Juliana hurried back to the side door and quietly entered the house. There was no sound from the lower rooms. Without its servants the house seemed eerily quiet. Juliana had just reached the great hall when she heard a noise from upstairs, as if some piece of furniture had been knocked over. Her heart beating wildly, she ran swiftly up to the landing. Which way? The corridor to the main bedrooms was silent, deserted. She went back to the gallery, straining her ears to catch the slightest noise. There was the faint rumble of voices ahead of her. Following the sound, she realised it was coming from the nursery wing. Some instinct told her that she must not be heard. She crept along, moving her feet cautiously over the old boards, thankful that she remembered which ones creaked. She was halfway along the corridor when she heard a groan quickly followed by a laugh, brittle and tinkling as glass. Common sense told her to turn and run, to get help, but her feet continued to carry her forward and she could hear the voices more clearly now. They were in the schoolroom. The door stood half-open, allowing a band of strong, white light into the passage. Damon’s deep tones were unmistakable and Juliana’s heart clenched when she heard the lilting tones of Lady Ormiston.
‘So tell me where they are, Damon.’
‘I have no idea.’
‘Come now, Damon. I have my pistols, you see, and I know how to use them. Would you have me kill your friend?’
‘Of course not, but I tell you I haven’t seen the damned stones.’
‘Be sensible, mon ami. They were in the doll when it left London—Charles swore to me the doll was intact when he caught up with you.’
‘So it was you who set him to follow us.’
Veronique’s heartless laugh echoed through the quiet rooms.
‘Such a simple task, to recover the doll. Those two imbeciles should have managed it in Bond Street, before you left town, but they bungled the attempt. So I sent Charles to bring it back to me. I thought he would accomplish it easily, but no, he panicked and snatched the child as well. What a pity your bullet did not kill him, Damon. He was such a fool.’
‘Was?’
‘You do not think I could let him live, knowing so much? He was weak, Damon. One should never deal with weak men. Now you, mon cher, you are not weak.’
‘Neither am I a fool, madam. I can see only one way this can end.’
Juliana marvelled that Damon could sound so cool. She edged closer to the doorway, desperate to know what was going on. She peered through the crack between the door and the frame and what she saw made her feel suddenly faint. On the far side of the room Sir Richard was slumped against one wall, blood trickling from a gash on his head. Damon stood a little in front of him, as if to shield him from further attack. She could not see Veronique, but guessed from Damon’s watchful look that she was standing just inside the room. Juliana moved forward a little more towards the shaft of light, then drew back quickly. Veronique was standing in the doorway, holding a slim silver pistol at her side. In that brief glance Juliana had not seen her other hand, but she had spoken of pistols, and from her stance she guessed she was levelling another one directly at Damon. His next words confirmed her fears and a cold chill ran through her.
‘Perhaps before you kill me, you will tell me how those diamonds came to be in my daughter’s doll?’
‘It is a fashion doll, of no interest to anyone but the modiste. We arranged for the doll to come from Paris; it should have been foolproof, but her assistant gave the doll to one of your infants before the diamonds had been removed.’
‘And without them you cannot pay for the ship that is to snatch Bonaparte from St Helena.’
‘So you know of that, too,’ purred Veronique. ‘You are too clever, Damon. I was going to spare you, for the sake of our former friendship—’
‘Even though I would not make love to you the other night?’
‘I am generous, mon cher, I can forgive you for that. I thought I would lock you in here while I go in search of your children. Now I will have to shoot you after all.’
Juliana knew an impulse to hurl herself into the room, to shield the Major as he was shielding his friend, but it was not possible. Veronique stood between them. She looked around helplessly. She must do something.
‘You will not touch the children, madam.’ Damon spoke quickly, his tone cold as ice.
Lady Ormiston laughed harshly.
‘No? And what can you do to stop me? In a few moments you will be dead, and then I shall wait on the road until the children come back from the fair. I shall make them tell me what they have done with the diamonds.’
‘I tell you, they know nothing.’
‘My dear sir, if you cannot tell me, what else am I to do but ask the children? You tell me the doll has not been out of their possession, so one of them must know about the stones.’
Damon’s voice cut through the air like steel, quiet and deadly. ‘If you touch them, I swear I will kill you!’
Juliana flinched, tensing herself for the inevitable shot, and when it did not come she knew she dare not wait any longer. She began to inch forward until she was directly behind Lady Ormiston. She was in the light now and clearly visible. She prayed that Veronique’s attention would remain fixed on Damon, and that he would not give her away by so much as a glance. The lilting, taunting voice continued.
‘No, no, Damon. It is I holding the pistol, not you. But I have tarried long enough, let us end this.’
Veronique raised her arm to take careful aim. At the same time Juliana grasped the only object within her reach. She swept the bust of Prometheus from its pedestal and raised it above her head as she stepped forward.
‘You will—not—touch—my man!’ she gasped as she brought the bust crashing down. Veronique had become aware of someone behind her, but even as she looked round the bust shattered against her head before she could squeeze the trigger. The weapon fell from her fingers as Veronique crumpled to the floor.
‘Oh, well done, Ju.’
There was the faintest tremor in Damon’s voice. He strode forward and dropped to his knees beside Veronique. Juliana leaned against the doorpost, staring in horror at the lifeless form.
‘Don’t worry, you haven’t killed her, although you might have done so if that bust had been marble instead of alabaster, and Veronique had a less flamboyant taste in hats.’
Juliana looked at the shattered bust and the crumpled wreck of Lady Ormiston’s fashionable bonnet, the ostrich feathers fluttering gently amongst the fragments of alabaster.
‘I am glad I am not a murderess,’ she said unsteadily. A movement across the room caught her attention and she hurried to Sir Richard, who was beginning to stir.
‘Be still, sir.’ She knelt beside him. ‘Do not try to rise until I have looked at that cut on your head.’
‘I have a damnable headache,’ he muttered.
She took out her clean handkerchief and pressed it to the wound. ‘You have had a nasty blow to the head.’ She looked at the red rag on the floor beside him.
‘Oh—it is Minna’s doll.’
‘Aye,’ said Sir Richard. ‘I heard a noise and looked in here to see the thing lying on the floor. I bent to pick it up and as I turned something hit me.’
‘She used the poker on you,’ added the Major.
‘Damned foolish of me to be taken unawares.’ Sir Richard winced as he put his fingers to his bruised head.
‘Even more foolish of me to come running in,’ growled Damon. ‘Veronique had hidden herself behind the door and caught us both.’ He helped Sir Richard up on to a chair. ‘That was just before you arrived, Ju.’
Leaving Sir Richard to hold the handkerchief to his brow, she dug her hand into her reticule. ‘I wish I had been a little earlier, then you might have been prepared for her. She was looking for these, I think.’ The two men stared at the diamonds winking on her palm. ‘Thomas discovered them when he mended Minna’s doll for her, but he thought they were glass and forgot about them.’
Damon gave a low whistle. ‘The B
orghese earrings, I presume, Rick?’
‘Yes, by God. Well done, Miss Wrenn. With these and what the lady has let slip today we have a case, without doubt. I shall take her back to London and interrogate her further, of course, and hope we can flush out the rest of the group.’
‘Amy told me Minna was given the doll when she went with Lady Varley to visit her dressmaker.’
‘Madam Fleurie,’ said Damon. ‘That would explain Louisa’s postscript on her letter that she wanted a doll returned. I didn’t know what she meant and gave it no more thought.’
‘Better and better.’ Sir Richard grinned. He stood up, a little unsteadily, and pointed to Lady Ormiston. ‘She’s coming round. Damon, have you somewhere secure we can keep her until I can take her to London?’
‘Aye, there’s a cellar with a stout door, and nothing in it save a few boxes. She will not be able to harm herself or others from there.’
Juliana held out the diamonds to Sir Richard. ‘I have done now, and had best be on my way—’
Sir Richard gripped her hand. ‘Not yet, if you please, Miss Wrenn. I would be glad of your help in cleaning up this cut on my head. Foolishly I have let my man go off with the others. He has his eye on that pretty little chambermaid who comes to make up the bed and I thought it would be cruel to keep him here. Had I known this would happen, of course, I would never have consented to his going…’
She felt the corners of her mouth lifting almost reluctantly.
‘There is a pump in the kitchen,’ said Damon, stooping to gather Lady Ormiston into his arms. ‘Perhaps Miss Wrenn would be good enough to escort you there, Rick, and clean you up a little while I see to our prisoner.’
Juliana hung back, unhappiness welling within her. Damon would not look at her, could not even bring himself to talk to her, it seemed. He would not give her an opportunity to admit she had been mistaken. She wanted to be away, to leave the house and enjoy her misery to the full. Sir Richard’s grip on her hand tightened.
‘Please, Miss Wrenn.’
His gentle tone worked: she could not ignore his plea for help. She nodded.
‘Of course, sir. Lean on me.’
The kitchen was unnaturally tidy, the big table scrubbed and empty and all the copper and pewter dishes put away. Juliana helped Sir Richard to a chair, then went over to the sink where she began to pump water into a small bowl. Whipping a cloth from the drying rack as she came back to the table, she proceeded to clean the blood from Sir Richard’s brow with gentle strokes.
‘Let us hope I shall look a little less frightening when you have finished,’ he remarked as she worked away.
‘You look almost respectable already, sir, although there is a little blood on your cravat.’ She put down her cloth. ‘There, I have finished. The wound is not too deep and has stopped bleeding, so I think we need not subject you to the indignity of a bandage. Now, if you will excuse me, Sir Richard, Thomas and Amy will be wondering what has happened to me.’
‘Must you go?’ he asked her. ‘It is very late to be setting off.’
‘I know; that is why I must make haste.’
‘Is your new employer expecting you? Let a servant ride over with a note, to explain.’
‘No. I will not stay in this house.’
Her voice broke on the words. He gripped her hands.
‘At least give me your direction. There could be a substantial reward…nay, I am sure of it—for the capture of Lady Ormiston, and for the diamonds—you must have your share. Tell me where you are going.’
Juliana closed her eyes and sank down on to a chair. Exhaustion weighed her down. She said dully, ‘I will not lie to you, Sir Richard. I have nowhere to go when I leave here, which is why I must go now if I am to find decent lodging for us tonight.’
‘Oh, my poor girl—’ He broke off.
A hasty step sounded outside the door and the next moment Damon came in.
‘Well, she is safe enough, although not too happy with her quarters.’ His lip curled. ‘She’s not so much to be pitied. I found her maid outside in the carriage and locked her in the cellar with her mistress, along with the coachman. I promised to feed them all presently, if they behave themselves.’
Sir Richard nodded. ‘Good. You should warn the servants not to go near the cellar, Damon. I wouldn’t want to lose her now.’ He paused, looking down at his chest. ‘Dear me, I believe there is a bloodstain on my cravat, so if you will excuse me I shall go and find a fresh one.’
Juliana rose. ‘And I must go, too.’ She made to follow him out of the door, but Damon blocked her way.
‘One moment, Miss Wrenn. You have not yet let me thank you for your services today.’
She kept her eyes lowered. ‘I need no thanks, sir.’
‘For saving our lives? I think you do.’
He spoke evenly, but she knew him too well to miss the hint of amusement in his voice. How dare he laugh at her, when she had been through so much? She gathered the remains of her strength.
‘I would do the same for any man,’ she retorted coldly. ‘Please, let me go. Thomas and Amy are waiting for me outside.’
‘No, they are not. I have sent them upstairs.’
She raised her head at that and gave him a scorching look. ‘You had no right to do so.’
‘It is far too late for you to travel today.’
‘Surely, sir, that is for me to decide.’
‘Not when you are using my servants.’
She eyed him resentfully, but it only seemed to increase his amusement. He put up his hands. ‘You have my word that if you are still of the same mind tomorrow, my carriage shall take you wherever you wish to go.’
She considered this, and nodded. ‘Very well. Then if you will excuse me, I am very tired and wish to rest.’
Still he barred her way. She clenched her jaw, determined not to lose control.
‘Major Collingham,’ she said carefully, ‘please let me pass.’
‘Not until you have explained yourself.’
‘I have told you, I came back here to bring the diamonds to Sir Richard—any true Englishwoman would do as much.’
‘That does not explain your behaviour in the schoolroom.’
She sighed in exasperation. ‘She would have shot you both. I am very sorry if you were attached to that particular sculpture—’
‘No, I had always considered that representation of Prometheus a very poor example.’ He laughed. ‘Quite apt, though, don’t you think? The Greek myths,’ he explained, observing her puzzled look. ‘There’s one version that says Prometheus smashed a rock against Zeus’s head and Athene came out, fully formed.’
The suspicion that Damon was not quite sober entered her head. She stepped back a little.
‘I fear we are straying from the point, Major.’
‘Indeed we are,’ he agreed cordially. ‘I have no objection to you smashing the bust—it was what you said that intrigues me.’
‘I don’t understand.’ She found herself fixed with his unrelenting gaze.
‘It was your words as you came in, as glorious as any avenging goddess, and felled Veronique. Say it again for me.’
‘I—I don’t remember,’ she said, blushing.
‘Oh, I think you do.’ Damon came towards her.
‘I was frightened. S-surely you take no notice of what people say when they are in extremis?’ She stepped back and found herself pressed against the panelled wall.
‘Say it again.’ He took another step forward.
‘No!’
He placed his hands on the panelling on either side of her head, and fixed her with those dark, hawk-like eyes.
‘Say it again.’
She swallowed. ‘Y-you cannot bully me, Damon. I am not a r-raw recruit to be ordered about by you.’
He smiled. It was so unexpected that it caught her by surprise and her heart turned over.
‘You are right. Please say it again.’
‘I—um—’
He leaned closer. ‘G
o on.’
‘I think I said…you shall not…Damon.’
His lips brushed her cheek. ‘Say it all,’ he murmured.
‘I said…you shall not…’
His mouth had moved to her brow, where he dusted a featherlight kiss on the edge of her hair. ‘Say it. All of it.’
He was standing so close she could feel the heat of his body. She pressed back against the wall to prevent herself leaning into him. She raised her face, inviting him to kiss her, but his mouth was just out of reach. It was difficult to breathe.
‘Go on, Ju.’
‘You shall not…touch…’
‘Yes?’
Her eyes were level with his lips. She could not look away.
‘You shall not touch…’ she whispered the words, then swallowed again. He was so close, around her and above her. There was no escape. She thought wildly that she wanted none. ‘You shall not touch…my man.’
There. She had said it. Now he would kiss her, surely he would kiss her! Instead he brought his hands forward to cup her face and scowled at her.
‘You said just now that you would do the same for any man. Would you have said that about any man?’ he demanded.
‘Not—perhaps anyone,’ she conceded.
His eyes narrowed. ‘Richard, then—were you talking about Rick perhaps?’
With a small squeal of frustration, she reached up and pulled his dear, frowning face down to hers, giving him her answer with her lips. Only for a second did he resist her, then his hands slid over her shoulders and the next minute she was crushed against him and answering his passionate kiss with her own. Her arms slid around his neck and she clung to him. She revelled in his savage embrace, rejoiced in the feel of his hard body against hers; clearly his passion had not died. When at last he lifted his head she buried her face in his coat.
‘I doubted you, Damon, I should not have done so. I am so sorry.’
More Than a Governess Page 23