“Thank God. I do not know what I am more relieved about—that you didn’t hurt Miss Richmond or that you do not have to marry her.”
Harry looked closely at his friend. “You really do love her then, James?”
James looked up at him bleakly. “Of course, you fool. What have you been thinking these past few weeks?”
“That you were only infatuated by her beauty, as I was. I judged you by my own lack of feeling, James. I am sorry.”
“You should be. You put me through hell,” responded James, with all the hostility he had been suppressing.
“Do you think your family will approve? The Richmonds are a bit odd, to say the least. What will your bishop uncle think about a connection with the Methodist Marchioness?”
“I have been a good and dutiful son all my life and done everything my mother wished of me. This time, I will do what I want. Except, of course, it won’t matter, because Miss Richmond has no more affection for me than she does for you.”
“I am not sure Miss Richmond allows herself any great depth of feeling, James. That is what so fascinated me: the challenge of finally breaking through that remoteness. Well, I had better get dressed and go over there and make my apologies.”
“Perhaps it would be better to wait until tomorrow, Harry. She was still confined to her bed today.”
“All right. But join me for breakfast, James? I do not want you to leave with such bad feelings between us.”
“I’ll stay, Harry. I would like to clear the air.”
* * *
Chapter 21
Kate said nothing to her parents, for Lynette had sworn her to secrecy when she returned upstairs. Later in the morning, a small bouquet arrived, with a note attached, which Kate herself delivered to her sister.
“It is from Lord Sidmouth. I recognized his footman’s livery,” she said, holding the flowers out with a look of distaste on her face. “What a coward that he didn’t come himself. I had thought Lord Clitheroe would persuade him.”
“Lord Clitheroe? What does he know of this?” asked Lynette with a frown.
Kate looked a little shamefaced. “He called very early this morning, Lynnie, to see how you were. I am afraid I was so angry that I told him that Sidmouth had assaulted you.”
“Kate, Lord Sidmouth did no more than kiss me. I told you that.”
“But it must have been more, or you wouldn’t have reacted that way.”
A shadow passed over Lynette’s face. She looked down at the note in her hand. “He has sent a sincere apology and has asked to call this afternoon to explain himself more fully. I can’t see him, Kate. Not yet.”
“Of course not. I will have Lester show him the door. Now get some sleep, Lynnie. You still look exhausted.”
Lynette slept most of the morning and the early afternoon away. Kate satisfied the family by saying that her father was right: Lynette was just overcome by the frenetic activity of the last few weeks. And when Lord Sidmouth was announced, instead of having him sent away as she had originally planned, she told the butler to show the marquess into the drawing room.
After keeping him waiting a good fifteen minutes, she entered. Lord Sidmouth stood up and bowed, and then asked if it would be possible to have a few private words with her sister.
“I can assure you, my lord, that you have had more than enough time with my sister in private. She is sleeping at the moment, exhausted from her ordeal last night,” replied Kate bitterly.
Harry had intended a sincere apology to Miss Richmond. He had never forced an unwilling woman and was ashamed of himself for frightening her and chagrined that he had misjudged her response. But he would hardly have called the kisses on the balcony an ordeal—especially for a scholar conversant with fertility symbols! Miss Kate Richmond made him lose all his good intentions, and he answered coldly, “Hardly an ordeal, Miss Kate. I was mistaken in my reading of your sister’s response, nothing more.”
“You forget, Lord Sidmouth, that I have experienced one of your assaults myself.”
Harry flushed with anger and embarrassment. “Ah, yes, James told me you had flung that in his face. It is not at all comparable, and you know that. You had awakened a trained soldier out of a sound sleep. I am not violent with women, either in anger or love, I assure you,” he said vehemently. “If Miss Richmond is asleep now, I will call tomorrow, for I would like the opportunity to personally explain to her my misreading of her response. Good day, Miss Kate.” Harry got up, bowed, and left the room without a backward look, leaving Kate standing there with her mouth open.
* * * *
When Lynette awoke later in the afternoon, she was surprised to find that she was ravenous. She decided that she would join the family for tea, and surprised all of them by appearing at the table.
“Lynette, my dear, I hope you are recovered,” said her father.
Her mother immediately went over to her and felt her cheeks. “Cool as a cucumber,” she announced with a smile. “Come, sit down, dear.”
Lynette hated the fuss, but she had expected it, so she only smiled and explained that she did indeed seem to be recovering from her illness.
“Where are Gareth and Arden?” she asked after sitting down and being helped to a cup of tea. “And Aunt Kate?”
“Gareth and Arden are visiting friends, and Kate is out on her rounds this afternoon,” replied her mother.
“Of course,” Lynette murmured.
“Your mother and I have decided that you need a few days of complete rest. It is clear that this activity has been too much for you. May we send your regrets to your invitations?” asked Mr. Richmond.
“Why, yes, Father, perhaps that would be a good idea. I do not feel up to going out and about yet.” Lynette was secretly relieved. She had spent some of her time in bed planning her way back to Yorkshire, and her only worry had been the embarrassment her family would suffer if she didn’t appear at the various events they were invited to that week. This way, she wouldn’t even be expected, and her absence would be explained away beforehand. “But you must not stay home for my sake yourselves. I hope you will go on with the week as planned.”
“We will send regrets only for you, if you are sure, Lynette,” said her mother. “I would not want to hold Kate back from the week’s entertainments.”
“Will you be riding with Gareth and Arden tomorrow, Kate?” her sister asked.
“Why, yes, Lynnie. I usually do on Wednesday morning.”
Lynette was relieved. Her sister and brother would be gone, then, in the early morning. Her mother and father tended to sleep late. She had only one person to worry about, her aunt, whom she hoped would be tired enough from her work to sleep late also.
She went up early that evening and packed a few of her things in a small valise which she stuffed in the back of her closet. Luckily Gareth had been quite generous with pin money and she had more than enough to pay for the coach to York and a hired chaise from there to Hawes. She penned a short note, which she would leave propped up on her nightstand, explaining that she just couldn’t face the rest of the Season and had returned home alone, so as not to ruin her family’s enjoyment of it.
She had a few bad moments as she slipped into bed, wondering whether this was the right thing to do. What would she say to Gabriel, after all, to get him talking? And was there anything to talk about? Maybe she had just had a nightmare once upon a time and Lord Sidmouth’s kisses brought it back? At the thought of Lord Sidmouth and his pending visit, she shivered. No, one good reason for leaving was that she couldn’t face seeing him again. She was embarrassed, ashamed, and afraid, all three at once, and right now, he was the cause of all those feelings. No, she would slip out tomorrow morning and be on her way home before anyone even missed her.
* * * *
Aunt Kate did sleep late the next morning, as did her parents, so as soon as she heard Kate and the others leave, she dressed quickly, checked to make sure her note would be seen, and slipped out the French doors leading to the gard
en. It was only a short walk from the back entrance to a hackney stand, and she easily made the coach to York. She was on the road for a good two hours before anyone did miss her.
Her maid had entered quietly, intending to ask if she wanted her chocolate in bed and was surprised to see the bed made and Lynette not sitting in the chair by the window, reading, as she was wont to do in the morning. Martha would not have been overly concerned had she not spied the cream-colored square resting on the nightstand. She slipped out and went to knock gently on the dowager marchioness’s door.
“Yes, who is it?”
“ ‘Tis Martha, my lady. There is something I think you should know.”
The dowager came to the door, her gray hair in its overnight braid, pulling her wrapper closed. Martha had been with her for years, and she knew that “something” must be serious for her maid to disturb her like this.
“What is it, Martha?”
“ ‘Tis the young lady, mum. Miss Richmond. She is not in her room.”
“Surely she is just down to breakfast early then?”
“No, my lady. And there looks to be a note, or else I wouldn’t have disturbed you.”
The dowager finished tying her wrapper and led the way down the hall. She sat on Lynette’s bed and fingered the folded paper for a moment, looking around at the state of the room. It showed no sign of upset, but that worried her even more. If Lynette had gone off somewhere, then she had been thinking about it beforehand. The note, when she finally opened it, confirmed her suspicions.
“Oh, dear,” she sighed.
“I hope the young lady is all right. Not kidnapped or anything?”
“No, Martha, this is not a ransom demand,” said the dowager with a smile, “though I know that would make more exciting gossip belowstairs.”
“I would never, my lady!”
“I know, Martha, I was only teasing you. Although I do need you to make a few inquiries amongst the other servants. Perhaps someone saw her leave and could tell us when.”
Martha curtsied and hurried off to the kitchen. Things were usually very calm in the Thorne household, and it was nice to have a little excitement, although she certainly would not wish any harm to that sweet Miss Richmond.
* * *
Chapter 22
The dowager looked at the note in her hand again. All Lynette said was that she was tired from the strain of the Season, and not wishing to spoil anyone else’s plans had decided to slip off by herself and return home. But why wouldn’t she have just told her parents or Gareth? Was it only fatigue or was it something else?
She heard laughing and chattering as Gareth and the others returned from their ride. Kate’s room was next to her sister’s, so the dowager waited until she had entered, and then knocked on the door and opened it without waiting for an invitation to come in.
“Aunt Kate! Good morning. I am just changing for breakfast,” said her niece.
“Kate, Lynette is gone.”
“Gone? What do you mean? Gone where?”
“According to this note,” said the dowager, handing it over to her niece, “she has gone home to Yorkshire.”
“Damn Sidmouth!” said Kate, without thinking.
“Sidmouth? What has he got to do with this?”
“I promised I wouldn’t tell, but I suppose this changes things,” said Kate. “Lord Sidmouth attacked Lynette the other night at the ball.”
“Harry Lifton? I would not have believed it of him.”
“Well, to do him justice, both he and Lynnie denied it was an assault, exactly. But why else would she have fled back home?”
“Tell me exactly what you know, Kate.”
“Well, Lynnie told me that Lord Sidmouth took her out on the balcony, supposedly for a breath of air, and then kissed her against her will. More than once.”
“A kiss or two is hardly an attack, my dear.”
“She was unwilling, and he ignored that. He says he thought she wanted him to. At any rate, whatever happened, it upset her so much that she was ill for a day and now has run off to escape him.”
“There must be something else to this that we don’t know, Kate. Do your parents know about Sidmouth?”
“No, Lynnie didn’t want anyone else to know, for she was too upset and embarrassed. The only other person who knows is Lord Clitheroe.”
“Well, we must talk to Edward and Elizabeth and then decide what to do.”
“Why, go after her, of course.”
“I don’t know if that is the best thing to do. She did have enough money?”
“I am sure she did. Gareth has been very generous, Aunt Kate.”
“Lynette has done enough traveling with your father that she can take care of herself. I admit, I don’t like the idea of a young woman traveling alone, but I doubt she is in any real danger.”
“But we can’t just let her run off like that,” protested Kate.
“It is not a question of ‘let,’ my dear. She is already on her way. Come, let us wake your parents, and decide as a family what is best to be done.”
* * * *
The Richmonds had only begun their conversation when Lord Clitheroe was announced.
“Tell him Lynette is still not well and send him away, Lester,” said Lady Elizabeth, before the butler could finish his sentence.
“Lord Clitheroe did not ask for Miss Richmond, my lady. He is desirous of speaking with Mr. Richmond.”
Lady Elizabeth raised her eyebrows at this and looked over at her husband inquiringly. “Edward?”
“I think I will see him, my dear. Show him into the library, Lester. I will be with him in a moment.”
“I think we can all guess what Lord Clitheroe has to say, Papa,” said Kate. “But what an awkward time for him to come courting. Whatever will you tell him?”
“The truth, Kate. He deserves that if he indeed is here to ask for Lynette’s hand. Whether he wants to pursue his suit further is up to him, once he discovers that she has gone home. My opinion, by the way, is for us to leave her alone,” concluded Mr. Richmond, as he walked out the door.
* * * *
“Good morning, Lord Clitheroe.”
James, who had been aimlessly browsing through the books on the table in front of him, jumped up to greet Mr. Richmond.
“Please sit down, my lord. You wished to speak with me?”
“You may have guessed why, sir. You cannot be ignorant of my interest in your daughter. I would like your permission to court her.”
Mr. Richmond smiled. “I could hardly miss your interest in Lynette, and am pleased by it. Tell me, Lord Clitheroe, do you have any reason to believe that my daughter would welcome your suit?”
James blushed. “No, not any real reason, Mr. Richmond. I can say only that she seems to enjoy my company.”
“More than any other of her admirers?”
“I really couldn’t say. But I can tell you that I have not clearly presented myself as a suitor before now. That is, I have sought Miss Richmond out, and she is surely aware that I am interested in her. But I have held myself back from any open courting.”
“Like kisses on the balcony?”
“You know about Sidmouth then?” asked James quietly. “He would be here instead of me, had I thought he had compromised her. In fact, I visited him yesterday to inform him that he would propose marriage or meet me at dawn.”
“Even though you wish to marry her?”
“I wrongly assumed that Harry must have gone further than a kiss or two, when I heard Miss Richmond had left early. When I confronted him, however, he assured me that he had misread her reaction.”
“Are you also here to apologize for your friend, Lord Clitheroe?” asked Mr. Richmond with a touch of irony.
“Not at all. Harry can apologize for himself. No, it was just that it was the visit to Harry that clarified my feelings. He does not love your daughter, Mr. Richmond. I do. And I feel ready to communicate that to her.”
“Unfortunately, Lynette is on her way
home to Yorkshire.”
“What? If Sidmouth lied to me, I’ll kill him,” said James.
“There is no reason to believe your friend a liar. Lynette’s account of the incident to her sister matches Lord Sidmouth’s exactly.”
James let out a sigh of relief. “But why then has she left London?”
“We really don’t know, Lord Clitheroe. We lead a very quiet life in Yorkshire, and Lynette and I are rather reclusive. It may be that the strain of all this socializing has been building, and Sidmouth’s behavior was just enough to push her over the edge.” Mr. Richmond hesitated a moment before going on. “Tell me, Lord Clitheroe, have you even attempted a kiss?”
James looked down at his boots as though he were hoping he could see himself in their high shine and find out what kind of fellow this was who let all opportunities to woo his lady pass him by. “Well, no. Not really. I have held Miss Richmond a little closer than one should during the waltz and squeezed her hand. But I have always felt some wall there, and I never wanted to take the besieger’s route. I suppose I was hoping that persistence and patience would eventually cause Miss Richmond to let the wall down herself.”
Mr. Richmond smiled. “Lynette can seem like the maiden in the tower, can’t she? Hers is not so much a sensuous beauty as an otherworldly one.”
James blushed. “I think Harry found her remoteness tantalizing.”
“And you, Lord Clitheroe?”
“I wish to know Miss Richmond herself. I must admit that her beauty amazed me the first time I saw her. But what I find irresistible is the sense of the real woman hidden behind that face.”
“Yes, Lynette has always felt to me like a ‘sleeping beauty,’ Lord Clitheroe. Some part of her is unawakened. Or has been until now.”
“I had wanted it to be my kiss,” said James, with quiet anger. “And it is too late now.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that, James. I may call you James? After all, we hope to be related,” added Mr. Richmond with a smile.
“Then you do approve of my suit?”
“I think you are just what Lynette needs. You are steady and honorable, and very down-to-earth. She will drive you to distraction at times, you know, with her absentmindedness and total absorption in her studies. I know I do the same to Lady Elizabeth.”
Heartless Lord Harry Page 9