“This is what happens when you abduct my future daughter-in-law.”
Jasper was surprised by his father’s choice of words. He felt Daisy’s shock vibrating from her, but he was glad she managed to keep her thoughts to herself for the time being. Lord Wright did not take well to the marquis’ words.
“Future daughter-in-law,” he sputtered. “Do you seriously expect me to believe you are bothering with the governess?”
“I do not care what you believe, Wright, but you really should not have accosted a member of my party. It was really poorly thought out on your part.”
“Everything has been poorly thought out since I took up with Sadbury,” the earl exclaimed.
“Now you are just being childish, my lord,” the marquis chided. “It is obvious that Sadbury is not the mastermind of any of these efforts. Do not try to shift the blame. It will do you no good.”
Now Jasper was grinning again. He found it vastly entertaining to see the marquis’ cold disdain directed upon someone else for a change.
Wright refrained from any further comment, instead glaring silently at all around him. Sadbury was still sniveling but had nothing to add as silence fell upon the group.
Relief filled everyone except the trussed up men when the groom returned, followed by the magistrate. Mr. Samuel Jackson looked to be a trifle awed by the company he found himself in, but he managed to keep himself well in hand and deal with the grave situation.
“Abducted the young lady, you say?” Mr. Jackson repeated what he had been told. “Because of smuggling?” The magistrate was appalled. “Did the gents not know how very illegal smuggling is?” The little man grinned over his own question before looking seriously at the marquis who was clearly in charge.
“What did you have in mind, my lord?”
“I think some time spent in the colonies might help these scoundrels see the wisdom in keeping themselves on the right side of the law.”
“You cannot be serious!” exclaimed Lord Wright, while Sadbury snivelled, “But I cannot leave my family behind.”
“You should have been thinking about your family before you embarked upon this venture,” the marquis replied coldly. Turning back to the magistrate, he said, “I do not see that it would do any of us any good to send them to trial. I think this would be the simplest, most expedient means of dealing with these two.”
Jasper saw that the magistrate was in agreement, but he had one more point to make. “You do realize, though, my lord, that they will, no doubt, return.”
“I have no doubt that they will, but by then, Miss Pembroke will no longer be in any danger from them, and their smuggling enterprise will be out of business. I will keep my eye on them, have no fear, sir.”
Mr. Jackson shrugged indicating his lack of concern. “Very well, I will make a record of these events, my lord, if you would like to see to the arrangements.”
“It will be my pleasure.” The marquis’ silky reply caused Sadbury to start snivelling again, and even the earl looked cowed by the future awaiting him.
“You’ll be sorry for this, Abernathy.” Lord Wright tried to brazen through his misgivings.
“No, my lord, it is you who will be sorry if you ever even think of involving yourself with anyone in my family again.”
Within minutes, they had the three bound men mounted, and the group retraced their steps back to Welland. Jasper felt deflated after the intensity of the chase. It was in silence that the group rode into the stable yard. He realized that Daisy, too, was withering after all the excitement, so he helped her to dismount and sent her to the house while the rest of the arrangements were finalized for getting the three onto a ship bound for the colonies. The only argument was which destination would be the least savory for the likes of them.
Chapter Nineteen
Daisy couldn’t remember ever feeling so tired in all her life. Not even during her days as a governess. This day felt as though it were, in fact, three. She longed fervently for her bed. But when they returned to the house, Lady Abernathy insisted that everyone needed to eat a proper meal. After the day they had experienced, Daisy doubted that anyone would be hungry, but she was soon proven wrong. The gentlemen, it would appear, were ravenous.
She had very mixed feelings when Jasper noticed that she was wilting. “Daisy, my dear, you look done in. I do believe it is time for you to seek your bed,” he declared when everyone had been fed.
Bristling half-heartedly, Daisy tried to object to his words. “Has no one ever told you that you really ought not to make any reference to a lady not looking her best?”
Jasper didn’t appear to be put out by her words; his indulgent smile made Daisy want to slap it off his face. This thought brought her up short. “But it would seem you are quite correct, my lord. I am not myself at the moment, and it would be best if I take to my bed.”
“My dear Miss Pembroke, it is nothing short of miraculous that you are still standing at this moment after the day you have had. Please know that no one present will take the least offence if you retire for the evening.” The marquis actually sounded almost kind as he spoke to her.
Daisy blinked owlishly at the marquis’ words. “Th-thank you, my lord.” Her words coming out in an incoherent stammer brought heat to her cheeks. She hurried to bob a curtsy to the room at large and fled to the sanctuary of her room.
Kate was there waiting to fuss over her. Daisy was too tired to protest but was grateful that within a few short minutes she was tucked up in the warm bed. She succumbed to oblivion before her head was even settled on the pillow.
~~~
Jasper turned to his father, hoping he didn’t look as shocked as he felt over the marquis’ words. “That was kind of you, my lord.”
Warm colour splashed across Abernathy’s cheeks, bringing an amused smile to Jasper’s face. The marquis blustered. “It was certainly better than what you were doing, Seaton. The girl was right. You should have thought of a more tactful way of sending her off to her bed.”
“But it was clear she was dead on her feet,” Jasper protested even though he knew his father was right.
“Despite all she has been through today, there is no doubt in my mind that Daisy would have preferred it if you complimented her instead of telling her she looked ragged,” Bess chided her brother.
“I did not tell her she looked ragged,” the viscount protested, even as he saw that no one was taking his side. He stopped defending himself. “I will make it up to her tomorrow. Now that we have all been fed, I would like to thank everyone for all that you did to help today, both in finding Daisy when she was missing and then later in tracking down Sadbury and Wright.”
“Of course, my son. We quite like Miss Pembroke and were glad to be of service to her,” Jasper’s mother reminded him, while his father was much less effusive in his comments. “We could never leave a young woman defenceless.”
Jasper wondered absently if he would ever understand his father. He gave up on the effort needed to maintain his façade as a gentleman. “I will bid you all a good night. I find that the rigours of the day are catching up with me as well.”
“Good night,” everyone chimed in as Jasper headed for the door. He was chagrined to find his father joining him as he left the room.
Holding on to his composure by a thread, Jasper raised questioning eyebrows at the marquis. “Was there something you wished to discuss, my lord?”
Jasper was surprised to catch a glimpse of discomfort crossing the marquis’ face before he continued to look his usual haughty self. “We will need to discuss your Miss Pembroke tomorrow, Seaton.”
“I highly doubt I will wish to discuss her with you, my lord.” Jasper’s cold drawl made it clear he would accept no criticism of his chosen lady.
“Do not fly up into the boughs now, Seaton, I mean no disrespect to Miss Pembroke. But if you are intent on marrying the chit, we shall have to make every effort to ensure that no hint of a scandal touches on her. This business with Sadbury and Wrig
ht will need to be sorted properly if you do not want in hanging over you for years to come.”
Jasper fervently hoped that his jaw was not hanging open exhibiting his shock over the marquis’ words. “Yes, of course, mayhap once we have all rested we shall have more thoughts on the matter.” Jasper doubted he was making much sense, but he was relieved when his father merely nodded and headed for the library.
“Sleep well, Seaton,” were the marquis’ parting words.
Jasper shook his head in wonder as he watched his father walk away. It had been a remarkable day.
~~~
Daisy swam to the surface of consciousness with reluctance the next morning, grateful that her maid had left the curtains closed so she could sleep later than usual. Feeling somewhat disoriented, she wondered how long she had been asleep. Hearing quiet rustling across the room, she raised her head.
“Good morning,” she called out in a soft voice.
“Oh, miss, I sure hope I didn’t disturb you!” Kate was aghast at the thought.
“No, no, Kate, do not trouble yourself. I do believe I have slept quite long enough. Surely the day is well advanced.” Daisy could not see the clock from where she lay on the bed, despite straining toward the mantle.
“While it is a little later than usual for you, it really isn’t all that late. Perhaps you should try to sleep a little longer.”
Daisy threw back the covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed. “I was too tired to eat much last night, and now I am ravenous. Besides, now that Lords Sadbury and Wright have been apprehended there is no need for us to be dithering here. I need to get up and see what Lord Seaton has in mind.”
“But surely his lordship won’t be asking you to travel any time soon after the ordeal you have been through.”
Daisy laughed at her maid. “I am perfectly fine, Kate, I promise. It is not so very far to London. If his lordship wishes to go, I can be ready.” She paused at the dubious look on Kate’s face. “Of course, there would be the packing to see to, and the day has advanced, so tomorrow might be a better option, but I would still very much like to get up and see what he has in mind.”
“His lordship is a good man — I’m sure he would rather you rested some more.” Kate’s tone was wheedling, making Daisy laugh.
“Your opinion of him sure has changed.”
“He has been good to me,” was all Kate offered.
“You are quite correct — he is a good man. But I am done with sleeping for now. I will need to get dressed so I can go see if breakfast is still being served.”
“Oh, but miss, I could surely send to the kitchens to order you a tray,” Kate continued to protest despite the fact that her mistress had strode across the room and was now peering into the wardrobe.
Ignoring her maid’s protests, Daisy pondered which gown would best disguise the pallor she was certain still covered her cheeks. “I think the green muslin with the sawtooth trim will do the trick quite nicely.”
Kate adandoned her protests, seeing that her mistress was quite determined. Within a short time, Daisy was dressed and coifed and on her way to the breakfast room. Despite her hunger, she was nervous and took a moment before entering the room to take a deep breath and calm her nerves.
“Good morning,” she greeted as cheerfully as she could muster. The occupants of the room had been subdued before she entered, but the gentlemen quickly rose to their feet while Bess and Lady Abernathy exclaimed over her presence.
Bess hurried to Daisy’s side, ready to be the hostess. “We thought you would sleep a bit longer. How are you faring today? Did you sleep well enough? Are you hungry?”
Daisy laughed over the string of questions, oddly feeling at ease by the countess’ chatter. “I slept like a baby, thank you. And yes, now I am quite ready to break my fast.”
“Well come along to the sideboard. The dishes are all still here.” Realizing that the gentlemen were still standing, Bess quickly urged them to their seats. “She will be at least another minute, so you might as well sit back down. There is no need to stand on ceremony anyway as we are practically family.”
At Bess’ words, Daisy’s stomach plummeted, and she wondered if she would be able to eat after all. She swept a nervous glance toward Jasper, but he seemed unperturbed by his sister’s words as he refilled his coffee cup and took a sip. She released the breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding. Relieved to see her hands weren’t shaking despite her nerves, Daisy put a little bit more food on her plate and then took her place at the table.
Daisy tried not to glare at him when Jasper looked her plate over and declared, “You must not be feeling yourself, as I have never seen you eat so little in the morning.”
~~~
Jasper watched the battle taking place in her mind as he searched her expressive eyes. She kept a polite smile pinned to her lips, but her eyes gave her away. She was torn between her desire to keep the peace and her exasperation with him. She was obviously a little jumpy still from the events of the day before. Jasper just hoped she would see her way clear to confiding in him as soon as he could figure out a way to have some privacy with her.
He was disappointed on a certain level when she lowered her eyes to her plate but relieved to see her grab her fork and apply herself to the food before her. Jasper looked around the table, glad that the marquis wasn’t present. Even though he had seemed to be thawing toward his only son, Jasper didn’t think Daisy was ready to face the marquis just yet. The rest of the companions at the table must have sensed Daisy’s need for calm since quiet conversations began around the table as though everything were normal.
As soon as he saw Daisy put her fork down on her empty plate, Jasper stood up, drawing all eyes to him. “I think my fiancé and I have much to discuss, so if you will excuse us, we shall adjourn to the drawing room.”
Ignoring the look of panic on Daisy’s face, Jasper rounded the table, grabbed her hand, and strode from the room, bemused to see the varying looks of approval and amusement on the faces of his family.
“Jasper, my lord, this is not seemly,” Daisy hissed, as soon as they were out of earshot of the breakfast room.
“It is perfectly acceptable for an engaged couple to be afforded a degree of privacy. There is nothing unseemly about it.”
“But you should not continue this farce about us being engaged. It is not fair to your family.” Jasper’s lack of concern over his family’s feelings on the matter must have been obvious to Daisy, so she continued in a much lower voice, “And it isn’t fair to me.”
This drew him up short. He stopped abruptly and turned her to face him. “What do you mean by that, Daisy? Am I so abhorrent to you that you will not even consider the possibility of marriage to me?”
He wanted to cut out his own tongue when he saw tears well up in her eyes. She had been so brave after the death of her parents and in the face of her captors, but now his blunt words brought her close to crying. Jasper condemned himself as a brute.
“Please don’t cry, Daisy, I beg of you. I didn’t mean to bully you. Come along to the drawing room and let us discuss this like civilized people.”
Gratified to see that she wasn’t going to burst into tears, Jasper retained his hold on her hand, but proceeded at a more sedate pace. After settling her on the settee, Jasper sat down on a stool facing her, managing to gather both of her hands into his own.
“Are you perfectly sure you have no further injuries after your adventures yesterday?”
Jasper was mollified by her gurgle of laughter. “Oh Jasper, thank you for your concern, but please stop coddling me. I am perfectly fine. You have no idea how comforting it was to wake up this morning and not have to worry about Sadbury and why he was looking for me. While I will acquiesce that yesterday was a trifle harrowing, the fact that it was all over in one day feels like a deliverance.”
“Well that is wonderful news, so now we can safely discuss our future together. I beg of you, Daisy, consent to be my wife.”
Daisy’s breath froze in her lungs at Jasper’s words. He sounded so sincere, and she felt her traitorous heart tremble with the temptation. Impatiently, she dashed a hand across her eyes as tears once again threatened to fall.
“Jasper, I cannot marry you. I will bring nothing but tribulations to you. Look at all the trouble I have caused you in just the past two weeks.”
“You didn’t cause these problems — it was that ne’er-do-well Wright who was the source of trouble,” Jasper insisted, tightening his grip on Daisy’s hand. “I can assure you, even if you do bring troubles or trials, it will be my honour to help you with them. You see, my dear, I find that I really cannot face a future without you in it. I didn’t even know I was looking for exactly you to change my life completely. Say yes, and the only children you shall have to see to in the future shall be ours.”
Daisy couldn’t prevent another gurgle of laughter from escaping her lips at his words. She was so tempted to accept his offer, but she had one more thing she had to make clear to him.
“There’s one more thing you ought to know about me, my lord. If you take me about in Society, the Earl and Countess of Worth might make trouble for you.”
“The Earl of Worth? Jack’s grandfather? Whatever for?”
Daisy took a deep breath and plunged into explanation. “You see, they are my grandparents. They disowned my mother when she married my father. They told her they could never countenance her match, and she had better not come crawling back for forgiveness when she found herself starving in the gutter with her lowborn brats in tow. My mother never saw them again. While we did visit her siblings a couple times when I was very young, my father would never forgive them for their treatment of my mother and wouldn’t allow her to reach out to them after time passed and tempers cooled. I do believe he would roll over in his grave if he knew I was considering marriage with a nobleman.”
“Is that why you were so anxious to know who my mother had invited to the house party?”
A Dangerous Debut: A Sweet Regency Romance (Ladies of Mayfair Book 5) Page 22