Deadly Engagement: A Georgian Historical Mystery (Alec Halsey Crimance)

by Lucinda Brant

  “I haven’t enjoyed dancing so much since Charles and I went to the Wentworth Masquerade,” Lady Sybilla said, a little breathless. “That was just before this last posting out to sea.”

  “You must get out more often. Take a house for the season, instead of spending all your time in Berkshire,” said Alec. “Besides it would be good for Harry.”

  “Oh yes! I should like that. Harry would particularly like to be nearer his cousins but—But the last thing I want to do is be obligated to spend time with Charlotte. She is quite suffocating. I know that is an uncharitable thing to say about one’s own sister—”

  “—but very true. I don’t blame you. The thought of being suffocated by Charlotte quite unnerves one.”

  Lady Sybilla giggled.

  Alec kissed her hand. “That’s better. I don’t like to see Emily’s favorite aunt unhappy. You’ve been so all afternoon.”

  “Please. Please, don’t ask me why. I can’t tell you! I want to, but I—If you only knew. Charlotte will be so angry with me!”

  “My lady, don’t distress yourself. I’m not about to ask you any awkward questions,” Alec assured her. He took her fan and fluttered it for her. “Charlotte’s idea to fetch Sir John?”

  “Y-yes.”

  “And you’ve been sadly tried by the prank those boys attempted to pull-off last night?”

  “Oh, that!” she said with a sigh of relief. “Lewis and Harry were so willful. I don’t know what got into their heads to want to prowl about in the middle of the night! I suspect Harry was put up to it by Lewis. Charlotte’s boys are all unmanageable and she is quite blind to their faults.” When Alec smiled sympathetically Lady Sybilla rattled on. “It’s just as well Old Nurse is deaf. Running up and down stairs wailing like ghosts is beyond anything!”

  “I gather that they had a fright themselves when Delvin caught them at it?”

  Lady Sybilla was puzzled. “Delvin? Oh no, that would have been bad enough but having Lord Gervais take them by the scruff of the neck was positively mortifying.”

  “Gervais?”

  Lady Sybilla blinked at the surprise in Alec’s voice. “Yes. He and Delvin were playing at billiards when they were disturbed by noises in the servant passage. Lord Gervais said he suspected it was a couple of the servants playing a prank and so went to take a look. The boys practically ran into him in the passage.”

  “He spoke to you?”

  “Y-yes. He came to my rooms. He was exceedingly angry. He huffed and puffed about for a good five minutes before he got to the point; as if in his anger he’d run all the way! I really think he expected me to punish Lewis and Harry there and then. Of course I was very upset that Harry should get himself mixed up with Lewis, but I don’t know what Lord Gervais expected me to do about it at that hour.”

  Alec impatiently waved away a waiter hovering with a tray of drinks. “At what hour did Lord Gervais disturb you?”

  Lady Sybilla watched the waiter move on and mentally sighed. “Hour? Oh, I don’t know the precise hour, but I was in my dressing gown having my hair brushed so it was late.”

  “Do you think his lordship had been drinking excessively?”

  At this question Lady Sybilla blushed rosily and was flustered into saying hurriedly, “Mr. Halsey, what sort of female do you take me for? I didn’t get close enough to smell spirits on his breath!”

  “Of course you wouldn’t,” he agreed soothingly. “But perhaps you noticed if he was wearing his frockcoat?”

  Lady Sybilla blinked at such an odd question. “Frockcoat? You misunderstand me. I didn’t see him at all. I was in my dressing gown,” she told him, fluttering her fan in agitation. “I spoke to him from behind the dressing screen. It’s what Charles would expect me to do.”

  Alec smiled reassuringly at her as he stood. “Of course. It was ill-mannered of him to have bothered you with something so trivial at such a late hour. He should’ve taken the boys directly to the nursery and spoken to you about the incident in the morning.”

  “Oh, Harry and Lewis weren’t with him. He was alone.”

  Being the consummate gentleman, Sir Cosmo refrained from adding his name to any lady’s list to remain at Selina’s side because she was prohibited from dancing. They strolled along the fringes of those who lingered at the edge of the dance floor, to observe the dances and to pass comment on dance and costume. More than once Selina’s gaze stole out to the changing formations to catch sight of Alec. He was hard to miss dressed in black velvet and his hair unpowdered, just as she was sure she too must be obvious in her widow’s weeds. Thus she made a point not to glance his way for very long in case he caught her doing so. Though why he would even be on the look out for her was so conceited a thought on her part that it made her angry; as did the way that Gervais creature pressed herself against Alec’s arm. Her only satisfaction was that the Earl of Delvin was also witness to his mistress’s flirtation and his anger so far got the better of him that he waylaid the couple, his fixed smile at odds with the blazing anger in his set features.

  When Alec next partnered Lady Sybilla, it was noted by many a swelling matronly bosom that he had the effrontery to dance consecutive dances with a married lady. Selina overheard a spiteful remark pass between two dowagers with plain-faced but eligible daughters and smiled to herself. Alec Halsey may not be a member of the inner circle, was a younger son and considered a sad rake but these facts could not outweigh his wealth and lineage; his dashing good looks was but icing on the cake. Let them try, she said to herself, annoyed that it had never occurred to her before his interest in Emily that he was remotely interested in the married state. At least she had the satisfaction of knowing he had asked her first… What a hollow victory!

  “Talk about being out maneuvered by the French,” Sir Cosmo commented with the ghost of a laugh, recalling Madame la Marquise’s parting remarks in the refreshment room. “If Ned only knew the half of it! But it’s as well for Ned’s self-esteem that Alec did not translate the whole of that pretty speech.”

  “Yes. Madame’s parting shot was only partially directed at my Lord Delvin and that uncomplimentary,” said Selina, gaze on the dancers. “She left her sweet compliments for her interpreter. Something about Alec and the last time he was in Paris…? If I’m not mistaken in the translation, Madame was of the opinion that it did not require a barn full of hay for her to know a prize bull when she saw one.”

  Sir Cosmo, who was perusing the dancers through his quizzing glass, turned a magnified on Selina and choked. “Y-yes. Q-Quite sh-shocking of her to say s-so in m-mixed company!”

  “Yes, very shocking.” Her brow furrowed. “I wonder if the observation was made from personal experience or by common report…?”

  Sir Cosmo deigned to ignore her question. “I must say how very impressed I am with your understanding of the idioms of the French language, Selina.”

  “As am I,” said a low voice at her ear. “Come out onto the balcony. I need to talk to you.”

  It was Alec and he gave Sir Cosmo to understand by one look that he wished to be alone with Selina. Sir Cosmo did the noble thing and departed to poke his head into the card room.

  Serious gamesters occupied the several tables set out for the purpose of gambling. All were oblivious to the spectators and other entertainments on offer and cared for nothing except the cards in their hand. The French Ambassador with his entourage lounged on sofas by the open windows and a few dowagers were playing at piquet for small change, their interest in the ballroom at an end with the close of the minuets. Country dances did not amuse them, and more than one of them was shocked into speechlessness at the sight of the Duchess of Romney-St. Neots on the arm of that barbarian who would let the mob rule if he was Prime Minister, and she as pink-cheeked as any girl in the midst of a flirtation. It was outrageous! Spying Sir Cosmo, these deep-bosomed matrons called him over. He was sure to know the latest gossip, the boy always did.

  Sir Cosmo waved his quizzing-glass in acknowledgment of these powdere
d and plumed old ladies and meant to cross straight to their table but his interest was diverted by two gentlemen standing by the marble fireplace. So he lingered.

  It was the Earl of Delvin and Simon Tremarton. To the casual observer there was nothing in their behavior to invite comment. Both men were smiling and seemingly at their ease. Sir Cosmo, too, may not have given them more than a minute of his time had he not witnessed the slim sheaf of parchment that Simon Tremarton half-pulled from his pocket then slid back for safe keeping, patting the outside of his frockcoat in a comforting manner. Sir Cosmo’s eyebrows shot up. He glanced at the Earl. The man was still smiling, possibly broader than before.

  Under cover of four gentlemen strolling toward one of the tables, they in deep conversation about a prime filly to be entered in the next meeting at Newmarket, Sir Cosmo moved closer in the hopes of eavesdropping. He was too late. Tremarton had made his departing bow and wandered off. Lord Delvin took snuff and turned to the looking glass above the mantle to adjust the folds of lace at his throat. Sir Cosmo had to content himself with what he’d seen and report it to Alec as soon as it was convenient to do so. Just now five dowagers awaited him and he knew his friend had left the social whirl of the country dances to be private with Selina. Ah, what it was to be a popular young man with the ladies, albeit singularly deaf and wrinkled old dears. And while his ear was being filled with the latest on-dits culled from the refreshment room his mind wandered, and he wondered with a deep mental sigh what was being discussed under the stars of a moonlit night…

  The balcony was deserted, but on the wide steps that gave access to the velvet front lawns there lounged a group of young gentlemen in padded frockcoats and tight fitting satin breeches, smoking cheroots and drinking wine from tumblers. Two couples seeking fresh air after the perfumed claustrophobia of the ballroom followed Alec and Selina into the night air and so Alec guided Selina past the group of merry-Andrews and to the far corner where the ballroom’s French windows, shut tight on the night air, flooded the balcony with light from within and gave an uninterrupted view of the dancers. The light did not reach as far as the balustrade and here Alec took up position, half in shadow.

  “I apologize for taking you away from the entertainment but this can’t wait until morning.”

  “If it’s about Emily’s awkward behavior this afternoon I may be able to help you,” she answered levelly, grateful to have the light at her back and still feeling uncomfortable with him after her emotional outburst at the jetty. When he waited for her to continue she glanced down at her hands. “Charlotte had Sir John Oliphant examine Emily. On the surface that wasn’t such a silly thing after what happened last night. But Charlotte being Charlotte, her concern wasn’t for Emily’s welfare; she wanted Oliphant to certify Emily a virgin.” She winced when Alec swore. “Delvin put Charlotte up to it. Which leads me to wonder if I was wrong to suspect him of the attempted rape, for why else would he want such confirmation?”

  “Perhaps that’s what he wants us to presume? Very cunning to deflect suspicion away from himself by seeking Oliphant’s assurances that his bride remains untouched. No one is then likely to cast suspicion his way if he makes out he is also an injured party.”

  “If you are prepared to suspect your brother of attempted rape then you must be prepared to suspect him of murder; and I just don’t mean of Jack’s murder, but of that poor maid’s…” When Alec nodded in his abstraction she smiled wryly. “Why this sudden change of opinion, Mr. Halsey?”

  Alec looked at her then. “What was Delvin doing in your rooms?”

  Selina stared back at him and said calmly, “Over the years, your brother has made an annoying habit of trying to coerce me to commit adultery. Naturally, he chose his moments well, when J-L was not about; coward. I can only presume that his vanity permitted him to think it was the threat of J-L’s violence that stopped me from falling into his arms. I guess he presumed that with widowhood I’d have an immediate change of heart. Thus he came to my rooms. For such gross presumption I intended to punish him.” She swallowed and averted her face, her lovely profile silhouetted against the window of the chandeliers’ bright lights. “Just because my husband—just because J-L took liberties with my person didn’t mean I had to take such treatment from any other man. And certainly not from one I’ve always despised and mistrusted. And when I think of his perverse pleasure in presenting himself to you as my—that he and I—that we were lovers. Ugh! I wish that wax had been acid!”

  “I’m ashamed to admit it but for a moment he had me convinced,” Alec confessed quietly, watching her pace in the light from the ballroom. He managed a lopsided smile. “I only hope you can forgive me.”

  “What else were you to think given the sight that met your eyes?”

  “That is very magnanimous of you. I hardly deserve—”

  “It was stupid of me to let him believe I was not adverse to his embraces. I should’ve thrown him out at once! But I was determined to teach him a lesson.”

  “And did you?”

  Her black eyes suddenly sparkled mischief. She stopped her pacing and faced him, a hand up to her mouth to stop a sudden involuntary giggle. “I threw hot wax on him at the vital moment.”

  Alec’s shoulders shook with laughter. “How marvelous! Trust you to met out fit punishment, my clever girl!”

  Selina smiled. “For one frightened moment I wondered if I could do it. Oh, and then when I did—to see the look of outrage on Delvin’s face—Oh, it was worth it! I wish… I wish now I’d had the strength of character to do the same to J-L.”

  A cheer went up amongst the satin-clad young men on the stairs. One of their number had managed to down half a bottle of red in one gulp. A passing couple skipped deftly out of the way as another of these merry-Andrews plunged into the shrubbery to relieve his stomach of its contents. Alec crossed to Selina’s side in the subsiding din. He wanted to take hold of her hands but instead thrust them into his frockcoat pockets, one hand hard-gripping his gold-rimmed spectacles.

  “Strength of character you have in abundance,” he said gently. “Self-preservation too. Jamison-Lewis was possessed of many demons, wasn’t he, Selina? He never came to terms with his homosexuality.”

  Selina gave a start and after one swift look up into those deep blue eyes she looked away and shook her head. “No. He would never admit to it. Not even to me, who knew all about his relationship with Jack. Jack, like me, was abused by J-L, but in a different way. J-L wasn’t physically abusive toward Jack. He loved Jack as much as it was possible for him to love anyone, but he could not be faithful to him and that’s what Jack wanted.” She swallowed, embarrassed to be discussing matters that was so out of the realms of an ordinary person’s experience that it gave the whole a dreamlike quality. But it hadn’t been a dream; it had been a nightmare. “When Jack met Simon Tremarton and fell in love, that’s when matters took a turn for the worse for Jack. He told J-L—”

  “When did he tell him?”

  Selina thought about this. “It was before Jack took Simon to his shooting box.”

  “Around the time of J-L’s final beating?” he gently prompted.

  “Yes. Jack was so happy. He told me that it was because of Simon that he’d finally found the courage to tell J-L he wanted an end to their relationship.” Selina stared through the long windows of the ballroom and watched the dancers turn and go down the line in pairs. “J-L blamed me for Jack’s desertion. You see, it was I who pushed Jack to break off with J-L. There was no legally binding document holding them together.” Unconsciously she took the handkerchief Alec offered her and wiped dry her eyes. “Jack came down to Jamison Park for the weekend, to say his farewells and that he would see me in London on the –th. That night, Jack and J-L argued in the library. I knew it was about Simon. J-L was trying to convince Jack not to go away. Later Jack came to my rooms and we discussed it all, and he told me he intended to leave before dawn, so as to avoid another flare up. Then J-L came to my bedchamber and he told Jack to
get out. It was almost four in the morning; he hadn’t been near me in six months—” She faltered and then resumed. “Jack refused to leave so J-L dragged me into the closet and bolted the door. When—When he’d finished with me he let Jack in. He knew the effect that would have on Jack but he showed no remorse; he had no conscience, so how could he? Of course J-L blamed Jack for what he’d done to me.” She broke off again and swallowed. “Poor Jack! The look on his face; I’ll never forget it.”

  “Can you tell me what happened next?” he asked, taking hold of her hands, his gaze never leaving her face.

  “Later that morning, or was it early afternoon? Jack came to my rooms with a breakfast tray. I was surprised to see him because he was supposed to have gone, and that’s when he told me there had been an accident; that J-L was dead.”

  “Was it an accident?”

  Selina withdrew her hands from his and wandered away from the bright light of the windows to stand in the shadows by the balustrade. Alec followed her, an eye to the young men on the stairs who had risen as one to saunter back within doors at an announcement made by an officious footman that the fireworks were about to commence.

  “When Jack told me the news there was a decided gleam in his eye,” she answered slowly. “And for one heart-stopping moment I had the oddest feeling that J-L’s death was not an accident. But then the moment passed and I didn’t care one way or the other. What mattered was fthe beast was dead and Jack and I had been set free. That’s all we cared about.”

  “But you don’t think he shot himself, do you, Selina?”

  “It hardly matters now!” she flung at him angrily. “I want Jack’s memory to be left in peace. God knows when he was alive he never had a moment’s peace. I was married to J-L for six years, but Jack, Jack suffered him for three times as many years! Please, just please let us not talk of it any more! I want to think about the future. I don’t want to relive the past. Can’t you understand that?”

  “Yes. Of course,” he said soothingly and took her in his arms to rest his chin lightly on the top of her soft curls. “We shall speak of it no more. Let’s preserve Jack’s memory as he would wish it. He deserves to be left alone.” But what he was thinking made his heart race. If sweet placid Jack had shot J-L in cold blood then perhaps Jack had forced the fight on Delvin? And if that was true then were his suspicions about his own brother unfounded? Then what the deuce had their duel been about?