The Portrait of Lady Wycliff

by Cheryl Bolen

  "How would you propose to gain entrance into the castle at night? I expect the drawbridge will be up."

  She bit at her lip. "I hadn't actually thought of that."

  He looked down at his feet. "Pray, where are my boots?"

  "At the foot of the bed."

  "And who, may I ask, took them off?"

  "I did."

  He looked down at her with a devilish glint in his eyes. "Why did you not remove the rest of my garments while you were at it?"

  "I had no desire to see you without clothes, my lord."

  A cockiness swept across his face. "I don't believe you."

  "Shall we continue our discussion on how we are to gain entrance to Gorwick Castle if the drawbridge is drawn at night?" she asked, standing up and walking to the window, then turning back to face him. "I have determined the reclaiming must take place at night because of the immense size of the portrait. We could hardly escape detection in the light of day."

  "That's true," he said, nodding. "Yet I believe we shall have to devise a way to get into the castle during the day and wait until after the Tremaine fiend has taken dinner, then we'll – I mean I – will have to, ah, reclaim the portrait."

  "Why did you amend your statement, my lord?"

  "I can't possibly let you be a party to the reclamation."

  "Why, pray tell?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing, her voice hard.

  "Because you're a female and because it may be dangerous."

  She would see about that! "Tell me, my lord, how do you propose to get in? Public Day won't come again until next Thursday."

  "I shall have to think on it."

  Chapter 22

  Once Harry had dressed and shaved, he met Louisa in the parlor. This morning he declined breakfast but asked for strong tea. Since Louisa had already finished her meal, they sat there and talked.

  "I have decided," Harry began, "not to steal into the castle at night but to go there in broad daylight and demand to talk with this Tremaine."

  "He won't see you if you give him your real name."

  "I have never been thwarted by resistance."

  "But you can't draw your sword and go barreling in there. Gorwick Castle is not a ship, and you have no fellow privateers to back you. You saw for yourself all those brutes he obviously keeps for protection. As large as you are, I daresay, they are larger."

  Harry lowered his brows and took another sip from his mug of strong tea. "You have not changed my mind, you know."

  "Promise me you won't do anything drastic until we talk it over."

  "And what do you term drastic?"

  "Forcing yourself into Lord Tremaine's chambers when he has refused to see you."

  Harry looked into his cup, his eyes inscrutable. "He'll see me."

  She moved to get up. "Let's go."

  With a firm hand on her arm, he held her back. "Forgive me if I don't take you this once, Louisa."

  She sat back down and patted his arm. "I understand. It's a matter that truly doesn't concern me."

  He stood.

  "If you're not back in ninety minutes, I shall have the castle stormed," she warned.

  "If I don't return, you must leave."

  She eyed him defiantly. "Not without you."

  "My God, but you're a stubborn woman." A sadness swept across his face. "If I don't return you must contact Sinjin."

  She cocked a brow.

  "Lord Jack St. John, my oldest friend, along with Alex, Lord Alex Haversham of His Majesty's Dragoons in the Peninsula." He took one last swig of the remaining tea, kissed the top of her head, and left.

  For the first time since their journey had begun, Louisa picked up her pen and began to compose one of Mr. Lewis's essays.

  * * *

  It was surprisingly easy for Harry to get in to see Lord Tremaine. He merely presented his card – his real card – to the butler and said he needed to see Lord Tremaine on a matter of a personal nature.

  Less than half an hour later he was face to face with the man he blamed for his parents' deaths.

  Wearing a silken robe though the afternoon sun squinted in the room's small arch-shaped windows, Tremaine sat on a silk brocade sofa in the library. He looked much as Louisa had described him except that Harry had difficulty calling a man distinguished who lounged on sofas in silk robes. Harry could see that he was tall, even if he had not risen when Harry entered the chamber.

  Tremaine looked up at Harry, a bland expression on his aging face. "I see that you have found me."

  Harry refused to sit where Tremaine indicated. Planting his booted feet in front of Tremaine, he said, "You thought to get away with your cheating schemes?"

  "But it wasn't I who cheated."

  "Did you not bankroll your pawn, Godwin Phillips, may he burn in hell, to destroy my father?"

  Tremaine laughed. "Yes, I did. Your father was weak. It does me good to see so much hatred in you. Now you know how I felt toward your father when he stole Isobel from me."

  "My father never did a hateful thing in his life. All he did was love my mother – as she loved him."

  "She loved me once," Tremaine said.

  Harry shook his head. "Never, George. She told me so."

  Tremaine smashed the crystal goblet he was holding into the stone floor. "You lie."

  "Had she loved you, she would have married you."

  "She loved me until Robert---"

  "She never loved you." The words gave Harry a perverse satisfaction.

  Tremaine thrust his head into profile. "Believe what you like." Then he turned back to face Harry, devilment in his gray eyes. "While you're simmering in hatred for Godwin Phillips."

  "I hate Phillips more for what he did to his young wife than for what he did to my father." He fisted his hands and walked closer to Tremaine. "It is you I hate for what happened to my father."

  Tremaine laughed. "I have no fight with you. After all, you have much of Isobel in you."

  "Then if you have no fight with me, allow me to buy the Grosvenor Square House back."

  Tremaine thought for a moment. "How much are you willing to pay for it?"

  "Twenty-five thousand pounds is more than a fair price."

  Tremaine laughed. "Double that, and it's yours."

  "The house and everything that was in it?"

  "For fifty thousand pounds, yes."

  "Good," Harry said. "You will have the money within the month." Then he did something that was repugnant to him. He bent forward and offered the vile man his hand.

  They shook hands. A gentleman's agreement.

  Then Harry said, "I'll just fetch my mother's portrait now," as he began to move from the room.

  Tremaine rose. He was as tall as Harry. "You'll do no such thing."

  Harry turned. "But we shook on it. The house and all that was in it."

  "I . . . I," Tremaine stammered, "I meant all that is in it."

  "You know the portrait rightfully belongs to me."

  "My young man, I have never in my life done things because they were right."

  That was the last straw. Harry's fist flew into Tremaine's jaw.

  Then Harry, with fists at the ready, was poised for the man. Instead, Tremaine's hands flew to his jaw, and he saw blood on his hand and screamed like a woman.

  Footmen, who obviously were hired as sentries, scurried into the room with swords drawn.

  Harry held up his arms. "I am unarmed, and I shall leave peacefully."

  Tremaine made sure his footmen saw Harry all the way to the drawbridge.

  * * *

  Louisa was still sitting in the parlor writing by the light of a candle when Harry returned. When she saw him, her face brightened and she put down her pen. "Oh, Harry, thank goodness you're back! I was getting worried."

  He cocked his head and peered at her with those glowering eyes of his. "No Harry Dearest?"

  She could feel the blush climb up her cheeks like smoke rising in a chimney. He had heard her the day of his recovery. "Why you. .
.you wicked man!"

  "Calm yourself, Louisa."

  "Don't call me Louisa!"

  He placed both hands upon her shoulders and butted his forehead to hers. "I told you I refuse to call you by that man's name."

  She brushed aside some of her anger. "You didn't get the painting, did you?"

  A grim look on his face, he shook his head and lowered himself onto the padded bench nearest the fire. "He did agree to sell me back Wycliff House — for twice what it's worth."

  "But not the portrait?"

  "Not the portrait," he said.

  "Then we will just have to reclaim it."

  "I – not we – Louisa. The man's deranged. I don't want you anywhere near that castle."

  "You should know me well enough by now to know that you cannot dictate to me."

  "If you want your money, you will do as I say."

  "That's not fair. We found your man. You cannot renege on my money."

  He lowered his brows and spoke in a low voice. "No, I can't, and I wouldn't."

  "If I can think of a clever plan to reclaim the painting, then will you allow me to accompany you?"

  "I'll think on it."

  "I shall, too," she said happily.

  * * *

  Much to Edward's consternation, he rode all the way from Woking to the Cock and Stock Inn with Miss Sinclair – dressed as a lad – sitting beside him. To make matters worse, she would not stop talking about the Bentham chap. Edward would almost welcome mention of Miss Grimm right now.

  He wasn't quite sure what he was going to do once they were inside the inn. It was dark, and they could go no farther, so he could put off his decision no longer. He could not very well procure a private room for such an ill-dressed younger brother. He could see no other way than to get a room together. Then, blast it all, he would have to give Miss Sinclair the bed while he slept on the bloody floor.

  Before they alighted from the box, he drew Miss Sinclair's attention. "I want you to know that I have no desire whatsoever to rob you of your virtue, but I believe we must share a room tonight. I promise I will not touch you in any way, I will turn my back when you dress and undress, and I will sleep on the floor."

  She sighed. "I am very glad you said that for you know I could not possibly stay at such a place alone in a room. That's one of the reasons I wanted to join you on this journey. I was frightened to stay any longer on Grosvenor Square without Louisa, and you seemed to be the only person in London I could trust."

  The lady's trust could be a very heavy burden, indeed. "There was your cook," he offered, his voice hoarse. It nearly put him to the blush to remember the fat old woman following them everywhere.

  She thought on this for a moment. "All in all, I trust women. It's the men who frighten me. Miss Grimm says---"

  Edward held up his hands. "Pray, no more of Miss Grimm. Let us procure a room."

  They got down and began to walk to the inn.

  "No, no," Edward exclaimed. "You had better stay here while I bespeak the room. I shouldn't want the innkeeper to see your face. I'll come back for you in a moment."

  After he bespoke a room for himself and his brother, they ate quickly in the parlor.

  He waited until no one was near the stairs, then led her up in stealthy fashion.

  As soon as he shut their chamber door behind him, she started fiddling with the bedding. "What, pray tell, are you doing?" he asked.

  "What does it look like I'm doing, silly? I'm going to make you a pallet."

  At least he wouldn't have to sleep on the wood floors. He sat on a wobbly chair and began to take off his boots. He really was beastly tired. Nothing quite as tiring as traveling. One wouldn't think the body would ache so much from just sitting all day. He looked up from his boots and saw that Miss Sinclair had given him two blankets and kept but one for herself. "Look here," he protested, "I can't have you doing that. One blanket is all I need. I'll stay close to the fire."

  "I insist," she said in the same tone his mum had used a thousand times. "After all, I have the mattress and you don't. Now I shall blow out the candle and put on my night things. You are to turn around and close your eyes."

  She watched as he stood and turned around and shut his eyes just before the light was snuffed. He stood there silently listening to the muffled sounds she made lifting one foot and the other in the process of getting disrobed. But instead of picturing her dressed in her boys' togs, he thought of the pretty little thing in a lace shift like Ruby would wear. Then he was mad at himself for thinking of Miss Sinclair at the same time he thought of his mistress.

  But he still could not dispel the vision of Miss Sinclair, all creamy skin, lifting up her arms to him – wearing Ruby's white lace.

  Then he listened as she climbed beneath the sheets. He pulled off his jacket, dropped his pants and fell exhausted onto the pallet Miss Sinclair had made for him beside the fire.

  Just as he was drifting into deep slumber, the lady called him.

  "Yes?" he answered.

  "Have you ever been in love?"

  Ruby didn't count. "No." Blast the girl. He was bone tired. He closed his eyes tightly, but he was not as sleepy as he had been. He found himself thinking about her question, and he became consumed with curiosity. "Miss Sinclair?" he whispered some minutes later.

  "Yes?"

  "Have you?"

  "Been in love?"

  "Yes," he said impatiently.

  "No, I don't suppose so."

  Her answer comforted him like warm milk at bed time. But he still could not go back to sleep. Another question kept tugging at him. Finally he whispered her name again.

  "Yes?" she answered.

  "Has any man ever offered for you?"

  "That's why I came to London," she said.

  His heart thudded. Had she come to London to fulfill an obligation to a man?

  "I heard Papa discussing settlements for me with Squire Wheeler."

  Now his heart raced. "And...what were your feelings toward Squire Wheeler?"

  "Why, the man was the age of my father and had grown children my age. And he was completely bald."

  Edward's hand raked through his hair to assure himself he was not going bald. "What did the demmed squire think?" Edward asked with outrage. "Trying to take the virtue of a young maiden. There ought to be laws against such." Now he was beginning to sound like Miss Grimm.

  "I agree with you, Mr. Coke."

  As Edward went off to sleep, his fists were clenched. He rather wanted to give that bald-headed squire a facer.

  Chapter 23

  When Harry had gone to bed, Louisa had been sitting beside the candle writing one of her essays, and when he awoke, she was still writing, though she wore a different dress.

  Her attention perked when she saw him stirring. "I have thought of a plan, my lord."

  He reached for the tea she had set on the bedside table. "Allow me my tea first, if you please." He pulled the sheets up to cover his nakedness, took a welcome gulp, then asked that she turn around while he slipped into his pantaloons. Louisa's sense of propriety, thank God, did not extend to a revulsion over bare-chested men.

  With his pants on and his eyes suitably open, he turned to her. "Have you been thinking of your plan all night?"

  She put down her pen. "Of course not. I will have you know I slept rather well – and have nearly completed Mr. Lewis's newest essay."

  "Shall I have the privilege of reading it before it is published?"

  "If you like."

  He knew she was most desirous that he read it. "What is it about?"

  "It's actually more ethical than political. It's on the extinction of honesty."

  His brows lowered. "You may ruffle many feathers."

  She shrugged. "I don't mind that – if the essay accomplishes some good."

  "Or, to quote the great Jeremy Bentham, for the good of all."

  "You know, my lord, that I'm not a Benthamite purist," she said with indignation.

  "I do know. Y
ou also respect the rights of the individual."

  She gave him a condescending nod.

  He finished his tea and stood up to finish getting dressed. Louisa, returning to her essay writing, seemed to take no notice of him. He was growing so comfortable in her company that he had a sense of what it would be like to share one's life with someone else, as one did with a wife.

  A pity he would never find a wife whom he could care for as much as he cared for Louisa.

  When he was finished he asked, "Pray, now you may tell me of your great idea for me to reclaim my mother's portrait."

  "Us."

  His lips compressed. "Me, my good woman," he said sternly, "not us."

  "Then I will not tell you."

  "Fine," he snapped.

  Seeing that he was headed to the door, Louisa put down her pen and stood. "You could at least hear my plan."

  He folded his arms across his chest and gazed down the bridge of his nose at her. "Tell me your plan."

  "I cannot tell you when you're standing there impatient to leave the room. Come, sit on the bed with me."

  He strode across the room and sat on the bed beside her, their thighs parallel to each other's. He noticed that his extended a good eight inches beyond hers. She truly was not much larger than a child.

  "Did you not tell me that anything could be had, provided one's pockets were deep enough?"

  He nodded. "I did."

  "So I thought you could purchase used clothing for you and me to disguise our station in life — that is, if you can find someone large enough for you."

  "The question is whether we can find some small enough for you. That is if I were going to allow you to participate — which I'm not."

  She scowled at him beneath lowered brows. "Once we are dressed appropriately, you bribe the greengrocer to hide us in his wagon when he enters Gorwick Castle. While he is conducting business to distract the cook, we sneak in. Then we wait until dark. You will then remove the portrait from its frame as I stand as lookout."

  "And if we're caught?"

  "Then I expect the vile Lord Tremaine would merely have you thrown out as he did yesterday."

  Her plan really wasn't so objectionable, after all. And she was probably correct about Tremaine throwing them out on their ears.