hard stare. “And I’m also ordering you to stay away from Lady Jane. Whatever you two have been up to, I don’t want you to cause any further trouble. You will get Lady Jane into trouble.”
Alexander smarted. Unfortunately, that was true.
“I have a lot of respect for Lady Jane, Lee. I wouldn’t hurt her like that.”
Lee grunted. “You keep being around her and you will hurt her. Now get out of here. I’ll deal with you later.”
Alexander wasn’t about to argue with that. He would happily get out of there.
Chapter Twenty-One
Jane could hardly believe it. Rachel had been behaving strangely over the last two days. What had she been doing out there in the first place? As far as Jane was aware, Rachel had kept to her room all day. She didn’t want to see anyone.
Had she seen Jane leaving and gone after her to talk to her? Had she seen Jane with Alexander? Jane hoped not. That was something she wanted to keep to herself. If Rachel had witnessed it, she would have ended up going back to the house and telling Lord Crawley what she had seen. Maybe that was what had happened. Maybe she had been on her way back and came across someone who proceeded to beat her into unconsciousness.
Had she encountered the killer? Jane didn’t know what to think anymore.
Rachel came back to the house about half an hour after Jane had raised the alarm. She looked awful, even worse than earlier. Jane felt nauseous seeing her like that. Even with their arguments, Rachel was her friend. She shouldn’t have been hurt like this.
Rachel was taken up to her room, and Jane followed them in the hopes of helping out and looking after her friend, but then one of the footman stopped her, directing her towards her mother’s bedchamber. He said Lady Crawley wanted to see her. Jane wasn’t sure what to think about that, but she wasn’t about to disobey her mother.
She felt a little sore as she walked through the hallways to her mother’s room, but Jane couldn’t help but smile. She had never been told about anything regarding sex or anything regarding creating a child. Alexander had shown her a lot. It had startled her how much more there was than simply procreation.
And how enjoyable it was.
Jane knew she might not get another chance, seeing as they were practically under the noses of her parents, but she hoped to get Alexander alone to find out more. She had always considered herself an eager student. Hopefully, Alexander would be willing to teach her more.
Jane reached her mother’s door and did her best to take the smile away. The last thing she wanted was to go into her mother’s bedchamber beaming after her friend had been attacked. Lady Crawley would think she had gone mad.
Schooling herself into what she could only describe as blank shock, Jane knocked on the door. She entered when bid, seeing Lady Crawley sitting by her fire, which was roaring away, and a blanket over her lap. Jane stared. It was very warm outside, so there would be no need for a fire. And yet it was blazing, and the room felt like the time Jane had experienced a steam room a few months before in Bath.
“Mother? Are you well? It’s hot in here.”
“I can hardly feel it.” Lady Crawley gestured at the hearth. “I asked the maids to light this for me. It just felt so cold.”
This had been happening a lot lately. Lady Crawley had been a woman who could withstand anything. She had a strong constitution. But in recent months, it seemed to be getting the better of her, and she was hiding away in her room more and more. Jane was worried about her mother. She seemed to be getting frailer by the day. She was not the woman she once knew.
Until she opened her mouth and that sharp tone came out. She hadn’t lost her spirit, even if her body was failing her.
“I had no idea,” Jane said as she crossed the room.
Lady Crawley waved away her concerns. “It’s not something you need to be concerned about. I’ll get through this. I always do.”
Jane hoped so. She sat in the chair across from the older woman.
“You wanted to see me, Mother.”
“I did.” Lady Crawley tugged the blanket further up her lap. “How is Miss Preston?”
“She’s been taken to her room. She’s still unconscious.” Jane swallowed. “I don’t know how bad it is right now.”
“I see.”
Lady Crawley made a noise that sounded like a slight sob. Jane sat forward.
“Mother?”
“I’m all right.” Her mother brought out a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes. “I just wanted my little girl with me for a while.”
“Of course.”
Jane could hardly deny her mother that. Lady Crawley did keep her youngest child close at all times, but today Jane wasn’t about to argue. The old lady was unwell and clearly in some distress. Even with her behavior over the last few days driving Jane to frustration, she couldn’t deny something as simple as keeping her company.
They sat in silence for a while, both staring into the fire. Jane could feel the sweat trickling down her back and between her breasts. It was far too hot in here. She needed to leave as soon as she could and get into a bath. Sitting on the chair was uncomfortable and Jane had to stop herself from shifting around in case her mother saw what she was up to. At least if people saw her hot and sweaty right now, they would believe it was from her mother’s boiling hot room and not from making love by the river.
Making love. Jane could feel her skin tingling at the thought of doing it again. She needed to wipe it from her mind right now while she was with her mother.
“This whole thing has become a complete mess,” Lady Crawley declared sadly. “We were living a good life with no one to bother us. Until that gentleman came along. Ever since then, we’ve had three dead bodies of dearly loved friends and another girl attacked.”
It took a moment for Jane to realize who she was talking about. Immediately, she felt her hackles rise, but Jane had to tamper them down and remain calm.
“If you’re insinuating that Mr. Harrison had anything to do with this, then he didn’t. They were killed before he came here.”
“Do you know where he was at the time of the murders? He could have been in the area. Your father said that Mr. Harrison told him so earlier today.”
Jane knew Alexander had. He did love to goad people.
“And Father should have realized that Mr. Harrison was goading him because Father was being disrespectful towards him. He wasn’t in Surrey. He was in Derbyshire visiting his cousins. I’m sure that can be confirmed if you wrote to Lord Derby and asked, seeing as Ian Harrison is his mother-in-law’s new husband.”
Lady Crawley stared at her in bewilderment. Then her eyes narrowed. “How do you know that?”
“He told me.”
“And you really believed him?”
“Of course, I did. Mr. Harrison hasn’t lied to me since we met. I trust his word.” Jane squared her shoulders, resisting the urge to quiver in front of her mother. “I would want to make sure I’ve got things correct b
efore I accuse anyone of something as serious as murder, Mother. Alexander Harrison didn’t do this.”
Lady Crawley still looked suspicious. She surveyed her daughter in a way that Jane disliked. It made her feel like a naughty little girl when her actions had been completely innocent. Lady Crawley was stricter than the toughest of ladies in Society. Jane had grown up fighting against her all her life.
“You’re very determined about this, Jane,” Lady Crawley said slowly. “Is there something I should know about?”
“Why would there be?”
“Because you’re defending a gentleman you barely know who had a reputation as a rake, and you’re going red in the face.”
“Am I?” Jane hadn’t realized. She fanned herself and gestured at the fire. “That’s more than likely the reason, Mother. I was fine until I sat beside the fire.”
“Even so.” Lady Crawley peered closely at her. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were in love with him.”
“Mother!”
But the suggestion did have Jane pausing. Was she in love with Alexander? She didn’t know, except that she was very drawn to him. Was it love? After her previous escapade with what she thought was love, Jane didn’t have any idea what it meant anymore.
“You couldn’t get one Harrison as yours, so you decided to go for one within reach?” Lady Crawley sneered.
Jane shot to her feet. “Don’t be ridiculous, Mother! I’m not in love with Alexander Harrison. I just know that he didn’t commit these murders.”
They glared at each other. Jane couldn’t remember the last time she had stood up to her mother. Probably never. She didn’t dare. She sneaked around and did things behind her parents’ backs, but she didn’t stand up to them. They were far too formidable and Jane, if she was honest, was a little scared of them.
“Your judgement is clouded, Jane,” Lady Crawley said darkly. “It’s been clouded for a while. Forgive me if I don’t trust your word. If you knew what was good for you, you will keep to your room until Mr. Harrison has left the estate.”
“I’m not going to be made a prisoner in my own home!”
“You will if your father and I have any say about it.” Lady Crawley sighed and looked away, effectively dismissing her. “Now go. I’ve got a headache and I want to be left alone.”
Jane knew what that meant. Her mother was having the last word and she wasn’t going to discuss it further. In her mind, it was over.
Trying to keep her composure, Jane left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. Then she let out a growl of frustration. She loved her parents, but they could be stifling, and they dictated her moves, expecting her to be an extension of them. It was like they didn’t want to let go.
What were they so scared of that they could let her find her way?
Jane was jerked out of her thoughts when she heard a lot of screaming from downstairs. There were two male voices shouting at each other. One of them was Anthony. For a moment, Jane thought he and Alexander were arguing, but it wasn’t his voice.
Curious, Jane hurried to the stairs and saw the commotion in the foyer below. Anthony was face-to-face with a young man with sallow skin and raven-black hair attempting to charge at him. One of the footmen was trying to grab at him, but the newcomer took a swipe at him and knocked the footman down. Then he swung around on Anthony.
“Where is she?” he bellowed. “Tell me where she is, you bastard!”
“Mr. Reyes, you need to calm down…” Anthony began, but Reyes shrieked over him.
“Calm down? How can I calm down? Where’s Carlotta? I want to know where she is!”
Jane was confused. Who was Carlotta and why did this man seem to think that Anthony had anything to do with her?
She hurried down the stairs as Anthony squared up to the younger man.
“How am I supposed to know where she is? I don’t even know who she is!”
Reyes snorted rudely. “Don’t pretend, Lord Tiverton,” he sneered. “You may have all the prestige of your status, but you’re nothing more than a pathetic cad! A spoiler of women!”
Anthony’s face had gone bright red. He looked ready to attack, but before he did, Jane heard the booming voice of her father. She then saw him striding along the hallway from his study, leaning heavily on a stick as he walked. Where had the stick come from? He hadn’t been using it earlier.
“What is going on here, Anthony?” Crawley demanded as he reached his son.
“It’s fine, Father.” Anthony didn’t take his eyes off Reyes. “Mr. Reyes was just leaving.”
“I’m not leaving until you tell me where Carlotta is!” Reyes bellowed.
“Enough!”
Jane’s heart almost stopped when Lord Surrey’s voice echoed around the house. The Marquess appeared through the front door, handing his coat and hat to the footman. He strode across the foyer towards the crowd, looking from Anthony to Lord Crawley and then at Reyes.
“What’s going on?”
“He’s got my sister somewhere!” Reyes cried, pointing at Anthony. “I know it! And I want her back!”
“My son doesn’t know where your sister is,” Lord Crawley drawled. “And he wouldn’t have anything to do with a lowly chambermaid.” He glanced at Lord Surrey before turning away. “Get him out of here, Surrey. I’ve got work to do and I can’t do it with all this shouting.”
“Once I’ve spoken to him, Lord Crawley,” Lord Surrey said sharply. “I want to hear what he’s said.”
Lord Crawley paused for just a moment, and Jane saw the scowl pass across her father’s face. Then he stalked away, still leaning on the cane. What was going on with her parents? First her mother was suffering from a cold to the point she couldn’t feel how warm the day was and now her father was walking about with a cane. It was like this had happened overnight.
Anthony gave Mr. Reyes one last glare and then he was storming off as well, heading into the parlor and slamming the door hard.
Alexander had spent a little longer outside, going for a long ride to clear his head. A lot had happened that day, and it was just a case of putting it all in one place. That was easier said than done. Alexander didn’t know what was what anymore.
How anyone could do the job of magistrate and investigate something like this on a regular basis, Alexander had no idea. At the start, he had wanted something to do, offer his assistance. Alexander still wanted to do that, but thinking of the possible angles was giving him a headache.
He would rather be in bed with Jane and forget everything else. Maybe one day, that could happen. He could take her away for a while and explore every part of her body without fear of being caught.
Whoa. That train of thought needed to stop right now. Alexander shouldn’t even contemplate anything like that. What had happened between him and Jane needed to stop. Otherwise he was going to keep falling faster and harder.
Alexander did want a family and he wanted someone who could love him for him, and Jane could be it for him. But the thought of pursuing it, especially when his reputation preceded him, terrified him. Jane made him feel things that Alexander had kept hidden. While she spoke of a forever life, it was just something that still scared him.
He finally came back to the house after an hour, thinking it was enough time for him to sneak up to his room, bathe and hide away for a while until he was needed. Hopefully, by the time anyone needed him, his thoughts would be in some sort of order.
Chapter Twenty-Two
As he trotted up the driveway on the horse he had borrowed from the stables, Alexander saw Lee coming out of the house with a young man with sallow skin and dark hair. He looked like he was from the continent, and he was clearly upset. Lee was holding a stash of papers in one hand and a bag in the other as he spoke to the newcomer. Then the other man walked away, back down the drive.
Alexander steered his horse over to Lee, who was putting the letters into the bag.
“What was that about?”
“Are you always this nosy?”
“Yes.”
Lee sighed and nodded after the retreating man’s back.
“That is Victor Reyes. He works for the Earl of Hastings as a footman. His sister Carlotta is an upstairs maid in the same household, and she’s been missing since the night of the storm.”
Another person missing? Alexander immediately went on the alert. He dismounted, patting his horse’s nose to calm it.
“You think Carlotta Reyes could be another victim?” he asked.
“I have no idea, but I need to make sure that she is all right.”